By Andrei Martyanov, exclusively for the Saker Blog
For the US Navy ships to enter the Black Sea and hope to survive in case of the, God forbids, any kind of a conflict with Russia—yes, you read it right—is a fantasy, or, to be even more precise—an unscientific fiction. This group, let alone a single US destroyer of the Arleigh Burke-class (these are the most active types in the US Navy), which enter the Black Sea periodically to “demonstrate flag” and US/NATO presence in this crucial body of water are aware of the fact that the Black Sea for all intents and purposes is Russia’s lake. Everyone can recall a wide-spread (spread most likely by some overly zealous, but not very literate, Russian “patriots”) rumor about DDG-75 USS Donald Cook having her electronics “burned” by a couple of intrepid Russian Su-24s in April of 2014, who allegedly forced this American ship to fast return to Constanta, where, allegedly some of her crew expressed a desire to abandon the ship. NYT and other US media, not without justification, called those rumors to be Russian “propaganda”. They have a point.
Reality of the events with USS Donald Cook had very little to do with Su-24s or some magical ECM. The reason for cutting American ship’s voyage short was the fact, as Russian President Vladimir Putin himself stressed not for once, that Donald Cook was detected, tracked and, when the necessity arose, was locked on by the radar of both K-300P Bastion and Bal coastal anti-shipping cruise missile complexes located on the shores of Crimea, which, no doubt, made a lot of noise, literally, when Donald Cook’s passive radiation detectors started to signal that the ship was locked on by one of the most fearsome weapons in Russia’s inventory—a launcher of the P-800 Oniks (Onyx) missiles. This long-range M=2.5 missile is what makes the first line of defense of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet so deadly, because it is precisely a type of weaponry designed to over-saturate air defense of US Aegis Combat Control System and Spy-1 radar-equipped ships. American naval officers are well-educated in terms of missile salvos and capabilities, including saturation thresholds, of their on-board Air Defense systems and know that 4+ P-800 Oniks or 8+ subsonic X-35 missile salvo, in the active ECM environment in the Black Sea are impossible to defend against such a salvo. Russia can repeat these and even much larger salvos many times over, with a desirable frequency and density.
But these are just the capabilities of a single 15th Independent Costal Defense Missile-Artillery Brigade in Sevastopol, which can deploy its launchers anywhere in Crimea, including in highly defended, by both aviation of the Black Sea Fleet and Air Defense forces in Crimea, locations which conceal the launch. Russia’s ISR systems provide updates for both operational situation and distribute targeting for any receiver on Russian side in real time. Of course, one has to always keep in mind that two squadrons (24+ combat aircraft) of SU-27SM/SU-30SM are also located in Crimea and each of those aircraft can carry a variety of strike weapons, including X-31A M=3.5 anti-shipping missile and X-31P anti-radiation missile, plus Aviation Regiment in Simferopol, which deploys 22 Su-24Ms is being reequipped with SU-30SMs. Incidentally, these venerable warriors (Su-24Ms) also carry X-31As, which, when counted realistically, provide for the first salvo (multiply by 0.5) consisting of 30 to 40 missiles by aviation wing alone, add here missiles from coastal complexes and we are looking at 60 to 70 missiles in the first salvo, at least. That’s enough to sink several Carrier Battle Groups even with their air wings airborne and all Aegis-Spy-1 systems working properly.
Of course, no one should forget that Black Sea Fleet also happened to have ships and those, even considering a cruiser, couple of frigates and SSKs attached to Mediterranean Squadron around Syria, still pack a massive anti-shipping punch by 3M54 missiles of Kalibr family which accelerate to M=2.9 on terminal and effectively are not interceptible in the salvo of 2+. All those missiles named here are AI-driven in salvo and posses a very high resistance to jamming (some of them can jam enemy’s sensors on their own). And this is not all, of course. Black Sea Fleet is supported by the forces of Southern Military District, part of which it is, and if these news above were bad for any combination of US/NATO naval forces entering the Black Sea, this is where this news becomes even more depressing for the Pentagon. 4th Air Force and Air Defense Army which is part of this district deployed those pesky MiG-31Ks (they originally were based in the District and continue to fly missions from there since 2017) armed with Kinzhal Kh-47M2 hypersonic missiles, whose M=10+ and violent maneuvering and incredible range of 2000 kilometers make them impervious to any air defense technology the United States has today and in the nearest future (7-10 years at least). It is even doubtful that these missiles are actually detectable. These combat aircraft are capable to sink not just anything in the Black Sea but also in the Eastern Mediterranean, without even crossing the shore line of Russia’s Krasnodar Region or Crimea, obviously Russia doesn’t say where each moment those aircraft are based. Who knows where? Well, US intel may know but it is a classic case of a good deterrence. In this case, the probability of hitting any target in the Black Sea for Kinzhal is driven not by the ability of the target to respond but by the probability of the missile itself being in full combat order.
So, as you can see, there is plenty of subsonic, supersonic and hypersonic goodness to spread around by Russia’s Black Sea Fleet alone and competent people in the Pentagon know this. That is why the appearance of those two US destroyers in the Black Sea is, literally, for the appearance primarily and for trying to collect some intel for what seems today a diminishing probability of confrontation in Donbass. I often write that many people in the US, and I am talking about policy-makers, cannot grasp the scale of America trailing behind Russia in firepower in all domains. It is not just quantitative; it is qualitative and the gap only continues to widen. But I warned about it for years, didn’t I?
Impressive… and very good.
Bente Petersen
Yes, impressive, but also debatable. The author has stated:
“Reality of the events with USS Donald Cook had very little to do with Su-24s or some magical ECM”.
Indeed. If the Khirbiny jamming system on the SU-24 did not disable all the electronics on the USS Donald Cook, then someone should explain how the Khirbiny managed to disable all the Tomahawk cruise missiles fired in the first salvo by the US Navy some years back when that Syrian Air Field was attacked.
In the first salvo, 30 Tomahawks were fired. One misfired. The remaining 29 were jammed by the Khirbiny system, exploding in the desert and doing no damage. Not a single one struck the airfield.
The US Navy then fired a second salvo of 30 Tomahawks, A few struck two hangers holding old combat planes being serviced. The remaining Tomahawks struck the earth by the runways, or else struck villages, killing civilians. The conclusion of analysts was that during the second salvo, the Khirbiny was not used, the Russians wanting to see the efficiency of the Tomahawks.
Finally, for those of you who don’t know it, during the 1990’s war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the US military fired Tomahawks against the Bosnian Serbs, even targeting farms producing food. Three Tomahawks did not explode, hitting either bales of hay, or else mud. The Bosnian Serbs sent those three Tomahawks to the Russians, who of course made detailed analysis of their capabilities.
