W said:

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as the destruction continues...it may be time for the "open city" designation for some places in the eastern half.

otherwise there won't be much left

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Absolutely correct. There's an Australian guy named Gray Connelly who's very good on geopolitics stuff who's been saying this for days now.

So, is Zelensky a nazi? Are all of the Ukrainians that support him nazis?

Accidental

Ulrich said:

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Russia, in trying to create defensive depth against the west, may have pushed several nations directly into the western alliance.

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Colossal blunder on his part. It would have been so much easier to kill Zelensky (poisoning) and then rig an election to replace him with their own puppet.

If the GIA/State Department/Soros tried to foment a rebellion, the puppet head of state requests Russian military resistance to put down the rebellion, poof, he's in Ukraine.

And the West would have done little to nothing in response, is my guess.

Rossticus said:

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Comeby! said:

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What does international law say about folks coming in from other countries to fight on behalf of Ukraine? It's not like your coming over to help a buddy put up his kids swing set. I guess as long as Ukraine doesn't charge you with anything you're good? Asking for a friend.

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Go to your nearest Ukrainian embassy and sign up (that's actually what you're supposed to do). If you're ex-mil you could potentially be risking benefits. If you have no prior mil/combat experience then consider working with an NGO on relief efforts, running supplies, helping with injured, helping with refugees, etc. Without prior military training and/or the ability to speak Ukrainian you're likely more of a liability to yourself and others in the field than an asset.

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Let your conscience be your guide but do be aware that most life insurance polices contain a war clause that nullifies the death benefit if you die in a war (regardless of where that war is).

dtkprowler said:

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Thanks for the insight all! Still seems like a very ineffective and impractical way of protecting against these. Even if it detonates earlier, I feel like it is still going to disable a tank as well as all those inside. But I am no expert and have no experience.

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Not impractical. The way the warhead works, it basically injects molten metal through the armor. However, detonating early and above the armor should disrupt that process. It still goes boom, but the molten metal is not being injected at insanely high pressures. It may be that they're using direct attack mode to hit the Russian vehicles/tanks on the side and are still taking them out or the screens don't actually with the way they're intended.

RebelE Infantry said:

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W said:

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as the destruction continues...it may be time for the "open city" designation for some places in the eastern half.

otherwise there won't be much left

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Absolutely correct. There's an Australian guy named Gray Connelly who's very good on geopolitics stuff who's been saying this for days now.

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what does this mean?

I'm somewhat confused about others confusion on western strategy here. Not to be confused with your personal and moral opinions on the lack of direct intervention. You have to separate the two whether you agree with that or not.

Western strategy:
Ukraine will be the battleground for west vs Russia because it's not worth nuclear war. Simple as that. Unfortunately for Ukraine, that's the convenience of their very unique situation. They are not NATO nor EU and have historical ties to Russia so they are in no man's land. The west said before the invasion and has since proven it they they would simply fight a proxy, guerilla war in Ukraine against Russia. This allows both to fight and save face without launching missiles.

Putin has a great chance of expending his resources there precluding any chance of moving further because of that. He's also already driven other countries into the arms of the EU so while he will likely win this battle he's losing the overarching war, handily.

If Putin decides to take this further and go after Finland, Sweden, or a NATO that's when direct invention happens. However, few in the geopolitical world think he will do that because that's an obvious escalation that you can't turn back from.

Also, former defense folks for the US and UK have said his goal is not the baltics or anyone in the EU anyway. He wants Ukraine, Moldavia, and Khazak because they are free and clear of NATO and they are "low hanging fruit" in his mind because of that.

That doesn't mean our strategy won't change due to some unforeseen trigger event, but that's the current state of affairs until it's not.

Ragoo said:

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RebelE Infantry said:

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W said:

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as the destruction continues...it may be time for the "open city" designation for some places in the eastern half.

otherwise there won't be much left

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Absolutely correct. There's an Australian guy named Gray Connelly who's very good on geopolitics stuff who's been saying this for days now.

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what does this mean?

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It means you've demilitarized the city and will not be defended. You do this in order to spare a city from bombardment and loss of life

The number of killed is probably so high- far greater than what they have announced- they feel the need to at least revel some numbers in order to try to appear truthful for the thousands of mothers who are worrying over their sons and maintain some (false) sense of transparency https://t.co/qBVWJ4tNWg

— ELINT News (@ELINTNews) March 2, 2022

Ragoo said:

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RebelE Infantry said:

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W said:

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as the destruction continues...it may be time for the "open city" designation for some places in the eastern half.

otherwise there won't be much left

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Absolutely correct. There's an Australian guy named Gray Connelly who's very good on geopolitics stuff who's been saying this for days now.

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what does this mean?

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Quote:

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In war, an open city is a settlement which has announced it has abandoned all defensive efforts, generally in the event of the imminent capture of the city to avoid destruction. Once a city has declared itself open the opposing military will be expected under international law to peacefully occupy the city rather than destroy it. According to the Protocol I of the Geneva Conventions, it is forbidden for the attacking party to "attack, by any means whatsoever, non-defended localities".[1] The intent is to protect the city's civilians and cultural landmarks from a battle which may be futile.

Attacking forces do not always respect the declaration of an "open city". Defensive forces will occasionally use the designation as a political tactic as well.[2] In some cases, the declaration of a city to be "open" is made by a side on the verge of defeat and surrender; in other cases, those making such a declaration are willing and able to fight on but prefer that the specific city be spared. Often resistance movements will be active in open cities, straining the temperate conduct of the occupying forces.

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Ukrainians don't seem like they want to leave any cities if they aren't Ukrainian.

