... Do you think that after changing the payment and eventually threatening to cut contractually signed gas supplies would any country invest ever in a gas pipe to connect to Putin's Russia? Do you dream of an Eastern alliance with such a reputation?
I think the freezing of funds of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation is a serious reputational damage for the West. The USA, Great Britain, the European Union, Japan and even Switzerland have significantly discredited their own national currencies in the eyes of the entire world community - the US dollar, the pound sterling, the euro, the Japanese yen and the Swiss franc, these fiat currencies can no longer be considered reliable enough for long-term storage, because they can be easily frozen, just when you need them most. The value of fiat currencies rests on the trust in the issuer, and this trust no longer exists. In fact, this is the end of the Jamaican monetary system. ... I agree, there is a reputation come, but I think this is the right reputation actually. If you are willing to threaten and invade, you have no business here. BTW, I have a completely different version of the negotiations with Ukraine regarding the gas, as Putin needed the agreement of Ukraine to send gas to the EU. As we like to say in some of the places I live "donde tengas la olla no metas la polla".
Sometimes it seems that you and I generally live in some kind of parallel worlds. One and the same reality and we have such a different view of it. It's funny that we can still continue the dialogue.  I am not surprised, in the places I live people talk, even if to disagree and tell others they are wrong (without killing them usually). There something about the Russian unwillingness to compromise, in general, that I find difficult to understand. |
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Seems correct, their relationship has gone further and now they are fu*king each other. (Sorry, it was too easy, this is not fun in any manner).
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Which only leaves one question here: How much does Will Smith charge for a slap? Is there an additional surcharge if you want him to swear about you and your mouth? In the world today, everything seems to be for sale. What is the public thinking? "I am so eager to see the bruises that I am going to pay 400 bucks for a first lane seat" or would it be more like "I can't miss out, Will may drop by to finish the job".
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This is Russian 'military' for you. They are good at shooting at targets that don't shoot back.
Pinpoint precision my ass. They are a horde of Mongols. I hope Ukrainians will find and kill every single Russian soldier, and pro-Russian gang member they can find on the territory of Ukraine.
Make them pay.
@be.open, seems like you "brotherhood" idea is not clearly understood by your Ukrainian brother here. You need to explain him that he must forget the fact that Putin has shelled their cities, killed children is still starving people in Mariupol and consider that as "simply ideological differences" and become one nation under Tzar Putin. hint: It may take a while convincing them, be ready for some resistance. |
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... During the conflict the military of Ukraine has received and keeps on receiving billions in weapons aid which is making it stronger than ever. At this point something should be clear even for Putin: US and Europe are not going to let Ukraine fall. If planes are needed, there will be planes, if tanks are needed, there will be tanks, if more intelligence is needed it will be provided.
I think this is one of the fakes of Ukrainian propaganda, saying that the West will help. The disposal of illiquid weapons is no more difficult than one person can lift - this is the maximum of this help from the West, a rocket from the sky will immediately fly into something larger. Nothing oversized and nothing in large batches. No ships, no planes, no helicopters, no artillery, no tanks, no anti-aircraft missile systems, only hand-held anti-tank systems and a few drones. ... I love Tchaikovsky, Dostoyevski and Chinghiz Aitmatov (not Russian, but writes in Russian) and many other manifestations of the Russian culture, and I am against prohibiting any non-violent and non-politically loaded cultural manifestation (ballet qualifies, for avoidance of doubt). I just see that Putin is unfit to rule and is damaging Russia's people and interests. Now that I am thinking... Do not "Crime and Punishment" by Dostoyevski speak of crime and punishment? Do you think Putin read it? On the fake "support", do you think these 13.6 Billion USD are just to buy bandages and helmets? https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/11/us-congress-gives-final-approval-to-13-6b-ukraine-aid-budgetJust to put it into perspective, the best-class tanks cost around 4 million. This helps equates to 3400 state-of-the-art tanks. You can pretend a fist is fake, until it hits you in the nose. You see, Putin has now pushed Ukraine into accepting US aid. I cannot see the "master strategy" on this. |
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He has spent decades projecting an illusion that Russia is to be feared, however it has barely made any progress in Ukraine - it would get annihilated by NATO if it ever tried to invade anywhere else in Europe.
