Demosthenes81 said:

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aggiepanic95 said:

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Question - What does the "Z" and the "V" signify on Russian assets

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Identifiers to discern between Russian and Ukrainian vehicles, since both use Russian equipment. The Russian defense ministry has come out with some patriotic slogans to go with them but pretty much telling their conscript soldiers who not to shoot at.

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They're also used to distinguish between different Russian forces. V is for Russian marines. Z is for forces from the north and Z in a square are southern forces.

Ukraine/Russia: Ukrainian military have launched an offensive in Mykolaiv today driving Russian forces further back and inflicting losses, including more armour destroyed. Mykolaiv remains under Ukrainian control. https://t.co/F1upScY0zI

— The Cavell Group (@TCG_CrisisRisks) March 5, 2022

Ukraine/Russia: Sadly not looking good already with the Mariupol Deputy Mayor, Serhiy Orlov, saying “Russians are continuing to bomb us and use artillery. It is crazy," via BBC https://t.co/GOI1OHMILI

— The Cavell Group (@TCG_CrisisRisks) March 5, 2022

Eliminatus said:

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aggiehawg said:

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Where are these Russians going after they leave their assigned mechanized units? Do they have a civilian clothes and try to blend it?

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Actually a damned good question and one I've been wondering about myself last day or so.

We know that some have been observed abandoning their stuff and then were hunted down. But the ones who aren't observed, I have no idea.

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I suspect most Russian soldiers kept their personal cell phone and may be aware of current situation...Since Ukrainian enviroment is not entirely foreign to Russian, the individual soldier may just go AWOL and blend in to back ground...make it back to Crimea...find a way to take up offer from Balkan state to russian awol soldier a sanctuary...better than dying for putin's war they don't themselves have any stake.

One way tech industry can get involve may be sending mass text msg to combatant to stand down...

JFABNRGR said:

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04TXAg007 said:

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RoadkillBBQ said:

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AggieLostinDallas said:

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He's wearing an American flag.
He insinuating that's US SoF or a former SoF member.

I am sure there are quite a few there, officially or not.

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I may be wrong but I believe that video is older from before this invasion.

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Fair enough. Here's one uploaded yesterday. Oh, and the quote from the guys over at FUNKER530 who are all former/active military:

"You'll probably want some context for this video. That's too bad. If you're interested in knowing more, you're gonna have to follow Forward Observations on YouTube. They've been in Ukraine since January."

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Night fighting guns of SOF right there.

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If not mistaken, that YT channel is "loosely" affiliated with some former Devgru guys.

Tactics related: you could safely wager a lot of money that there are CAG and/or Devgru guys on ground offering tactic/logistics support/advising. Won't be able to prove it for several years, but they're undoubtedly there.

The presence of a US flag means nothing as, much like the safe bet above, any US assets in country won't have a lick of country-specific identifiers aside from Ukrainian representation.

#Russia's tempo of operations in #Ukraine remains remarkably low today. During this pause in Russia's offensive operations, Ukrainian forces managed some localized successes though Russia's bombardments and its drive toward Odessa continue.

Mapping with @COUPSURE and @detresfa_ pic.twitter.com/u7ChP5y2Fj

— Sim Tack (@SimTack) March 5, 2022

Hate to be them when those elevator doors open.

CondensedFoggyAggie said:

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#Ukrainian soldier Albert, who shot down the #Russian Su-30SM fighter jet, interviewed former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko #UkrianeWar #Ukriane #UkraineRussianWar pic.twitter.com/EFqEF8wrHO

— veysel midilli (@veyselmidilli3) March 5, 2022

Even if you don't speak the language, you can tell what they're saying. Guy interviewing him is the former Ukrainian President from 2015-2019

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Have seen a few pictures of Poroshenko wandering around in combat gear. I'm not altogether sold on his full allegiance to Ukrainian independence, though.

Those logs are used if one gets bogged

CondensedFoggyAggie said:

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⚡️На Росії почалося.

У Нижньокамську робітники заводу «Гемонт» влаштували стихійний страйк через те, що їм не виплатили частину зарплати внаслідок різкого обвалу рубля.

📹 Денис Казанський pic.twitter.com/oBCbvHMTPV

— Еспресо (@EspresoTV) March 5, 2022

Sanctions are truly biting now.
EDIT: Workers are going on strike due to the ruble collapsing

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If even half the reports like this and from the battlefield are true, Putin won't survive. He's whistling past the graveyard. Just a matter of how many he manages to take down with him before it happens.

⚡️Cyprus forbids 5 Russian navy ships from mooring and refueling in Limassol.

Cyprus banned Russian ships from its port following EU sanctions over Russia’s war, Philenews reported.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) March 5, 2022

Demosthenes81 said:

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aggiepanic95 said:

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Question - What does the "Z" and the "V" signify on Russian assets

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Identifiers to discern between Russian and Ukrainian vehicles, since both use Russian equipment. The Russian defense ministry has come out with some patriotic slogans to go with them but pretty much telling their conscript soldiers who not to shoot at.

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This is what I found online, with an excerpt below. I did also see the other slogans too. V was for "victory" I believe. I forget the rest.

https://sofrep.com/amp/news/what-do-those-letters-mean-on-russian-tanks-and-vehicles/

Even with the fancy technology the identifiers seem like a good idea to me. I've never been to war but I'm guessing that Private Krasnovsky won't always check the electronic doohickey before shooting when things are hot.

It's shocking to me how easily the RU armor is begin destroyed. Is our armor as susceptible to these same munitions?

PJYoung said:

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Russian troops leave Energodar

— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) March 5, 2022

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is this a status update or a demand?

PJYoung said:

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Russian troops leave Energodar

— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) March 5, 2022

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Big if true. Surprised they wouldn't try to hold the nuke plant. Especially for strategic purposes.

I am concerned Putin will turn Hitler-like as this digresses. I believe, at the end, Hitler made comments to the fact that the German people didn't deserve to survive if they lost.

jbanda said:

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Really makes you wonder if this is forcing the decision makers to rethink the role of armor in modern warfare given the effectiveness of modern anti armor weapons.

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Yep, a lot of this armor is nothing but an expensive coffin.

2wealfth Man said:

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I am concerned Putin will turn Hitler-like as this digresses. I believe, at the end, Hitler made comments to the fact that the German people didn't deserve to survive if they lost.

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Could argue that he already has...

Yukon Cornelius said:

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Pretty clear air assets are incredibly important. Not sure how you got to the conclusion a platform to deploy air assets from water (aircraft carrier) is proved obsolete by this military engagement.

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They're vulnerable, let's just say that.

agent-maroon said:

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2wealfth Man said:

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I am concerned Putin will turn Hitler-like as this digresses. I believe, at the end, Hitler made comments to the fact that the German people didn't deserve to survive if they lost.

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Could argue that he already has...

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Would Hitler have launched nuke tipped V2's in March of 1945 if he had them ?? Even if he had only five or six. If so would the correct response have been 'Dreden-ing' every remaining German city if he had?

If Putin knew he was toast yet could still pull the or 'a ' trigger would he ??