Ukraine war mega thread

[helge]

FOREIGN COUNTRY


The Kremlin finally takes the floor: 'Russia is at war'


After two years of talk of "a special military operation" in Ukraine, the Kremlin is now using the word war.







Official Russia now acknowledges that it is at war in Ukraine. (Photo: © SERGEI SUPINSKY, Ritzau Scanpix)


OF
Sean Coogan

Kreml tager endelig ordet i brug: '''Rusland er i krig''' | Udland | DR

Russia is at war, as Western participation has turned the special military operation into war.

This is the message now from Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, according to the Russian news agency Tass in an interview with the media AIF Moscow.

The announcement is startling because it is the first time that official Russia has said it is at war in Ukraine.

I believe that this is the precursor to a real mobilisation campaign

MATILDE KIMER, DR'S RUSSIA AND UKRAINE CORRESPONDENT

For the past more than two years, the clear line has been that this is a "special military operation" and it has been forbidden to refer to the Russian invasion of the neighboring country as a war.

READ ALSO:Putin stands to get six more years, but how solidly is he actually in power?
Peskov further says that Russia needs to fully "liberate" its "new regions".

He refers to the four Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, which Russia says it has annexed – a statement that neither Ukraine nor most of the world community recognizes.

The announcement from Peskov is startling, says Brita Kvist Hansen, DR's reporter in Kyiv:

Correspondent: Anticipation of new mobilization


Today's announcement from Moscow is primarily about signalling to the Russian people that there will be a need for more Russian soldiers to be sent to Ukraine.

This is according to Matilde Kimer, DR's Russia and Ukraine correspondent.

"It has been expected that there would be an announcement of a new mobilization after the presidential election in Russia, and that Putin would push such a decision until after the election," Matilde Kimer said.

READ ALSO:Putin makes partial mobilization of Russian army: "We have plenty of weapons to retaliate. It's not a bluff'
"And now it is Peskov who has been sent to the city with the message that this is no longer just a special operation," the correspondent said.

The Kremlin is probably trying to signal that it needs to sacrifice more tax dollars and men to "defend the fatherland", says Matilde Kimer:
She expects there to be a major Russian mobilization soon, with thousands upon thousands more Russian men being called up for service.

"I think this is the precursor to a real mobilization campaign, and it may also legally open some more doors for the Russians in terms of who you can send to the front," Kimer said.

Russia is estimated to spend a quarter of its state budget on the military, and the war in Ukraine is costing the country millions of dollars daily. But how many soldiers' lives the war has cost is unknown.






According to Russian military blogger Andrei Morozov, 16,000 Russian soldiers died in the battle for Avdijivka. DR cannot confirm or deny the report. (Photo: © HANDOUT, Ritzau Scanpix)
Russia does not share its casualty figures, but the British Ministry of Defence has previously estimated that over 300,000 Russian soldiers have been wounded or killed on the Ukrainian battlefield.

Should there be a major Russian mobilization, it would not be the first time President Putin has unveiled controversial news shortly after an election. Back in 2018, the president extended Russians' working lives by five years a few months after the presidential election.

[OhOh]

[OhOh]

Alex Jones, very badly IMHO, discusses with a Russian Vladimir Solo, the situation.

CENSORED: Russia'''s Top Broadcaster Joins Alex Jones Live On-Air To Discuss WWIII

[helge]

So....I hear that the average age of the ukranian soldier, is 43 years.

Is this a first in modern warfare ?

Usually 18-19 years old kids have been called up, and not mature men (fathers)as far as I know.


Kind of like the ukrainians for doing this.

[helge]

Alex Jones, very badly IMHO, discusses with a Russian Vladimir Solo, the situation.

Bit of a Tosser, isn't he ?

[Norton]

Douglas McGregor makes some very good observations. Specifically, the seriousness and capability of the US and NATO to fully support the Ukraine. Simply sending arms and money to the Ukraine will end in a long painful defeat as it would have in WW2 before the US declared war and sent hundreds of thousands of troops to Europe.

Putin can only be defeated if the "west" does the same in the Ukraine!

[Neverna]

Josep Borrell, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, says the EU (and US?) are not supporting Ukraine because they love the Ukrainian people, they are doing it for their own interests.

See the video at the 4 minute mark.

‘Europeans have to take more responsibility for our defense,’ says EU foreign policy chief | CNN

[Troy]

I can't see troops from Western Europe having the will to fight for Ukraine. Certainly not until those men that fled Ukraine are sent back to fight.

Ukraine haven't the manpower left to do any more than defend. The Russians will continue until they have taken the Donbas and secured it. They will probably go for a settlement with a limited victory.