Khibini is a jamming system for aircrafts, not a terrestrial one!
ivica repic
The Russians have a Khirbiny jamming system at their Air Force Base in Syria. Photographs of it were even presented. It was used when the US attacked that Syrian Air Field.
Aegis combat system has six MILLION WATTS of iradiated power when it works! I really dont know how Khibinijamming system can owercome such powerfull system!
It depends on your physics. The Russ. have scalar physics and other things that American researchers were turned away from when Western establishments decided to hide the meaning of Clark Maxwell and Tesla.
All they have left is the Heavy Side. :)
Moro no Brasil, uma cidade de 400 mil habitantes entre Brasília e Goiânia.
Trabalho com Redes de computador.
Tenho muitos amigos que trabalham com Redes de telefonia rural e outros com tv via satélite.
Um tempo atrás, quando nosso “presidente” deu a entender que queria invadir a Venezuela, passamos mais de seis horas num “apagão” tecnológico surpreende!
Conversei com amigos de Manaus, Brasília e outros centros conectados via fibra óptica.
Comecei a desconfiar que era um “aviso”.
Semana passada, conversando com outro amigo da Força Aérea (há uma Base aqui), ele confirmou que ouviu dizer que alguma coisa nesse sentido realmente aconteceu.
Interessante como a gente sabe das coisas tomando umas cervejas com pessoas de áreas profissionais aparentemente distintas.
Um conta um evento estranho, outro conta outro evento estranho na sua área de atuação profissional, a gente junta tudo e, crê que pode ser uma coisa muito séria que está acontecendo.
Google translation,MOD:
I live in Brazil, a city of 400 thousand inhabitants between Brasília and Goiânia.
I work with computer networks.
I have many friends who work with rural telephone networks and others with satellite TV.
A while ago, when our “president” hinted that he wanted to invade Venezuela, we spent more than six hours in a technological “blackout” that surprises!
I talked with friends from Manaus, Brasília and other centers connected via fiber optics.
I started to suspect that it was a “warning”.
Last week, talking to another Air Force friend (there is a Base here), he confirmed that he heard that something in this regard actually happened.
Interesting how we know things by having a few beers with people from apparently different professional areas.
One tells a strange event, another tells another strange event in his professional area, we put everything together and believe that it can be a very serious thing that is happening.
I know what you mean – that’s why our psychocracy does it’s best to prevent people from interacting meaningfully:
it’s great that you noticed it – here in Toronto most people think it’s normal to just focus on backstabbing and passive aggression instead of trying to figure things out together. This is from a book on AGILE:
When a property of a system cannot be traced back to any of the individual parts in the system, it is called an emergent property.
Your personality is an emergent property of your brain. It cannot be traced back to individual neurons.
So, too, with collaboration. The ideas that emerge don’t come with a straight-path way to trace back to their origins.
When collaborating, team members build on top of one another’s ideas, each person giving away their cherished vision of what it “should be” so that something better, something that no one of them could have imagined alone, emerges from the ash of their burned and forgotten personal visions.
This creates an environment of courageous sharing and vulnerability, an environment where the whole truly can be greater than the sum of its parts. …
When you say “what seems today a diminishing probability of confrontation in Donbass”, do you mean somebody in the bowels of foggy bottom has realized that they where about to be skinned alive? I would have expected more bravery from General Custer than this.
https://smoothiex12.blogspot.com/2021/04/another-day-another-tune.html
“”Liberation” of Donbass by power means will lead to mass loss of life among civilians and military personnel–this is unacceptable for Kiev, stated the Commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Ruslan Khomchak.”
It was reported by Ria Novosti yesterday. Today Blinken had to sound tough when grilled by Politico, but ignore the twerp. Of related interest, Peskov clarified via Tass that Merkel did not demand Putin scale back troops at the border, unlike what Western media spin suggests.
Well if they knew how to defeat fascism 80 years ago it stands to reason they would know how to defeat it now. This line intrigues me – “for what seems today a diminishing probability of confrontation in Donbass.” This observation by Andrei Martyanov surely merits much focus and elaboration. It would be so great if this came about due to the combined efforts of many good people.
Does anyone here have a good grasp as to why Andrei Martyanov would see a “diminishing probability of war in the Donbass?”
No western power is really backing the Ukie play in the Donbass… Erdogan was Z’s last hope, and he wouldn’t go all-in either. https://youtu.be/XbZijyVO5Xw
Arn
None? What about US and UK? Perhaps you mean those “feckless continentals.”
We have them licking our boots do we not?
No matter what the western neocon and neoliberal politicals may talk, the militaries know they’d get their asses handed to them by the Russians. NATO simply cannot afford to be shown to be a paper tiger. There’s WAAAAAY too much at stake ($$$$$ and positioning)!
Arn; Good response. I hope you are right.
Why Andrei M. sees a diminishing probability of war in the Donbass:
Because he knows what the Russians will use if the Ukies attack.
Because he is an expert.
Because as an expert he knows people who understand what the Russians will use.
Because those people populate decision centers of the US military.
Thus, he knows they know the Russians will use salvos of missiles of all forms that will utterly destroy the Ukies and whoever is there with them attacking Russia.
So, he thinks, using intelligence and common sense that it is less likely Russophobia and Ukraines internal needs are sound reasons for getting Ukraine destroyed as a nation.
A key factor missing in this discussion is that an attack on Donbass is expected to fail and to fail spectacularly. However, the political objective would be accomplished – stopping of NS II and a final rupture between the EU and Russia/China. Indeed, a failed attack is preferred to a successful attack (completely unlikely) to accomplish the main political objective.
Vietnam was not meant to be won
Iraq was/is not meant to be won
Afghanistan was/is not meant to be won
Destruction, chaos, poverty & division is the goal,
not military victory
In Ukraine USA has already achieved that – Ukraine is in ruins and people live in highest poverty. They can only sell girls to west.
People dont seem to grasp this. As long as the country can be kept from progressing it does not need to be occupied.
Surely the Ukrainians can see this themselves?
That they are being prevented from progressing . . . into better lives for themselves.
Surely they can see that their chances are better under the sponsorship of Russia, with reasonable trade agreements, etc.
What is the USA going to do for average Ukrainians?
The current course seems suicidal.
Is Russia or anyone else doing anything to support a patriotic fifth column in Uke that actually represents the best interests of Ukrainians and preventing it from being a political football of the West?
With incredibly fertile soil, manufacturing, mining, river transport, etc. it seems like Ukr has all it takes to be a functioning state and economy. It doesn’t have to be a dysfunctional state. Does it? I guess I am missing something.
Katherine
Good information for reference!
