Interesting post from Russian Storm Z unit instructor where he reflects on recent military operations, noting the increase in footage of Russian attacking columns being destroyed and simultaneous Ukraine's worsening situation. Despite some Russian tactical successes, advances are difficult, often leading to only minor gains due to lack of support and poorly prepared units. Overall, progress is attributed more to changes in firepower capabilities and Ukrainian weaknesses rather than improvements in combat effectiveness or organisational structure.

Thank you, Germany.

It always has been political will and not capability.

I still say it makes sense for Romania and Poland to send a Patriot each on the condition they remain close to their borders but ideally it should be western Europe depleting their AD rather than eastern Europe.

Johnson is such a spinless cretin, I'm sure he'll whip out all the stops for Trump though, a little back rub, a foot massage, do everything his master demands of him, probably let Trump fuck his own wife too. I can't remember the last time America had such a coward in charge as House Speaker and one seemingly dictating American foreign policy.

Speaking of that tweet featuring the “Get drunk and go to war” Russian recruits. That was my gimmick in a late 1990s early 2000s browser war game called Utopia. I don’t want to imply anything, but my character was an Orc (they were cool back in the wake of Warcraft 2 and 3)!

I was a Monarch of a “War Kingdom” as we called it - which is a Kingdom that was built specifically to win wars rather than the norm - Kingdom’s geared toward peace and prosperity and engaging in combat with agreed rules of conduct to prevent much damage to each kingdom. In contrast, our Kingdom was built to inflict the most possible damage to the opponent, using “black ops” which were spells and thief operations that were in the game but were deemed too destructive - and most alliances felt “black ops” were justification of alliance action to intervene in Kingdom vs Kingdom wars… So yes, we were villainous :D

We’d role-play getting ridiculously drunk in our forum Tavern, or on ICQ/IRC, example:
*Cracks open a barrel of fortified ale with an axe, lifts it up, and chugs it down! Starts rolling out the barrels, kegs, and casks*
(Insert passionate 2-3 paragraph speech to amp up everyone for war)

The difference is we were a bunch of teenagers and 20-somes playing around in early online casual games (before the iPhone, even before Animal Crossing and Brain Age). These Russian soldiers are doing it for real. I picture these sorts being much like that Pure Pwnage guy from 20 years ago: “I should join the army. War is basically FPS. But there’s no respawn; so if I get lag in RL, I’m dead!”

I know there’s not a lot of sympathy for these young Russian men, but this is sad. We were allowed to be stupid in our youth, they’re not. These guys are ignorant of the consequences and what they’re going to lose: their lives will be ruined or ended. And everyone is going to remember them as disgusting villains because there’s little chance history will be kind to Putin, the invasion, and the invaders - and that’s within Russia. Outside Russia, that’s already the narrative, and there’s no chance of redemption except from the likes of some of the most repulsive trash-bag Marjories known today.

Still waiting for countries like Italy to do anything but seeing how nobody on this planet really cares about them doing almost nothing they will also never start. It's like these countries just don't excist. And Macron had his few weeks of talking like a hero but beside that I still wait that something will follow his words

Edit: "IFW Kiel" will release the next data about contributions from around the world on the 25th of April. Let's see once again how nothing has changed. 

In fairness people just group them in with western Europe, we as a collective are failing Ukraine by large but it is correct to point out that Spain and Italy in particular are f*cking useless, their contribution to Ukraine is a joke and they don't even meet the 2% spending for NATO and Italy from what I've heard is less sympathetic towards Ukraine.

Sorry, but neither Italy or Spain should get a say in who becomes the next head of NATO.

France at least has somewhat of an excuse, not one I am willing to give them a total pass with but France is a bit like the America of Europe, Lol. Their military is stretched across multiple countries, in particular the African region which Russia is messing with lately, they could fuck up France's interests in Africa and with Venezuela threatening Guyana which France would probably protect.

But France could still do a lot more, they're just doing more than Italy/Spain on the account of their public comments, trying to move the stupid "line" while Italy and Spain stay silent, SCALP has also been an amazing contribution to Ukraine but they're just simply lacking in overall support, they're the most powerful military in Europe, they can do a lot more.

Did Putin encourage Iran to attack Israel tonight........????

In Italy Meloni is a bit in a bind. She's very pro-Ukraine, but most of her coalition partners are more in line with Orban, especially Salvini (though he denies it now). As such, there ain't much she can do but admonish coalition members who speak against Ukraine or in favor of Russia or Putin, as actual support she wouldn't get past her coalition members. Otherwise Italy could send their Puma APC (they are getting phased out, though curiously no direct successor is planned), and some of their Skyguard Aspide systems, as most are in storage anyway (their successor is supposed to begin being delivered this year). And considering how much Italy is buying or planning to buy (100+ tanks, 1000+ IFV, 500+ MRAPs, different air defense systems and 21 HIMARS) they certainly could get rid of some old equipment otherwise.

Spain doesn't have tis problem and could send quite a bit more stuff. Apart from over 100 Leopard 2A4 (They got the 2A6-based Leopard 2E anyway) and lots of M113 (over 500, still their main APC), they got tons of light utility and infantry mobility vehicles (~4000). Spain also has quite a few Air defense systems: 3 Patriot batteries, 13 Skyguard Aspide systems, 8 NASAMS-2 (4 batteries) and 168 Mistral MANPADS, plus over 90 Oerlikon GDF twin AA cannons.

So in short, Spain has quite a lot they could send

Of course, as it would divert attention away from Ukraine and to the middle east instead - and with it, lessen potential support for Ukraine.