[Pragmatic]

I can't see troops from Western Europe having the will to fight for Ukraine. Certainly not until those men that fled Ukraine are sent back to fight.

It would be nice if the 770,000 men would fukced off to defend their home land.

The thought of heading home to fight has left many Ukrainian expatriates feeling similarly conflicted. By some estimates, there are nearly 770,000 male refugees over 18 living in European Union countries, and thousands more fled to Canada, Britain, the United States and elsewhere.Mar 10, 2567 BE

[NamPikToot]

I may be missing the obvious but I don't get the connection?

cheap east european labour with flood the uk as they run away from the ruskies

[helge]

cheap east european labour with flood the uk as they run away from the ruskies

Hey !

I already broadened his horizon

[OhOh]

Bit of a Tosser, isn't he ?

He had no idea on how to allow to his invited guest to speak. You could see the guest gritting his teeth.

What his guest did actually get to say was informative, IMHO.

sent hundreds of thousands of troops to Europe.

How will these thousands of troops, all the necessary equipment and ongoing replacements/supplies, to wage a non nuclear war against Russia, travel from NaGaStan to Europe?

How will NaGaStan protect their own citizens from Russian attacks in non nuclear war?

[helge]

600 pages and soon to be 15000 posts

In the Dog House !

[helge]

I thought that they would donate everything they could to.........Ukraine, and not Argentina !

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Denmark sells F-16 fighter jets to Argentina for DKK 2.1 billion (approx 300 mill US)

OF

Carsten Thomsen




Denmark has entered into an agreement for the sale of 24 F-16 fighter jets to Argentina.

The price will be around DKK 2.1 billion, (300 mill US), according to the Ministry of Defence.

Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen is visiting the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, where he has signed a letter of intent on the sale. Later, a final contract must be signed in Denmark.

The planes are a few years old, as they have flown in Denmark since 1980.

Last year, Denmark donated 19 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, which are expected to be delivered later this year.

The F-16 fighter jets will be replaced in Denmark by the F-35 fighter jets, which, like the F-16, have been produced by the American arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin.

[helge]

Update: The Explanation

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Request from the United States sends Danish fighter jets to Argentina and not Ukraine


The United States should not just approve a Danish sale of F-16 aircraft. The voice of the superpower has also been active in ensuring that Argentina does not buy fighter jets from China, experts say.







F-16 aircraft, like the ones pictured here, are produced by the American arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin. They have been part of the Danish Armed Forces for more than 40 years, but are now to be phased out in favor of F-35 fighter jets. Because they are American-made, it is the United States that decides who Denmark can sell the planes to. (Photo: © Andrew Caballero-Reynolds, Ritzau Scanpix)

OF

Anders Dall
Onske fra USA sender danske kampfly til Argentina og ikke Ukraine | Indland | DR

There are great power pieces at stake in the deal that Denmark looks set to enter into with Argentina for the sale of 24 F-16 fighter jets.

Although Denmark and Argentina have not finally signed a contract, the two countries today sign a letter of intent to sell Danish F-16 fighter jets to Argentina.

This is stated by the Ministry of Defence on its website.

READ ALSO:Denmark sells F-16 fighter jets to Argentina for 2.1 billion
A sale will secure Denmark around DKK 2.1 billion, which is the price for the 24 fighter jets. But it also ensures that Denmark makes the United States happy, because Argentina does not make an agreement with another great power.

This is the assessment of independent defense analyst Hans Peter Michaelsen, who has a past in the Danish Air Force.

"There are many indications that the United States has first and foremost been very interested in preventing China from suddenly gaining a foothold in Argentina and South America, because fighter jets are also a strategic cooperation for many years," Michaelsen said.

READ ALSO:Defense Minister travels to Buenos Aires: To discuss sale of 24 Danish fighter jets


Chinese Interests

China has been in the running to sell fighter jets to Argentina and offered 15 JF-17 fighter jets with the possibility that even more could eventually be purchased. The Argentine media La Nacion and the Buenos Aires Times have described this, among other things.

But now that Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen (Liberal Party) and his Argentine ministerial colleague sign a declaration to complete the sale, the Americans no longer have to worry about another superpower gaining ground in South America.







F-16s in formation to mark the Queen's 50th royal jubilee. Now 24 of the Armed Forces' F-16 aircraft may be on their way to Argentina (Photo: © Mads Claus Rasmussen, Ritzau Scanpix)

"When we come to the American continent, the United States does not want China to have a bigger role to play. Therefore, it has been an American wish that it became Western aircraft and that Denmark could easily sell used aircraft to Argentina, says Hans Peter Michaelsen.

