I find this interesting.
The Dept of Defense is actually attempting to get info out on the aid that is being provided to Ukraine.
The lack of actual offensive weaponry in the aid package is noteworthy, but what I find amazing is that the biggest threat to Europe AND Russia is being ignored.
Ukraine is on the verge of an economic meltdown that threatens the entire region a lot more than any military action. A failed state in the heart of Europe will not be allowed and the costs of such a failure will startle the financial markets...and strain both US and European budgets.
You would think the Koreans could do better in terms of rifles/optics...
ReplyDeleteIn the Golan you not only have to watch for cattle crossing; but you have to watch for tanks crossing. Seriously, if you're attentive then you can see when you're approaching one of the many designated armor crossings over the regular roads by the signs and the reinforcing pads to spare the pavement. Gotta watch out at night, though.
ReplyDeletei initially thought that way but the ROK Marines get wet...constantly. they get muddy...constantly. i imagine that in keeping with their concepts they choose robust weapons over accurizing them which has them using what they do. i've never operated their rifle but i assume that it must be extremely robust. if it isn't and is as primitive as it appears without that characteristic then they're smoking crack.
ReplyDeleteThose are the things Ukrainians don't have... everything else, more or less they have, But war is still one, Ukrainians are under artillery fire every day and every day more of them die. Russians are gathering more forces and probably soon they go in to offensive. FUBAR.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand... something is happening in Moscow, high increasing of helos flying around and landing on important gov buildings, some top brass are moving fast from place to place. Also president Putin is possibly "sick" or have more important job then do his usual meetings. Something is going on there... at least in opinion from people in the city.
ReplyDeleteActually this info is apparently coming from State not Defense. I don't see anything on the Pentagon site, but at State's site for #UnitedForUkraine here.
ReplyDelete"Show your friends that you are #UnitedForUkraine. Demonstrate your support on social media by using the hashtag, and share your thoughts on Facebook."
--My thought is that 30 uparmored Humvees might not be enough to tip the balance-- send ten more.
There are also the twitter and facebook pages, with the State propaganda machine getting into social media under the cover name.
In other news, a US plan to train Ukrainian national guard (Nazi) troops is "on hold". The Pentagon doesn't seem too much into this.
"Ukrainian national guard (Nazi) troops"
ReplyDeleteWhen I think that you can't be more stupid... you write something like this and push the line farther.
https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1596470229/facepalm1.jpg
https://youtu.be/FTCKtaOsiKA
ReplyDeleteA drop in a bucket full of blood.
ReplyDeleteSo far documented ukrainian losses amount to cca 1100 pieces of Armor ,100 artiler and MLRS systems,18 planes and helicopters and a boat and to that thatusands KIA and many more WIA in such a short time span ,it makes war in Iraq and Afghanistan look like minor police operation.
''Lostarmour.info database lists over 1000 destroyed and captured UAF armored vehicles. In
previous similar conflicts (Chechnya, Syria, Iraq) the number of
soldiers killed per armored vehicle destroyed was between 10 and 30. Therefore,
we can conservatively estimate nationalist losses to be about 14
thousand KIA. There are also about 4 times this number of wounded, about
a third of which will be severely permanently disabled. This is far greater than the (widely discredited) official Kiev claims of around 1500 KIA and 4500 WIA.
Rebel losses are lower, but probably
closer to Kiev estimate of ~8000 KIA than to the rebel claims of
1000-1500 KIA; can be roughly estimated to be 5500 KIA and about 4 times
this number of wounded.
Civilian losses due to direct enemy action are not concealed by either
side and the estimates of about 5-6 thousand are probably correct.''
A friend of mine got a little freaked out when he was driving along a narrow country lane in England with very high hedges on both side when he saw a sign saying....Caution Tanks Crossing.
ReplyDeleteIsn't making The Ukraine a 'failed state' not exactly what Russia wants?
ReplyDeleteFrack the consequences......
The US plans to train the Azov Battalion:
ReplyDeletefrom Global Research:
If the Public only Knew – US Aid to Ukraine Monsters. Atrocities Committed by Ukraine National Guard Azov Battalion
...A few days ago Vadim Troyan, a Battalion Azov deputy commander was appointed Kiev Oblast(Region) Police Chief. Azov Battalion is one of the punisher battalions responsible for rape, kidnapping, and murder of civilians across Donbass. Vadim Troyan has earned some of Ukraine’s highest medals in the process.
At their base city of Mariupol just during the month of October 2014 the police department had to report over 200 rapes committed by Azov and the Ukrainian National Guard in a public meeting held at the city police department. According to local residents in Mariupol which is a city of over 500,000; people are constantly going missing.
