# Russia invades Ukraine -- The regional situation **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** ukraine-invasion\ **Created:** [December 30, 2023, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349 "2023-12-30T18:43:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 42
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/822 "2024-12-22T23:56:34Z")
Well, a MOAB can apparently cover a 1 mile radius, so use two. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/823 "2024-12-23T01:02:35Z")
Is that the “probably kill everything” radius, or the “can kill if you’re unlucky” radius? Because a single piece of shrapnel can travel pretty far. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/824 "2024-12-23T03:29:35Z")
It seems that’s the “obliterates everything” radius. I can’t find anything official, but this footage seems to show it’s a lot more more than a few yards, you can see the blast wave travel across the river and out of frame. I’ve seen claims it can damage buildings and vehicles at that range with its pressure wave, I don’t think squishy meat is going to fare well. [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/b/b4/Aerial\_Footage\_of\_MOAB\_Bomb\_Striking\_Cave%2C\_Tunnel\_System.webm/Aerial\_Footage\_of\_MOAB\_Bomb\_Striking\_Cave%2C\_Tunnel\_System.webm.720p.vp9.webm](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/b/b4/Aerial_Footage_of_MOAB_Bomb_Striking_Cave%2C_Tunnel_System.webm/Aerial_Footage_of_MOAB_Bomb_Striking_Cave%2C_Tunnel_System.webm.720p.vp9.webm) ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/825 "2024-12-23T04:59:19Z")
One limitation of an air-fuel bomb I hadn’t thought of initially is apparent in that video, though. You can clearly see the mountains shape the blast wave. So, it’s limited to smaller areas in mountainous terrain. I imagine you could set it to go off higher in that situation, but of course that would make the lethal area smaller. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/826 "2024-12-23T15:10:50Z")
And of course the other limitation is that a MOAB is friggin’ huge, and needs to be delivered by a large, slow-moving aircraft that’d be an easy target in a war like this. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/827 "2024-12-23T15:56:12Z")
Yeah, there is that pesky aspect of air superiority to work out. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2024, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/828 "2024-12-23T16:58:23Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > Hehe, and I’d be shot, because I wouldn’t know the answer. It’s pretty likely the 1944 version of you would though. ---
**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:** [December 23, 2024, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/829 "2024-12-23T17:34:18Z")
I don’t see many articles critical of the Ukraine strategy. Forbes publishes a lot of war news supporting Ukraine. But, these are questions that need to be asked. Link [‘Rotting’ Ukrainian Command May Have Sent Troops To Pointlessly Die](https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2024/12/22/collapsing-and-rotting-ukrainian-chain-of-command-may-have-sent-troops-to-pointlessly-die-in-zaporizhzhia-oblast/) > [@](#): > > Why are the Ukrainians risking lives and resources on a comparatively meaningless action in a sector that’s a relative backwater, when critical Ukrainian strongpoints in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast are under [relentless Russian assault](https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2024/12/20/ukraines-last-few-m-1-abrams-tanks-are-fighting-kursk-and-may-have-engaged-north-korean-troops/)? Shouldn’t [every available soldier](https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2024/12/21/ukraines-first-all-robot-assault-force-just-won-its-first-battle/) and weapon be heading east? Why aren’t the Ukrainian regional commands prioritizing the right brigades in the right sectors? ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2024, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/830 "2024-12-24T05:00:20Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > > [@scabpicker](#): > > > > Hehe, and I’d be shot, because I wouldn’t know the answer. > > It’s pretty likely the 1944 version of you would though. True, with only one real professional league to know about (no NFL, no NBA, and the NHL is a far-off league of a strange sport relative to Texas), I’d probably only have to keep track of the World Series winners and the Indy 500, maybe boxing champs. ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2024, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/831 "2024-12-25T01:25:21Z")
This is interesting [Why Ukraine’s FPV Drones are a Russian Soldier’s Nightmare](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWxUt41DlB4) ---
**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:** [December 25, 2024, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/832 "2024-12-25T01:38:25Z")
22 minute video. Summary? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2024, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/833 "2024-12-26T00:43:23Z")
There’s been speculation that the recent Azerbaijani airliner crash was caused by the jet having been hit by a Russian missile. If true, this could turn PR further against Russia, in the central Asian region. It would also surely give Russia the record-holder title in most airliners shot down (KAL007, MH17, and now this) ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2024, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/834 "2024-12-26T12:31:37Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > 22 minute video. Summary? Sorry. It explains how the drones are built and used. Generally two man teams. One drone is the weapon (carries a bomb or RPG shell or whatever). Then the other drone is the ‘spotter’. Flies higher, has a better camera. They are not difficult to shoot down, but it doesn’t matter. They are cheap. A real nightmare for Russia. These are very, very accurate. Hitting specific parts of a tank, or flying in open doors. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2024, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/835 "2024-12-26T13:30:18Z")
Confirmed, the Russians shot down the airliner: [https://www.euronews.com/2024/12/26/exclusive-preliminary-investigation-confirms-russian-missile-over-grozny-caused-aktau-cras](https://www.euronews.com/2024/12/26/exclusive-preliminary-investigation-confirms-russian-missile-over-grozny-caused-aktau-cras) Evidently the plane was having trouble, and indicated the need for an emergency landing. The Russians tried to prevent this, and when the airliner went to land anyway, the Russians killed them. Criminal regime at all levels. Just unforgivable. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2024, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/836 "2024-12-26T14:25:19Z")
Isn’t that an act of war? Azerbaijan might not be eager to take action based on that, but do they have any significant allies? ---
**Author:** ![TemporalFix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c6cbf5/32.png) [@TemporalFix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TemporalFix)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2024, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/837 "2024-12-26T14:46:26Z")
If, as reported, the shooting happened at Grozny, Chechnya, that is part of Russia itself. It’s not like shooting a plane above Azerbaijan. ---
**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:** [December 26, 2024, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/838 "2024-12-26T14:49:19Z")
Is it surprising that there haven’t been many reports of Ukraine using long range ATACMS? There were a couple long range attacks in November after Biden changed US policy. I thought Russian bases and supply depots would be on the target list? Ukraine needs to act soon, especially after Russia attacked Ukraine’s power grid on Christmas. Ukraine should consider a similar strike in Russia. ---
**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:** [December 26, 2024, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/839 "2024-12-26T17:20:20Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Isn’t that an act of war? Azerbaijan might not be eager to take action based on that, but do they have any significant allies? Azerbaijan and Russia have something of a modus vivendi. Relations aren’t always awesome, but Russia basically gave tacit approval to Azerbaijan’s successful 2020 war with Armenia and the two continue to have close economic ties. Ukraine has accused Azerbaijan of evading sanctions and one of Azerbaijan’s oil pipelines runs through Russia to terminate at Novorossiysk on the Black Sea coast. War is very unlikely. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2024, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/840 "2024-12-26T17:29:10Z")
Maybe not outright war, but this probably will result in Azerbaijan being less friendly to Russia in the future, which could also hurt Russia. They need as many ~~friends~~ ~~allies~~ lackeys as they can get right now. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2024, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/841 "2024-12-26T19:41:08Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Is it surprising that there haven’t been many reports of Ukraine using long range ATACMS? Let me recommend _The War Zone_ for better coverage of Ukraine and other hot spots. Multiple links there to other sites as well as videos and stills. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349.md?page=41) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349.md?page=43)