Россия invades Україна | UPDATE (30 May 2024) - Biden gives Ukraine permission to strike some targets inside Russia with American weapons

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

7 minutes ago, silentbob said:

I worked briefly at a paint stores about 10 years ago and became good friends with one of the workers. She got married about 6-7 years ago in a Ukrainian church. (Husband is Ukrainian) Beautiful building and artwork, but even she said afterwards the ceremony was weird to her. It was different in some ways compare to Catholic Church ceremonies we have been too

 

Orthodox masses are structurally/liturgically similar to Catholic masses, but the actual rituals are very different.

[CitizenVectron]

11 minutes ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

 

Orthodox masses are structurally/liturgically similar to Catholic masses, but the actual rituals are very different.

 

Plus their priests are allowed to marry and have kids.

[brucoe]

28 minutes ago, SuperSpreader said:

 

Honestly this is showing me how war seems to generally just be a sloppy and stupid mess. The amount of Zero Dark Thirty elite holy shitness is very limited. 

Unfortunately, you're seeing a symptom of something that's always been around. After the invasion of Granada, when our Ranger detachment was completing combat maneuvers from the invasion, I came across a group of US combat engineers that were wrapping det cord around a cow with intentions of blowing it up. Not a single one of their officers were anywhere in sight.

 

This is kind of what you get used to with the regular military, as people do some really stupid crap when armed with lots of weaponry and explosives and very little direction.

[Comet]

3 minutes ago, brucoe said:

Unfortunately, you're seeing a symptom of something that's always been around. After the invasion of Granada, when our Ranger detachment was completing combat maneuvers from the invasion, I came across a group of US combat engineers that were wrapping det cord around a cow with intentions of blowing it up. Not a single one of their officers were anywhere in sight.

 

This is kind of what you get used to with the regular military, as people do some really stupid crap when armed with lots of weaponry and explosives and very little direction.

And I bet being in a state of conflict creates stress and anxiety that manifests in weird ways to try and cope. 

[SuperSpreader]

50 minutes ago, brucoe said:

Unfortunately, you're seeing a symptom of something that's always been around. After the invasion of Granada, when our Ranger detachment was completing combat maneuvers from the invasion, I came across a group of US combat engineers that were wrapping det cord around a cow with intentions of blowing it up. Not a single one of their officers were anywhere in sight.

 

This is kind of what you get used to with the regular military, as people do some really stupid crap when armed with lots of weaponry and explosives and very little direction.

I mean I think of the average person I know who went to the military and they're not necessarily the brightest bulbs.

[CitizenVectron]

 

[Nokra]

5 hours ago, brucoe said:

I personally believe a real part of the problem is that we live in a more global environment these days, YET these sorts of things happen around us, and we have no ability to hep make things better. It constantly reminds us that we're all just helpless and stuck at living in the whim of lots of bad actors.

Agreed. It's a blessing and a curse; we are more aware of the horrors of war, and this can be both depressing and motivating to seek peace. 

 

I suppose it remains to be seen how exactly the pressure of the rest of the world will ultimately influence these events, but personally I find it extremely comforting, inspiring, and humbling to see just how much good there is in the world that is willing to engage and resist this great evil. And I don't think we've seen all of it yet, not by a long shot. 

 

For anyone struggling a bit, if you want someone to talk to or just listen, I offer my ears. PM me if you need some support. 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

My understanding that Kharkiv is getting hammered right now.

 

As @ManUtdRedDevils posted a couple of days ago, Kharkiv is a predominantly Russian-speaking city and its population is largely Russian by ethnicity.  If anything this works AGAINST those inhabitants from the standpoint of Russian mercy for this reason as posted by a Ukrainian living in Canada on ResetERA:

 

Quote

 

They are attacking (mostly) Russian-speaking regions right now. These "Russians" who don't want them are even worse to them than Ukrainian-speakers- those, at least, they can "other" since they speak "a mongrel dialect of Polish and Russian".

 

But Russian-speakers who stand out against Russia-like the unarmed townspeople in Berdyansk, Melitopol, Kup'yans'k; the defenders of Kharkiv, Kherson, Mykolayiv, Mariupol--these don't fit their worldview. And so they will try to destroy them, their symbols, their history, their unique identity. By eliminating all those who speak against Russia. Until the rest are ready to cower and "embrace Russia".

