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2022-03-20 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
Russia gets serious: over 100 Ukrainian recruits killed in hit on barracks, mopping up in Mariupol, Zelensky demanding peace
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Posted by Phuque Jutch1427 2022-03-20 00:49|| E-Mail|| Front Page|| [11133 views ]  Top

#1 The loss of so many promising young people. So very sad.
Posted by Besoeker 2022-03-20 03:05||   2022-03-20 03:05|| Front Page Top

#2 and the Russians 50 yrs from now will wonder why the Ukrainians hate them.
Posted by Frank G 2022-03-20 07:57||   2022-03-20 07:57|| Front Page Top

#3 The actual headline of the linked article is "Advance of Russian Forces in Ukraine Appears to Stall", and a sub-headline is "Vladimir Putin has used outlandish falsehoods to prop up his claim that the Ukraine invasion was justified".
Posted by Matt 2022-03-20 08:04||   2022-03-20 08:04|| Front Page Top

#4 "Mariupol set to fall as Russians sever Ukraine’s access to Sea of Azov"
"Strategic port city is now beyond help, admits adviser to Volodymyr Zelensky, as the Kremlin’s infantry, tanks and artillery roll in"
Posted by Spiter Glush2532 2022-03-20 08:18||   2022-03-20 08:18|| Front Page Top

#5 This was the accurate lead sentence a few hours ago. Guess the censors forced them to change it to fit the narrative - sort of like the CIA telling the nation in Oct-2020 that the pre-election true story about the Bidens' corruption "bears all the hallmarks of Russian disinformation":
"Russian forces made significant gains in Ukraine, advancing into the besieged port of Mariupol, destroying an underground weapons depot in the west and leaving a marine barracks in ruins"
Posted by Neville Elmaving8871 2022-03-20 08:26||   2022-03-20 08:26|| Front Page Top

#6 Land-bridge to Crimea nearly complete.
Posted by Besoeker 2022-03-20 08:27||   2022-03-20 08:27|| Front Page Top

#7 Russian airstrike 'hits Mariupol art school with 400 Ukrainians sheltering inside' as siege of city continues - and terrifying footage 'shows troops firing lung-busting thermobaric rockets'
Posted by Skidmark 2022-03-20 08:32||   2022-03-20 08:32|| Front Page Top

#8 A few minutes ago:
"Russia launches second 'hypersonic missile' attack: The weapon - known as Kinzhal, meaning dagger - hit a Ukrainian fuel depot near the Black Sea port of Mykolaiv, a Russian defence ministry official said. It is the second day in a row that Russia says it has used the missile, which is capable of striking targets 1,250 miles away at a speed 10 times the speed of sound."
Much more like this will follow now that Russians are finally using their hypersonic missiles
Posted by Neville Elmaving8871 2022-03-20 08:34||   2022-03-20 08:34|| Front Page Top

#9 What? Aren't the nazi hate rays strong enough to stop a silly missile?
Posted by M. Murcek 2022-03-20 08:37||   2022-03-20 08:37|| Front Page Top

#10 In terms of strategy this is no different from Operation Linebacker during the two weeks prior to the Jan-1973 Paris Peace Accords. The Russians are being very methodical and focused on their war aims in the East and along the coast in the South. They will keep crushing Ukraine with hypersonic missiles until they achieve their goals. They don't need to occupy Ukraine or even invade Kiev. From 2 hrs ago:
"Moscow and Kyiv are coming close to an agreement on "critical" issues regarding the invasion of Ukraine, according to the Turkish foreign minister. Mevlut Cavusoglu, who attended Ukraine-Russia talks in Antalya, added he was hopeful for a ceasefire if the two sides do not backtrack on this progress."
Posted by Neville Elmaving8871 2022-03-20 08:43||   2022-03-20 08:43|| Front Page Top

#11 This only ends with Zelensky stepping down and a Kremlin approved guy being installed. So everybody making money from supplies to Ukraine, everybody projecting themselves as champions of the globalist dream, everybody riding the madness to Russia-hating mass appeal and approval ratings, enjoy.
Posted by Cthulhu of Ryleh 2022-03-20 08:52||   2022-03-20 08:52|| Front Page Top

#12 The French are moving in to replace American and British companies that have exited Russia. Investors are snapping up Russian bonds. The ruble is going to rise and may even be backed by Russia's huge gold reserves. India's now accepting rubles as they buy Russian oil, arms, metals and other exports. Having and using hypersonic missiles changes everything.

