Russia and Ukraine

[The Grand Nudger]

Disinformation isn't meant to convince people of the truth of it's contents so much as to flood the zone with shit and leave people doubting their own ability to tell the truth wherever and whatever it is. If it's well crafted, in that process, it also accomplishes the goal of virtue and ingroup signaling. Que russias "desatanization". It's laughable, not even people who believe in satan and satanism-as-such believe that it can be fought with artillery strikes and drone attacks on infrastructure - but it does signal to people who believe that they're oppressed here..that they have a friend there, if they can just do them this one little favor though.

[Belacqua]

Predictable news here concerning energy costs in Europe.

BASF, the world's biggest chemical corporation, announced that its energy costs for the first 9 months of this year were $2.2 billion greater than for the same period last year. That's not $2.2 billion total -- that's the size of the increase.

As a result, they are permanently cutting back their operations in Europe and increasing planned expansion into China.

https://jp.reuters.com/article/basf-resu...KL8N31R10U

US policy to hurt Russia through its energy sales, at the expense of so-called allies, is bearing predictable fruit. Germany loses and China gains.

[Belacqua]

Ukraine has announced that it may need to draft all men under age 60 into the military. While we hear reports that Russia is "depleted" and near exhaustion, Ukraine is showing signs of being worse off. The percentage of military age males called up by Russia from their total population is far less than the 100% Ukraine is talking about.

We've been told that the 300,000 called up by Russia will be poorly trained and unable to do a first rate job. So it will be interesting to see how the armchair generals figure that the new Ukrainian draftees will be a formidable fighting force.

In June, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that between 60 and 100 Ukrainian soldiers are dying on the battlefield every day due to Russian shelling.

He further disclosed that an average of 500 military personnel are wounded while defending critical infrastructure.

As of August 22, nearly 9,000 Ukrainian troops had been killed since Moscow launched its “special military operation” on February 24.

Despite the constant announcements that Russia is nearly out of weapons, they still seem to be shooting a lot.

Russia has lost more people, but they have more to lose. As always in the past, Russia has time and numbers on its side.

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2022/10/2...ht-russia/

[The Grand Nudger]

I guess russia just doesn't want to win, since they certainly have the numbers and there's absolutely nothing stopping vlad from calling up more bodies which will totally be effective if he did.

Back in mere reality, russia has severely lagged on it's rate of peak artillery fire (and everything else...) due to massive attrition and, news flash..having already shot alot of shells at civilian targets, doing very little damage to ukraines military capability, before abandoning the rest in the field as they flee in abject terror. As for ukraine, if they're going to catch a round asleep in their beds, they may as well pick up a rifle, imo. Makes no diference to your pet butchers.

Filth, absolute filth.

[LinuxGal]

Russia has lost more people, but they have more to lose. As always in the past, Russia has time and numbers on its side.

Sure, time and numbers, just like Nazi Germany had in '45 when they called up boys and old men to fight too.

[Thumpalumpacus]

This is basic logic I am talking about.

Are you aware that Kennedy solved the Cuban Missile Crisis by cutting a deal? He agreed to take American nukes out of Turkey if the Soviets didn't put theirs in Cuba. 

Why can't the US use similar basic logic to solve Ukraine? We back off if you back off.

Probably because negotiating a settlement requires both parties to act in good faith ... and clearly Puin is not doing that, after all his lies and posturing.

Cutting a deal with a liar is rarely good decisionin'.

[The Architect Of Fate]

Despite the constant announcements that Russia is nearly out of weapons, they still seem to be shooting a lot.

Russia is having to buy ammunition from North Korea. They are running out of weapons 

https://www.businessinsider.com/drafted-...rt-2022-10

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/o...f-supplies

Russia has lost more people, but they have more to lose. As always in the past, Russia has time and numbers on its side.

The Fact Russia is having to draft ill-trained poorly armed conscripts says Russia is on its last legs and having more men is pointless if all you do is toss them into the slaughter. As for Ukraine, it's actually taking the time to train its recruits and isn't giving them 50-year-old equipment. Also, they have better logistics and support and actually have organization at the mid-tier.  So they are already in much better shape. What you call armchair generals we call people who know that not all conscript armies are equal.

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/09/2...ent-a78901

https://www.npr.org/2022/10/14/112900165...soldiering

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ukraine...-1.6583326

Cope Harder 

[The Grand Nudger]

I always wonder how this stuff plays out in their heads. Let's suppose that russia really does have an inexaustable supply of weapons and troops and all the time in the world to use them, they'd be the only nation ever on the face of earth in all of history to be in that position and I'd be super interested in seeing how they managed it - but just let it ride.

Is that supposed to sound like a good argument for less foreign aid to ukranians fighting for their lives in their country? Are we suggesting that we take advantage of the ukranians in this moment of weakness to trade their country away out from under them to the man presently lobbing iranian suicide drones at their homes and infrastructure to better satisfy our own national interests (whatever we believe them to be)....?

[The Architect Of Fate]

Russia has lost more people, but they have more to lose. As always in the past, Russia has time and numbers on its side.

Sure, time and numbers, just like Nazi Germany had in '45 when they called up boys and old men to fight too.

Indeed having a lot of men can hindrance not a help if you don't the logistics to support them

[The Architect Of Fate]

Predictable news here concerning energy costs in Europe.

BASF, the world's biggest chemical corporation, announced that its energy costs for the first 9 months of this year were $2.2 billion greater than for the same period last year. That's not $2.2 billion total -- that's the size of the increase.

As a result, they are permanently cutting back their operations in Europe and increasing planned expansion into China.

https://jp.reuters.com/article/basf-resu...KL8N31R10U

US policy to hurt Russia through its energy sales, at the expense of so-called allies, is bearing predictable fruit. Germany loses and China gains.

The expense to its allies would be letting Russia win. The would be the true expense to its allies. But this is the kind of short-sighted comment I would expect from you.