When you see the routes being taken to remove the stolen grain, the bridge shows its importance, along with the movement of goods inwards to support the war.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/61790625

That should presumably be " does not look imminent " ?

It's not specified in the comment by Medvedev, but I read that as a NATO invasion and not a Ukrainian one. I can't see any justification that anyone - even the Russian populace - would accept for starting WW3 if Ukraine were to find the strength to move back into Crimea. At most , the "special operation " would have to move up a gear.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....95815b143f.png

That's an average speed to target of 143m/s. Given the top speed 500m/s it must of been travelling at sub 100m/s on impact

Coming soon to a western intelligence centre??

https://defence-blog.com/russian-fig...le-in-ukraine/

+1 … this thread’s comments and links are infinitely better sources of info and opinion than mainstream Media. It’s the first source I turn to every morning.

+1 here too, and for being lenient with my posts as well :)

It appears Putin has spent more time strategizing how to steal grain than how to conduct an aggressive invasion of a sovereign nation. Man thousands of innocent people have been murdered, Russian weaponry has been shown to be lethal, mainly to its own operators, from T-72's gators [aviation content] to the rather cunning suicidal S-400 missile system. (wonder if firing as an ARM targetting mode is wise when the same emitter types are running beside you). Maybe it was a twister with a sense of honor... either way, great for arms sales of every other OEM that didn't commit seppuku/fratricide.

My recollection is that such theft of food stocks is probably naughty, and is another set of war crimes under the GC.

Russia moved much of their effort up to the NE to take a piece of turf so as to show a measure of success, akin to moving Lord Kitchener's drink cabinet 100 yards closer to Berlin over the debris of the Somme. The South has been exposed, and a push to the SE by Ukraine would mess up the map for General Calamity as he arrives in theatre disguised as a camouflaged Zeppelin. The fastest way to relieve the NE is to kick the invaders in the dangling participles, up to the Crimean west border. Taking control of the Kherson crossings would make a lot of mischief to the RF snoozing up on the left bank of the Dneipr. Worked for the old corn cob 'n 45 dude at Incheon.

The Belarusian position is becoming interesting, they are getting set to be framed as the murderer's sidekick if they acquiesce to Putin's recent movements, and if they don't, then they are going to be in need of new insurance policies for senior management. entering the fray now with full knowledge of what the global response will be is reminiscent of Sir Humphrey commending the courageous decisions of his Minister.

In the meantime, the Kerch bridge could do with a rearrangement, using air assets sans pilots, and given the competency of S-400's F-Troop capers, perhaps it would provide some more Wile E. Coyote vignettes.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....b0a6e29709.png

It looks like they also recovered a completish but damaged modern Russian Cruise Missile, another Item I would assume the west would like to see.

https://defence-blog.com/wreckage-of...nd-in-ukraine/

Combat slippers ? Are they trying to get bigger laughs than maternity flight suits of the west ?
Never underestimate the intel value of a single picture , those combat slippers must be made of a very advanced polymer material . Maybe something from their space shuttle programme .

I had a similar thought about his footwear. However, those slippers are quite adequate for moving (slowly) from bed to dining table several times a day. Anything more energetic would surely lead to the loss of yet another RF general.

He was ex Special Forces, so they may be stealth slippers for sneaking up behind ones enemy, knife...... and fork in hand to steal his lunch.

For mmitch: there was a thread on Rumors and News (which is now closed for some reason) which mentioned flights from Turkey to Russia.
https://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/...cow-today.html
I found it helpful for my understanding on how Turkey not being in the EU may open a loophole or two.

For fdr: I think you'll find that Corn Cob Doug's success at Inchon/Incheon was in 1950. It was part of a Police Action under UN auspices. ;)

??? To travel 4000m in 12 seconds is an average speed of 333 m/s.

Okay, I'm an idiot. Thought the travel time was 12 seconds. It did seem odd that the speed (by my calculation) was the speed of sound.....

General Pavel (Big Yin / Blimp / Lardass) is not a General, he is the last & biggest non-nuclear weapon available.

With little remaining in the way of PGM's, shells & willing soldiers, Pavel is the last remaining & credible conventional option in the despot's arsenal & he is a big one, typically launched by a large siege mortar & rumoured to be capable of flattening the target area. Defence analysists believe that effect is comparable to several MOAB's, the West's largest conventional weapon. Intelligence suggests that his deployment to any adequate FOB was significantly delayed due to poor weather & muddy conditions, but new satellite imagery suggests that he is now in theatre & ready for launch.


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....d6bfa8628e.jpg

[...]but new satellite imagery suggests that he is now in theatre & ready for launch lunch...again!

I think you meant "ready for lunch"

Of course, whilst we may mock this resurrected bladder of lard, it may be that he is actually more competent than his predecessors in the role.

Listening. Out.

He couldn't be any worse, but saying that, he was part of their great venture into Afghanistan, so he comes with a good track record for attaining failure.

Being more competent than his predecessors is not setting the bar very high. ....

In any case if the reports of him drinking a litre of Vodka a day are true I would suggest that his tenure will be as short and unremarkable as his predecessors.