Flintlock76 CMStPnP Russia already moved borders in Eastern Europe via Stalin after WWII moving the Polish border West 100 miles, absorbing a significant part of East Prussia, etc. Stalin kept that big chunk of Poland he grabbed in 1939 by agreement with Hitler and never gave it back. The Russians haven't given it back to this day. The Polish western border was moved further west to "compensate" the Poles, who I'm sure would have preferred to have their own territory back.
CMStPnP Russia already moved borders in Eastern Europe via Stalin after WWII moving the Polish border West 100 miles, absorbing a significant part of East Prussia, etc.
Stalin kept that big chunk of Poland he grabbed in 1939 by agreement with Hitler and never gave it back. The Russians haven't given it back to this day. The Polish western border was moved further west to "compensate" the Poles, who I'm sure would have preferred to have their own territory back.
Probably so, but the compensatory territories in Germany were quite valuable with several fine cities,such as Breslau and Danzig in Silesia and Prussia respectively.
This sounds like China has reversed its support for the Putin war on Ukraine because China does not want to be sanctioned like Russia is. China is now denying any finacial support for Putin and Russia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scE9nWf7JXs
U.S. just deployed 3rd Infantry Division. That will get Mr. Putin's attention as it is the first Mech unit with heavy Armor to be sent there. Russians are very paranoid of Armored units / Armored Divisions.....fear dates from WWII experience with Germans. They are going to draw from prepositioned stocks in Germany vs shipping their equipment over.
So from the railroad angle...........true they are based next to the port city of Savannah but if they were not.......looks like no military deployment train and they are going for speed of deployment using prepositioned stocks. It will be interesting if they deploy the 3rd Armored Division the same way if it is sent. The prepositioned equipment is also not as worn out as it is not used as freq as the equipment they left behind in GA.
Also, looks like we are increasing the number of deployed troops from what was stated before.
CMStPnPU.S. just deployed 3rd Infantry Division.
Euclid For the same reason we have a US Army division stationed in South Korea. The South Koreans don't really need us, they're more than capable of defending themselves, but the American troops are there as a "trigger" against a North Korean invasion. An invasion of South Korea would automatically mean war with the US. It's for the same reason we have troops in the Baltic States and Poland, not a lot, but they're the same "trigger" the troops in South Korea are. Where the 3d ID is off to I have no idea. Somewhere in Europe I suppose. CMStPnP U.S. just deployed 3rd Infantry Division. It is said that they are being deployed to deter Russian aggression. How will they do that?
For the same reason we have a US Army division stationed in South Korea. The South Koreans don't really need us, they're more than capable of defending themselves, but the American troops are there as a "trigger" against a North Korean invasion. An invasion of South Korea would automatically mean war with the US.
It's for the same reason we have troops in the Baltic States and Poland, not a lot, but they're the same "trigger" the troops in South Korea are.
Where the 3d ID is off to I have no idea. Somewhere in Europe I suppose.
CMStPnP U.S. just deployed 3rd Infantry Division.
This is now a nuclear involved conflict. The Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, located in the eastern city of Enerhodar, was on fire late Thursday after being shelled by Russian forces.
https://news.yahoo.com/russian-troops-shell-ukrainian-nuclear-plant-010757408.html
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
I don't buy any of this idea that Ukraine and/or NATO somehow is/are partially responsible for Russia's current actions. Ukraine was not a threat to Putin in any way unless its now having an honest president concerned Putin and all his lackies in other parts of the old Soviet Union. NATO was not and never was a threat to topple his government. Putin's actions are entirely due to his desire to be the one who recreates either the old Russia empire or the Soviet Union. He only respects strength and has no use for shown or suspected weakness. [I will limit my political comment to saying I'm sure he feels the US and Europe are now quite weak or he wouldn't have done what he did.] He has the same disregard for human life as the 3 greatest tyrants of the 20th century--Mao, Hitler, and Stalin.
