Is Ukraine about to have a war?
Perhaps a positive development if Putin recognizes that he's made an enormous mistake. Hopefully that opens the door a little to a possible settlement. The choice of replacements will be a straw in the wind on that aspect.


https://rusi.org/explore-our-researc...air-operations
A particularly interesting article. I think it's been referenced before on this thread, but I couldn't find the post.

Ukrainian troops unbox a captured Russian UAV Eleron-3


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Just a quick question for the collective, if we can assume that the Tiffy force has been sent on a mission somewhere cold, whats the feasabilty of bringing the Tonka's back (again assuming you can still get crew) or are they all coke cans and razor blades?


Is there not a Squadron or more hangered up? I'm always surprised when systems are slashed then done away with so quick , harrier GR9s for instance. If this invasion has proven anything is that we maybe need to plan more of a what if, reserve. had the Tristars been up-kept just a bit, they could have been left to deteriorate slower at a current Raf field or alike.

Ukrainian troops unbox a captured Russian UAV Eleron-3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kET4nvyKoI&t=85s


There may be a political aspect to this (internal to Russia) that is opaque to the casual observer.

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Mariupol from space showing the destruction 
https://twitter.com/search?q=%24bksy&src=cashtag_click
The destruction of #Mariupol was shown from space. Roads, residential areas and infrastructure were destroyed. More than 1000 civilians were killed only in Mariupol. This is a real genocide! #StopRussia#UkraineRussiaWar
[

https://twitter.com/search?q=%24bksy&src=cashtag_click
The destruction of #Mariupol was shown from space. Roads, residential areas and infrastructure were destroyed. More than 1000 civilians were killed only in Mariupol. This is a real genocide! #StopRussia#UkraineRussiaWar
[
Last edited by NutLoose; 10th Mar 2022 at 21:37.

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Spoiler
Media: SBU kills member of Ukrainian negotiations team suspected of treason.
This item is part of our running news digestMarch 5, 2022 1:49 pm by The Kyiv Independent news deskAccording to Ukrainska Pravda sources, a member of the Ukrainian negotiating delegation that met with Russia, was shot dead by the Security Service of Ukraine officers as they were trying to detain him. The man was allegedly Denys Kirieiev, a former deputy chairman of Oschadbank. The SBU had “strong evidence” he was leaking information to Russia.
Film of the attempted arrest
@KhawajaSaleem
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I wouldn't be surprised if they have also captured the truck with all the control and surveillance gear in to too. This kit is intended for use in the field by the common soldiery, so doubt if it's that difficult.

First analysis/count of losses of both sides that I have seen from an independent source ( I don't actually know who Oryx is, but they are presented as unaligned )
"So far, 164 Russian tanks have been destroyed, damaged or captured, according to the specialist monitor Oryx, which is tracking losses using photo or video evidence. Oryx says for Russian armoured fighting vehicles, the number is 102. Ukraine has lost 47 tanks and 39 fighting vehicles from its smaller force.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...orces-kyiv-war
Losses as estimated by the Kiev Independent below for comparison.
"So far, 164 Russian tanks have been destroyed, damaged or captured, according to the specialist monitor Oryx, which is tracking losses using photo or video evidence. Oryx says for Russian armoured fighting vehicles, the number is 102. Ukraine has lost 47 tanks and 39 fighting vehicles from its smaller force.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...orces-kyiv-war
Losses as estimated by the Kiev Independent below for comparison.


Please stop robbing that word of meaning by misusing it.
Russia is attempting conquest, not extermination. Genocide is about extermination.
Conquest by war gets people killed, unfortunately.

If the Russian program was for the extermination of Ukranians, then you could fairly charge the with genocide. And I'd join you with such voice as I have.
Weirdly, the claimed goal is to bring Ukraine (or parts of it) back into the Russian fold. That's a curious case of inclusion, not extermination.
(Granted, those assertions may be less than 100% honest, and my cynical old self sees this as a naked land grab).
I get the idea that Emperor Putin wants the Ukranians to be his subjects, not exterminated.

