My interpretation is that kimbers is referring to Russian’s imperialist ambition, but I am saying that the obvious imperialist is USA. Albeit being disguised as the “good” guy. At any period in history there will always be one that tried to dominate in various forms
I don't think that there's an "obvious" imperialist, I think that many, possibly all, nations have an imperialist streak because that makes life simple for them.
The almost-universal use of the US dollar in trading is a benefit of being the world's largest economy and means that the US can borrow dollars easily and cheaply. Other countries accept that as a necessary evil and also trade in dollars, which strengthens the US position.
Russia also has imperialist aims and has been developing a System for Transfer of Financial Messages based on their rouble, but with 400 users compared to SWIFT's 11,000 it's no contest.
China has also been developing their Cross-Border Interbank Payment System since 2015 based on their yuan as a third alternative with 1200 users.
SWIFT, by contrast, is globally rather than US-governed and less imperialist in the sense of not being run by any one country.
Clearly the US is dominant with the dollar, but only because an accident of timing led to them being well-positioned economically at the end of WW2.
Russia has been pursuing their imperialist financial aims since 2014 when their earlier invasion of Crimea led to the US refusing to trade with them. 70 years of development versus 7 years, of course the US is dominant
What Russia doesn't seem to get is that colonialism, which is a step up from imperialism, doesn't increase its influence in the modern world. It would do far better if it just used its massive natural resources in a sensible way. It doesn't have to democratise, it doesn't have to invade, their leaders can pay themselves whatever they want and their people should see an increased standard of living
Russian claims to have evacuated all their troops from Kherson region across the river would appear to be lies for domestic consumption.
From what I've seen on Twitter, I suspect they evacuated the most valuable equipment and troops first and left the newly mobilized "meat" behind to do rearguard duties. Or, they might just be utterly incompetent and lying about how it's going.
That was pretty much the claim I saw too, evacuated the "professional" army and left the Mobilised to sort themselves out, or not.
Yeah “We have evacuated all the troops ………….that we care about”
Rumours of intact and abandoned S300 systems too
This war, like all wars, has been a human tragedy from beginning to end (whenever that may be).
Dropping the bridges and leaving thousands of surrendering PoWs will slow the Ukrainian advance down.
The whole mining the dam, occupy Kherson city, evacuate civilians alongside our troops, etc has been a cynical tactic with disregard for life to gain time
For Russia to challenge NATO on equal footing will take a generation at least, say 30 years.
Never is much more likely. To challenge NATO they need an economy as big as the NATO countries to support the same defence spending. The Russian economy was slightly larger than Italy's before the war I wonder how much it has shrunk since then. Only challenge to the US and NATO is China. Why? Becuase it is the world's second biggest economy.
What Russia might be able to do is take what defence spending they can muster and re-shape their military with the main aim of invading Ukraine but that's a bit difficult when they have to guard enormous borders, run a navy and maintain thousands of nukes none of which the Ukraine needs to do.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/12/world/europe/ukraine-war-strategy-russia.html?smid=tw-share
Ukraine Signals It Will Stay on the Offensive, Despite Talk of a Lull
Not sure how realistic that will be (link in the image)
nytimes.com/2022/11/12/world/europe/ukraine-war-strategy-russia.html?smid=tw-share
To challenge NATO they need an economy as big as the NATO countries to support the same defence spending
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or Russia to challenge NATO on equal footing will take a generation at least, say 30 years.
Never is much more likely.
As Yogi Bear said, “Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future!” I can't see Russia recovering for a couple of decades, just because that's how long it would take to build factories and train a professional army. It will all depend on leadership though. Russia has deep (and mostly unjustified) grievances against the world, but the USSR did leave them a legacy of well-trained engineers and a large nuclear arsenal. If an effective leader took over and channeled that grievance into actually rebuilding Russia instead of just stealing from public coffers, it's not impossible that they would have a world-class military in 30 years. Look at where China was 30 years ago or how quickly Germany rebuilt its military in the 1930s and you see what is possible. I agree that it's more likely that Russia will still be weak in 30 years time, but it would be very foolish to make any long-term assumptions.
but the USSR did leave them a legacy of well-trained engineers
Jeez, thats a sign of my ageing, took me a minute to realise 30 years is actually quite a while ago.