Agthatbuilds said:

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2 big things here

Russian statements after Jan 18th were blatant lies, war plans had been approved

Russian planners thought they would take Ukraine in 15 days https://t.co/tKp1diNosI

— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) March 2, 2022

Per usual on these things- this was decided long ago

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About that 15 day timeline, I believe that the operation was kicked off with a March 10 declaration of victory in mind and Putin probably wanted to make that declaration in Kiyiv.

Why? Be cause he's a megalomaniac with delusions of grandeur not only about himself but about Russia. He sees himself as the second coming of Peter the Great and March 10 is an auspicious day in Russian history because it is when in 1697 Peter kicked off his Grande Embassy tour of Europe designed to extend Russian influence in western Europe. The surrender of Ukraine was supposed to bring the other satellites to the realization that they could come willingly or mother Russia was coming to get them.

The fact that Russia feels forced to report 500 KIA in Ukraine indicates that the casualties we are seeing reported by Ukraine are plausible. https://t.co/tT3ihhREK8

— Petri Mäkelä (@pmakela1) March 2, 2022

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/03/02/world/ukraine-russia-war

Quote:

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The U.N. General Assembly has adopted a resolution to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with 141 countries voting in favor, five voting against and 35 abstaining.

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As a practical matter this is just PR, but still useful. The Security Council is tasked with enforcement at the U.N., and Russia as a permanent Security Council member has what amounts to a permanent veto.

MagnumLoad said:

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So, is Zelensky a nazi? Are all of the Ukrainians that support him nazis?

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No, but it's more complicated than a short answer. There is a kernel of truth to the idea that Ukrainian nationalism, which mostly originated in western Ukraine, drew elements of support and symbolism from the Banderites, which was a fascist movement in the pre-WW2 and WW2 eras which persecuted Poles and/or Jews. Zelinsky had at least some loose association with the modern use of Banderite symbols and successor movements, but it has evolved to be more nationalistic than fascist. I think it's fair to say that most of the Banderite symbology and support is now seen as nationalistic, but it does mean different things to different groups and there is some amount of underlying fascist identification as well.

Ukraine is a complicated country and even the notion of Ukrainian nationalism is complicated due to the disparity of feelings between west and east and the lack of a national cultural identity. I do think we may be seeing that Putin's war may end up galvanizing Ukrainian nationalism in a way that nothing else has. It's one thing for Ukrainians (mostly, but certainly not exclusively, in the East) to have some affinity for Russia and even a theoretical openness to Russian authority , and another to see the reality of Russian tanks rolling thru the neighborhood and killing your neighbors and family.

Updated list - now including updated details for SK and new link for Hungary

The Washington Post is curating this quite good list.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/02/27/how-to-help-ukraine/

To give to the Ukrainian armed forces:
https://bank.gov.ua/en/news/all/natsionalniy-bank-vidkriv-spetsrahunok-dlya-zboru-koshtiv-na-potrebi-armiyi

Here are several citizen aggregators:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CdrWLAkEaOMV7fBbIWzHsgHmFz8s1GM6e_7a57oc3ug/edit
https://linktr.ee/RazomForUkraine
https://linktr.ee/voiceforukraine

Support Ukrainian journalists:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/keep-ukraines-media-going

A Coalition of Czech NGOs - mostly for UA Refugees in CZ
https://www.stojimezaukrajinou.cz

Carpathian Foundation Slovakia Emergency Fund for UA Refugees in SK
https://www.donio.sk/mame-radi-ukrajinu
Hungarian Helsinki Committee for refugees in HU
https://helsinki.hu/en/activities/refugee-and-migrant-rights/

Interesting analysis of Russian struggles that summarizes much of what has been surmised here.

Key Failures

LostInLA07 said:

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Ukrainians don't seem like they want to leave any cities if they aren't Ukrainian.

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Yea I think this is a bad idea anyways. It would give Russia more power, it would shed Russia in a more positive spotlight PR wise that they went into a city and didn't hurt anyone, etc. Let them keep looking evil, have the world keep crashing their economy, let this keep dragging out until hopefully Russia citizens rise up or somebody takes out Putin.

https://rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/mysterious-case-missing-russian-air-force

I think Hunter Killer AT teams aren't the answer. The Russian strategy has changed they are going to surround Kharkov and Kiev to starve and shell them out. If it takes 4-5 weeks so be it. I don't think they will be sending tanks into the towns to face Hunter killer team.

Would love to see this corroborated

It’s being reported by some Ukrainian Sources that the Ship seen burning off the Coast of Odessa was a Russian Amphibious Landing Ship that was struck by Ukrainian Forces earlier today. pic.twitter.com/IbYAOiZSUv

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) March 2, 2022

Abandoned Russian BM-21 Grad MLRS. https://t.co/VhfZjim40l pic.twitter.com/ahacf8xJKW

— Rob Lee (@RALee85) March 2, 2022

IDaggie06 said:

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LostInLA07 said:

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Ukrainians don't seem like they want to leave any cities if they aren't Ukrainian.

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Yea I think this is a bad idea anyways. It would give Russia more power, it would shed Russia in a more positive spotlight PR wise that they went into a city and didn't hurt anyone, etc. Let them keep looking evil, have the world keep crashing their economy, let this keep dragging out until hopefully Russia citizens rise up or somebody takes out Putin.

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The complicated part of this is that it trades bad Russian PR for innocent lives. Not something to be taken lightly.

BQ78 said:

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I think Hunter Killer AT teams aren't the answer. The Russian strategy has changed they are going to surround Kharkov and Kiev to starve and shell them out. If it takes 4-5 weeks so be it. I don't think they will be sending tanks into the towns to face Hunter killer team.

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Yep, urban fighting with tanks is bad news, as phrased by the Germans in WWII it becomes a "panzer graveyard"