"All of Vlad's forces and all of Vlad's men, are out to put Humpty together again." (2 Viewers)

GTX · Jul 15, 2022

'Shoot me, but I won't confess': Ukrainian medic describes hell of Russian captivity

Taira constantly thinks about the prisoners she left behind in a tiny 3m by 6m prison cell where she was held by Russian forces.

www.abc.net.au

vikingBerserker · Jul 15, 2022

THese people are worse than Storm Troopers,

GTX said:
https://m.censor.net/en/news/3353128/scandal_in_russian_concern_azmazantey_according_to_documents_s400_complexes_should_shoot_down_himars

I wonder if this will lead Turkey to switch back to a NATO system

Thumpalumpacus · Jul 15, 2022

vikingBerserker said:
THese people are worse than Storm Troopers,

I wonder if this will lead Turkey to switch back to a NATO system

Only if they shut up about Finland and Sweden, would be my guess. Hardball is hardball and we each get half an inning.

GrauGeist · Jul 15, 2022

vikingBerserker said:
THese people are worse than Storm Troopers,

I wonder if this will lead Turkey to switch back to a NATO system

Did you catch this part?

"...the military industrial complex of Nazi Russia..."

Pure gold!!

buffnut453 · Jul 16, 2022

Thumpalumpacus said:
Only if they shut up about Finland and Sweden, would be my guess. Hardball is hardball and we each get half an inning.

Could be an opportunity for Turkey to offload their Russian SAMs onto Ukraine. Removes the NATO interoperability problem. Makes them look like supportive team players. Gives Ukraine some needed additional air defence capability that could reach into occupied areas of the Donbas. Win-win-win.

The downside, of course, is that it would upset Moscow and I'm pretty sure Ankara doesn't want to do that.

SaparotRob · Jul 16, 2022

Erdogan seems to be flexing a bit of muscle, tweaking both sides's noses a bit. He must be looking good at home. He influenced NATO this time and got his way. Russia might not be looking like a good long term bet with putin going hat in hand to Iran. "Will you be my friend?"
Erdogan okays the most amazing NATO additions. Why not grab a concession or two? Which frightens putler more? A Ukraine trying to get into the EU or a Freaking NATO Finland?. Is Ankara hosting talks between Ukraine and Mordor? I have read rumor(?) of Turkey providing escort for Ukrainian grain shipments. It would certainly help Ukraine to improve its air defense by getting those "HIMAR proof" S-400 systems. Turkey is a player.
As buffnut453 said "..a good opportunity to offload their Russian SAMS.." Man, those Orc weapons salesmen must be having a tough year.

GrauGeist · Jul 16, 2022

I bet Assad is starting to feel mighty stupid for letting the Russian Camel in his tent...

Thumpalumpacus · Jul 16, 2022

buffnut453 said:
Could be an opportunity for Turkey to offload their Russian SAMs onto Ukraine. Removes the NATO interoperability problem. Makes them look like supportive team players. Gives Ukraine some needed additional air defence capability that could reach into occupied areas of the Donbas. Win-win-win.

The downside, of course, is that it would upset Moscow and I'm pretty sure Ankara doesn't want to do that.

This is pretty insightful, and thanks for posting it. I hadn't thought about it that way.

Thumpalumpacus · Jul 16, 2022

SaparotRob said:
He must be looking good at home. He influenced NATO this time and got his way.

Erdogan is surely playing to a domestic market first. They have "elections" coming up. And of course he's niggling NATO's nose for exactly that reason.

Thumpalumpacus · Jul 16, 2022

GrauGeist said:
I bet Assad is starting to feel mighty stupid for letting the Russian Camel in his tent...

Sucks to be a a small fish in a big pond.

Admiral Beez · Jul 16, 2022

GrauGeist said:
I bet Assad is starting to feel mighty stupid for letting the Russian Camel in his tent...

He would be dead by now, otherwise.

Admiral Beez · Jul 16, 2022

Thoughts on Iran?

What Drones Is Iran Supplying To Russia And What Impact Will They Have In Ukraine? (Updated - Imagery Confirms Drone Types)

Iran produces a huge variety of drones. Some types will be more useful to Russia than others, and could fill key gaps in the Russian arsenal.

www.forbes.com

If Russia obtains many more weaponized and recon drones they'll be better placed for victory in Ukraine.

Glider · Jul 16, 2022

The bit that I find interesting is the video of the mine being defused. It certainly works but looks totally obsolete, the wiring looks as if it has been around for decades and the rust when they were opening up wasn't just a few weeks old

MSN

www.msn.com

Admiral Beez · Jul 16, 2022

Glider said:
The bit that I find interesting is the video of the mine being defused. It certainly works but looks totally obsolete, the wiring looks as if it has been around for decades and the rust when they were opening up wasn't just a few weeks old

MSN

www.msn.com

I found this part weird.

"Dr Marina Miron, of the Centre for Military Ethics at King's College London, described Putin's "overall strategic goal" in securing the port, "Putin wants to share control over the Black Sea region."

I have to assume her accuracy and literacy are spot on, but I don't think Putin wants to share anything.

swampyankee · Jul 16, 2022

Admiral Beez said:
I have to assume her accuracy and literacy are spot on, but I don't think Putin wants to share anything.

I think Putin is very much following in the footsteps of his predecessors from the 20th and 19th, and possibly many earlier centuries. I don't care about Putin, per se, but his domestic policies are dictatorial and his foreign policies beyond interventionist.

GTX · Jul 16, 2022

Czech Mi-24 assault helicopters enter the fight in Ukraine

The Ukrainian military confirmed that the Armed Forces of Ukraine have received its first attack helicopters from the Czech Republic. According to Defense Express, recently received Mi-24V Hind armed assault helicopters, donated by the Czech government as part of its military support, were used...

defence-blog.com