Europe under extreme duress

[Flash]

Sweet soundtrack on that first clip. 80's metal ballad-ish with some gibberish lyrics. Bruce Dickinson would approve.

If you want some good tunes you can't go wrong with this one:

 

[Griz882]

Who knew so many Ukrainian words rhymes with Bayraktar? Glad I didn’t to write it….just be something, “something, commissar…Bayraktar!”

 

[Gatordev]

I still prefer the Minnie Driver versions.

 

[number9]

Someone actually made a David Attenborough style voiceover for this video of a destroyed Russian tank:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1523664324950036480

 

[Random8145]

Apparently, a third Russian ship has been sunk, Russia's top tank ace killed, various Russian military plants are having to shut down due to the sanctions, as so much of their equipment and componentry is foreign (lots of electronics from Taiwan for example, lots of stuff imported from Ukraine itself too), downed Russian aircraft being found with regular GPS taped to the instrument panel as the navigation systems don't work, Russian drones being found held together with duct tape, Russian equipment being found with semiconductors from dishwashers and refrigerators, and the Russians lost more than 50 tanks and about 1,000 soldiers in a Ukrainian surprise attack on a Russian attack. The Russians were trying to cross the Donets River to advance in the Donbass, but a Ukrainian military engineer guessed the exact point where the Russians would likely cross. The Ukrainian forces were told to keep an eye on the area and listen for tugboats (towing pontoon bridges). Some time later, tugboats were heard so Ukrainian artillery and air power moved in to surprise attack the Russian forces. Some forces apparently made it over the bridge they set up, but then were trapped on the other side and couldn't retreat. They tried to set up a second bridge to do so but the Ukrainians killed all them too.

Some say they think this war will last a long time, but I don't know if that is possible just due to the inability of the Russian defense industrial base to keep supplying their forces. Unless the Chinese can somehow make good the technical losses, but thus far does not seem so.

Another major factor in this war apparently is Elon Musk's Starlink, as the Russians disabled much of the Ukrainian Internet. With Starlink however, the Ukrainian military, in addition to the people and places like hospitals, are able to function with Internet access. For example, Ukrainian forces use Starlink to communicate with drones that direct the Ukrainian artillery on where to fire. The system is also apparently very resilient to Russian disruption attempts. The Russians tried to "attack" the Starlink system to disrupt it, but Starlink responded very quickly and thwarted the Russian attack, impressing the U.S. military's electronic warfare commanders who said they themselves would have been slower.

Also Putin seems sick and may be dying from cancer.

 

[Random8145]

The lynch pin of that entire argument is IF Putin decides this is existential for Russia.

He might, or he might not.

What I think the West is doing wrong is needlessly making this appear more of an existential war for Putin by openly amping up the rhetoric. All the “remove Putin” language and open, proud intelligence sharing with Ukraine seems to add fuel to the fire. I’m all for helping the Russians lose, but we could do (and have done) those things without being so overt and sanctimonious about it.

Meanwhile, the Russian military (and reputation) has been heavily damaged, leaving little room to escalate with NATO except to take things beyond the conventional.

So yes, I see the possibility. Unfortunately, it’s a very steep slope, and it’s hard to tell how close we are to the edge since I’m just an ordinary American living in the heartland.

I am curious to see what comes out of this “victory day” celebration, and if new Russian conscriptions will be announced. Realistically, I think this war is gonna drag on for a long time.

IMO there is a level beyond which the rhetoric should not go, but at the same time, the West needs to show strength and fearlessness as well. That is what checks aggression and the Chinese, Iranians, and North Koreans are watching.

 

[vxc961]

Even here people cannot tell one from another. When victim mother says "we fled" while searching for her children by eyes, it may mean kids are holding by armed people behind the camera. Don't underestimate atrocity's effect.

Long time, no hear Max. I was curious how your doing, and what your view of the current situation in Ukraine is.

