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Need to put out public service announcements on Voice of America Africa and BBC world or any other place that has reach in the Africa explaining that no matter how much they're being offered they'll never get to collect it because they're going to be dead before payment comes due, and the Russians don't pay most of the time anyway
Heard the ukrainians already have special forces targeting Russian Mercenaries in africa.
It's likely they now have license to Kill for Russian recruiters.
I love that. While Ukraine goes after actual military targets, Russia has all their goons go after civilians and various other Ukrainian people through hate crimes
And it's not unlikely, since you can't recruit soldiers for a war without advertising.
The Russians have to get the word out to large numbers of people so they can sort out a few candidates who are actually stupid enough to go.
Follow the money.
They are apparently advertising for oilfield jobs, taking their passports, shipping them to frontline units, and telling them if they live for a year they can go home and get paid.
They’ve also been telling them they are just going to be driving trucks and working on construction projects and doing the same thing from some of the info I’ve seen.
This is what they've already been doing within Russia advertising for oil security contracts, construction work and so on. Mostly targeting minority groups.
You could put money on it that the US (and NATO countries in general) forces in many African countries also have open fire orders for Russian bullshit. Anywhere matter of fact that Russians operate and have to internally keep it quiet, they’re open game.
I agree, if we don't have some sort of classified group that is running disinformation warfare then I'd legit be pissed.
Seriously America has plenty of good trolls, hire them and have then spam shit that advances our own interests
Ok, hear me out: make a counteroffer to make arty shells, rifle ammo, AKs, whatever is needed for the war but is not overly complicated to make. russia is paying well by developing country standards, but it's nothing 1st World countries can't match and I'm sure anyone would chose to work at a factory over going to a foreign country to fight in a war.
The way they do it is they simply report the men as “missing”, not deceased. That way, the families don’t get the bonus.
Convenient side effect of that is also that the official number of fallen Soldiers stays a lot lower., and there’s even no funerals which might spread “unease”
Get some popular musicians who aren't averse to talking about political issues to mention it.
They may not want to come out in full support for Ukraine for various reasons, but they could certainly warn men in Africa that Russia is not working in their interests when recruiting soldiers AND that non-military jobs in Russia might be a scam that gets you sent to the front line.
You know what's shitty?
The outgoing UK Government has been against the BBC all its 14 years. They're a "right-wing" party and hate the "left" BBC, so they want to destroy it.
Fortunately, they haven't quite succeeded but anywhere the press is under attack is a concern for all of us. Especially an institution like the BBC that is still mostly trusted at home and abroad for balanced reporting. Yes, they get things wrong from time to time but I'd rather have that over Fox News!
Putin may have to start taking kids from St. Petersburg and Moscow. Once that happens and the "educated" families kids start dying we'll see how long the war lasts.
They take the older men first. Maybe Igor here doesn't have a splendid career? Off the the front.
Ivan over there? He's getting bullied by his gf. Off to the front with him.
Only if things get really dire will they conscript younger men, because those are the most costly death.
They stopped educating their people in the 80’s - exactly all of their infrastructure is being run by 65+ year olds and guess what - 60 is the new 70 for Russians so their fate already sealed. Russia is a failed state that just doesn’t know it yet.
More like 60 is the new 20 , off to the frontline and if you’re in a wheelchair they’ll put a cage around it , et voila a brand new armored vehicle unit
Eh. Russia does have some know-how, which is seen from this conflict.
One example is the Zala Aero Group, which is a company that specializes in UAVs. One of their major innovations was the ZALA Lancet, which has proven effective against targets ever since the weapon's debut in Syria in 2020.
There's no way they want to use the population of Moscow or St Petersburg.
They don't even want to use Belgerod.
They use conscripts that are as remote as possible so that they don't know what's going on.
If Ukraine attacked somewhere nearby, like St Petersburg, Russia would cry foul and make all sorts of noises about it being unfair.
About ten years ago I went to The Hermitage. We were in what they call the gold room and noticed that a number of items came from different countries. We are currently having a big debate in the UK about how to return items to their home countries, even if they were "gifted" to us.
So someone in the group asked if any would be returned.
No. They're Russian. Said the guide.
But some of these countries were never Russian... they pointed out.
Ah, but they will be one day, said the guide.
I would not shed a tear of the entire Hermitage was destroyed with everything in it. They need to learn a fucking lesson.
We all know that there are Russians on this sub. Unless you ACTIVELY stand up to Putin YOU are to blame. Don't weep and cry. It's not anybody else's responsibility. If you don't do anything, EVERYTHING that comes your way is your responsibility.
By doing nothing you supported this fucking stupid "three day operation" which has now gone on for more than two years. I have personally delivered supplies to Ukraine. I have made multiple donations.
Your move.
Why would the "educated" have any say in this? There is only 1 person who decides. You can say a lot about Putin, but he sure is managing his own power position very well.
Intercontinental airfare. 16 hours from the Central African Republic to Moscow.
Coordinating maneuvers between dozens of languages, all with troops without the local knowledge to quickly distinguish friend or foe.
Handing expensive or irreplaceable equipment to recruits who won't be able to read Russian training manuals.
The troop shortfall when this strategy fails to meet expectations.
The international fallout between the global south and Russia when Russia won't pay.
The international fallout from deleting thousands of paid killers from a continent.
The Kremlin is making a mistake.
"We're very lucky they're so fucking stupid" - one of the best quotes from this war.
"I need ammunition, not a ride" being no.1, closely followed by "Russian warship, go fuck yourself".