 

 

This kinda/sorta plays into the idea that Putin might have really very little interest in Western Ukraine as that population is largely not Russian-speaking or of Russian ethnicity.  

[PaladinSolo]

They're still just driving around getting picked off.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

What happened to Russia's Air Force? U.S. officials, experts stumped

WWW.REUTERS.COM

---

Before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, U.S. intelligence had predicted a likely blistering assault by Moscow that would quickly mobilize the vast Russian air power that its military assembled in order to dominate Ukraine's skies.

 

 

Quote

The United States estimates that Russia is using just over 75 aircraft in its Ukraine invasion, the senior U.S. official said.

 

...Huh?

[CitizenVectron]

 

Anti-fascism hall of fame right there.

[CitizenVectron]

So how do you counter this Antifa League? The D10 (Democratic 10), etc?

[CitizenVectron]

 

[Air_Delivery]

Visa, Mastercard block Russian banks from network

WWW.PAYMENTSDIVE.COM

---

The card giants said they've disconnected Russian banks from their international payment networks to comply with the slew of sanctions being imposed on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.

 

 

Russia going back to the stone age is almost complete

[CitizenVectron]

 

[Air_Delivery]

5 minutes ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

What happened to Russia's Air Force? U.S. officials, experts stumped

WWW.REUTERS.COM

---

Before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, U.S. intelligence had predicted a likely blistering assault by Moscow that would quickly mobilize the vast Russian air power that its military assembled in order to dominate Ukraine's skies.

 

 

 

...Huh?

Yeah this is what I don't get. Like of all the things Russia should be able to do, being able to dominate the air should have been the easiest. Getting blasted by drones is shocking.

[Ghost_MH]

21 minutes ago, CitizenVectron said:

 

 

I'm not sure an assassination at the height of his worldwide popularity would have the intended effect.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

10 minutes ago, CitizenVectron said:

 

Anti-fascism hall of fame right there.

 

Let's break this down shall we:

 

- Saudi Arabia and the UAE are engaged in a proxy war (using American weapons) against Iran, Russia's second best friend in the Middle East

- Indian and Chinese troops routinely get into fights with each other in the Himalayas, and India has formed an alliance with the United States against China

- India and Pakistan routinely shell each other over the Line of Control in Kashmir and will gladly annihilate each other with their nuclear weapons if given the chance

- China might just show up for the laughs

 

This has to be Lavrov's idea of a joke.

[CitizenVectron]

Just now, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

 

Let's break this down shall we:

 

- Saudi Arabia and the UAE are engaged in a proxy war (using American weapons) against Iran, Russia's second best friend in the Middle East

- Indian and Chinese troops routinely get into fights with each other in the Himalayas, and India has formed an alliance with the United States against China

- India and Pakistan routinely shell each other over the line of control in Kashmir and will gladly annihilate each other with their nuclear weapons if given the chance

- China might just show up for the laughs

 

This has to be a joke from the Russian foreign ministry.

 

Maybe because it's the Antifa Conference, this will be enough to turn the GOP against Russia.

[ThreePi]

1 minute ago, CitizenVectron said:

 

Maybe because it's the Antifa Conference, this will be enough to turn the GOP against Russia.

 

Yeah, I'm just waiting for the tweets from MTG or Boebert (are they still even in Twitter) that Antifa and Russia have the same goals or something stupid.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

19 minutes ago, CitizenVectron said:

 

 

Ehhhhhhhhhh...my "propaganda alarm" is kinda going off on this one.

[SaysWho?]

18 minutes ago, Air_Delivery said:

Visa, Mastercard block Russian banks from network

WWW.PAYMENTSDIVE.COM

---

The card giants said they've disconnected Russian banks from their international payment networks to comply with the slew of sanctions being imposed on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.

 

 

Russia going back to the stone age is almost complete

 

On one hand, I totally get a few comments I've read about fear of going all digital with currency and this kind of thing happening with the flip of a switch, even if said person is fine with the sanctions.

 

On the other, am I EVER happy that we can turn people against the Russian government through something like this, even though it means that it'll hurt people who are anti-war as well. 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Just now, SaysWho? said:

On the other, am I EVER happy that we can turn people against the Russian government through something like this, even though it means that it'll hurt people who are anti-war as well. 

