The Ukraine war thread

[George K]

I believe it's the HIMARS that gave Ukraine this ability to target the bridges.

The bridges are a big deal. Their destruction will make the Russians rely on long, and vulnerable supply lines - remember how that worked out in the North?

[Jolly]

Also a big deal is that the Ukranians have not destroyed all the bridges, but have rendered them unusable for tanks, armored vehicles and heavy trucks.

Unusable also means fixable, when people aren't shooting at you.

[Klaus]

@Jolly said in The Ukraine war thread:

Also a big deal is that the Ukranians have not destroyed all the bridges, but have rendered them unusable for tanks, armored vehicles and heavy trucks.

How do you make a bridge unusable but not destroy it?

[George K]

@Klaus by preventing heavy equipment from crossing it.

[George K]

[Jolly]

@Klaus said in The Ukraine war thread:

@Jolly said in The Ukraine war thread:

Also a big deal is that the Ukranians have not destroyed all the bridges, but have rendered them unusable for tanks, armored vehicles and heavy trucks.

How do you make a bridge unusable but not destroy it?

Crater it, punch holes in it, weaken the structure but don't drop it. Think the Ludendorff Bridge in WW2.

[George K]

Bombs away - from a drone.

[George K]

[Jolly]

https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-video-russian-troops-appear-to-castrate-ukrainian-war-prisoner/

[jon-nyc]

Jesus.

[Mik]

[Mik]

Take the winning shot, says this military guy. Unfortunately, short of putting US Navy ships in a position to be challenged by the Russian navy, he doesn't say much about how to do this.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/mr-president-take-the-winning-shot-in-ukraine-already/ar-AA10g9qA?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=6384930363a54086896191a20b067426

[Mik]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/the-ukrainian-army-just-blew-up-a-russian-ammo-train-the-fourth-of-the-war/ar-AA10ij5C?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=e9119916949c40f3b3c94f310c497d2e

[Renauda]

@Mik

It is imperative that Ukraine retake and hold Kherson. It will cut off the Russians from taking Odesa and denying the Ukrainians access to the Black Sea. It will also be a political victory since the region is primarily Russian speaking.

[jon-nyc]

[Renauda]

Last week Amnesty International published a report that sparked outrage from Kyiv over Ukrainian troops using civilians and civilian infrastructure as shields and military base points to fight the Russians. Here is a summary of the report and and reaction:

https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2022/aug/07/amnesty-international-ukraine-military-report-civilians

Yesterday, one of my Ukrainian diaspora associates emailed to me this rebuttal to the AI report. I know it’s a blog but it is nevertheless, well presented. If nothing else it shows what the Ukrainian defenders are up against in defending their country from the Russian invaders:

https://thinpinstripedline.blogspot.com/2022/08/we-sleep-safely-in-our-beds-because.html?m=1

[Renauda]

Amusing Russian disinformation although I am sure AI would buy it:

[Mik]

A hit on a Crimean air base.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/the-ukrainians-blew-up-a-russian-air-base-120-miles-from-the-front/ar-AA10uAlA?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=bcf1214e6e7f476caad8c7aebd12a5b8

[Renauda]

@Mik

Been following this since yesterday. There are some indications, albeit unconfirmed, that this may have been Ukrainian partisan action. Given the apparent extent of the attack I have my doubts although the Russian reaction downplaying the results of the attack lend some credence to the partisan claim. If true I wonder if Crimean Tatars were also involved?

[George K]

@Renauda said in The Ukraine war thread:

There are some indications, albeit unconfirmed, that this may have been Ukrainian partisan action

I've read that as well. However, others have questioned it, because of the three, almost simultaneous explosions/strikes.

It might be more complicated than "partisans."

Also, I've read that these bases were a major staging ground for the Russian offensive in the Donbas and other regions. If that's the case, well, perhaps the Russians might have sustained a major blow.

On another note, the British Ministry of Defence is saying that "recruitment" into the Russian army is reaching higher, perhaps more desperate levels. Russia is opening recruitment to men under the age of 50, and there's no need for graduation from a middle school education. Some sources have claimed 80K casualties (KIA and wounded). If that's the case, then, Putin's entry into Ukraine really re-defines "meat grinder."