Why are we rushing to defend Ukraine? [merged threads]

[millefleur 5,046]

Hospital sees 30% rise in seriously wounded Ukrainian soldiers, says doctor
 

DNIPRO, Ukraine -- The number of heavily wounded soldiers being treated at one of Ukraine's largest trauma hospitals has risen by as much as 30% in the past few weeks, according to the chief doctor there.

 

Dr. Sergii Ryzhenko told ABC News that the Mechnikov Hospital in the city of Dnipro, a few hours' drive from the fighting, is now receiving between 40 and 100 seriously wounded men each day, with his team performing between 50 and 100 surgical operations in any 24-hour period.

 

Many of those procedures are amputations, he said.

 

Read more here: https://abcnews.go.com/International/hospital-sees-30-rise-wounded-ukrainian-soldiers-doctor/story?id=106197525

[TBoneTX 45,259]

On 1/10/2024 at 10:34 PM, millefleur said:

between 40 and 100 seriously wounded men each day

What a shame.

 

Edited to clarify:  What a shame that all this bloodshed needs to continue.

Edited January 12 by TBoneTX

[TBoneTX 45,259]

"Surpraaaahz, Sergeant Carter!  Surprahz, surprahz, SURPRAHZ!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

More than $1B in US military aid to Ukraine not properly tracked by Pentagon, DOD audit finds

WASHINGTON — More than $1 billion in military weapons and equipment that the United States has provided Ukraine to fight invading Russian forces cannot be accounted for and is not being fully tracked, according to a Pentagon audit released Thursday.

Since the Russian invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has been given roughly $45 billion in U.S. military aid that has included a wide range of weapons such as air-defense systems, anti-drone systems, various missiles and rockets and small-arms ammunition.  The Defense Department inspector general concluded in the report that about $1 billion in weapons that are required to be tracked have not been.  [...]

https://www.stripes.com/theaters/europe/2024-01-11/pentagon-ukraine-audit-military-weapons-russia-12636674.html

[TBoneTX 45,259]

Rats and mice swarm trenches in Ukraine in grisly echo of World War I

 

The frontlines of Russia's war in Ukraine have become infested with rats and mice, reportedly spreading disease that causes soldiers to vomit and bleed from their eyes, crippling combat capability and recreating the gruesome conditions that plagued troops in the trench warfare of World War I.

 

A Ukrainian servicewoman, who goes by the call-sign "Kira," recalled how her battalion was beset last fall by a "mouse epidemic" while fighting in as the southern Zaporizhzhia region.  [...]

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/rats-mice-swarm-trenches-ukraine-090407722.html

 

[millefleur 5,046]

Many WW1 echoes sadly. 

[Boiler 45,445]

 

[Dashinka 24,480]

I do wonder how they explain the mutually exclusive positions they are taking here.

 

Davos Admits Possibility Of Ukraine Defeat - Claims Putin Will Target EU Next

 

The panel itself is largely made up of Ukrainian representatives who are there to spin the facts, not have a frank discussion about the realities in the trenches.  Journalist Niall Ferguson seems to be the only member with a modicum of honesty on the panel, as he admits the situation in Ukraine has degraded dramatically.  He does, however, join with the Ukrainians in admonishing the American public's growing opposition to monetary and military support.

 

The underlying message?  If Ukraine loses, it will be your fault.  

  

Why should Americans be relied upon to dump hundreds of billions of dollars into a losing war against an opponent that has nothing to do with them?  The same question should be considered by Europeans, but their proximity is used as leverage against them.  The primary argument from political warhawks like Lindsay Graham and puppets like Zelensky is that when Ukraine falls, Putin intends to invade Europe next.  

 

It's the old Vietnam era “domino effect” narrative, repeated ad nauseum.  The problem is that warhawks along with Zelensky and his propagandists are caught in a Catch-22:  They have been promoting the idea that Russia's military is in shambles and that US and EU aid is bringing Ukraine to victory.  At the same time, they want to frighten Europeans and Americans with the prospect that Russia is strong enough to invade the EU.  They can't have it both ways – Either Russia's armies are crippled and ripe to be overrun, or, they are incredibly strong and capable of leaping into a series of invasions against Ukraine's neighbors.  

 

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/davos-admits-possibility-ukraine-defeat-claims-putin-will-target-eu-next

[TBoneTX 45,259]

Court Orders Texas Razor Wire Moved To Ukraine Border

[...] "The razor wire on the Texas border must be removed at once, as using such a horrible tool to secure the land of average Americans is a total abomination," said Judge Alan Partridge.  "Razor wire may only be used [...]

https://babylonbee.com/news/court-orders-texas-razor-wire-moved-to-ukraine-border

[Boiler 45,445]

This is definitely worth a watch

 

 

[TBoneTX 45,259]

3 hours ago, Boiler said:

This is definitely worth a watch

Nikki Haley probably has every second of it memorized and experiences utter ecstasy when re-watching it.

[millefleur 5,046]

Zelenskiy confirms plan to replace commander of armed forces as part of ‘reset’

 

Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has admitted publicly for the first time that he is seeking to replace the country’s most senior military commander, Valerii Zaluzhnyi.

 

“A reset, a new beginning is necessary,” Zelenskiy told the Italian outlet Rai News in an interview broadcast on Sunday night, when asked about rumours of Zaluzhnyi’s dismissal.

 

Zaluzhnyi, who has led the armed forces since before Russia’s full-scale invasion, is a largely popular figure among soldiers and society at large, meaning replacing him could be a politically risky decision.

 

Read more here: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/05/ukraine-leadership-change-reset-zelenskiy-replace-senior-officials

[Boiler 45,445]

It is interesting that the US for example was not shy to get rid of senior officers when needed during WW2, Patton is an obvious example there are many others.

 

I remember watching a discussion on how things had changed, now the US has not fought a war of consequence but the argument is that they would have done a lot better if they had followed prior practice.

 

Certainly back then it was not a career killer, Patton again as an example.

 

In my mind it makes a lot of sense.

[TBoneTX 45,259]

Awkward:  Putin And Zelenskyy Both Show Up At Same Biden Rally

 

DETROIT, MI — In a terribly awkward moment, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy both showed up to cheer at the same campaign rally for President Joe Biden.  [...]

 

https://babylonbee.com/news/awkward-putin-and-zelenskyy-both-show-up-to-speak-at-same-biden-rally

[Dashinka 24,480]

I'll take things that never happened for $1000 Alex.  

 

Regardless, as this article stated, Ukraine is low on ammo and manpower, the only way they win this is if NATO, and mostly the US commit boots on the ground.

 

‘There’s only Plan A': Defense leaders fear failure in Ukraine

 

MUNICH — Four American senators recounted a story Ukrainian officials told them at the Munich Security Conference: A soldier in a muddy trench with Russian artillery exploding nearby, scrolling on his phone for signs the U.S. House would approve military aid.

 

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/18/munich-ukraine-security-conference-00142077

[millefleur 5,046]

15 hours ago, Dashinka said:

Regardless, as this article stated, Ukraine is low on ammo and manpower, the only way they win this is if NATO, and mostly the US commit boots on the ground.

There's been a lot of changes since we last updated this thread. It seems nothing much is going to change unless the US funding goes through. Not that it would lead to huge change either, but I guess it being stalled has really soured the mood.

 

NATO boots on the ground seems fantastical. Apparently Europe is struggling to attract new recruits as well.