I’m seeing a lot of “conservatives” crowing—I think that’s the right word—that the Russian offensive into Ukraine has bogged down. There are “reports” from supposed intel sources that the Russians are running out of ammunition, for example. What’s clear through the fog of war is that the Russians were counting on most Ukrainian forces to simply put down their weapons. Clearly that hasn’t happened. The Russians have been at pains to try to convince Ukrainians that the Russian offensive is targeting the “putschist” regime—meaning, the regime installed by the US in 2014—rather than the Ukrainian people who are, after all, closely related both ethnically and linguistically to Russians. For that reason the Russians have clearly avoided damaging civilian infrastructure of the type that US offensives target.
I received the below from a list I have long belonged to....may be of interest. I know the man who made the twitter filter, he's a solid professional. His email follows:
"If you are on Twitter, I have a resource you can use to help stay up to date on activities in Ukraine.
For those not familiar with it, a Twitter “list” is like a filter. By using a list you can read what people on the list are providing on twitter. I built a twitter list of people who I have vetted as providing highly reliable open source intelligence on the situation on the ground in Ukraine.
19,500 people are now following this list and using it as an information feed to help with their situational awareness.
Little remembered about the Wehrmacht was most of the troops walked and a LOT of the equipment was drawn by horses despite the reputation of being mechanized. German tank treads were good for a couple hundred miles, equipment broke down regularly and Hitler rewarded tank production, not spare parts production. The Roman legions on a forced march on unopposed roads made 20 miles a day. Infantry facing opposition would accomplish substantially less than that and tanks without infantry is just a fancy name for target.
Right. Smart alecks in the West like to laugh at 'dumb Polaks' supposedly charging tanks on horseback. The Polish cavalry mostly fought dismounted, but the horses provided a very efficient mobile infantry that could travel by routes that motorized transport couldn't go in that terrain. Plus, it allowed them to carry the infantry anti-tank weapons of the time--the German tanks of 1939 were nothing like the later Panthers or Tigers. In Russia the Wehrmacht used--literally--millions of horses.
I went Navy, but post-Navy, most of my service buddies have turned out to be MARINEs, almost all of which are great guys. (Causes me to reflect on and question my service selection, but I digress.)
About a year ago I started listening to AllMarineRadio (https://allmarineradio.com/), available on all major podcast apps or at the website. The "Mensa Brothers" episodes are a group of four recently retired MARINE colonels, a couple of which are prior-enlisted, who have had recent command (combat) experience during the middle-east mis-adventures.
Last summer, during the Afg retreat, the Mensas' 'ops-intel' discussions were extremely useful. They have the same open-source we do, but leverage their recent combat experiences to help separate the chaff from the wheat.
Listening to these guys is like sitting in your backyard with a case of beer shooting the $hit--great insights and great anecdotal and applicable stories.
With the ongoing Ukraine engagement, AllMarRad which is typically 2-3 times a week, but sometimes only once a week, will likely add additional episodes to provide solid analysis as much as 4-5 times a week.
RT is reporting on Telegram that a gp of Ukrainian leadership is meeting (or will meet) w/Russian leadership in Belarus to discuss a cease fire. Being geographically & geopolitically ignorant of Ukraine et al, I don't know if that means a limited regional cease fire, Ukraine-wide, or something else entirely.
The US Resident has been reported to have forbid Zelinsky to engage in peace talks, so I presume he is not w/leadership meeting Russians in Belarus?
Arming citizens indiscriminately--including criminal gangs--and talking about Molotov cocktails suggests the Ukrainian leadership knows things aren't going well. There was a propaganda video showing some of the newly armed citizens being addressed by an officer. A knucklehead who apparently had never held an AK before ejected the magazine by misplacing his index finger during the talk. Someone picked it up and handed it back.
I saw that vid - didn't quite understand cuz the reposts that I saw referred to the leader speaking as Poroshenko? Wasn't Poroshenko the former leader put in place as a result of the US backed 2014 color revolution?