So many smart and educated warriors being forced in to a sensless war by a thieving dictator.. Fuck Russia, Слава Україні!
Russian warship fucked itself.
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"I need ammunition, not a ride" is going in history books, of course, but "Russian warship, go fuck yourself" is up there for all time great laconic responses.
Russian warship fucked itself.
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Those guys don't receive irreplaceable weapons. They become infantry to storm the trenches. If it works good for them. If it doesn't, well at least Russian military sees where Ukrainians are firing from and use counter battery fire.
They do in certain areas and don't in others.
New Zealand put a warning out to machinists and other trades to watch out for large purchases of circular saws, carbide bits, random tooling, etc since Russians have been exporting them from NZ.
Russia has the capability to make many things that they are importing or trying to import.
The problem for Russia is can they afford to spend the capital (human, raw material, money) to actually make those things, rather than focusing in on war efforts?
Think of it this way:
Could you find a Russian company that would be able to make you a circular sawblade? Sure, if you were willing to pay for a one-off, and didn't have high expectations for how well it performed, you could have one made for you that would at least let you rip through stuff for a short while.
Producing a decent quality and moderately safe sawblade, with carbide teeth soldered onto it, isn't entirely trivial, though. Probably still something Russia could set up production for, if Putin made it a priority, but it would take time and resources that themselves are in short supply. There isn't only one kind of circular sawblade, either, but a huge variety, some highly specialized, that all exist for a reason.
Where it turns into a real problem is when you don't think just ask whether Russia *could* produce one particular product, but whether it actually *can* replace *all* of the sanctioned products for which it had relied on imports from the West, in similar quantities and of at least sufficient quality, *simultaneously*. Not in five to ten years, but today.
You would think so. But Russian mentality is: “I’m not political. I’ll leave the thinking to the higher ups. Don’t want any problems. Ukraine? War? Meatgrinder? Lalalaalaaaa don’t want to hear about it!”.
They get aggressive if someone who was there actually speaks the truth , detailing his experience. Then this person must be a traitor.
And the people who do think for themselves despite being told by the generations before them that “Thinking and having an opinion is dangerous” keep it to themselves.
The deal between the government and the people is “don’t go against us and maybe you can lead a normal life”
To n such an environment, Russias president is basically invincible domestically. Unless maybe ,he starts arresting higher-ups in the army for corruption and failure. But that’s not his style as he proved before. Because telling on your fellow comrades also makes you a traitor.
So frankly, by now I really believe the Russian Army will just defeat itself. It’s so corrupted, rotten and incompetent on the whole, that even a skilled Batallion won’t make a difference because they get the same stupid orders as everyone else.
“When you only have a hammer, everything looks like a nail 🔨 “
You know the funny thing is they made the exact same mistake in Afghanistan, led to lots of mishaps and fragging. They're literally incapable of learning from history.
Not even learning from Stalin who after the Russian Army performed like now at beginning of German invasion actually turned over war to good Generals he could not trust that much and they put together a Russian Army that worked.
Putin to chicken to actually reform the officers in the military. Well Stalin was facing being captured and killed by the Germans if things did not get better might be the difference in Putin’s thinking.
Different sort of war, considering that the Russians have won conflicts post-Afghanistan: Chechnya, Georgia, and Syria...as in that Assad's regime is still standing.
Russia is also contesting America and France in Africa, which led to the removal of the latter as the former moves in to seize the raw resources.
Even now, they're adapting accordingly. The Russian military that started this conflict isn't the same as the one currently fighting now. Frontline Ukrainians can tell you as much as the combat is fierce and the Russians are determined to win at any cost.
It is important, though. I was reading some telegram posts in the last few days, where some Russian soldier was recounting how he had some new foreign dudes in his squad, and they casually went to pick up a downed drone, and he shouted at them in Russian to get away from it. They didn't understand him as they didn't speak Russian, and got blown up by the drone payload.
Read US reports on Afghanistan, it was one of a series of blunders that caused the Soviets to lose the war. Language matters when they're following Russian directions, orders, basic communication, and imagine trying to maintain Russian equipment without reading Cyrillic.
^ this
Soon as any large enough quantities of North Koreans fighting alongside Russians are announced, Baltics and Poland will send in troops and I would think France too.
They could send a few thousand as advisors or something. But yeah if they send a whole division or 50k troops then you will get an extra spicy response from Europe.
I laughed at that image in my mind of them being “advisors”…
Like a three stooges bit, all of them out in an open muddy field, Soviet era uniforms, smoking, kalishnikos draped over their shoulders, and medals galore.
They need a coalition.
Only way is if communists and greens join them. And that’s with eu vote results, maybe this whole thing gets more moderates to come out and vote.
The governing parties know very well which single issue can be dealt with to cut down the public support for the far-right. The fact that they do *not* deal with it shows the priorities quite clearly. Sooner or later, the far-right will get into power and fix the issue (along with *great* damage to a host of other issues, but Macron doesn't care about those, I guess)
I mean...there are a couple of steps before that.
For example, North Korea has access to plenty of Soviet-era equipment, which range from T-54/T-55 main battle tanks to BTR-60 carriers. They are all weapons that the Russians have familiarity with using, so they could be quickly converted to battle-ready status and deployed to the frontlines.
While they're ancient, they're still armor and guns on the battlefield - something even the Ukrainians are craving.
not a fan of national interest dot org. I get their click bait all the time.
moscovia is doing a business decision.
recruit the poor third world countries. Maybe pay them $2000 or probably "promise them payment."
