I believe that I’ve seen numbers like that given as a projected total death count, after the war is completed (under some scenarios).
Note that there’s again serious talk about a NATO ally, like Poland, handing over warplanes. That’s also what you get from maximal demands - the “we can’t do that, but we can do this other thing” reaction.
Gen. Maj. Vitaly Gerassimov, chief of staff of the 41 Army, was killed in battle today. How do we know? Well, apparently, to disrupt communications, the Russians have been destroying cell phone towers.
Their practically brand-new, secure cryptophone system, guaranteed to work under all conditions, requires 3G/4G to communicate. Which isn’t available where they are operating because they’ve destroyed the cell phone towers. 2G is available, so they used a local SIM card with no encrypted communications to phone the report in to command in Tula. And because it wasn’t encrypted, everyone got to hear the conversation.
I like (US) MREs. Too many carbs for me nowadays, though. I recall the ones I was eating in the '90s were 3,000 kilocalories. I never ate the crackers, though. Those were not good eats.
I didn’t get the Nazi reference until you asked about the pronunction. I would pronounce it “not-zed” so it didn’t mean anything to me.
If you’re an adult man fighting and moving equipment in cold weather, you’re probably burning 5000 calories per day or more.
This is the same Turkey that has closed the straits to the Russian navy? And the Turkey that has been in an enemy-type relationship Russia since it was the Ottoman Empire? That Turkey?
There are so many possible points of failure that I can’t even guess which one led to this. It does emphasize the importance of pre-determined communication plans. It also warms the cockles of my cold, cold heart. 
The joke at the time was: there were some joint US–USSR military exercises. The Soviet general boasts to his colleague, “Our rations provide 2000 kilocalories each!” The American says, “Really? Our new rations are 3000 calories.” The Soviet general gives him a look and says, “You’re not telling the truth. Nobody can eat that many potatoes!”
ETA it was reported that, in Iraq, 1 French combat ration got you 5 US MREs in trade.
I’m sure the French rations are good, but that probably says more about the relative frequency than the relative tastiness. Anyone subsisting on them will want a change of pace at some point. The less common ones will command a higher “price” even for the same quality.
Interesting perspective on what the sanctions are capable of.
Doesn’t matter who does it. If someone offs Putin, the Russian state media would say it was done by the CIA or the Ukrainian nazis. Even if the Russian official they’re interviewing and getting that information from still has the smoking pistol in his hand.
MentourPilot is my favorite human.
I clicked on it and just got an Economist piece about health care.
Except that the media will stop being beholden to Putin, and start being beholden to the person who be holdin’ the smoking pistol.
Oh sure, but that person is not going to be a western supporter. Putin is too much cocooned for that to happen. He’s surrounded by those that share the same world view, just perhaps not so keen on a war that is destroying Russia’s economy.
What they always say (at least in fiction) is, “есть человек — есть проблема, нет человека — нет проблемы”
There is a person, there is a problem, no person, no problem
They don’t have to be a western supporter, they just have to be someone who realizes that Putin has blown it for everyone in Russia, and who is looking out for themselves. Whoever does this will want the sanctions lifted so they can profit from removing Putin. The messaging will be, “I’ve saved the Motherland (and the rest of the world, nudge nudge NATO) from the Modern StalinHitler! All praise to me, and let’s end that madman’s war before I get a bullet in the face too!”
Synopsis for those of us who prefer to read?