 

I wish I could say that clear evidence exists that sanctions turn the internal population of the regime to which they're directed against that regime, but I'm simply unaware of any data to support that claim.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

This story illustrates what I mentioned the other day about the significant familial/cultural ties between Ukraine and Russia:

 

Ukraine War Splits Families That Have Roots on Both Sides - The New York Times

WWW.NYTIMES.COM

---

Because of their countries’ complex and intertwined history, many Ukrainians and Russians have relatives who are standing on opposite sides of the conflict.

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Microsoft goes to war:

 

Tech Companies Help Defend Ukraine Against Cyberattacks - The New York Times

WWW.NYTIMES.COM

---

After years of talks about the need for public-private partnerships to combat cyberattacks, the war in Ukraine is stress-testing the system.

 

I guess you've earned another year of Game Pass from me, Phil

 

[Massdriver]

11 minutes ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

 

I wish I could say that clear evidence exists that sanctions turn the internal population of the regime to which they're directed against that regime, but I'm simply unaware of any data to support that claim.

Since Russia controls the media and narrative there, I’m skeptical the Russian public will blame Putin. 

[GeneticBlueprint]

2 minutes ago, Massdriver said:

Since Russia controls the media and narrative there, I’m skeptical the Russian public will blame Putin. 

Can't even get a lot of people outside of the country to blame Putin.

[Ominous]

3 minutes ago, GeneticBlueprint said:

Can't even get a lot of people outside of the country to blame Putin.

[skillzdadirecta]

3 hours ago, brucoe said:

Unfortunately, you're seeing a symptom of something that's always been around. After the invasion of Granada, when our Ranger detachment was completing combat maneuvers from the invasion, I came across a group of US combat engineers that were wrapping det cord around a cow with intentions of blowing it up. Not a single one of their officers were anywhere in sight.

 

This is kind of what you get used to with the regular military, as people do some really stupid crap when armed with lots of weaponry and explosives and very little direction.

I remember during the Iraq war there were videos of U.S. Soldiers flinging cute little puppies off of cliffs. I never forgot that when I saw it. Brain just couldn't compute what I was seeing.

[PaladinSolo]

Footage from the failed taking of the Gostomel airfield.

 

 

[elbobo]

1 hour ago, Air_Delivery said:

Yeah this is what I don't get. Like of all the things Russia should be able to do, being able to dominate the air should have been the easiest. Getting blasted by drones is shocking.

 

The US Airforce struggles to maintain an aircraft operational rate of around 70% even with its massive budget and planes like the B-1 and F-22 are usually at a 50%. Not hard to imagine the Russians have a much lower rate than that.

 

The Russians might have a lot planes but I'm guessing not many of them are combat capable. 

[Air_Delivery]

6 minutes ago, elbobo said:

 

The US Airforce struggles to maintain an aircraft operational rate of around 70% even with its massive budget and planes like the B-1 and F-22 are usually at a 50%. Not hard to imagine the Russians have a much lower rate than that.

 

The Russians might have a lot planes but I'm guessing not many of them are combat capable. 

But they should have a shit load of SAMs .

[Jwheel86]

12 minutes ago, Air_Delivery said:

But they should have a shit load of SAMs .

 

Stuxnet Worm Is Remarkable for Its Lack of Subtlety - The New York Times

WWW.NYTIMES.COM

---

For a covert weapon, the Stuxnet worm wasn’t subtle; its creators were sloppy and let it scatter around the globe.

 

Quote

In May 2008, however, a report in an American technical publication, IEEE Spectrum, cited a European industry source as raising the possibility that the Israelis had used a built-in kill switch to shut down the [Russian built] radar.

 

Russian Air Defenses might be having technical issues and afraid to down friendly aircraft. 

[Anathema-]

7 hours ago, brucoe said:

I personally believe a real part of the problem is that we live in a more global environment these days, YET these sorts of things happen around us, and we have no ability to hep make things better. It constantly reminds us that we're all just helpless and stuck at living in the whim of lots of bad actors.

 

BSG was right. Our technology has outpaced our humanity. 

[CitizenVectron]

Looks like Russia has taken the city of Kherson in the south. Some reports that Ukraine destroyed party of a Russian convoy in the south as well, but nothing I can post to confirm, so who knows.