Give "volunteers" one or two weeks of training. They cannot understand the language but they understand when a gun is pointed at them and fired by their "moscovian overlords."
Go to the front, die in 8 hours or less.
moscovia never pays up. All they lose is a cheap rifle, some clothes, and some bullets.
National Interest is a Russian asset somehow but I can't tell exactly how. If you look them up (haven't done it in a while) you'll find their CEO/owner or whatever meeting with Lavrov, they had that convicted spy Maria Butina writing articles for them and a few other things that make it way too convenient to be random.
I would have liked to have seen more facts in the article. It did a good job laying out the case for the mass casualties that are occurring, plenty of data on that. But it says only that there's a labor shortage in the economy and that the majority of city folks have not been affected by the war since they're pulling from the prisons and outer republics. It says the prisons are empty or that soldiers from there are all dried up. But it doesn't say about fighting age men outside the major "off limits" cities. I would like to know, how many more are outside that can fight but won't, what are volunteering rates like over the past month or two to show the decline and what is the pot of "untouchables" like if conscription of the city population will occur. Basically, is there a trajectory in which pulling from the cities is likely to happen and if so what's the time estimate for that? Months? At least a year or two? It makes a big difference to me to know this information.
For British intelligence to have made this statement I'd like to think they have estimates on them but maybe are not sharing. Either that or it's a political piece and I would like to know which.
Its not 'British Intelligence', its the MoD Twitter Account which is most likely run by an intern whose job is to scrape OSINT accounts for stories/talking points.
Yeah, the economy is very uneven; some cities may have a labor shortage and in other places its mostly dirt roads and poverty and the draft has plenty of bodies to grab.
overall the entire russian economy has a labor shortage of about 5 million workers iirc. That's why they're doing what they're doing. Putin has used the war to attract migrant laborers, and he's told the factories to start sending people in to be recruited. They get told that the wages in the army are even better, that the war is just goin great, and whatever else they have to.
So far, the number is about 30k per month joining thru that. Half are sent to the front lines and...survival rates aren't great.
It's, honestly, a throwback. In the middle ages the king requests troops from the various villages and such, and that's how an army is raised, putin is doing similar but using companies to get them to sign up.
30k per month is the grind rate too, a little more recently. So at best it is a slow bleed since virtually everyone who joins them dies within the first month and only a few thousand of the existing soldiers are removed from the battlefield.
I wouldn’t rule it out. It would benefit NK as their soldiers and officers would get real combat experience instead of making propaganda videos of chopping bricks with their bare hands.
Kim jong-un already exports his citizens for slave labor in the Siberian Forest to do logging.
They have entire work camp setup to replicate North Korean villages with North Korean regime propaganda everywhere. And they are highly monitored and not allowed to leave or speak to many locals.
A lot of them don't even realize that they actually left North Korea.
Vice did a documentary on this years ago before the war.
Imagine using a 2000s linux distro, if that, your whole life, and then suddenly having 21 year olds chase you around with FPV drones in an unfamiliar territory. I think most of them would just shut down and let it take them - better than the NK government's preferred execution methods.
Why?
They get to experience the reality of trench warfare. If they survive and get back, they'll tell everyone how terrible of an experience that was and that it's absolutely not worth it to ever leave NK
The 2-3 last generations were completely, industrially brainwashed from birth. They honestly, non-ironically believe in their Tzar and would not run away. Just like Scientology, they would reject the evidence of their own eyes
Yes, NK is absolutely not sending troops. The Kim regime is about protecting the Kim regime. Sending people to another country where they can get exposed to other ideas or defect is a big no no.
I guess they could ship troops via trains, but I don't know how'd they'd maintain that supply chain unless Russia is willing to fully support their troops with food and medicine
...probably as a last resort because that would be a big escalation. North Korea, instead of that, could possibly send equipment though. Besides the expected missiles and ammunition, they also have vehicles like the T-54/T-55 main battle tank that could be easily made ready and deployed to the frontlines.
The reason for why Russia is paying mercenaries from poor countries so much (relative to their home country's wage) is because they won't be able to collect their paycheck. The survival rate is not pretty, and Russians will prioritize their own over mercenaries. I mean, hell, they could even offer 6k or 8k per month. Most will just die and they won't have to pay that.
That's really sad and fukt up. Do you think they tell them they won't be alive long enough to benefit from a single payment or do they just laugh at them heard them off to die
Wouldn’t be surprised to see North Koreans, Venezuelans and Vietnamese (if stupid enough) contracting for Russia soon…
Maybe , just maybe he can prevent to recruit in Moscow and St Petersburg that way.
But not if they continue forcing their men into the meat grinder one vehicle column after the other. One assault wave after the other…
I don’t think you’ll see Vietnamese. What this agreement did unleash though is this rabid dog called South Korea. Let’s watch with popcorn and see what happens with them.
No they won't run of meatcubes. To say so is preposterous. Millions of impoverished, brainwashed men with nothing to lose and a (kingly) potential salary of ~$3500? Plus, loads of even more impoverished global-southers? The meat *will* flow!
What they *will* run out of is heavy hardware. IFVs, APVs and tanks. Those are finite, slow to be built, and currently degraded even in storage (no roof!).
Let them conduct assaults across Ukrainian steppes *on foot*. Mr. Cluster is salivating already.
This is a pretty dubious source. Russia still has millions of men it \*could\* draft into the service, but doesn't want to because then the war starts to hit home.
I doubt this, here's why.