It was my impression that the Ukrainians were who wanted to talk cease fire, but that's old news from Sunday morn anyway. My understanding today is the gp is presently meeting in Belarus w/Zelinsky wanting to make concessions, but not the sort Putin is likely to agree upon.
I would have far more confidence in Zelinsky if I'd seen any evidence that he stood firm for the best interests of Ukraine & its people, rather than for whatever behind closed door deal from whichever interloper country or countries look best to him atm.
I can certainly agree this is a show. Whose show? Not my monkeys, not my circus. I just don't think Zelensky really wants to fight as badly as you apparently believe.
The best series of books on the WWII Stalingrad campaign by Army Group South I've read is 'Armageddon In Stalingrad - The Stalingrad Trilogy' by David M. Glantz with Jonathan M. House. Other than the Russians, the logistics problem of fuel and ammunition shortages repeatedly slowed the Wehrmacht's advance across otherwise easily traversed terrain with the exception of some major rivers, requiring army staff to constantly reassess and provide new timelines; all while Hitler was demanding progress. The Germans also faced a major partisan/guerrilla problem in the thousands of kilometers of bypassed areas, a result of the Blitzkrieg concept, which became a major headache when these guerillas began disabling rail lines that carried much, if not most, of the supplies to railheads for further transport to the front by truck. These same partisans became more brazen as the Germans withdrew which is evidenced in the second volume of a book written by a German soldier who survived the war: 'Mortar Gunner on the Eastern Front.' Highly recommended for those interested in the German soldier's perspective of combat on the Eastern Front.
“Mortar Gunner on the Eastern Front” by Dr Hans Heinz Rehfeldt is indeed excellent & in two riveting volumes. He was a member of the elite Großdeutschland Division which possesses a storied & rich history:
It should be noted that Rehfeldt was a veterinarian after the war. At one point during the war, he was sent back from the front (after Stalingrad) to attend veterinarian training but was reassigned back to the Großdeutschland Division after only a few months away due to a paperwork snafu if I remember correctly. The Großdeutschland Division was initially a regiment but expanded into a division early in the war and referred to as the fire brigade as it was the 'go to' unit by army command to counter serious threats. Like many other Wehrmacht formations, the Großdeutschland Division suffered significant casualties in the battle for Stalingrad and had to be reconstituted with personnel of limited training and experience as manpower became a pressing issue for the German high command.
I go with Trump, who is a genius, and it takes genius to recognize genius. The goal of Putin is regime change, and he is more honest in the way he goes about it than our Democrats who steal elections. The last thing Putin wants is to sow panic. Russia is very concerned with NATO encroaching on its border, as the late Stephen Cohen warned, and all the more so as through Hunter the corrupt Ukraine regime can buy the US. President Trump was roundly criticized for recognizing Putin's master stroke, but moral posturing against a crafty enemy instead of giving him his due guarantees the enemy will be successful now and in the future.
When has anyone in the ruling elite been honest abt what they're thinking or feeling? Sure, they're using this self created disaster to paint themselves as heroes. My bet is it won't work.
I received the below from a list I have long belonged to....may be of interest. I know the man who made the twitter filter, he's a solid professional. His email follows:
"If you are on Twitter, I have a resource you can use to help stay up to date on activities in Ukraine.
For those not familiar with it, a Twitter “list” is like a filter. By using a list you can read what people on the list are providing on twitter. I built a twitter list of people who I have vetted as providing highly reliable open source intelligence on the situation on the ground in Ukraine.
19,500 people are now following this list and using it as an information feed to help with their situational awareness.
Follow the list at:
https://twitter.com/i/lists/1483456727219683332
Little remembered about the Wehrmacht was most of the troops walked and a LOT of the equipment was drawn by horses despite the reputation of being mechanized. German tank treads were good for a couple hundred miles, equipment broke down regularly and Hitler rewarded tank production, not spare parts production. The Roman legions on a forced march on unopposed roads made 20 miles a day. Infantry facing opposition would accomplish substantially less than that and tanks without infantry is just a fancy name for target.
