Russia-Ukraine War 2022 - Page 244 - Politics Forum.org | PoFo

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#15228358
@Rancid and @XogGyux Putin already has his hand firmly seated up @Igor Antunov's backside. Now he's just a Putin sock-puppet.
#15228360
Wulfschilde wrote:Ugh, no. The Russians make their own equipment and are exporters of it too. Cutting off tech exports to them is not going to make their military fail.

Russian minister of defense spoke on the subject that they need to increase usage of domestic parts in their military equipment by 50 percent meaning that at least 3-4 years ago Russian military hardware was at the very least 50 percent made with Western parts but realistically a lot more. So uhh, yeah there is a reason why car manufacturing fell by 70 percent in Russia and why Ural Vagon Zavod is operating at 30 percent capacity although it is their main and perhaps only manufacturer of tanks and apcs .
#15228364
Deutsche Welle wrote:Chancellor Olaf Scholz tells German parliament 'Russia must not win this war', 'Russia will not dictate a peace'

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has delivered a statement to the German parliament ahead of an EU summit on the war in Ukraine. Scholz described the war in Ukraine as the greatest crisis facing the EU in its history.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz addressed Germany's lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, on Thursday ahead of an extraordinary EU summit on Ukraine later this month.

Scholz was widely expected to use the speech to outline his policy surrounding the conflict, which has now raged for nearly three months.

He has faced heavy criticism over his response to the war, perceived by some critics as weak and overcautious.

Berlin has been criticized for a delay in sending heavy weapons to Ukraine and, unlike many other European leaders, Scholz has still not visited Kyiv.

What did Scholz say about the war in Ukraine?

Scholz called the war the greatest crisis facing the EU in its history. But he said that European solidarity was the counterweight to autocracy in President Vladimir Putin's Russia.

"Peace is only something we can take for granted if we are prepared to defend it. This is the lesson that we have learned from the brutal Russian attack on Ukraine," he said.

Scholz described the Ukraine war as a "turning point in history." He said EU member states would, as in other crises, confront it with solidarity.

"The greater the pressure from the outside, the more we join forces as the European Union and act together."

"We all share one goal, Russia must not win this war, Ukraine must prevail," Scholz said.

This is why, he explained, Germany has been supporting Ukraine with aid and even heavy weapons, as well as taking in Ukrainian refugees.

"A brutally attacked country needs help in defending itself and doing so cannot be termed escalation," he said.

Scholz praises EU solidarity

"Friends in Sweden and Finland, you are most cordially welcome. With you on our side NATO will become even stronger and Europe even safer," the chancellor said, in reference to the bids launched by the two Nordic countries on Wednesday.

"We as the European Union must pave the way for a solidarity fund fed by membership fees from the European Union and our international partners. That way we will help the Ukrainians to clear the destruction and to rebuild," he said.

Ukraine remains part of our "European family" Scholz said, adding that Ukraine needs long-term support while it requests to join the EU, something for which there is no "shortcut."

The chancellor pointed to the Western Balkan countries that have been seeking EU membership for years, saying they should not be overlooked. He said he would attend the EU summit "with the clear message that the Western Balkans belong in the European Union".

Bringing up the energy crisis, he said "our aim is clear, we want to ensure that we increase Europe's sovereignty with regard to energy and achieve our climate goals together."

"It is my firm conviction that we will overcome the impacts here in Europe and across the globe, because we here are a strong country, we have strong partners and strong alliances," Scholz said in his concluding remarks. "But also, because we know what we are defending: peace, liberty, and rule of law."

What is the special summit about?

The extraordinary EU summit on May 30 and 31 is expected to focus on the war in Ukraine and its consequences.

Possible topics for heads of state and government who are to meet in Brussels are a planned oil embargo against Russia and the EU Commission's long-term plan to wean the bloc off Russian fossil fuels.

They could also discuss the prospect of Ukraine joining the EU, although a decision on the country's candidate status is to be made in June at the earliest.

Marathon session of debates and votes

Scholz's statement was scheduled ahead of a debate lasting just under two hours, expected to address the same themes.

The Bundestag was also set to discuss and vote on numerous other bills on Thursday as part of a marathon 14-hour session. They included a new coronavirus relief package, the enforcement of Russia sanctions, funding for the cheaper public transport and accelerated construction of liquefied natural gas terminals.

Germany has decided to lead.

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#15228384
Politics_Observer wrote:@Igor Antunov

It now looks like in the Russian occupied areas of Ukraine, a partisan war broke out. I thought you said there could be no partisan war in Ukraine. It was a REALLY, REALLY stupid move for Russia to invade Ukraine. What on Earth was Putin thinking? I mean, just the terrible judgement and the stupidity of it all. It just keeps getting worse for Russia every day. You can also be rest assured that those Ukrainians in the southern part of Ukraine, found to be cooperating with the Russian controlled government there, will be targeted by Ukrainian partisans. I am also sure that government officials of the Russian controlled government in the south will be targeted by Ukrainian partisans. This is a helluva mess Russia finds itself in currently. There doesn't seem to be any good way out for Putin.



https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ru ... a2f9d7e863


Ukrainian officials
CNN reporting, cannot verify


Yeah ok. And in actual news;


1,800 Azov POW's now, the number more than doubled and they're still hiding down there, there's more.

