Democracy’s Fiery Ordeal: The War in Ukraine 🇺🇦

[Tommy Callahan]

Insitute for the study of wars think tank.  you ever see who the leadership is?

 

https://understandingwar.org/who-we-are

 

And funded by defense contractors.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Institute_for_the_Study_of_War

 

strange bedfellows. they are war hawks.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 8, 2023 by Chris farley

[Tiberius]

 

COUNTDOWN TO Z-DAY 

Russia ‘massing 1,800 tanks, 700 aircraft & 500k men for new Ukraine assault in 10 DAYS’ after Zelensky begs UK for jets

 

https://www.the-sun.com/news/7347369/russia-zelensky-new-offensive-ukraine/

[aristocrat]

Do we have more yachts to seize?  That plan apparently didn't work. This is like two weeks to slow the spread on steroids. Gonna be full on war here shortly. 

[B-Man]

 

 

Putin's War, Week 50. The Calm Before the Storm

 

Here we are at Week 50 of Putin’s war in Ukraine. I hate to sound like a broken record, but the tactical situation is basically unchanged in the last month. The only proviso I would add is that the Russians are visibly trying to gain the initiative in Donbas. This squares with reports we’ve had that Putin gave the new theater commander, General Valery Gerasimov, orders to reach the historical borders of Donbas by the end of March.

 

{snip}

 

We’re beginning to see the first outlines of the anticipated Russian offensive. This is how it is being framed by some observers.

 

 

 

I’d only agree to that assessment with a ton of caveats.

 

The Ukrainians are pulling some of their most successful units out of the line and sending them to Germany for maneuver training. Trained tank crews are on the way to Poland and Britain for transition training to let them use the new Challenger 2 and Leopard 2 tanks. Instead of shoveling draftees into the line, they are being sent to Britain and Germany for training. This strategy cedes ground now but will result in a more capable force in a few months.

 

What I don’t think we’re seeing is any indication that the Russian Army can achieve anything other than small tactical gains.

 

My gut feeling is that the Russians don’t have the resources to prepare for an offensive and continue what they are doing — 1) support a spoiling attack in northern Luhansk in the Svatove-Kreminna area, 2) keep up the pressure around Bakhmut, while 3) carrying out shaping attacks in southern Donetsk to set the stage for their offensive.

 

I also don’t see how Russia can translate an army of notionally 350,000 mobiks into combat power rather than a mob that needs to be fed and clothed. They are battering their way to small gains at great cost. They could reach the culmination point of their offensive about the time fresh Ukrainian formations with modern tanks and fighting vehicles appear.

 

https://redstate.com/streiff/2023/02/09/putins-war-week-50-the-calm-before-the-storm-n699478

[B-Man]

 

 

NO KIDDING.

 

 

 

[ALF]

SpaceX admits blocking Ukrainian troops from using satellite technology

 
The president of SpaceX revealed the company has taken active steps to prevent Ukrainian forces from using the critical Starlink satellite technology with Ukrainian drones that are a key component of their fight against Russia.

 

“There are things that we can do to limit their ability to do that,” Gwynne Shotwell told reporters on Wednesday, referencing reports on Starlink and drone use. “There are things that we can do, and have done.”

 

Starlink was never meant to be used militarily in the way that it has, Shotwell argued, saying the company didn’t foresee how profoundly – and creatively – Ukrainian forces would rely on the technology.

 

“It was never intended to be weaponized,” Shotwell told an audience at a space conference. “However, Ukrainians have leveraged it in ways that were unintentional and not part of any agreement.”

 

https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/09/politics/spacex-ukrainian-troops-satellite-technology/index.html

 

Just in time for the Russian offensive ,  Putin will praise Musk for his loyalty to him.

 

Fury in Ukraine as Elon Musk’s SpaceX limits Starlink use for drones

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/09/zelenskiy-aide-takes-aim-at-curbs-on-ukraine-use-of-starlink-to-pilot-drones-elon-musk

Edited February 10, 2023 by ALF

[Tiberius]

13 hours ago, B-Man said:

 

 

NO KIDDING.

 

 

 

Sounds more like they are kidding 

 

Just a way to deflect blame away from the murderous invader 

1 hour ago, ALF said:

SpaceX admits blocking Ukrainian troops from using satellite technology

 
The president of SpaceX revealed the company has taken active steps to prevent Ukrainian forces from using the critical Starlink satellite technology with Ukrainian drones that are a key component of their fight against Russia.

 

“There are things that we can do to limit their ability to do that,” Gwynne Shotwell told reporters on Wednesday, referencing reports on Starlink and drone use. “There are things that we can do, and have done.”

 

Starlink was never meant to be used militarily in the way that it has, Shotwell argued, saying the company didn’t foresee how profoundly – and creatively – Ukrainian forces would rely on the technology.

 

“It was never intended to be weaponized,” Shotwell told an audience at a space conference. “However, Ukrainians have leveraged it in ways that were unintentional and not part of any agreement.”

 

https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/09/politics/spacex-ukrainian-troops-satellite-technology/index.html

 

Just in time for the Russian offensive ,  Putin will praise Musk for his loyalty to him.