A pity the Russians are so far ahead of us. Thanks to Lockheed's epic fails it will take us years to catch up to the Russians and Chinese
Posted by Glinemble Dark Lord of the Wee Folk7676 2022-03-20 09:16||   2022-03-20 09:16|| Front Page Top

#13 /\ Thanks #10.

Numbers 11 and 12, please return to your studies.
Posted by Besoeker 2022-03-20 10:05||   2022-03-20 10:05|| Front Page Top

#14 #12 is correct. Combine his information with #11's "Operation Linebacker" analysis and that explains why the Russian currency is almost back to where it was in February before the invasion. More missile strikes will strengthen Russia's negotiating position further and persuade more and more countries to avoid sanctions and do business with Russia.

China, India and France are on board already. Unsentimental nations that see through the propaganda are correctly judging that Russia's winning and that their missiles will bring this to a conclusion soon. Sort of like Britain and France abandoning support for the Confederacy after Sherman pounded the shit out of the South toward the end of the Civil War


Posted by Grusosing McGurque7114 2022-03-20 10:30||   2022-03-20 10:30|| Front Page Top

#15 -#2 Ukrainians hate Russians already, thanks to Uncle Joe and the famine, you know, the one the NY Slimes "reported on".
Posted by DooDahMan 2022-03-20 10:35||   2022-03-20 10:35|| Front Page Top

#16 108 Rubles to the dollar. Lie
Posted by Frank G 2022-03-20 10:38||   2022-03-20 10:38|| Front Page Top

#17 The ruble has been rising every day since March 8. It reached 95 the other day and will be back in the 80 range this week.
The ruble is backed by gold (and hypersonic missiles).

The Indians are going to accept rubles. The Chinese will too.
French majors are expanding their presence in Russia. Total is not withdrawing and France's version of Home Depot and Walmart are strong supporters of Russia.
Posted by Whearong the Low-priced1146 2022-03-20 10:49||   2022-03-20 10:49|| Front Page Top

#18 ^ Nothing says "financial confidence" like closing your stock market for three weeks. But hey, when it opens the Chinese and Indians willl bid it up, right?
Posted by Matt 2022-03-20 10:58||   2022-03-20 10:58|| Front Page Top

#19 "France will be Russia's savior!"
Posted by Frank G 2022-03-20 11:00||   2022-03-20 11:00|| Front Page Top

#20  #17 The ruble has been rising every day since March 8. It reached 95 the other day and will be back in the 80 range this week.

In other news, the chocolate ration has been increased from 5 grams to 3 grams.
Posted by SteveS 2022-03-20 11:02||   2022-03-20 11:02|| Front Page Top

#21 Ruble conversion rates. Pick one. Russian economy is trashing
Posted by Frank G 2022-03-20 11:05||   2022-03-20 11:05|| Front Page Top

#22 The French will make huge profits.

"The French retail tycoons behind Decathlon have been setting out plans for a major Russian expansion of their multi-billion euro DIY chain.

Leroy Merlin, owned by the Mulliez family - which with a €42bn (£35bn) fortune ranks among the richest on the planet - wants to fill the vacuum left by western rivals such as Ikea after they pulled out of Russia.

In a letter to suppliers, the bosses at the Russian arm of Leroy Merlin said that “sales have significantly increased” since the start of Mr Putin’s brutal military campaign.

The letter, seen by The Telegraph, reads: “Since the disappearance of certain companies from the market, we are open to your proposals on the increase of supply and the increase of your assortment of products.

“In the next three to four months we plan to fully replace imported products with those produced in Russia.”
Posted by Whearong the Low-priced1146 2022-03-20 11:06||   2022-03-20 11:06|| Front Page Top

#23 ^ So, Russians are standing in line at their banks trying to trade their Euros and dolllars for rubles? Is it possible that the supply of rubles will be exhausted?
Posted by Matt 2022-03-20 11:10||   2022-03-20 11:10|| Front Page Top

#24 Just watched the latest Task and Purpose YouTube video on the "Fog of War" in the Ukraine. The Ukrainian Army in the East has reached a decision point on whether to withdraw to the West while/if they can still move in order to maintain their combat power. The Russian holding attacks appear to have have fixed the Eastern Ukrainian units into place...and the encirclement/destruction of the Ukrainian military is the apparent objective. Hazards if Ukrainians stay near their depots and risk encirclement...and huge risk if the Ukrainians attack to the west to escape the encirclement and get bottled up crossing the river...only to fall in on an uncertain supply and ammo situation in the West. The Russians want them to move into the kill zones at the river, but if they stay they will be pounded by heavy artillery. A crisis is coming...Zelensky can see it.
Posted by Tennessee 2022-03-20 11:23||   2022-03-20 11:23|| Front Page Top

#25 The Mulliez family's stores (they're Europe's version of Walmart, Home Depot and a sporting goods giant) will use local suppliers. Their costs will be in rubles and their revenues will be in rubles.

