tgw

this is definitely wrong.

US State Department: "Nothing will dissuade" Biden administration from supporting Ukraine https://edition.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-putin-news-04-15-22/index.html such a strong statement is certainly reassuring, I trust they know what they are doing, and I feel relieved for Ukraine. Putin must be stopped, it's the right call.

Russia warned US of "unpredictable consequences" if weapons shipments to Ukraine continue, sources say https://edition.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-putin-news-04-15-22/index.html I'm scared Putin wants to play with the red button. I hope the strategists have a good plan in case crazy Vlad nukes Ukraine. But all scenarios look terrible in that event.

nope, there were many. starting with the Kuril Islands, Finland borders (inkl. Karelia), Chinese borders, Baltic States borders, the Barents Sea are the major ones concerning Russia itself. The Soviet Union had many more territorial disputes.

yup. guaranteeing the security of Russia might demonstrate to Russian people that there is a distinction between the two.

it's not a perfect world. even in 1990, there were plenty of Russian territories with a disputed status. security of Russia is not only the excuse used by Putin for his war, but also a major concern for many Russians, especially those in the military or in the power structure. the West must leave no ambiguity about the conflict posing no potential existential threat to Russia's security and territorial integrity.

It might convince the officer in charge of pushing the button to not do it.

no, but I think the West should give Russia all assurances and guarantees that its 1990 borders are totally safe. and maybe also the assurance that the rights of Russian minorities will be respected in areas that were de-facto colonized / russified by the Soviets.

okay, so let's recapitulate, NATO is not in Ukraine, which means that so far Russia has lost 20.000 soldiers (how many wounded?) , 750 tanks, 150 planes, 140 helos, 2000 apv, 1500 trucks, and now a capital ship, all while fighting against NOT NATO.

whoops ... Russian leadership... Putin's defence minister Sergei Shoigu has had a 'massive heart attack not from natural causes' and 20 generals 'have been arrested' over bungled invasion https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10718247/Putins-defence-minister-Sergei-Shoigu-massive-heart-attack-not-natural-causes.html?ito=social-twitter_mailonline and https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/4/14/2091952/-Paranoid-Putin-Purges-100s-in-the-Russian-Leadership Admiral Igor Osipov, commander of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, allegedly arrested.

yes, I just read that. great news !

Russian officials allege cross-border strikes by Ukrainian forces amid threat of retaliation by Moscow https://edition.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-putin-news-04-14-22/index.html wow ... Russia wants to retaliate ... I wonder how bad it will be ? would they even start a war ???

it's the other way around. China sells military equipment to Russia's allies, circumventing sanctions on Russia. Check this out: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/04/11/china-makes-semi-secret-delivery-of-missiles-serbia.html

I particularly noted the Russians take exception in the "illegal detention" of their soldiers orcs by Ukrainian security services. It can't get much more ridiculous than that.

Damaged Russian warship is afloat, Pentagon says, amid conflicting reports from Ukraine and Russia https://edition.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-putin-news-04-14-22/index.html Although these news caused me slight disappointment, I think there is a third possible cause for the fire: sabotage. that would be worse than incompetence or act of war.

Russia's latest attempt at humour: Russia opens criminal cases into alleged torture of its soldiers by Ukraine “Russians were subjected to physical violence and torture in order to force them to give false explanations about the actual conditions of their illegal detention on the premises of the Security Service of Ukraine, as well as on (Russia’s) special military operation,” it said in a statement. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/4/13/russian-attacks-on-ukraines-kharkiv-escalating-mayor-says-liveblog ????

seeing that video, I am now worried about sunflower seed supply for the gopniks.

nope, S-400 is a Russian SAM system. allegedly very performant. this keeps being repeated over and over, so I begin to have doubts about that system being so effective.

apparently, some surrendered, others did this: "in Mariupol, as a result of a risky maneuver, units of the 36th Independent Marine Brigade broke through to [join] the Azov regiment." Arestovych said that the Azov regiment had "received substantial reinforcements ... the 36th brigade avoided defeat and received additional serious opportunities, in fact, gained a second chance." https://edition.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-putin-news-04-13-22/index.html if that's true, it means the 36th Naval Infantry Brigade broke through Russian lines, from the northern pocket to the Asovstal pocket. a very brave move. my next thought was wondering if they are equipped with bayonets

apparently, the surrenders concern the Ilich steel plant (north of Mariupol) and maybe also Asovmash steel plant (also north of Mariupol), defended by the 36th Naval Infantry. No word from other units yet or from Asovstal

apparently, Ukrainian soldiers are beginning to mass surrender in Mariupol https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/chechen-chief-kadyrov-says-over-1000-ukrainian-marines-surrender-mariupol-2022-04-13/ https://www.newsweek.com/ukraine-soldiers-mariupol-russian-forces-british-volunteer-1697210 they run out of ammunition and food https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/hundreds-of-ukraine-marines-surrender-in-key-port-of-mariupol--says-russia/47513694 a Brit is among them: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/british-fighter-mariupol-ukraine-surrender-b2056477.html

Windows 11 can be considered a technical update. Except for some details, Windows 11 brings no improvements for the user over Windows 10. Windows 11 comes with harsh hardware requirements though.

me too. the training should not by a major issue, contractors can be used for that.

Erm ... "findings" is a very very very generous term. try "blatant lies" instead ?

the situation is really simple: if the Baltic States, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria had not joined NATO, all these states would probably be in the same situation as Ukraine is now or would be soon.