I'm not a Putin supporter. My goal is to be as accurate as possible about the situation in ukraine. As accurate information is important to understand the nature of reality. What stands out the most about russia's invasion of ukraine, is its efforts to conduct the operation on a shoestring budget. Russia primarily used conscripts who are paid a reduced wage, in contrast to professional soldiers. Russia avoided using air support to eliminate higher costs associated with jet fighters and smart bomb ordnance. From the beginning, it seems russia prioritized cost savings to wage a war that would put as little strain on its economy as possible. Russia was definitely hit hard by sanctions and other financial measures taken against them. But looking at their approach, they were preparing for this from the start of the war. It may also be fair to say that should russia manage to solve enough of its economic troubles, it will return once again to its invasion. Most sources I have seen credit russia with having the #2 military in the world. I wonder if they are underrated. I do not think Hydrogen is a Putin supporter. He is just putting forward some arguments and figures and it is good to think what and how Putin's entourage sees the situation because, while we must keep hopes and spirit high, it is also necessary to understand the economic reality and how to take advantage of opportunities and mitigate the risks. There needs to be high morale and determination as well as strategic analytic thinking. |
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...
You are trying to compare civilian casualties with military casualties? So you are saying that Putin is not killing "as much as he could" because Ukrainians are your brothers? It is the same when you said that Ukrainians will forget all this and be brothers ...man!... that is so pyscho! Are you a sociopath or did you use some "recommended answers" from your controllers (which I am sure are sociopaths)? During the conflict the military of Ukraine has received and keeps on receiving billions in weapons aid which is making it stronger than ever. At this point something should be clear even for Putin: US and Europe are not going to let Ukraine fall. If planes are needed, there will be planes, if tanks are needed, there will be tanks, if more intelligence is needed it will be provided. RE Russophobia - please, this is for all Russians, Europe is not an enemy of the Russian people. We want to trade and have a pacific relationship and we are sorry that your current leader is sending your young to die by the thousands when there is absolutely no need for it nor anything to gain for you. As said: Putin's army has no real capability to hold long supply lines. Ukraine has delivered a few counter strikes and holds several strategic points. From "we want to depose the government" is now becoming "we want the south ports" and will eventually become "err... well, sorry, we were just passing by". To late for many. RE Energy, it seems that Putin is backing up on the senseless plan of payments in roubles - who knows, he may some day decide that this whole war was not a great idea after all. Late for many. |
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Me sorprende, normalmente Greenpeace tiene al menos una base teorica suficiente para sus iniciativas. No se han parado a considerar que los medios de pago ya existentes tienen un coste energetico aun mas alto?
De todas formas, si realmente se pudiera rebajar el consumo sin comprometer la seguridad y la calidad de la red tampoco pasaria nada.
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Half of this is biased and the other half known facts. I hope not a copy-paste, I am not going to google to find out.
US firms make profit from war - yes of course, and many other countries as well benefit from it. Curiously, most of the wars are fought with unsophisticated weapons (the Kalashnikov is the staple of African, Afghan and other wars around).... Russia has plenty of resources yes, that is known, as much as the ability of the government to share the profits to only a selected group. Ukraine is not a poor country at all - their agriculture is world class.
So, not much of a serious analysis here IMO.
The real objectives is Putin capturing the south of Ukraine as a base objective, and then leaving Ukraine so broken that they cannot try to recapture it nor mount a resistance. In Putin's best dreams, the Ukrainian government is deposed and substituted by a puppet or, less expensive, Ukraine is left without an army and ready to be taken at any moment if they do not play along.
The US is, as usual , happy that Europe is in conflict, although this time they may have some concerns about loosing the few allies they got left in the democratic world.