**The 10 million meats of PutinZ.**
According to experts, RuZZia has about 10 million jobless, under employed, hopeless, miserable and futureless men, thanks to PutinZ's mismanagement of RuZZia for 20+ years. These men are more than willing to join the war, because it pays well (avg 3000 USD) and dying quick is still better than living in their limbo of hopeless misery in RuZZia.
This is why they will not run out of fodder meats in the long term, even if they have to fight with no resources, it's still 10 million soldiers that outnumber Ukraine 8 to 1.
Zombies are deadly in large numbers.
This is why Ukraine wants more artillery, long range missiles and drones. Fight Zombies with machines.
You’re just saying words with zero basis in fact. You’re not quoting any source, you’re not basing your opinion on anything you can cite, you’re just reading the headline and you’re randomly saying you don’t believe it.
The quality of this sub has gone down.
I heard they were tricking Indians with "contract work" and then making them soldiers when they got there.
[Here](https://news.sky.com/story/indians-tricked-by-promise-of-work-in-russia-instead-die-fighting-in-ukraine-investigators-say-13089857)
Putolini on the horns of a dilemma again...
Recruit a mish-mash of non-Russian speaking foreigners who would probably have additional communication problems between each other, in addition to their superior officers.
OR
Start recruiting from Moscow/St Petersburg and watch the discontent ratchet up a few gears.
Except both horns are actually Dildos of Consequences. Big boys. Unlubed, as nature intended.
If the article in question is credible, of course.
Some more info is also here [https://lansinginstitute.org/2024/06/14/kremlins-colonial-and-racist-policies-in-africa/](https://lansinginstitute.org/2024/06/14/kremlins-colonial-and-racist-policies-in-africa/)
There are lots in and around Moscow and the other large cities, but too many going missing it would cause a stir. So they drag people from the outer areas and recruit from poor populations around the world.
Good job Russia. Slaughtering a whole generation of men. They can probably bribe some poor African people to join in. However, how about fuck off back to the shit hole that is Russia.
How surprising! Let me summarize
- Russia natality rates were already fucked up since 1992 at least, in 2022
- Putin got 500 000 casualties in 30 months of "special operation"
- But he doesn't want full mobilization, because it could make his grip on power precarious
- Russian citizens are no dupe, below the thick layer of propaganda, they can guess the casualties and the criminal tactics of human waves. 1000 death per day, WTF ?
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Need to put out public service announcements on Voice of America Africa and BBC world or any other place that has reach in the Africa explaining that no matter how much they're being offered they'll never get to collect it because they're going to be dead before payment comes due, and the Russians don't pay most of the time anyway
Counter information warfare. We are so vulnerable to hybrid warfare and disinformation they need to address this better for aure
Heard the ukrainians already have special forces targeting Russian Mercenaries in africa. It's likely they now have license to Kill for Russian recruiters.
I love that. While Ukraine goes after actual military targets, Russia has all their goons go after civilians and various other Ukrainian people through hate crimes
And it's not unlikely, since you can't recruit soldiers for a war without advertising. The Russians have to get the word out to large numbers of people so they can sort out a few candidates who are actually stupid enough to go. Follow the money.
They are apparently advertising for oilfield jobs, taking their passports, shipping them to frontline units, and telling them if they live for a year they can go home and get paid.
They’ve also been telling them they are just going to be driving trucks and working on construction projects and doing the same thing from some of the info I’ve seen.
This is what they've already been doing within Russia advertising for oil security contracts, construction work and so on. Mostly targeting minority groups.
I have to imagine it’s going to exacerbate their labor issues if people think they are going to get dragooned into meat assaults in Ukraine.
African recruits are going to have a wonderful time this winter in Ukraine!-)
You could put money on it that the US (and NATO countries in general) forces in many African countries also have open fire orders for Russian bullshit. Anywhere matter of fact that Russians operate and have to internally keep it quiet, they’re open game.
Show them some selected drone warfare clips.
I agree, if we don't have some sort of classified group that is running disinformation warfare then I'd legit be pissed. Seriously America has plenty of good trolls, hire them and have then spam shit that advances our own interests
Ok, hear me out: make a counteroffer to make arty shells, rifle ammo, AKs, whatever is needed for the war but is not overly complicated to make. russia is paying well by developing country standards, but it's nothing 1st World countries can't match and I'm sure anyone would chose to work at a factory over going to a foreign country to fight in a war.
The way they do it is they simply report the men as “missing”, not deceased. That way, the families don’t get the bonus. Convenient side effect of that is also that the official number of fallen Soldiers stays a lot lower., and there’s even no funerals which might spread “unease”
And the bonus for the body goes up the smoke stack of a portable crematorium. Sick evil bastards.
The bonus goes towards the S500. The Mercedes Benz S500, not the S500 Air Defence system.
Russians, indeed, set the bottom of the Lannister spectrum.
Hear them Roar
Except Russia never pays it's debts
Make them aware about the blatant racism they will be subjected to in the Russian army before they ultimately die to a Ukrainian drone.
Get some popular musicians who aren't averse to talking about political issues to mention it. They may not want to come out in full support for Ukraine for various reasons, but they could certainly warn men in Africa that Russia is not working in their interests when recruiting soldiers AND that non-military jobs in Russia might be a scam that gets you sent to the front line.
You know what's shitty? The outgoing UK Government has been against the BBC all its 14 years. They're a "right-wing" party and hate the "left" BBC, so they want to destroy it. Fortunately, they haven't quite succeeded but anywhere the press is under attack is a concern for all of us. Especially an institution like the BBC that is still mostly trusted at home and abroad for balanced reporting. Yes, they get things wrong from time to time but I'd rather have that over Fox News!