The Mulliez family is worth $46 billion. 15th richest family in the world. They know their business. IKEA's Russian operation was a cash cow for that company. Now that IKEA's departing , Mulliez will clean up. No competition.
Posted by Whearong the Low-priced1146 2022-03-20 11:24||   2022-03-20 11:24|| Front Page Top

#26 ^ So, it's a good thing that a French company will be able to charge Russian consumers monopoly prices? Some economists would view that differently.
Posted by Matt 2022-03-20 11:40||   2022-03-20 11:40|| Front Page Top

#27 Something to watch:

Russian ruble to dollar exchange rate over the past two months
Friday 130.74342 RUB USD RUB rate for 3/18/2022
Thursday 130.55163 RUB USD RUB rate for 3/17/2022
Wednesday131.29339 RUB USD RUB rate for 3/16/2022
Tuesday 132.26508 RUB USD RUB rate for 3/15/2022
Monday 132.33844 RUB USD RUB rate for 3/14/2022
Friday 132.15595 RUB USD RUB rate for 3/11/2022
Thursday 131.26952 RUB USD RUB rate for 3/10/2022
Wednesday130.30892 RUB USD RUB rate for 3/9/2022
Tuesday 130.07843 RUB USD RUB rate for 3/8/2022
Monday 136.70994 RUB USD RUB rate for 3/7/2022
Friday 123.73144 RUB USD RUB rate for 3/4/2022
Thursday 109.93810 RUB USD RUB rate for 3/3/2022
Wednesday102.98087 RUB USD RUB rate for 3/2/2022
Tuesday 110.45433 RUB USD RUB rate for 3/1/2022
Monday 109.01300 RUB USD RUB rate for 2/28/2022
Friday 83.84154 RUB USD RUB rate for 2/25/2022
Thursday 84.77444 RUB USD RUB rate for 2/24/2022
Wednesday81.30191 RUB USD RUB rate for 2/23/2022
Tuesday 78.82736 RUB USD RUB rate for 2/22/2022
Monday 80.31931 RUB USD RUB rate for 2/21/2022
Friday 77.39246 RUB USD RUB rate for 2/18/2022
Thursday 76.15926 RUB USD RUB rate for 2/17/2022
Wednesday75.08927 RUB USD RUB rate for 2/16/2022
Tuesday 75.46769 RUB USD RUB rate for 2/15/2022
Monday 76.57488 RUB USD RUB rate for 2/14/2022
Friday 77.28465 RUB USD RUB rate for 2/11/2022
Thursday 75.03030 RUB USD RUB rate for 2/10/2022
Wednesday74.73956 RUB USD RUB rate for 2/9/2022
Tuesday 75.09469 RUB USD RUB rate for 2/8/2022
Monday 75.38730 RUB USD RUB rate for 2/7/2022
Posted by trailing wife 2022-03-20 11:40||   2022-03-20 11:40|| Front Page Top

#28 #25 "the next three to four months we plan to fully replace imported products with those produced in Russia.”
Imagine Home Depot saying the same thing about replacing imported products with those produced in America. When pigs fly
Posted by Bertie Ebbusoter9519 2022-03-20 12:06||   2022-03-20 12:06|| Front Page Top

#29 I am again reminded that little Rantburg and its few scores of regulars seem to draw a significant, high-end quality of FSB/GRU/unknown entitiy trolls with well researched and fluent observations undergird with psyops and propaganda done with skill and often a touch of humor. Why? Who reads RB that they are trying to influence?
Posted by NoMoreBS 2022-03-20 13:02||   2022-03-20 13:02|| Front Page Top

#30 ^ Putin. Gotta put on a good show for the boss. Hi Vlad!
Posted by Matt 2022-03-20 13:10||   2022-03-20 13:10|| Front Page Top

#31 Ref #29: ....high-end quality of FSB/GRU/unknown entity trolls with well researched and fluent observations undergird with psyops and propaganda done with skill and often a touch of humor.