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Russia is now walking back their statements on demanding rubles for oil exports to countries they deem "unfriendly." https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/russia-will-not-demand-immediate-switch-gas-payments-roubles-kremlin-2022-03-30/Appears they understand they cannot further restrict their economy when it's already on the decline. IMO Russia understands the war is a lost cause and they have no way to circumvent the sanctions, so they have to play the game that the West wants them to play. Using China and India as trading partners can only support Russia's economy to a certain extent. Being isolated from the West has ramifications. There were also some reports that Putin's military generals are downplaying the status of the war and the severity of Russian troop losses because they don't want to be the bearer of bad news. Putin is losing control of his economy and his military. It seems that, on the pissing contest, Germany's got a bigger one this time. Changing unilaterally a contract would send a message difficult to recall to the markets, which in the end are based on reputation (as I said in a few posts). However there is a chance that Russia may actually implement this on future contracts. One of the reasons why the USD can print money with such generosity is that it is backed by crude, since most contracts around the world request a payment in USD. If Russia decides to change that on their oil and gas contracts, which may be a distinct possibility in the future, it may reinforce the rouble and make it more stable. |
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Hypersonic missiles are very cool to show and they are certainly to be feared. There is one little problem, the same with the T-90. The production is short and difficult, they are usually much more expensive than most of the targets they aim to destroy. They only make sense for attacks on ships and industry.
In the case of the Armata T-90, is a piece of art.. and as expensive as a Picasso. A Picasso can be destroyed with a 5 dollar Molotov, the multi-million T-90 requires a 50k missile of the thousands that are available to UKR to go puff.
I am not sure why are you mentioning race here. USA results tend to be awful when they get into countries they just do not understand nor care about yes.
Armata is t-14, and t-90 is totally another tank  ... You are right, I crossed my T's. Both are more expensive that a MLAW or a Javelin. From a design and engineering point of view, Armata is a good showpiece. |
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... And they will have you believe that Putin is targeting innocent civilians..
That's because he is. There is enough video evidence - again, everyone has a camera these days. Tanks aiming directly at apartment buildings, that kind of thing. Putin is actually taking decent care NOT to harm civilians, if not he could have easily steamrolled Kiev by now and wiped them right off the map..
That might have been the plan. Didn't work out but they basically destroyed suburban towns in the north west. ... Have you seen MLRS artillery? It is quite an specific tool of the Russian Army, since Stalin (they were called Stalin's organs). It launches around 18 rockets, quite imprecise ones in a very short time. What use do you think they have when used against a civil area? Have you seen remains of cluster bombs? They are quite a design, as they spread small munitions, again highly imprecisely across a wide area. What use do you think these have when used against a civil area? Do you know what happens when you use fuel-air munition on board of rockets and throw them towards a civil area? If you think none of this is happening go travel to Ukraine and experience yourself the humanity and love that Putin is delivering to all "Russian brothers". |
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A missile attack? Do you know that the accuracy of a Russian cruise missile is around 400 meters? There is not way you can use these for small critical military targets. Just civilian buildings, large bases and depots at most, apart from the comparative cost and the economics of it.
I doubt it...their hypersonic missile hit oil depot inside Lvov with 1m precision...and its WAY harder to guide hypersonic missile compared to ordinary one. USA results are worse, but also less talked about because they: a) kill brown, not white people, so USA general public care less 2) control mass media, so its reported less (if at all) Hypersonic missiles are very cool to show and they are certainly to be feared. There is one little problem, the same with the T-90. The production is short and difficult, they are usually much more expensive than most of the targets they aim to destroy. They only make sense for attacks on ships and industry. In the case of the Armata T-90, is a piece of art.. and as expensive as a Picasso. A Picasso can be destroyed with a 5 dollar Molotov, the multi-million T-90 requires a 50k missile of the thousands that are available to UKR to go puff. I am not sure why are you mentioning race here. USA results tend to be awful when they get into countries they just do not understand nor care about yes. |
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So, tanks are the strategy of Putin, but at the same time they are not the strategy of Putin and they are not needed, right?. I see.
Tanks are needed, just a couple of thousand of them are enough, there is no need for tens of thousands of tanks for the success of the operation in Ukraine. So, Russia has air superiority, yet almost no planes are being used. And while some areas are attacked by cruise missiles, many are also stopped. This is certainly not my concept of air superiority, which anyway is not that useful for urban warfare, but just to humour your point.
