Usual caveats until confirmed.

Twitter

ITALY: All smoke and mirrors like Russia but can defend itself.
SPAIN: Physically located behind France on the Continent, but can defend itself..
GERMANY: No longer capable since Russia turned off their Oil and Gas. Might be ok if Russia doesn't attack on a Sunday Morning.
GREECE: Is broke always has been, no real military capabilities.
UK: Arguably no longer European, not located on the Continent, probably can defend itself with a bit of notice.

My point was "Europe's position if Ukraine falls" Ukraine's surviving military force and every piece of equipment they can will be in Poland, making Poland the best equipped, largest, most experienced military force in Europe.

Thread speculating on the possible Russian attack on the Zatoka Bridge near Odessa. The Russians have tried to take this out on a number of occasions as it is a strategic link between Ukraine and Moldova/Romania.

Twitter

In an era when military defence does not rely on foot-soldiers, what relevance does that have (vis-a-vis Britain as a NATO member ) ? You are deeply, deeply strange..

That's a nonsense. Boots on the Ground, Soldiers with Guns remain the only way to wins wars.

Here's the thing, we on the other side of the planet and close allies with the US, all of us oceans away from the conflict and all we are hearing from Europe is dissent, disagreement and deliberate obstruction to achieving victory for Ukraine.
The UK gets a 10/10 for its support, well done you, even though we don't see you as a European Nation. France gets a 0/10, clearly isn't getting involved. Germany gets 5/10, remains a mystery why it won't provide tanks and clearly blocks any Nation that does, who's side are you on. Turkey and Italy the Jury is still out on who's side your on too. Sweden, Finland and all the former USSR countries clearly support Ukraine, good on you.

The war has been raging on for a year, we want to see it end, not by negotiation but by ejecting Russian forces out of Ukraine. If Ukraine is not liberated, don't think that isn't going to have a major impact on Europe and your NATO alliance.

Possible Ukrainian offensive on the way., then instantly discredited with

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***BREAKING***

Reported attack by #Russian maritime drone on Zatoka Bridge, Ukraine, Feb 10, 2023

This is significant. Thread 1 /8

​​​​​​​https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1...921239070.html

May I ask, what Country/Region of the world you are from?
If I would have to hazard a guess your 'Downunder' might have to be taken literally...
Your insights into European military capabilities are 'interesting'.

But anyway it is interesting to learn what 'media picture' arrives at the other end of the world.

Against whom? There's good confidence Italy and Greece will swipe the Mediterranean Sea clean no matter who might even start the fight.

That leaves all the countries with Baltic shores to secure the North with their navies.

Land invasion remains. Against whom, unless you really mean Türkie. Russia is out of military resource to even reach Dnipro River, let alone cross's it and establish itself.

​​​​​​Belarus won't push across Poland as you rightly put and if attempted total air dominance over their teriiroty would be established wihtin 48 hours. Without the US. Political coup over there organized within a week. There are reasons nobody of the west pulled the plug on that special political operation yet, but as the Moscowites went apecrap regardless there are only few benefits left of not doing so. Even in a peace time.

If you think Austria will start to expand, then bro shutting down the circuit breakers from CZE and GER will have them watch candelights by 5 afternoon thirty.
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??? Too much Murdoch?

German Air Force
Eurofighter Typhoon Europe multirole 141
Panavia Tornado Europe multirole IDS 75
Electronic Warfare Panavia Tornado Europe SEAD ECR 30
Sum: 246, 141 Gen 4.5, 105 Gen 3

French Air Force
Mirage 2000-5F France Jet Fighter-bomber 24
Mirage 2000D France Jet Attack 68
Rafale B/C France Jet Multirole 102
Sum: 194, 102 Gen 4.5, 92 Gen 3

Royal Air Force
Eurofighter Typhoon United Kingdom Jet Multi-role 101
Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning United States [7] Jet Multi-role 29
Sum: 130, 101 Gen 4.5, 29 Gen 5

Polish Air Force
MiG-29 Soviet Union[28] multirole MiG-29A/UB[29] 29 (Probably transferred to Ukraine)
Sukhoi Su-22 Soviet Union fighter-bomber M4 / M3K 18
F-16 Fighting Falcon United States multirole F-16C/D 48
Sum: 66/95, 48 Gen 4, 18 Gen 2.5,

That is undeniably true, speaking from the USSR colonies...

With the popular inability to distinguish important from irrelvent of the latter decades (e.g. plastic straws VS .electric energy sources that don't need 80% capacity hard backup), it is COMING the rich citizens will be soon asking for all that war noise to stop so that they can watch silly cats on YouTube with undisturbed conscience again.

And by all standards 85% of the EU electorate is wealthy enough. When there is a political demand, there will be political will and political supply. Every place gets exactly what they wish. Von Leyen and Borell leading the matches of political marketing in support of UKR (now) are just the most visible examples and equally nauseating.

Agreed, if Ruzzians will keep supplying boots on the ground the UKR forces won't have enough resource to reclaim the whole borderline ever.
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I am not sure what FlightDetent's first language is, so unable to decipher precisely what his (her?) point is; in any case the posts deserve to be in the JB Ukraine thread, if anywhere

Bakhmut
 

This report brings home the reality of what's happening there in a way that nothing else I've seen has. Google Translate makes a decent stab at the translation. Be warned, it will ruin your day.
https://meduza.io/feature/2023/02/09...pryamo-seychas

If that isn't training footage, it's a mass suicide attempt.

Finally got the (complete) English version of Medusa but which feature article was it?

Germany IS sending tanks and allowing others as well (170 Leo1's and 80ish Leo2's was the last ballpark figure, of which a battalion worth ie 30ish late this March), even Canada has already sent their Leos, first ones already being in Poland.

Could Xeptu be the latest incarnation of Racedo? He seems to have a similar agenda.

From today's Guardian.

I need to clarify. I used the phrase "foot-soldiers" previously because you keep harping on about Britain not being part of continental Europe. This is only important if you are a foot-soldier and not one who can use use transport aircraft to cross 30 miles of sea.

Once again your statements leave me confused as you seem to see nothing wrong in contradicting yourself ( then ignore attempts asking you to explain ). You have just written:

The UK gets a 10/10 for its support, well done you, even though we don't see you as a European Nation. France gets a 0/10, clearly isn't getting involved.

Whereas in post 14490 your opinion was:

"With the exception of France and Poland the rest of you NATO countries are fu#%ing useless."

So sometimes Britain is u#%ing useless. and then gets a 10, whereas France alternately gets 0/10 and is then mentioned as an exception to the general uselessness. Do you see why I am puzzled ?

Personally I feel that is a dramatic exaggeration. Yes, there has been some disagreement, but when contrasted with what has been achieved - and delivered in terms of materiel and training by many countries -, and the fact that the continued stated aim is for Ukraine to win and support will continue, it is clearly untrue. Whether that is truly what is what is being presented to the public Down Under, I don't know, but having read what you post here, I think it is far more likely that you are distorting the hell out of it.

Everyone seems to be ignoring the USA ?
They ARE still in NATO aren’t they?

Bob,don`t worry,old Joe is getting them worked-up ,practising on balloons and `ufos....