Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-23 and Invasion

[Tamas]

In a perverse sense it makes some sense, if you rule your country like you play Victoria 3.  People are renewable resource: no matter how comfortably they live, they still die at some point.  Borders are a little more permanent, especially in the nuclear age.  Spending resources on something temporary, like people, is the true waste, unless it somehow helps you with getting permanent gains.

I've not played Victoria 3 yet.
It's such a change to 2 that the optimal way to play isn't a mad dash towards social democracy?

Social democracy is still superior but due to the strength and vested interests of influence groups such as the nobility, passing reforms can be very challenging, you have to grind their power down piecemeal. I think within some limits, with some countries it is a viable strategy to maintain the old order and grab the bonuses that's giving you.

right. If your package of starting laws is pretty good, then there is more flexibility.  If your starting law package sucks - e.g. traditionalism, isolationism, serfdom/slavery, etc.  - then it becomes the priority to beat down the influence of the Landowners ASAP and that usually means going in a social democratic or at least liberalizing direction.

Yes except it's much harder to achieve that than in vicky2

[Josquius]

Bad news at the minute with Ukrainian airfields keep being hit destroying their planes.
You'd think after so many years they'd have figured out how to hide their planes better.


https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2024/07/03/for-a-third-day-in-a-row-russian-drones-and-rockets-struck-a-ukrainian-airfield-hitting-priceless-aircraft/

[crazy canuck]

You should have read the article you posted.  It explains the problem.

It's an air defense crisis. Normally, the Ukrainians would protect their most important bases with layers of surface-to-air missiles. But the Ukrainian air force and army are struggling to simultaneously cover cities, major troop concentrations and front-line bases such as the Mirgorod, Poltava and Dolgintsevo airfields.

It's apparent that, in prioritizing air cover for the cities, the Ukrainian armed forces have left their airfields less protected. The Russian drone that surveilled Poltava was visible to everyday Ukrainians on the ground for three hours before the Iskander missile struck. Clearly, no one had any way of shooting it down.

[Josquius]

How does this in any way mean I haven't read it?

[crazy canuck]

How does this in any way mean I haven't read it?

Because you claimed they had enough time to figure out how to hide their aircraft.  Fact is they have never hidden them, and I am not sure what that even means. Instead they have always protected their fighters with anti-missile systems.

[Josquius]

https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-use-wwii-tactic-defend-against-ukrainian-drone-strikes-2024-7?amp

Well this sounds ill advised. Surely you just spend an extra drone to blow up the balloon?
The risks aren't the same with drones and manned aircraft

How does this in any way mean I haven't read it?

Because you claimed they had enough time to figure out how to hide their aircraft.  Fact is they have never hidden them, and I am not sure what that even means. Instead they have always protected their fighters with anti-missile systems.

If they knew those would be moved other options should have been looked at.

[Syt]

Reports that US and Germany foiled Russian plan to assassinate the CEO of Rheinmetall:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/11/us-reportedly-foiled-russian-plot-to-kill-boss-of-german-arms-firm-supplying-ukraine

[Admiral Yi]

Let's invoke article whatever.  I'm ready.

[The Brain]

Let's invoke article whatever.  I'm ready.

I don't think killing NATO is great move just now.

[viper37]

Let's invoke article whatever.  I'm ready.

Article 5.

I've been ready since day 1.  I'm not the one on the front line, though.  Members of my family will be affected though, even if not in the infantry.

[Josquius]

Not quite sure I'm ready for WW3.
But certainly a heavy push- Western Ukraine is now a NATO no-fly zone, pass all plans through us if you plan to put any planes or missiles through there or they'll be shot down, k thnx.

[Grey Fox]

I'm ready. There's hacking to be done too.

[PJL]

Yeah, I'm all for it, if the alternative is Trump getting re-elected. Better to go out with a bang then to descend into a dictatorial world and the death of democracy.

[Sheilbh]

Reports that US and Germany foiled Russian plan to assassinate the CEO of Rheinmetall:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/11/us-reportedly-foiled-russian-plot-to-kill-boss-of-german-arms-firm-supplying-ukraine

I'd expect a lot more of this - I think this is how Russia will escalate (not nukes). See also the arson attacks and sabotage in the UK and Spain of warehouses and factories with material for Ukraine.

Again I think from a Russian pov Ukraine has no agency so all the sabotage missions Ukrainian intelligence is doing in Russia is actually authorised and enabled by the West - so this is just the same. I also wouldn't be surprised to see Russia (and, in fairness, Ukraine) try to start using the organised crime networks in their countries and internationally as part of the war policy.

[frunk]

I also wouldn't be surprised to see Russia (and, in fairness, Ukraine) try to start using the organised crime networks in their countries and internationally as part of the war policy.

I would be very surprised if this wasn't already being done.