If we can wean ourselves off Cheap Russian gas and oil then they won't have an economy capable of building up enough hardware to defend themselves, let alone offensive manoeuvres.
They are digging out relics as it is, after 7 mths of fighting
Be interested to know the dud rates for their ammo ad well. The bigger guns must need a specific burn rate to lob a 5kg plus projectile amy distance with accuracy, old out pf date charges probably go pfft like a damp firework.
Posted just for the academic purpose of admiring how good the Ukrainians are at doing propaganda. Ukrainian propaganda follows:
https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1591162458952982528
Haha - that’s great 👍
Posted just for the academic purpose of admiring how good the Ukrainians are at doing propaganda. Ukrainian propaganda follows:
😂 They really are world class at this
That's great. the pressure the general public have been put under in Ukraine must be horrible they do piss taking better than the British and that's saying something.
Superb.
As before, the notion that defeat in Ukraine might be a "wake up call" and that somehow Russia is going to transform itself into a nation state that can counter NATO in terms of equipment, fighting age population, training and logistics is for the birds.
There not just 20 years behind thou (Russia) by the time they get a modern method of management in combat the US TEC advance will make Russian ideas outdated.
I have a feeling the US had a sneaky suspicion that Russia was in a hole due to corruption and bad management in the first place.
It's now or never for Ukraine to take all the land back Crimea included they won't have momentum like they have now again.
I do wonder how close NATO got to being involved officially it could have wrong for the world
If anyone finds themselves looking at the words "Wagner" and "Hammer" dont go looking further. Its supposed to be as awful as it sounds.
Just switch off whatever youre looking at and go outside.
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Yep, I wish I hadn't looked at my Twitter feed this morning 😞 These people are rotten to the core, broken excuses for humans and they are just the extreme end of a wider rot in Russian society which seems to celebrate and condone such evil acts. The very notion that Ukraine should negotiate with them is for the fairies.
I'm taking your advice @piemonster. No more Twitter today. I can't really go outside as I'm on crutches following knee surgery 2 days ago. But chilling to Maconie and Radcliffe on 6 music with a spaniel sitting on me in full cuddle mode and a plate of sourdough toast and a steaming cup of tea beside me. And breathe...
PJM1974, Interesting point with regards the demographic time bomb in Russia that's already gone off.
We've seen how changing demographics in Europe have effected politics in the last few years, Brexit being an example and the election of increasingly right wing government's across the continent.
Though it seems Russia's problems are on a different scale.
Just a pause to think, the Russian mobilisation of 300,000 men has achieved very little.
That poor bastard.... Just seeing him tied in place seconds in was enough for me to kill the clip.
Karma and all that. Here's hoping.
Interesting reports on the next Ukranian move.
https://twitter.com/ThreshedThought/status/1591493714064691202
Ballsy move 🤯👍
That poor bastard…. Just seeing him tied in place seconds in was enough for me to kill the clip.
Very much that. I stopped it pretty much instantly
I don't quite understand what happened though. As far as I know he was free to move around and then was 'kidnapped' and the next he knew he had been exchanged. Either the Ukrainian forces did that which would be wild or Russian forces kidnapped him which is also a bit wild. I'm any case this is a side of humanity which is unimaginable
I don’t quite understand what happened though. As far as I know he was free to move around and then was ‘kidnapped’ and the next he knew he had been exchanged. Either the Ukrainian forces did that which would be wild or Russian forces kidnapped him which is also a bit wild. I’m any case this is a side of humanity which is unimaginable
Captured by Ukraine, handed back to the Russians with a load of others in a formal prisoner exchange. These have been going on throughout the conflict. I think the 'kidnapped' bit is by the Wagner mercenaries grabbing him from the regular Russian troops he was handed back to. He was with Wagner before his capture, they seemed to think he was a traitor for surrendering or had been critical of them or some other BS. They are psychopathic, amoral, murdering scum is the real reason.
As I understand is this was a POW exchange with the Wagner group. They have their own set of POWs.
Sickening.
I suppose I go through most of my life just not contemplating the fact humans are capable of things such as this.
this is a side of humanity which is unimaginable
Which sadly doesn't make it so. People can be and are complete next Tuesdays when it comes to it. I'm ashamed of things I've done in my past. I hope the perpetrators have similar feelings.
