Don't want to scare you

[BeBMan]

The FSB officer who was assigned to the 41st army announced his dead to his superior over unencrypted cellphone, because the secure Era cryptophone system that was introduced to the russian forces in 2021 needs 3G to work and the russian forces, when conquering parts of Ukraine, destroyed lots of 3G/4G transmission towers, so Era doesn't work there.

https://twitter.com/christogrozev/st...64190965714946

Brilliant move to have a secure com system in a war that works only if there's no destruction of critical infrastructure in a war.

Probably designed by a pacifist

[giblets]

Maybe they could try pigeons?

[BeBMan]

I did some research on this matter and think unfortunately it would not work:

[Wezil]

No more Rotten Ronnie's for Russia.

Two weeks late McDonalds has joined the corporate exodus.

[Wezil]

Starbucks and Coca-Cola.

Last one out please turn off the lights.

[BeBMan]

Going into the 3rd week now. Who thought Ukraine would still fight back and control most of their big cities, esp. the capital at this point...

Would love to think the invasion has run out of steam, but Russia does make progress in the south, less so elsewhere, and they might regroup and unleash more death and destruction in the north/center still.

The back and forth about those evac corridors does not look like preventing civilian losses is high on the Russian priorities.

The question is - are they somewhat holding back for now, are they too exhausted or are they methodically cause pain in regular doses to keep the various cities' defences off balance and get more people to flee. An ever-growing number of refugees might be in their interest, after all...

I read markets opened partially in Russia today. Whatever that means.

But those unthankful, unarmed people in Kherson are still demonstrating against their "liberators"

[Wezil]

I didn't think Ukraine would survive a conventional fight for more than 3 or 4 days and I am truly grateful I was wrong. I envisioned a quick takeover then a longer insurgency.

What I didn't count on was the ineptitude of the Russian army. This isn't the same army as the Cold War and nothing close to the Russian army of WW2 that Serb still likes to brag about.

[Broken_Erika]

........nothing close to the Russian army of WW2 that Serb still likes to brag about.

you sure?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_War

[Wezil]

you sure?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_War

That was definitely a **** show but was prior to the German invasion of Russia. More a war of opportunity than a war of survival.

I suspect they may be having similar morale issues with the Ukraine invasion with a lot of soldiers wondering what they are doing there in the first place,

[Wezil]

I read markets opened partially in Russia today. Whatever that means.

Just ETFs apparently. The market is still closed (since Feb 25th).

[BeBMan]

In an unexpected turn of events the Russian military has discovered facts! Not only that, those facts are contrary to what Putin said before:

Russia's defence ministry has acknowledged that some conscripts - soldiers who were compulsorily drafted into the army - are taking part in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In Russia, all men aged 18-27 must do a year's military service, although there are some exceptions.

It comes just a few days after Vladimir Putin denied conscripts were involved in Ukraine, saying only professional soldiers were being sent.

The defence ministry said some conscripts had been taken prisoner by Ukrainian forces.

"Unfortunately, we have discovered several facts of the presence of conscripts in units taking part in the special military operation in Ukraine," the Russian defence ministry said.

"Practically all such soldiers have been pulled out," it added, promising to prevent a repeat of the situation.

Link (bolding mine)

[Wezil]

Serb made the same claim here a while back. It makes me sad that Putin misled him.

I like how the MOD "discovered" these facts. Was the original claim an intentional lie or is this more incompetence on top of incompetence?

[BeBMan]

Here's what the story seems to be now. Putin was misled, by his own folks! Probably in bed with NATO/Ukraine/Whatever:

Citing Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the RIA news agency said Putin had ordered military prosecutors to investigate and punish the officials responsible for disobeying his instructions to exclude conscripts from the operation.

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe...er-2022-03-09/

It could be all so amusing if it wasn't a totally absurd farce with people dying in result.

[Wezil]

Ukraine has claimed to have killed at least a couple generals already and now Putin is going to take some out at home.

What a crap job.

[Buster Crabbe's Uncle]

Stalin flashback....