Does Russia still have a Navy? Or is that the reason Russia's sailors are often seen wandering around the docks? Kashirin seems decent. Perhaps an offer of higher pay, a lot higher pay, and a safer life might do it. Hell, we could cover a significant other and a few independents, if any. What do you think, gwb-trading?
https://oilprice.com/Geopolitics/In...eet-is-Wrecking-Havoc-on-the-Caspian-Sea.html Russia’s Fleet is Wrecking Havoc on the Caspian Sea By RFE/RL staff - Nov 13, 2024, 4:00 PM CST Russia's use of the Caspian Sea for missile strikes against Ukraine and military exercises is raising concerns about environmental damage. Local residents report increased pollution, dead fish, and a decline in the overall health of the Caspian Sea. The long-term ecological consequences of Russia's military presence in the Caspian Sea remain uncertain. Russian military forces in and around the Caspian Sea appear to be firing at Ukraine -- with as-yet-unmeasured impacts on the local environment, as well as untold death and destruction on hitting their targets. Ukrainian officials reported Russian jets firing missiles from the sea in the first days of Moscow’s full-scale invasion in 2022 and have done so repeatedly since. People living by the Caspian have also reported missile launches, in one case this year posting a video apparently showing a Kalibr cruise-missile launch. Some locals have said military activity is causing pollution, while some journalists have suggested a link between the launches and die-offs of Caspian seals. Russia has not confirmed its use of the Caspian for attacks on Ukraine, but it was not always so coy. In October 2015, official media quoted then-Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu as saying that the Caspian Sea Fleet had hit targets in Syria using Kalibr missiles. There was another such report the following year. Reported attacks since 2022 have mostly come from the bombers cruising above the Caspian, firing X-55 cruise missiles. It's possible the Caspian Fleet has fired Kalibr missiles, but the Ukrainian armed forces have said there's no clear evidence. A video posted by local fishermen in June shows two missiles. The behavior of the tail unit is more like that of a Kalibr than an air-launched cruise missile. But local concerns about the environmental impact of Russia’s Caspian Fleet predate the full-scale invasion. Moscow was already building a new base for the fleet at Kaspiisk, in Daghestan, and in June 2020 held a parade of ships there. A local man told RFE/RL that the event, which has been held annually ever since, leaves the sea covered with oil and is followed by dead fish piling up on the shore. "About 30 years ago, the sea was full of life. Not anymore. I swam out to the ships in the summer and saw what was going on. The Caspian Fleet is one of the factors," he said. 'A Terrible Atmosphere' RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by Moscow, so the man’s name cannot be revealed. Doing so could land him in jail. A local woman, who must also remain anonymous, said she moved to Kaspiisk from the regional capital, Makhachkala, nine years ago, hoping the water would be cleaner. She said the situation had "changed a lot" in that time and described the impact of the annual naval parades. “[The ships] are not in port, they’re moored offshore. They burn fuel around the clock, there’s a constant roar of engines, and of course all the emissions go into the sea," she said. "Then the ships start firing. There's a terrible atmosphere. The smell of burning comes in, even through closed windows...it’s impossible to breathe." The fleet also holds exercises every September. This year, more than 30 vessels were involved. The drills take place further out to sea, but our sources told us that fuel deposits and dead fish accumulate on the shore. Journalists have linked both drills and actual combat activity with pollution and possibly mass seal deaths. Both Kalibr and X-55 cruise missiles use toxic rocket fuel that may spill into the sea. But no independent scientific data has been gathered in the Caspian to assess the impact of Russia's military activities on the environment there.
The real trick is to keep sending injured solders back to the front until they are no longer considered injured... Oh wait, that's been already thought of. Never mind. Then again, another way to avoid injury or death payments is to seek peace.