Home-Grown Branden leftists, and/or bored Pro-Russian Cyber Open Source 'key word' analysts stumbling through UNCLAS content, leaving kak disturbing comments and provocations. Did I mention....Home-Grown ?

Read, seed comment, copy, forward to handlers for compensation. Then jump to next story or blog.

Few people do something...for nothing. We're in a PSYOPS enterprise zone. I have suspect the site has been monitored by the left for many years. It is now being exploited.



Posted by Besoeker 2022-03-20 13:36||   2022-03-20 13:36|| Front Page Top

#32 Much more like this will follow now that Russians are finally using their hypersonic missiles

Let them use them. Let them use them UP. How are they going to afford to replace them? They can't even afford good tires or basic communications. Plus, every time they fire one, the rest of the world gets a beautiful picture of their capabilities.

"Hypersonic" isn't the highest speed out there; US sensors and some of our new weapons systems operate just this side of the speed of light.
Posted by Rob Crawford 2022-03-20 14:39||   2022-03-20 14:39|| Front Page Top

#33 We're in a PSYOPS enterprise zone.

I expect the content is prepared, not original, and the posters are paid for...posts. Perhaps they can research the subject matter in their prepared/key indexed repository, but they are paid.
Posted by Skidmark 2022-03-20 14:46||   2022-03-20 14:46|| Front Page Top

#34 Plus, every time they fire one, the rest of the world gets a beautiful picture of their capabilities.

Testing and Evaluation of their own capabilities I guess. It looks like the Russians are learning lessons and applying them. They are firing incompetent generals and forcing the others to lead from the front, thus the high attrition rate amongst the two and three stars... And now they have NCOs and first line officers that know the deal and can improve their training base after this war is over.

We can't seem to fire the incompetent Generals, ever...and we have few that have led from the front since the first gulf war. And now the vax purge caused us to lose more qualified combat soldiers than what the losses Russians have likely suffered so far in combat...

I have hopes that we can learn lessons from this war, but from what I hear from my EUCOM friends we are little more than spectators. Same happened in Afghanistan, we didn't document the bad and realign to ensure it doesn't ever happen again...just covered it up. Same will happen here. I am depressed.

Austin and Milley need to go, as well as Jake Sullivan. Sullivan authored this set of disasters and Milley and Austin just set there playing with themselves.

Amen³
Posted by Tennessee 2022-03-20 14:58||   2022-03-20 14:58|| Front Page Top

#35 And all dem natural re-so-sahs.
Posted by DooDahMan 2022-03-20 14:59||   2022-03-20 14:59|| Front Page Top

#36 Seems the bulk of it was either site slander or to influence newcomers. Remember there at the beginning, long time viewers getting called trolls by noobs.

Rantburg has been on a list since at least 2003, when I heard a peer name it specifically as "a tool of the Neocons." First got called a Neocon back in 2001, as "Someone not totally against the Bush Regime and their manufactured crises to justify their war for profit!" But that was back when the radical leftists weren't fucking lazy internet surfers and had to physically ambush, or Bushwack, people at social gatherings in order to influence or at least silence the opposition. Mind you, the metal is still hot, "Just got kicked in the nuts on international TV, seems something should be done."
"Oh, you're one of those Neocons!" "Just here for the chicks and beer, man." "Yeah, only a fascist would drink Budllksthatbeer."

Worst was invited to go catch a game, 2003, stay at the apartment. Game was watched, pizza ordered, beer chilled, cards shuffled, and a steady rotation of these true believers trying to get me to denounce the whole thing, or at least stop shut up about it. One guy, "Hey, my little brother over there just turned 18 and wants to sign. You know people over there right now getting shot at, you know danger yourself, I need you to talk him out of it." Quite the pickle, honor friend's request to keep his brother safe and denounce, or break the friendship. In retrospect, didn't lose friends, but stopped being invited to events because I made them not fun, so did get separated from good friends but them, they can call me up right now and I'd be like, "Dude!"

