How should west respond to Russian invasion of Ukraine?

[bilby]

You fucking support current regime in Syria, which you installed - Al fucking Queda!

I can assure you that I installed no such thing. I have never even visited Syria.

I think what he's referring to is we have at times aided some of the groups opposed to the old Syria.

Who is "we"?

Didn't last very long, though, because we realized they weren't actually interested in improving Syria. Any good guys in Syria certainly have either gotten out or gotten dead by now.

 

[Tigers!]

The latest Russian tank to flip it's top is at the refinery outside Moscow. Oddly enough, Ukraine can't claim this one, at least directly. It was hit by a Pansir anti aircraft missile, which apparently missed it's intended target.

The Pansir system used to be one of the most respected anti aircraft weapons in the world. Most anti aircraft projectiles have a self destruct mechanism which would prevent this kind of thing. After all, the primary purpose of anti aircraft is to protect stuff on the ground. Right now, Russia is consuming Pansirs at a pretty good rate (not counting the ones that get destroyed still in the tube), so this one was probably made sometime last week. If you have to cut costs, a self destuct for something that's going to blow up anyway, may be a reasonable way to save a little money. More likely, it requires imported parts that are hard to get.
View attachment 54546

I thought it was a UFO emerging through a portal.

 

[TV and credit cards]

I thought it was a UFO emerging through a portal.

That's was my first thought. That our overlords came through, wrong place wrong time and boy are they going to be mad.
Kinda wish it was, then maybe they'd go eat Putin's head.

 

[ZiprHead]

then maybe they'd go eat Putin's head.

Nah. They'd surely reject rotting meat.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Today's thermal anomalies in Russia are a chemical plant south of Moscow in Novomoskovsk used to make nitrates for explosives and sausages and yet another fuel storage facility, this one north of Moscow in Rybinsk. Yesterday's were a titanium plant in Armyansk Crimea and a fuel transshipment facility in Volna, just across the dilapidated Kerch bridge.
Though, should we still call them thermal anomalies? Maybe thermal normalities would better suit.

Any resemblance to the Blue Origin "hotfire anomaly"?

 

[Loren Pechtel]

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/06/15/us/b-52-crash-edwards-california

Eight crew members are dead in a B-52 bomber crash shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base, northeast of Los Angeles, on Monday morning, the base said.

It is the deadliest crash involving a B-52 bomber since 1982. In that crash, nine crew members died in test training at the Mather Air Force Base near Sacramento, The Associated Press reported at the time.

Sad news. But completely unrelated to the topic of this thread.

I disagree, very related. It shows decay of US Airforce which means less weapons to Kiev Regime

The B-52 is a dinosaur.

You also had a recent bomber crash.

 

[TV and credit cards]

Today's thermal anomalies in Russia are a chemical plant south of Moscow in Novomoskovsk used to make nitrates for explosives and sausages and yet another fuel storage facility, this one north of Moscow in Rybinsk. Yesterday's were a titanium plant in Armyansk Crimea and a fuel transshipment facility in Volna, just across the dilapidated Kerch bridge.
Though, should we still call them thermal anomalies? Maybe thermal normalities would better suit.

Any resemblance to the Blue Origin "hotfire anomaly"?

Why yes. They both burn at about 4,000 F.

 

[SLD]

UK unveils prototype missiles for Ukraine built entirely without US components

The UK completed spring trials for Project Brakestop, building long-range missiles for Ukraine without US components to avoid American export restrictions.

cryptobriefing.com

Interesting development. Britain can by pass the United States and export these directly to Ukraine. I hope they send them over in droves.

 

[TV and credit cards]

UK unveils prototype missiles for Ukraine built entirely without US components

The UK completed spring trials for Project Brakestop, building long-range missiles for Ukraine without US components to avoid American export restrictions.

cryptobriefing.com

Interesting development. Britain can by pass the United States and export these directly to Ukraine. I hope they send them over in droves.

Start up in November 2023
Expected deliveries by the end of 2026
I'd say better late than never but the way it's going for Russia, these missiles may miss the war altogether.
Oh well, if I know my Russians, they'll come in handy at some point in the future for some Eastern European nation.

I don't see Europe backsliding on their military buildup should America get a sane president or two in the near future. No. Once a nation puts long term contracts in place and industry expands and hires talent to fulfill those contracts, the horse has pretty much left the barn.
Between this and the rapid expansion of drones fighting our wars, I suspect we are in a dangerous new world. When a country doesn't have to commit its own citizens to the dangers of war, war becomes much more palatable.

