Putin: "Stick to the timeline!"

[Master-Debater131]

To be fair, their other tanks are busy rusting in the fields of Ukraine.

 

Its pretty telling if they can only muster a single tank for the parade. They really have run through their reserves.

[katt_goddess]

6 hours ago, Master-Debater131 said:

To be fair, their other tanks are busy rusting in the fields of Ukraine.

 

Its pretty telling if they can only muster a single tank for the parade. They really have run through their reserves.

You forgot that one that was left at a gas station somewhere in our glorious south on its way to Dale Gribble Rusty Shackleford.

[Icarus27k]

There are some reasons to believe the Ukrainian counteroffensive will disappoint. One is the much hyped combined arms manuevers that Ukrainian troops have been trained on have been "all but impossible" so far on the battlefield.

 

[Master-Debater131]

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/05/10/7401474/

Ukraine's defenders defeat 72nd Russian brigade near Bakhmut, liberate territory and capture prisoners

 

The videos of the attack are just insane. Ukraine totally outclassed the RA though the use of combined arms. They steamrolled through some areas and really did some damage. Ukraine is putting the weapons we gave them to good use.

[tsar4]

https://www.newsweek.com/ukraine-storm-shadow-missiles-russia-uk-long-range-weapons-1799781

[tsar4]

Well played, Belorussian!

[Icarus27k]

My first experience with the the politics of Russia and the countries that Russia used to control was when I was a kid and I mistook a Belorussian person for a Russian person. He was not happy that I confused the two. 

[Icarus27k]

[tsar4]

12 minutes ago, Icarus27k said:

I thougth they

I thought they were Russian Ballet Dancers?

[tsar4]

1 hour ago, Icarus27k said:

My first experience with the the politics of Russia and the countries that Russia used to control was when I was a kid and I mistook a Belorussian person for a Russian person. He was not happy that I confused the two. 

Heaven help you if you ever claim that a particular food dish originates with one Eastern European country to someone from another Eastern European country. 

You're gonna get an earful.

[Top Gun]

16 minutes ago, tsar4 said:

Heaven help you if you ever claim that a particular food dish originates with one Eastern European country to someone from another Eastern European country. 

You're gonna get an earful.

The only thing riskier is talking food with an Italian.

[scoobdog]

28 minutes ago, Top Gun said:

The only thing riskier is talking food with an Italian.

Italians don’t count.  They think they invented every food ever.

[André Toulon]

Ok, I was about to ask scoob what his problem is with Italians since this is the second time I heard him say something like this....then I search Italians here and.....Jesus, wtf happened that everyone just drags Italians.

[scoobdog]

9 minutes ago, André Toulon said:

Ok, I was about to ask scoob what his problem is with Italians since this is the second time I heard him say something like this....then I search Italians here and.....Jesus, wtf happened that everyone just drags Italians.

I’m part Italian, so it’s mostly tongue-in-cheek.  But, Italians are an arrogant bunch to be sure, so it’s fun to drag them.

[Seight]

6 hours ago, André Toulon said:

Ok, I was about to ask scoob what his problem is with Italians since this is the second time I heard him say something like this....then I search Italians here and.....Jesus, wtf happened that everyone just drags Italians.

Spoiler

"Ayy, I cooka the taxes!"

Or something.

 

[Neubauten]

It's impossible to be racist against Italians. They simply do not count. 

[Icarus27k]

 

 

Such emotion, such grit in the voiceover guy. 

 

[Icarus27k]

On 5/7/2023 at 1:13 PM, tsar4 said:

Patriot missile system shoots down Russian Hypersonic missile

Lucky shot, or has the US kept improvements to the system quiet?

 

Russia tried to destroy US-made Patriot system in Ukraine, officials say

 

Russia tried to destroy a US-made Patriot air defense system in Ukraine last week with a hypersonic missile, two US officials told CNN.

 

The attack failed, and the Ukrainian military instead intercepted the missile using the Patriot system, the officials said, marking their first known successful Ukrainian use of the advanced air defense system only weeks after it arrived in country.