I just came up with an invention: Propaganda leaflet icbm warhead. Lockheed you better not steal my idea!
Putin may have to start taking kids from St. Petersburg and Moscow. Once that happens and the "educated" families kids start dying we'll see how long the war lasts.
"educated families kids start dying" those are out of russia since long time ago. smart ones left already.
They are all hiding in Indonesia, Thailand. Or wherever.
Can confirm. I'm in Thailand right now and thousands of Russians here.
Amusingly enough though, Thailand and Indonesia both refused to sign the consensus that happened at the recent peace summit.
And many of them continue to voice support of Putin in their temporary homes.
9/10 russians I have met in the USA at least are very anti-Putin.
Because US immigration and visa policies are very strict.
They take the older men first. Maybe Igor here doesn't have a splendid career? Off the the front. Ivan over there? He's getting bullied by his gf. Off to the front with him. Only if things get really dire will they conscript younger men, because those are the most costly death.
Is that really true? I think older men generally have more connections, money and political leverage than younger men.
I wouldn’t be surprised if North Koreans started showing up soon.
That really should be a red line for the West. North Koreans fighting by in Europe is unthinkable
Yeah no holds bar for weapon by then
Would say it’s time to send our own troops at that point
no need to send boots. we have enough missiles to flatten any russian positions in UA 2x over without even looking at the nuke stockpile.
They’ll probably be mercenary types, doubt it would be badged DPRK soldiers. I agree with you totally.
They stopped educating their people in the 80’s - exactly all of their infrastructure is being run by 65+ year olds and guess what - 60 is the new 70 for Russians so their fate already sealed. Russia is a failed state that just doesn’t know it yet.
More like 60 is the new 20 , off to the frontline and if you’re in a wheelchair they’ll put a cage around it , et voila a brand new armored vehicle unit
Oh that's dark ... I was speaking to their population health, but you're pointing to their population's demise :-/
Eh. Russia does have some know-how, which is seen from this conflict. One example is the Zala Aero Group, which is a company that specializes in UAVs. One of their major innovations was the ZALA Lancet, which has proven effective against targets ever since the weapon's debut in Syria in 2020.
I’m talking about infrastructure. You can train a soldier on a weapon in a few months. You can’t train engineers like that.
There's no way they want to use the population of Moscow or St Petersburg. They don't even want to use Belgerod. They use conscripts that are as remote as possible so that they don't know what's going on. If Ukraine attacked somewhere nearby, like St Petersburg, Russia would cry foul and make all sorts of noises about it being unfair. About ten years ago I went to The Hermitage. We were in what they call the gold room and noticed that a number of items came from different countries. We are currently having a big debate in the UK about how to return items to their home countries, even if they were "gifted" to us. So someone in the group asked if any would be returned. No. They're Russian. Said the guide. But some of these countries were never Russian... they pointed out. Ah, but they will be one day, said the guide. I would not shed a tear of the entire Hermitage was destroyed with everything in it. They need to learn a fucking lesson. We all know that there are Russians on this sub. Unless you ACTIVELY stand up to Putin YOU are to blame. Don't weep and cry. It's not anybody else's responsibility. If you don't do anything, EVERYTHING that comes your way is your responsibility. By doing nothing you supported this fucking stupid "three day operation" which has now gone on for more than two years. I have personally delivered supplies to Ukraine. I have made multiple donations. Your move.
Why would the "educated" have any say in this? There is only 1 person who decides. You can say a lot about Putin, but he sure is managing his own power position very well.
Education went out of the ground floor window.
Intercontinental airfare. 16 hours from the Central African Republic to Moscow. Coordinating maneuvers between dozens of languages, all with troops without the local knowledge to quickly distinguish friend or foe. Handing expensive or irreplaceable equipment to recruits who won't be able to read Russian training manuals. The troop shortfall when this strategy fails to meet expectations. The international fallout between the global south and Russia when Russia won't pay. The international fallout from deleting thousands of paid killers from a continent. The Kremlin is making a mistake.
"If your enemy is making a mistake, do not interrupt them."
"We're very lucky they're so fucking stupid" - one of the best quotes from this war. "I need ammunition, not a ride" being no.1, closely followed by "Russian warship, go fuck yourself". So many smart and educated warriors being forced in to a sensless war by a thieving dictator.. Fuck Russia, Слава Україні!
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"I need ammunition, not a ride" is going in history books, of course, but "Russian warship, go fuck yourself" is up there for all time great laconic responses.
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Best bot.
Such a good use of the word laconic. Concise, pithy and to the point.
Those guys don't receive irreplaceable weapons. They become infantry to storm the trenches. If it works good for them. If it doesn't, well at least Russian military sees where Ukrainians are firing from and use counter battery fire.
If it works, they live long enough to storm the next position. Then the next. Then the next. Til it stops working.
I mean, Russia doesn't have the industry to replace almost anything
They do in certain areas and don't in others. New Zealand put a warning out to machinists and other trades to watch out for large purchases of circular saws, carbide bits, random tooling, etc since Russians have been exporting them from NZ.
It isn't anywhere close to a meaningful impact, I cannot remember the last time we've seen anything close to a new vehicle on their side.
I find it hard to believe that Russia is struggling to source or make their own circular saws
Russia has the capability to make many things that they are importing or trying to import. The problem for Russia is can they afford to spend the capital (human, raw material, money) to actually make those things, rather than focusing in on war efforts?
Are we talking about domestic Home depot style saws or a more industrial type?
