Will Putin Invade Ukraine?

[Hydra009]

At long last, I'm pleased to announce that Ukraine now has Leopard 2 tanks

They are now in theater and could be in combat as we speak.  I can currently only imagine how a Leopard 2 fares against a T-55 (my bet is on the Leopard, lol) but it might not be long until such a matchup is uploaded to the internet.

[Hydra009]

Mysterious explosions in temporarily occupied Melitopol

eyewitnesses saw the invaders running out of the building in their underwear.

[Hydra009]

Ukrainian troops finish training on Challenger tank

[Hydra009]

A russian missile struck a farmhouse in rural Ukraine - the missile was filled with various kinds of Russian propaganda leaflets.  Evidently, they lack the means to scatter them or to correctly aim them towards population centers.

Twitter did its thing and published photos of Russian propaganda.  VERY IRRESPONSIBLE.  Like broadcasting Mein Kampf during the holocaust.  *sigh*

Since the damage has already been done, I might as well summarize - one of them incorrectly blames the US and EU for the outbreak of war (the Ukrainians know damn well where the incoming missiles came from) and exhorts the Ukrainians to put aside their differences with Russia (who caused these "differences"?) and join the Russians against their mutual enemy (one look at Mariupol demonstrates the truth value of that)

For some reason, the Russians hold themselves blameless for destruction they directly caused, which is something that should be rectified in the inevitable peace settlement after Ukraine pushes the invaders out of its territory.

They also accused the US/EU of prolonging the war through the intentional export of "old" gear.  Counterpoint: 1) Leopard 2 tanks are current tech.  2) The US developed a brand new type of drone specifically for Ukraine, and HIMARS isn't exactly bargain bin stuff!  3) If it's true that Western gear is too old, then let's give Ukraine the top shelf stuff.  ATACMS, F-35s, subs, aircraft carriers, that alien battleship under Area 51, etc.  Wildly unrealistic, I know.  But still, it is such a shame that Ukraine is in fact getting some old (maybe not T-55 old, but old by Western standards) gear.

[Dark Lightning]

They can have the old stuff, afaiac. Giving up the latest tech isn't going to happen, methinks. They are getting "good enough", given how the Russians are getting trashed by it.

[Hydra009]

"Good enough" is cold comfort when your people are dying and your cities bombarded.  A firmer commitment would end the war faster and save lots of lives.  The Ukrainians have surely noticed this.  If the situation were reversed and my life and the lives of everyone I know literally depended on it, I would certainly want the best gear as well.  Such reluctance, often dubiously supported if at all, no doubt irritates Ukrainians and gives the Putin regime good cause to say that Western support is tepid, even though this is far from the truth.

[Dark Lightning]

I disagree. The US shouldn't be in the business of providing top of the line military equipment to any other country that doesn't have certain agreements in place (and is not in that business). That top of the line equipment costs billions in R&D, and that money will never come back if the equipment is donated.

[Hydra009]

Challenger tanks arrive in Ukraine

Afaik, at least some of all the types of vehicles promised to Ukraine have arrived except for the Abrams tanks, which is expected during the fall.

[the_antithesis]

Challenger tanks arrive in Ukraine

Afaik, at least some of all the types of vehicles promised to Ukraine have arrived except for the Abrams tanks, which is expected during the fall.

Of Moscow?

[Hydra009]

Bulgara to "secretly" resupply Ukraine with ~$190 million usd worth of soviet ammo sold to intermediaries

The old ammo will be replaced with new ammo.

"This is an amount of ammunition that can turn the tide of the war in some directions on the Ukrainian front," Noev added.

A few days ago in Brussels, the president announced that Bulgaria will sell arms and ammunition to other European countries on the condition that they will not be sent to Ukraine, despite the parliament's decision in mid-December that the army would send military aid directly to Ukraine.

If the ammunition is sent from the army to the military plant and then exported through intermediaries to Ukraine, Radev can continue to tell his supporters that Sofia is not helping Kyiv.

Hmmm.  Sneaky.

[Hydra009]

France to double artillery shells sent to Ukraine, from 1000/month to 2000/month



(Meme made by me)

[Hydra009]

Putin regime resorts to fake staged video to stoke outrage, delete it after it's shown to be fake

A big tipoff was that the vehicle used in the video was only manufactured in Russia.

[Hydra009]

Though the situation is still tense, Russia is losing steam near Bakhmut.

[Hydra009]

Meanwhile, Russian activity along the southern front declines

It has come under frequent Ukrainian bombardment recently, so it's possible that Russian logistics have been hampered to the point of not being able to supply their units with the necessary munitions to return fire as much as they used to. 

It's also possible that this is an intentional lull as they brace for potential counterattack.  A counterattack towards Melitopol is the obvious choice because it effectively cuts Russian-occupied territory in half and  greatly complicates logistics for Russians in the Kherson region and Crimea.

[the_antithesis]

Mark Hamill lends 'Star Wars' voice to Ukrainian air-raid app

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — "Attention. Air raid alert," the voice says with a Jedi knight's gravitas. "Proceed to the nearest shelter."

It's a surreal moment in an already surreal war: the grave but calming baritone of actor Mark Hamill, Luke Skywalker of "Star Wars," urging people to take cover whenever Russia unleashes another aerial bombardment on Ukraine.

Baritone?