Ukraine invasion

[Eltab]

I am pretty sure the civilians in, say, Bucha, would say there's nothing "paper" about the tiger.

I have not heard responsibility assigned to any particular unit (yet). It could have been a non-Army (but Russian Government) unit - think the S.S. or Gestapo units in WWII - whose job is to implement Party policy, distinct from State policy. It could have been one of the 'mercenary' units, which to my observation have been brought in exactly to threaten civilians "you better give up now or these guys will get really mad" and work themselves up to creating an atrocity.

If Bucha was committed by a typical regular unit, then yes the Russian Army is a paper tiger, wandering off its primary objectives to grab an easy "win" that is no military challenge or display of skill at all. How hard is it for a tiger to kill a mouse?

 

[Horwath]

What are the oil reserves around Crimea and the north shore of the Black Sea?

possibly enough to put Russia out of business with EU.
Or, its the real reason for russian annexation of Crimea and Donbas

 

[Zardnaar]

This guy briefly covers the gas fields in Ukraine. Discovered 2010.

 

[Baron Opal II]

possibly enough to put Russia out of business with EU.
Or, its the real reason for russian annexation of Crimea and Donbas

I was just thinking that.

Russia has a lot of business, and no small amount of leverage with energy supply.

Invading Ukraine to rebuild empire? Maybe.
To obtain a buffer state? Okay.
To gain access / control of the Black Sea? Sure.
To control wheat / grain supply? Reasonable.
To eliminate an energy rival / gain an energy monopoly? Bingo.

 

[Imaculata]

The images from Bucha, and the horrified reactions of people there, will haunt me forever. But most likely things are going to get worse before they get better.

Currently the US is moving a ton of military vehicles through the Netherlands to Poland for a 'military training'. It is good to see Biden putting more pressure on Russia.

 

[billd91]

I have not heard responsibility assigned to any particular unit (yet). It could have been a non-Army (but Russian Government) unit - think the S.S. or Gestapo units in WWII - whose job is to implement Party policy, distinct from State policy. It could have been one of the 'mercenary' units, which to my observation have been brought in exactly to threaten civilians "you better give up now or these guys will get really mad" and work themselves up to creating an atrocity.

If Bucha was committed by a typical regular unit, then yes the Russian Army is a paper tiger, wandering off its primary objectives to grab an easy "win" that is no military challenge or display of skill at all. How hard is it for a tiger to kill a mouse?

Lots of people put all the blame on the SS or Gestapo, but forget that the Wehrmacht itself also ran amok over Polish, Jewish, and Soviet civilians, directly aided the Einsatzgruppen, and signed on to the policy to deliberately starve Soviet POWs to death, men whose care was their direct responsibility.
I wouldn't put much stock in it being a non-Army unit - the Russian army units are quite capable of committing atrocities in Ukraine if ordered/expected to do so.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

Lots of people put all the blame on the SS or Gestapo, but forget that the Wehrmacht itself also ran amok over Polish, Jewish, and Soviet civilians, directly aided the Einsatzgruppen, and signed on to the policy to deliberately starve Soviet POWs to death, men whose care was their direct responsibility.
I wouldn't put much stock in it being a non-Army unit - the Russian army units are quite capable of committing atrocities in Ukraine if ordered/expected to do so.

Given the reported level of bullying in the Russian army and the lack of a long service NCO element the behaviour of the Russian army is not all that surprising. You take a bunch of young men, brutalise them, let them loose in a foreign country with poor supply, constant stress of ambush this sort of thing will happen.
That said, there is the possibility that some of this is organised from above in which case the scenarios could get a lot grimmer if Ukraine manages to liberate areas in the east.

 

[Zardnaar]

Given the reported level of bullying in the Russian army and the lack of a long service NCO element the behaviour of the Russian army is not all that surprising. You take a bunch of young men, brutalise them, let them loose in a foreign country with poor supply, constant stress of ambush this sort of thing will happen.
That said, there is the possibility that some of this is organised from above in which case the scenarios could get a lot grimmer if Ukraine manages to liberate areas in the east.

It will be worse in the east.

They never elementated that bullying element although apparently it's improved over 2010 which was an improvement over 90's and late USSR days.

 

[Imaculata]

One of our colleagues from Ukraine shared this with us. They are cleaning landmines on the highway to Kyiv by pushing them aside with their feet.

These are probably landmines that only trigger at the weight of a heavy vehicle, but this hasn't stopped some civilians from Yolo-ing their vehicle through the minefield.

Also, despite warning signs at the beaches, some people choose to ignore those warnings, with deadly results.

 

[Horwath]

One of our colleagues from Ukraine shared this with us. They are cleaning landmines on the highway to Kyiv by pushing them aside with their feet.

These are probably landmines that only trigger at the weight of a heavy vehicle, but this hasn't stopped some civilians from Yolo-ing their vehicle through the minefield.

Also, despite warning signs at the beaches, some people choose to ignore those warnings, with deadly results.

well, most modern "anti-tank" mines have detonators set at 300-800kg, so they are safe for handling, unless they are fitted with anti-handling device. And as they have high detonator limit, small cars might be perfectly safe to drive over them.