You have to remember that the USA was driven into all the wars of this century, not by reasoned discourse and careful planning, but by the false-flag attacks of 9/11. The neocon, Project for the New American Century (PNAC), predicted in their manifesto just before the 2000 election that the shift to US world hegemony in the 21st century would come about slowly unless there was “some catastrophic and catalyzing event, like a new Pearl Harbor.” That event, of course, was 9/11. That false-flag attack, blamed on the Arabs, was the pretext for all the wars of this century.
Same goes with the upcoming war with Russia. Just as US battleships were left at Pearl Harbor to be sunk by the Japanese while the carriers were safely out at sea, the sinking of the USS Sitting Duck in the Black Sea would be the pretext for all-out war. Who knows, it might even be a false-flag attack blamed on the Russians, just like Israel attacked the USA on 9/11 and blamed it on the Arabs.
To paraphrase Hermann Goering, most people don’t want war, neither in Russia nor in America. What must be done is to tell them they’re being attacked and to denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, exposing the country to danger. We’ll be driven into a war with Russia by another catastrophic and catalyzing false-flag attack, this time blamed on the Russians. Will Americans fall into line just as they did after 9/11? That’s the big question. Many of us won’t.
yes Netanyahu was certainly a visionary writer. his published fiction book “I wrote a book in 1995, and I said that if the West doesn’t wake up to the suicidal nature of militant Islam, the next thing you will see is militant Islam bringing down the World Trade Center.” a cohen-cidence im sure.
In 1990, Netanyahu told his guests at Fink’s Bar in Jerusalem the following, “If we get caught, they will just replace us with persons of the same cloth. So, it does not matter what you do, America is a golden calf, and we will suck it dry, chop it up, and sell it off piece by piece until there is nothing left but the world’s biggest welfare state that we will create and control. Why? Because it is the will of God, and America is big enough to take the hit so we can do it again and again and again. This is what we do to countries that we hate. We destroy them very slowly and make them suffer for refusing to be our slaves.”
Where did you get this from? Do you have a copy of it?
https://www.veteranstoday.com/2020/07/22/bibi-trump-assad-saddam-finks-bar/
See Chris Bollyn’s website for comprehensive information by a dedicated (real!) investigative journalist on the zionistanis-in-Palestine as the true originators of the 11/9/01 false-flag attack on the US. The zio-criminals in Palestine had been cooking it up for years, along with ‘dual-nationality’ zionists in the US, before they finally got it to happen in ’01. The rankest-imaginable treachery against their steady benefactors, of course; but – well – zionists! From the same mould as apartheiders and nazis…:
https://www.bollyn.com
False flags usually involve civilians.
Pearl Harbour was a US naval base. A US ship has no business being in the Black Sea.
It’s going to be hard to spin any US Navy incident there as the second sinking of Lusitania.
You’d think it would have been difficult to spin the tale that 19 Arabs armed with boxcutters led by Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan were the perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks, yet that is exactly what happened within hours of the event, way before any evidence-based investigation could possibly have been done. That false-flag event became the pretext for all the wars of this century and the real perps got away with it. The same MSM spin machine is still in place. May Heaven help the crew of the USS Sitting Duck.
The outcome this time versus the others is likely going to be different, due to the lack of a US industrial base. It’ll be hard to convert 50 year-old rusting factories into shiny new missle-making machines.
Ok, so they false flag a US Navy vessel in the Black Sea and a mass propaganda campaign manages to pin the blame on Russia? What’s the next step after that? Invade Russia?
After reading this article, the Americans will know immediately if an attack on them was meant to generate a false flag. They might go along with it. However, they would be pretty angry if the Ukraine Nazis shot a missle at one of the battleships to blame Russia, and actually hit one of them causing casualties.
The US military stood down on 9/11, letting those planes (if there even were any planes) fly around for hours without being intercepted. The reason that the “official” narrative came into being within hours of the event is that the Might Wurlitzer (MSM) promoted a fable that 19 Arabs armed with boxcutters brought down those buildings, despite the fact that this defies the laws of Physics and the laws of common sense. Americans bought this fable hook line and sinker. Look to the usual suspect (Israel) if this happens again, this time blamed on the Russians rather than the Arabs.
” Americans bought this fable hook line and sinker. ”
For a while. But I think the most recent polls on this show that more than one third of Americans doubt the box-cutter fable.
The big problem is that the Mighty wurlitzer and smaller Wurlitzers also just proceed to reinforce the Osama/box-cutter story as if it were as established as the law of gravity. It is treated as established fact in newspapers stories and op-eds that ostensibly have nothing to do with 9/11. But the info is dropped in as often as possible to reinforce the story and make it harder and harder to refute. Say a story is about climate change. Just in passing a reference to the official 9/11 narrative is “dropped in”—maybe something like “the two planes that brought down the Twin Towers”— in passing. Continually refuting these “secondary” assertions of the narrative becomes totally tiring and tiresome. Eventually you give up. It is like living with a nagging wife or spouse who keeps bringing up some irritating point. Eventually you just tune it out. You give up arguing.
Very clever method. Media war of attrition. Because, silence = consent.
Except in the case of 9/11 I wonder whether this is true. It has been known for the worm to suddenly turn—for irate spouses suddenly to strangle the nagger just to shut them up!
I wonder whether the American worm will ever turn? It may be that the one third who don’t buy the official 9/11 narrative are older folk who recall the days before our media became so centralized and hence can still think somewhat critically.
Katherine
1964 Tonkin incident precursor to Vietnam war no civilian involve.
The big difference is that today’s Anglos are socially, morally, economically bankrupt, and militarily backward (contractors have long been “sticking their finger in the eye” of US taxpayers)
The only resource that remains for the United States today that allows it to remain relevant is virtual reality, both from the money printing press and from the increasingly ineffective media propaganda.
Once this is clear to everyone, Netanyahu, and others, will be quintessential diplomats.
The other big difference is that any war with Russia would go nuclear within days if not hours. The red line has already been crossed as the US has used tactical nukes, first in Fallujah, and Israel has used them in Syria. The Russians know this and are ready for strategic retaliation. This fits right in with the Zionist Samson Option and the US Christian Zionist apocalyptic war that will signal the return of their warrior messiah. I don’t think the Russians have any idea of how crazy these Christian Zionists really are, but suffice to say that millions of them “stand solidly with Israel” and supported Trump in the last election.
Nuclear weapons do not exist.
See:
big-lies.org
https://big-lies.org/nuke-lies/www.nukelies.com/forum/A-bomb-myth-flash-blast-heat-radiation-cloud-1-of-4.html
https://big-lies.org/nuke-lies/www.nukelies.com/forum/index.html
Sorry, but there have been something like 1000 atmospheric nuclear weapon tests that are quite well documented. It is a little hard to hide a multimegaton detonation lol.
