Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-23 and Invasion

[The Larch]

In any case, I think that we're also getting slightly myopic in some of the tactical issues, as it seems that the media will report obsessively in one extremely tiny theatre at a time. We're at the moment obsessing about Bakhmut, and I don't think it's quite as important as it's made to be, it's just from where we're getting all the info about lately. One spot in an enormous front.

[Tamas]

In any case, I think that we're also getting slightly myopic in some of the tactical issues, as it seems that the media will report obsessively in one extremely tiny theatre at a time. We're at the moment obsessing about Bakhmut, and I don't think it's quite as important as it's made to be, it's just from where we're getting all the info about lately. One spot in an enormous front.

Good point. I believe there is at least one more fortified defensive line behind it of multiple Bakhmut-sized cities, so  unless the Ukrainians bleed themselves dry in trying to defend it, retreating from it should have no decisive impact.

[Josquius]

Bakmut isn't massively important but it is where the bulk of the bloodiest fighting is happening, which makes it somehow important.

[Iormlund]

A colleague was contacted by a Russian dude he knew back when they were teens.

Russian man lives close to the border. Says Ukrainians are family (worked with many). Yet he volunteered. He was turned down for being too old (late 30s). His friends told him if he tried it again they would stop him.

He shared with my colleague pictures of his family and of one of his friends who had just come back from the front. The friend got his back sliced wide open from shoulder to shoulder (reminded me of a pomegranate, was quite surreal). There was also saw an "after" picture with him stitched up. Even if no vital organs were hit, I can't even imagine how one's body will work with all those severed muscles and tendons.


PS. Amongst the pictures of his family were some of his wife in lingerie (I'd definitely hit it). Reminded me of a Russian colleague that would show me pictures of his hot teenager daughter in sexy outfits. Don't think I'll ever understand that country ...

[Crazy_Ivan80]

Boney M said it best: "Oh those Russians"...

Too bad they didn't stick to taking inapproriate pictures

[Sheilbh]

Zelensky reportedly visiting the UK now. And going to Brussels later this week.

I think we'll see more of this as he has to keep Ukraine front of mind and continue to rally support.

Edit: Brussels tomorrow, Paris this evening.

He stopped at Warsaw on the way back to the US and I wouldn't be surprised if he were to call in on Berlin on the way back from Brussels.

Edit: Not that - Scholz will be in Paris with Macron.

[Legbiter]

Seems he's pressing for fighter jets. The most obvious candidate to me is the F-16.  Lots of NATO countries have them, spare parts and logistics are readily available. I hope Ukrainian personnel have secretly been training on them for months now.

[The Brain]

On the dumber side of the news:

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/roger-waters-united-nations-appearance-speech-1234675837/

AT RUSSIA'S REQUEST, Pink Floyd founding member Roger Waters spoke at the United Nations Security Council meeting on Wednesday. The musician's address was largely an anti-war broadside, as he condemned the for-profit military industrial complex and stressed the devastating toll of war, both on people and the environment.

As the subject of the meeting was Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine, Waters did eventually get around to that as well. Waters condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine as "illegal," but also said it was "not unprovoked." He added, "So I also condemn the provocateurs in the strongest possible terms. There, that's out of the way."

These remarks about the war in Ukraine were far more subdued than some of the others Waters has made in the past, including in an interview with Rolling Stone. Last year, Waters said he believes his name is on a "kill list that is supported by the Ukrainian government." In that same conversation, the singer shifted the blame from the ongoing war from Russia to NATO, suggesting that the organization essentially left Putin with no other choice but to invade Ukraine.

[Valmy]

I don't understand how Putin had no choice but to do something guaranteed to severly weaken himself and strengthen NATO. We're not that smart to put Putin in that position. He could have easily ensured we never got Ukraine in NATO or the EU just by blustering. Now both of those things are much more likely and Russia's limited resources are being pointlessly used up.

[grumbler]

It wasn't that Putin had no choice, but that he thought he could pull a swift Anschluss and present the world with a fait accompli.  Dictators hate to be subject to the decisions of others when they could be bold and take control of the situation.

[mongers]

Turns out I probably got within 500-1000 ft of Zelensky today; apparently he and Sunak visited Ukranian troops training for Challenger 2 tanks at Lulworth camp base in nearby Isle of Purbeck. They travelled there by Chinook and as I stepped out of the front door after 5pm a Chinook was flying directly over the house, so it might have been them or perhaps just part of the overall security arrangement.

Anyway good to hear Ukrainians are already getting some training under their belts.

[Syt]

Meanwhile, in Austrian supermarkets ...

[Josquius]

This F16 business is painful. Western leaders saying no its never ever going to happen when it seems ever more likely it will.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

It can't happen fast enough. Russia needs to be defeated asap, so that we can prepare for Taiwan

[Syt]

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/spacex-curbed-ukraines-use-starlink-internet-drones-company-president-2023-02-09/

SpaceX curbed Ukraine's use of Starlink internet for drones -company president

WASHINGTON, Feb 8 (Reuters) - SpaceX has taken steps to prevent Ukraine's military from using the company's Starlink satellite internet service for controlling drones in the region during the country's war with Russia, SpaceX's president said Wednesday.

SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service, which has provided Ukraine's military with broadband communications in its defense against Russia's military, was "never never meant to be weaponized," Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX's president and chief operating officer, said during a conference in Washington, D.C.

"However, Ukrainians have leveraged it in ways that were unintentional and not part of any agreement," she said.

Speaking later with reporters, Shotwell referred to reports that the Ukrainian military had used the Starlink service to control drones.

Ukraine has made effective use of unmanned aircraft for spotting enemy positions, targeting long-range fires and dropping bombs.

"There are things that we can do to limit their ability to do that," she said, referring to Starlink's use with drones. "There are things that we can do, and have done."

Shotwell declined to say what measures SpaceX had taken.

Using Starlink with drones went beyond the scope of an agreement SpaceX has with the Ukrainian government, Shotwell said, adding the contract was intended for humanitarian purposes such as providing broadband internet to hospitals, banks and families affected by Russia's invasion.

"We know the military is using them for comms, and that's ok," she said. "But our intent was never to have them use it for offensive purposes."