Russia Ukraine Update Thread - part 2

500 Mobilised Russians Riot In Belgorod Region


So they have to buy their own food..

a reply to: Kenzo

Surely, if these reports of demotivated Russians are true and widespread, then the Russian military is in real trouble.

It's a well understood element of successful soldiering to have troops who are motivated, with a morale sparked by a collective belief that what you are doing is worthwhile. It's a recipe for defeat if parts of your army don't want to be there, are demotivated, and lack a clarity of purpose.

I have the feeling that the Ukrainians have significantly more motivation to win, than the Russians. If the common (and experienced) Russian professional soldiers start to doubt, then how many will willingly trade their lives when push comes to shove?

a reply to: paraphi

the thing for the Ukrainian civilians is they're getting their basic training with allies and in places like Britain..so they kno they are not in this alone. that's a big positive motivator for moral.. while the Russians conscripts are in the billy no mates camp

a reply to: paraphi

Agree totally paraphi .

The mission on Russian side will be extra hard if the situation is about like in the report/video .

There was earlyer also video about big group of Russian mobics camping somehere long away Ukraine, on field and making fires to stay warm.

originally posted by: Kenzo
a reply to: ufoorbhunter


Not Yank .

Ok I just guessed appologies there, no hurt meant in it either, my grandfather was one and they are mostly a force for good in the world.

Now looking at it from a Russian perspective, it's ok to have NATO (USA) military on your borders but no similar on the USA borders.

We in Europe have to face Russia whatever actions the Yanks take.

USA will be able as per usual to act in impunity as it is as a nation totally isolated from any threats. The ancestors positioned themselves on an island they totally control and can dominate the neighbouring states through whatever means necessary. There is no military, or ideological threat on their borders, there will be no immediate threat on those borders.

We in Europe have to face off the Russian threat. We will have short range nuclear missiles placed on our borders. We will have the threat of China getting involved and then very much threatening our borders with their manpower and industry. Just like in the old days with the Soviet threat.

USA can act with total impunity while others, just like Europe took a battering Bataclan style post Middle east invasions. We take the brunt of any blowback of USA foreign policy.

Regarding Russia a little more respect pre 2014 and after, we meet not have a war raging in the heart of Europe

originally posted by: paraphi
It's a well understood element of successful soldiering to have troops who are motivated, with a morale sparked by a collective belief that what you are doing is worthwhile. It's a recipe for defeat if parts of your army don't want to be there, are demotivated, and lack a clarity of purpose.

for months all i heard was that you needed to be a macho nonwoke solider and the west would crumble....guess you really need brains, motivation, equipment and leadership...

originally posted by: LouisCypher
....guess you really need brains, motivation, equipment and leadership...

All those things are attributes of a professional soldier. Cannot speak for elsewhere, but leadership skills transcend all ranks in the British Armed Forces, because when the going gets tough even the lowest ranks may have to lead and act independently.

An army which does not have disciplined lower ranks, that are well-trained, motivated, and capable of leading themselves in a tactical situation, is a waste of lives.

a reply to: ufoorbhunter


No problem ufoorbhunter, and for the record i am in Finland . I was living just about 13 kilometers from Russian border when they attack Ukraine,now on other place and not so near Russia anymore. Since the attack started we wanted to join to NATO also,together with Sweden, both were neutral long time before Putin started this , so i think the reason countrys and NATO increasing forces is simply because Russia and Putin is acting in a way that the only logical responce is to prepare for war.

Now let`s look numbers of US troops in Europe , here:

The US military presence in Europe has been declining for 30 years – the current crisis in Ukraine may reverse that trend

In 1989, the United States had 248,621 permanent troops stationed in West Germany, 27,639 in the United Kingdom, 15,706 in Italy and 3,382 in Greece. By September 2021, U.S. troop numbers had fallen to 35,457 in Germany, 9,563 in the United Kingdom, 12,434 in Italy and 429 in Greece.

The US army troop numbers decreased actually quite a lot after the collapse of Soviet Union . Several countrys also decided to limit their own army size also, which they now been regretting because Russia started war in Europe.

I think if Russia would have choosed another path after the collapse of USSR, we would not be now in this situation, even before Ukraine they send their military planes just to harass other countrys.

a reply to: ufoorbhunter

Just for the record. There ARE Russian forces on the USA's doorstep. = Alaska.