I can understand that these days you take nothing at face value when the MSM is basically a propaganda machine spitting out lies. But you have to be able to use some analytical abilities to sort it all out. You can prove the Earth is flat, too . . .
Apologies to the mods if this is redundant but per/norway has posted link to article on utter stupidity of nuland and her ideologue husband, a signer of PNAC, over on non msm column.
This needs to be said, again and again. The neocons are not stupid, crazy maybe, but not stupid. Mostly of the Ashkenazim, they have had it in for Russia since way back in 965 when Sviatoslav I destroyed the Khazar city of Sarkel and its capital at Atil. A visitor to Atil wrote soon after Sviatoslav’s campaign: “The Rus’ attacked, and no grape or raisin remained, not a leaf on a branch.”
The Khazars went on to become the Ashkenazim, who came from Russia to America and eventually created PNAC and the rest is history. Crazy but not stupid.
Came from the Pale of Settlement to be precise. Modern Ukraine..
Ok, maybe, just maybe “stupid” is not the term of precision to describe these ideologues; but it is certainly the sense from the article, which I assume you have read, and it is the sense from articles from Martyanov.
When nuland recites over and over the same neo con babble, maybe mindlessly uninformed, or cunning, or delusional, or deceitful, works. It is a question whether it is willful or not but it really does not matter.
It is long past time that these ideologues be called out but it probably will never happen because they own the press and control the govt.
Taras, your Link to the utter stupidity of the U$ Zionazis, Cookie Nudelman and her PN[mani]AC husband Cohen, seems to me very relevant in the context of yet another Anglo Zionazi Capitalist proxy starting yet another war against Russia. I have read that Stalin made the mistake of believing that Hitler would not invade Russia because that would have been suicidal for Hitler. Stalin is reported to have said, “Hitler is not utterly stupid”.
All that is based on the assumption that Russia would sink the ships unprovoked, i.e. if the American ships open fire. Passage of non-Black Sea war vessels is limited to no more than 9 at any one time, ant their presence in the Sea is limited to 21 days. Comparison with Pearl Harbour is inapplicable, when American territory was under attack. No allies of USA in the Black Sea are under threat of attack. Ukraine is NOT an ally of USA. Even if it were and war ensued with Russia, passage of non-Black Sea military vessels is interdicted (unless Turkey is at war with Russia).
Nothing about all the wars of this century makes sense if you ignore the fact that Israel attacked the USA on 9/11 and got away with it. Explaining why we really attacked Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria by using the “official narrative” of 9/11 makes no sense at all. It’s kind of like trying to explain the motions of the planets without mentioning that they all go around the Sun. A redo of 9/11, maybe an attack on a US carrier blamed on Iran, would almost certainly bring on a war that would go nuclear within hours. It would eventually involve Russia being as how they have so many assets in the region that would come under attack. Never underestimate the usual suspect (Israel) to come up with something horrible that would ultimately drive the USA into war with Russia.
Time for USA#1 to give russia a good beating…
And what would they use first the transgenders which would cause Russia to surrender by dying in laughter backed up by the BLM who likes to burn cities down, the military ain’t what it used to be if it ever was, history should have taught you something but to refresh your memory Korea Nam Iraq Afghanistan all place’s we wish that we had never been, weapons systems and platforms that are not only suspect but fails to work, and of course the Russians play for keep if you don’t believe me ask the French or the German’s I’m sure they will be sure to inform you that you never attack Russia.
I think the US military will stand down due to a tampon shortage.
I disagree… due to half the infantry being pregnant and on maternity leave….
@BlueDogg: “Korea Nam Iraq Afghanistan all place’s we wish that we had never been”
I am sure a lot of your fellow countrymen privately agree with you. That is why Trump was elected — twice.
Korea
Vietnam
Kampuchea
Gruzya
Irak
Afghan
Syria
When they are shooting at you when you leave, you lost. Pure and simple.
Auslander
Author http://rhauslander.com/
“When they are shooting at you when you leave, you lost.”
I love it! Brilliant. Going to read your work.
Hope you enjoy my works. For the novel, don’t skip around, read from Pg.1 to the end. Absolutely leave the Post Scriptum at the very end for last.
Auslander
Hi Auslander, I noticed that the link for you in your post says you live now in Krasnodar Krai and not in Crimea. Is that true or maybe a typo.And was it just a personal reason to leave,or was it a security concern? I hate to pry,but we have always seen you as a die hard Crimean resident and seeing that just surprised me.Best of wishes to you and your family.
Maybe Crimea is now —with the Kerch Strait Bridge—considered part of Krasnodar Krai?
Katherine
You can see why the US want to load up Ukraine with US strike fighters and other missile-laden weaponry, eh?
If you can’t get through the Black Sea, don’t try.
The real question is how they get to station masses and masses of missiles and aircraft within Ukraine, any of the Stan republics, the three Baltic Statelets and their great friend Poland.
The thing you need to understand about Americans is that they are the biggest bunch of wussies on the planet. They had a 3 year emotional hysterical outburst after 9/11, when a grand total of 3,000 odd people died.
Congress had a collective heart attack when not a single one of them sustained even a broken nose by the ‘domestic terrorist’ invasion of The Hill.
But apparently, they can kill 1 million Iraqis and that was just one of those things. Bomb Libya back to the Middle Ages and it was an act of Pope-like virtue. Carry out a decade-long operation against Syria and it’s ‘bringing democracy to the region’.
2021 would be a good summer to decimate the California water supply….it’s already in deep schtuck due to two seasons of below-average winter rains. Helping it into crisis is no more provocative than threatening to retake Crimea, is it??
The water situation in CA is dire…no need to take action. Oroville Dam might collapse with the next heavy winter. The ‘ticky-tacky’ houses keep going up by the thousands, gobbling up farm- and wild-land, and introducing horrendous new claims on the water supply (private lawns and pools, golf courses, car washes, etc).
It’s quite a sick joke played on the people convinced they need to own one of these houses.
Very good article, thank you.
The state of readiness and ability to mobilise of the Russian armed forces is incredible. Of itself that speaks volumes. Contrast that with the 6 months it took the US to have sufficient forces in theater to take on lowly Iraq. Even assuming Europeans wanted to join a NATO/US attack – a very big IF – there are simply not the forces on the continent of Europe to make a dent. The would be obliterated before the first ship was loaded in the US. And those putative ships from the US would have zero chance of ever arriving. No, this whole c++k waving stuff on the part of the US would make a playground bully blush.
That is why Russia + surroundings are slowly being infested with a parasite (the euro-atlantic strain).
No need for a large attack, just slowly infesting their host will do the job, the host will not even notice..before it is too late. That is why i think Putin is going to make an announcement to raise the “Iron Curtain” (their immune system against the euro-atlantic parasite).
