Russia and Ukraine

[The Grand Nudger]

Russia is said to be running low on high precision missiles (90% of these are being intercepted by Ukrainian air defenses anyway) and they have either used all their stocks of Iranian drones or (as it is said) these drones are not working properly in cold weather.

The cold weather is affecting more than their drones. Reliable reportage is that the Russians don't have sufficient cold-weather gear. Ukraine, however, is set to receive massive amounts of it from Finland and Sweden (countries who know a thing or ten about fighting in midwinter).

I've never been a soldier, but I imagine that, when you're rapidly freezing to death, your enthusiasm for engaging the enemy drops off rather sharply.

Boru

A bunch of it fell off a truck a few months back - just poof...missing.  It was still warm at the time so it mostly escaped notice (both as product, and as a story, apparently). That's part of why russian soldiers were told they'd need to buy their own shit.  Wouldn't you know it, plenty of winter gear was available on the market, even brand new standard issue russian uniforms the likes of which went missing, if you could pay.

Their current troubles started months ago, with that incident.

(it's not an enthusiasm issue - your mind just goes. You can't think, you can't talk, you cant move - long before you die - been there..only for training. Though, if you've got infantry actively trying to kill you while you're in that state, not that long. People think it has to be some arctic sub-zero shit to make it happen, doesn't. It can happen swimming in cool water in the gulf of mexico in the summer. Prolonged exposure makes mild temps just as deadly as a blizzard out of nowhere. It's been cold enough and wet enough in ukraine to go hypothermic for the better part of two months - and now the cold shit is -really- about to set in. It will only be for the skill and care of local commanders if russia even -has- an army left come end of winter.)

[Thumpalumpacus]

Two things about the cold: it makes you hungry, and it makes you passive.

[arewethereyet]

I remember going on bivouac during basic.  We got to experience the first snow seen in Anniston is quite some time...that fell on clay that had been rained on for weeks.  Cold was miserable.  Cold and constantly wet was well past miserable.  UGH.  That was my last 'camping' trip.

[Jackalope]

I recall similar in Kentucky in February. It was probably the most miserable time of my life, and it didn't need to get near freezing or snow. Cold mud is miserable shit.

[Thumpalumpacus]

UNITED NATIONS, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Russia is attempting to obtain more weapons from Iran, including hundreds of ballistic missiles, and offering Tehran an unprecedented level of military and technical support in return, Britain's U.N. Ambassador Barbara Woodward said on Friday.

Since August Iran has transferred hundreds of drones - also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) - to Russia, which had used them to "kill civilians and illegally target civilian infrastructure" in Ukraine, Woodward said.

"Russia is now attempting to obtain more weapons, including hundreds of ballistic missiles," Woodward told reporters.

"In return, Russia is offering Iran an unprecedented level of military and technical support. We're concerned that Russia intends to provide Iran with more advanced military components, which will allow Iran to strengthen their weapons capability," she said.

She also said Britain was "almost certain that Russia is seeking to source weaponry from North Korea (and) other heavily sanctioned states, as their own stocks palpably dwindle."

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/rus...022-12-09/

[Leonardo17]

UNITED NATIONS, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Russia is attempting to obtain more weapons from Iran, including hundreds of ballistic missiles, and offering Tehran an unprecedented level of military and technical support in return, Britain's U.N. Ambassador Barbara Woodward said on Friday.

Since August Iran has transferred hundreds of drones - also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) - to Russia, which had used them to "kill civilians and illegally target civilian infrastructure" in Ukraine, Woodward said.

"Russia is now attempting to obtain more weapons, including hundreds of ballistic missiles," Woodward told reporters.

"In return, Russia is offering Iran an unprecedented level of military and technical support. We're concerned that Russia intends to provide Iran with more advanced military components, which will allow Iran to strengthen their weapons capability," she said.

She also said Britain was "almost certain that Russia is seeking to source weaponry from North Korea (and) other heavily sanctioned states, as their own stocks palpably dwindle."

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/rus...022-12-09/

…and some of the elites of the Iranian regime are said to be moving their valuables to countries like Venezuela just in case things don’t go the way they planned. Putin and his entourage are said to have a similar backup plan in China.
 
On Cold: Back in the service our guard duties were dropped from 2 hours to half an hour. Cold does kill you. So reading the news, I’d rather not be in the Ukrainian winter with Russian equipment.
 
On Russian wonder weapons: There was this article today. The number of Armata thanks that were truly produced is 20 (They planned to build 200 by 2020 but they only got 20). The intended number of Su-57 fighters was also 20. The actual number is about 5. They have 3-4 of the “wonder weapons” like that but due to the highly corrupted state of the army, they produced just some prototypes or they didn’t get to produce these weapons at all.
 
- So maybe the Sandinists of Nicaragua will make a move and be their savior let’s wait and see

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

I remember going on bivouac during basic.  We got to experience the first snow seen in Anniston is quite some time...that fell on clay that had been rained on for weeks.  Cold was miserable.  Cold and constantly wet was well past miserable.  UGH.  That was my last 'camping' trip.

A Song Of Winter Weather by Robert Service

It isn't the foe that we fear;
    It isn't the bullets that whine;
It isn't the business career
    Of a shell, or the bust of a mine;
It isn't the snipers who seek
    To nip our young hopes in the bud:
No, it isn't the guns,
And it isn't the Huns —
    It's the mud,
                    mud,
                              mud.

It isn't the melee we mind.
That often is rather good fun.
    It isn't the shrapnel we find
Obtrusive when rained by the ton;
    It isn't the bounce of the bombs
That gives us a positive pain:
    It's the strafing we get
When the weather is wet —
    It's the rain,
                      rain,
                            rain.

It isn't because we lack grit
    We shrink from the horrors of war.
We don't mind the battle a bit;
    In fact that is what we are for;
It isn't the rum-jars and things
    Make us wish we were back in the fold:
It's the fingers that freeze
In the boreal breeze —
    It's the cold,
                    cold,
                            cold.

Oh, the rain, the mud, and the cold,
    The cold, the mud, and the rain;
With weather at zero it's hard for a hero
    From language that's rude to refrain.
With porridgy muck to the knees,
    With sky that's a-pouring a flood,
Sure the worst of our foes
Are the pains and the woes
    Of the rain,
                the cold,
                        and the mud.

Boru

[Leonardo17]

Nice Poem indeed.




Here is a small picture of the place called “The bloody Ridge” (Tr.: Kanlı Sirt) in the Gallipoli Peninsula in the Dardanelles straights. I looks like such a peaceful place to be in today yet in 1915 it was the place of one of the bloodiest battles of WWI. The place became the final resting place of 250.000 allied and 250.000 Turkish troops. Although the battle ended in a victory for the Turkish side with the withdrawal of British troops after 8 months of war, it led the commander of the Turkish troops (who was later to become the founder of the modern Turkish Republic) to say the following words:
 
“I shall not have pity in my hearth when I have to lead my troops toward those who came to kill the people of my nation. Still, if there is no existential threat toward the life of my people every war in this world is nothing but murder”
 
2) David Letterman has a very nice 50 minute documentary on Netflix on the current situation in Ukraine that includes an interview with the president Vlodymyr Zelensky.
 
I saw a lot of Russia backed stupidity on social media in the first months of the war. But his whole body language is telling me that he is a true commander general, with people around him respecting him and what they are facing there is real war. So I find the documentary very interesting. It’s on Netflix.

[Irreligious Atheist]

Did the US give Ukraine permission to strike the air bases inside of Russia? Does anyone think this is actually a smart idea, escalating things like this?

[arewethereyet]

Is the US the boss of Ukraine?