# Russia invades Ukraine {2022-02-24} (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Tags:** ukraine-invasion, breaking-news\ **Created:** [February 24, 2022, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037 "2022-02-24T08:30:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 352
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2022, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/7085 "2022-08-11T13:13:13Z")
Concerning the Crimean airbase attack, BDA shows three distinct craters. This looks like the work of long range munitions. The question is how did Ukraine come into possession of this capability? There’s speculation they may may converted missiles in their inventory that are intended for other purposes such as Neptune anti-ship or s-300 anti-air missiles. [Satellite pictures show devastation at Russian air base in Crimea | Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/world/ukraine-suggests-partisans-behind-blasts-russian-airbase-crimea-2022-08-10/) This should give the orcs pause. Imagine the resources they’re going to have to expend to reconfigure their air defense assets and strategy. Going to have to spread assets over a much wider area to defend. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2022, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/7086 "2022-08-11T16:45:27Z")
> [@Cardigan](#): > > The question is how did Ukraine come into possession of this capability? Could potentially be [domestic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hrim-2), though nobody really seems sure. ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2022, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/7087 "2022-08-11T17:09:39Z")
We, of course, don’t know for certain what happened yet, but I saw an interesting analysis from a US Army combat veteran, who argues I thought rather convincingly, that based on the pattern of damage we see, the destruction of the air base was very likely done on the ground by either partisans and/or special forces. [Satellite Pics Tell EXACTLY What Happened to Russian Airbase! Ukraine Front Update 8 11 2022 - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJuz8qO4sJs) If the attack was pulled off by partisans or spec. forces this presents Russia with an equally big headache in terms of having to devote significantly more manpower to security in rear areas at a time when it’s already struggling to keep enough troops at the front line. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2022, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/7088 "2022-08-11T17:52:50Z")
Gosh, whoda thunk it. It’s like your typical Ukranian isn’t wanting to be dragged back into the Great Russian empire. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2022, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/7089 "2022-08-11T22:57:40Z")
Whoops. It happened again. 😉 I won’t be totally convinced until its confirmed with satellite photos. > [@](#): > > The Belaruski Hayun and Flagshtok Telegram channels quoted witnesses on August 11 as saying at least eight blasts were heard and flashes were seen near the Zyabrauka military airport in the southeastern Homel region of Belarus overnight. The base is some 30 kilometers from the border with Ukraine > **[Explosions Rock Military Airport In Belarus Days After Crimea Air Base Attack](https://www.rferl.org/a/crimea-airbase-attack-explosions-airbase-belarus/31983410.html)** > > Several explosions have been reported in an area of Belarus near a military airport that Ukrainian authorities say has been used by the Russian Air Force to attack Ukrainian territory. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/7090 "2022-08-12T01:54:34Z")
Re the Russian explanation for the explosions in the Crimea: > Russia’s Defense Ministry has denied the Saky base in Crimea was attacked, blaming the explosions on a “violation of fire-safety requirements.” They’ve really got to teach their air crews that they can’t smoke while re-fueling. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/7091 "2022-08-12T09:27:18Z")
Zero days since our last accident. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/7092 "2022-08-12T11:39:52Z")
Goes without saying that an attack on Belarus would be unlikely to be Ukraine’s doing as they certainly don’t want to drag the Belarussians into the war. But Russia has already created a couple of minor false flag incidents in Belarus hoping to draw them in. While I’m here I heard this variation of a classic Soviet joke: > A man is on a street corner in Moscow yelling “The president is an idiot“ > > Police surround him and handcuff him. They say “it is illegal to insult President Putin” > > He says “You don’t understand I mean the Ukrainian president, Zelensky, he is the one I was insulting “ > > The police captain says “you can’t fool us, everyone knows who the idiot is.” ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/7093 "2022-08-12T14:14:58Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > Goes without saying that an attack on Belarus would be unlikely to be Ukraine’s doing as they certainly don’t want to drag the Belarussians into the war. But Russia has already created a couple of minor false flag incidents in Belarus hoping to draw them in. Another possibility is that it’s the work of Belarussian saboteurs sympathetic to Ukraine. Lukashenko may be all pro-Putin, but the Belarussian public in general is opposed to the conflict. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/7094 "2022-08-12T14:20:01Z")