In October last year, the United States gave the green light for Denmark to sell F-16s to Argentina. The United States must approve all sales of F-16s because they are American-made. However, Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen rejects any kind of external pressure in relation to selling the planes to Argentina.

"We are not pressured into anything. We are also interested in having a close dialogue with our American colleagues. Our close dialogue with the Americans, which we have enjoyed for many years, is also an expression of our solidarity with the United States.

But having said that, it is not the case that Denmark is pressured to sell 24 fighter jets to Argentina. This is a decision we make ourselves," says Troels Lund Poulsen.

(my smiley)

DF: We need to help the U.S.


Last year, Denmark donated 19 fighter jets to Ukraine. The planes are expected to be delivered later this year, but with more F-16s to be phased out in favor of the new F-35 fighter jets, Denmark should have secured even more F-16s for Ukraine in the long run.

This is the view of the Liberal Alliance. Defense spokesman Carsten Bach acknowledges, however, that it is the United States that decides where the planes go.

"We would have liked these F-16s to have been donated to Ukraine in the long term, but we have to say that the Americans have probably compromised a little with the Danish position and have allowed us to actually donate F-16s to Ukraine, and I'm happy about that," says Carsten Bach.







In October last year, Denmark received the first new F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin. (Photo: © Bo Amstrup, Ritzau Scanpix)

Alex Ahrendtsen, defense spokesman for the Danish People's Party, is pleased that the Danish government now looks set to close a deal with Argentina.

"China and Russia lie and bribe governments to be their friends. Therefore, we have a great interest in helping the United States maintain their influence with this trade, the defense spokesman said.

Yesterday, Troels Lund Poulsen said this to DR when asked whether the planes could not do more good in Ukraine:

"Making a donation of 19 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine is an unprecedented contribution. Therefore, there is nothing at all strange in the fact that the remaining part of our fighter aircraft is then sold to another country, the Defense Minister said.

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Rather good article, isn't it ?

[Norton]

Rather good article, isn't it ?

A damn good deal for Denmark. A DKK 2.1 billion, (300 mill US) windfall vs ziltch if given to Ukraine.

[helge]

You are always so damn positive, Nortoniev

[bsnub]

Douglas McGregor makes some very good observations.

[Norton]

Why the ?

[bsnub]

Why the ?

If you haven't figured out who and what he is by now, then there is no point in me explaining.

[Norton]

If you haven't figured out who and what he is by now, then there is no point in me explaining.

I know exactly who he is and have read a couple of his books. Suggest you do the same. You might learn something new.

[helge]

Why the ?

If I may

Can't take away from McGregor, that he probably knows a lot about waging a war and its mechanism.

But he has been ...somewhat onesided and what has seemed to be overly optimistic for the russian side.

I haven't watched anything from his side for a long time, because each time I did, he delared Ukraine dead and buried, which it obviously wasn't....yet.

BSnub will call it propaganda, which it, unless ofcourse McGregor believes what he says, is.

Maybe I'll have a look at what he has to say these days

[Norton]

he delared Ukraine dead and buried, which it obviously wasn't....yet.

A point I am in full agreement with unless the US and allies are 100% committed to defeating Russia in the Ukraine. As I have said from near day 1, this means boots on the ground. Lot's and lot's of boots.

Question for Bsnub and you is do either of you believe Russia can be driven out of the Ukraine without this?

[helge]

Originally Posted by helge
he delared Ukraine dead and buried, which it obviously wasn't....yet.

A point I am in full agreement with unless the US and allies are 100% committed to defeating Russia in the Ukraine.

Yeah well

He was commenting on the war and its progress.

"Odessa is lost for Ukraine" and so on. Ukraine still had ammunition and troops left back then and their "offensive" was about to begin

As I have said from near day 1, this means boots on the ground. Lot's and lot's of boots.

Yeah, what you predicted can be looked up, just as our's can.

Question for Bsnub and you is do either of you believe Russia can be driven out of the Ukraine without this?

I can't predict what will happen or be decided tomorrow in Washington, Moscow or Kiev.

But unless Russia is a Gasstation....nope

[helge]

A point I am in full agreement with unless the US and allies are 100% committed to defeating Russia in the Ukraine. As I have said from near day 1, this means boots on the ground. Lot's and lot's of boots.

And you said this a week in:

Afraid it will go on for a very long time. Incompatible clash of ideology at play here. On the one hand a very determined leader who as a comedian played the piano with his dick. On the other side a former KGB operative bound and determined to revive the glory days of the Soviet Union.

Russia is looking at a protacted urban guerilla war which they can't win. Suffering and death on both sides until Putin is forced to realize he made a serious miscalculation. Putin is done. Just a matter of time but won't be in the near future.

So...