Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-23 and Invasion

[alfred russel]

I never said anything about strategic missiles...maybe some of those are to be deployed by bombers or not mounted on stand alone missiles...but it seems russia is bumping up against 6k nuclear warheads. per reuters:

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/what-is-chain-command-potential-russian-nuclear-strikes-2022-03-02/

WHAT NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES DOES RUSSIA HAVE?
The Federation of American Scientists estimates that Russia has 5,977 nuclear warheads, more than any other country. Of these, 1,588 are deployed and ready for use. Its missiles can be fired from the land, by submarines and by airplanes. Putin oversaw a coordinated test of Russia's nuclear forces on Feb. 19 shortly before ordering troops into Ukraine. read more

Note the difference between 5,997 (a curious "estimate!") and 1,588 that are actually ready for use.  Like the US, Russia cannot dispose of its excess warheads quickly, but it also cannot use them in war (which would be over long before they could be configured to be used on any operational missiles or aircraft).  Almost 1600 is still a big number, of course.

Why would the war "long be over" before htey could be configured?

You ridiculed me as a hillbilly (among other things) when i suggested that if we enter a war with russia it should be through a first strike...in that case I agree that the war would be effectively over before the excess warheads could be made operational (i don't know this, but i suspect that corruption and general neglect probably means the 1600 are not "fire ready" at a moments notice either and some portion of them also need some time to be made operational).

But we are sending signals that we will respond to nuclear weapon use with a conventional response: you seem on board with this. In such a case Russia would be in a nuclear war and in a war with NATO. Presuming they don't immediately surrender, they would have time and motivation to ready whatever they could.

[Duque de Bragança]

Yeah altough not frequently, but in Hungary as well "Anglo-Saxon countries" is used alto reference the US and UK together.

Same here.

Ditto in Lusophone countries. Not as common nowadays though but most people will understand it.

[OttoVonBismarck]

The Americans use it themselves in the term White Anglo-Saxon Protestant (WASP), right?

Yes, but it was more of a sociological term that was frequently used as a convenient identifier for "the dominant ethnic/religious population prior to the 19th century immigration waves", I think largely because there wasn't a terribly comprehensive identifier for those people to begin with. You could call them "American", but that muddies the water because lots of other groups can do the same. You could call them "English Americans", but that is discouraged for a few reasons (not least of which is even before the large waves of 19th century German and Irish immigration, they were more diverse than just English ancestry.)

It wasn't really used as an everyday identifier people used for the country or themselves, it was more a way to identify a social group in reference point to later immigration groups. It also was usually slightly pejorative, I don't think most WASPs really used the term for themselves, it was more a term a commentator would use when criticizing that group's position and influence in society.

[Jacob]

It seems a bunch of Russian officials and propagandists have a bee in their bonnet about the UK. As I understand it, they frequently speak of the UK as a significant "evil satan" doing this that and the other (and promising to turn it into a nuclear wasteland).

And, of course, the US is - in the Russian mind - the peer competitor.

Terming the two of them together "the Anglo-Saxons" makes a little bit of sense (especially if you subscribe to the Russian slave-master and secret manipulator/ reflex theory theories of international affairs).

I do wonder if they consider Canada and Australia (and New Zealand) part of that. I kind of doubt it, but you never know.

[Admiral Yi]

The way I remember it, WASP had 15 minutes of fame in the mid to late 70s based on a book that no one read but everyone talked about.

What really took off was "preppy," which was an offshoot of WASP.  Dress and act like you are from old money and went to a prep school.  Izod, Polo, Tommy Hillfigger.  Moccassins, loafers, blazers.  Long Island lockjaw.  Summers on the Vineyard or at Kennebunkport.

Then when I was in France in 88 people were talking about BCBG, bon chic bon genre, which was the French take on/response to preppy,

[The Brain]

*ahem* There was also the band WASP.

[mongers]

*ahem* There was also the band WASP.

This.

[Legbiter]

All the Russian military bloggers are right now in full panic over what is happening in Kherson... Strange, isn't that a part of Russia? 

[Valmy]

The Americans use it themselves in the term White Anglo-Saxon Protestant (WASP), right?

Mostly for historical purposes. It doesn't really work anymore. The idea of British descended white people who are mainline protestants being some kind of dominant cultural force is in the past. How many of the current big elites in the US even meet that description? Biden is a Catholic. Trump is descended from German immigrants.

I will also add that this was only referring to a particular group in US society. We didn't refer to Canadians or Brits or Australians as WASPs or thought they were some kind of unified group.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

All the Russian military bloggers are right now in full panic over what is happening in Kherson... Strange, isn't that a part of Russia? 

yep, seems the UAF advanced a whopping 30km if the rumors are true.
Some Russians even claim the UAF is in Beryslav (sp?) which is 70km, but that's probably them being panicky.

[Legbiter]

Operation Goodwill Regrouping is a go then.

[FunkMonk]

I guess Putin really sucks at this war thing, huh.

[Legbiter]

Yeah.

This Russian account is begging for air support and asking over Telegram if anyone has a connection to Russian military command to put them in contact, which is a pretty bad sign for Russian forces.

https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1576662243953217536

[Admiral Yi]

The Russians can't seem to hold the line anywhere.  Like their army has just melted away.  I look forward to reading histories of this war that explain how Ukraine achieved this degree of tactical and operational advantage.

[grumbler]

Why would the war "long be over" before htey could be configured?

You ridiculed me as a hillbilly (among other things) when i suggested that if we enter a war with russia it should be through a first strike...in that case I agree that the war would be effectively over before the excess warheads could be made operational (i don't know this, but i suspect that corruption and general neglect probably means the 1600 are not "fire ready" at a moments notice either and some portion of them also need some time to be made operational).

But we are sending signals that we will respond to nuclear weapon use with a conventional response: you seem on board with this. In such a case Russia would be in a nuclear war and in a war with NATO. Presuming they don't immediately surrender, they would have time and motivation to ready whatever they could.

I just mentioned a hillbilly, not using anyone's name.  That's a shoe that fit you comfortably, I guess.

Retired warheads will take time to restore to operational status because the weapons designed to carry them have been retired.  Modifying current systems to carry old warheads is going to take time.  Plus, the fission bombs will all be drained of tritium to use in current weapons. 

In a war with NATO, the Russians will not have time to reactivate retired nuclear weapons.