War in Ukraine

We gave them one of our drones during the war in Afghanistan. It did not occur to the U.S. military at the time that another entity could hack into their unprotected drone communications and take over the drone. One drone flew too close to the Iranian border, and Iran hacked it and redirected it to land inside Iran. I'm sure their drone is a copy of the one they stole from us.

 

Why surprised ? Isn’t the Russian military incompetent ?

 

"Turning" ????

 

“Revealed to be” might be a more accurate expression.

 

Maybe we can keep the arms dealer and trade this guy instead. I bet they backtracked these components when found in Russian equipment to bust this scheme.

Russia Rages After Son of Putin Official Is Nabbed on U.S. Charges (msn.com)

The Kremlin is threatening retaliatory action after authorities arrested Artyom Uss, the son of a top Russian official, at the United States’ request, for allegedly participating in a sanctions evasion and money laundering scheme. Uss, who was detained in Milan, was charged in relation to a scheme to unlawfully obtain U.S. military technology and sanctioned Venezuelan oil in order to support Russia’s war effort in Ukraine, according to charges unsealed by the U.S. Department of Justice this week.

“We are categorically against this and we condemn the practice of these kinds of arrests of Russian citizens,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Uss’ father, the governor of Russia’s Krasnoyarsk Krai region, Alexander Uss, has suggested the arrest is politically motivated, according to TASS.
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Uss and co-conspirators are accused of using NDA GmbH to ship advanced semiconductors and microprocessors for fighter aircraft, missile systems, smart munitions, radar, and satellites in Russia—some of which have been found in weapons used in the war in Ukraine.

“Some of the same electronic components obtained through the criminal scheme have been found in Russian weapons platforms seized on the battlefield in Ukraine,” the Department of Justice said in an announcement, adding that the accused developed a “sophisticated network” of schemes that “undermined security, economic stability and rule of law around the world.”

 

Biden assembling a massive $50 weapons transfer to turn the tide against shoeless, bedraggled and ill-equipped Russian conscripts.

 

$50 sounds inadequate to feed and house the 50% who survive first contact and manage to surrender. I’m not clear if this is legal under international law but after their defeat I’d be in favor of using the POW”s to help rebuild. Perhaps after 24 month they can be freed. Many I think would opt to stay if the Ukrainians let them

 

If we know ahead of time why don’t we give them super secret electronic components that do the opposite of what they are supposed to do? Instead of a rocket heading east when it’s fired, it goes west instead.

 

Maybe we’re doing that now. Seems like all Russian missiles are going West.

 

We???

 

Although it would be an appropriate form of justice I'm rather sure that using POW's for labor is a violation of the Geneva Convention.

 

Drat! I had a pleasant image of DD hauling away debris and eating porridge for a couple of years.

 

The latest discussion is whether or not Russia will blow up the dam on the Dnipro River upstream of Kherson when they evacuate Kherson. This would flood Kherson and wipe out crops across southern Ukraine that depend on irrigation from the large reservoir behind the dam. I don't know what leverage the U.S. would have to stop Russia from doing it, short of threats of military intervention.

Zelenskiy: West must warn Russia not to blow up dam

 

Russian draftees have to provide their own gear for battle, including thermal underwear and body armor. Apparently the local Walmarts are running out of body armor, causing the price to go up from $133 to $729 - $2188. One draftee complained that he was given a bulletproof vest meant for "Airsoft" games (what is that, Paintball?).

So many mobilized Russian reservists had buy their own military gear that thermal underwear now costs up to $340 and a hiking backpack costs as much as $600

 

I’m for anything that cranks up the discomfort in Russia and consequently turns up the heat on Putin’s throne.

 

$50 billion.

 

I agree, but I don’t think Putin would believe that would make us intervene.

The Biden Administration has categorically taken intervention off the table from Day 1. It has not even used qualifying language that might give Russia pause, such as “We hope that it won’t become necessary to involve U.S. forces” or “We have no intent to intervene at this time.” I’m not even sure that Putin using a nuke would smack this administration into action (unless outrage from the rest of NATO forced his hand). Frankly, I think Putin is much more concerned what China and India would do in that case than what we would do.

As far as that dam goes, would China and India care? That’s the the only question Putin is likely asking himself.