I did actually think about Japan as a target today, but I didn’t seriously think it would happen.
Russia should be kicked off the UN Security Council. Arguably, the Soviet Union’s role as a founding member ended when that entity dissolved. Russia has no right to such authority.
Paratroopers will be key in seizing Kiev. At least this plane of soldiers won’t be assisting in that operation.
Japan is considering the need to endorse sanctions against Russia. They recognize how Putin’s war could encourage similar action by China.
Russia will feel mounting international pressure as the war in the Ukraine drags on. Maybe a opposition movement will emerge in Russia? There’s already open criticism.
https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/live-updates-ukrainian-military-battles-064218025.html?src=rss
Not sure where to put this, but since it relates to the current situation I’ll post it here. [NB: It reads like fresh kale for Liberals; but we can dream, can’t we?]
That includes the Orange guy. Openly supporting Putin will erode his base. The war coverage from Ukraine is so brutal and sickening. Watching a emerging democracy torn apart is heart breaking.
No, it won’t. It will only convince them that we should let Putin be President.
Been there done that.
Why? Trumpists all believe Ukraine is an evil, corrupt den of snakes that exists to deny Trump what he wants and feed money to the Bidens. Putin = good, Ukraine = evil to them.
Reports that Ukraine has now shot down two paratrooper/armored vehicle transport planes, which could mean this is the greatest loss of life for Russian airborne forces since the 2nd Chechen War:
I’ve only read part way through this. Forgive me if this has already been covered… things are moving fast.
Can someone tell me what we see here in this video?* Is this an honest-to-goodness aerial dogfight? I thought those had gone the way of the musket.
*What are the specifics of who flew which way, and, did we see a air-2-air missile detonate? Aaannnd, is a Russian fighter-jet killed by a Ukrainian aircraft in this video?
IANA fighter pilot, but A) I think they’re too low for engaging each other; and B) I don’t think they’d just be doing circles in a real fight.
Morning in Kiev and it appears that the city has not yet fallen. Viva Ukraine!
I’m curious to see if Russia will use its Su-57 Felon and Su-75 Checkmate.
And although the U.S. certainly won’t do it, I would also like to see how enforcing a No-Fly Zone over Ukraine - the western half, at least - would work out. The main concern would be long-ranged Russian SAMs going against American tankers/AWACS.
I’m looking at the live feed right now and there’s traffic on that road past the victory column and no particular sounds but for the occasional raven.
Apparently this is computer simulated footage, not real.
Yes, in fact they claim to have repelled an attack against a local army base. I’m heartened by that report and the lack of reports of the Russians advancing very much overnight. Their bringing down a transport overnight is also heartening. Ukraine may not have much of an air force left, but Russia isn’t able to fly without risk.
Also, it doesn’t look like the feared movement to cut off Ukraine’s better equipped and trained forces in the east hasn’t gotten very far. So, at the moment the US DOD’s claims that the advance has stalled seem kind of believable.
I’d imagine Ukraine has a big morale advantage too. Defending your homeland against an unprovoked attack is as strong a motivation, and as high a moral ground, as one could want. Whereas invading a neighboring country that didn’t do anything is a hard motive to keep Russian troops dying and bleeding for.
I’m reading reports that a number of the Russian foot soldiers have been begging for food as the army hasn’t fed them in days, and that tanks are running out of fuel and trying to buy gas from the locals. One source is saying the Russians have suffered ~3500 casualties, a number which, if correct, means they’ve lost nearly as many soldiers in two days as the US lost in Iraq in 7 years.
If true, it would appear that Russia has woefully undersupplied its troops and was planning to shock-and-awe the Ukrainians into quick submission, and that they really weren’t prepared for mass resistance or a lengthy campaign.
Wow, where are you seeing that? It’s incredible, if true.
Could all be puffery, but if the sources reporting on the two downed transports are correct, that’s easily about 600 dead Russians right there.