Russia - worrying?

[David1819]

Ukrainian IFV Letting Loose Its Autocannon on a Russian Position in the Bakhmut Area

https://www.reddit.com/r/ukraine/comments/116a79c/ukrainian_ifv_letting_loose_its_autocannon_on_a/

[gringo]

    You can smell the desperation and panic within NATO. Beyond absurd;

Hobby Club’s Missing Balloon Feared Shot Down By USAF - Aviation Week

A small, globe-trotting balloon declared “missing in action” by an Illinois-based hobbyist club on Feb. 15 has emerged as a candidate to explain one of the three mystery objects shot down by four heat-seeking missiles launched by U.S. Air Force fighters since Feb. 10.
The club—the Northern Illinois Bottlecap Balloon Brigade (NIBBB)—is not pointing fingers yet.

But the circumstantial evidence is at least intriguing. The club’s silver-coated, party-style, “pico balloon” reported its last position on Feb. 10 at 38,910 ft. off the west coast of Alaska, and a popular forecasting tool—the HYSPLIT model provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)—projected the cylindrically shaped object would be floating high over the central part of the Yukon Territory on Feb. 11. That is the same day a Lockheed Martin F-22 shot down an unidentified object of a similar description and altitude in the same general area.

There are suspicions among other prominent members of the small, pico-ballooning enthusiasts’ community, which combines ham radio and high-altitude ballooning into a single, relatively affordable hobby.

“I tried contacting our military and the FBI—and just got the runaround—to try to enlighten them on what a lot of these things probably are. And they’re going to look not too intelligent to be shooting them down,” says Ron Meadows, the founder of Scientific Balloon Solutions (SBS), a Silicon Valley company that makes purpose-built pico balloons for hobbyists, educators and scientists.

The descriptions of all three unidentified objects shot down Feb. 10-12 match the shapes, altitudes and payloads of the small pico balloons, which can usually be purchased for $12-180 each, depending on the type.

China's top diplomat Wang Yi on Saturday blasted the United States's reaction to what Washington has called a Chinese spy balloon as "hysterical and absurd", in uncharacteristically strong remarks against the top Western power.
Addressing a gathering of world leaders at the Munich Security Conference, Wang said US President Joe Biden's administration has a "misguided" perception of Beijing.
...
"There are many balloons from many countries in the sky. Do you want to down each and every one of them?" Wang charged.
"We urge the United States not to do such preposterous things simply to divert attention from its own domestic problems."

https://www.moonofalabama.org/2023/02/more-ballooneey-news.html#more

[David1819]

Russians launched unsuccessful offensive near Vuhledar

https://www.reddit.com/r/ukraine/comments/116lyqr/russians_launched_unsuccessful_offensive_near/

[David1819]

Outgunned Ukrainian pilots take the fight to Russia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVVRV75jDj8

[gringo]

Russians launched unsuccessful offensive near Vuhledar

https://www.reddit.com/r/ukraine/comments/116lyqr/russians_launched_unsuccessful_offensive_near/

   Larry Johnson earlier;

 Got to give credit where credit is due. Simplicius76 is an unidentified Substack writer who has written the best analysis I have seen of the tactical and strategic dimensions of the war in Ukraine and the upcoming Russian offensive. Russia is doing what it has done through history in the major conflicts where it prevailed — i.e., maskirovka (disguising its plans and movements). Russia is moving troops and equipment on fronts in the north, the east and the south.
They are currently attacking in several different sectors, which is forcing Ukraine to redeploy frantically troops to try to counter new threats that are springing up like raging wild fires.

Here are links to four of Simplicius76’s recent articles. Must read material if you want to understand what has happened and what is about to unfold in the coming weeks:


     The analysis that Larry Johnson was referring to below;

https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/the-coming-russian-offensive-2023

https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/all-seeing-eye-can-russia-break-through

https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/the-coming-russian-offensive-part
 
https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/sitrep-update-218-major-war-confirmed

    Russia are about to drop the hammer, David. If you bothered to read any counter views rather than seeking confirmation bias, you would understand that.

[ngb1066]

Gringo is type A.

Roch was on there somewhere but seems to have come to his senses.