Russians have begun retaking areas around Kharkiv

The donbas cauldron is closing. Severodonetsk is fast becoming another Mariupol, now surrounded on 3 sides, with Kiev having sent 5,000 additional troops from kharkiv front (on top of the 30,000 stationed in the city) into the meat grinder.

JohnRawls wrote:Cool for you i guess? This kind of misses the point that Mariupol defenders completed their objective of holding back Russian forces until they depleted themselves already. They overfulfilled in this regard.

So what is Russia going to do now when they are depleted and capable of very limited offensives while Ukraine is mobilising and arming new battle formations with Western weapons?

As much as I see it, either Russia continues to do limited offensives but that will deplete them even more in hope to prevent bulk deployment of new battle ready formations for the offensive. Or Russia goes in to full entrentchment mode and try to withstand the inevitable offensive that will come.

Both solutions are kinda shit since first one trades more casualties but sustaining initiative while the 2nd one produces less casualties in shorter term while loosing most of initiative. Both of the solution don't solve the main problem that ultimately Ukraine has more capability to deploy/mobilise troops with far larger Western industrial base while Russia can't simply keep up either with stored units or production. It is a loose faster or loose slower situation for Russia.


Depleted? Russia is just getting started. It hasn't even mobilized. Bulk of its armed forces aren't even being used, its ammunition stockpiles are endless, it's war industries churning along as usual.
#15228409
Igor Antunov wrote:Yeah ok. And in actual news;


1,800 Azov POW's now, the number more than doubled and they're still hiding down there, there's more.

Russians have begun retaking areas around Kharkiv

The donbas cauldron is closing. Severodonetsk is fast becoming another Mariupol, now surrounded on 3 sides, with Kiev having sent 5,000 additional troops from kharkiv front (on top of the 30,000 stationed in the city) into the meat grinder.



Depleted? Russia is just getting started. It hasn't even mobilized. Bulk of its armed forces aren't even being used, its ammunition stockpiles are endless, it's war industries churning along as usual.

Why do you think that Russia is not mobilizing? Ukraine is also not fighting with all its force by your logic since 60-70 percent of Ukranian forces are guarding the borders.
#15228411
Every war is a material battle in the long run and Russia can not keep up production of weapons with NATO further have the Ukrainians more boots on the ground and their moral is better because they are defending.
User avatar
By Wels
#15228412
Beren wrote: [...] Germany has decided to lead.

And then the band played believe it if you like. Scholz is doing a steptoe dance, and the world is becoming a bit .. disenchanted.
But maybe, just may be you are right and things are changing :)
There are of course obstacles no one thought about in time. The german Gepard tanks have not enough ammunition, and Switzerland does not sell the latter to Germany or Ukraine, because they refuse to send weapons to regions being at war. Or so they say now.
Not sure but Brazil said it has ammo and would send it, maybe for free, even.
User avatar
By Beren
#15228414
JohnRawls wrote:Why do you think that Russia is not mobilizing? Ukraine is also not fighting with all its force by your logic since 60-70 percent of Ukranian forces are guarding the borders.

He means Russia hasn't mobilised its reservists. Which doesn't seem entirely true, by the way.

ISW wrote:Unknown Russian perpetrators conducted a series of Molotov cocktail attacks on Russian military commissariats throughout the country in May, likely in protest of covert mobilization. Russian media and local Telegram channels reported deliberate acts of arson against military commissariats in three Moscow Oblast settlements—Omsk, Volgograd, Ryazan Oblast, and Khanty-Mansi Autonomous District—between May 4 and May 18. Ukrainian General Staff Main Operations Deputy Chief Oleksiy Gromov said that there were at least 12 cases of deliberate arson against military commissariats in total and five last week. Russian officials caught two 16-year-olds in the act in one Moscow Oblast settlement, which suggests that Russian citizens are likely responsible for the attacks on military commissariats.
#15228415
Beren wrote:He means Russia hasn't mobilised its reservists. Which doesn't seem entirely true, by the way.


I know that the difference is that I am asking Igor why hasn't they tried doing it openly yet if it is the logical step in his mind. Also "not all forces fighting" argument also requires clarification from his side since by that logic Ukraine is also not commiting all of its forces.
User avatar
By Beren
#15228418
JohnRawls wrote:I know that the difference is that I am asking Igor why hasn't they tried doing it openly yet if it is the logical step in his mind. Also "not all forces fighting" argument also requires clarification from his side since by that logic Ukraine is also not commiting all of its forces.