Excellent article. But are the generals and Admirals that sane and rational? They have to push SJW ideology and LGBT ideology on their forces, so are they still rational? Good for putting this info in detail out there.
Isn’t USS Donald Cook commanded by a lady captain? I think Beelsebub of the White House and his CircleBack Psaki puddle proudly announced that coupe weeks ago.
Every time someone asks an existential question at White House briefings Circle-Back Jen reminds that that particular department of their so-called Government is run by a first-in-history-of-universe gay/female/trans person. And they want to fight Russia!!!
NATO will quickly spend their load of Nazis from the Baltics, Ukraine and Balkans, liver eaters from Islamic world and what then?
independent thinkers don’t get promoted to generals and admirals. You get promoted by following whatever line comes from the Pentagon—and lately that message has been all about wokeness and not about merit.
I am no NATO fan, but a quick bit of research into what Russia is currently facing from NATO forces in Europe will reveal a truly shocking picture – that NATO should not be underestimated.
Statements such as “The Black Sea is a Russian Lake”, and similar such talk fails to recognise the game has changed from the days of the Old Soviet Union. Several Black Sea states are now chock full of NATO hardware watching every move in the region.
Yes, Russia has very formidable and impressive defensive systems throughout the Black Sea region, but NATO (particularly the US, UK, and Turkey) have been busy expanding their presence in the Black Sea and expanding their ability to confront and overcome Russia for several decades. Today they can counter, if not outright defeat, pretty much any conventional system Russia has (and yes I know that will hurt some people, but the truth is often painful).
The US has spent unknown Billions of Dollars in the last decade alone, particularly in Romania, to ensure that nothing Russian can move in the Black Sea without coming under US integrated radar (or sonar – something even experts overlook).
To further clarify how far Russia has been pushed back and otherwise restricted in the Black Sea, a quick look at the EEZ’s (Exclusive Economic Zones) of the Black Sea States will show that Russia’s share is very small. Remember, the EEZ is the Lawful boundary for a nation to interfere with the activities / rights of other nations.
Exclude Crimea from this picture (which is still claimed by Ukraine as Ukrainian EEZ) and Russia’s Lawful share of the Black Sea is further diminished – as is Russian Legal authority to interfere with international shipping and even warships “visiting” Ukraine.
The above is very important to keep in mind.
As NATO states do not recognise Crimea as Russian they regard Crimean waters as Ukrainian, and therefore freely navigable by US and UK warships if they wished to demonstrate “freedom of navigation”. In practice however they recognise that Russia will defend those waters as if they were internationally recognised as Russian EEZ.
A very dangerous development in the last decade, especially with the British and Americans who no longer respect any law which restricts them or does not favour thier interests, is the tearing up of old treaties.
In recent years the US have shown they will not just “fail to respect or uphold” any old agreements and treaties, but to arbitrary change or even withdraw from these agreements and treaties.
We can therefore expect to see the much referenced Montreax Convention of 1936 ripped up or otherwise ignored at some point.
Indeed, once NATO feel they have secured Moldova and Ukraine (and Turkey have been assured they will not be involved in the coming conflict to permanently cut off Russia from Europe) I can see the Black Sea host all manner of NATO warships, likely even helicopter carriers (future drone platforms) and landing dock and assault craft.
it will benefit analysts to objectively research just how strong NATO currently are in both the Black Sea and in Eastern Europe (particularly the Baltic’s). Afterwards I would expect any continued talk of the “Black Sea being a Russian lake” to stop.
As for the USS Donald Cook, any analysis needs to recognise just what a significant threat this vessel is to air craft and air defence missiles.
The vessel also functions to plug gaps in radar detection, assist with pin-point triangulation of signals and targets alike, provides global communications relay and in theatre signals support (including interception and disruption).
Such warships also serve to support Spec Ops missions (including potentially those of Ukraine).
I suggest also taking a look at the current daisy chain of advanced NATO warships, missile submarines, carrier linked C&C, heavy land systems, and all manner of air assets which are slowly being drawn ever tighter towards and around Ukraine to deter Russia.
Let us be clear about this – NATO, under cover of various multi-national exercises, planned mult-national rotations, training missions, and logistical support, and finally overtly stating they are countering “Russian Aggression”, have demonstrated (at least to those paying close attention) that they too have a “home field advantage” just like Russia.
As things stood, before the latest Russian deployments that is, NATO could have neutralised any and all “conventional” military action by Russia inside Ukraine.
This is of course recognised by Russia, which may explain the very high-profile and well announced deployment of nuclear capable mobile artillery systems by Russia – as a warning for NATO not to anything so stupid, or interfere in Donbas.
However, NATO have demonstrated their willingless to match and raise whatever Russia does. The “counters” to Russian moves are in the form of he US and UK flying nuclear capable strategic bombers and nuclear capable ground attack aircraft respectively in the region, and even the US and UK moving around nuclear capable MLRS and HIMARS in the Baltics (and of course the nuclear capable Donald Cook in the Black Sea).
The situation continues to esculate as all sides bring forward heavier and more destructive equipment to a level I have not seen since the Cold War.
Ukraine should now really be seen as a “Buffer State”, as Belarus has become, keeping apart two sides who have clearly decided that each is an existential threat to the other. Neither side have shown any indication to back down in this stand off.
It is my opinion that NATO have “decided” that Ukraine will never be under Russian influence (or sphere) and Russia have “decided” that Ukraine will never be under NATOs influence, and certainly not a member of NATO to the point of warning of all out war if it is attempted.
So where are we headed with this?
If we (the World) is lucky, Ukraine will remain a failed buffer state, doomed to exist in a sort of economic, political, and military hinterland, with neither the west nor Russia having overall advantage.
If we are very lucky, Ukraine may find a way to live inside the pressure cooker and thrive.
However I dont think Ukraine or the World will be lucky. Eventually either Russia or NATO will need to come to terms which is unlikely without some form of scrap.
But for now, unless / until either NATO move into Ukraine in force (under whatever BS excuse they come up with), or Russia enters Ukraine in force (in defence of Donbas or Transnistria, or whatever), we are simply likely to see a continuation of tensions.
Let us therefore hope that the current positions by both Russia and NATO – that of not entering Ukraine in force, continues, because make no mistake, if one side miscalculates there will be no half measures or happy victories.
Once one side enters Ukraine in force I expect to see a major shooting war which will either define our generation, or end our generation.
Are you sure you’re talking about the same NATO that can’t win anything in Afghanistan for 20 years?
I recommend that you purchase and read Martyanov’s books.
They will clarify everything for you.
HTH
you need young people willing to die for their country to win a war.