As far as I can see, reconnaissance drones are actively used on the Russian side. Airplanes and helicopters are also used, but not as actively. The drone finds the target, followed by a missile attack. Why reinvent the wheel when simple things work. In urban conditions, this tactic works worse, I agree. This is probably why Russian soldiers do not particularly climb into the cities, with the exception of Mariupol - control over which is of great strategic importance. While the US cannot send troops over the terrain, they are certainly feeding a sh*tload of info to the Ukrainian Army, basically the best military network of satellites and radars at their full disposal along with all the information that seems to be leaking from every rank of Putin's military. Seriously, I just cannot believe how accurate the information that is being passed by the US is, I am starting to think that Putin is a double agent. Fighting blind... you must be joking.
Well, in this case, we must admit that operational tactical information support from US satellites does not help the Ukrainian army much. On the soldiers... well, someone has to worry about them you know, and it does it seems that you and Putin could not care less about them. Nor their families.
There are risks in every profession, and for the professional military, these are the risks of being killed, captured or injured in the course of doing their job. Their relatives will receive compensation and survivor's pensions, and they themselves will be declared heroes who suffered in the fight against Nazism. A missile attack? Do you know that the accuracy of a Russian cruise missile is around 400 meters? There is not way you can use these for small critical military targets. Just civilian buildings, large bases and depots at most, apart from the comparative cost and the economics of it. The info Ukrainians are getting is one of the reasons why the "mighty" Putin's machinery is stalled. Again, 1 month and Putin does not seem to be able to progress beyond roughly 150 km from their bases. Every voluntary soldier (not conscripts) chose to serve their country. There is a difference between Russia and Putin, between defending your country and waging a war of aggression against, to a point, your own brothers. Apart, the seems to be an absolute disregard to soldiers lives in Putin's army - unequipped, poorly led, uninformed,... No general in history has shown such a disregard for casualties. |
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To be honest, I thought long time ago that Germany somehow was not doing the right thing linking so much with Putin's Russia. They saw a market from which both nations could profit - which was right - an a supplier that had plenty of raw materials for the always hungry German industry. I was convinced that they were seeing something I did not or had some short of leverage that I was not aware of. But it just turned out to be that they actually expected Putin to act rationally. Ah... Germans... always so logical that they do not seem to understand the Tzar's way.
Anyway, we are where we are and ready or not, EU and US are taking a reasonably strong stance and I really hope everyone has learned the lesson about diversification of critical supplies. Foot the bill, go on to other restaurants.
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According to your statistics, Ukraine depends on Russian gas by 0%, although Ukraine depends on the reverse of Russian gas from Slovenia. These are not my statistics, but from a specialized European site. This Statista picture apparently shows only direct gas purchases from Russia and doesn't take resales into account. Ukraine has not used Russian gas since 2015 only formally, but actually buys it through Hungary and Slovakia. I think Europe will buy gas from Russia in a similar way with the help of a virtual reverse through Bulgaria or Turkey, additionally paying for their intermediary services, but doing it without pleasure. However, we will soon see everything for ourselves. It is not clear how Europe will get out of this delicate situation while trying to save face, but Russia's message to Europe does not allow for ambiguity and room for double interpretation: "No money - no honey". I think Putin's Russia will be a very helpful partner, selling Europe everything they need to keep on producing the weapons to kill the young untrained Russian soldiers. Curiously, the bullets that kill them could be paid in rubles as per your theory. This is sad, even my great sense of humour is not enough to laugh at this. [blah blah Russia is great blah blah the UE will suffer...] Germany may not freeze to death without Russian gas (wearing a warm sweater ), but it was cheap Russian pipeline gas that gave Germany the competitive edge to remain a strong industrial nation. [...] Russia already has experience cutting off gas to intractable partners. On January 1, 2009, Russia cut off gas to Ukraine. Nine days later, the Ukrainian delegation signed in Moscow a new contract for the supply of gas at a price several times higher. The lessons of history teach that they teach nothing. Well, as we like to say in Russia: "Moжeм пoвтopить". The future is to get rid of gas altogether, perhaps this is going to accelerate that as COVID accelerated remote working. Germany and the EU in general have options, as I guess Putin has options on where to sell his gas... eventually the market will reconfigure, but what cannot be ever restored is reputation and confidence. Anyone buying from Putin knows that contracts are wet paper and that by connecting to his version of Russia they are becoming weaker. Do you think that after changing the payment and eventually threatening to cut contractually signed gas supplies would any country invest ever in a gas pipe to connect to Putin's Russia? Do you dream of an Eastern alliance with such a reputation? There will be hard times ahead, there is no winner to this stupid war, but if I had to choose where to live those times, I am certain it would not be in Putin's Russia. You will have gas and heating, but millions of people will not have money to pay for it. Germany will also loose in some of its industrial sectors, but still has marging. BTW, I have a completely different version of the negotiations with Ukraine regarding the gas, as Putin needed the agreement of Ukraine to send gas to the EU. As we like to say in some of the places I live "donde tengas la olla no metas la polla". |
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Do you think that you just leave a tank there and then, after 20 years, you turn the key and it works?