 

Fury in Ukraine as Elon Musk’s SpaceX limits Starlink use for drones

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/09/zelenskiy-aide-takes-aim-at-curbs-on-ukraine-use-of-starlink-to-pilot-drones-elon-musk

Hopefully they have other means 

[Tenhigh]

1 hour ago, ALF said:

SpaceX admits blocking Ukrainian troops from using satellite technology

 
The president of SpaceX revealed the company has taken active steps to prevent Ukrainian forces from using the critical Starlink satellite technology with Ukrainian drones that are a key component of their fight against Russia.

 

“There are things that we can do to limit their ability to do that,” Gwynne Shotwell told reporters on Wednesday, referencing reports on Starlink and drone use. “There are things that we can do, and have done.”

 

Starlink was never meant to be used militarily in the way that it has, Shotwell argued, saying the company didn’t foresee how profoundly – and creatively – Ukrainian forces would rely on the technology.

 

“It was never intended to be weaponized,” Shotwell told an audience at a space conference. “However, Ukrainians have leveraged it in ways that were unintentional and not part of any agreement.”

 

https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/09/politics/spacex-ukrainian-troops-satellite-technology/index.html

 

Just in time for the Russian offensive ,  Putin will praise Musk for his loyalty to him.

 

Fury in Ukraine as Elon Musk’s SpaceX limits Starlink use for drones

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/09/zelenskiy-aide-takes-aim-at-curbs-on-ukraine-use-of-starlink-to-pilot-drones-elon-musk

Wasn't Starlink a gift to the Ukrainians to help their people get information and communicate internally with the rest of the world after the war started? That the company doesn't want it to be ised for drone strikes seems reasonable to me.

[ALF]

12 minutes ago, Tenhigh said:

Wasn't Starlink a gift to the Ukrainians to help their people get information and communicate internally with the rest of the world after the war started? That the company doesn't want it to be ised for drone strikes seems reasonable to me.

 

Do you and Musk think it is reasonable for Putin to commit war crimes by targeting civilians and power plants?

[Tenhigh]

17 minutes ago, ALF said:

 

Do you and Musk think it is reasonable for Putin to commit war crimes by targeting civilians and power plants?

Come on Alf. Be better. Musk gave Ukraine free internet to help prevent a humanitarian crisis, not to kill Russians.

[B-Man]

 

[Tiberius]

 

[B-Man]

UGH: Wagner owner says war in Ukraine could drag on for years. 

 

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The owner of the Russian Wagner Group private military contractor actively involved in the fighting in Ukraine has predicted that the war could drag on for years.

“Yevgeny Prigozhin said in a video interview released late Friday that it could take 18 months to two years for Russia to fully secure control of Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland of Donbas. He added that the war could go on for three years if Moscow decides to capture broader territories east of the Dnieper River.”

 

https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-2145d83f2dabc032fefa294acce0ea48

[Warcodered]

1 hour ago, B-Man said:

UGH: Wagner owner says war in Ukraine could drag on for years. 

 

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The owner of the Russian Wagner Group private military contractor actively involved in the fighting in Ukraine has predicted that the war could drag on for years.

“Yevgeny Prigozhin said in a video interview released late Friday that it could take 18 months to two years for Russia to fully secure control of Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland of Donbas. He added that the war could go on for three years if Moscow decides to capture broader territories east of the Dnieper River.”

 

https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-2145d83f2dabc032fefa294acce0ea48

Did he say that with his fingers crossed.

[BillStime]

Nice job Putin

 

 

[sherpa]

This war is starting to have other effects.

The US State Department issued a travel warning yesterday urging US citizens to get out of Russia, and avoid travel there because of unusual harassment by Russian police.

[Tommy Callahan]

22 hours ago, B-Man said:

UGH: Wagner owner says war in Ukraine could drag on for years. 

 

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The owner of the Russian Wagner Group private military contractor actively involved in the fighting in Ukraine has predicted that the war could drag on for years.

“Yevgeny Prigozhin said in a video interview released late Friday that it could take 18 months to two years for Russia to fully secure control of Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland of Donbas. He added that the war could go on for three years if Moscow decides to capture broader territories east of the Dnieper River.”

 

https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-2145d83f2dabc032fefa294acce0ea48

Thats music to our war mongers' ears. They would love Ukraine to become another Vietnam.  

 

the longer the better, with no actual goal in site.

 

the MIC loves it.

3 hours ago, sherpa said:

This war is starting to have other effects.

The US State Department issued a travel warning yesterday urging US citizens to get out of Russia, and avoid travel there because of unusual harassment by Russian police.

would have thought that would be just common sense at this point.

 

 

[K D]

What a turn of events. The Libs are now the fascist war mongers and the Republicans are the anti war freedom party. Time for everyone to realize it doesn't matter which side you are on, they both end up with them controlling us

[Tiberius]

36 minutes ago, KDIGGZ said:

What a turn of events. The Libs are now the fascist war mongers and the Republicans are the anti war freedom party. Time for everyone to realize it doesn't matter which side you are on, they both end up with them controlling us

What control? WTH are you talking about?

 

This is a real war for freedom, and only a certain part of republican party is pro-appeasement 

[SoCal Deek]

13 minutes ago, Tiberius said:

What control? WTH are you talking about?

 

This is a real war for freedom, and only a certain part of republican party is pro-appeasement 

Honest question Tibs: Do you believe Russia’s goal was to take over all of Ukraine or to annex the eastern provinces that they seem to believe are more Russian than Ukrainian?