Cheers

a reply to: Kenzo

For sure at the end of the Soviet Union Russia might have taken a different path for the better. But the installation of Yeltsin by a small bunch of crooks that took over Russia's resources post 1991 through crazy micro percentages of their true value meant a coarse for the better was impossible. The resources were being plundered by a mafia with many connections to big business in the 'west' indeed the British authorities were in on this and even allowed this criminal entity of Oligarchy to funnel the wealth of Russia into the City of London's private banks and great swathes of the capitals property. The West was completely part of the rape of Russia in the 90's. Is it any wonder somebody like Putin emerged when the country was falling apart? A strong man and being honest and realistic he saved Russia from complete destruction back then and gave the people security (of sort) and pride back in their state, something that lasts to this very day.

On a side note Finland right. Oh never been there but will one day. You are probably well to join NATO in all fairness. It will make no difference to Russian objectives (according to Markov) and will you give you some security in case the crazy man turns on you guys next yet I expect you'd whip their ass again.

Finland, extremely hard drinking Vodka men I've had the pleasure of seshioning with, very beautiful ladies, the best built car I ever had an '88 saab 900 8v saloon in silver. Oh boy what a car, the metal work was amazing, make to a different standard to any other Saab indeed car I've ever had and far better than the ones built be the Swedes

originally posted by: F2d5thCavv2
a reply to: ufoorbhunter

Just for the record. There ARE Russian forces on the USA's doorstep. = Alaska.

Cheers

Yeah sure there are Cavv good point too...................... Yet you haven't created a Coloured Revoltion yet in Kamchatka, flown in the cookie bars and introduced the locals to Newlands and McCain so the Russian forces are still at peace with you on that border

a reply to: ufoorbhunter

That's all quite true, but what you fail to mention is that all that raping and plundering of Russian resources etc was done under Putin's watch.
He was hand picked by Yeltsin to replace him and Putin actively enabled the Oligarchs to prosper.
Putin is as complicit in the corruption and exploitation as anyone....thus his personal fortune of between 400-600 Billion Dollars!

I agree, 'The West' should have taken a different approach after the break up of The Soviet Union - the obsession with profit is all consuming - but not mentioning Putin's part in the thoroughly amoral affair is remiss.

2 Russian men sailed 300km across the Bering Strait to Alaska, and telling locals they're "fleeing the Russian military"

Says much about the desperate nature of Russia's mobilization drive – and Russians' desperation to avoid it – that they fled somewhere as remote as Egvekinot. And yet more indications that ethnic minorities from remote regions are being targeted for the draft.


Foreign nationals detained after boating from Russia to St. Lawrence Island



Better than get to meat grinder .

a reply to: ufoorbhunter

Mate, -I- don't create revolutions anywhere.

Worry about color revolutions should be better directed to the EU; my take is that it is the German elites who can't wait to economically colonize Ukraine and Belarus. The USA won't see much of that action, if any.

Cheers

a reply to: ufoorbhunter


The siloviks have strong grip of power in Russia , ex kgb etc

Maybe that`s one of the core failures of Russian society , that they build the power men structure from security people, and not people who would know maybe how to actually run a country. The current Putin clan, siloviks are intested to stay in power and steal more money/ becore ultra rich....that`s not good for the country, they are essentially wrong people to be in power, and now we look where it leads...

Too bad Saab dont make cars anymore, i remember the turbo Saab ....

Russia has actually moved a lot their forces from Finnish border to Ukraine, because they seem to have men power issues.

Russian Yandex map dont show country borders , maybe kremlin ordered ?

Now there is unclarity from a Russian point of view in regards to borders, following the illegal annexation of Ukrainian territory, Yandex Maps has a very simple solution - they removed country borders.

a reply to: ufoorbhunter

When I turned 50, I bought a Volvo. I believe it was compulsory.

S60 turbo.

Bank vault doors and surprisingly rapid!



Drew the line at a flat cap, tho....

www.theguardian.com...

Not going so well for Ruzzia,?

a reply to: F2d5thCavv2

freerepublic.com...

Couple Russians sailed boat across the Bering Sea to St Lawrence Island in the Aleutians

Anticipate as condition s in Russia get worse will see hijack attempts in eastern Siberia as desperate Russians try to get out

a reply to: Oldcarpy2

Oo Volvo S60 turbo. Nice car Oldcarpy Love Volvos, can't remember the model 240 or 260 or something from the 80's big barge like thing in estate form I did the MR2 Rev 3 turbo thing at 40, tried to regain the youth, struggled to keep it going forwards on the corners. Still sitting outside many years later rusting away. Might flog it to someone approaching 40.

Had a Volvo 480 turbo like twenty five years ago. Only something like 120 brake but totally great fun. Think it was Dutch made from memory so not a proper Volvo but lots of fun. Terrible electrics though, you'd wake up in the night with the entire light system going on and off including the pop up lights going up and down blinding the bungalows bedroom window. Thought we were being abducted by aliens