Ukraine Conflict - Continues

[Gorth]

Not the video I was looking for, but an interesting take on Putin, economy and possible futures for those involved

Edit: Also not the video I was looking for and it's possible it has been posted in this thread before, but I thought it a good insight into the true state of Russian gear

Edit2: Found the video I was originally looking for

 

[Zoraptor]

1 hour ago, Gorth said:

Edit: Also not the video I was looking for and it's possible it has been posted in this thread before, but I thought it a good insight into the true state of Russian gear

They could have picked a better ytimg since there ain't nothing wrong with a Mosin Nagant, so long as they're used for the right job and have a scope rather than ironsights. They're far more accurate over considerably longer distances than most ARs- which aren't really designed for accuracy but rof- and unlike other similar era rifles use a cartridge that is still widely available in the 7.62x54. Indeed, it's still used by the highly regarded Dragunov/ SVD series of sniper rifles as well as medium machine guns (not just infantry weapons like the PKM but also including those on most tanks/ ifvs etc).

You wouldn't particularly want to be sitting in a trench facing a stereotypical human wave attack using only a M N since it's bolt action and thus has a slow as treacle firing rate, but if you're sitting further back picking targets off in a trench they're as good as many and better than most. They'll also penetrate most body armour set ups, and at decent range- which isn't true of 5.45 AR rounds.

Mosin Nagants are also being used by Ukraine extensively for similar reasons- along with Maxim guns, designed even earlier and using the same round.

[BruceVC]

4 hours ago, Gorth said:

Not the video I was looking for, but an interesting take on Putin, economy and possible futures for those involved

Edit: Also not the video I was looking for and it's possible it has been posted in this thread before, but I thought it a good insight into the true state of Russian gear

Edit2: Found the video I was originally looking for

 

I watched the Peter Zeihan video, interesting insights and he makes several points I agree with like how this invasion is about one thing only, an attempt to recreate the old Soviet borders. 

Not a very positive view of future of Russia, interesting prediction about it breaking up into smaller states and how Putin is responsible for pruning capable leadership 

 

[Lexx]

There is just one point that irks me a bit - "they never had the money to build a road network" .. maybe they would have, with less corruption and shoveling all that money into their yachts and palaces.

Edited April 12, 2023 by Lexx

[BruceVC]

9 minutes ago, Lexx said:

There is just one point that irks me a bit - "they never had the money to build a road network" .. maybe they would have, with less corruption and shoveling all that money into their yachts and palaces.

What I also found  interesting is the $500 billion of Yuan assets Russia bought but they couldnt recognize this into liquidity when needed. I wonder what he was referring to? 

[Gorth]

56 minutes ago, BruceVC said:

I watched the Peter Zeihan video, interesting insights and he makes several points I agree with like how this invasion is about one thing only, an attempt to recreate the old Soviet borders. 

Not a very positive view of future of Russia, interesting prediction about it breaking up into smaller states and how Putin is responsible for pruning capable leadership 

 

I'm guilty of some confirmation bias on that one... because he pretty much predicts Russia after Putin the way I predicted Russia before Putin. I.e. breaking up in a number of states run by warlords and oligarchs, all armed with medium and long range nukes and always warring with each other and their neighbours. Which is why I was for a long time generally sympathetic towards Putin and his iron hand rule, presumably leaving one hand on the red destroy all life button rather than 30 pairs with each their own button, motives, grudges and grievances. At least it looked like that's where it was headed back then, as Yeltzin steered Russia towards total disintegration in his perma-drunk state.

[Malcador]

https://www.reuters.com/world/south-korea-lend-500000-rounds-artillery-shells-us-report-2023-04-12/

Artillery shells are the new currency.

[Mamoulian War]

First arbitration of Ukraine against Russian Federation in Hague has concluded. Ukraine’s Naftogaz was awarded 5 billion USD for the economical damage, they incired after Russia annexed Crimea.

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/04/13/7397683/

[Malcador]

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/big-us-intelligence-leak-was-by-gun-enthusiast-20s-washington-post-2023-04-13/

I guess these days clout seeking is a motivation to leak info.

[Keyrock]

On 4/11/2023 at 10:03 PM, Zoraptor said:

They could have picked a better ytimg since there ain't nothing wrong with a Mosin Nagant, so long as they're used for the right job and have a scope rather than ironsights. They're far more accurate over considerably longer distances than most ARs- which aren't really designed for accuracy but rof- and unlike other similar era rifles use a cartridge that is still widely available in the 7.62x54. Indeed, it's still used by the highly regarded Dragunov/ SVD series of sniper rifles as well as medium machine guns (not just infantry weapons like the PKM but also including those on most tanks/ ifvs etc).

You wouldn't particularly want to be sitting in a trench facing a stereotypical human wave attack using only a M N since it's bolt action and thus has a slow as treacle firing rate, but if you're sitting further back picking targets off in a trench they're as good as many and better than most. They'll also penetrate most body armour set ups, and at decent range- which isn't true of 5.45 AR rounds.

Mosin Nagants are also being used by Ukraine extensively for similar reasons- along with Maxim guns, designed even earlier and using the same round.

The hasn't been any major advance in firearms in well over a century. There were 3 big breakthroughs in firearm design that caused a paradigm shift that all happened within 10 or 15 years of each other at the tail end of the 19th century: Smokeless powder, self-loading action, and spritzer bullets. It took some 20 or 30 years for people to figure out how to best implement these advances, but since then not much has changed. The biggest improvements have been in optics, but there's nothing stopping anyone from mounting a modern optic on an old gun. It might be inconvenient because old guns don't come standard with picatinny rails, but it's doable. Other than that, the use of polymers has allowed guns to be lighter, but beyond that not much of anything has changed. You could put a Sturmgewehr from WW2 into action right now and, ignoring the logistics of supplying your troops with 8mm Kurz ammo, it would be a perfectly serviceable combat rifle today. Similarly, the Mosin Nagant's biggest downside is, as you stated, that it's bolt action. Other than that, it's a perfectly functional gun.

