Russia Invades Ukraine XIX

The main point in this is that Ukranian strikes have already diminshed Russian refined petroleum production for their domestic and foreign markets. Due to sanctions Russia is already relying on largely uninsured "shadow fleet " to ship their petroleum products at a highly discounted price. Refining capacity is the bottle neck for petroleum production world wide including the US. Reducing Russia's ability to produce refined products and their petroleum revenue plummets due to the "spark spread" . Support Ukraine's ability to strike strategic targets in Russia as long as Russia continues to strike civilian targets in Ukraine!
I agree with you there.
I'd be in favor of feeding Ukraine long-range missiles (to the point that is does not jeopardize American security). I believe the US has the ability to pick up Russia's oil slack, so destroying Russia's oil exports is a win-win for us.
 
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I agree with you there.
I'd be in favor of feeding Ukraine long-range missiles (to the point that is does not jeopardize American security). I believe the US has the ability to pick up Russia's oil slack, so destroying Russia's oil exports is a win-win for us.
Even though Russia is using weapons in a terror manner against civilian population, with only weak denials, we could provide Tomahawks, etc. with the proviso that the supply would cease unless they were used only against strategic targets like power plants and refineries...
 
Even though Russia is using weapons in a terror manner against civilian population, with only weak denials, we could provide Tomahawks, etc. with the proviso that the supply would cease unless they were used only against strategic targets like power plants and refineries...
Agreed, but only if we have enough to spare. I've no idea what our stockpile looks like or what's considered the needed minimum, but we should definitely not dip below that point.
 
Agreed, but only if we have enough to spare. I've no idea what our stockpile looks like or what's considered the needed minimum, but we should definitely not dip below that point.
Seems like I heard some time ago that we are practically there and have been for a bit. It was something I caught on the radio or TV, so I can't speak to its veracity.
 
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Agreed, but only if we have enough to spare. I've no idea what our stockpile looks like or what's considered the needed minimum, but we should definitely not dip below that point.
I know we've greatly ramped up production of materiel like artillery shells. I've read of other items also, but exactly what escapes me at the moment. I shouldn't be surprised if it were Tomahawks. One thing puzzles me and that is the vast surplus of some items, like BFV, parked in rows in the desert, when the Ukrainians could use every one. It seems there's some sort of quantitative limit in place, as well as qualitative...
 
I know we've greatly ramped up production of materiel like artillery shells. I've read of other items also, but exactly what escapes me at the moment. I shouldn't be surprised if it were Tomahawks. One thing puzzles me and that is the vast surplus of some items, like BFV, parked in rows in the desert, when the Ukrainians could use every one. It seems there's some sort of quantitative limit in place, as well as qualitative...

This came up on a thread here and Tidewater said we were making great strides in production...
 
Seems like I heard some time ago that we are practically there and have been for a bit. It was something I caught on the radio or TV, so I can't speak to its veracity.
Campaign planning is an interesting activity. There is a lot of give and take between the personnel section, intel section, operations section, logistics section, etc. How much operational capability will be needed to achieve the strategic objectives? That will drive the number of units. The number of units will drive the personnel. That will drive the daily throughput of rations, bed spaces, tents, etc. vehicle numbers drive fuel stockpiles, ammo consumption rates, etc. A tank division in a high intensity conflict will consume a trainload of artillery ammo daily.
When Monty told the planning cell, "three divisions for D-Day is not enough. We need five," that change drove a ton of changes to the planning up to that point.
Some items are durable (tents, for example, can be stored for years, so can demobed vehicles, which is why we store old Bradleys in Arizona, which costs almost nothing). Ammunition becomes unreliable when stored too long. Fuel is more perishable. So you can see how much to store of what for how long gets complicated.
Then the military has to go to industry to produce those supplies. At a reliably low rate of production, we can get stuff fairly cheap. Ramp that rate up, and it gets expansive.
Europeans (and to a lesser the US) based those things the assumption that we would not have to fight Russia any time soon.
In 2014, they assumption started to look dodgy. In 2022, it was shown to be probably false so there is a bunch of ramping up on both sides of the Atlantic, but it is expensive and takes time.
 
Russia launched over 700 missiles and drones overnight, striking Ukraine’s power grid and key sites, including a Kyiv-area train station, amid Armed Forces Day. Ukraine downed most targets, but energy facilities suffered damage. The assault came as U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and Ukrainian officials met in Florida for a third day of postwar peace talks.
Shouldn't we allow Ukraine access to armaments to do the same to Russia?
 
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Are we telling them not to? If so, why?
The State Department since 2014 has been bending over backwards not to offend the Kremlin.
It was the State Department that recommended to Obama that he tell the Ukrainians not to shoot at the Russians when they took over Crimea so Ukrainians did not shoot back (until it was too late).
It was the State Department that urged Biden to limit how offensive the weapons we were sending to Ukraine was in 2022. State is always very very worried about offending the Kremlin. Technically, they fear the Kremlin ultimately hold "escalation dominance" over us in Ukraine.
I am unconvinced that Russia has "escalation dominance" but that was the philosophy.
 
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