If Gringo is type A what am I?  I know your chart is just US right wing "humour" but it really is rubbish.  Looking at A alone, I can assure you that communists do not consider that Russia is still communist.  The major opposition party within Russia is the Communist Party, and not insignificant right wing nutters like Navalny.  There is no love lost between the CP and Putin.  However that does not mean that communists ally themselves with NATO against Russia or have any respect towards Zelensky and his corrupt gang.

 
 

[ngb1066]

         NGB, no doubt swayed by your compelling advocacy, is probably questioning his 96.5% agreement as we type. After your brilliant argument- I am expecting a raise.

Absolutely, I can carrying out a careful recalculation.

 

[David1819]

If Gringo is type A what am I?  I know your chart is just US right wing "humour" but it really is rubbish.  Looking at A alone, I can assure you that communists do not consider that Russia is still communist.  The major opposition party within Russia is the Communist Party, and not insignificant right wing nutters like Navalny.  There is no love lost between the CP and Putin.  However that does not mean that communists ally themselves with NATO against Russia or have any respect towards Zelensky and his corrupt gang.

 

You are type C (only kidding!)

You have not shown any support or condemnation for Russia's actions. So I cannot place on you on there, you may not belong on there at all. But if I had to guess it would be B.

[David1819]

I can assure you that communists do not consider that Russia is still communist.

That may be the case of your generation. But there are commies of my generation and younger that are really stupid.

For example

[David1819]

 
    Russia are about to drop the hammer, David. If you bothered to read any counter views rather than seeking confirmation bias, you would understand that.

Yes. The toffee hammer is about to come down!

BTW I just read some of the archived material on the moonofalabama for last January and February. They were pouring scorn on reports of a potential Russian attack on Ukraine and ridiculing US intelligence reports for suggesting such a thing. Right up till Feb 23

What a clown show.

[ngb1066]

You are type C (only kidding!)

You have not shown any support or condemnation for Russia's actions. So I cannot place on you on there, you may not belong on there at all. But if I had to guess it would be B.

I am certainly not B.  If the categories are based on the descriptions below them I am not any of them.

[ngb1066]

That may be the case of your generation. But there are commies of my generation and younger that are really stupid.

For example

I agree that there are a few communists who still idolise Stalin and there are some who broadly support Russia's position on Ukraine.  Most of the rest, whilst critical of Russian action in relation to Ukraine, see it in its proper context, as has been well explained by Gringo.  However, no communist anywhere believes that Russia is still communist (technically it never claimed to be, but that is a separate discussion) which is the key descriptor for your category A.

[Roch]

Gringo is type A.

Roch was on there somewhere but seems to have come to his senses.

I don't think Roch is on there. I think he felt that the war could have been avoided and was (not) shocked by the hypocrisy of the US/UK. He thinks Gringo is too pro Russian and you are too anti-Russian. He suspects that the US (your country) are glad Russia invaded Ukraine and will make as much capital as it can from Russia's ham fisted debacle of an invasion.

[David1819]

I don't think Roch is on there. I think he felt that the war could have been avoided and was (not) shocked by the hypocrisy of the US/UK. He thinks Gringo is too pro Russian and you are too anti-Russian. He suspects that the US (your country) are glad Russia invaded Ukraine and will make as much capital as it can from Russia's ham fisted debacle of an invasion.

Just over a month since Gringo claimed Kyiv was "about to collapse" President Biden today has made a surprise visit to Kyiv. 



https://news.sky.com/story/us-president-joe-biden-visits-kyiv-marking-first-ukraine-trip-since-war-began-12815623

[gringo]

     My position is well explained and is anti imperialist. NGB clearly is a more discerning reader than others. I am no more pro-Russia than I am pro-Iran or Syria or Libya. I don't have to support Assad or Ghaddafi or Raisi to recognise that the countries that they lead or led are the victims of Western aggression.
    The both sides equally as bad approach is a cop out and weak fence sitting position. There is an aggressor and there is the victim of that aggression. Making pissy excuses for aggressive imperialism by claiming that the other side is as bad is to be an apologist for that aggression with no courage behind the conviction. There is no conviction in fact. And yet NATO aggression is undeniable.
    I am pro-anyone who is the victim of aggression. How their country is governed is not my business. It has no bearing on who is the aggressor. NATO are an aggressive organisation. Every single piece of available evidence tells you this.