Russia’s ongoing missile strikes this week seem to have clear goals, both on the operational and strategic level. The operational goal is most likely to cripple Ukraine’s power grid, and keep it crippled. It’s possible to guess at the bigger strategic goal: to make the continuing the war unacceptably expensive for the USA.
As usual, the CNN copium is priceless: Putin’s show of strength in Ukraine’s skies distracts from signs of weakness on the ground
At least 19 people died and dozens were injured in the missile strikes, which were backed up by Iranian-made attack drones. Infrastructure was damaged, and homes ahead of winter plunged into blackout. Yet Ukrainian officials said about half the 84 missiles had been intercepted. Russian commentators even suggested 150 had been launched, indicating that the damage could have been worse.
It was a different level of force from Moscow, but perhaps not a sea change in their strategy, for two reasons.
Firstly, it is unlikely they can sustain this sort of barrage over time. They have been firing missiles intermittently at targets week after week across Ukraine, which will have had an impact on stocks. It is unclear how many drones they have received from Iran, but that too is limited and a reflection of depleted stocks, not an excess. Monday may have been more an expression of military might than a change of tactics in the long-term.
It is important to remember that Moscow [murders civilians for no reason because they’re literally evil blah blah blah blah]
Secondly, it didn’t really work. For the volume of cruise missiles expended, the damage to Ukraine’s infrastructure was far from catastrophic. Kyiv endured appalling scenes of crowded rush hour streets being hit – along with playgrounds and parks – and a terror it had not seen for months. The net effect of the day of Ukrainians hiding in bomb shelters was some damage to energy infrastructure and a loss of civilian life, but also a promise from the White House to supply the advanced air defenses Kyiv has been begging for over months.
Isn’t it great? Russia not shooting missiles is proof that they’ve run out, and shooting more missiles is also proof that they’ve run out. Let’s circle back to this one in a month or so, eh?
Meanwhile, Biden gave another one of his signature rambling, incoherent interviews to CNN, which they devoted half of the front page to like the God Emperor himself had spoken.
Incidentally, the most significant moment of this interview for me was when Biden vowed that there must be “consequences” for Saudi Arabia’s recent disobedience, though he didn’t elaborate on what exactly that would entail.
Ultimately, a September poll shows that just 6% of Americans consider the Ukraine war one of the top three most serious issues. Remember that Ukraine is now, effectively, part of the USA, and is entirely dependent on our continued payments. Their entire economy, government, and even soldiers’ salaries come from the American taxpayer. If Russia successfully breaks the Ukrainian power grid, that will put God Emperor Biden and his minions in the very strange position of having to fund even more billions of dollars to fix it while our own infrastructure is literally crumbling.
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I do remember reading months ago that Russian missile factories went into maximum production, employed additional workers and what not… Not to mention all the “washing machine chips”. I would imagine the “Empire of evil”, unlike “The Empire of light and everything nice” actually stockpiling before attempting such “military excursions” – despite running out of everything less than three days into the affair… Guess that makes me a raging Russophile and a traitor to the Western cause. Common sense and basic logic is extremely uncalled for in the Collective lately.
Hi Gregor,
At this point, I think it is likely, almost certain actually, Russians have many more missiles than they started with.
> Incidentally, the most significant moment of this interview for me was when Biden vowed that there must be “consequences” for Saudi Arabia’s recent disobedience, though he didn’t elaborate on what exactly that would entail.
Same thing that we did to Russia: slap them around with a flaccid penis.
As for air defense, um what air defense? The 50 year old Patriot missile system couldn’t stop Aramco from getting hit with slow moving drones. WTF can it do against hypersonic missiles?
[1] The narrative, that Russia is targeting civilians, does not seem at odds with the 19 people killed. How many people could the Russians kill with 240 precision guided missiles if they were targeting civilians? Well, of course less than 10, because they are so inept.
[2] You will never read in any of these claims an evaluation of the number of civilians that were hit because of either air-defense missiles going astray, or either the AD missiles or the attacking missiles or debris going down randomly & astray, because of hits.
In fact, we know that one of the most pictured strikes was hit by a BUK, definitive proof from the shrapnel found.
[3] I completely disbelieve the number of hits the Ukrainians claim.
/s
I do not concur with your statement about the purpose of the missile rain.
The fact that no 750 kV transformers were hit, which would be far more effective and economical if your purpose was shutting down the electrical grid permanently, points to something else. The Russians have shown:
1. They could easily have done this anytime in the past 7 months but elected not to
2. They have not crippled the electrical grid, but easily could have done so
My conclusion is that it is a WARNING, aimed at the many efforts the Nazis have taken to cripple electrical infrastructure in Russia (Belgorod, Kursk, etc.) and in Donetsk & Energodar. It is a warning that Russia will not let terror actions (Crimea Bridge) pass with impunity: their constraint so far has been a choice, not impotence!
I fear that the death cultus in Kiev and the psychopaths in Washington/London will take no heed, since that would be premised on caring about the Ukriane’s population
… about Ukraine’s population. But for these people, any suffering by Ukraine’s population is a further PR opportunity to demonize Putin and the orcs.
some transformers are related to nuclear power plants, you cannot destabilize them right away. It’s dangerous. Takes time and planning.
“At least 19 people died and dozens were injured in the missile strikes, which were backed up by Iranian-made attack drones. Infrastructure was damaged, and homes ahead of winter plunged into blackout. Yet Ukrainian officials said about half the 84 missiles had been intercepted”
The Ukrainian authorities provided a list of 70 objectives hit by those missiles, so it is highly unlikely that they could intercept “about half of the 84 missiles”. They cannot even get their lies straight.
That only 19 (even though that in itself is a tragedy) died is witness of the extreme lengths Russia is willing to go to avoid civilian casualties, and to the precision of Russian weaponry. Very shocking as Russia ran out of precision munition months ago.
I would bet most or all of those casualties are from debris of intercepted missiles falling on random locations. Of course CNN uncritically repeats the claim that a playground is worth wasting a missile on and that was the intended target.
https://t.me/ASGasparyan/29430
50% if power generation destroyed.
Good job excusing deliberate war crimes, comrade. Your roubles are in the mail.
All nicer options have been tried.
Was killing ppl in Iraq a war crime? In Syria, Libya? In Palestine? I don’t remember any outrage. I don’t remember outrage of the global community about Russians of Donbass killed over the past 8 years either.
Your mental effort of a brainwashed retard isn’t worth a penny, let alone ruble.
LOL
Do you remember the ‘global community’ insisting on the eternally sacred territorial integrity of the Soviet Union?
How about the whole world up in arms about war crimes when America used special munitions (to short circuit electrical distribution) in Baghdad & Aleppo, turning off the water, sewer, electricity, and hospitals for 8/4 million people?
Hypocrisy is an inadequate word.
You tell him, Maria! Go girrrl!
Is this you? https://i.imgur.com/rNs4n2P.jpg
Maria was right! Poor guy, reality will be painful. Stupid hurts as Europe will soon find out. Ukraine seems to have a high tolerance for pain. Drugs?
i had the same thought about the infamous “OMG a playground!” shots the MSM obsessed over; too small to be a missile and most likely a crap ukie anti-air projectile that fell out of the sky because that’s only happened A THOUSAND TIMES.
as for the money beng sent, it reminds me of one of babylon bee’s few funny headlines:
https://babylonbee.com/news/hurricane-ravaged-florida-town-raises-ukraine-flag-so-congress-will-send-aid