I suspect the timing was part meteorological, and part international response (the rest of the world is starting to put the Corona chaos behind them - one big govt distraction removed) . I have heard reports that Russia heavy vehicle tech may not have been maintained to sufficient combat readiness (as measured against western military forces) , and the root cause may be fraud (corruptniks leeching money supposed to be spent on the "OAM" ) . Consequently some of said vehicles have been breaking down in the field. And of course, if you cannot move them off narrow/muddy roads in a theatre where you do not have mastery of the skies, the last thing you want is long stalled vehicle columns begging to be "strafed" .
Having watched some of the combat footage, this is almost exactly what happened. A lot of it appeared to be tactical mistakes rather than vehicle failure, though. They were driving into town in straight lines down main roads. The lead tank would get destroyed by a drone or missile and then one much further back. Everything in the middle would be stuck and then picked off by soldiers with RPGs or more missiles. A crazy lack of infantry or air support.
Arnie strikes again! Who'd have thunk 50 years ago, that an Austrian Mr Universe and bit part actor would have become a global Statesman, coming out on the right side of virtually ever major national and international issue?
I think the analysts are talking about the number/locale of such vehicles seen in footage during the early days of the conflict (in the middle of nowhere, no weapons damage etc) .
The party of small government: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60750463 What a load of old bullshit.
What has been spectacularly missing from the coverage of the war has been regular and meaningful analysis of the military side of things. The BBC for example, as has been their way in recent years have gone "human interest" above all, and their reporters are falling over themselves to come up with new superlatives for the violence - all notably lacking military context (or accuracy). I heard the other day someone on Radio 4 describing Ukranian cities that have 'disappeared from the map'. Clearly an emotive and incorrect statement. Regarding the Russian military, it is admittedly hard to understand what they are doing most of the time, and it doesn't help that the media isn't employing people who might interpret what is going on more meaningfully. Generally it has all been rather dumbed down. Nevertheless if you have an interest in more in depth information on Russian tactics you might want to read this: https://www.benning.army.mil/armor/earmor/content/issues/2017/spring/2Fiore17.pdf Now it's really written for military professionals but you are clever chaps and chapesses and might still get some more out of it than you are going to hear on the news. None of it however explains why a column of vehicles drives into town as described. They shouldn't, but they clearly weren't employing proper reconnaissance or had been led to believe that all they had to do was to drive into town in order for it to surrender. We also don't know when that occurred - it might have been earlier on and they do it differently now. One thing for sure however is that there are infantry in the column. This may not be immediately obvious as they'll be riding around in armoured vehicles and will not get out of them unless they really need to (like if they are attacking a town!) It doesn't help that the media seem to describe every armoured vehicle as a tank. The other thing that seems wrong but almost isn't is driving along in a column. This is completely normal and allows them to maximise available routes, and is easier to teach conscripts than more complex formations. However it's not something to still be using in town!
My feeling is the initial attack is like Putin doing a Goering, and bragging to the party faithful that he'll have the job done in N days (as was allegedly said for both Dunkirk and the Battle of Britain) . As commentators have stated, given such a scenario has not come to pass, the fear with "strong man" politics is that to "save face" he may now have to up the scale of the assault to salvage his ego (which will not end well for Ukraine).
P&O majority owned by Dubai Sovereign wealth fund , in other words the Dubai royal family , any coincidence that BoJo the clown met with them yesterday ? He stinks the place out where ever he goes
I predict there may be more to come on this...and Tweeting this may not have been the brightest move! What's the betting that something sensitive may have been revealed? (PS Patel has also just tweeted similar)
P&O appear to have sacked their UK based staff not their French / European based staff , this is supposed to save 10 million a year , their owners spend 140 million on golf sponsorship
One (other...) thing to come out of the P&O shambles is that the Tories posturing that freeports are one of their innovations, as opposed to something introduced under Gordon Brown, has come back to bite them as so many reports keep repeating that the P&O shambles has had a direct negative effect on their freeport policy So, which of Gove or Raab will be doing the rounds today trying to say that, actually, freeports weren't them after all and can people stop blaming the Tories for yet another mess?