This situation bears too much of a resemblence to Europe in 1938 to make me feel confident that it will simply blow over in another several months. There are 2 main differences that could possibly make a difference--nuclear weapons and the power of trade & banking sanctions. But the existing sanctions probably aren't strong enough to do it.
An even bigger test for the world is if China will attack Taiwan which has no NATO to back it up. Then the world's future is up in the air.
Newer reports say that the Ukrainians have regained control of the facility and put out the fire. It turns out that the fire was in some training and administration buildings.
Euclid, China has developed their own version of SWIFT and Russia is using that. We need to watch what China does, not what it says.
And they are still cashing the checks for the 500,000+ barrels of oil that the US is buying every day from Russia.
Ultimately, I think we are going to see Ukraine partitioned - NATO will set up a defensive perimeter across the western "leg" of Ukraine - about 1/4 of Ukraine - and it will be a North Korea-South Korea or East Germany-West Germany type of situation with a demilitarized zone. And families split again just like during the Cold War. Welcome to the new Cold War.
kgbw49 Euclid, China has developed their own version of SWIFT and Russia is using that. We need to watch what China does, not what it says.
EuclidIt is said that they are being deployed to deter Russian aggression. How will they do that?
In a prior life I spent 25 years as an Armor officer. Last iteration I heard, the teeth of an Armored Brigade was
84 M1 Series Tanks (120mm gun)
56 M2 Series Infantry Fighting Vehicles (25mm gun & TOW missiles)
23 M3 Series Cavalry Fighting Vehicle (25mm gun & TOW missiles)
18 M109 Series 155mm Self Propelled Howitzers
In 2 Armored Combined Arms Battalions, 1 Mechanized Infantry Combined Arms Battalion, 1 Armored Cavalry Squadron and 1 Field Artillery Battalion
The tank guns can kill anything on the battlefield - the M829 tank round was the famous "Silver Bullet" of the First Gulf War and has been improved three times since to M829A3. So can BGM-71 TOW. The 25mm will kill older Russian tanks and all IFV's. The infantry will have Javelin AT missiles for when they dismount and they are doing a Jay Oh Bee on the Ivans in the hands of hastily trained troops. And the the 155's can fire SADARM (Seek And Destroy ARMor) rounds that find tanks themselves, FASCAM (FAmily of SCAaterable Mines) to create instant minefields and other nasty things.
I'll shut up now, before I go wildly off, off, off topic.
My BIL is retired from the USAF lives down in SC near Shaw AFB. He's been seeing the planes leaving heading east with ferrying tanks installed on them. He's been hearing from his friends still active that most of the planes a combination of F16s and A10s are going to Germany as a tripwire force. The pilots are told it's an exercise as the ground crews weren't shipped over with them yet.
greyhoundsThis war could well get out of hand. I believe the Ukrainians will crack and the Russians will win. I don’t like that, but I see it as reality.
I don't know, if this article's accurate it might be an even bet as to who cracks first.
https://coffeeordie.com/putin-struggles-economic-sanctions/
At any rate considering the poor performance of the Russian Army as far as command, control, communications and logistics are concerned it strikes me that Mr. Putin, old KGB man that he is, has made the old Soviet mistake of putting people in the top command positions who are politically reliable instead of technically and tactically proficient.
JayBeeRussia also created their own version of Swift, but not many banks use it, so it has limited value.
It's rather humorous because both Russia and China feel they can replace SWIFT as well as the reserve currency.......neither of those countrys have clue #1 what makes either the currency of choice or the clearinghouse of choice. It has nothing to do with volume of payments, or what nations would like. It is driven by individual investors for the most part. Would you send $40,000 to a Russian clearinghouse knowing how that country is run financially? Same with China.
Yes you can force people to use the system but only people that are forced to deal with Russia directly. Reserve currency is another matter, it will never shift from the Dollar unless this country becomes insolvent, corrupt, and all our investing opportunities shift to high risk or go to crap. Of course if all of that happened we would have bigger issues to worry about than who had the reserve currency. United States is the largest and most stable economy. China and Russia will never change that via jawboning others to use their currencies instead as reserve currency......even using a basket of stable currencies as reserve will not work as well as the Dollar.