Yes, this is exactly how it works, a mothballed tank is taken from the warehouse, the re-mothballing procedure is carried out and the tank is ready to fight. Ukrainian fighters of the defense are similarly armed with Soviet-made Kalashnikovs, they are new in factory lubrication, as part of the Ukrainian legacy from the USSR. Old Soviet tanks played an important role in the military doctrine of the USSR, providing the ability to strike with a mechanized tank column within 48 hours anywhere in the Eurasian continent. The current military doctrine of Russia is more progressive and less relies on the brute force of tank divisions, but the tanks themselves have not gone away. That's where they came in handy. I see... you seem to be lacking a few basic on maintenance, material sciences and mechanical engineering as Putin seems to be lacking trained crews and supplies. I am glad to know that Putin's strategic defence is based on these premises, I feel much safer. I hope the US military does not find out about this battleplan, most of them are much more aggressive than me. Now, about that doctrine and theories... where are those tanks? They do not seem to be in Kyiv? When there is a difference between words and facts, I tend to look at facts, but that's just me. I think these tanks for the most part continue to be stored in hangars, because in such quantities they are simply not needed in the operation in Ukraine. The very concept of warfare has changed a lot in 30-50 years. A key factor for the success of the operation in Ukraine is Russia's control over the airspace. You don't need a lot of tanks if your recon drones see the picture of what is happening, and the Ukrainian army is actually fighting blindly. Not knowing where and when the next blow will come from the sky. The young, unfired soldiers, for whose fate you are so touchingly worried, are also not needed. Mostly professional military personnel with real combat experience take part in the operation from the Russian side. It should sound like "100%" instead of "mostly", but unfortunately it seems not so and it turned out that somewhere in the supply of the rear units, conscripts were involved. I hope this misunderstanding has now been completely corrected. So, tanks are the strategy of Putin, but at the same time they are not the strategy of Putin and they are not needed, right?. I see. So, Russia has air superiority, yet almost no planes are being used. And while some areas are attacked by cruise missiles, many are also stopped. This is certainly not my concept of air superiority, which anyway is not that useful for urban warfare, but just to humour your point. While the US cannot send troops over the terrain, they are certainly feeding a sh*tload of info to the Ukrainian Army, basically the best military network of satellites and radars at their full disposal along with all the information that seems to be leaking from every rank of Putin's military. Seriously, I just cannot believe how accurate the information that is being passed by the US is, I am starting to think that Putin is a double agent. Fighting blind... you must be joking.. out here in the West the movements of troops are even in public TV! On the soldiers... well, someone has to worry about them you know, and it does it seems that you and Putin could not care less about them. Nor their families. Sending conscript was a "mistake that has been corrected"... I agree, it has been "corrected" swiftly by the Ukrainian army. Somehow, it fails to make me happy. |
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Do you think that you just leave a tank there and then, after 20 years, you turn the key and it works?
Yes, this is exactly how it works, a mothballed tank is taken from the warehouse, the re-mothballing procedure is carried out and the tank is ready to fight. Ukrainian fighters of the defense are similarly armed with Soviet-made Kalashnikovs, they are new in factory lubrication, as part of the Ukrainian legacy from the USSR. Old Soviet tanks played an important role in the military doctrine of the USSR, providing the ability to strike with a mechanized tank column within 48 hours anywhere in the Eurasian continent. The current military doctrine of Russia is more progressive and less relies on the brute force of tank divisions, but the tanks themselves have not gone away. That's where they came in handy. I see... you seem to be lacking a few basic on maintenance, material sciences and mechanical engineering as Putin seems to be lacking trained crews and supplies. I am glad to know that Putin's strategic defence is based on these premises, I feel much safer. I hope the US military does not find out about this battleplan, most of them are much more aggressive than me. Now, about that doctrine and theories... where are those tanks? They do not seem to be in Kyiv? When there is a difference between words and facts, I tend to look at facts, but that's just me. |
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Russian tanks and other equipment cannot be easily replaced under sanctions as the production is dependent on the US, German, and South Korean parts. Putin just issued an order to convert their military equipment production to models from the 1960s to use domestic,
Soviet technology. But this will take time for re-tooling, re-training, getting the right crews, etc. This is another fucked up idea by our chess
genius, comrade Putin.
