Given that the oligarchs embezzled most of the money meant to upgrade and maintain the visible military weapons, I have zero doubt that the money that was supposed to keep the nuclear arsenal maintained is sitting in many yachts and dachas instead.
But yes, I know, we don’t want to find out the hard way that only 1% are operational because that’s enough to do a lot of damage, etc. etc.
Grifman
22593
The US is sending to Ukraine artillery shells stockpiled in Israel and South Korea:
strategy
22594
What does “shit really hit the fan” even mean? Russia attacking Norway? I doubt that would lessen Norwegian willingness to support Ukraine. Norwegian support for Ukraine is rock solid. I don’t know which politicians you’ve been talking to, but your friends opinions do not reflect the majority opinion in Norway, among politicians or the people.
Fact: The Norwegian government has just signed a new 2,6 billion artillery ammo deal with Nammo, the biggest weapons deal Nammo has ever received from the government here. This is not just a deal to replenish Norwegian artillery ammunition - much of this ammo will go to Ukraine and it is explicitly a deal designed to provide financial backing/funding for Nammo so that they can rapidly expand production capacity with a view to providing additional support in munitions to Ukraine (and NATO) in 2023 and 2024.
Norway’s support for Ukraine has only been accelerating and increasing since the war started a year ago, and there is zero indication that it is likely to end any time soon.
What he’s talking about are the extreme left fringe of the Reds - basically the people who would call themselves Communists, if that was still an acceptable designation. One of them was actually on TV this evening, and is now getting cut in half on social media for the idiocy of his comments. They do not - in any way, shape or form, represent mainstream opinion in Norway.
Apologies; I wouldn’t normally respond to these post, but I can’t stay silent when rubbish like this is stated as if it has anything to do with mainstream Norwegian/Scandinavian opinion.
abrandt
22596
I’ll at least hope that Putin has lost some faith in the readiness of his nuclear arsenal. Imagine choosing to start a nuclear war on your way out only to find out the only thing being annihilated is your own country.
Aceris
22597
Yeah I did a bit more looking around and I could find no real evidence for these sentiments in Norway outside of the tankie fringe which exists across european politics. Of course English language google’s coverage of Norweigian news is a bit spotty :)
Russian embassy folks better avoid sipping tea near upstairs windows.
LOL. Cutting and pasting from the web could be fatal!
Thrag
22600
Interesting commentary from Girkins. He thinks Ukraine is letting territorial defense mainly hold the line on the Bakmuht front and holding it’s more highly trained shock troops back to build up for an eventual counteroffensive somewhere.
Allow me to introduce you to my mom’s solution to this form of hostility: the sibling un-birthday present! One gift to open for the kid whose birthday it isn’t. Talk about appeasement!
abrandt
22602
They seemingly haven’t been really trying to push much the past couple of months, so I’ve figured that they are building towards a new offensive somewhere. Presumably holding back the better equipment for it too. Actually, wouldn’t be surprised if they try one offensive and then a delayed second offensive elsewhere again too. Force the Russians to redeploy to defend against the first and then hit a newly weakened area for the second. Yes, the Russians will be more alert for that this time, but they’ll have to respond to the first offensive regardless and that will inevitably put them off balance to some degree.
How mobilising hundreds of thousands doesn’t magically create a functioning army.
Oh the grandparents do that already.
Also, the eldest is good at sharing. The middle child is just a bit spoiled these days.
I mean, “surrender to your nearest Ukrainian formation” is a solution.
Does Ukraine have some kind of obvious encouragement to surrender? Media of nice warm beds and steaming food served by friendly Ukrainians, if you call this number…
KevinC
22607
They do. I’m sure the Russian conscripts are told about how Ukrainians are literal Nazis and it’s just a ploy to trick them into surrender so they can be mass murdered or something.
They have exactly that:
But, it’s pretty hard to walk towards the incoming artillery at the best of times, and there are multiple reports of Russian army officers shooting soldiers out of hand for trying to surrender.
First shoot the officers, then surrender. Don’t they teach Russian soldiers anything these days?
abrandt
22610
That one is covered in week three of their two week training.
Well, it’s short enough for a billboard or even a bumper sticker. Make it so.
