Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-23 and Invasion

[Threviel]

Oughtn't the Ukrainians have had ample time to put lots of light AA around every major airport? One would have thought that would be one of the first thing happening and they've had weeks to prepare.

Seems like the Ukrainian defence preparations are a shamble.

Wasn't there mention in this thread that their AA capabilities were not very good?

The afghans had stingers and punished Soviet helicopter movements severely, I'm talking about that kind of man-portable systems, not patriot missiles.

I had hoped that someone could have sent them some manpads a few weeks ago, would have been a cheap way for some western nation to make invasion more expensive. Well well, lesson for when it's Georgia's turn.

[Maladict]

We're sending two F35s to patrol unspecified areas of eastern Europe. I'm expecting the Russians to retreat any minute now.

[celedhring]

I have an Ukrainian workmate with family in Kiev. She's sharing with us what she's getting from her brother there and they're terrified. They have barricaded their entire house, they can hear explosions near them, seeing Russian helos in the sky. They can't flee the city because their 92-year-old grandmother just can't make the trip.

[Threviel]

I had hoped that someone could have sent them some manpads a few weeks ago, would have been a cheap way for some western nation to make invasion more expensive. Well well, lesson for when it's Georgia's turn.

Apparently Lithuania and Latvia sent Stingers to the Ukranians, so they might have dozen's of them... 

Apparently Poland sent some Polish manpads also...

Excellent show of support there...

[Syt]

I have an Ukrainian workmate with family in Kiev. She's sharing with us what she's getting from her brother there and they're terrified. They have barricaded their entire house, they can hear explosions near them, seeing Russian helos in the sky. They can't flee the city because their 92-year-old grandmother just can't make the trip.

We recently hired a Ukrainian colleague with family back home in a similar situation.

[Tamas]

Michael Roth, a member of Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats, said he can no longer imagine deepening economic relations with Russia.

Putin trembles in fear!

[jimmy olsen]

T-80 with turret blown off
https://twitter.com/GirkinGirkin/status/1496808569890508802

[Syt]

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, former German defense minister and previously designated successor of Merkel says the West is at fault - because the lessons of history (citing Kohl, Schmidt) were forgotten, that while diplomacy and negotiations must always be the main focus, it needs to be backed up with enough military power to make negotiations the only reasonable option.

[Threviel]

T-80 with turret blown off
https://twitter.com/GirkinGirkin/status/1496808569890508802

Reading up a bit on the Ukranian army's equipment it seems that the US and UK have sent thousands of AT weapons in the form of LAW and Javelin, apparently paying off.

[Threviel]

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, former German defense minister and previously designated successor of Merkel says the West is at fault - because the lessons of history (citing Kohl, Schmidt) were forgotten, that while diplomacy and negotiations must always be the main focus, it needs to be backed up with enough military power to make negotiations the only reasonable option.

To bad she didn't say that when it could have mattered.

[Tamas]

I have an Ukrainian workmate with family in Kiev. She's sharing with us what she's getting from her brother there and they're terrified. They have barricaded their entire house, they can hear explosions near them, seeing Russian helos in the sky. They can't flee the city because their 92-year-old grandmother just can't make the trip.

That's awful. The whole day I have been remembering the various stories of my grandparents who lived through the back and forth of the Gerrman-Russian front in their region in 44-45. It is insane all these people in Ukraine will have to go through the same now.

And regardless of the outcome, 40 million people's lives are ruined.

[Josephus]

I love watching CNN. Reporter just saw two tanks drive by, and anchorperson called it a "blitzkrieg".

[Syt]

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, former German defense minister and previously designated successor of Merkel says the West is at fault - because the lessons of history (citing Kohl, Schmidt) were forgotten, that while diplomacy and negotiations must always be the main focus, it needs to be backed up with enough military power to make negotiations the only reasonable option.

To bad she didn't say that when it could have mattered.

She's a politician. She can only speak such things when she doesn't have to win votes.

[Threviel]

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, former German defense minister and previously designated successor of Merkel says the West is at fault - because the lessons of history (citing Kohl, Schmidt) were forgotten, that while diplomacy and negotiations must always be the main focus, it needs to be backed up with enough military power to make negotiations the only reasonable option.

To bad she didn't say that when it could have mattered.

She's a politician. She can only speak such things when she doesn't have to win votes.

Yeah, and she's correct, speaking out would have killed her career stone cold.

I think we need to get our mass media back to cold war mode to properly portray Russia and China as the Evil Empires to return to the highly militarized state of the 80's. Without the support of the voters we'll continue to become weaker and weaker.

And also I'm reminded of Roosevelts old line "Speak softly and carry a big stick".

[The Brain]

Sweden definitely needs to return to being a nation in arms, like in CW1.