Cnn live "G7 virtual meeting has started, White House offical says From CNN's Jasmine Wright US President Joe Biden's virtual meeting with leaders of the G7 and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has started, per a White House official. The meeting, deliberately taking place a day before Russia's annual Victory Day celebrations, will focus on the latest developments in Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, support for Ukraine and a demonstration of "continued G7 unity," in their collective response. Sanctions would also be on the agenda, an official told CNN. CNN has asked for more details on the exact timing."
Cnn live "Acting US ambassador and a group of US diplomats return to embassy in Kyiv for first time since war began From CNN’s Jennifer Hansler Acting US Ambassador to Ukraine Kristina Kvien and a group of US diplomats returned to the embassy in Kyiv on Sunday for the first time since the war began more than two months ago. The US embassy in the Ukrainian capital was shuttered in mid-February as concerns grew of Russian military action. A small group of US diplomats was relocated to the western Ukrainian city of Lviv before moving across the border to Poland and commuting back and forth into Ukraine. On Feb. 24 — the same day Russia’s military invasion began — the US suspended services in Lviv. In late April, during a visit to Kyiv, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the US would return diplomats to Ukraine. Diplomats had begun making day trips into Lviv following that announcement. The visit by Kvien and other US diplomats to Kyiv comes of Victory in Europe Day — a day before Russia’s Victory Day — and on the same day that First Lady Jill Biden made a surprise visit to Ukraine."
Totally agree. We saw at the start of this war Ukrainian citizens volunteering by the thousands for the army. Many With no experience and then trained in days. I guess it’s a bit annoying seeing westerners join them for a short period and quickly quitting because the war isn’t what they expected. And then commenting what a mess Ukrainian army is and making it all sound hopeless. Meanwhile Ukrainians have no choice but to fight for their lives.
I have a friend who is a 90 pounds, soaking wet who was also a competitive Olympic shooter for the Ukraine as a young adult (she's now 38). She's gone back over there to be a sniper. Her dad is in his 60s and volunteered for the local security force. She still has access to WhatsApp and social media and has been posting about all of the mass graves they've been finding. Tough people in a terrible situation
It takes days to train some one how tear down, clean, put together and shoot a weapon. Becoming proficient with it and educated in tactics is differnt story. Even though the US is training Ukrainian troops in Germany on newer equipment I doubt anyone in the civilian population is getting training on this level. Marine Corps Boot Camp Schedule (Updated for 2022) Marine Corps Boot Camp consists of four main phases. Recruit receiving, 1st phase, 2nd phase, and 3rd phase. Every single enlisted Marine that serves on active duty has to go through this rigorous training, and only those who make it through earn the title United States Marine.
And, of course, recruit training is just the beginning. New Marines then go on to either School of Infantry (5 to 9 weeks, depending on specialty) or Marine Combat Training (all non-infantry Marines; 4 weeks) followed by occupational specialty training, which can be months long depending on level of technical skill required. Even then, the real training doesn’t begin until a Marine gets to his or her fleet unit. It’s months more until a Marine is ready for that first deployment and the potential of combat. To Carpe’s point, it is more than understandable why levee en masse does not grow proficient soldiers in short order, no matter how desperate the country’s situation is. It’s likewise understandable why professional foreign soldiers have little patience for “new guy” mistakes that might get them killed. In my opinion, the answer is the historical one: that you organize foreign volunteer brigades apart from host-nation forces. I thought that was what was happening in Ukraine, but the story above indicates that foreign volunteers are fighting directly alongside Ukrainians.
One thing that stands out to me from these accounts is what modern warfare is all about. Individual bravery and skills really don't matter too much. "It's a war of machines", to quote Wali, and modern warfare is all about keeping these machines churning. Logistics, organization, and intelligence is the name of the game. We've seen Russian failures in these areas well publicized, but we can see from accounts of those who fought alongside Ukrainian regulars like Wali that it applies to the Ukrainians as well.
Nothing new about a war of machines and the less-than-sexy roles of industry, logistics, and intelligence. But I disagree with the implication that the human element is diminished by the nature of this war. Those machines require motivated, brave individuals to operate them. Ukraine’s national will to resist, in my opinion, is still the key ingredient here. Without it, all of those machines and weapons would be Russian trophies, just as American weapons and machines now sit corroding as Taliban trophies.
Agree. If it were a war of machines, Russia would be dominating. Instead you have Russian force comprised of soldiers that just dont want to gat killed, against pissed off Ukes that want to kill every Russian they possibly can. The human element is proving to be THE difference here.
U2's Bono gives 'freedom' concert in Kyiv metro Hats off to those guys for doing a concert in Kyiv. That has to piss Putin off.