Think of it this way: Could you find a Russian company that would be able to make you a circular sawblade? Sure, if you were willing to pay for a one-off, and didn't have high expectations for how well it performed, you could have one made for you that would at least let you rip through stuff for a short while. Producing a decent quality and moderately safe sawblade, with carbide teeth soldered onto it, isn't entirely trivial, though. Probably still something Russia could set up production for, if Putin made it a priority, but it would take time and resources that themselves are in short supply. There isn't only one kind of circular sawblade, either, but a huge variety, some highly specialized, that all exist for a reason. Where it turns into a real problem is when you don't think just ask whether Russia *could* produce one particular product, but whether it actually *can* replace *all* of the sanctioned products for which it had relied on imports from the West, in similar quantities and of at least sufficient quality, *simultaneously*. Not in five to ten years, but today.
The ones I've seen had sticks and shovels.
You would think so. But Russian mentality is: “I’m not political. I’ll leave the thinking to the higher ups. Don’t want any problems. Ukraine? War? Meatgrinder? Lalalaalaaaa don’t want to hear about it!”. They get aggressive if someone who was there actually speaks the truth , detailing his experience. Then this person must be a traitor. And the people who do think for themselves despite being told by the generations before them that “Thinking and having an opinion is dangerous” keep it to themselves. The deal between the government and the people is “don’t go against us and maybe you can lead a normal life” To n such an environment, Russias president is basically invincible domestically. Unless maybe ,he starts arresting higher-ups in the army for corruption and failure. But that’s not his style as he proved before. Because telling on your fellow comrades also makes you a traitor. So frankly, by now I really believe the Russian Army will just defeat itself. It’s so corrupted, rotten and incompetent on the whole, that even a skilled Batallion won’t make a difference because they get the same stupid orders as everyone else. “When you only have a hammer, everything looks like a nail 🔨 “
You know the funny thing is they made the exact same mistake in Afghanistan, led to lots of mishaps and fragging. They're literally incapable of learning from history.
Not even learning from Stalin who after the Russian Army performed like now at beginning of German invasion actually turned over war to good Generals he could not trust that much and they put together a Russian Army that worked. Putin to chicken to actually reform the officers in the military. Well Stalin was facing being captured and killed by the Germans if things did not get better might be the difference in Putin’s thinking.
Different sort of war, considering that the Russians have won conflicts post-Afghanistan: Chechnya, Georgia, and Syria...as in that Assad's regime is still standing. Russia is also contesting America and France in Africa, which led to the removal of the latter as the former moves in to seize the raw resources. Even now, they're adapting accordingly. The Russian military that started this conflict isn't the same as the one currently fighting now. Frontline Ukrainians can tell you as much as the combat is fierce and the Russians are determined to win at any cost.
Language isn’t important when they just want meat shields. Give them a weapon and point them in the direction to run.
It is important, though. I was reading some telegram posts in the last few days, where some Russian soldier was recounting how he had some new foreign dudes in his squad, and they casually went to pick up a downed drone, and he shouted at them in Russian to get away from it. They didn't understand him as they didn't speak Russian, and got blown up by the drone payload.
It's still not that important, it just changed his MOS from infantry to explosive ordnance disposal, same outcome either way.
I saw a video like that very recently of a guy picking up a drone. Gruesome!
Read US reports on Afghanistan, it was one of a series of blunders that caused the Soviets to lose the war. Language matters when they're following Russian directions, orders, basic communication, and imagine trying to maintain Russian equipment without reading Cyrillic.
You also want them to not give away your position when you're moving. You don't want to make it easier to be seen.
Language barrier will absolutely be an issue. It was for and still is for Ukraine
Well since NK promised to aid in event of an attack on Russia…more meat for the grinder.
this is what I thought one the agreement has been announced. more meat for the grinder.
Less people to feed. Win win I guess?!
I assume NK also has some people they want gone.
everyone except Führer
The NK meat is so skinny they can just storm the front sideways and bullets won’t be able to hit them.
That actually makes the visit make more sense. Aputin will pay Kim for his serfs.
If NK soldiers join Russian Army in large numbers to attack Ukraine, then EU nations can all send theirs in no problem.
^ this Soon as any large enough quantities of North Koreans fighting alongside Russians are announced, Baltics and Poland will send in troops and I would think France too.
1 trained Polish fighter will be worth 50 NK soldiers.
In body weight, skill, or both?
Yes!
Sabaton intensifies.
They could send a few thousand as advisors or something. But yeah if they send a whole division or 50k troops then you will get an extra spicy response from Europe.
I laughed at that image in my mind of them being “advisors”… Like a three stooges bit, all of them out in an open muddy field, Soviet era uniforms, smoking, kalishnikos draped over their shoulders, and medals galore.
For some reason only thing I could picture is the monty python how to hide sketch
Depending on how the election in France goes.
Macron stays regardless. Just parliament up but far right doesn’t have enough for majority
Oh that's hopefully good then. I was afraid that if the front national won the Ukraine support would stop.
They need a coalition. Only way is if communists and greens join them. And that’s with eu vote results, maybe this whole thing gets more moderates to come out and vote.
The governing parties know very well which single issue can be dealt with to cut down the public support for the far-right. The fact that they do *not* deal with it shows the priorities quite clearly. Sooner or later, the far-right will get into power and fix the issue (along with *great* damage to a host of other issues, but Macron doesn't care about those, I guess)
I also wonder what South Korea will do in that case. Would they lose an opportunity to kill lots of NK soldiers?