You only need to take a walk around Munich or any other town in Germany to have a vague idea of what happened not long ago....
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stolperstein?wprov=sfla1
(although Munich City doesn't allow such things to be placed on public paths... Only paths where the footpath rights extend to the kerb....)
**** MUC
I carefully avoided the video but read the thread. I was suprised to see some people asking where they could watch it, people are strange.
. I was suprised to see some people asking where they could watch it, people are strange.
It's not difficult to find but I can't imagine that watching it is anything other than traumatizing and would stay with you for a very long time. It's enough for me to know that people would even do it
I stumbled across an article talking about about Wagner's treatment of soldiers that they think are deserters or likewise, and as I scrolled down I realised that I was looking at a picture of a decapitated headless body (and by the looks of it, it had been done pretty recently) I'm pretty weary of anything with pictures that involves Wagner now.
Lavrov in hospital?
https://twitter.com/BethRigby/status/1592083304760893442?t=FhLStjU3Lm0aSO-GbftrVw&s=19
And Wagner boss bragging about the murder of that prisoner, how are they not a terrorist organisation?
https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1591713928157233152?t=M00QbUBXwvFU4kU6PtbGQg&s=19
PMC's are actually illegal under russian law. I wont cry for Lavrov if he snuffs it.
Apparently reports of Lavrov in hospital are not true. Maybe the Russians announced it prematurely and they haven't poisoned him yet......
Heartwarming images and video from Kherson
https://twitter.com/slavauk30722777/status/1591815296628948992?s=61&t=tZf3XGMe9h1nwWVoTLAQQA
Window cleaners put shammy down
I carefully avoided the video but read the thread. I was suprised to see some people asking where they could watch it, people are strange.
Indeed, I can get the picture without needing to see it. I'm disappointed that someone chose to post it here.
Indeed, I can get the picture without needing to see it. I’m disappointed that someone chose to post it here.
100% - I knew what the link was going to contain and chose not to click. I can do without that shit in my head.
Indeed, I can get the picture without needing to see it. I’m disappointed that someone chose to post it here.
apologies !
I too will not click on it. I note it has already been reported. I wonder if it can be put behind a warning graphic content and NSFW kind of banner on this site so anyone would have to be sure of themselves before clicking watching it.
The description of what happened was enough. I didn't click the video link, as others have said I just don't need those images in my head.
Quite a few crazy sounding rumours going around.
Seems like an effort to disrupt/distract that may either be real or a psyop.
What rumours be these?
What rumours be these?
Ukrainians alleged to have crossed more than on stretch of water in the west.
Presumably to stir shit up in areas with fewer opposing troops.
Assuming it’s not a pysop to try and draw troops away from the frontlines/distract attention.
To be honest, I’m surprised the link hadn’t been taken down by the moderators here.
This has been a very useful and informative thread so far, but that’s really going too far.
I’m not sure either, I can’t report it as someone already has but I’ve reported yours to ask it to be removed.
Can’t be far off a new age either which might help
I’m pretty sure there have been Russian reports of action in the Peninsula.
Well, I’ve seen Ukrainian claims of Russian sources claiming Ukrainians have crossed the Dnipro not far from Kherson and at the Kinburn spit.
But nothing to suggest in any force, so guessing more raids than anything. “If” it’s not bobbins.
🤷♂️
In the meantime, there seems to be increasing chatter re a UA breakthrough south of Svatove in Luhansk. Heavy shelling also reported.
A bit like with Lyman, Svatove and is a logistics hub and sits across the main supply routes from Russia down into Luhansk and parts of Donetsk. Taking it would effectively cut off Kreminna and Severodonetsk. Which may explain why the Russians are allegedly acting in a similar fashion in those areas to how they did in Kherson - ‘evacuating’ civilians and that.
Could get interesting over the next day or two..
Oleshky confirmed liberated, Hola Prystan unconfirmed, Kinburn spit bridgehead established.
Russians continually falling back is going tk jeopardise Putin's position at home
The bombing of Ukrainian infrastructure seems to have stopped?
Link?
bombing of Ukrainian infrastructure seems to have stopped?
I've read Ukraine has one of their nuclear power stations back online... I forget which one, but I think it's the one that the russians were holed up in, holding it hostage and have since withdrawn.
