Ukraine

[Sundayjumper]

Unverified but sounds totally plausible:

Ukraine has lost 74 of its tanks since Russia escalated its invasion last month, but has gained 117 Russian ones – so is currently up 43 in total.

[ZedLeg]

Rumours going around that Azov battalion have been destroyed in Mariupol. Can't say I'd be that sad if it's true

[nuttinnew]

This popped up on yt, I've not yet looked for or seen any other articles about it;

[Beany]

It's PaulJosephWatson so not just a pinch of salt, but the entire sack.

[Beany]

This is all very 'allegedly' (no source in tweet etc)



It's believably on brand though.


Edit: this guy is Reuters staff



Which matches up with the above, in concept.

So basically, given that Russia was operating (semi covertly) in the East anyway, it's nearly back to square one, all the loss of life and property and infrastructure aside. That, and you know, the harvest being fucked because they've allegedly been mining cropland.

Except now Ukraine has a huge amount of military support, unified national pride on the line and massive, solidified and very angery international support.

Russia could be about to get kicked out of Ukraine permanently, and then possibly dropped back to a 'developing' status given that they outsource most of their tech (unlike China, who grew their own tech industries). For example, allegedly they can't make tanks any more because parts of the electronics have been internationally embargoed. Exports? China takes oil and gas off them, but takes is the operative term - it's sold at a loss.

Putin may have literally set Russia back not just thirty years to the end of the cold war, but even further.

I have sympathy for the Russian people, but this level of self ownage?

Fucking delicious.

Lots of 'ifs' in there of course. I think nothing will fix Russia now at this rate but a full on fucking purge of the political and financial elites. How much appetite will there be for that locally?

[Sundayjumper]

Lots of 'ifs' in there of course. I think nothing will fix Russia now at this rate but a full on fucking purge of the political and financial elites. How much appetite will there be for that locally?

And that is the billionty million rouble question. Will removing Putin fix it ? Nope. Will removing his buddies fix it ? Nope. There's far too many others on the gravy train. How far down do you have to go ? Rhetorical question.

Appetite amongst the general population isn't the issue. It's a balance of the number of turkeys, and their willingness to cook Christmas dinner. If genuine change comes from this it won't be quick. It'll be a generation away at a minimum.

[Ascender]

I wonder if that public statement gives them an "out" to claim they've won the war and focus on those Eastern territories? I also wonder if Ukraine will let that stand if it is indeed the case.

Putin is pretty extreme though and you only have to look at history to see just how easily-bought peoples' loyalty can be in Russia. He's royally fvcked this up for his entire country and those on the gravy train might just do something about it to force change if these sanctions remain in place.

[Sundayjumper]

I wonder if that public statement gives them an "out" to claim they've won the war and focus on those Eastern territories?

That’s precisely it. It’s the closest we’ll get to Putin admitting he’s failed.

And it’s just internet-level flouncing. “We didn’t want Kyiv anyway it was just a wind up and you felt for it lol so we won lolol lol you’re so triggered lollll”

[Mito Man]

At what point will Putin tell us to do our research because he never wanted Kyiv?

[jamcg]

At what point will Putin tell us to do our research because he never wanted Kyiv?

Is Putin on this forum?

[Rich B]

At what point will Putin tell us to do our research because he never wanted Kyiv?

[ZedLeg]

[Beany]

I'd expect the sanctions to remain in place till he's at least back to the position he was in February, and possibly beyond that.

I think the West is now absolutely, fully done with his bullshit after a decade of walking of eggshells - because Ukraine's harvest is now compromised, and that's going to be a very, very serious problem globally, especially for a lot of the developing world who rely on Ukraine's grain output - and are looking to absolutely cripple him and his government as a result.

I very much doubt things are going to get better for Russia any time soon.

[RobYob]

because Ukraine's harvest is now compromised, and that's going to be a very, very serious problem globally,

Everybody's harvest is compromised. Russia and Ukraine being major nitrogen fertilizer suppliers that price has gone up 500%. Harry's Farm put out a video yesterday about how everything is getting very very fucked in agriculture.

[Beany]

Hurrah!

Wait, no, that other one - bollocks.

[nuttinnew]

[Sundayjumper]

Ukraine fixing up captured Russian tanks for their own use:



This appears to be a translation:

FAEAE51A-A8E2-4EFA-BF83-408965BFDFD8.png (151.68 KiB) Viewed 1068 times

This will hopefully become a regular TV show: “Pimp my Tank”

9464B0AE-3BC0-4B32-A008-C1C9B5086A60.jpeg (119.25 KiB) Viewed 1068 times

[DeskJockey]

Makes good sense. They know the kit well and once fixed and deploy it immediately with little or no training needed. Also, green credentials!

[Beany]

The Russian flagship in the black sea, the one that was told to go fuck itself at the start of this, was struck by some anti ship missiles yesterday, according to Ukraine.

According to Russia, there was an entirely unrelated fire that reached the magazine, implying that caused water ingress when the ammo store popped.

Now, while being towed for repair, it's sunk.

So, either Russia are so incompetent that they allowed thier flagship to burn up and explode, or thier flagship is so shit that just a couple of anti ship missiles can take it down.

Well, Ukraine told them to go fuck themselves, and now it's fucked.



Brilliant.

[Simon]

Maritime autofornication complete.