Biden heads to Europe for NATO summit and other miscellaneous notes.

UPDATES

74OA said:

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ABATTBQ11 said:

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74OA said:

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This is the sort of misinformation on Ukraine a certain drive-by poster enjoys planting here. "Some of the most widely shared examples can be found on Twitter, posted by subscribers with a blue tick, who pay for their content to be promoted to other users."

BLUE

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It's almost like Russia uses social media to promote their propaganda to those who are gullible enough to buy it with the intent to sow division and erode international support.

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Ya think?

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I mean, is not like I haven't said as much for awhile. It's painfully obvious to anyone not looking to "The People's Voice", RT or Scott Ritter for news...

As Ukrainian forces advance around Bakhmut, Russian forces are building new defenses in occupied territory.

These Russian positions along a portion of the M03 highway (east of Bakhmut) were expanded over the past month. pic.twitter.com/urw1B3H7y4

— Brady Africk (@bradyafr) July 9, 2023

🇫🇮 Finnish armored personnel carriers Sisu XA-185s in service of the Armed Forces in the eastern direction pic.twitter.com/Yt88PL1sYx

— Mr. Parrot ™ (@parrot_soldier) July 9, 2023

Good read from Gen Hertling on cluster munitions

After @biden's tough call to provide Ukraine with 100s of 1000's of rounds of cluster munitions, Ukrainian MOD @oleksiireznikov provides rationale & assurances (in 5 statements) of how they will be used.

But the debate continues, as some US senators now question that call. 1/8 https://t.co/cvXC7ybIwc

— MarkHertling (@MarkHertling) July 8, 2023

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1677727855210373120.html

" to kill Russian Soldiers that are in Ukraine "
Fify

Rest in peace, warrior. We'll see you again one day.

This is so sad, and so beautiful at the same time, a hero from #NewZealand
💔🇩🇰💙💛

Haka in honor of a legionnaire from New Zealand who died in Ukraine.

New Zealanders perform a dance called the Haka.

This is how they pay tribute to Kane Te Tai, a representative of the… pic.twitter.com/hGYI9MgwNJ

— Kvist.P💙💛❤️🇩🇰 (@kvistp) July 9, 2023

CondensedFogAggie said:

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Rest in peace, warrior. We'll see you again one day.

This is so sad, and so beautiful at the same time, a hero from #NewZealand
💔🇩🇰💙💛

Haka in honor of a legionnaire from New Zealand who died in Ukraine.

New Zealanders perform a dance called the Haka.

This is how they pay tribute to Kane Te Tai, a representative of the… pic.twitter.com/hGYI9MgwNJ

— Kvist.P💙💛❤️🇩🇰 (@kvistp) July 9, 2023

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That's how you honor a fallen warrior!

Wow!

Thread Rollup: https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1678377955406299136.html

1/ Mobilised Russians from the 1452nd Regiment say they have been "sent for slaughter" against "Germans, Poles and Negroes", suffered heavy casualties in a Ukrainian encirclement, and that men who have lost arms or legs are being sent back to the front line to fight. ⬇️

— ChrisO_wiki (@ChrisO_wiki) July 10, 2023

Quote:

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Ukrainian defence forces have advanced over 1 km at Melitopol and Berdiansk directions, - General Staff of Armed Forces of Ukraine says in the morning report

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https://liveuamap.com/en/2023/10-july-ukrainian-defence-forces-have-advanced-over-1-km

The unintended consequences of Putin's war continue to accumulate.

"In the 16 months since Russia invaded Ukraine, NATO as a whole has also seen an overall eight percent real increase in defense spending above inflation, compared with two percent in 2022. In the same period, overall NATO member spending on equipment leaped from 8.5 percent real growth to 24.9 percent of real growth above inflation."

NATO

https://archive.ph/Xwm13

Economist article about sappers and slow pace of Demining.
Combat engineers becomings targets.
Effects on morale.

74OA said:

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The unintended consequences of Putin's war continue to accumulate.

"In the 16 months since Russia invaded Ukraine, NATO as a whole has also seen an overall eight percent real increase in defense spending above inflation, compared with two percent in 2022. In the same period, overall NATO member spending on equipment leaped from 8.5 percent real growth to 24.9 percent of real growth above inflation."

NATO

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can we review the post from a few days ago

where they claimed the war was achieving all of Russia's objectives to "demilitarize' Ukraine?

Rossticus said:

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Thread Rollup: https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1678377955406299136.html

1/ Mobilised Russians from the 1452nd Regiment say they have been "sent for slaughter" against "Germans, Poles and Negroes", suffered heavy casualties in a Ukrainian encirclement, and that men who have lost arms or legs are being sent back to the front line to fight. ⬇️

— ChrisO_wiki (@ChrisO_wiki) July 10, 2023

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Sounds like something the SS would have said in the 1940s.

Did I read the reports on Biden's interviews over the weekend correctly and he states the justification for sending the cluster munitions is because the US stockpiles of standard 155 mm artillery rounds is too low? He mentions the cluster munitions being a "transition" until more ordinance is available.

bonfarr said:

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Did I read the reports on Biden's interviews over the weekend correctly and he states the justification for sending the cluster munitions is because the US stockpiles of standard 155 mm artillery rounds is too low? He mentions the cluster munitions being a "transition" until more ordinance is available.