Right. Smart alecks in the West like to laugh at 'dumb Polaks' supposedly charging tanks on horseback. The Polish cavalry mostly fought dismounted, but the horses provided a very efficient mobile infantry that could travel by routes that motorized transport couldn't go in that terrain. Plus, it allowed them to carry the infantry anti-tank weapons of the time--the German tanks of 1939 were nothing like the later Panthers or Tigers. In Russia the Wehrmacht used--literally--millions of horses.
I went Navy, but post-Navy, most of my service buddies have turned out to be MARINEs, almost all of which are great guys. (Causes me to reflect on and question my service selection, but I digress.)
About a year ago I started listening to AllMarineRadio (https://allmarineradio.com/), available on all major podcast apps or at the website. The "Mensa Brothers" episodes are a group of four recently retired MARINE colonels, a couple of which are prior-enlisted, who have had recent command (combat) experience during the middle-east mis-adventures.
Last summer, during the Afg retreat, the Mensas' 'ops-intel' discussions were extremely useful. They have the same open-source we do, but leverage their recent combat experiences to help separate the chaff from the wheat.
Listening to these guys is like sitting in your backyard with a case of beer shooting the $hit--great insights and great anecdotal and applicable stories.
Here's a link to yesterday's podcast:
https://allmarineradio.com/2022/02/26/all-marine-radio-hour-our-open-source-ops-intel-brief-returns-focused-on-the-russian-ukrainian-war/
With the ongoing Ukraine engagement, AllMarRad which is typically 2-3 times a week, but sometimes only once a week, will likely add additional episodes to provide solid analysis as much as 4-5 times a week.
MOST STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.
Lots of propaganda out there, so it’s very hard to figure out what is actually happening. The pro Ukrainian side has been very egregious.
The media focus seems to be on Kyev, yet the main Russian territory gains are to the East.
RT is reporting on Telegram that a gp of Ukrainian leadership is meeting (or will meet) w/Russian leadership in Belarus to discuss a cease fire. Being geographically & geopolitically ignorant of Ukraine et al, I don't know if that means a limited regional cease fire, Ukraine-wide, or something else entirely.
The US Resident has been reported to have forbid Zelinsky to engage in peace talks, so I presume he is not w/leadership meeting Russians in Belarus?
Arming citizens indiscriminately--including criminal gangs--and talking about Molotov cocktails suggests the Ukrainian leadership knows things aren't going well. There was a propaganda video showing some of the newly armed citizens being addressed by an officer. A knucklehead who apparently had never held an AK before ejected the magazine by misplacing his index finger during the talk. Someone picked it up and handed it back.
I saw that vid - didn't quite understand cuz the reposts that I saw referred to the leader speaking as Poroshenko? Wasn't Poroshenko the former leader put in place as a result of the US backed 2014 color revolution?
It was my impression that the Ukrainians were who wanted to talk cease fire, but that's old news from Sunday morn anyway. My understanding today is the gp is presently meeting in Belarus w/Zelinsky wanting to make concessions, but not the sort Putin is likely to agree upon.
I would have far more confidence in Zelinsky if I'd seen any evidence that he stood firm for the best interests of Ukraine & its people, rather than for whatever behind closed door deal from whichever interloper country or countries look best to him atm.
I can certainly agree this is a show. Whose show? Not my monkeys, not my circus. I just don't think Zelensky really wants to fight as badly as you apparently believe.
Operation Barbarossa began on June 22, 1941, not the 21st.
In addition, I believe Lviv was in the Russian occupied part of Poland, so the Germans were starting from a bit further west.
