This is what a fight for survival looks like. The Ukrainians are rolling out prototypes...

 

They hit something big...

#BREAKING: Large explosion reported at airbase near Kharkiv, Ukraine pic.twitter.com/kRkUtWaTI2

— I.E.N. (@BreakingIEN) March 1, 2022

Off topic. How did these underpowered, skinny tired (but light) vehicles perform so well in the mud?

Have you ever watched videos of Model T's zooming down primitive mud filled roads and not missing a beat. They were underpowered, rode on skinny - damn near bicycle tires and although light could zoom with the best of them. How did they do it? It goes against modern convention but it worked. What is the code to this kind of mobility across muddy, broken ground? They knew something we've missed.

I look at these kind of videos and wonder how much of what is common in my area for off road mobility is just fashion over substance.

Not riding on at least 33's?  You better turn around and not even try it.  Better if you're riding on 35's!  Less than a V-8?  Don't think about it.  Tacoma boys not allowed.

Kinda weird.

Anybody do a little off roading know the answer?

This is symbolism. Resistance is picking up a gun. Stop confusing the two..

Moscow underground. Sometimes the act of resistance doesn’t have to be loud or bold, it just has to be. #Ucrania #Ukraine #Kyiv #Kiev #SlavaUkraini pic.twitter.com/6A90JsnsDH

— The Panda Fama (@ThePandaFama1) February 27, 2022

Everyone is fired up to aid Ukraine but animals lurk our streets...

 

BREAKING: Police confirm 5 dead in California church shooting, including the shooter and his 3 children https://t.co/l3AgtEx30U

— BNO News (@BNONews) March 1, 2022

Open Comment Post. 1 Mar 2022

 

Russia is about to ramp up in a big way.

At today's security council meeting, Lukashenko showed what looks like an actual invasion map. It shows Ukraine military facilities destroyed by missiles from Belarus, attacks directions (everything agrees except Odessa-Transnistria). Also, Ukraine is divided into 4 sectors. pic.twitter.com/ueqBIFUbyM

— Tadeusz Giczan 🇺🇦 (@TadeuszGiczan) March 1, 2022

Make no mistake. Russia doesn't want it to kill its little brothers and sisters (there thinking not mine) but Putin is determined to get this done. He's already paid the price and what follows now is mere symbolism. China appears ready to make moves in its own interests, in the interests of its rise and by default in Russia's interest (talking economically...that is a bigger deal than many realize...they current system was already on life support and these sanctions will pull the plug).

My warning to the tribe?

Get ready for the shit talking that we've heard from the Ukrainians turning into pleas for help.

This is far from over and they haven't seen the true power of Russian military power.

Sidenote.  This isn't me being a Russian cheerleader.  This is me looking at Russian capabilities, comparing it to Ukrainian capabilities, adding in the weapons that are being rushed to the front and determining the outcome.  Ukraine is about to suffer.

Sidenote 1.  That general in the vid looks like he's about to have a coronary don't he? LOL!

IDF Soldiers engaged in MOUT training with U.S. Army Soldiers from the 13th Missile Defense Battery, 10th Army Air Missile Defense Command,

The IDF has no fucks to give. They'll run MOUT with damn near any allied force if they can get trigger time. Respect for that.

3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force @ Exercise Cold Response 2022, Setermoen, Norway,

USS Essex Underway Operations

 

Russia strikes back....now the Ukrainians understand war...

 Europeans forgot what war is (except for their military that has followed the US on adventures).

Russians tried to go soft.

Ukrainian civilians talked shit.

Now....

Russia strikes back.

Now Ukrainian civilians understand war. They thought it was warfare when they could approach Russian troops and talk shit.  They thought they understood war when it was shooting fish in a barrel...3K Russian dead to 150 Ukrainian dead.  They talked shit when Russian soldiers weren't butt stroking protesters in a freaking war zone.

They started to think it was a game.

Not now.  Now the Russians are unleashing a small portion of their military power.  

The US/EU/NATO went full force with sanctions regime.  Private companies are joining in because its the popular move.

But just like you had vets interfering with the evacuation in Afghanistan by calling up their buddies that are on the line trying to stay alive, but instead wanting them to focus on some refugee instead, you're gonna see misplaced charity.

People are gonna die that shouldn't.

It ain't a game and the Ukrainians, journalist, the whole lot will learn that if Russian decides to cut loose.

The unintended consequence hits....China makes its move to challenge the current financial system

 Thanks to Cogitans Iuvenis for the link!

via The Times

China has ruled out joining the international financial blockade of Russia and there are growing fears that it could offer President Putin a lifeline with access to Beijing’s international banking system.

Ronny Tong, a top adviser to Hong Kong’s Beijing-backed leadership, said it was “time to set up and perfect a new payment system based on renminbi”.

Here 

Didn't expect this so soon but when you overuse sanctions you have to expect a pushback.

The Chinese are an awesome enemy.  We're gonna have to be on point to beat them which means we need a better class of leaders in our govt/military and something to unite us all.

I don't expect that happen.

Time to recalculate.  How long before we're shouting we're #2!