It could be a demonstration to Lukashenko. “We are opposed to the war and will sabotage the shit out our military if necessary.” ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/7095 "2022-08-12T18:40:17Z")
_“Good evening, we are from Ukraine”._ Interesting capture of Russian soldier: > ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/7096 "2022-08-13T11:50:31Z")
The attack on the air base was more important than initially thought. > **[Ukraine war: Crimea blasts significantly hit Russian navy - UK](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62517367)** > > The Ministry of Defence says the blasts have "significantly degraded" Moscow's Black Sea Fleet. > [@](#): > > The loss of eight combat jets will make only a minor dent in Moscow’s overall fleet of aircraft, but will be a significant setback to the Russian Navy’s Black Sea fleet, it says. > > “The fleet’s naval aviation capability is now significantly degraded,” the ministry adds. > > The Saky fleet is used to engage Ukrainian fighters in southern Ukraine and probably carries out assessment work further east. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/7097 "2022-08-13T12:29:59Z")
> > ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/7098 "2022-08-13T16:20:04Z")
> [@aceplace57 quoting the Beeb](#): > > The Minitry of Defence says the blasts have “significantly degraded” Moscow’s Black Sea Fleet. Uh, boo fucking hoo. How about basing the fleet somewhere than in territory you seized eight years ago? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/7099 "2022-08-13T16:59:10Z")
I think that’s the British Ministry of Defence being quoted. The Russian Ministry of Defence is saying everything’s just fine, thanks. There was a minor fire. Move along now, nothing to see. > **[The Russian Federation explained the explosions at the airfield in Crimea as...](https://news.yahoo.com/russian-federation-explained-explosions-airfield-170339572.html)** > > OLENA ROSHCHINA - TUESDAY, 9 AUGUST 2022, 20:03 Fire safety violation' - in Russia they call it the main reason for the explosion of ammunition at the Saky airfield in the occupied Crimea. Source: Russian state-owned news agency TASS with reference... ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/7100 "2022-08-13T18:13:05Z")
My comment still stands, changing ‘you’ to ‘they’ where applicable. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/7101 "2022-08-13T19:10:59Z")
I didn’t know the destroyed aircraft were supporting the Black Sea navy. Whatever attacks that hurts Russia is a step in the right direction. ---
**Author:** ![Kedikat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kedikat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kedikat)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/7102 "2022-08-13T21:02:44Z")
I personally think that it was either professional Ukraine forces that blew that shit up, or Ukraine resistance folks. The Russian explanations of it being an accident only add the tiniest percentage of doubt. Similar to the missile ship that got sunk, I think by the Ukrainians. Operations got too lax and , BOOM. Shit happens. But this was something that would definitely be desired and attempted. In itself, it may not be a major blow. But it will have ripple effects. Requiring more personnel and complicated methodology. A lot of asses will also be severely kicked, demoted, etc… Like the HIMARS, this will cause the Russians to do a lot of extra work. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2022, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/7103 "2022-08-13T21:31:39Z")
> [@Kedikat](#): > > this will cause the Russians to do a lot of extra work. What’s the old Soviet joke? ‘We pretend to work, and they pretend to pay us.’ ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2022, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/7104 "2022-08-14T00:25:56Z")
How do you damage a bridge on top of a dam? Without risking the dam and flooding if things go wrong? I’ve driven over dams on vacations. The roadway is narrower than the bridge. Cutting off troops from supplies and reinforcements will be a big strategic advantage. > **[Ukraine says it has taken out vital bridge in occupied Kherson](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62533670)** > > Ukrainian forces attacked the bridge as part of its counter-offensive in the occupied Kherson region. > [@](#): > > It says the bridge on the dam at Nova Kakhovka - which it has attacked before - is now impassable. The claim has not been independently verified. > > It comes just weeks after the key Antonivsky Bridge [was put out of action by Ukrainian forces.](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-62328682) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037.md?page=351) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037.md?page=353)