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War in Ukraine

Discussion in 'Too Hot for Swamp Gas' started by PITBOSS, Jan 21, 2022.

  1. G8trGr8t

    G8trGr8t Premium Member

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    more bad news for Russian troops. longer range weapons headed to the front.

    Factbox-U.S. rocket-powered bomb would double Ukraine's strike range (msn.com)

    Ukraine's longest-range weapon currently is the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS). Its rockets can travel 48 miles (77 kilometers) while the GLSDB's range is 94 miles (151 km). Greater range would allow the Ukrainian military to attack Russian forces from a greater distance or potentially penetrate more deeply into Russian-held territory.

    * The rocket-powered GLSDB combines the GBU-39 small-diameter bomb, typically dropped from planes, with the M26 rocket motor, both of which are common in U.S. military inventories.

    GLSDB could be delivered as early as spring 2023, according to a Boeing document seen by Reuters.

    * The GLSDB's technological advances make it potentially more effective. The navigation system enables it to be steered around obstacles like mountains and known anti-air defenses, unlike traditional artillery that follows a parabolic arc towards its target.* The weapon is also equipped to defeat some jamming attempts and has a programmable explosive.
     
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  2. chemgator

    chemgator GC Hall of Fame

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    Don't be daft. There was no promise on how soon the sanctions would bring Russia to its knees. No one with half a brain thought it would occur overnight, or even in the first year of this war. Obviously, Putin is very determined to win this war at the exclusion of almost all else. The sanctions are definitely working, as evidenced by how much Russia's trade has dropped off with the rest of the world, including China, which has largely defied the sanctions.

    Economic hardship is nothing new to Russia, and they do not get antsy when they can't buy the latest cell phones and fashions. When they struggle to eat and fight off the cold winters, then there will be protests. The sanctions are a long way from making that happen. However, the sanctions are making it very difficult for Russia to make guided missiles--they can't get enough computer chips for them. Other manufacturing of weapons and ammo is likely struggling due to lack of trade as well as lack of people--Putin mobilized many of the factory workers, and exiled quite a few more with the threat of conscription. People are dying from the cold (not enough to cause protests), because many of the people who maintain Russia's high-maintenance steam systems that are used to heat houses were sent off to war. That will only increase as time goes on.

    Ukraine will need to win this on the battlefield within the next year or two. They probably do not have the manpower to go past that. With western weapons, they might be able to win this war.

    Regardless of who wins this war, Russia loses.
    They have lost large numbers of officers and generals, large numbers of experienced soldiers, large amounts of weapons and ammunition, several ships, and, probably most importantly, they have lost the trust of the rest of the world, including their biggest trading partner, Europe. With Putin in power, Russia's economy will continue to suck wind for a decade or more.

    Winning Ukraine will continue to drain Russian resources, because they will have to subjugate a nation that universally hates them. Pockets of partisan resistance will likely continue for months, if not years. Ukrainians will have no interest in going back to work to rebuild their country under the orders of their new Russian overlords. There will be a mass exodus from the country. Ukraine will drain Russia's finances much in the same way as Iraq and Afghanistan drained the U.S.'s finances after we "won" the military engagements and "took control of the country". The main difference is that Russia's weakened economy will not be able to support the costs required.
     
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  3. chemgator

    chemgator GC Hall of Fame

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    I really do think that, after Russia's economy folds in the next few years, that one condition for the U.S. to participate in rebuilding Russia's economy (like we did in the early 1990's) is that Russia destroy most of its weapons factories, and most of its bases near Europe. If they do not want to give those up, then they don't need our help that badly.
     
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  4. AndyGator

    AndyGator VIP Member

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    The Russians are coming the Russians are coming .... (to TH to post :rolleyes:)

    An OT reference to an old movie :cool:
     
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  5. duggers_dad

    duggers_dad GC Hall of Fame

    Jan 5, 2022
    “I really do think that, after Russia’s economy folds in the next few years ...” ...

    LOL. Holding onto hope.
     