Bushwacked. Look it up you tiktok zoomie pussies.
Posted by swksvolFF 2022-03-20 15:21||   2022-03-20 15:21|| Front Page Top

#37 Brandon Weichert @WeTheBrandon on Twitter:
"A reminder that the Western media is lying to you. Sadly, Russia is not losing anything. The slow, lumbering nature of Russia’s war machine continues advancing and Western media & intelligence types keep projecting their hopes/values onto the situation & getting it wrong. Again."
Posted by Bertie Hupinegum3710 2022-03-20 15:44||   2022-03-20 15:44|| Front Page Top

#38 I don't think many people here doubt that Russia has the leg up on Ukraine. That it wasn't over in 72 hours is not in any dispute at this point, and speculations on when / how it ends are legitimate matters of discussion, not propaganda.
Posted by M. Murcek 2022-03-20 15:47||   2022-03-20 15:47|| Front Page Top

#39 How would you like to be a Russian conscript doing a "quarantine and pacification" security sweep in Kyiv at night after you've destroyed the City, and you get separated from your "unit" down a dark alley pile of rubble, then you hear a noise...?

X100,000. Destroying is easier than occupying, which is even easier than governing without consent. Drink up!
Posted by Frank G 2022-03-20 15:57||   2022-03-20 15:57|| Front Page Top

#40 Definitely a winning team move...
Posted by M. Murcek 2022-03-20 16:03||   2022-03-20 16:03|| Front Page Top

#41 #40: Colonel-General Sergei Beseda, the head of the Fifth Service of the FSB intelligence service, and Beseda's deputy were being held under house arrest, according to a report by the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) non-partisan think tank.

"We put total confidence in our newly promoted #3, and political commissars to help 'expedite' interoffice communications and policies. Please use only OFFICIAL Communications"
Posted by Frank G 2022-03-20 16:07||   2022-03-20 16:07|| Front Page Top

#42 Russia's culling their herd of incompetent generals, same way Deng purged the PLA of Maoist hacks after China's war with Vietnam. Meanwhile, America's promoting hacks and policing pronouns
Posted by Pheretle Brown1887 2022-03-20 16:31||   2022-03-20 16:31|| Front Page Top

#43 ^ Can't argue with the second part of that at all. Hopefully, we won't wait until the fat's on the fire to change that.
Posted by M. Murcek 2022-03-20 16:33||   2022-03-20 16:33|| Front Page Top

#44 Honestly I think most rantburgers grew up with the idea that one day we'd face Russia. So watching Russia get face punched and kicked in the balls is just popcorn time for us. So we're just making popcorn and watching the game.
Posted by Silentbrick 2022-03-20 16:35||   2022-03-20 16:35|| Front Page Top

#45 #43 we won't wait until the fat's on the fire to change that.
Fear not, we will. Militaries never change until enough of the people that lead them are chased out or killed

Posted by Pheretle Brown1887 2022-03-20 16:38||   2022-03-20 16:38|| Front Page Top

#46 most rantburgers grew up with the idea that one day we'd face Russia. So watching Russia get face punched and kicked in the balls is just popcorn time for us.

That explains why there's so much dumb hopium and lame, shitty analysis at this site. "Dumb drunk and russophobic's a sorry way to go through life, son"
Posted by Pheretle Brown1887 2022-03-20 16:43||   2022-03-20 16:43|| Front Page Top

#47 /\ Indeed, nothing like seeing the neighborhood bully lose it on a curve and drive off into the woods. A problem of their own making, like so many other problems the Russian has endured.

Stay out of it. Assist with weapons acquisition, coms, intelligence, and chow. Order more Orville Rickenbacher, sit back and watch it unfold.
Posted by Besoeker 2022-03-20 16:44||   2022-03-20 16:44|| Front Page Top

#48 thanks, here's your...uhh *checks conversion* two cents 3 rubles
Posted by Frank G 2022-03-20 16:46||   2022-03-20 16:46|| Front Page Top

#49 #46....
Posted by Frank G 2022-03-20 16:47||   2022-03-20 16:47|| Front Page Top

#50 popcorn
I've immensely enjoyed the story about the Boogaloo Bois' adventures and the U.K. soldiers who brought their compromised +44 country code mobile phones to that training site. Darwin's having a field day with the "volunteers". Also enjoy watching the guy here who keeps getting the exchange rate curve upside down. Popcorn indeed
Posted by Pheretle Brown1887 2022-03-20 16:53||   2022-03-20 16:53|| Front Page Top

#51 #46 If you are so fired up about all this with all this stuff screaming, waving your fists and belly aching about everything, then do something. Run for office, become a mercenary, snort 5 pounds of meth, but do something. Because if you care so deeply and must do something, coming here to annoy us is never going to achieve whatever you have in mind. So if you really aren't just a troll, why are you here acting like we have to fix it?