 

The Ukrainian air defenders fired multiple missiles from the Patriot at different angles to intercept the Russian missile, demonstrating how quickly they have become adept at using the powerful system, one official said.

 

https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/12/politics/russia-patriot-missiles-ukraine/index.html

Edited May 12, 2023 by Icarus27k

[stilgar]

So, what you are saying is the Russian hypersonic missles destroyed US made patriot missles?

[tsar4]

Not sure if it is true, but there are a couple of places reporting that Lukashenko has been taken to a hospital after a meeting with Putin.

 

Hope there are no windows there.

[tsar4]

Russia finds easy targets

[tsar4]

Another unconfirmed story is that the Ukrainians have started dropping bottles of vodka over Russian positions, then scooping up the drunks without a shot.

There was an accompanying video from a drone, showing a soldier getting up and staggering around.  Hilarious if true.

[_lost_username_]

5 hours ago, tsar4 said:

Another unconfirmed story is that the Ukrainians have started dropping bottles of vodka over Russian positions, then scooping up the drunks without a shot.

There was an accompanying video from a drone, showing a soldier getting up and staggering around.  Hilarious if true.

Well, vodka is probably the biggest killer of Russians since the USSR died. It's pretty obvious why Ukrainians would see it as an ally.

[Icarus27k]

 

It's getting weirder. The Wagner guy wanted to conspire with Ukraine. 

[Icarus27k]

[discolé monade]

9 hours ago, tsar4 said:

Another unconfirmed story is that the Ukrainians have started dropping bottles of vodka over Russian positions, then scooping up the drunks without a shot.

There was an accompanying video from a drone, showing a soldier getting up and staggering around.  Hilarious if true.

 

[Seight]

10 hours ago, Icarus27k said:

"FIND ME RUSSIA'S TALLEST WINDOW!"

[Sieg67]

Putin has banned top officials from resigning as Russian casualties mount in Ukraine, report says

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/putin-kremlin-officials-banned-from-resigning-ukraine-war-casualties-report-2023-5?utm_source=reddit.com

 

 

[_lost_username_]

15 hours ago, Sieg67 said:

Putin has banned top officials from resigning as Russian casualties mount in Ukraine, report says

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/putin-kremlin-officials-banned-from-resigning-ukraine-war-casualties-report-2023-5?utm_source=reddit.com

 

 

Well, I guess that leaves them the option of being bad at their job and getting fired. This doesn't sound like something that's going to improve performance. Nothing says "enhancing talent" as much as forcing a bunch of anxious, burnt out and fearful people to do high-level work.

The power struggle after Putin inevitably exits the scene will be both interesting and terrifying to watch.

[_lost_username_]

On 5/14/2023 at 7:14 PM, Icarus27k said:

 

It's getting weirder. The Wagner guy wanted to conspire with Ukraine. 

He'd better avoid windows and crosswalks.

[Jman]

15 hours ago, Sieg67 said:

Putin has banned top officials from resigning as Russian casualties mount in Ukraine, report says

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/putin-kremlin-officials-banned-from-resigning-ukraine-war-casualties-report-2023-5?utm_source=reddit.com

 

 

This is literally the origin of a superhero comic I read back in the day, Hardware.  The main character got turned down for royalties, found out he couldn’t quit his job, tried to dig up dirt on his employer, and then when he found out he was a crime lord, created power armor to wage a one man war on said crime lord’s empire.

While I don’t foresee any vigilantes in Russia, making people desperate and unable to leave will result in them lashing out. And that will be violent.

[tsar4]

Comrade, about those unstoppable hypersonic missiles...

[Icarus27k]

Ukraine could join ranks of ‘frozen’ conflicts, U.S. officials say

How Ukraine could become the next South Korea

 

U.S. officials are planning for the growing possibility that the Russia-Ukraine war will turn into a frozen conflict that lasts many years — perhaps decades — and joins the ranks of similar lengthy face-offs in the Korean peninsula, South Asia and beyond.