The best series of books on the WWII Stalingrad campaign by Army Group South I've read is 'Armageddon In Stalingrad - The Stalingrad Trilogy' by David M. Glantz with Jonathan M. House. Other than the Russians, the logistics problem of fuel and ammunition shortages repeatedly slowed the Wehrmacht's advance across otherwise easily traversed terrain with the exception of some major rivers, requiring army staff to constantly reassess and provide new timelines; all while Hitler was demanding progress. The Germans also faced a major partisan/guerrilla problem in the thousands of kilometers of bypassed areas, a result of the Blitzkrieg concept, which became a major headache when these guerillas began disabling rail lines that carried much, if not most, of the supplies to railheads for further transport to the front by truck. These same partisans became more brazen as the Germans withdrew which is evidenced in the second volume of a book written by a German soldier who survived the war: 'Mortar Gunner on the Eastern Front.' Highly recommended for those interested in the German soldier's perspective of combat on the Eastern Front.
“Mortar Gunner on the Eastern Front” by Dr Hans Heinz Rehfeldt is indeed excellent & in two riveting volumes. He was a member of the elite Großdeutschland Division which possesses a storied & rich history:
Volume One:”From the Moscow Winter Offensive to Operation Zitadelle” https://www.amazon.com/Mortar-Gunner-Eastern-Front-Rehfeldt-ebook/dp/B07RV3L9LH/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1PSKE2URHO6X8&keywords=mortar+gunner+on+the+eastern+front&qid=1645976165&s=books&sprefix=Mortar+%2Cstripbooks%2C120&sr=1-4
Volume Two: “Russia, Hungary, Lithuania, and the Battle for East Prussia” https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07W3NQL1W?ref_=dbs_p_pwh_rwt_anx_cl_1&storeType=ebooks
It should be noted that Rehfeldt was a veterinarian after the war. At one point during the war, he was sent back from the front (after Stalingrad) to attend veterinarian training but was reassigned back to the Großdeutschland Division after only a few months away due to a paperwork snafu if I remember correctly. The Großdeutschland Division was initially a regiment but expanded into a division early in the war and referred to as the fire brigade as it was the 'go to' unit by army command to counter serious threats. Like many other Wehrmacht formations, the Großdeutschland Division suffered significant casualties in the battle for Stalingrad and had to be reconstituted with personnel of limited training and experience as manpower became a pressing issue for the German high command.
Also compounding the logistical issue was the fact that Soviet railroad track was a narrower gauge than in Western Europe, so trains would have to be offloaded @ onloaded again @ a major hub like Brest-Litovsk in Poland, for example. Logistics has always been the bane of the German Army, whether WWI or WWII. Another excellent account is “In Deadly Combat: A German Soldier’s Memoir of the Eastern Front” by GH Bidermann. Initially with the 11th Army in the drive down into Crimea, he recounts how logistical support broke down entirely in the first winter 1941. He fought first as an enlisted man then as a “Fahnenjunker” or “Officer Cadet”. His account is riveting to the extreme & well-photographed: https://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Combat-Soldiers-Eastern-Studies-ebook/dp/B01CRIHAK0/ref=sr_1_1?crid=5QIRLCADABAK&keywords=in+deadly+combat+a+german+soldier%27s+memoir+of+the+eastern+front&qid=1645974755&s=books&sprefix=In+dead%2Cstripbooks%2C130&sr=1-1
I go with Trump, who is a genius, and it takes genius to recognize genius. The goal of Putin is regime change, and he is more honest in the way he goes about it than our Democrats who steal elections. The last thing Putin wants is to sow panic. Russia is very concerned with NATO encroaching on its border, as the late Stephen Cohen warned, and all the more so as through Hunter the corrupt Ukraine regime can buy the US. President Trump was roundly criticized for recognizing Putin's master stroke, but moral posturing against a crafty enemy instead of giving him his due guarantees the enemy will be successful now and in the future.
Can you imagine the nail biting going on behind elite US & German doors about now? I rather relish the thought.
When has anyone in the ruling elite been honest abt what they're thinking or feeling? Sure, they're using this self created disaster to paint themselves as heroes. My bet is it won't work.
How, if two thirds of Americans believe Trump would have prevented this, and it turns out to be another Afghanistan?
I think that covers a lot of it.