Russia and Ukraine

[ShinyCrystals]

It's a good thing the bill was passed. Not that it is coming from a country that is key to Ukraine even winning, as The Grand Nudger said something along the lines of, but it is good that it has been passed nonetheless, as it will help Ukraine.

[Thumpalumpacus]

It's a good thing the bill was passed. Not that it is coming from a country that is key to Ukraine even winning, as The Grand Nudger said something along the lines of, but it is good that it has been passed nonetheless, as it will help Ukraine.

My readings indicate that if Ukraine can mass air defense around their planned expansions of defense plants being built, more air-defense will help them better able to help themselves. More Patriots, that'll do it. That would be an investment and not a sunk cost

Also, by releasing more ATACMs, we help them extend the range of threat to surface targets, helping to interdict logistics. And of course $61B could see American F-16s being refurbished and sent over, on top of those donated by the Danes and others, which helps both aims -- long-range interdiction and surface-attack both.

[The Grand Nudger]

Another year, another political demand for the russian military to grasp at by victory day. This time it's Chasiv Yar. Maybe they'll pull it off, but if previous v days are any indication, it will end with a single t34 on a flatbead re-christened chasiv yar and paraded alone down the streets of moscow until it falls off the truck like a section of looted plumbing.

[Thumpalumpacus]

The Kremlin warned that American support for Ukraine could turn into a decade-long folly, urging the U.S. to not oppose its invasion of the country as Congress appears set to pass a $60 billion aid package.

The aid deal comes after months of negotiations, with support for Ukraine wavering among American conservatives as the Russian military gains ground after two years of fighting.

“Washington’s deeper and deeper immersion in the hybrid war against Russia will turn into a loud and humiliating fiasco for United States such as Vietnam and Afghanistan,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said, Reuters reported.

The House passed a broad foreign aid spending bill on Saturday that includes funds for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan for a total of $95 billion. The Senate is expected to easily pass the measure, which President Biden supports.

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/46100...ghanistan/

That is breathtaking irony, given that their own defeat in Afghanistan presaged the dissolution of the USSR, and given that they are ignoring their own struggles in Ukraine. Even if they win out militarily in Ukraine, they will face the same sort of insurrection that destroyed their nation 35 years ago.

[ShinyCrystals]

The Kremlin warned that American support for Ukraine could turn into a decade-long folly, urging the U.S. to not oppose its invasion of the country as Congress appears set to pass a $60 billion aid package.

The aid deal comes after months of negotiations, with support for Ukraine wavering among American conservatives as the Russian military gains ground after two years of fighting.

“Washington’s deeper and deeper immersion in the hybrid war against Russia will turn into a loud and humiliating fiasco for United States such as Vietnam and Afghanistan,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said, Reuters reported.

The House passed a broad foreign aid spending bill on Saturday that includes funds for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan for a total of $95 billion. The Senate is expected to easily pass the measure, which President Biden supports.

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/46100...ghanistan/

That is breathtaking irony, given that their own defeat in Afghanistan presaged the dissolution of the USSR, and given that they are ignoring their own struggles in Ukraine. Even if they win out militarily in Ukraine, they will face the same sort of insurrection that destroyed their nation 35 years ago.

I can imagine.

But yeah, it does seem to me that Russia’s government is trying to do this just to make them not look bad to its people so that government could avoid all the possible things you said.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I can imagine.

But yeah, it does seem to me that Russia’s government is trying to do this just to make them not look bad to its people so that government could avoid all the possible things you said.

Putin's regime will find it harder and harder to ride herd on Russian public opinion as the war goes on and the casualties pile up.

[ShinyCrystals]

I can imagine.

But yeah, it does seem to me that Russia’s government is trying to do this just to make them not look bad to its people so that government could avoid all the possible things you said.

Putin's regime will find it harder and harder to ride herd on Russian public opinion as the war goes on and the casualties pile up.

Yeah, they can only do so much to control the public of their own country. I mean, that is probably obvious enough, yet that is also true, is it not?

Speaking of Russia, may I ask how they are doing in this war?

[The Grand Nudger]

Not well.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Not well.

That’s not very charitable. They're only 785 days behind schedule.

Boru

[Thumpalumpacus]

Speaking of Russia, may I ask how they are doing in this war?

In a nutshell, badly. After taking Avdiivka over the winter at enormous cost, they are now fought to a standstill while still suffering several hundred casualties per day. They're combing out prisons, tricking foreigners, and denuding other borders in order to maintain sufficient manpower in Ukraine. They have numerous logistical issues ranging from being mostly tied to railroads to having Crimea close to being cut off, supply-wise.

Meanwhile, they have to stay on the offensive because they're in a race against time with the arrival of the aid recently approved in Congress and about to be approved by the EU.

I would suggest they're already in the middle of a "loud and humiliating fiasco".