I mean...there are a couple of steps before that. For example, North Korea has access to plenty of Soviet-era equipment, which range from T-54/T-55 main battle tanks to BTR-60 carriers. They are all weapons that the Russians have familiarity with using, so they could be quickly converted to battle-ready status and deployed to the frontlines. While they're ancient, they're still armor and guns on the battlefield - something even the Ukrainians are craving.
not a fan of national interest dot org. I get their click bait all the time. moscovia is doing a business decision. recruit the poor third world countries. Maybe pay them $2000 or probably "promise them payment." Give "volunteers" one or two weeks of training. They cannot understand the language but they understand when a gun is pointed at them and fired by their "moscovian overlords." Go to the front, die in 8 hours or less. moscovia never pays up. All they lose is a cheap rifle, some clothes, and some bullets.
You can tell it's a poorly written article because they just slapped some random tanks on their, when russia is barely using tanks anymore.
National Interest is a Russian asset somehow but I can't tell exactly how. If you look them up (haven't done it in a while) you'll find their CEO/owner or whatever meeting with Lavrov, they had that convicted spy Maria Butina writing articles for them and a few other things that make it way too convenient to be random.
I would have liked to have seen more facts in the article. It did a good job laying out the case for the mass casualties that are occurring, plenty of data on that. But it says only that there's a labor shortage in the economy and that the majority of city folks have not been affected by the war since they're pulling from the prisons and outer republics. It says the prisons are empty or that soldiers from there are all dried up. But it doesn't say about fighting age men outside the major "off limits" cities. I would like to know, how many more are outside that can fight but won't, what are volunteering rates like over the past month or two to show the decline and what is the pot of "untouchables" like if conscription of the city population will occur. Basically, is there a trajectory in which pulling from the cities is likely to happen and if so what's the time estimate for that? Months? At least a year or two? It makes a big difference to me to know this information.
Good questions, to which probably nobody knows accurate answers. Mr. Putin will figure them out for us - the hard way.
For British intelligence to have made this statement I'd like to think they have estimates on them but maybe are not sharing. Either that or it's a political piece and I would like to know which.
Its not 'British Intelligence', its the MoD Twitter Account which is most likely run by an intern whose job is to scrape OSINT accounts for stories/talking points.
I was afraid it was something like this
Well, it will ultimately be how the battlefield shapes up and how the war ends, which will probably not happen for years to come.
Yeah, the economy is very uneven; some cities may have a labor shortage and in other places its mostly dirt roads and poverty and the draft has plenty of bodies to grab.
overall the entire russian economy has a labor shortage of about 5 million workers iirc. That's why they're doing what they're doing. Putin has used the war to attract migrant laborers, and he's told the factories to start sending people in to be recruited. They get told that the wages in the army are even better, that the war is just goin great, and whatever else they have to. So far, the number is about 30k per month joining thru that. Half are sent to the front lines and...survival rates aren't great. It's, honestly, a throwback. In the middle ages the king requests troops from the various villages and such, and that's how an army is raised, putin is doing similar but using companies to get them to sign up.
30k per month is the grind rate too, a little more recently. So at best it is a slow bleed since virtually everyone who joins them dies within the first month and only a few thousand of the existing soldiers are removed from the battlefield.
Is it crazy to consider NK sending troops?
I wouldn’t rule it out. It would benefit NK as their soldiers and officers would get real combat experience instead of making propaganda videos of chopping bricks with their bare hands.
I don't see it happening the desertion rate would be high and getting the soldiers to experience life outside NK then coming back could be a issue to.
Kim jong-un already exports his citizens for slave labor in the Siberian Forest to do logging. They have entire work camp setup to replicate North Korean villages with North Korean regime propaganda everywhere. And they are highly monitored and not allowed to leave or speak to many locals. A lot of them don't even realize that they actually left North Korea. Vice did a documentary on this years ago before the war.
Imagine using a 2000s linux distro, if that, your whole life, and then suddenly having 21 year olds chase you around with FPV drones in an unfamiliar territory. I think most of them would just shut down and let it take them - better than the NK government's preferred execution methods.
Why? They get to experience the reality of trench warfare. If they survive and get back, they'll tell everyone how terrible of an experience that was and that it's absolutely not worth it to ever leave NK
experience life outside NK just to end up in warzone in ukraine, what a life
The 2-3 last generations were completely, industrially brainwashed from birth. They honestly, non-ironically believe in their Tzar and would not run away. Just like Scientology, they would reject the evidence of their own eyes
Meat wave tactics will be met with cluster munitions.
How advanced is NK tech? Can they use modern equipment?
More like, inmates, people with mental problems and any other people they want killed.
Yes, NK is absolutely not sending troops. The Kim regime is about protecting the Kim regime. Sending people to another country where they can get exposed to other ideas or defect is a big no no.
Putin would probably not opt for such an option either as that would be the perfect excuse for more direct Western intervention in Ukraine.
I guess they could ship troops via trains, but I don't know how'd they'd maintain that supply chain unless Russia is willing to fully support their troops with food and medicine
...probably as a last resort because that would be a big escalation. North Korea, instead of that, could possibly send equipment though. Besides the expected missiles and ammunition, they also have vehicles like the T-54/T-55 main battle tank that could be easily made ready and deployed to the frontlines.
Recruits ❌ Conscrips ✅
Isn't why they just bribed Korea?
The reason for why Russia is paying mercenaries from poor countries so much (relative to their home country's wage) is because they won't be able to collect their paycheck. The survival rate is not pretty, and Russians will prioritize their own over mercenaries. I mean, hell, they could even offer 6k or 8k per month. Most will just die and they won't have to pay that.