But nothing to suggest in any force, so guessing more raids than anything
You wouldn't do a amphibious assault (which are always high risk if the enemy are actually defending) just as a harassing raid or something, they'll definitely be trying to establish a bridgehead in order to flank the Russian defensive lines south of Kherson. With any luck it will lead to a rout if the RA panics before they can get heavy armour in place to defend the flank (although given the area is well within UA artillery range that might prove fruitless anyway).
It may not be the start of a major offensive, but it should be relatively easy to defend at the narrowest point, and it will definitely prevent The RA from sending any spare troops up to the Donbass which I think was the intention.
The footage of the celebrations in Kherson is really heart warming! Zelensky turning up shows he actually gives a sh!t! It's the start of the end of the war.
So these Iranian supplied missiles. Where are they? Its gone very quiet on them.
The footage of the celebrations in Kherson is really heart warming! Zelensky turning up shows he actually gives a sh!t! It’s the start of the end of the war.
All the more remarkable because according to Putin Kherson is now (and forever) part of Russia, yet Zelensky visits and Putin wouldn't dare. The difference in true leadership is stark.
Reports that the Russians are withdrawing 15km on the left bank to stay out of UAF artillery range. Hopefully the UAF fill that void…..
15k isn’t enough, HIMARS have a range of 80k with a precision of 1m 🤯
So these Iranian supplied missiles. Where are they? Its gone very quiet on them.
I think the Iranians still have to make them. They wont be wanting to deplete their own stocks.
Do the UAF have the ability to air drop across the river with sled and chute cargo?
Otherwise relying on a few ribs is very risky.
With Javelin and rpg amti tank even infantry can still be effective but if you need ammo, food, medevac or fuel you have to use air really to get in amd out fast.
Still good luck to them, we could lend a herc or 6 and lob some lightweight stuff out the back, and use a spectre as fire support
Still good luck to them, we could lend a herc or 6 and lob some lightweight stuff out the back, and use a spectre as fire support
Whilst the Russian airforce are underperforming I wouldnt fancy the chances of any of those over Ukraine.
All the more remarkable because according to Putin Kherson is now (and forever) part of Russia, yet Zelensky visits and Putin wouldn’t dare.
Isn't it amazing how typically these dictatorial 'strong men' are never seen outside their heavily guarded palaces or stage managed rallies? Putin's a coward, didn't even dare go to or even dial into the G19 personally.
The footage of the celebrations in Kherson is really heart warming!
Ukrainian liberation videos are my new favorite thing, in an increasingly bleak world that level of pure relief and joy is a ray of light, even if the reasons behind it are so horrible.
Can you imagine how high morale is for the troops that have been the first into liberated areas and have had that reception? You'd walk tall for the rest of your days after that.
Fixed Russian positions in the Kinburn spit. Sitting Ducks
All those artillery dugouts will be geolocated and highly vulnerable.
15k isn’t enough, HIMARS have a range of 80k with a precision of 1m
HIMARS gets the headline, but most of the warfare and trench attrition is still basic artillery/MLRS and mortars. Literally millions of shells versus 1000 HIMARS rockets.
Cowardly bastards. More attacks on civilians in Kyiv
Can you imagine how high morale is for the troops that have been the first into liberated areas and have had that reception? You’d walk tall for the rest of your days after that.
There's a prominent UAF soldier in those Kherson videos, with a distinctive nose..... he's already about 8 feet tall, truly scary looking ****er getting hugs from the liberated civvies.
There was a great video a few days back of a Ukr Major General going for a walkabout in Kherson very early after the Russians left, he was all smiles and taking hugs and flowers from happy Babushyas.
Couldn't help notice that his security detail remained ALL BUSINESS throughout though, masked, armed to the teeth and on full alert, some very intense lads there.
Even the General himself had a very expensive Fort handgun and multiple mags in his chest rig, ready to go.
Russians taking it badly
https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1592291318730215424?t=7DAzMrLOInGROS5cjEc8Ew&s=19
Have we seen the state of GBNews Pro putin conspiracy theories lately?
https://twitter.com/calvinrobinson/status/1592321539718148097?t=Yy1IXs8op7EIgu-OdxNV8A&s=19
I can't tell if Fr Calvin Robinson is a parody account or a nutter.
https://twitter.com/WilliamClouston/status/1591785729021333505