    Last edited: Feb 2, 2023
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  6. duggers_dad

    duggers_dad GC Hall of Fame

    Jan 5, 2022
    Putin Ukrainifying the West ...

    upload_2023-2-2_9-36-57.jpeg
     
  7. ursidman

    ursidman VIP Member

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    This is a description of front line combat from a Russian source. Just utterly brutal and reminiscent of WWI trench warfare. Russian calculation seems to be they have more bodies than the Ukrainians have bullets and shells.

     
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  8. duggers_dad

    duggers_dad GC Hall of Fame

    Jan 5, 2022
    ^ The enduring myth of the ‘human waves’ strategy. We’re asked to believe that the Wagner Group, much fewer than the Ukrainian troops assembled at Bakhmut, is somehow strangling the city by trading bodies for bullets and shells. If anything, this strategy is more akin to what Ukraine has been doing for months, hence their horrific losses.
     
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  9. exiledgator

    exiledgator Gruntled

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    Feels more eastern front in 42/43, but yeah. Brutal.

    If that's actually the plan (consecutive suicidal waves of 8), and they're actually leading with their tip-of-the-spear troops - well, that sounds like a win for the good guys.

    No NCOs, no savvy vets, no cohesive strategy. Gonna need to do a full and successful levee en masse to gain substantial ground. Will Russian society allow that?
     
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  10. duggers_dad

    duggers_dad GC Hall of Fame

    Jan 5, 2022
    Thread a case study in projection.
     
  11. Gatorhead

    Gatorhead GC Hall of Fame

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    Ukranian Podcaster suggest Wagner / Russia are sending prisoners and deplorables to the front first.

    Some suggests Putin is saying he is doing
    Russian society a favor by getting rid of societies undesirables.

    Pretty cold stuff if you ask me.
     
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  12. chemgator

    chemgator GC Hall of Fame

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    Ukraine has a new weapon from the U.S.: the Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB). It has a range of 94 miles, which puts all of Russia's supply lines, and Crimea, within reach. The range is twice that of HIMARS. The Russians are already crapping their pants about HIMARS--wait until they find out that escaping to beyond 50 miles from the front no longer protects them.

    Ukraine's new weapon will force a Russian shift (yahoo.com)

     
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  13. chemgator

    chemgator GC Hall of Fame

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    Yes, you are. Just try not to act surprised when Russia's economy collapses in a few years.
     
  14. chemgator

    chemgator GC Hall of Fame

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    Even North Korea (the epicenter of self-delusion in Russia's sphere of insanity) believes that the Russian invasion of Ukraine is not going so well. They were going to send workers to re-build Ukraine, but then thought twice about what danger the N.K. workers would be in.

    Even North Korea Just Noticed Russia’s War in Ukraine ‘Isn’t Going So Well’ (yahoo.com)

     
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  15. duggers_dad

    duggers_dad GC Hall of Fame

    Jan 5, 2022
    You sound like Greta.
     
  16. slayerxing

    slayerxing GC Hall of Fame

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    Fog of war is thick these days. Hard to know for sure what is happening but things seem pretty much the same right now. Do have to question how Ukraine can continue holding these positions against these Zerg strategies.

    Human Verification
     
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  17. chemgator

    chemgator GC Hall of Fame

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    One reason that Europe unified so quickly and agreed to sanctions against Russia: digital language translation technology. Europeans all speak different languages, and have difficulty agreeing on anything because it takes so long for everyone to understand what everyone else is saying.

    The Surprising Reason Europe Came Together Against Putin (yahoo.com)

    Babble-on, Google!
     
  18. chemgator

    chemgator GC Hall of Fame

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    U.S. estimates of Russian troops killed or wounded in battle are approaching 200,000.

    Officials say Russian troops killed, wounded in Ukraine approaching 200K: report | The Hill

    Apparently, Russia is lining up troops for the next big offensive. I wonder if the new weapons that Ukraine is getting could reach these troops before the offensive starts.
     
  19. Gatorhead

    Gatorhead GC Hall of Fame

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    Damn. Personally I feel for the impressed Russian soldiers (not the Wagner Group - paid assasins). They didn't ask for this.
    State sponsered murder of its own people.
     
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  20. chemgator

    chemgator GC Hall of Fame

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    Russian oil has found its way to New York as refined fuels, through India.

    Fuel made from Russian oil is being funneled to New York by Indian refiners that are snapping up discounted crude (yahoo.com)

     
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