Question. Did anyone notice that magically Covid went away?

 Did you notice that magically Covid went away?  No one is talking about it.  

No drama about it.

No talk of pushing back against mandates...no buck wild school board meetings...NOTHING.

Instead all eyes are on Ukraine.

I swear to God its like we're gyrating from one crisis to another.  Personally I'm getting suspicious.  It's like a street con artist.  He tries to grab your attention with a furiously moving hand, a chick with big tits or ass or both, meanwhile you're not seeing what he's doing with his other hand.

Yeah its tinfoil hattish but what are we missing while focusing on this drama (yes I'm guilty of it too).

Anywhere else, ANY other force and this car would have been lit up...Bunny or no Bunny in it

 

No comments pic.twitter.com/cSsddAWSYL

— IgorGirkin (@GirkinGirkin) February 28, 2022

Someone in Washington better put the brakes on this before the EU/NATO drag the US into a wider war...

 

Ukraine Armed Forces says that if necessary, the planes they're getting from other NATO countries "will be able to be based on Polish airfields from which Ukrainian pilots will perform combat missions" pic.twitter.com/85QXA6A4bQ

— Steve Lookner (@lookner) February 28, 2022

These fuckers are smoking crack.

Having Ukrainian aircraft operating from a NATO country, flying combat missions will INVITE a missile strike.

That will cause a bigger war (article 5 and all that shit...THEN we might actually see China move up their timetable...and its quite obvious that DC prioritizes Europe over the Pacific..AGAIN!).

Is anyone thinking or is the whole world emoting?

I thought the talk about this being start of a major European war was over the top but these clowns are doing some silly shit now.

The worrying thing?  I think Biden and company might be going for it.  The light infantry?  To assist with evacuees.  An armored brigade?  Now they're getting serious.

Geez.

Its been crisis after crisis since the 2020's hit.  I don't think it was gonna stop.

If you thought 2020 and 2021 sucked, 2022 is yelling hold my beer.

Add "Kill Chain" to the list of books you should read. Oh, and the Russians are quite proficient in killing, this war is just different!

Quite an anecdote of Russian EW tactics in Ukraine in the new book “The Kill Chain” by @cdbrose. pic.twitter.com/vboGu1NrZB

— Steve Trimble (@TheDEWLine) May 10, 2020

It's starting to crystalize to me.

This war is just different.  Just like a big brother hooking and jabbing with his little brother, the Russians are holding back and not going all out.

They're leaving capabilities in their pockets because ... don't know why but they could be doing so much more against this rag tag army.

Never in my life will you convince me that civilians hurling molotov cocktails or armed with AK-74s will be able to turn the tide against a professional force.

Not in the attack anyway.

In occupation?  Yeah.  We've seen that full force that occupation is hard (unless you do the WW2 example of the US occupying Japan).

But forgot all of the above.  Do like me and head over to Amazon to get a new book!

Apaches arrive at Saber Strike

Nearly 20 AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopters assigned to 1-3rd Attack Battalion, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, arrive at Lielvarde Military Airfield, Latvia, Feb. 24, 2022. Elements of the 12 CAB departed Germany for Lithuania and Latvia to conduct training with NATO allies in support of Saber Strike 22. 12 CAB trains and remains a constant and credible U.S. Army aviation force in support of allies and partners and the stability and security of Europe.

Five things you should know about the NATO Response Force

 

Ok. Now things are getting spicy. US Army deploys an armored brigade to Europe

 

U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, deploy to the U.S. Army Europe and Africa area of operations, from Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia, Feb. 27, 2022. The Fort Stewart-based 1st ABCT, 3rd ID will go to Germany to reassure NATO allies, deter Russian aggression and to be prepared to support a range of other requirements in the region. The armored brigade recently completed a nine-month deployment supporting U.S. allies and partners in the Pacific. The 3rd ID Soldiers deploying represent the U.S. commitment to uphold the principles of democracy, territorial integrity, sovereignty and respect for the international rules-based order.

They look like us. The extremely simple and disturbing explanation for poor Russian military performance in Ukraine..

via Unilad

One senior US official told ABC News soldiers had been heard complaining over the radio, saying, 'We don’t know who to shoot – they all look like us.'

Here 

Just plain wow.

The simplest answer is the most disturbing.  Russian soldiers have no problem shooting Syrian rebels, the peoples of Africa (wherever they are requested), Libyans, Kurds etc..

But when it comes to fighting other Europeans?  They seem to be stalled out.

Racism?  I don't think so.  Tribalism?  Most definitely.  

What Russian soldiers don't seem to realize is that in this case they're seen as the other while the forces arrayed against them are the "tribe".

It explains a bunch.

I wondered aloud how a Ukrainian Grandmother could talk shit to a Russian soldier without getting buttstroked.

I was too simplistic.

The Ukrainian civilians are operating off the "brotherhood" card and causing Russian soldiers to pause.  When they pause they get killed.

I looked at their previous military actions and saw them acting quite professionally.  In this one they're acting emotionally. Combine that with what appears to be an extremely tight ROE and body bags are getting filled.