Russian invasion of Ukraine | Fewer tweets, more discussion

[frostbite]

After listening to several experts on podcasts, it seems like Sweden's Saab Gripen would be the ideal candidate for Ukraine. It's a more rugged aircraft that is meant to operate from highways and short, makeshift runways and rely on less specialized mechanics. Most NATO aircraft are more high maintenance and intended to operate in better conditions than the Gripen. Ukraine could certainly use the F-16s, but, if possible, it seems that a better option would be the Gripen or F-18.

Most American combat aircraft are great, but they are also designed (along with tanks and other vehicles) to operate within parameters that the US and NATO would expect to fight within. Countries like Ukraine or Taiwan can't expect to establish air dominance so they need equipment that is created with those conditions in mind. I think it would be beneficial in the long-term for NATO for countries like Sweden to continue to develop weapons with that in mind.

I don't know, I am not an expert on this.

However, I know that the war is going on for almost a year, and we are supporting Ukraine. I don't understand why we are letting them fight without any air force. Russia is much bigger, has more soldiers, has more planes, has more of everything, and is constantly bombing Ukraine's infrastructure while Ukraine has no response and can only defend itself. If we really want Ukraine to win, and I believe we do want them to win, we have to provide them with some modern aircraft. And with some modern tanks.

 

[Stookie]

I don't know, I am not an expert on this.

However, I know that the war is going on for almost a year, and we are supporting Ukraine. I don't understand why we are letting them fight without any air force. Russia is much bigger, has more soldiers, has more planes, has more of everything, and is constantly bombing Ukraine's infrastructure while Ukraine has no response and can only defend itself. If we really want Ukraine to win, and I believe we do want them to win, we have to provide them with some modern aircraft. And with some modern tanks.

I’ve wondered this too and the only thing I can think of is that, maybe, some countries are worried about it escalating into a world war and a possible nuclear war. I know the threats haven’t amounted to anything yet but is it possible it’s in the backs of the West minds? It’s all finely balanced at the moment. But the West is already supplying lots of weapons already, is there a cut off point with them ‘you can have plenty of that but none of those’. The whole thing stresses me out to be honest, the fact it could tip at any moment. And it’s all being caused by one man. It’s insane.

 

[BarstoolProphet]

In other news, a Norwegian supreme Court judge had publicly accused his ukrainean wife of poisoning him over several months in an attempt on his life and that she is now on the run.

The next day she confirmed with several papers she is not on the run, had no motive for killing her husband as she's financially dependent on him and shared these txts from him:

«I think Putin is on track. Earlier his goal was to denazifise Ukraine. Now he tells that the goal is to desatanifise (desatanifisere) Ukraine. On this point he is spot on, but has a big job to do.»

«People from Ukraine are from hell!»

«I hope that the war with Russia ends with that Ukraine is deleted from map!!!»

He confirmed the txts but explained those were the writings of a man deranged by longterm poisoning and that it is only in the past week he has regained his sanity and was able to identify his wife as the only possible cause of the poisoning.

I know that family. I didn't know he had that in him to write those texts. Hardly relevant though, he barely has any influence at all anymore (if he had any in the first place). Nor is it the view of the average Norwegian.

 

[stefan92]

I don't know, I am not an expert on this.

However, I know that the war is going on for almost a year, and we are supporting Ukraine. I don't understand why we are letting them fight without any air force. Russia is much bigger, has more soldiers, has more planes, has more of everything, and is constantly bombing Ukraine's infrastructure while Ukraine has no response and can only defend itself. If we really want Ukraine to win, and I believe we do want them to win, we have to provide them with some modern aircraft. And with some modern tanks.

Just a little nitpick: Ukraine has more long range artillery which is crucial for their success. Otherwise I fully agree.

 

[ShoePolish]

The big 100k milestone reached just before war hits 10 month mark. I know, it's probably just a rough estimate, evident by rounded numbers each day, but the true number must be staggering nontheless.

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2 days ago also, 3k tanks lost milestone was reached.

 

[Rajma]

To me it’s still incomprehensible how timid France and Germany are in their military aid for Ukraine given the war is happening in our own backyard. European countries should be the ones with most interest in total and swift defeat of Russian army.