Unless someone invades Texas, I have no dog in this fight. So I'm just going to enjoy the gallows humor of Russians getting panted. I have worked with many Russians and love them as a people. My wife has an amazing wool cloak and dress made by Russian small businesses. But I haven't forgotten that for 30 years of my life they were the enemy.
Posted by Silentbrick 2022-03-20 17:24||   2022-03-20 17:24|| Front Page Top

#52 My thinking is, you should be nice, or us dumb, lazy 'Muricans might find there's only so much we can do for two near peers (Russia, China) who are down on their luck at the same time. The way they are playing it, that's more than just a slight possibility.
Posted by M. Murcek 2022-03-20 17:27||   2022-03-20 17:27|| Front Page Top

#53 if you care so deeply and must do something
My motto is, "Don't just do something; stand there." A policy that would have served America far better than the dumb Barney Fife-ism that has characterized the last 30 years of US foreign policy.

I will cheerfully take arms against stupidity. I'm an equal-opportunity abuser of dunces. I have nothing against Russians or Ukrainians or Venusians, Georgians, Alabamans Pteradactyls or any of God's children
Posted by Pheretle Brown1887 2022-03-20 17:33||   2022-03-20 17:33|| Front Page Top

#54 Imagine where we might be today if someone had managed to make W understand that everything beyond toppling the Taliban back then was a non-starter in terms of long-term problems.
Posted by M. Murcek 2022-03-20 17:35||   2022-03-20 17:35|| Front Page Top

#55 /\ A 'non-starter' indeed. Perhaps, just perhaps people in Washington have learned something..... or is that just crazy talk ?
Posted by Besoeker 2022-03-20 17:38||   2022-03-20 17:38|| Front Page Top

#56 I like the handful of Russians I've met, and I agree with pretty much everyone here that we ought to keep our guys out of this. What amuses me about our trolls is their unwillingness to concede in the slightest way that things might not be working out quite the way Vlad had expected. This is straight out of Monty Python and the Black Knight ("The ruble's only good for toilet paper? Tis but a scratch...Nobody will do business with us? It's just a flesh wound...The Ukrainians will hate us for generations? They're all Nazis...")
Posted by Matt 2022-03-20 18:10||   2022-03-20 18:10|| Front Page Top

#57 or is that just crazy talk?

I'll go with something between "unrealistically optimistic" and "pretty much the exact opposite of the truth."
Posted by M. Murcek 2022-03-20 18:12||   2022-03-20 18:12|| Front Page Top

#58 things might not be working out quite the way Vlad had expected.
This is insight? You mean, like every war ever waged by humans anywhere?
Posted by Pheretle Brown1887 2022-03-20 18:13||   2022-03-20 18:13|| Front Page Top

#59 ^ But you can smell the naivety, I mean paid enthusiasm err...Russo-Chauvinist-Paranoia -Who-Are-You-To-Question? good intentions ;-)
Posted by Frank G 2022-03-20 18:16||   2022-03-20 18:16|| Front Page Top

#60 #58 Well then educate me -- how has the actual war differed from Vlad's expectations?
Posted by Matt 2022-03-20 18:31||   2022-03-20 18:31|| Front Page Top

#61 The use of "But what about yours?" isn't effective rebuttal. Why won't the Russian trolls at least concede that the Russian economy is going to feel this one for awhile?
Posted by Crusader 2022-03-20 18:47||   2022-03-20 18:47|| Front Page Top

#62 ^ The Russian economy. But not the ones they're subservient/pd by. Just the proles, they'll get their messaging as necessary
Posted by Frank G 2022-03-20 19:17||   2022-03-20 19:17|| Front Page Top

#63 Because any concession at all would open them up to the argumentum ad Lubyanka.
Posted by Matt 2022-03-20 19:18||   2022-03-20 19:18|| Front Page Top

#64 He said he wanted to demilitarize Ukraine - not occupy it, not rule it, not conquer it. Most importantly, he wanted to cleanse the east of the Ukrainian thugs who've terrorized the Donbas for 8 years, and build on this foundation to drive westward and secure a land bridge to Crimea. He's done so.