Young girls are being dragged away in broad daylight and some are never seen again. Azov battalion is taking men off the street that are never returned. In the last week of October twenty people were reported missing.
http://www.eurasianet.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/story/080614_02_0.jpg
And 500 Russian tanks in Ukraine, and and and......bullshit
ReplyDeleteApparently it's what the US wants -- it started it with the fascist-supported coup, and f**k the EU Victoria Nuland handing out cookies at Maidan.
ReplyDeleteThe Koreans seem to have got the AK/M16 combo right. When we tried to make a weapon with characteristics of both the Kalashnikov and M16 we ended up with an Abomination called the INSAS.
ReplyDeleteThats not a turret. Its the alien spacecraft from Independence Day.
ReplyDeleteYeah, let's quote article of dude that is sooo pro Kremlin that no Russian can even dream of. You don't even try to be objective there, not even try... our local RT propagandist. Eliason man that every time as source use RT...
ReplyDeleteYou are pathetic Don.
What RT did not speak about that? Oh... that did not happen in that way.
ReplyDeleteAnd you wake up...
ReplyDeleteGalvars.
ReplyDeleteits not a pleasant thing to talk about but one of the main battalions that the Ukrainians are depending on...the Azov Battalion...is indeed filled with Neo-Nazis. additionally they're not only Ukrainian Neo-Nazis but they're recruiting other misfits from across Europe. a couple of "noted" ones are serving but they have guys from Switzerland and Italy.
so yeah. Don is right. the separatists, rebels...whatever you call them are indeed fighting Nazis.
image Azov Bn w/Nazi flag
ReplyDeletehttp://www.moonofalabama.org/images4/natonaziflag.jpg
BBC
ReplyDeleteNeo-Nazi threat in new Ukraine: NEWSNIGHT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SBo0akeDMY
The main problem is they dont even try to hide it. Denying that the new Ukranian government has its own Nazi faction is like denying the Russian support to the separatists. The ammount of can be debated but the fact not. http://www.greanvillepost.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/azovBattlionMembers.ftRuss.png
ReplyDeleteI am not going to explain, in detail, why you are not only wrong, but also plain out of tough with reality.
ReplyDeleteIf you were interested in a real open minded discussion you would have read my earlier posts doing just that and you would have admitted being wrong, or you would have come up with some response explaining why I was wrong.. Neither happened.
I will.. even though I know better.. repeat this though : A successful Ukraine is a threat to Russia, since it will show its population you can have it all: freedom AND prosperity! There is no greater threat to a restrictive regime then that.
And lastly add this little tidbit: Take a little look at the nations that became 'western', Poland, the Baltic states.. the US and EU ruined them big time didn't they? O .. they aren't failed states.. ehm.. OOPS???
There is no doubt Neo-Nazies are a force in the Ukraine, what I do not understand is how this supports your screwed notion that its all 'The West's fault instead of ( at the least partly)Russia's.
ReplyDeletePolitics is a pendulum. If you push to far to one side it will swing back as far to the other side.
Ukrainian ultra-nationalism is a reaction to Russian ultra-nationalism!
Besides all this EVEN YOU should realize a prosperous free society is much, much less likely to develop these kinds of excesses. Extremism thrives on unhappiness and fear.
The West will keep Ukraine afloat...just wait until they get the bill later. I'm guessing there will be some juicy natural gas contracts signed by the Ukrainian gov't and Western oil companies in lieu of payment on the loans.
ReplyDeletehttp://news.yahoo.com/ukraine-receives-first-5-bn-tranche-imf-loan-000444611.html
Don,
ReplyDeleteThere are wannabe Neo-Nazis, far-right and nationalists fighting against the Russian led and supplied rebels? Sadly, yes. Most of them seem to be in the Azov battalion who for some reason get off on irksome imagery and saying FU to anyone who doesn't like it. but they also are dedicated fighters who are taking the lead in fighting the Russian when the Ukraine is in desperate need of them. When your house is burning down, nobody checks the political membership of the fire brigade members when it shows up.
It also doesn't mean the Ukrainian self-defense is completely inundated by the far-right.
Was the West involved in Maidan? we probably funded and organized part of it. Just like the Chekists in the Kremlin funded and organized the Yanukovych and anti-Western Ukrainians.
but let's be honest, it doesn't negate the fact that the Russians are deeply involved. Fully operable T64 and T72 tanks, Grad launchers and munitions don't simply materialize out of thin air.
https://news.vice.com/video/russias-ghost-army-in-ukraine-full-length
This statistically problematic.
ReplyDeleteFirst, it says armored vehicles. This could include anything from BRDM scout cars to T72 MBTs.
Second, are they saying that for every Armored vehicle, between 10 and 30 combatants are likely killed in or around the vehicle OR that as a rule of thumb, 10 to 30 people are killed for every armor vehicle destroyed.