The West (Europe #1, US not far behind at #2) has become so nihilistic that any mass conscription will be met by rioting. And mass conscription will be needed against any war with Russia because Russian standoff weapons will wipe out the professional core of Nato’s military in the first month of any “gloves off” war.
People would rather lose a war than die for their country, especially if it’s a war over a region that has zero impact on their personal life.
Pompous blubbering. The Dutch elite troops of NATO are so ‘well’ equipped that they have to buy their own personnal equipment like shoes and combat gear on the web to be sure they can at least function somewhat normally. The Dutch Navy switches parts from one helicopter to the next to keep at least some of them operable and the list goes on and on.
In general the same is true in Germany, Belgium and France. The French army has such difficulties just to do a decent job against some terrorists in CentreAfrique that capacities in France wouldn’t be sufficient to protect the country properly in case of invasion or internal turmoil.
And you think that this mighty NATO consisting of such weak members could make a dent in a pack of butter, let alone prevail against he Russian Federation. You must be kidding, or maybe you are a propagandist bot or NATO troll.
Don’t forget that when NATO would get a country like France or the Netherlands into a non desired war that the already very irritated populations (ridiculous anti-Covid measured that destroy the economies) will start the mutiny on the Bounty and may well overthrow their governments.
Well over half the French population was with the Yellow Jackets and they’ll be back in a snap if NATO and Macron will get France into war.
NATO citizens are rioting now……
Because they can’t go to church to pray….
Because they can’t go to the beach to play…..
Because they can’t go to bars to mingle…..
Because they can’t go to restaurants to indulge….
AND….
Because they are forced to be vaccinated with the Astra-Zenica concoction risking death due to stroke….
This lot is going to war????
INDY
To be fair, most NATO citizens have not a single clue they are living through the Cuban missile crisis of their day.
Why do you think UK subjects have been “subjected” to North Korean levels of coverage of Reptilian Phil’s departure?
There is media noise about Russian aggression ……. But after a decade or more of the same hysteria, no NATO citizen…… or anyone anywhere notices that the dial has been turned up another notch.
NATO can’t even win in a war game they run.
Name someplace NATO has won a war against a first class military.
The Russians will not only destroy the armed forces of NATO, they will destroy the decision centers, HQ, command and control and political. It will all be gone.
This isn’t Serbia or Libya. This is a Super Power with the best trained, combat bled in Syria and Chechnya fighting for its existence.
You have an alliance of Nancies and Silk Underwear Dandies, Trannies and Lesbians.
They have never been on the receiving end of any killing weapons.
The few NATO who have seen ground combat in Afghanistan or Iraq will get themselves 1000 miles from Russia if there is a war. Unless they want to die.
Larchmonter445
“This isn’t Serbia or Libya”. Well now, just to point out that NATO’s air campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) lasted for a full 77 days, with NATO losing 137 combat aircraft and 25 helicopters. At least one F-117 stealth aircraft was shot down (shown on TV), and one B-2 stealth bomber was also shot down (not shown on TV, as the US claimed it crashed in the US due to “technical difficulties”). This does not include combat activities on the ground. Hospitals in Albania were full of wounded Albanian military personnel as well as NATO personnel.
Russian intel officers sent to Yugoslavia got a first class show, compliments of NATO. In those 77 days they got a clear picture of NATO’s capabilities.
US/NATO airforce got their hobgoblins aka f117’s shot down by early generation Russian missile systems in Serbia. After that fiasco uncle schmuel quickly retired the hobgoblins from active duty.
Primakov forced Milosevic to “surrender”, saying Nato will use a neutron bomb against Serbia. A retired Serbian general said on a tv show that Nato would probably not have used a neutron bomb, that it was just an excuse made up by Primakov to push Milosevic in a corner and accept a Russian peace agreement initiative.
Lake, Are you sure you’re talking about the same NATzO that invaded Syria with a force of 600,000 ISIS mercenaries backed by the combined naval and air power of I$rael, France, UK & U$ ten years ago? NATZO was beaten in Syria and is now hanging on by its fingertips in Idlib, handy for a retreat back over the border into Turkey — the land which fields the largest army in NATZO.
NATZO.
Love it! Perfect. You and Auslander win the prize today for the best succinct one-liners.
Great column, great comments. Thanks, to the host.
It seems like Lake’s comments and analysis are not about a boots-on-the-ground situ but about technological capabilities to wage war and create destruction that are not dependent on boots on the ground. I.e., not conventional warfare but cyberwarfare, missle attacks, and ultimately nuclear warfare.
Whereas the counterarguments to Lake’s view seem to be predicated on conventional warfare involving (metaphorically speaking) hand-to-hand conflict—troops confronting one another on a battlefield.
Lake’s comment is one of the best, very rational and realistic
not like the putin-cultist, russian-the-unbeatable commentary
all that martyanov’s writing is to scare potential aggression on russia, to mess with
american officers heads who read the blog, but the dont represent real capabilities
of either russia or NATO or how the conflict will evolve once russia faces a pier competitor
for example, Russia is claimed to be so effective in Syria
but noone adds that in Syria Russia is facing only insurgents with
limited weapons capabilities… sure, it is easy to b0mb ISIS from above
when they have no sophisticated weapon systems like AA etc…
lets see how russia will fare with a pier competitor like NATO/USA
as i recall, russian losses in Georgia 080808 were substantial, as high as georgian losses in
KIA and MIA’s, and only due to the sheer larger number of troops and weapon systems did russia prevail.
if i recall correctly few TU22M bombers where shot down as well…
anyway, reality will smack putin-cultist hard one day…
Serbs shot down a F-117A Nighthawk, world’s first stealth aircraft, with a 1950s Soviet anti-aircaft missile system that has been specifically tweaked by the operator (a Serbian Hungarian who in normal life is a baker) of that missile system and he was the one who shot down that stealth aircraft.
You are not noticing something else. In a case a world war starts you will not only have professional armies fighting. The civilians will start fighting. In the former eastern European countries maybe 10 % of the population is actually cheering for NATO, the rest is hating their guts, and they hate US regime. You can’t fight people fighting for their countries. Nobody asked the population in the former eastern countries if they wanted their countries to become American vassals. In other countries in the world people also now understand that they are hostages to the exceptional nation, and this situation can not last forever.
Anon . . . have you managed to read about the various failed hypersonic missile tests here in the US during the last few weeks? Any US missile defense systems capable of defending against Russian (land, air and sea-based) hypersonic weapons? No?