 

The options discussed within the Biden administration for a long-term “freeze” include where to set potential lines that Ukraine and Russia would agree not to cross, but which would not have to be official borders. The discussions — while provisional — have taken place across various U.S. agencies and in the White House.

 

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/05/18/ukraine-russia-south-korea-00097563

 

This is how I assumed the war would "end" ever since the stalemate settled in over the winter of 2022-23. I compared Ukraine to Germany during the Cold War. 

Some good news is that changes in Russian politics did cause Germany to reunite even though it took decades. 

[discolé monade]

16 hours ago, tsar4 said:

Comrade, about those unstoppable hypersonic missiles...

is it me? or does alexandr shiplyuk, look SUPER happy just  to be there?

[naraku360]

On 5/17/2023 at 9:52 AM, ZoomBubba said:

Well, I guess that leaves them the option of being bad at their job and getting fired. This doesn't sound like something that's going to improve performance. Nothing says "enhancing talent" as much as forcing a bunch of anxious, burnt out and fearful people to do high-level work.

The power struggle after Putin inevitably exits the scene will be both interesting and terrifying to watch.

Watch out, you criticized Putin so you're in for a downvote from Nabs.

[Icarus27k]

Oh cool, the new list of Americans who are banned from Russia is out. 

[Icarus27k]

I am very pro-Ukraine but I'm also realist. I have argued with plenty of supporters of Ukraine because they can be irresponsible and delusionally optimistic. For example, anyone who claimed Ukraine was going to win the war by the end of 2022 (a few people) should be ridiculed. 

[katt_goddess]

2 hours ago, Icarus27k said:

Oh cool, the new list of Americans who are banned from Russia is out. 

I think I have a new goal for this week.  

[Icarus27k]

 

 

I specifically listened to Kori Schake, AEI expert, predict last October that Ukraine was going to regain all of its territory by summer, and that's clearly not going to happen. 

Edited May 19, 2023 by Icarus27k

[Seight]

7 hours ago, Icarus27k said:

Oh cool, the new list of Americans who are banned from Russia is out. 

Rachel Maddow AND Barack Obama? Now you know it's serious!

[Raptorpat]

Wagner is claiming it finally finished capturing the remains of Bakhmut, after like eight months of grinding.

[Icarus27k]

29 minutes ago, Raptorpat said:

Wagner is claiming it finally finished capturing the remains of Bakhmut, after like eight months of grinding.

I suppose that's significant in some way. I find it more significant that the Russians appear to have stopped the Ukrainians from taking back territory on the northern and southern flanks they established around Bakhmut. For no other reason it shows that can actually do something. 

[Master-Debater131]

3 hours ago, Raptorpat said:

Wagner is claiming it finally finished capturing the remains of Bakhmut, after like eight months of grinding.

At this rate they will take all of Ukraine in,  *checks notes*, like 35 years.

[Raptorpat]

I'm curious, if it is official, what the official numbers are on each side

[Distortedreasoning]

russia has fully captured bakhmut despite how much everybody is saying their army sucks lol.

all credit to the musicians of the wagner army! despite not getting all the ammo they asked for, they still had enough to overwhelm bakhmut defenses and get it done.

 

 

ok yall can go back to saying how much they suck, even tho they keep winning 😂

[Icarus27k]

[Distortedreasoning]

16 minutes ago, Icarus27k said:

keep coping. 

[stilgar]

5 hours ago, Distortedreasoning said:

keep coping. 

I like that you only showed up because you think your team did something good. 

[Icarus27k]

The Russian army as it existed before 2022 is now gone. It's now just a bunch of reservists and lightly trained conscripts. 

Losing almost your entire regular army in 18 months in a war of choice is pretty bad. (Wagner isn't even the army.) 

[André Toulon]

6 hours ago, Distortedreasoning said:

I'm coping

 

Edited May 21, 2023 by André Toulon