I hear the Russian army is paying "big money" these days. @kashirin is probably getting these text messages from his local enlistment office. Surely the Russian military would appreciate his vatnik views... he would fit right in. Russia sends threatening text messages to draft dodgers https://www.intellinews.com/russia-sends-threatening-text-messages-to-draft-dodgers-353151/
Hey look... the Russian military made a little bit of progress. Russian Forces Push Into Donbas Town Where Dam Was Blown Up Moscow’s troops keep pressing around the Donbas town of Kurakhove, where a dam was blown up and the terrain is soon expected to be flooded, impeding movement of both sides. https://www.kyivpost.com/post/42192 Russian forces advanced between one and two kilometers in waves of assaults against battered Ukrainian troops in the eastern Donbas sector, as a long-running Kremlin offensive in east Ukraine appeared to pick up pace on Wednesday. Unofficial Russian sources reported Kremlin forces had taken control of the village of Novoselydivka and pushed troops into the eastern districts of Kurakhove, the regional industrial center, where heavy combat was in progress. Ukrainian milbloggers confirmed a triple-pronged wave of Russian assaults had gained significant ground around the town, with a pace of advance pointing toward collapsing Ukrainian defenses in some sectors. The pro-Ukrainian DeepState combat situation tracking group reported Russian troops in the past 24 hours had reached and launched house-to-house assaults in the village of Novoselydivka to the north of Kurakhove, and the village of Dalnye to the south. Both DeepState and the pro-Russian milblogger Mikhail Zvinchuk reported fighting in Kurakhove was centered on the buildings lining Zaporizky Prospekt, the main road leading east from the town. A Tuesday evening situation update published by the Ukraine Army General Staff said that Ukrainian forces engaged 41 separate Russian attacks in the Kurakhove sector, of which 17 had been “repelled” by the end of the day. That statement confirmed fighting in progress in Dalnye and Novoselydivka. (More at above url)
Russian military observers say Moscow lies about fighting in Kursk https://english.nv.ua/nation/russia...ow-lies-about-fighting-in-kursk-50466561.html Russian propagandists have accused the Russian military command of producing false victorious reports and ordering doomed assaults on Ukrainian positions in Kursk Oblast, independent Russian outlet Agentstvo reported on Nov. 14. Prominent propagandists Yuri Podolyaka and Kirill Fedorov, who together have a following of over 3.5 million, criticized the Russian military leadership. Their critiques emerged amid reports of significant Russian military losses as Moscow is attempting to oust Ukrainian forces from the region. Podolyaka voiced serious criticism of pro-Russian channels distributing false information about the front-line situation in Kursk Oblast. He claimed that about 90% of such reports are false and suggested that these sources might be connected to Russia’s Defense Ministry. This, he asserted, could mean that the command is sending distorted reports to higher authorities. He also warned that this practice could lead to substantial losses among Russian forces. Podolyaka cited reports of supposed Russian control over settlements like Orlivka, Pogrebki, and Sorochiny, which he claimed were untrue. “If no measures are taken in this regard, there will be trouble,” Podolyaka wrote. He claimed that Russian forces have managed to secure only a few positions between Pogrebki and Kremyannoye. He added that there is no confirmed advancement in other directions in Kursk Oblast. Fedorov criticized Russian commanders as "unteachable" for attempting to breach Ukrainian defense lines by ordering lightly armored BTR-82A vehicles into dense minefields. “It seems that some commanders fail to learn the harsh lessons written in their soldiers' blood,” the propagandist said. “Why is there no proper reconnaissance, demining, and other necessary precautions? How long will Russian soldiers travel in light armored vehicles onto mines?”
On a side note, the honeytrap Kursk would pose must have been the plan of the Ukrainian high command all along. Instead of frantically trying to seal gaps all over the huge eastern front they could force a Russian attack against the best units of Ukraine, well prepared, on a limited front section.
It has to be tough on Russian citizens, especially those outside of Moscow region. After all, have not most been "recruited", AKA forced to participate, in Putin's war on his neighbor, out of small villages and towns in other regions? To be fair, it seems Putin is not just going after Ukrainians and Russians outside of Moscow. A fair number of Russian citizens within Moscow region, including journalists and even scientists who expressed concern over Putin's war against Ukraine have been jailed or worse. Even a considerable number prominent Russian leaders of industry, sometimes including their families, have met untimely deaths. Some estimate Putin's net worth is over ten trillion rubles. Imagine how Russian citizens lives could be improved if some of that wealth were shared. Russian population in 2024 is 145 million on about twice the land area of the United States, Canada, or China. In comparison, the United States has about 345 million inhabitants and China with 1,419 million people. Putin says he needs even more land for a greater feeling of security? It seems to me Putin asks too much from it's citizens, likely creating long term internal instability and reduced global competitiveness, thus limited economic opportunities for her citizens. Russia has great theoretical scientists who work at their highest levels when they feel free to corroborate with colleagues within and outside Russia. In others words, it is likely Putin is sacrificing Russia's Scientific standing within the global setting by continuing his war on Ukraine. It seems Putin is asking too much from Russian Business leaders, possibly leading to reduced innovation and investment, potentially stifling economic recovery post war. It seems Putin believes in the quantitative advantage of having more land but does not appreciate the qualitative advantages of having true allies within Russian citizens, from Russian business leaders to workers to military personal; from Russian scientists to those in the media and the arts; from Russian neighbors Ukraine, Georgia, and related; From former Russian trade partners and corroborators. While I can see there may be long term hubris related to World War II where Ukrainians did not initially provide committed resistance to the German invading armies. One must consider why. The Russian system asked too much from Ukrainians back then, so much so, Ukrainians thought of German Nazis as liberators! Am I effectively conveying the idea of the qualitative power of having people believe in their country's political system? Ukrainians, like Russians, are very smart. I understand they have the highest average IQs in the world. Russians and Ukrainians both tend to have great situational awareness. Russians in my experience tend to be risk adverse and protective, especially within their communities. Ukrainians tend to be bolder, communicate well, and seem to have a strong sense of purpose. It appears Russians and Ukrainians have fundamentally complimentary attributes and should be great neighbors. Based upon what I've seen from Ukrainians, they will ultimately prevail because of their attributes and the quality of their allies. By prevailing, I mean the establishment of a viable, if not exceptional, industrial economic base after the war, with the help of their friends. This does not necessarily have to be done to the exclusion of Russia's participation in Western economic opportunities, in my opinion. In conclusion, Ukrainians will ultimately prevail with the long term outlook for Russia still a question. It may be Putin needs to make a quantitative versus qualitative decision in any peace treaty regarding Ukraine that may have a profound long term impact on Russia's economy, stability, and geopolitical relationships.