[/QUOTE] Shooting the guys with the suntans won't be too difficult then. Speak of, I gather from a report of a friend operating on the coast, came in from Romania that he has gone through a couple of hundred rounds in eight days. That is an awful lot for a sniper. Most will be expended through operating some version of the sixes but I expect there will be at least 35-40 dead baddies or perhaps better called canon-fodder at that rate.
Russia and China are both paper tigers in conventional warfare. The US could wipe the floor with both of them simultaneously if the pissed us off bad enough. The gap in air power is much larger than most people realize.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-of...ast-haven-for-dirty-money-fueling-putins-war/ US official warns Israel: ‘Don’t be last haven for dirty money fueling Putin’s war’ US State Department official calls on Israel to join Western sanctions, as Jerusalem’s attempt to publicly stay in a neutral position becomes increasingly precarious By TOI staff Today An explosion is seen in an apartment building after Russian's army tank fires in Mariupol, Ukraine, on March 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) The US warned Israel on Friday against taking in “dirty money” from Russia and called on Jerusalem to join Western sanctions to punish the Kremlin for its invasion of Ukraine. Israel has avoided sanctions or strident criticism against Russia and its president Vladimir Putin as it seeks to balance its warm ties with both Kyiv and Moscow. Western countries and companies have enacted crippling sanctions against Russia’s economy, its oligarchs, and some officials, including Putin, since the start of the invasion. However, Israel has not joined the efforts, including not taking action against Russian-Israeli billionaire Roman Abramovich who has been sanctioned by the United Kingdom and Canada. In addition, a number of private jets have reportedly traveled from Russia to Israel in recent days. Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Newsletter email address The US undersecretary of state for political affairs, Victoria Nuland, told Israel’s Channel 12 news on Friday that Israel should get onboard with Western sanctions, and bar Russian oligarchs. State Department Under Secretary for Public Affairs Victoria J. Nuland speaks during a briefing at the State Department in Washington, Jan. 27, 2022. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, Pool, File) “You don’t want to become the last haven for dirty money that’s fueling Putin’s wars,” Nuland said. “So whatever Israel is able to do, Ukrainians would welcome and the international coalition in support of Ukraine would welcome.” Asked about Israel joining the Biden administration’s sanctions, Nuland said, “We are asking among other things is for every democracy around the world to join us in the financial and export control sanctions that we have put on Putin. We have to squeeze the regime, we have to deny it the income that it needs.” “We squeeze the oligarchs around him, we squeeze its economy. So in that context, we’re asking as many countries as we can to join us. We’re asking that of Israel as well,” she said. As for whether Israel should provide military aid to Ukraine, Nuland said that was in the hands of the Israeli government. “That’s a sovereign decision for Israel to make. Many, many democracies around the world are stepping out of their comfort zone to supply security and military support to Ukraine. But what’s most important from our point of view right now is [for Israel] to join the financial sanctions,” she said. Israel has provided humanitarian aid to Ukraine, including medical equipment and generators for a hospital. However it has refused to send military equipment, including defense gear such as flak jackets and helmets. As Israel avoids imposing sanctions, flight traffic has suggested that some wealthy Russians are seeking refuge in Israel. Channel 12 reported Friday that in the last 10 days, 14 private jets that took off from St. Petersburg landed at Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport. Last week, the outlet reported that an unusual number of rented private jets have reportedly been flying from Russia to Israel since the invasion of Ukraine, a possible indication that some rich Russians are looking at ways to slip around sanctions. A destroyed tank is seen after battles between Ukrainian and Russian forces on a main road near Brovary, north of Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 10, 2022. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) Israel has attempted to walk a tightrope between Kyiv and Moscow, and sought to use its relations with the two countries to mediate between them, so far unsuccessfully. Israel is also fearful of angering Russia due to its powerful presence in Syria, where Israel carries out strikes against Iran-linked targets. Israel’s attempt to remain neutral has become increasingly fraught in recent days, as Russia’s onslaught intensifies, exacting a staggering humanitarian toll against its neighbor. Ukraine has repeatedly pressed Israel to take a stronger stance against Russia, and is reportedly growing exasperated with Jerusalem’s reluctance to take a side. Friday reports said that Prime Minister Naftali Bennett pushed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to take up an offer from Putin, which Zelensky rejected. Bennett’s office denied the report. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks in Kyiv, on March 10, 2022. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP) Zelensky, who is Jewish and a declared admirer of Israel, is hoping to broadcast a speech to the Knesset plenum as he has done in other parliaments around the world, but the plans for the speech remain unclear. Israel has instead proposed that he hold a less formal Zoom session with all MKs invited, Walla reported. Knesset Speaker Mickey Levy said Thursday that Zelensky will speak to lawmakers via Zoom in the coming days. Zelensky was reportedly uninterested in a Zoom talk, and has considered a speech to Yad Vashem, but the details are murky. On Friday, Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai said that he has told Ukraine’s ambassador to Israel that any speech made by Zelensky to Israelis could be broadcast on screens in a major square in the city. Bennett traveled to Moscow to meet with Putin on Saturday, becoming the first foreign leader to sit down with the Russian president since he invaded his neighbor. He spoke to Zelensky before and after the meeting. Israel’s refugee policy has also caused tensions, as incoming Ukrainians have reportedly been left for days with amenities at Ben Gurion airport, and Israel has been reluctant to accept non-Jewish refugees. A Friday report said Israel has turned away around 200 refugees from Ukraine.