I would say that this is probably too high. i don't trust either Ukraine or the rebels in regard to casualties statistics.
Also, if in the early parts of the War, e.g. last Summer, when the UAF had the advantage in armor, etc., then does that mean because the rebels have fewer armor vehicles that they suffered fewer losses? They were an infantry-centric force 10 months ago. They were probably getting killed just as fast as the Ukrainian, it's just that they had fewer armored vehicles.
oh, a NATO flag. I guess they are NATO members, too.
ReplyDeleteUnlike americans that couldnt opearate a toaster without warning labels, most east european men served in the military russian tech is simple to operate i have no doubts Ruskis are on the ground but most likely not as wholesale manpower
ReplyDeleteGo trough the list as every piece is accounted for in type and location..
ReplyDeleteRuskis lost 8man KIA per armored vehicle lost in Grozny Iraqis lost near 30KIA per in Desert storm.Altough probably most to the slaughter when retreating from kuwait.
the Azov battalion numbers less than a thousand. The Ukrainian's just called up the 4th mobilization wave of 60,000. Even if every Azov member was a die-hard Neo-Nazi, it is a drop in a very large bucket.
ReplyDeleteWhile the separatists claim to be fighting fascism, Nazis, etc., they are fighting average Ukrainians by and large.
what the fuck are you trying to say boy? i spent more time overseas than you have in service. watch your mouth when you say AMerican and the inability to operate military equipment.
ReplyDeleteIf according to the documentary there were an estimated circa 500 Russian active-duty KIA, then there are thousands of Russian soldiers involved.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention all of the former military members who are collecting a paycheck. Those numbers require funding, organization, equipment, etc. That doesn't materialize out of thin-air just like T64s and T72B2, in perfect operating condition, don't drive themselves across the Ukrainian/Russian border
This is a large, sustained operation by the Russian government.
This is not the first swing at the plate for Ukraine to rearrange their economy and society.
ReplyDeleteIn Poland, the Solidarity revolution went well. In Ukraine, the Orange Revolution, like Yugoslavia's Bulldozer Revolution (2000); in Georgia's Rose Revolution (2003) changed things up.
Ukraine’s last round gave them their oligarchs, who don’t seem to be up to snuff to lead a conversion to a western style system of business and government.
At this moment, Ukraine’s’ government is swinging for the fence, with the help of foreign “technocrats” in the cabinet (including Americans) and with the sage advice of the IMF.
So, will cutting retirements for poor old people and selling off any remaining state enterprises help Ukraine be free?
Kinda doubt it. But the war could help.
He called every men in National Guard... every one! an Nazi troops. You want to tell that every men there is an Nazi?
ReplyDeleteWhen he speak such bullshit I can remind him that on the side of Russians fight unit of Chetniks... now check WHO the Chetniks are...
While such propagandist like Don speak about Azov they put that in context that EVERY Ukrainian is a Nazi, this is disgusting, nobody denied that there are some hard core nationalist there but putting them in the same bag WHOLE nation is fuck up.... they always forget and deliberate silence about the those dudes on Russian sides:
ReplyDeleteOh the Revolution in Poland did not went that well... couple of bloody pogroms and 2 years of marshal law. When the Communist government tried to stop changes by bullet and security forces... they even put an marshal law for 2! years to control the society or as some say to prevent the another Czechoslovakian of 68' but this time the Soviets would move on Poles and that would end by bloodbath.
ReplyDeleteChange or Revolution always demand blood... in those you mention Russians did not have the power to stop another nation that want to walk out from under domination of Moscow. having huge internal problems. We ware lucky, it was a good moment to do this. Ukrainians are not so lucky as we see...
What does the black flag means? And you are right, of course most of the ukranians are not nazis, not even the government (I would catalog, poroshenko, yats and those guys as corrupt schmucks, nothing else) But what appears to be the truth is that there are some hardcore nationalist, and by some I mean a few tens of thousands if not more, a minory sure but they dont seem to be some fringe hidden element either.
ReplyDeleteThose are Russian friends & allies that came to help them fight against Ukrainians... in their words of course. Those are Chetniks, you can check who they are and for what they stand. And you rather don't want to have those type of people on your side if you want to pretend being a "good guy".
ReplyDeleteNobody denied existence of hardcore nationalist there, before all this mess they was only a handful of them, they were first to react against Russian aggression that's why people join them, in case of Azov the most radical elements. Many other national guard "battalions" are not radical. Not too much of original members still live, most of them died in fighting. Even when they are called a "Pułk" (regiment) they consist only by 3 understrength company's. But they are "popular" in Kremlin propaganda because they are radicals... you hear anything about other volunteer units? There is couple of them fighting.
>Denying that the new Ukranian government has its own Nazi faction is
ReplyDeletelike denying the Russian support to the separatists. The ammount of can
be debated but the fact not.
