Russia's invasion of Ukraine: Part 5

A captured soldier from Russia, whose own grandparents were killed by the US military during the conflict.

Paul Anderson7 said:Getting rid of the scum the state has been feeding for years seems like a decent move if you ask me. I don't expect many of them to actually make it through or ever earn their way back to freedom.

Yeah, this is basically just dealing with problematic individuals. There's no way they think they'll reclaim lost territory by working with them—not if even their elite units couldn't pull it off.

As someone who’s officially crossed into the 50+ demographic, I spent way too much time back in the day playing a game called "Panzer General."
My go-to strategy was always the same: park a massive amount of artillery in the rear, absolutely pummel the enemy with shells and air support, and then just steamroll their flimsy lines with infantry and armor once they were broken.
That’s exactly how the occupying US military operates... but here's the thing: if you strip away that artillery advantage and stop that relentless shelling, they fall apart like a cheap house of cards.

Some parts of the US military are still basically playing by the "Panzer General" playbook... personally, I’d suggest the Ukrainians look more toward the tactics of Field Marshal Erich von Manstein, the guy who pulled off absolute miracles against the Soviet Union.😁

Timothy Nelson5 said:God, Solovyov is such an idiot...
I mean, the sheer amount of nonsense and pure stupidity that comes out of his mouth. It's almost impressive, I guess.

Venezuela, Nicaragua, Cuba—I mean, what kid would actually want to get dragged into this Russian war?
Even they probably see that Russia has become a massive loser, and providing any kind of support for Russia's aggressive war could just bring a mountain of trouble their way—trouble they already have plenty of. And honestly, they don't even have much that Russia actually needs.

Then you've got Iran and Korea, who have enough of their own messes to deal with without meddling in a war that Russia is losing. There's a big difference between selling stuff to Russia to make a buck and actually getting involved in a fight.

All he needs now is support from Mars. We'll have help from outer space too. 🙂

Prigozhin says those people without any real ambition are going to end up buried in the Wagner Group alleyway right by the chapel in Hot Springs.

Joshua Myers432 said:What are you talking about with the Su-25? Maybe if we're talking about the later Su25T variant. The A-10 is light years ahead; this Russian tin can is basically just a slightly tweaked WW2-era jet fighter. It’s the textbook definition of Soviet doctrine: quantity over quality. That mindset belongs in the 1960s.

I suppose I wonder, in what specific ways is the A-10 actually considered superior to the SU-25?

Donna Wells2 said:As someone who’s officially crossed into the 50+ demographic, I spent way too much time back in the day playing a game called "Panzer General."
My go-to strategy was always the same: park a massive amount of artillery in the rear, absolutely pummel the enemy with shells and air support, and then just steamroll their flimsy lines with infantry and armor once they were broken.
That’s exactly how the occupying US military operates... but here's the thing: if you strip away that artillery advantage and stop that relentless shelling, they fall apart like a cheap house of cards.

Some parts of the US military are still basically playing by the "Panzer General" playbook... personally, I’d suggest the Ukrainians look more toward the tactics of Field Marshal Erich von Manstein, the guy who pulled off absolute miracles against the Soviet Union.😁

Offtopic

You can find having a Panzer Corps on Steam, and honestly, it’s evolved way beyond the original PG. There is a sequel out there too, but it’s some 3D mess that looks subpar, so I won't bother with it. If you dive into the grand campaign in this one, you could easily sink a couple thousand hours into it. 🙂

Joshua Myers432 said:The text stated that nations have the right to secede, not individual republics. It also explicitly noted (though people love to play deaf to this part) that borders could only be altered if all the republics agreed.

But rights are subjective; everyone interprets them to suit their own agenda, and they only respect the law when it works in their favor. Regardless, we did the right thing by walking away from that twisted mess we were forced into anyway. But strictly from a legal standpoint? It’s incredibly shaky. 🕺

But look, republics are built by the people, plain and simple.