https://www.rawstory.com/putins-plan-to-intimidate-nato/ 'The damage is done': Military historian says Putin's plan to intimidate NATO has backfired Tom Boggioni March 11, 2022 According to military historian and security analyst Sébastien Roblin, if Vladimir Putin's goal in invading Ukraine was an attempt to intimidate other European countries from joining NATO, it could not have gone worse as he exposed weaknesses his government has been hiding from the world. Writing for The Week, Roblin explained that the inability of the Russian army to crush Ukraine quickly and decisively exposed an ill-equipped, poorly-trained armed forces unprepared to invade and conquer which has undermined the country's reputation for military might. As the analyst points out, the secret is out and "the damage is done." Beginning, "Russia's war in Ukraine is ostensibly all about deterring NATO from its sphere of influence, but the irony is the fight so far has gravely degraded Russia's military position in Europe — and above all its ability to compel with threats of force that fall under the nuclear threshold," he added, "While the Kremlin's increasingly de-platformed media is unsurprisingly weaving a narrative of brilliant success for its domestic audience and fawning overseas admirers, the shortcomings and blunders of its forces are clear to all who can see the imagery pouring out of Ukraine." Pointing to reports of Russian military fuel and food shortages, botched assaults, battlefield communication failures and "A shocking number of high-ranking generals and colonels killed on the battlefield," Roblin claims the Ukraine invasion has exposed "the soft white underbelly" of Russia's armed forces. Admitting that a direct war with NATO would have been planned differently, the analyst claimed that, nonetheless, "in terms of conventional deterrence, the damage is done: The limitations of Russia's military, and the deluded judgments informing its employment, have left an indelible impression, making the threat of Russian conventional military power less convincing than before, even while the perceived need to defend against it has increased." Conceding that Russia likely didn't bring its "A game" to the Ukraine invasion, Roblin also claimed the world's response to the incursion exposed more weaknesses in Russia, including what may prove to be a long occupation that further erodes the armed forces. "Such an occupation will brutalize both occupier and occupied and incur onerous costs on the Kremlin. Rubles that could have gone to finding ways to defeat NATO stealth fighters and Aegis warships will have to be poured into sustaining tens or even hundreds of thousands of occupation troops and their ambush-protected vehicles as they thanklessly prop whatever hated puppet regime is imposed by Moscow," he explained. "Indeed, had Russia not invaded Ukraine in 2022, Germany would have maintained its anemic military spending and begun piping gas from Nord Stream 2. And the Biden administration would have likely sought to shift more of the U.S. military out of Europe and the Middle East and into the Asia-Pacific." "Instead, Putin's criminal invasion has made Russia weaker, and encouraged the states it views as threats to grow more united," he concluded.
Ordered to shoot all civilians because their mission was to rid Ukraine of Nazis. Sounds like his "team-mates" did not make out as well as he did. https://videos.dailymail.co.uk/vide...974105657/480x270_MP4_7143984822974105657.mp4
Zelensky said the tide has turned in the war yesterday and this assessment seems to agree. ">1/ Ukrainian Theater of War, Day 15: The third week of the war opened with an underwhelming Russian offensive against west & east Kyiv. The Ukrainians continue to harass Russian supply routes and have retaken suburbs in northern Kharkiv. #UkraineWar #UkraineRussiaWar#Ukraine️ 2/ Humanitarian Impact. UN sources report more than 2,3 million refugees have now fled Ukraine. Indiscriminate attacks of civilians continue to mount. Multiple cities are without electricity or potable water. Residents of Mariupol have been forced to dig mass graves. 3/ Weather assessment. Improved weather conditions throughout the Ukrainian theater will increase the frequency of VKS air and missile attacks. Warmer ground temperatures will make off road movement difficult, as recent snowfall will make the ground to soft for heavy armor. >4/ Kyiv AO assessment. The ineptitude of Russian offensive action suggests Ukrainian forces will be able to hold Kyiv for the foreseeable future. Russian setbacks and staggering losses among field commanders will drive them toward more indiscriminate attacks. #Kyiv#KyivNow >5/ Northeast AO assessment. The cumulative effects of Ukrianian defense of key cities, effective ambushes against Russian GLOCs, and small-scale raids against vulnerable Russian positions threaten to isolate Russian forces in indefensible positions. #Sumy #Chernihiv#Brovarsky >6/ Kharkiv and Donbas AO assessments. Russian advances in this AO have stalled. The Russians risk losing irreplaceable momentum if they do not reprioritize resources here. Reserving Russian gains here can turn events in this AO decidedly in favor of Ukraine.