@dave
yes dave, Serbs fought 19 NATO countries, an uneven match, Serbs bravely stood their ground
and had ~3000 deaths
while Russia the “unbeatable” nuclear power with the best of the best conventional army, rejuvenated by
grand chess master putin himself, has ~15,000 deaths and is chicken enough not to fight back and only
complains and whines how the West hates them… buhuhuhu … it is annoying to even listen to the Russians
complain anymore… Russians, fight back or shut up already… you are not the only nation that has problems,
stop molesting us with your whining
@z123
first, noone in the EE countries will fight for either russia or usa
they might support it verbally, yes (and the percentages might differ from
country to country), but fighting – no way!
second, the EE poulation willingly switched sides because of the better life
in the West, and will switch again only if there is a better life in the East
if Russia/China have nothing to offer, they can p!ss off
@Perimetr
how many failed test did the SLBM Bulava have? plenty!
it takes time to develop sophisticated weapon systems, but the West is getting there
Jens Stoltenberg, is this you?
The USSA does not show mercy or restraint to enemies. If NATO (controlled by Amerika) could conquer and/or destroy Russia, they would have already. Even if what you say is true, the psychopathic criminals in charge of the USSA foreign policy will not risk probable death knowing that nuclear hell will rain down upon them. Remember, Russia is the only country in the world that has the capability of turning North America into a sheet of glass. Psychopaths are only restrained by the knowledge of their own impending doom. Putins demonstration of a nuclear powered, nuclear armed missile that can fly for months, and reach any point on the globe, including Antarctica, sent the appropriate message.
It reassures me when smoothiex12 steps up to the plate and presents the reality of Russia’s tactical prowess, especially when the fight will be right on the doorstep of Russia proper. We who support the survival of Russia certainly appreciate men like our Saker, Andrei Martyanov, Larchmonter445, Auslander, et al who monitor for us the hubris of the U.S. and its minions.
Here be monsters who care nothing for human life and take pleasure in the slaughter of innocent children. Vladislav Shikhov died at the age of 4 and half years old. A nestling who now will be raised into God’s loving arms and no longer has to suffer the fear and horror of the sounds of war and the smell of death.
Here is a picture of him before he was murdered by a cold, unthinking machine from above:
https://www.donbass-insider.com/2021/04/07/dpr-ukrainian-army-kills-a-child-with-drone-in-alexandrovskoe/ .
Let us say a final goodbye to him as did his family:
https://anti-empire.com/ukrainian-drone-strike-kills-a-5-year-old-in-donbass/
What hath God wrought in men who do these unspeakable acts? They must be punished harshly and without reservation.
Russia is in a difficult position at this juncture for her soul is now being threatened by Erdoğan of Turkey. As of April 10, 2021, the want-to-be Sultan has formally declared an agreement with Zelensky to support the capture of the Crimean Federal District of the Russian Federation and the retaking of the LPR and DPR by force.
See: https://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/spilna-deklaraciya-devyatogo-zasidannya-strategichnoyi-radi-67909
Item 4 states, “To continue to coordinate steps aimed at restoring the territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, in particular the deoccupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, as well as the territories in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.”
Item 14 states, “To express support for the prospect of Ukraine’s NATO membership, in particular its intention to obtain a Membership Action Plan in the near future, and to note the desire to promote interoperability of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with the armed forces of Allies.”
These are facts on record, not conjecture or hyperbole.
Behind the scenes we have to wonder if Erdoğan wants something from President Putin; perhaps some concessions in northern Syria. The events are unfolding rapidly for the Russian Foreign Ministry, the Defense Ministry and the State Duma itself.
Questions swirl about:
1. How far will the “competent people in Pentagon” (smoothiex12’s words) push against Mother Russia?
2. If a land gambit starts against Crimea from the north, will Russia go all out and sweep up through Donbass and into Kiev?
3. Will US-NATO launch a long range attack by air from Turkey to destroy the Kerch Strait bridge?
4. Is the Ukraine capable of military action against the LPR and the DPR simultaneously, with or without US-NATO help?
All modern military hostilities had a start date that hinged on factors such as weather, sufficient troop preparedness, interstate political dialog, population sentiment, etc. It appears that all that remains is to extrapolate when the next war for Crimea will begin and many experts believe that favorable weather is all that remains.
Therefore, I am praying to God for rain, rain and more rain; send a flood of biblical proportions and drown those Nazi scum in Kiev!
Those ships aren’t coming to fight.
They are coming to anchor at Ukrainian black see ports to prevent russian ships and invasion from the sea only with their presence.
Similar to the presence in Poti or Gori (don’t remember) in Georgia back in 2008.
Hmmmm… they haven’t been quite sucessfull at that, where they?
In any case, fighting Russia with anchored ships is basically what they call in Usa ‘suicide by cop’…:)
Solid point. Let’s see if Russia is shrewd and makes a move before the ships arrive on station.
And…. what if the Russians come anyway….
Seize the ships…..
Cut them into little pieces…..
Put those in TEUs….
Put those containers on a Maersk Container Ship…. freight collect….
AND…..
Send them to DC….
What then???
INDY
It is high time for Russia to solve situation in Ukraine, while they have technological advantage. By solving, I am talking about placing under firm control 90% of ukrainian territory, cleaning all opposition without mercy in few weeks time.
Any offensive have to be in any case precluded by salvo of two hundred or so precision weapons, decapitating complete ukronazi leadership, including any and all western/nato advisers within its borders.
That should make world a better place, and population in nato countries would suddenly find out that Russians are great people to be friends with.
Every month that passes, the enemy of Russia grows weaker and Russia grows stronger. In such a context, delaying tactics, confusing statements, threats, ‘carrots-to-the-nose”, military buildups, and related moves all make sense especially if the goal is to solve the problem without a single bullet being fired. I predict UKO leadership will turn on each other soon enough.
What do you make of the very recent Ukrainian deployment of the Neptune anti ship cruise missiles?
Unless those batteries are taken out they could shut down a Russian amphibious landing in Odessa or Mariupol before they even get started.
The Neptunes are modernized Soviet Kh-35s: subsonic. Which means that they are not that hard to intercept.
Also, the Ukies only have 4 launchers, so they better fire them all in one salvo and run for cover.
I doubt that the Russians will execute any amphibious landing near big cities, but even if they did, they would first wipe out the defenses, then only move.
In other words, the Neptunes are no more than a minor nuisance for Russia (with their small – 145kg – warhead they cannot do much damage to the Crimean Bridge, even if the Ukies are making noises about that)
Cheers
Thank you for your reply. Gee whiz, I didn’t realize the Neptunes are subsonic…who in their right mind creates subsonic anti ship missiles in the 21st Century?
I love these threads and appreciate the technical analysis.
As near as I can figure out, the best minds available to the Barris administration put on their thinking caps and concocted a plan that would
a) embarrass Russia and divert attention away from Syria
b) stop NS2
c) reunite Ukraine
d) establish US supremacy over all of Europe, Asia and Africa.