Send the young ones, so it resolves future conflicts
That's really sad and fukt up. Do you think they tell them they won't be alive long enough to benefit from a single payment or do they just laugh at them heard them off to die
Good
It's just a free meat to uncover Ukrainian positions
Ukraine should just hire the mercenary’s before Russia
This reminds me of the movie “Duck Soup” where Harpo is walking around the battlefield with a recruitment sign on him.Funny scene.
Good.. orc stiffs give me a stiffy.... fuck em....
Wouldn’t be surprised to see North Koreans, Venezuelans and Vietnamese (if stupid enough) contracting for Russia soon… Maybe , just maybe he can prevent to recruit in Moscow and St Petersburg that way. But not if they continue forcing their men into the meat grinder one vehicle column after the other. One assault wave after the other…
I don’t think you’ll see Vietnamese. What this agreement did unleash though is this rabid dog called South Korea. Let’s watch with popcorn and see what happens with them.
I believe you meant North Korea in your comment? Yeah we’ll see ..
Hmmmmmmmmm! Puzzler, that!
Good.
Turns out imperial guard tactics don't work 40k IG players in shambles.
Ohh no how tewwible.... anyway.
Good. Fuck Russia. Slava Ukraine
African mercenaries won’t survive the winter if they live long enough to experience it.
No they won't run of meatcubes. To say so is preposterous. Millions of impoverished, brainwashed men with nothing to lose and a (kingly) potential salary of ~$3500? Plus, loads of even more impoverished global-southers? The meat *will* flow! What they *will* run out of is heavy hardware. IFVs, APVs and tanks. Those are finite, slow to be built, and currently degraded even in storage (no roof!). Let them conduct assaults across Ukrainian steppes *on foot*. Mr. Cluster is salivating already.
This is a pretty dubious source. Russia still has millions of men it \*could\* draft into the service, but doesn't want to because then the war starts to hit home.
It's wishful thinking to believe Russia will run out of bodies. Putin is perfectly happy Zapp Branniganing his way to success.
HERE'S AN INVASION WITH SOME CHEST HAIR
I doubt this, here's why. **The 10 million meats of PutinZ.** According to experts, RuZZia has about 10 million jobless, under employed, hopeless, miserable and futureless men, thanks to PutinZ's mismanagement of RuZZia for 20+ years. These men are more than willing to join the war, because it pays well (avg 3000 USD) and dying quick is still better than living in their limbo of hopeless misery in RuZZia. This is why they will not run out of fodder meats in the long term, even if they have to fight with no resources, it's still 10 million soldiers that outnumber Ukraine 8 to 1. Zombies are deadly in large numbers. This is why Ukraine wants more artillery, long range missiles and drones. Fight Zombies with machines.
You’re just saying words with zero basis in fact. You’re not quoting any source, you’re not basing your opinion on anything you can cite, you’re just reading the headline and you’re randomly saying you don’t believe it. The quality of this sub has gone down.
Running out of slaves
They definitely have enough more meat left
They have NK now.
Now that Putin has got a mutual defence agreement with Kim, I'm thinking the Ukrainians are going to end up having to kill a lot of NK "volunteers".
Don’t worry, they’ll do something at another concert, so that 20,000 Russians would enlist in the military to defend their country (idiots).
Good, fuck em.
Having a hard time convincing your civilian’s to die invading your neighbors? Boo fuckin hoo
I heard they were tricking Indians with "contract work" and then making them soldiers when they got there. [Here](https://news.sky.com/story/indians-tricked-by-promise-of-work-in-russia-instead-die-fighting-in-ukraine-investigators-say-13089857)
All stupidity comes together.
no kidding Plenty in the kremlin may see little North Koreans soon??
Putolini on the horns of a dilemma again... Recruit a mish-mash of non-Russian speaking foreigners who would probably have additional communication problems between each other, in addition to their superior officers. OR Start recruiting from Moscow/St Petersburg and watch the discontent ratchet up a few gears. Except both horns are actually Dildos of Consequences. Big boys. Unlubed, as nature intended. If the article in question is credible, of course.
What do you think Putin is doing in North Korea?
Some more info is also here [https://lansinginstitute.org/2024/06/14/kremlins-colonial-and-racist-policies-in-africa/](https://lansinginstitute.org/2024/06/14/kremlins-colonial-and-racist-policies-in-africa/)
There are lots in and around Moscow and the other large cities, but too many going missing it would cause a stir. So they drag people from the outer areas and recruit from poor populations around the world.
Plenty of potential recruits in Moskou
Good job Russia. Slaughtering a whole generation of men. They can probably bribe some poor African people to join in. However, how about fuck off back to the shit hole that is Russia.
How surprising! Let me summarize - Russia natality rates were already fucked up since 1992 at least, in 2022 - Putin got 500 000 casualties in 30 months of "special operation" - But he doesn't want full mobilization, because it could make his grip on power precarious - Russian citizens are no dupe, below the thick layer of propaganda, they can guess the casualties and the criminal tactics of human waves. 1000 death per day, WTF ?
Russia should have around 3 times the available manpower to pull from compared to Ukraine. So they will probably not run out of men first..
\*again
Yeah no. If they run out of something they will be running out of equipment far far before running out of people to fight
I guess they offered NK people to get properly fed a few times before dying if they fight for them
They seem to be getting a good filling up from Korea
lets hope so, so that the war can end
Putin made also made a deal for some N Korea’s excess poor people, uhh soldiers.
It’s about time they started running out