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[harms]

How big is this Patriot thing? Is it going to significantly affect the situation with Russian missile strikes?

 

[NotThatSoph]

Might just be me, but you seem to have a habit of posting controversial articles that always name "officials" as sources, paywalled so we can't see if there's any actual substance to the story.

Paywalls are easy to bypass, and they're also irrelevant: the sources are anonymous, so you won't believe it. Reading the article wouldn't change anything.

 

[the hea]

How big is this Patriot thing? Is it going to significantly affect the situation with Russian missile strikes?

It wont make a massive difference but it's another piece of the puzzel and it brings the capability of intercepting ballistic missiles like the Iskander system which the NASAMS and IRIS-T is not capable of doing.

 

[Raoul]

How big is this Patriot thing? Is it going to significantly affect the situation with Russian missile strikes?

Its very expensive ($4m per missile) and requires a 100 trained soldiers to operate it. It would probably take about six patriot systems (Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Zap, Lviv, and Kherson/Mykolaev) to remove the threat of Russian missiles. They are highly effective though, which when combined with Ukrainian conventional means of shooting down missiles and drones, would probably neutralize the Russian missile threat.

 

[Rajma]

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[The United]

I don't know, I am not an expert on this.

However, I know that the war is going on for almost a year, and we are supporting Ukraine. I don't understand why we are letting them fight without any air force. Russia is much bigger, has more soldiers, has more planes, has more of everything, and is constantly bombing Ukraine's infrastructure while Ukraine has no response and can only defend itself. If we really want Ukraine to win, and I believe we do want them to win, we have to provide them with some modern aircraft. And with some modern tanks.

I have said this before. Tanks and planes would be nice in the long term. But for the short and medium terms, supplying more (a lot more) artillery systems and ammunition would be far better and more effective for the UAF on the battle field.

The worrying thing is that the NATO countries don't have or produce them enough at this moment.

 

[The United]

How big is this Patriot thing? Is it going to significantly affect the situation with Russian missile strikes?

It is great if you are rich and have a lot of them protecting your skies.

One or two would not make much of difference in term of overall missile defending. But the country obviously needs every single piece of equipment to make a little bit safer for them.

 

[the hea]

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I think this is what is mostly needed now, Russia has adapted to the threat from gmlrs munitions by moving their supply depots further back. Longer range precision strike capabilities would stretch their supply lines even further which in turn would make their frontlines even more vulnerable.

 

[the hea]

This is fantastic work by the NY Times, they have been able to link the killings of civilians in Bucha to the 234th guards parachute regiment from Pskov and they are able to show that the killings where sanctioned by their commanding officer.

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[Raoul]

Bobo and Rapey McForehead not impressed with Zelenskyy's speech last night

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[stoinz]

Wait til you see him in year 4 of his second term.

He evolving into Baron Afanas right before our eyes now.

 

[NotThatSoph]

@the hea the border dispute is heating up!

 

[Sweet Square]

I don't know, I am not an expert on this.

However, I know that the war is going on for almost a year, and we are supporting Ukraine. I don't understand why we are letting them fight without any air force. Russia is much bigger, has more soldiers, has more planes, has more of everything, and is constantly bombing Ukraine's infrastructure while Ukraine has no response and can only defend itself. If we really want Ukraine to win, and I believe we do want them to win, we have to provide them with some modern aircraft. And with some modern tanks.

The Russian have nukes and the goal for the US is to turn this war into something similar as the Soviet Afghan war(Bleed the Russians dry over time).

 

[TMDaines]

As someone who listened to the Tageschau podcast for years when studying, this staggers me:

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[stefan92]

How big is this Patriot thing? Is it going to significantly affect the situation with Russian missile strikes?

It is a highly capable system, but just one will not make a huge difference. It's not even that big of a symbolic decision as Ukraine already got several modern Western air defense systems. But it is of course helpful and shows that the US is slowly willing to increase Ukrainian capabilities

 

[RedDevilQuebecois]

Bobo and Rapey McForehead not impressed with Zelenskyy's speech last night

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Wankers

 

[VorZakone]

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[VorZakone]

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[The United]

According to a former major who spoke on CNN, the West (or whoever they are) is concerned that Patriot missiles may chase or strike aircraft over Russian territory and that things may get escalated and nasty.

