Russia invades Ukraine XV

[2003TIDE]

OOPS!

Cooper on F-16s

Part of me is like yeah their planes have to be beat up we need to give them something newer to replace. Then I see the maintenance hours per flight hour numbers on f-16s . If anything it will be a morale boost for their Air Force.

 

[Go Bama]

OOPS!

Cooper on F-16s

That was a good article for a guy like me that doesn't know a lot about modern weaponry.
The Su-35S is a good looking jet, something I don't really expect from Russia.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Here's his second on F-16s. There's not a lot of new info in it, just wrapped a bunch of words. At one time, I contemplated reading one of his myriad books on planes, but I don't think I could stand it...

Cooper - more F-16

 

[TexasBama]

Not good

Poland says it will stop arming Ukraine

https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/21/europe/poland-ukraine-weapons-grain-explainer-intl/index.html

 

[Its On A Slab]

That was a good article for a guy like me that doesn't know a lot about modern weaponry.
The Su-35S is a good looking jet, something I don't really expect from Russia.

The Russians have been building really cool-looking (and fast) jets for decades. But, when a former neighbor(who was from Belarus and ex-Soviet military) was bragging about how Russian jets were far better than US jets, I told him, "Well, they might be faster but they sure will get shot down from over the horizon. Russian/Soviet avionics and weapon systems are no match."

 

[Tidewater]

Not good

Poland says it will stop arming Ukraine

https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/21/europe/poland-ukraine-weapons-grain-explainer-intl/index.html

The Poles will continue to support Ukraine.
When I was in Krakow, Ukrainian refugees have caused some tensions there.
For one thing, they have driven up rents.
A number of military age men hanging out in Krakow, chasing Polish girls.

 

[TexasBama]

A Ukrainian missile strikes the headquarters of Russia's navy in Crimea

A Ukrainian missile struck the headquarters of Russia's navy in Crimea. The Russian Defense Ministry initially said one servicemember was killed in the Friday attack, but then issued a statement saying he was missing.

apnews.com

 

[TIDE-HSV]

The Poles will continue to support Ukraine.
When I was in Krakow, Ukrainian refugees have caused some tensions there.
For one thing, they have driven up rents.
A number of military age men hanging out in Krakow, chasing Polish girls.

They really have no alternative except suicide...

 

[Tidewater]

This is the first time I have seen an estimate of Russian dead over 100k.
Deep trenches, cheap drones, and a more efficient war machine are just some of the ways Russia has improved since it first invaded Ukraine
This article cites NYT and that story is behind a pay wall.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Three installments by Don Hill, writing under Cooper's account...

Hill I
Hill II
Hill III

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Latest Cooper installment, the most optimistic yet...

Tom Cooper

 

[Go Bama]

This is an insightful interview with Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukranian intelligence. I came across it in one of the Dan Hill links. It's long, but I enjoyed the time spent.

Exclusive Interview With Ukraine's Spy Boss From His D.C. Hotel Room

Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov opens up about the ongoing counteroffensive, attacks inside Russia, warnings about Abrams tank usage and much more.

www.thedrive.com

But having described the overall realities of our current situation we’re smoothly coming to the conclusion that we will have to change something. The conclusion is that we'll need additional weapons systems and capabilities that could still change this balance we have today. Because looking at the situation solely from the perspective of manpower, if we compare the Ukrainian potential with Russian potential, the Russians have a lot more human resources. That is why we cannot keep on fighting just soldier on soldier. This will not deliver the results we want.
TWZ: So what do you have to do to change this?
KB: We need to resolve the issue of increasing numbers of overall artillery barrels on the battlefield. And we need longer-range weapon systems in order to engage their command posts, their logistics storages, etc., etc.

 

[Bazza]

There are new questions about Ukraine's claims it killed the admiral in charge of Russia's Black Sea Fleet in a missile attack Monday. Russian state television appeared to show Viktor Sokolov working and attending a video conference Tuesday. BBC News correspondent James Waterhouse has more.

 

[JDCrimson]

Well, if this is accurate the special forces are operating pretty freely behind enemy lines and they are basically in assassination mode.

Seems like a read a couple months back where UKR landed some SF troops on a Crimean beach during the night.

Latest Cooper installment, the most optimistic yet...

Tom Cooper

 

[Tidewater]

This is a bit of an own goal, I'm afraid.
Zelensky’s blunders risk alienating Ukraine’s allies
"Don't bite the hand that feeds you."

 

[TIDE-HSV]

This is a bit of an own goal, I'm afraid.
Zelensky’s blunders risk alienating Ukraine’s allies
"Don't bite the hand that feeds you."

I've been watching this develop with alarm...

 

[Tidewater]

I've been watching this develop with alarm...

For those interested, here is a brief article explaining the details.
Polish-Ukrainian Grain Dispute Explained
I am normally inclined to give a guy the benefit of the doubt. He has been under enormous pressure for a year and a half.
The skill set for a war president and the skill set for a skillful diplomat may not be entirely coincident.

 

[AWRTR]

This is a bit of an own goal, I'm afraid.
Zelensky’s blunders risk alienating Ukraine’s allies
"Don't bite the hand that feeds you."

He needs to grease the wheels and play nice with the people keeping his military going.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

For those interested, here is a brief article explaining the details.
Polish-Ukrainian Grain Dispute Explained
I am normally inclined to give a guy the benefit of the doubt. He has been under enormous pressure for a year and a half.
The skill set for a war president and the skill set for a skillful diplomat may not be entirely coincident.

Eisenhower may have possessed both skills. Of course, he wasn't quite a war time president...

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Here's an interesting article on Medium by Andrew Tanner. I don't often link him because his grudges, mostly against officers and the ISW make Cooper seem downright Pollyannaish. It doesn't show as much here and he has some good thoughts, although I really come down more on the side of Cooper's ideas on the wieldiness of F-16s. He, like Cooper does not understand the political hazards to Biden with each gift to Ukraine. BTW, can everyone see what I'm linking or is there a paywall in the way?

Tanner