Then again, if AI becomes autonomous for defensive purposes as I suspect it will, perhaps even starting a drone war will be a zero sum game.

 

[TV and credit cards]

No gas for you!

"Today, June 21, starting at 9:00 AM, fuel sales at Crimean gas stations will be suspended for cash, non-cash payments, and vouchers for individuals and legal entities," Sergey Aksyonov, the Moscow-backed governor of Crimea, announced in a post on Telegram.
"Fuel will be sold only to government agencies that ensure the functioning and security of the Republic of Crimea," he added, while also asking residents to remain calm.

Petrol officially becomes priceless in Crimea.

 

[TV and credit cards]

This could become significant. I can't imagine Zelensky would bluff.
Zelenskyy issues one-week ultimatum to Lukashenka over drone-guidance equipment

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued a one-week ultimatum to Belarus to shut down relay equipment on the border with Ukraine that he claimed was being used to guide Russian drone attacks.

"If he doesn’t do it, we will."

Would Lukashenka comply or just look the other way given his recent conciliatory statements toward Ukraine?

 

[bilby]

Start up in November 2023
Expected deliveries by the end of 2026
I'd say better late than never but the way it's going for Russia, these missiles may miss the war altogether.

Churchill was aware of this problem with munitions production back in 1941:

First year, nothing at all; second year, very little; third year, quite a lot; fourth year, all you want.

 

[TV and credit cards]

Where's the Barbonator, Destroyer of Western Propaganda? Too many "fuck yous" or something?

 

[barbos]

Polish president revoked Medal Poland awarded Mr. Bean on crack.
All because Mr. Bean on crack keeps on cosplaying a nazi.

 

[TV and credit cards]

This may come to an end sooner than expected. Maybe I need to back away from the news but I think the phrase, "Gradually, then all at once" applies. And that the all at once may be near.
It's not just Russia's refining capacity that has taken a hit but Bloomberg reports that oil production has too. Maybe due to a lack of available storage. But from this, I think Ukraine may have made western sanctions on Russian oil exports a nonissue. I don't think these oil sanctions matter anymore. Furthermore, Bloomberg reports Russia is looking to import gasoline.
If Putin were to come to the table now, Zelensky may require Russian troops leave Ukrainian territory as a precondition. I think they're in that position to do so now. Trump would be furious, unless he's finally decided to drop his loser friend Putin, which may very well be.
Trump is taking it in the ass courtesy of Iran and he knows it. Closing the strait again may have been a sign the agreement or else move by Iran. The whole world has been agreeable toward Trump because he controls the most advanced military in the world. Iran is giving him no quarter. Switching sides may be an ego boost he needs right now. He is that shallow.

 

[TomC]

Trump would be furious, unless he's finally decided to drop his loser friend Putin, which may very well be.

I still believe that Putin has some explosive kompromat* on Trump. Trump cannot drop Putin.
Tom

*However you spell that...

 

[bilby]

Russia can drop Putin. Plenty of Muscovites have got to be unhappy that a short victorious war a thousand kilometres away has turned into an endless slog that has blackened their skies and filled their city with explosions and mayhem.

Dropping Putin could make it all go away. As long as they choose a high enough window.

 

[TV and credit cards]

Russia can drop Putin. Plenty of Muscovites have got to be unhappy that a short victorious war a thousand kilometres away has turned into an endless slog that has blackened their skies and filled their city with explosions and mayhem.

Dropping Putin could make it all go away. As long as they choose a high enough window.

Restrictions on social media. Restrictions on gas. Sooner or later, the pitchforks come out.

 

[Harry Bosch]

Polish president revoked Medal Poland awarded Mr. Bean on crack.
All because Mr. Bean on crack keeps on cosplaying a nazi.

Yea, there is a row right now between the countries. Actually, if you had a better knowledge of their history, you'd know that Ukraine and Poland have a very long and bitter competition against each other. As is the same as most of Europe. But they are all banding together against Russian imperialism.

 

[Harry Bosch]

This could become significant. I can't imagine Zelensky would bluff.
Zelenskyy issues one-week ultimatum to Lukashenka over drone-guidance equipment

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued a one-week ultimatum to Belarus to shut down relay equipment on the border with Ukraine that he claimed was being used to guide Russian drone attacks.

"If he doesn’t do it, we will."

Would Lukashenka comply or just look the other way given his recent conciliatory statements toward Ukraine?

The larger deal here is Lukashenka apologizing to Ukraine today; and backing away a little from Russia.