BEAUSABREIn a prior life I spent 25 years as an Armor officer. Last iteration I heard, the teeth of an Armored Brigade was
Post 2000 about 2010 they went to modular Brigades so that they have the flexibility now to deploy a BN by itself and have all the division support assets apportioned with it. So Brigades now only have 3-4 combat BN, the rest is overhead / logistics. So 101st Inf 3rd Brigade has maybe 2-3 Inf BN, 1 support BN called a BSB, etc. Further the Army horked it up more via attempting to preserve historical units with fabulous battle histories.
So 3rd Brigade 101st used to be 100% Rakkasan 5 bn of the 187th Infantry............those days are gone. Now it is Modularlized and Historicalized.....lol:
1st BN 187th.....filler because they need 3 Inf Bn (not really historical)
2nd BN 506th.....They had to preserve Easy Company of HBO movie fame (WWII).
3rd BN 187th......needs no intro "Hamburger Hill" among other famous battles.
1st Squadron 33rd Cav.........Cav Scouts (formerly 11 Series D MOS). Pathfinders, Recon, etc
21st Engineers....................Fighting pos prep, route clearence, LZ creation.
626th Brigade Support Bn (BSB) - Every Modular Brigade has one. All HQ elements like DFAS, Cooks, Legal, etc.
Artillery BN are called "FIRES BN" because they have MLRS, towed and now the new HiMARS system.
TOW is fire and forget now, with a lazer rangefinder and FLIR optics (enhanced thermal sights more or less). They have also added new warheads including one that detonates above a tank. Going on 50 years now and the Russians have not been able to defeat the TOW anti-tank missile (sad), evolves too fast.
CMStPnPnew warheads including one that detonates above a tank
Was an AT platoon leader when we transitioned from the 106mm recoilless rifle to TOW. It was a great system and, like a fine wine, has only gotten better with age, TOW-2B has actually been around for a while. It fires an Explosively Formed Projectile into a tanks weakest armor, on the roof. This is what it does to the T-72 loaded with fuel and ammunition.
(256) TOW 2b Missile Versus Russian T-72 Tank - YouTube
And "Fires" battalion, my fanny, I don't care what they want to call it, it's Field Artillery - whether its tube, rocket, missile or catapult launched
BEAUSABREAnd "Fires" battalion, my fanny, I don't care what they want to call it, it's Field Artillery - whether its tube, rocket, missile or catapult launched
"Action left, action right, drop the trail and raise your sight!
"As the caissons go rolling along!
"Was it high? Was it low? Where the hell did THAT one go?
"As the caissons go rolling along!"
Here in the U.K. we are comparing Russia's attack on Ukraine to Germany's invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1939.
Britain gave guarantees to preserve Poland's independence. Hence when Germany invaded Poland WW2 began.
Britain has given guarantees to preserve some former Russian States their Independence. Lithuania and Latvia to name two. Others have guarantees as well.
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
BEAUSABREWas an AT platoon leader when we transitioned from the 106mm recoilless rifle to TOW. It was a great system and, like a fine wine, has only gotten better with age, TOW-2B has actually been around for a while. If fires an Explosively Formed Projectile into a tanks weakest armor, on the roof.
Yeah I got an informal refresher course in 2009 at 101st Airborne Reunion courtesy of the 503rd Infantry (hosts).
Used to be a TOW2 Gunner left OSUT with Expert qualification.....still have the certificate signed by a full bird colonel. Amazing it is still in service.
I help Active Duty folks transition to civilian life (volunteer), ask about the TOW when I can for nostalgic reasons. :) Troops still love it.