[BruceVC]

5 hours ago, Mamoulian War said:

First arbitration of Ukraine against Russian Federation in Hague has concluded. Ukraine’s Naftogaz was awarded 5 billion USD for the economical damage, they incired after Russia annexed Crimea.

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/04/13/7397683/

Nice and it makes sense, once the war is over some of the $300 billion of frozen Russian foreign reserve can be used to help rebuild Ukraine especially considering how the Ruskies have deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure 

[Mamoulian War]

A little bit more about Russian military recruitment

 

[BruceVC]

18 hours ago, Malcador said:

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/big-us-intelligence-leak-was-by-gun-enthusiast-20s-washington-post-2023-04-13/

I guess these days clout seeking is a motivation to leak info.

They need to throw the book at him and I hope he spends at least 20 years in jail 

This cavalier attitude towards national security from people responsible for protecting that national security needs to end 

[BruceVC]

On 4/12/2023 at 7:35 AM, Gorth said:

I'm guilty of some confirmation bias on that one... because he pretty much predicts Russia after Putin the way I predicted Russia before Putin. I.e. breaking up in a number of states run by warlords and oligarchs, all armed with medium and long range nukes and always warring with each other and their neighbours. Which is why I was for a long time generally sympathetic towards Putin and his iron hand rule, presumably leaving one hand on the red destroy all life button rather than 30 pairs with each their own button, motives, grudges and grievances. At least it looked like that's where it was headed back then, as Yeltzin steered Russia towards total disintegration in his perma-drunk state.

I meant to comment on this earlier but I have  had work pressures

I respect the fact that you  have been able to change your initial  and more sympathetic views towards Putin and the direction he is taking Russia. Because I do remember the original reasons you had sympathy for Putin and it made sense as he prevented Russia becoming a Communist country again or failed state  under Yeltzin  and I understand that 

Its sometimes difficult to change our views on these types of realities but it demonstrates integrity and ideological consistency to be able to do that 

[bugarup]

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65271302

The leaker was arrested, he's an unbelievable moron and this whole incident one day will provide comic relief for far future TV series about this war. In present time it's a bit less funny; here's hoping people leaking russia's secrets won't get exposed. 

[BruceVC]

28 minutes ago, bugarup said:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65271302

The leaker was arrested, he's an unbelievable moron and this whole incident one day will provide comic relief for far future TV series about this war. In present time it's a bit less funny; here's hoping people leaking russia's secrets won't get exposed. 

@majestic good news, he is not part of the radical left but is apparently  linked to right-wing extremist ideology 

He is clearly naughty 

 

[Malcador]

6 hours ago, BruceVC said:

They need to throw the book at him and I hope he spends at least 20 years in jail 

This cavalier attitude towards national security from people responsible for protecting that national security needs to end 

Probably will get a heavy sentence.  Surprised not hearing more "he cost X Ukrainian lives", but I guess that's forthcoming.

[Mamoulian War]

Seems like Girkin has used up all of his free passes, and they started to “investigate” him for discrediting of world’s second army

 

[Mamoulian War]

It didn’t take long, and Girkin himself denied this assumptiom. He is definitelly protected by someone very high.

[Mamoulian War]

This one is pretty interesting. Prigozhin sugested, that Russia should stop war and declare all objectives of SMO as fulfilled.

 

 

[kanisatha]

1 hour ago, Mamoulian War said:

This one is pretty interesting. Prigozhin sugested, that Russia should stop war and declare all objectives of SMO as fulfilled.

 

This has been and remains my prediction for how Russia "ends" the war: declare their objectives to be accomplished and unilaterally demand that Ukraine stop fighting Russia and accept the new status quo, and threatening nuclear escalation if Ukraine refuses to accept.

[Gfted1]

Its probably just me, but it seems counterintuitive to conduct an interview in front of a graveyard full of your troops that stretches as far as the eye can see.

[Lexx]

Not sure if Ukraine would even agree to that. As far as I am aware, they still want to take back their lost territory.

[pmp10]

9 hours ago, Mamoulian War said:

This one is pretty interesting. Prigozhin sugested, that Russia should stop war and declare all objectives of SMO as fulfilled.

 

 

Might be the first public feeler from Russia about freezing the war.
But for now it is coming pretty far from the Kremlin.

Does anyone know how this was taken in Russia?

Edited April 15, 2023 by pmp10

[xzar_monty]

20 hours ago, kanisatha said:

This has been and remains my prediction for how Russia "ends" the war: declare their objectives to be accomplished and unilaterally demand that Ukraine stop fighting Russia and accept the new status quo, and threatening nuclear escalation if Ukraine refuses to accept.

Given the current legislation and general atmosphere in Russia, Putin may declare anything he wants as victory and carry on: there will be no repercussions on a general level. (But then, there almost never are in Russia -- heck, if only Russians were as prone to demonstrate as the French.)

I even read one historian of Eastern Europe claim that were Putin to declare the Ukrainians as friends of Russia, Russian citizens would be seen carrying Ukrainian flags and declaring their love for Ukraine in a matter of weeks. Impossible to demonstrate, of course (as it won't happen), but doesn't sound too implausible. [And no, I am not suggesting that the Russians are a unique group in this regard.]

Edited April 16, 2023 by xzar_monty