Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-23 and Invasion

[DGuller]

In more lighthearted news:



https://www.businessinsider.com/ukrainian-soldier-russian-tech-support-captured-russian-tank-wouldnt-work-2023-10

That story is mostly bullshit, unfortunately.  I watched the YouTube video linked to the story, and while the Russians seemed unaware that the caller was a Ukrainian at first, they offered no assistance.  They just gave vague promises to bring the concerns to the attention of the relevant people at the appropriate time.  They didn't really help, say anything they shouldn't have, or even said anything embarrassing.  It never amounted to anything more than just a dumb prank call.

[Admiral Yi]

How nice to have a couple Russian speakers here.

[Syt]

That story is mostly bullshit, unfortunately.  I watched the YouTube video linked to the story, and while the Russians seemed unaware that the caller was a Ukrainian at first, they offered no assistance.  They just gave vague promises to bring the concerns to the attention of the relevant people at the appropriate time.  They didn't really help, say anything they shouldn't have, or even said anything embarrassing.  It never amounted to anything more than just a dumb prank call.

[mongers]

I like the cut of this Ukrainian's jib (or whatever the naval sounding saying is) :

Prigozhin's mutiny began after the Defence Ministry said each Wagner fighter had to sign contracts to become part of the military machine known for corruption, ineffectiveness and miscalculations that proved lethal to thousands of Russian servicemen. Prigozhin ultimately refused to sign these contracts, increasing tensions.

And it is these contracts that are exactly what Troshev is after these days.

On Saturday, Troshev, clad in a bespoke dark-blue suit common among Russian officials, was filmed in the Kremlin heeding President Vladimir Putin.

Putin told him to "form volunteer battalions" that would include Wagner fighters.

"You know what it's like, how it's done. You know about the issues that need to be resolved in advance so that combat work goes on in the best and most successful way," Putin said.

But the task is doomed because of Troshev's reputation within Wagner, analysts said.

"The core of most battle-tested Wagnerites is not joining him for sure," Kyiv-based analyst Maria Kucherenko, who authored several in-depth reports on Wagner, told Al Jazeera.

Troshev also faces a new rival.

Prigozhin's son and heir, Pavel, is "making a deal with the Russian national guard so that Wagner returns to Ukraine for a certain task without signing a contract," Kucherenko said.

Wagner mercenaries will also fight "under their own insignia" of a human skull against a black and red backdrop, she added.

However, it's crystal clear who would control these mercenary groups.

"One can shuffle these alcoholic pensioners, one can make up a dozen noms de guerre, but the essence doesn't change – both kinds of crap are controlled from [Russia's] general staff of armed forces," she said.

Full article here:

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/3/who-is-the-wagner-group-officer-putin-asked-to-form-volunteer-battalions

[Josquius]

Mitchell and Webb never made it to the east then. Even many years after the fact when it finally broke through to meme status

[mongers]

Mitchell and Webb never made it to the east then. Even many years after the fact when it finally broke through to meme status

Explanation for those of us who are memeically challenged?

[mongers]

Obvious really.

[Josquius]

Mitchell and Webb never made it to the east then. Even many years after the fact when it finally broke through to meme status

Explanation for those of us who are memeically challenged?

https://youtu.be/ToKcmnrE5oY?si=pxmaEsPz4DW8IGSG

[mongers]

Mitchell and Webb never made it to the east then. Even many years after the fact when it finally broke through to meme status

Explanation for those of us who are memeically challenged?

https://youtu.be/ToKcmnrE5oY?si=pxmaEsPz4DW8IGSG

Thanks for that, Josq.

[Legbiter]

Wonder what happens to Ukrainian military aid from the US now because of the ongoing Speaker kerfuffle? 

These military aid tranches won't get approved this year?

[mongers]

Wonder what happens to Ukrainian military aid from the US now because of the ongoing Speaker kerfuffle? 

These military aid tranches won't get approved this year?

Supporting Ukraine has been about preserving the international order.
If Trump gets in, then Europe must fully take on the job of supporting and financing Ukraine, not just to preserve said order, but then it'll also be about preserving democracy.

[Sheilbh]

Supporting Ukraine has been about preserving the international order.
If Trump gets in, then Europe must fully take on the job of supporting and financing Ukraine, not just to preserve said order, but then it'll also be about preserving democracy.

Also it's essential to Europe's security - although Europe (EU plus) is now providing more aid to Ukraine than the US. It's also structured more as multi-year commitments, while the US is totally tranche based.

Perhaps the even more important bit than just finance or cash value of support is that Europe needs to build its military industrial complex and get it humming as it was during the cold war. That was a the big thing Zelenskiy announced the defence industry agreement which I think was entirely European but has many commpanies basically being open for producing for Ukraine - and just today Spain, France, the UK, Germany and Italy providing more anti-air, artillery and long-range weapons.

Also key in this will be Poland which is doubling its defence budget, re-arming properly and also - like a sligthly smaller, Eastern European France (or maybe, South Korea) - is getting companies to open manufacturing hubs in Poland. I think they've said they've basically run out of things they can give to Ukraine (militarily - obviously Poland's humanitarian aid is exceptional) but have French, German, South Korean and British arms companies opening factories and manufacturing which again will be helpful for Ukraine.

There is much more to do but I think things have shifted from the the first months of the war, perhaps precisely because there is a risk from Trump but also I think (and hope) Europe is shifting out of its learned helplessness.

[mongers]

Russia continues to ransack old stockpiles for weapons to us against Ukraine:

[crazy canuck]

Wonder what happens to Ukrainian military aid from the US now because of the ongoing Speaker kerfuffle? 

These military aid tranches won't get approved this year?

Supporting Ukraine has been about preserving the international order.
If Trump gets in, then Europe must fully take on the job of supporting and financing Ukraine, not just to preserve said order, but then it'll also be about preserving democracy.

80 or so years along, and it may be Germany who leads the defence of liberal democracy against the forces of fascism.

[Zoupa]

Wonder what happens to Ukrainian military aid from the US now because of the ongoing Speaker kerfuffle? 

These military aid tranches won't get approved this year?

Supporting Ukraine has been about preserving the international order.
If Trump gets in, then Europe must fully take on the job of supporting and financing Ukraine, not just to preserve said order, but then it'll also be about preserving democracy.

80 or so years along, and it may be Germany who leads the defence of liberal democracy against the forces of fascism.

lol. No.