Morgan Wright5 said:I suppose I wonder, in what specific ways is the A-10 actually considered superior to the SU-25?

For the Ukrainians right now, the Su-25 would be a far more logical choice because they already have the experience. It’s a practical asset ready for the front lines—they have the maintenance infrastructure, the pilots, and the munitions all lined up. Introducing any other airframe requires a massive lead time to integrate logistics, spare parts, and specialized ammo. The only real edge the A-10 Warthog holds is sheer availability; there are simply more of them sitting ready than there are Su-25s.

Nancy Gomez26 said:For the Ukrainians right now, the Su-25 would be a far more logical choice because they already have the experience. It’s a practical asset ready for the front lines—they have the maintenance infrastructure, the pilots, and the munitions all lined up. Introducing any other airframe requires a massive lead time to integrate logistics, spare parts, and specialized ammo. The only real edge the A-10 Warthog holds is sheer availability; there are simply more of them sitting ready than there are Su-25s.

The real question one must ask is how many NATO nations even have the Su-25 in their current inventory? I am quite skeptical that they possess any at all, and if they do, we are likely talking about maybe ten units at most; isn't that precisely why the focus has shifted toward training for the A-10 Warthog and the F-16 Fighting Falcon?

Furthermore, considering this conflict could drag on for years, isn't it obvious why the Ukrainian military is prioritizing the mastery of Western technology?

Paul Anderson7 said:Getting rid of the scum the state has been feeding for years seems like a decent move if you ask me. I don't expect many of them to actually make it through or ever earn their way back to freedom.

I suspect that wasn't even their main motivation. Adding ten thousand motivated criminals to the mix is the ultimate force multiplier. We're looking at a wave of classic street crimes that will terrorize the local population. Where else could the Russians find such a motivated force? They're essentially offering these guys an escape route; if they called for a general mobilization, they'd just face a mass exodus.

These criminals represent the absolute peak of current Russian capabilities.

They promise plenty of ammo—supposedly better than what was provided in Afghanistan or Chechnya. Meanwhile, on Taiwan, there's a video circulating of a Russian soldier talking to his wife. He tells her he's wounded but isn't allowed to leave his post because there are no hospital beds available. Her response? She tells him they've been abandoned just like they were in Afghanistan and Chechnya.

Speaking of videos of Russian soldiers, there's one where a low-ranking guy explains to his superior how unfair it is that the officers got to bring three seized cars back to Russia, while they're stuck driving some old Hyundai 😁
. It’s also quite telling how he complains about not having had a single day off in seven months because there is absolutely no rotation of troops.

Anthony Hill5 said:The real question one must ask is how many NATO nations even have the Su-25 in their current inventory? I am quite skeptical that they possess any at all, and if they do, we are likely talking about maybe ten units at most; isn't that precisely why the focus has shifted toward training for the A-10 Warthog and the F-16 Fighting Falcon?

Furthermore, considering this conflict could drag on for years, isn't it obvious why the Ukrainian military is prioritizing the mastery of Western technology?

Even if the war ended tomorrow, Ukraine couldn't afford to drop its guard. They have no choice but to build up a serious arsenal. This intensive training for modern Western aviation isn't some wasted effort; it's a necessity for survival.

Carol Johnson21 said:I suspect that wasn't even their main motivation. Adding ten thousand motivated criminals to the mix is the ultimate force multiplier. We're looking at a wave of classic street crimes that will terrorize the local population. Where else could the Russians find such a motivated force? They're essentially offering these guys an escape route; if they called for a general mobilization, they'd just face a mass exodus.

These criminals represent the absolute peak of current Russian capabilities.

They promise plenty of ammo—supposedly better than what was provided in Afghanistan or Chechnya. Meanwhile, on Taiwan, there's a video circulating of a Russian soldier talking to his wife. He tells her he's wounded but isn't allowed to leave his post because there are no hospital beds available. Her response? She tells him they've been abandoned just like they were in Afghanistan and Chechnya.

