I don't know if it is really an "escalation". Just another desperate move by Kremlin. https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...m-annexation-luhansk-donetsk-kherson-ukraine/
How was it that American (among others) intelligence sources were so badly inaccurate? How did we not have an inkling of "fake" equipment/materiel regardless of the war or not? As big and bloated as our "intelligence" apparatus is, they apparently missed this one badly. What are spy satellites and human intelligence sources for if they can't even give us a ballpark idea of accuracy? Seems like (surprise) we've been getting lied to in order to get support for an unconscionable "defense" budget. It make be a Ukrainian war, but it does make America look rather stupid for being so unaware of Russian capabilities....or lack thereof.
I think Russia has spent more convincing us they are tough than they have actually trying to be tough. Putin didn't even know it was that bad.
Were our intelligence sources wrong? This doesn't seem like something the US would publicize. If a rival country is fucking up its own military you don't say anything so they don't stop doing it.
Imagine how much better this would be going for Russia if Trump had succeeded in breaking up NATO. Seems like some in Russia knew their military sucked balls.
After news of the referendums, the increase in punishments for desertion, insubordination and damage of military property, and Putins national speech tomorrow, two things happened - The phrase "how to leave Russia" surged on google searches and their stock market plunged almost 9% for the sharpest decline since February. Even if the madman decides to do a mobilization and send a bunch of untrained men to death while he hides in a bunker playing with a penis-pump, it's not like he can pull the corresponding amount of military equipment out of his ass. At least nothing great, otherwise he'd already be using them.
The partial mobilization will be of army reserves, guys between 18 and 60 who have been trained at some time in the last twenty years. Won't be very effective in the short run and will be interesting to see how it affects public opinion. A very popular russian singer came out this week against the war. Day 210. Putin threatens to use nuclear weapons and announced partial mobilization in Russia. Russia is getting prepared to hold all sham referendums from 23 to 27 September. Russian soldiers caught between Ukraine’s Armed Forces and the right bank of the Dnipro River seek ways to surrender. The Ukrainian army sinks the Russian barge carrying weapons and military personnel. Invaders illegally remove from Ukraine over 2,000 children. A nuclear security zone must be immediately created at ZNPP, says IAEA chief. Two more Russian torture chambers discovered in liberated Kozacha Lopan. Ukraine asks the world to stop Russian terrorism in the areas of the Black and Azov Seas and the Kerch Strait. EU donates EUR 500,000 worth of thermal imagers to Ukrainian border guards.
"According to Aviasales, a ticket aggregator, one-way tickets on Friday out of Moscow to Istanbul are starting at $2,715 per ticket. Before Russian President Vladimir Putin’s partial mobilization announcement, the tickets cost about $350." "According to the Aviasales website late Wednesday, one-way tickets from Moscow to the Armenian capital of Yerevan were available Thursday for $4,241, with multiple stops. All economy-class tickets to Armenia are sold out until Sept. 28."