He wanted to encircle the Ukrainian armed forces and destroy them: he's doing so. As someone said yesterday, "Not a blitzkrieg but an anaconda." Slow, methodical, grinding, relentless. There is no evidence that there was ever another plan. Our "defense analysts" have largely beclowned themselves trying to argue otherwise - with what, telepathy?
Posted by Pheretle Brown1887 2022-03-20 19:21||   2022-03-20 19:21|| Front Page Top

#65 He'll "demilitarize" Ukraine if he has to kill every last one of them.
Posted by Besoeker 2022-03-20 19:25||   2022-03-20 19:25|| Front Page Top

#66 "He"

.
Posted by Frank G 2022-03-20 19:26||   2022-03-20 19:26|| Front Page Top

#67 cult?
Posted by Frank G 2022-03-20 19:27||   2022-03-20 19:27|| Front Page Top

#68 ^ So, everything's going according to plan. Got it. Thanks for the education.
Posted by Matt 2022-03-20 19:28||   2022-03-20 19:28|| Front Page Top

#69 ^ There is no evidence that there was ever another plan.

I would argue that this is Plan B and it *is* going rather well. When things jumped off, there were two special forces operations - a decapitation strike on the government and an attempt to seize Gostomel airport to create an air bridge for the assault on Kiev. Both failed. Ha-ha stupid Rus, right? Maybe not. Maybe more like heads I win/tails you lose.

If either of these ops were successful, it would give Russia a quick lead in the game, like throwing a Hail Mary on the first play. But even if they fail, both ops tie down troops and resources that are needed elsewhere which gives the Russians a bigger jump in the north, east, and especially the south. That is the main course. The airport and the government were just gravy.

I believe the failure of "Plan A" to achieve its primary goals is the source of the "Russians expected the Ukrainians to roll over" meme.
Posted by SteveS 2022-03-20 20:10||   2022-03-20 20:10|| Front Page Top

#70 FWIW Rantburg has been a long established relatively reliable source of info and opinion. It’s pinged by many contractors, Tier 1 and others operating down range to pick up relevant tidbits that aren’t available in MSM. It’s reasonable to presume that foreign intel groups do the same. Just one of several places to visit daily to get a read on what the hot topics of the day are perceived to be
Posted by Chavique Shailing8846 2022-03-20 20:16||   2022-03-20 20:16|| Front Page Top

#71 They should have a beer and a shot with me, then. We can split the bill..
Posted by Frank G 2022-03-20 20:55||   2022-03-20 20:55|| Front Page Top

#72 Perhaps the most insightful thread to the Rantburg Community collective mindset I have seen in all my years here. Thanks my friends, and for the trolls, always fun to see the reasoning of the other side, it confirms my faith in mine, raggedy-assed and grizzled though some of us are these days...!
Posted by NoMoreBS 2022-03-20 21:10||   2022-03-20 21:10|| Front Page Top

#73 Thread set as a Classic, so it will be findable later. Well discoursed, y’all.
Posted by trailing wife 2022-03-20 22:03||   2022-03-20 22:03|| Front Page Top

#74  Rantburg has been on a list since at least 2003, when I heard a peer name it specifically as "a tool of the Neocons."

And Fred only started seriously posting in 2002. A very quick climb up the accomplishment curve!
Posted by trailing wife 2022-03-20 22:42||   2022-03-20 22:42|| Front Page Top

#75 Most importantly, he wanted to cleanse the east of the Ukrainian thugs who've terrorized the Donbas

Did he ever finish cleaning out the Pankisi Gorge in Georgia? We haven’t been playing close attention to that part of the world recently, so I’ve lost track. Just for a baseline for the current cleansing effort, you see.
Posted by trailing wife 2022-03-20 22:48||   2022-03-20 22:48|| Front Page Top

#76 La historia m'absolvera
Posted by Pheretle Brown1887 2022-03-20 23:47||   2022-03-20 23:47|| Front Page Top

23:59 Zenobia Clesh7431
23:58 Zenobia Clesh7431
23:47 Pheretle Brown1887
23:19 DarthVader
23:06 trailing wife
22:53 trailing wife
22:48 trailing wife
22:42 trailing wife
22:03 trailing wife
21:55 trailing wife
21:54 Glenmore
21:44 DooDahMan
21:37 Bob Poodle7892
21:30 Canuckistan sniper
21:29 Bob Poodle7892
21:10 NoMoreBS
21:09 SteveS
20:55 Frank G
20:49 Canuckistan sniper
20:47 Canuckistan sniper
20:44 Canuckistan sniper
20:41 Canuckistam sniper
20:38 Rambler in Virginia
20:16 Chavique Shailing8846
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