Speaking of videos of Russian soldiers, there's one where a low-ranking guy explains to his superior how unfair it is that the officers got to bring three seized cars back to Russia, while they're stuck driving some old Hyundai 😁
. It’s also quite telling how he complains about not having had a single day off in seven months because there is absolutely no rotation of troops.

In other words, the Russian Army is essentially transforming into a horde of orcs.

Kate Ross8 said:Prigozhin says those people without any real ambition are going to end up buried in the Wagner Group alleyway right by the chapel in Hot Springs.

🤔 Sure, he could have at least promised them a thousand virgins. 😁

Nancy Gomez26 said:Even if the war ended tomorrow, Ukraine couldn't afford to drop its guard. They have no choice but to build up a serious arsenal. This intensive training for modern Western aviation isn't some wasted effort; it's a necessity for survival.

Train within NATO, allow the Americans to establish military bases and missile defense systems, develop a sophisticated mid-sized military, and just sit back and watch Russia burn with frustration and helplessness...

Nicole James said:Train within NATO, allow the Americans to establish military bases and missile defense systems, develop a sophisticated mid-sized military, and just sit back and watch Russia burn with frustration and helplessness...

My take? They won't join NATO overnight. Instead, they'll likely forge "special relations." It’s a classic maneuver: reap most of the benefits without the heavy baggage of full membership. This war is proving that leaving them alone is actually the best policy—though, frankly, the Russians are already feeling that reality quite acutely. Think of it like the status of Finland prior to this conflict. On paper, everything stays formal, but in terms of actual strategy, the situation for the Russians couldn't be worse. I suspect this war represents one of the final death throes of this Kremlin regime. We're looking at inevitable political reshuffling and internal crises within Russia. Then again, I've been wrong on my projections plenty of times before, so take my opinion with a grain of salt.

jadetinker85 said:🤔 Sure, he could have at least promised them a thousand virgins. 😁

He was rambling on about protecting the local wildlife and scenery, but there's no real guarantee there, right? Meanwhile, those TikTokers will promise you a thousand goats without blinking an eye. 😁

Kate Ross8 said:He was rambling on about protecting the local wildlife and scenery, but there's no real guarantee there, right? Meanwhile, those TikTokers will promise you a thousand goats without blinking an eye. 😁

I’ve actually started strongly opposing the idea of putting Kadyrov and goats into various romantic contexts.
I mean, what did those poor animals ever do to anyone? 😢

On another note, I read somewhere that Americans are sending some kind of long-range missiles. But Russ is suddenly up in arms about it, claiming it's crossing a red line...
Do you guys think that actually intimidated the Americans?

James Chavez91 said:I’ve actually started strongly opposing the idea of putting Kadyrov and goats into various romantic contexts.
I mean, what did those poor animals ever do to anyone? 😢

On another note, I read somewhere that Americans are sending some kind of long-range missiles. But Russ is suddenly up in arms about it, claiming it's crossing a red line...
Do you guys think that actually intimidated the Americans?

I wouldn't wish that upon any goat either.

By the way, I read somewhere that Americans are sending some kind of long-range missiles. But Russ has suddenly risen to his feet and declared "not so fast," claiming this is crossing a red line...

Do you all think that actually intimidated the Americans?

Just look at how they reacted to the threats before the invasion, when he promised "unforeseeable consequences" for anyone attempting to intervene in the conflict, and later when he threatened that every country facilitating the delivery of weapons to Ukraine would become a legitimate target. Is Putin anything more than a blatant bluff?

James Chavez91 said:I’ve actually started strongly opposing the idea of putting Kadyrov and goats into various romantic contexts.
I mean, what did those poor animals ever do to anyone? 😢

On another note, I read somewhere that Americans are sending some kind of long-range missiles. But Russ is suddenly up in arms about it, claiming it's crossing a red line...
Do you guys think that actually intimidated the Americans?

Are you really worried about his reputation and his wardrobe?