Like I said, this is the best the neocons could come up with. The results will be predictable.
“armed with Kinzhal Kh-47M2 hypersonic missiles, whose M=10+ and violent maneuvering and incredible range of 2000 kilometers make them impervious to any air defense technology the United States has today and in the nearest future (7-10 years at least).
When the US dollar crashes and burns and is no longer the world’s reserve currency (Very Soon ) we can safely add another 20 -30 years the US will fall behind in missile technology.
With the collapse of the US imminent, the authorities will be trying to keep the country together, putting them further and further behind. The indespensible nation will become the clown nation.
How about this,
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/usaf-hypersonic-missiles-fails-launch-highly-anticipated-test
Much has been said of military capability, offensive, standoff etc.
As well as positioning in preparation to either attack or defend. As well as creating a false flag to justify incursion.
Question what if Russia instigated a false flag.
Now would that not create panic.
Why would Russia need a false flag? I think the numerous violations of the cease fire agreement by Ukraine is justification enough. The question might be asked why Russia hasn’t acted earlier.
Yes. The fact that Russia has not done a false flag is what they are relying on.
Now if they did would you agree it is left field. All set places are in position. Chess is a masterful game, deception is also an aspect of it. False flag is a pawn to draw your opponent. That they have not ever used it does not mean they cannot.
There is a military term “maskirovka” that I think sort of covers the idea of the “false flag” in the Western world. I am no expert but “maskirovka” seems to be applied in a different sense though. The recent Russian campaign in Crimea is perhaps a good example of this idea being applied. I don’t expect a sort of Russian 9\11, it just doesn’t seem to be part of the mind set.
Maskirovka is more akin to deception, in the sense of make believe. See Operation Bagration..
Thank you for mentioning Operation Bagration. I read up a little on it and was reminded of how terrible war can be. Wow! But yes this is a good example Maskirovka in a military sense.
Dear Andrei Martyanov,
What is your comment about chinese owning hypersonic missiles to destroy the american carriers, AND building big carriers ?
Looks like a mental disorder for me, they are not thinking, they just want to do “as the americans”
There is too much misunderstanding about khibini. Like Ivica repic said, it is aircraft mounted. The people who said it was the su24 also circled the 2 external fuel tanks carried on the pilons, stating that was the Khibini system. Hence, they had no clue what they were talking about.
I think what Andrei kindly wrote in his article is the best explanation of that particular event. The ships passive radar detects being hit by search radars, but then gave a serious warning when the targeting radar hit the ship, which is serious.
As for showing in Syria, I think you are confusing two separate systems. A lot of different EW systems are in Syria. There is a wiki showing it mounted on the wingtips of a Su34.
I am puzzled by this analysis. No one expects the US to attack Russia. That would be World War III with unpredictable consequences. Instead the US is following its old strategy of a proxy war in which Ukraine is one of the pawns.
The main function of such American ships is that they have advanced equipment to observe what is happening in Ukraine and that they can serve as a kind of command basis. Of course the US has equipment inside Ukraine too but that is at risk of being hit by a missile during a hot conflict. Russia won’t attack US ships for the same reason the US won’t directly attack Russia.
Maybe these ships are the sacrificial lamb – the false flag to start the war.
NatSouth posts naval Sitreps on his blog which are, as to be expected, quite thorough, with relevant commentary.
Latest one includes movement of the LST/amphibious warfare ships from the Caspian to the Black Sea, and his comments on the two US Aegis ships to the Black Sea.
https://natsouth.livejournal.com/19426.html
All the weapons in the world are just bluster until someone pulls the trigger and the truth is known. America and NATO have never faced a worthy advisory since NATO was formed. In other words NATO is purely bluster. The day that the trigger is pulled. NATO will fold its hand and beg for peace. America will find itself in a very lonely place. Maybe, its masters in Israel will come to the rescue. I am not sure how to spell deep guttural laughter, but that is what I am doing.
” … there is plenty of subsonic, supersonic and hypersonic goodness to spread around … ” is probably the friendliest way – that I have ever heard – to say ‘Just f**k off’.
“what seems today a diminishing probability of confrontation in Donbass”
That’s what I want and I appreciate that comment.
“Diminishing probability”, like ain’t gonna happen?
And while US ships and recce aircraft are tooling around the place gathering int, the Russians are busy practising spoofing them and collecting their behaviour and capabilities. Nobody, historically, is better at operational and tactical deception than the Russian military.
Yesterday was April 12.
The West tries very hard to “cancel” that date, as it provided twice a unfathomable shock.
When Yuri Gagarin has been the first man in space, “wining the race” as some UK papers printed back then; an incredible journey if you think at it, as it came from the country that suffered the most from the war only a few years before, and which was under full “cold war” attack; yet not only the SSSR rebuilt the economy, but went ahead on several things (in some areas the advance is still here, inherited by Russia).
Less known maybe, some years before, what has been probably the biggest defeat of the US Air Force. The US military was in full war against Korea, doing a genocidal carpet bombing with their huge “super fortress” bombers, which were being mass produced, and had been designed to not only drop explosive, incendiary and napalm bombs, but also atomic bombs. It was before intercontinental missiles, and it was (B52+Abom) the ultimate and unrivaled weapon making the USA the unrivaled hegemonic power. Well, so they believed…
On April 12th that weapon became obsolete, as the MiG 15 appeared in the skies.
The Mikoyan and Gurevich design bureau designed that plane specifically to counter the atomic treat of the super bombers; and it perfectly fulfilled the task.
That happened when the US led coalition had an overwhelming superiority on all aspects and numbers in the korean theater; still, the precise design of the MiG 15 nullified the main US asset, and ultimately forced them to sign a truce.
If war happens, there would probably be a similar “reality check”, and the psychological shock and awe will be even more brutal, as the US as lost technological advance and is also much more weak psychologically.
As always a big fan of your articles and books Andrei.
My good friend in the US army said “Russia by far has the most powerful army in the world”. Many of our soldiers know this!
Unfortunately we have dementia Joe and the Neocons in charge…… may God have mercy on us!
No mention of Russian submarines. Surely they are around… somewhere.
a lot of nonsense nowadays. The Anglo-US duo wants Putin’s head, because it will be easy to overthrow Russia next. The goal is to overthrow Putin. Then, the plan follows.
We spent tens of trillions and what did we get, corruption and vulnerability; weakness, and hubris. What happened to the adults in America? We have only a feminized Amerika, whining and bitching like spoiled girls, causing problems for everyone.
The net is reporting new M14+ missiles from Russia.
You have no idea how much I enjoy reading all these about the nation I love with all my life, and it’s most awesome president Mr. VLADIMIROVICH Putin !
It make my soul sleeps at night !!