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Releasing some of the millions of DPICM rounds in storage will slow the drawdown of conventional rounds before stockpiles get too low while waiting for recently authorized 155mm production increases to ramp up.

This war has made me so strong I had to meet and negotiate in person with a man who mutinied against me.

I remain a master strategist. https://t.co/G9ZRgV4yTL

— Darth Putin (@DarthPutinKGB) July 10, 2023

This investigation reveals the limited ability of Ukrainian arms manufacturers to domestically produce ammunition and the EU's struggles to secure a long term increase in ammunition supply https://t.co/w8I1aFLj6X

— Samuel Ramani (@SamRamani2) July 10, 2023

Unlike the US which maintained huge stockpiles of ammunition after the Cold War, Europe let both its stockpiles and production capacity atrophy. So, EU nations recently agreeing to jointly ramp up ammo production is yet another unintended consequence of Putin's war and will be a big boost to it and NATO's deterrent credibility. But, in the meantime, without our stockpiles Ukraine would have been out of artillery ammo long ago.

AMMO

🚨#Breaking, Very good news🍻

"Bakhmut. The enemy is trapped, the city is under fire control of the Defense Forces" — Syrsky🔥‼️🇺🇦

Follow for more pic.twitter.com/8Ey2X6U1go

— WarFrontline (@WarFrontline) July 10, 2023

Russia can't hold Bakhmut .

FriscoKid said:

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🚨#Breaking, Very good news🍻

"Bakhmut. The enemy is trapped, the city is under fire control of the Defense Forces" — Syrsky🔥‼️🇺🇦

Follow for more pic.twitter.com/8Ey2X6U1go

— WarFrontline (@WarFrontline) July 10, 2023

Russia can't hold Bakhmut .

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Bittersweet. Another example of how Ukraine is forced to participate in the destruction of its own towns and cities in order to eject occupying Russians.

GeoConfirmed UKR.

"A huge explosion occurred on the road T1906 near the border between Ukraine and Russia."

51.21821, 34.30674

GeoLocated by @PauliusZaleckas https://t.co/nCdDzJaYQ1

— GeoConfirmed (@GeoConfirmed) July 10, 2023

A question for the experts here:

Compared to other wars...how does this Russia/Ukraine war compare in terms of the frequency, speed, and general direction of advances (by either side)?

(I realize that the sweeping gains seen in the two Gulf War ops are not the same and that these two sides are much more evenly matched.)

Rossticus said:

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GeoConfirmed UKR.

"A huge explosion occurred on the road T1906 near the border between Ukraine and Russia."

51.21821, 34.30674

GeoLocated by @PauliusZaleckas https://t.co/nCdDzJaYQ1

— GeoConfirmed (@GeoConfirmed) July 10, 2023

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what the hell was that, but it went boom

Squadron7 said:

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A question for the experts here:

Compared to other wars...how does this Russia/Ukraine war compare in terms of the frequency, speed, and general direction of advances (by either side)?

(I realize that the sweeping gains seen in the two Gulf War ops are not the same and that these two sides are much more evenly matched.)

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Posted earlier by ABATTBQ11: "WWII was not really a bunch of quick thrusts. It was a lot of waiting, and it took years to push the Nazis from North Africa back to Berlin. It only seems that way because the gains in Europe were made in discrete chunks.

This seems more like WWII than WWI to me because the lines HAVE moved in fairly discrete chunks. Russia advanced really far really quick, but they've slowly receded since then. Ukraine has steadily taken back chunks of land in the north and then the northeast in successful counter-offensives. If those were essentially North Africa and Italy, then this is France and Ukraine's eventually commitment of its reserves will be like D-Day. Hopefully it's as successful."

Squadron7 said:

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(I realize that the sweeping gains seen in the two Gulf War ops are not the same and that these two sides are much more evenly matched.)

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I think what most people are starting to realize is evenly matched armies really isn't a thing.

Even today, Ukraine isn't evenly matched with Russia on paper. Nor should they be. However, the results seem to indicate they are a slightly better military force than what was assumed to be the #2 military power in the world.

Ukraine is proving that a smaller more nimble, well trained and equipped force can punch well above their weight against much bigger, lesser trained and equipped force that can't adapt. It just needs to hold it's own until the country can gear up and NATO / allies come to the rescue. Then go on the offensive after bleeding the over extended foe dry.

Going to the comment up above of NATO powers being woefully unprepared previously and spending more and being better equipped today because of the invasion is true. They let defense spending and capability slowly degrade because there wasn't a need or threat over the last 3 or 4 decades. I understand why they did. It was purely risk versus reward in an era where cost cutting was the norm. France is burning because there isn't enough money to go around to keep everyone happy.

Big, bad USA loved to throw our weight around and stroke our ego as the world super power. So they could rely on the aggregate of NATO with the understanding they were a backup plan (or in the case of European war a stop gap until Britton and the USA showed up). Just like in WWI and WW2.

This isn't meant to be political, but that was one thing the Trump administration had right. If you are in a military alliance / treaty, all should be pulling their weight fairly on spending / capability because the enemy is going to strike the weak point. And European countries are thankfully starting to correct as it take time for a country across the globe to gear up and come to the rescue.

The issue is with Ukraine getting all of the modern weapon systems they are trying to fight like a superpower. They did so well by using small unit tactics and choosing when to fight, not stomping into defensive positions that Russia has been working on all winter.