Putin Invades the Ukraine

[Dondilion]

Originally Posted by donquixote99

But the threat to allies was very much in terms of conventional weapons. I'm not inclined to view with 'alarm' the rapacity of the weapons sellers at this minute, let alone gnawing feelings. The Armageddon threat is alarming, I grant you, and I'd love it if a new detente someday let it be reduced. But the real threat in Europe was always Russian conventional forces operating with impunity under Russia's nuclear umbrella. The gutting of the conventional forces is a huge strategic victory, well worth a note from a think-tank.

Even a babe in geopolitics knows that Russian conventional force is no match for that of US and NATO. Russia does not have the planes, tanks and ships in quality and numbers.

The Russian/Georgian conflict was a huge eye opener.

The reasons for going nuclear are codified in Russian military doctrine and one of them is being overrun conventionally.

The think tank in local parlance "is just eating a food".

[Pio1980]

W. T. F. ???
Russia Planned To Attack Japan in 2021: Leaked FSB Letters
https://www.newsweek.com/russia-plan...etters-1762133

[donquixote99]

Originally Posted by Pio1980

W. T. F. ???
Russia Planned To Attack Japan in 2021: Leaked FSB Letters
https://www.newsweek.com/russia-plan...etters-1762133

Strikes me as not believable. Never says what the aims of such an attack would be.

[Dondilion]

Let me guess what is driving this Newsweak nonesense...Japan's involvement in Sahkalin 1 oil project.

[finnbow]

Newsweek's journalistic integrity has dropped drastically since it was acquired by IBT Media in 2013. In 2018, former Newsweek journalist Jonathan Alter wrote in The Atlantic that since being sold to the International Business Times in 2013 the magazine had "produced some strong journalism and plenty of clickbait before becoming a painful embarrassment to anyone who toiled there in its golden age". Former Newsweek writer Matthew Cooper criticized Newsweek for running multiple inaccurate stories in 2018,

That said, I wouldn't put it past Putin to want (and have developed plans) to use his military to solve the longstanding dispute with Japan over several of the Kuril Islands.

[donquixote99]

Originally Posted by finnbow

Newsweek's journalistic integrity has dropped drastically since it was acquired by IBT Media in 2013. In 2018, former Newsweek journalist Jonathan Alter wrote in The Atlantic that since being sold to the International Business Times in 2013 the magazine had "produced some strong journalism and plenty of clickbait before becoming a painful embarrassment to anyone who toiled there in its golden age". Former Newsweek writer Matthew Cooper criticized Newsweek for running multiple inaccurate stories in 2018,

That said, I wouldn't put it past Putin to want (and have developed plans) to use his military to solve the longstanding dispute with Japan over several of the Kuril Islands.

The Kuril Islands would be a reason for Japan to attack Russia, not the opposite.

[donquixote99]

In a stunning demonstration, Ukraine attacks airbases deep in Russia! I was wondering to myself if there would be any retaliation for all these attacks on civilian infrastructure. A counterforce attack against the missile-launching aircraft is very appropriate, and if they succeeded in damaging Russia's tanker fleet, the article suggests that could be even more consequential. Have seen no damage assessments yet though.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...e_iOSApp_Other

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by donquixote99

In a stunning demonstration, Ukraine attacks airbases deep in Russia! I was wondering to myself if there would be any retaliation for all these attacks on civilian infrastructure. A counterforce attack against the missile-launching aircraft is very appropriate, and if they succeeded in damaging Russia's tanker fleet, the article suggests that could be even more consequential. Have seen no damage assessments yet though.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...e_iOSApp_Other

I've seen pictures of the damage at one airbase. One fuel truck and a strategic bomber damaged. Apparently, it was a repurposed jet-powered Soviet surveillance drone from the late 1970's. It doesn't speak very highly of Russian air defense.

[BigElCat]

I'm wondering why the West doesn't pay G4S to enter the fray.

G4S in the mercenary counter-part to the Wagner Group. Except it's much larger.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ywau962heSI

[finnbow]