 

[Max the Mad Russian]

I was curious how your doing, and what your view of the current situation in Ukraine is

I'm quite fine, thanks. Generally, there's nothing to discuss: many Ukranians returned and are trying to stabilise their life. Shortage of fuel, food, somewhere electricity. But in Kyiv all is generally under control as yet. Military seemingly know what they are doing and Western weaponry flows. Those few Guardsmen of Azov regiment and Marine brigade in Mariupol are founding the base for future Ukranian warrior fame similar to Alamo, though no one supposedly doubts they are doomed there. Yet people somehow wait for something unexpected militarily from NATO side aside of supply the weaponry. No claims, no demands, just trust in some military miracle.

 

[Max the Mad Russian]

Who knew so many Ukrainian words rhymes with Bayraktar? Glad I didn’t to write it….just be something, “something, commissar…Bayraktar!”

As in this song: Inventar (inventory), Navar (thick soup), Otar(a) (flock of sheep), Kommentar (comment), Prymar(a) (ghost), Gloohar (wood grouse, also someone deaf or totally dumb) and, main cast, Tsar

 

[Max the Mad Russian]

Well, we need to find a confirmation within couple of days but it seems that wounded Ukranian Guardsmen and Marines from Mariupol are transferred to MASH under Donbass separatists' control with promise to be exchanged for Russian POWs. We will see if that will be the case. No one trust Russian military authorities let alone political ones so if it will occur that may mean the very high political price for Ukranian power. Another example where President Zelenskiy breaks the old Soviet and Russian tradition to neglect and pays enormous price for each of his wounded soldiers just to return them alive. Fair lesson to Russians who don't give a fuck to bury their fallen.

 

[number9]

I'm quite fine, thanks. Generally, there's nothing to discuss: many Ukranians returned and are trying to stabilise their life. Shortage of fuel, food, somewhere electricity. But in Kyiv all is generally under control as yet.

I work for an American-Ukrainian company for my day job and we have about ~150 people there, mostly in Kyiv. For most people their lives are basically "normal", although there are a handful of guys currently on leave to fight on the front lines.

Early in the war some people left for Poland/Moldova/Romania and some left for eastern Ukraine. But many are born and raised Kyivans so they're refusing to leave.

 

[Max the Mad Russian]

But many are born and raised Kyivans so they're refusing to leave.

Yeah many got an AK rifle, hung it home or at work and continued regular life for as far as it would be possible. Friend of mine, a customs agent, sent family to West and told me: "look, goods are goods and they don't stop to arrive. When Russians will come and my territorial defence platoon leader will call me to join him in the trench, I will shoot. Until then, my job is customs clearance". Not very bright reassuring speech but a common feeling of people getting used to war, very similar to Israel's.

 

[sevenhelmet]

Yeah many got an AK rifle, hung it home or at work and continued regular life for as far as it would be possible. Friend of mine, a customs agent, sent family to West and told me: "look, goods are goods and they don't stop to arrive. When Russians will come and my territorial defence platoon leader will call me to join him in the trench, I will shoot. Until then, my job is customs clearance". Not very bright reassuring speech but a common feeling of people getting used to war, very similar to Israel's.

That's a very practical mindset- reminds me a bit of the stories you hear from Britain during WWII, and a lot better than how I suspect the average American might conduct themselves.

 

[Max the Mad Russian]

That's a very practical mindset- reminds me a bit of the stories you hear from Britain during WWII, and a lot better than how I suspect the average American might conduct themselves

James Hetfield of Metallica has formulated the way: "I want to get back to an old Frontier style of life which is much more healthy than routine urban life" when he spoke about his beekeeping. At least it's better than war.

 

[sevenhelmet]

James Hetfield of Metallica has formulated the way: "I want to get back to an old Frontier style of life which is much more healthy than routine urban life" when he spoke about his beekeeping. At least it's better than war.

Indeed. I think our biggest problem over here is people have prioritized safety for so long folks get bored and get anxious about small things that don't really matter. It's long been a theory of mine that's what's behind a lot of our political and societal angst. There's nowhere here to expand to anymore- no frontier per se. It takes imagination and drive to seek out excitement when it isn't forced on you by circumstance.