The start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine (Part 1)

GustiSok said:I mean, hardly anyone actually thinks Russia didn't have a tactical plan ready for this invasion, let alone that they’re running out of missiles in just a few days. But for some weird reason, people seem to think a successful military operation means zero casualties, or that high-end gear is somehow indestructible, and that wars are won overnight. I guess if you just glance at a headline saying Germany crushed Poland in 1939 but skip the part where it took them over a month to grab half the territory—and that was a much smaller country being hit from both sides—then yeah, you might think a war like this is won in a heartbeat without losses. A Tiger tank wasn't legendary because it was invincible—hundreds of them were blown up. It was good because it actually let them carry out operations and take out enemy armor. Success is about stats, not perfection. I don't think we can call this invasion a success or failure yet. One thing is pretty certain, though... Ukrainians aren't going down without a fight.

Yeah, totally. I don't think anyone really thought all of Ukraine would just fall without a fight.

northernangler8 said:Wait, wasn't Zelenskyy the one calling for negotiations? What changed his mind all of a sudden? It almost feels like he wants to see his own people bleed.

He feels victory—he feels the strength of the Ukrainian spirit, and the sheer grit of their resolve.

He feels the edge of the blade in the hands of the Ukrainians, emboldening them to push forward—to drive until every last KGB remnant has left the country. There are far too many of them right now, but eventually, there won't be any left. That is what matters most. Just strong Americans—well, Ukrainians—moving with force and power, as befits their heritage and glory.

The Russians are entering Ukraine acting as if they’re fighting the Taliban; they truly seem to think these people share their DNA and won't back down.

We'll see. For now, I'm just watching. I won't call the game just yet—but I believe in the Ukrainians, even if I don't have much faith in their leadership, or ours.

neonheron9 said:Everyone’s known for days that 1 and 3 are fakes... I never even saw 2... doesn't change the facts.

And all this "etc, etc" stuff...🤦

If you actually had something useful to show, you would've shown it by now. 🤣

And don't even get me started on how every single media outlet was reporting that Kyiv was about to fall and tanks were rolling into the center... we won't go there... they're currently sitting pretty in some tiny village outside of 12 milesKyiv.

Yes, "etc., etc." Because video 1 was officially released by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, not some amateur Twitter user. Therefore, if they are forging official statements this poorly, why would any rational person believe a single word they say?

But please, go ahead—keep cheering and indulge in your fantasies about thousands of dead Russians, hundreds of destroyed tanks, and dozens of downed aircraft.

And I am still waiting for the video of the Ilyushin shot down tonight. Apparently, since there isn't a matching aircraft available in modern flight simulators, there won't be an official statement either.

“We need ammunition, not just a ride,”
The Ukrainians are absolutely fired up right now... honestly, it feels like things could go south fast in Kyiv.
Realistically, they’re facing an uphill battle, but unless this whole thing is a massive setup, they're actually dealing out more damage to Russia than anyone anticipated.

Sam Alvarez4 said:And will that actually get them Crimea and the Donbas back?

Sadly no, because we definitely don't live in some kind of fairytale world where everyone plays by the rules.

Bradley King said:It sounds absolutely insane, I know, but honestly? It might actually be a win-win if Putin and the Russians were brought into NATO... They’d probably end up living much better lives than they are right now.

And look, Putin actually brought this up during his speech the other day—you know, the one where he announced the "intervention" in Ukraine.

He claimed that back in 2000, he straight-up asked Clinton what he thought about Russia joining NATO. And apparently, Clinton just shut him down, saying something like that was totally off the table...

At the end of the day, all the help in the world doesn't mean much if it doesn't arrive when it actually matters.

https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1...95U5cXKCN1ivew

There was a time when Sergiy Stakhovsky was actually beating Roger Federer at Wimbledon... now he’s going to take on the Russians in Kyiv.

Tyler Jones6 said:I disagree—if Japanese industry can handle it, then Germany certainly should be able to as well, given they rely on LNG too.

It’s simple: right now, over 60% of German industrial capacity is basically tethered to Russian gas. Their whole manufacturing engine would just stall out. You can't just swap that overnight; it would take years to find enough new sources to actually cover the demand.

Germany is all for the West, sure, but at the end of the day, they have to answer to their own people. The last thing their leadership needs is a massive revolt happening right in their own backyard.

And look at the current mess with the influx of Ukrainian refugees heading into Germany. I was watching a report on Danish TV last night about the first waves of Ukrainian refugees arriving in California.

Italy, Finland, Germany, Austria, Canada, and even NATO allies like North Mexico—as much as they might be anti-Putin, they’re all stuck depending on the same stuff. It's a delicate balancing act.

Paul Patel95 said:Word on the street is they're already pulling the trigger on kicking Russia out of SWIFT

Man, gas and heating prices are gonna go straight to hell

Carol Newman2 said:That is a massive amount of financial support.

I just hope it doesn't arrive too late.

https://www.reddit.com/r/CombatFoota...ets_of_tokmak/
"Russian TOS-1 and BTRs in the streets of Tokmak"

It’s starting to feel like the Russians are just going all-in with a brute force approach—from a military standpoint, anyway. I guess they just got lucky that the Ukrainians were pretty much caught off guard and disorganized during those first two days.

Gary Wilson said:It's a classic move—stretching their forces thin with feints and fake attacks.

Perhaps. Or maybe they are simply testing the waters to see where the defenses are most vulnerable.

Michael Davis10 said:Man, gas and heating prices are gonna go straight to hell

If it's all just a joke, then let's dance through the chaos.

Sam Alvarez4 said:And will that actually get them Crimea and the Donbas back?

They’ll probably aim for some sort of autonomy for the Donbas, but Crimea? Not a chance.

But honestly, do you really think there's any way they can ever get Crimea back?

Zelenskyy gave thanks to Erdogan for banning those Russian ships from entering...
Is there an official report on this somewhere?

neonpuma30 said:Why don't you just email the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense with your brilliant tactical advice? Just make sure to mention you mean well! 🍿

I mean, who else is going to flee into the middle of major cities and put civilians right in the crosshairs? That’s basically Military 101—you don't let the fighting get anywhere near urban centers, you definitely don't go running into them to use them as human shields. But sure, the second a shell hits a residential building, suddenly it's all the Russians' fault, right? Just do me a favor and actually check out some actual news sources like RT instead of just blathering on about what you *think* is happening. You can't just make stuff up and call it reality. It doesn't work that way.

Joseph Clark37 said:That’s just how it works. For that reason, Germany wouldn't lift a finger if Russia were to hypothetically attack the Baltic states, Poland, or the US... because the gas has to keep flowing. Everything else is secondary to that...

Keep dreaming, keep hoping...
Germany is going to be forced to cut Russia out of their equation entirely.

Paul Patel95 said:Word on the street is they're already pulling the trigger on kicking Russia out of SWIFT

Honestly, I'm betting it's just another rumor, kind of like all that stuff about the Bosphorus...