It would be interesting to see the Kyiv independent figures updated as percentages of total Russian forces deployed to the Ukraine... noting these numbers may be considerably over-estimated and there's no real way of gauging firm figures.
Suspect the Russians themselves don't even know for sure.
I seem to remember the max figure of 180,000 personnel mentioned as deployed on the borders immediately pre-invasion.
Based on that - very crudely Russia has lost approx:
Probably the only people with a firm handle on the true losses are the Russia desk at Langley, in close contact with the NSA and NRO.
Suspect the Russians themselves don't even know for sure.
I seem to remember the max figure of 180,000 personnel mentioned as deployed on the borders immediately pre-invasion.
Based on that - very crudely Russia has lost approx:
- Six percent of its personnel deployed on the borders pre-invasion
- 26 per cent of it's 1200 tanks deployed on the borders per-invasion
- 16 per cent of it's estimated 300 jets deployed within easy reach of Ukraine pre-invasion
Probably the only people with a firm handle on the true losses are the Russia desk at Langley, in close contact with the NSA and NRO.

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It may be an atrocity, I think it will probably go down as a war crime, but it's not genocide.
Please stop robbing that word of meaning by misusing it.
Russia is attempting conquest, not extermination. Genocide is about extermination.
Conquest by war gets people killed, unfortunately.
If the Russian program was for the extermination of Ukranians, then you could fairly charge the with genocide. And I'd join you with such voice as I have.
Weirdly, the claimed goal is to bring Ukraine (or parts of it) back into the Russian fold. That's a curious case of inclusion, not extermination.
(Granted, those assertions may be less than 100% honest, and my cynical old self sees this as a naked land grab).
I get the idea that Emperor Putin wants the Ukranians to be his subjects, not exterminated.
Please stop robbing that word of meaning by misusing it.
Russia is attempting conquest, not extermination. Genocide is about extermination.
Conquest by war gets people killed, unfortunately.

If the Russian program was for the extermination of Ukranians, then you could fairly charge the with genocide. And I'd join you with such voice as I have.
Weirdly, the claimed goal is to bring Ukraine (or parts of it) back into the Russian fold. That's a curious case of inclusion, not extermination.
(Granted, those assertions may be less than 100% honest, and my cynical old self sees this as a naked land grab).
I get the idea that Emperor Putin wants the Ukranians to be his subjects, not exterminated.
Pray tell me what word would use to describe surrounding a city then systematically trying to obliterate the population of the said city utilising artillery and missile strikes? and arranging ceasefires where you continue to target those civilians attempting to escape, that is plain and simply extermination and sod all to do with conquering anyone, if that was your goal you would isolate a city without raining destruction down upon it and move on with your advances.

A CCTV video of the death of the former #Kiev SBU deputy appeared. It turns out that he shot first and a fire fight erupted

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More farmers at it.
Ukrainian farmers already have more tanks than in some armies of the world. #Ukraine#UkraineInvasion#UkraineWillResist#War#StandWithUkraine️
Vitaliy Popov
@Vitaliy23404583
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Another trophy of Ukrainian farmers. #Ukraine#UkraineInvasion#UkraineWillResist#War#StandWithUkraine️
Ukrainian farmers already have more tanks than in some armies of the world. #Ukraine#UkraineInvasion#UkraineWillResist#War#StandWithUkraine️
Vitaliy Popov
@Vitaliy23404583
·

Is there not a Squadron or more hangered up? I'm always surprised when systems are slashed then done away with so quick , harrier GR9s for instance. If this invasion has proven anything is that we maybe need to plan more of a what if, reserve. had the Tristars been up-kept just a bit, they could have been left to deteriorate slower at a current Raf field or alike.
Then you have the political element - perhaps one reason the stored Harriers were got rid of was so no-one could ever restore them?