We have a winner.
Well. no offensive weaponry in the aid pack - US welcomes Ukrainian Army to the next beating.
ReplyDeleteSeparatist managed to create an army. They now have more operational armoured vehicles then some European states. It seems that the poing, when giving smth to ukrainians could turn the tide has passed.
If rebels go offensive - ukrs are to suffer one more defeat.
Well, this is what happens when you do not give a shit about your army for 20 years.
If you have something to add or say; good or bad, say it and we can discuss it in friendly terms,
ReplyDeleteThis is the most correct description of Ukraine situation, i think. Nothing to add.
ReplyDeleteThis sums it al, Azov in a nutshell
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToKcmnrE5oY#t=89
Just Kidding XD
"freedom AND prosperity! here is no greater threat to a restrictive regime then that." True and true, but you are missing something, we were never offering that to the Ukranians, only smoke and mirrors and the stooges swallowed it up. The EU has been playing the Ukranians for fools since 1998, they are too corrupt and fucked up, we dont need more toilet cleaners right now.
ReplyDelete"Poland, the Baltic states.. the US and EU ruined them big time didn't they?" No, but they arent beacons of prosperity either, all of these countries have a similar gdp ratio than Russia, a similar poverty rate than Russia and way less national GDP than Russia (Internet data). The only nation that could actually become something out of that bunch is Poland, the balts are unsustainable nations, thats why the have always been ruled by somebody else.
And it takes me to my last point. We cant simply take Ukraine away from Russia (even if we wanted them in the EU) at least not like that, their economies are too interconected and dependent. S300 was talking about the catastrophe of the Russian naval industry due to the crisis, and Solomon posted about the cancellation of the An cargo plane. We have no use for anything they can offer, we fooled the poor bastards and now they are paying it with blood.
I disagree about the Baltic states, but .. history will tell..
ReplyDeleteA few further comments:
- Russia's wealth and prosperity is based on oil and nothing but oil. Poland and the Baltic states do not have oil.
- Why do you think there was/ is so much hesitation towards Ukraine from the West? Might it have something to do with a misguided attempt to placate Russia?
"Russia's wealth and prosperity is based on oil and nothing but oil. Poland and the Baltic states do not have oil." That is a good point, but still the economic indicators remain similar. Wages are higher in Poland and the Balts, but are still far away from being beacons of prosperity. My country which is not regarded as a Rich one triples the wages of the baltic states and doubles that of Poland. Yours, quadruples each and one of them. You are dutch I'm wrong?
ReplyDelete"Why do you think there was/ is so much hesitation towards Ukraine from the West?" True, and the right thing to do would have been to let them as they were or cooperate with Russia in that regard we are never going to accept them into the EU, at least not in ther current condition, not even in the prewar condition. Why tease them if we are going to blow them away at the first sign of trouble? because 43 million toilet cleaners doesnt justify a war with Russia, sounds contemptous but you know its true.
"Might it have something to do with a misguided attempt to placate Russia?" If we really believed in the Ukranian freedom I wouldt have any problem in angering Russia. The problem is we dont need to anger it just for nothing. we dont care what happens to the Ukranians, all the European Choice was empty rhetoric from our leaders. The only european friends they have seem to be the Polish, Merkel and Holland were pretty content to allow the partition of Ukraine and other countries are hoping their sanctions are lifted soon, the orange producers in my country are one of those. Just like in Libya and Syria, we didnt think things through, what did we think the Russian reaction was going to be? and now the Ukranians are drowning in blood. Its our fault as much as theirs.
You will not here me say Europe is perfect, far from it.. most people really don't care that much about Ukraine. The majority is done with expansions of the EU even if others want to join. People are scared about their own future and not willing to share.
ReplyDeleteBut I would think all this still is hugely preferably to a neighbor who cares so much that they invade and take parts of your country...
Russian TV showed a docu where Putin claimed the plan to annex Crime was hatched over a year ago.. BEFORE there was even the pretense of endangered Russian minorities.
What it comes down to is this: there was no real reason for Russia to invade since the cooparation between Ukrain and it could have continued for ever, dispite a treaty with the EU. The EU has a similar treaty with Russia.. and so many others,
There was no exclusivity clause. It was simply a treaty that would have been normal if it wasn't for the sensitivities of Russia who DID WANT EXCLUSIVITY!
The thing is.. THEY, as in the Russian people didn't need this either the only ones who stood to profit from creating trouble are Putin and his regime, because it is a convenient INTERNAL political tool.
Frankly, if we are to believe Putin at his word he is criminally insane,.. since he even considered using nuclear weapons to 'protect' the Ukrainian Russian minorities.. Is there any scenario in which using nukes does not lead to more RUSSIAN victims then the ones he pretended to want to protect?