BEAUSABREWas an AT platoon leader when we transitioned from the 106mm recoilless rifle to TOW. It was a great system and, like a fine wine, has only gotten better with age, TOW-2B has actually been around for a while. If fires an Explosively Formed Projectile into a tanks weakest armor, on the roof. This is what it does to the T-72 loaded with fuel and ammunition. (256) TOW 2b Missile Versus Russian T-72 Tank - YouTube And "Fires" battalion, my fanny, I don't care what they want to call it, it's Field Artillery - whether its tube, rocket, missile or catapult launched
Was a poor bird killed in making this film? At 0.37, what appears to be a bird (and NOT a TOW) flies over the tank as a explosion occurs. Am not mourning the the bird, just wondering if TOW's now emulate birds. In later shots, can see the TOW before its explosion.
Yikes! Talk about overkill! In the old days all an anti-tank round had to do was punch a hole in the armor, either disabling the tank or killing or incapacitating the crew. Looks like those days are gone.
"The TOW 2b! When it absolutely, positively has to be destroyed immediately, if not sooner!"
A no fly zone over a country that is almost the size of Texas. The number of planes and the number of tankers needed would be enormous. And it won't make much difference in the outcome. The siege of each major city will continue. Russian artillery will continue to bombard at will. Resupply of food, water and ammo will still be cut off. And are we really going to shoot down Russian aircraft in air-to-air combat?
kgbw49 A no fly zone over a country that is almost the size of Texas. The number of planes and the number of tankers needed would be enormous. And it won't make much difference in the outcome. The siege of each major city will continue. Russian artillery will continue to bombard at will. Resupply of food, water and ammo will still be cut off. And are we really going to shoot down Russian aircraft in air-to-air combat?
The Ukraine military is going to have to surrender at some point. Russia will absolutely destroy every last building in Ukraine if necessary. Moldova will fall without even a burp. The West has to hope that the Ukraine military and the Guerrilla war that follows ties Russia up for 6 months to a year. To give time for the West to gear up. Most likely Russia will next attack Poland or Lithuania or both. Latvia and Estonia are not as urgent for him. Russia will try and neutralize Germany by trying to make a deal with them over Energy, and thus weaken NATO. This will allow him to eventually take Romania and Bulgaria.
Suggestion for a video to watch Peter Ziehan
A website with little or no BS covering the current situation in Ukraine.
understandingwar.org
What is currently happening is Cold, Brutal, Heartless, Realpolitik in action. Something the World hasn't seen on this scale since WW2.
Hard to imagine them attacking NATO countries. I imagine the country most at risk of experiencing what Ukraine is now going through would be Finland.
Leo_Ames Hard to imagine them attacking NATO countries. I imagine the country most at risk of experiencing what Ukraine is now going through would be Finland.
I'd be more concerned about the Baltic States, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania.
This is assuming there isn't a coup d'etat in Russian to remove Putin. This war's not popular there at all, especially considering most of the world's against them with the economic sanctions. Russians have a pretty good standard of living now, in fact the point of farthest German penetration into Moscow in 1941 is marked by an Ikea furniture store! The sanctions have a distinct possibility of reducing that standard of living to that of a Third World country, or worse.
It could happen. I remember in 1964 when Nikita Krushchev went to bed one night as the "Big Cheese" and woke up the next morning to find himself out of a job. Shocked everyone in the West as well.
The latest concerning Russian oil exports:
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/white-house/white-house-has-lost-control-on-the-hill-over-russian-oil-ban
While I see where you're going with that, they're all NATO members. NATO would have no choice but to come to their defense or have NATO fall apart and risk Russia growing ever closer one nation at a time until they're at the doorstep of countries like Germany. Hopefully Putin realizes that, despite their past history as part of the Soviet Union that Putin seems to be fantazing about reassembling by force.
With Finland though, the same delimma protecting Russia's entry into the Ukraine would be at play. There's no formal obligation to militarily come to their defense and there would be no desire to risk a far deadlier situation by voluntarily coming to their aid with direct military intervention.
The line drawn in the sand is going to have to be when/if Russia attacks a NATO member. Both Finland and Sweden are starting to wake up to this reality after their decades of little interest in joining the defense alliance, with public opinion polls and politicans quickly switching to favoring signing up.
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