Giving one probably wouldn't constitute much of a threat or difference, but if we start seeing a lot more of them in Ukraine, I think that will show that the West considers hitting (military) targets on Russian soil to be fair game.

 

[VorZakone]

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[Raoul]

According to a former major who spoke on CNN, the West (or whoever they are) is concerned that Patriot missiles may chase or strike aircraft over Russian territory and that things may get escalated and nasty.

Giving one probably wouldn't constitute much of a threat or difference, but if we start seeing a lot more of them in Ukraine, I think that will show that the West considers hitting (military) targets on Russian soil to be fair game.

Highly unlikely given how patriots work. They would be protecting Ukrainian cities and only take out missiles that approach them.

 

[stefan92]

Highly unlikely given how patriots work. They would be protecting Ukrainian cities and only take out missiles that approach them.

Depends on how close to the frontline they would be deployed, it's an unlikely but possible scenario.

that will show that the West considers hitting (military) targets on Russian soil to be fair game.

Well we know the West does, even the German government made such a statement after the airfield attack on Engels etc

 

[Raoul]

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[The United]

Highly unlikely given how patriots work. They would be protecting Ukrainian cities and only take out missiles that approach them.

Well, I would not rule out the UKR forces doing things that are not expected. They have done a few things of those to say the least. I say good for them if they do it.

However, the concern appeared to be legitimate for some, not only with this system but also with other long-range western systems, obviously.

 

[The United]

Depends on how close to the frontline they would be deployed, it's an unlikely but possible scenario.


Well we know the West does, even the German government made such a statement after the airfield attack on Engels etc

I think they are starting to open up about the possibility, though not exactly backing it up with action yet.

 

[Krakenzero]

The Russian have nukes and the goal for the US is to turn this war into something similar as the Soviet Afghan war(Bleed the Russians dry over time).

Well, that didn't turn out THAT well in the long term, didn't it? I mean, they did bleed them dry only to fight another proxy war with them 40 years later. Plus the recoil of an attack in US soil, and another long occupation war.

 

[The Firestarter]

According to a former major who spoke on CNN, the West (or whoever they are) is concerned that Patriot missiles may chase or strike aircraft over Russian territory and that things may get escalated and nasty.

Giving one probably wouldn't constitute much of a threat or difference, but if we start seeing a lot more of them in Ukraine, I think that will show that the West considers hitting (military) targets on Russian soil to be fair game.

For that you need THAAD and that's not going to Ukraine like ever.

 

[Simbo]

Well, I would not rule out the UKR forces doing things that are not expected. They have done a few things of those to say the least. I say good for them if they do it.

However, the concern appeared to be legitimate for some, not only with this system but also with other long-range western systems, obviously.

Don't see how its a concern at all, they've already destroyed planes in Russian territory, among other things. Fair game.

 

[calodo2003]

For that you need THAAD and that's not going to Ukraine like ever.

Isn’t THAAD a kinetic, anti-missile weapon?

 

[The Firestarter]

Isn’t THAAD a kinetic, anti-missile weapon?

The radar is brutal and can guide a patriot missile (ofc not like the ones that are given to UA)

 

[The United]

Don't see how its a concern at all, they've already destroyed planes in Russian territory, among other things. Fair game.

Obviously, from their own perspective, which is quite different from ours.

Not that we know more, it has to be said.

 

[calodo2003]

The radar is brutal and can guide a patriot missile (ofc not like the ones that are given to UA)

Interesting. Thanks.

 

[harms]

According to a former major who spoke on CNN, the West (or whoever they are) is concerned that Patriot missiles may chase or strike aircraft over Russian territory and that things may get escalated and nasty.

Ukraine already hits military targets in Russia as well as shelling some near-border towns like Bryansk etc. What would change? And what is "nasty" exactly, it's not like Russia holds itself back on anything, nuclear strikes excluded.

 

[Rajma]

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