#Kharkiv #Mariupol 7/ The Southern AO assessment. An advance on Mikolalyv remains the focus of Russian operations, however the commitment of forces to an advance against Kryvyi Rih is hindering this effort. Ukrainian forces continue to fortify the Odesa area. #Mikolayiv #Odesa #Kherson 8/ Aerospace Assessment. The VKS remains largely ineffective. Air-ground integration has hardly improved. The Russian targeting cycle lags horrible behind real-time data, as Russian pilots rely on pre-flight info than on-ground guidance, making SVP-24 guided munitions ineffective >9/ Electromagnetic Sphere. The Russians have failed to effectively utilize their vast EW capabilities and tactics to scale. This is yet another example of the inability of the Russians to exercise effective command and control of large-scale operations. >10/ Information War. The Ukrainian military continues to post compelling videos of significant Russian loses. It is unknown what impact these may be having on Russian Soldiers who might be viewing them. >11/ There is a danger that these videos can give the wrong impression that Ukraine does not need substantial military aid to enable its armed forces to defeat the Russians. Images of mass atrocities have yet to compel the west to intervene more forcefully. 12/ International Foreign Legion. The Ukrainian International Legion of Territorial Defense reportedly now consists of 20,000 volunteers from 82 countries. 13/ Battle Damage Assessment. Ukrainian TB2s rain havoc on Russian forces. The Ukrainians continue to capture Russian equipment because of Russian combat losses or abandonment by Russian Soldiers who are incapable or unwilling to maintain them. 14/ Russian Overall Assessment. Two weeks into the war now clearly demonstrate the incompetence of the Russian military to conduct effective large-scale combat operations. If the Russians to not learn & adapt better, Ukraine can fight them to a standstill. 15/ Ukrainian Overall Assessment. Ukrainian resolve remains high, UA units can conduct effective brigade-level operations, blunting Russian assaults in urban or open terrain. Ukraine is capable of forcing Russian into a protracted unwinnable war. 16/ These updates have been aggregated from various OSINT sources, official Ukrainian government statements, media reports (i.e., AP News, Reuters), and American think tank reports. Daily reports will continue, major weekly assessments / analysis forthcoming.
So the Russians are kidnapping and torturing the mayors of cities to force them to make pro-Russian statements. Otherwise they kill them. How very Soviet of them. Occupiers torture Melitopol mayor to make him record a video in support of Russia https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2022/03/12/7330755/ President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Mayor of Melitopol is being tortured to force him to record a video in support of the occupying forces of the Russian Federation. Source: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a press conference for foreign media According to Zelenskyy: "We know that he is alive. And today, people in Melitopol – two thousand people – came out onto the streets, despite the fact that the city is occupied by the Russian troops – they came out because they saw where they [the Russian troops] had taken their mayor. People know where he is. They [the Russian occupiers] are torturing him because he won’t say that he is glad to see the Russian authorities [take over Melitopol]. They want a video. Well, we have all seen this in movies. And we have seen this happen a few times in the past 100 years, unfortunately: terrorist acts, when people are kidnapped and made to say something on record, otherwise they are killed. They are not ashamed of this video! They just kidnap him, take him to a basement, torture him, record a video and then just kill him. One mayor was killed like that. Now they have another mayor. Is this, as President Putin calls it, "demilitarisation" or a "military operation"? No, it’s just terrorism. With evidence. And with full consequences for them." Details: Zelenskyy assured the media that he had discussed the kidnapping and hostage of the mayor of Melitopol, as well as humanitarian corridors, with foreign leaders. He asked French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to raise the question of releasing the mayor of Melitopol during a telephone conversation with Putin. Background: On 11 March, Russian occupiers kidnapped the Mayor of Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov, on the street. The moment of the kidnapping was recorded on surveillance cameras. Prior to that, the occupiers handed out leaflets demanding the surrender of Melitopol. On 12 March, residents of Melitopol staged protests near the district state administration demanding that the occupiers release Fedorov. The Russian invaders also kidnapped the activist Olha Haisumova, who organised protests in the city, right during the protests. Zelenskyy appealed to world leaders to help free Fedorov. On 7 March, the Russian military assassinated the mayor of Hostomel, Yuri Prylypko, while he was distributing humanitarian aid to local residents who found themselves blockaded by the Russian occupation forces. When a priest went to pick up the body of the deceased Prylypko, he found that the Russian occupiers had rigged it with explosives.