He implies Russia's just heating up and could easily escalate and go to full-scale war with Ukraine, which seems a theoretical rather than a real possibility. How come some of you are still so interested in his trolling and boasting?
#15228419
Beren wrote:He implies Russia's just heating up and could easily escalate and go to full-scale war with Ukraine, which seems a theoretical possibility rather than a real one. How come some of you are still so interested in his trolling and boasting?


I mean this is a forum and his a old time forum poster. I doubt that he is actually trolling, he believes his ideas.
#15228424
No I'm nostradamus. I predicted crimea, eastern ukraine, the list goes on, back in 2012. And no Russia has not mandated all males between the ages of 18-65 have to take up weapons and fighting. Ukraine has. The scale of Russia's military operation in ukraine is very limited, given the massive armaments and reserve forces it has which in many categories exceed that of nato combined. Ukraine is out of options, Russia hasn't even begun exercising its options and the US is on the verge of bankruptcy. That snake/hamster meme is very relevant.

Us has promised ukraine $40 billion it doesn't have, while Russia is siphoning $100 billion this year from the EU with its price inflated (by western sanctions) gas sales. US dollar just dropped below 60 rubles. China just announced it will replenish its huge strategic reserves with russian oil exclusively. All this while Turkey has become a major thorn in the side of nato, while being natos 2nd most important member. The US led comedy of errors is matching zelensky's clown act itself.
Last edited by Igor Antunov on 20 May 2022 09:51, edited 3 times in total.
By late
#15228428
Russia has a series of military problems.

One is that they don't have the kind of logistical capability to move enough stuff quickly enough to overwhelm Ukraine's defenses. The West has surprised the heck out of me by being so generous. It's ironic that Lend Lease saved Russia, and now it's being used to stop Russia. In both cases we were trying to stop a savage mass murdering agressor, but it's still ironic out the wazoo.

The second is that their military structure is obsolete. They don't have NCOS. In terms of the distribution of decision making, they are hideously top heavy. When things go wrong, the general has to show up and straighten things out. Then we tell Ukraine where to point their weapons, and bye, bye, general.

Conscripted recruits are not much help. Bad training, bad morale, the idea Putin can fix this on the run is absurd.

There is a caveat. There's always a catch. Russia has a ton of firepower. As long as Ukraine can keep them off balance, Russia is screwed. But if Russia finds a way to apply that firepower, things could get very bad, very quickly. We haven't given Ukraine the hardware the heavy weapons they need to stop an organised offensive, and Ukraine is burning through it's males at a good clip. But so far, so good.
By late
#15228429
Igor Antunov wrote:
Boom: https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodi ... 022-05-19/



China pays a lot less than the West for oil.

Further, building a new pipeline to send China more oil would take a decade. Thousand of miles through undeveloped land.

Lastly, while everybody is going to be hurt by inflation, we have advantages. Our domestic oil will hold down prices here.

On the other hand, we've thrown the Russian economy off a cliff. If you don't want to become a 3rd world country, just stop.

"What’s important about this second Russian setback is that it interacts with another big surprise: The remarkable — and, in some ways, puzzling — effectiveness, at least so far, of Western economic sanctions against the Putin regime, sanctions that are working in an unexpected way.

However, that can’t be the whole story, because Russia seems to have lost access to imports even from countries that aren’t imposing sanctions. Matt Klein of the blog The Overshoot estimates that in March, exports from allied democracies to Russia were down 53 percent from normal levels (and early indications are that they fell further in April). But exports from neutral or pro-Russian countries, including China, were down almost as much — 45 percent.

One final point: The effect of sanctions on Russia offers a graphic, if grisly, demonstration of a point economists often try to make, but rarely manage to get across: Imports, not exports, are the point of international trade."
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/19/opin ... raine.html
Last edited by late on 20 May 2022 10:16, edited 1 time in total.
#15228430
Ah yes the lost major general meme. Among other lies.

Have you noticed Russia isn't blasting all Ukrainian civil infrastructure, when it could? It isn't carpet bombing the capital, the government buildings, etc, when it could. It isn't hitting every bridge and warehouse in western ukraine, when it could. All things the US did and does in every war. It's because Russia doesn't want to fight ukraine, it is fighting the zelensky puppet and his backers.

This encapsulates things well.

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#15228432
late wrote:China pays a lot less than the West for oil.

Further, building a new pipeline to send China more oil would take a decade. Thousand of miles through undeveloped land.

Lastly, while everybody is going to be hurt by inflation, we have advantages. Our domestic oil will hold down prices here.

On the other hand, we've thrown the Russian economy off a cliff. If you don't want to become a 3rd world country, just stop.


Those pipelines have been under construction for years. The gas deal (not to be confused with oil) was signed back in 2016. And it's not stopping.

And no you threw your own economy off the cliff. Just came out EU is indeed trading euros for rubles directly which is driving up demand for rubles.
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Last edited by Igor Antunov on 20 May 2022 10:11, edited 1 time in total.
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