How desperate are you if you hope that Putin will run out of tanks. Now, in military chronicles from the Russian side, they mainly show Soviet T-72s (with a modernized cannon that pierces even older Ukrainian T-60s through the forehead), which are stored in factory solid oil in warehouses, tens of thousands of units, as a legacy from the USSR . Where are the modern Armata tanks, or at least the T-90? They are simply not necessary within the framework of the model of warfare used in Ukraine in the conditions of complete Russian dominance in the air. I think the US just found the perfect way to ruin the Soviets once and for all.
I hope this will not happen too quickly, otherwise the cavalry division of the fighting Buryats has not yet jumped up from the remote taiga to look at the Ukrainian asphalt and electric street lighting for the first time in their lives. It is funny to hear people talking about Putin's army in those terms... the T-90, which is awesome, yet costs a fortune has a very limited production (and only requires 1 cheap Javelin to destroy of which there are 15000 in Ukraine as of now), Putin's air forces which are said to be awesome... yet absent and scared to fly over Ukraine due to the air defences and, again, expensive and unreplaceable,... It seems that Putin's strategy is to scare Ukraine by talking about how big the army is, without actually being able to field it, supply it and use it to any degree of effectiveness except where they have 20 to 1 superiority and at the cost of many young Russian soldiers dying. But the special tragic comedy price falls onto the "stored T-72s" argument. Do you think that you just leave a tank there and then, after 20 years, you turn the key and it works? Do you think Putin u can do a better job at supplying these than he is doing now with the troops he has? Do you think their crews will feel safe and willing to enter into combat in a tank that can be put our of service even with a well thrown Molotov or a cheap RPG? Yes, in theory Putin's walk-in closet is full of robes and dresses he was to use in his parade, yet these do not seem to be anywhere to be seen. Who will tell the emperor that he is naked? Now, seriously, it is not about how many tanks Putin "has" is about how do you keep an army supplied and combat effective when the conflict extends and extends due to a determined resistance, you are under financial pressure and the supply lines start to stretch beyond your ability to defend them effectively. A lesson that is hard to learn and seems to have eluded many generals - even brilliant ones such as Napoleon and even nations such as Spain in America not to mention silly attempts such as the crusades and... Putin's aggression to Ukraine. ...
The EU is run by a bunch of Transatlantic Woke Tards, they have no idea what they are doing and will let anyone except russia do damage as much as they want in the EU
Yet they do not seem to be sending their young to die on a purposeless war. If Putin is how a "real leader" looks like, I am keeping the "Tards". |
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According to your statistics, Ukraine depends on Russian gas by 0%, although Ukraine depends on the reverse of Russian gas from Slovenia. These are not my statistics, but from a specialized European site. This Statista picture apparently shows only direct gas purchases from Russia and doesn't take resales into account. Ukraine has not used Russian gas since 2015 only formally, but actually buys it through Hungary and Slovakia. I think Europe will buy gas from Russia in a similar way with the help of a virtual reverse through Bulgaria or Turkey, additionally paying for their intermediary services, but doing it without pleasure. However, we will soon see everything for ourselves. It is not clear how Europe will get out of this delicate situation while trying to save face, but Russia's message to Europe does not allow for ambiguity and room for double interpretation: "No money - no honey". I think Putin's Russia will be a very helpful partner, selling Europe everything they need to keep on producing the weapons to kill the young untrained Russian soldiers. Curiously, the bullets that kill them could be paid in rubles as per your theory. This is sad, even my great sense of humour is not enough to laugh at this. |
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