Ukraine – Russia … not more of the last thread

[Mikado463]

The videos of drones with shotguns hunting down Russian drones are interesting.

>>>Drone combat footage released by Ukrainian sources showcases a drone armed with shotguns hunting for Russian drone systems. At one point in the footage, the pilot even finds a Russian Soldier and attempts to targets him with the drone's mounted weapon systems as well.<<<

FUNKER530 | Military Videos and News

Funker530: Combat footage and military news for the veteran community.

funker530.com

This video below has nothing to do with Russia/Ukraine but I thought it was too cool not to share:

>>>St. Elmo's Fire Dances On USAF Warbirds

This footage, courtesy of the US Air Force and CENTCOM, shows a KC-135 Stratotanker providing mid-air refueling to an F-15 Eagle in inclement weather on 05 January, 2025. The electric field in the atmosphere causes St. Elmo's Fire to dance on the leading edges and points of both aircraft. While this is far from the only time this has occurred and indicates no danger to the aircraft, it still looks undeniably cool.

St. Elmo's Fire (also, witchfire) is the colloquial name for the visible plasma of a corona discharge between the atmosphere and rod-like objects. Historically, it has been seen in ships' masts, church spires and other towering objects. In maritime tradition, it is considered a good omen, as for obvious reasons it gives some warning that lightning strikes are likely.<<<

FUNKER530 | Military Videos and News

Funker530: Combat footage and military news for the veteran community.

funker530.com

as an avid sporting clay shooter that is just 'too cool' !! thanks for posting !!

 

[Verdinut]

It looks like Trump won't support Ukraine against Russia. It's then about time for the NATO to admit Ukraine it its ranks and defend it. IMO, if a peace treaty doesn't become effective, it seems to be the only solution to stop Putin from trying to threaten other European countries as well.

 

[GO-NAD!]

It looks like Trump won't support Ukraine against Russia. It's then about time for the NATO to admit Ukraine it its ranks and defend it. IMO, if a peace treaty doesn't become effective, it seems to be the only solution to stop Putin from trying to threaten other European countries as well.

Except, admission to NATO requires a unanimous vote by member countries. So, the US could block Ukraine's membership. This why there was a delay with Sweden's admission. Turkey was the holdout in that case.

 

[shadyJ]

Except, admission to NATO requires a unanimous vote by member countries. So, the US could block Ukraine's membership. This why there was a delay with Sweden's admission. Turkey was the holdout in that case.

Ukraine is not getting into NATO. Firstly, applicant states can not be involved in a ongoing conflict in order to qualify. Secondly, Hungary under Orban and USA under Trump would block Ukraine's admission since Trump and Orban are more sympathetic to Putin than Ukraine. Either country would have to find new leadership or be ejected from NATO. However, if the United States takes military action to sieze Greenland, they would absolutely be ejected from NATO. I don't think Hungary would last long in NATO without the USA's presence as well.

 

[Mr._Clark]

It's amateur hour at the Pentagon.

>>>Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday pulled back some of the peace deal concessions he demanded of Ukraine a day earlier, including no NATO membership for the embattled country or a return to its pre-war borders.

“Everything is on the table” when it comes to negotiations to end the Ukraine war, Hegseth said during a press conference wrapping up two days of NATO meetings in Brussels. . . .

Hegseth said definitively on Wednesday that the U.S. would not accept NATO membership for Ukraine or provide peacekeeping troops, and warned the country would not return to its pre-2014 borders. He also said NATO peacekeeping troops in Ukraine would not be covered by Article 5, a bedrock principle of the alliance that declares any attack on one nation is an attack on all.<<<

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/13/hegseth-pull-back-00204088

It's scary how easily Trump gets played by Putin.

 

[GO-NAD!]

It's amateur hour at the Pentagon.

>>>Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday pulled back some of the peace deal concessions he demanded of Ukraine a day earlier, including no NATO membership for the embattled country or a return to its pre-war borders.

“Everything is on the table” when it comes to negotiations to end the Ukraine war, Hegseth said during a press conference wrapping up two days of NATO meetings in Brussels. . . .

Hegseth said definitively on Wednesday that the U.S. would not accept NATO membership for Ukraine or provide peacekeeping troops, and warned the country would not return to its pre-2014 borders. He also said NATO peacekeeping troops in Ukraine would not be covered by Article 5, a bedrock principle of the alliance that declares any attack on one nation is an attack on all.<<<

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/13/hegseth-pull-back-00204088

It's scary how easily Trump gets played by Putin.

He's way out of his depth...as could have easily been predicted.

 

[cpp]

And all this continues as the Big Orange man continues his word salad on anything outside of the US boarders and poop about his so called promises to fix the high cost of living right here in the US. His comments about the imposed tariffs, " Americans could face “some short-term disturbance” if the US imposes higher tariffs on foreign goods, Trump acknowledged. “Prices could go up somewhat short-term,” he said. “But prices will also go down.” “What will go up is jobs,” claimed Trump. “The jobs will go up tremendously.” Jobs going up is not going to help the economy, its slants the numbers. it doesn't necessarily mean that the cost of goods and services will decrease, as high inflation can still erode the purchasing power of wages earned in those new jobs, leaving people struggling to afford basic necessities despite having employment

Trump said he would not commission any studies into how his mooted tariffs could affect prices for Americans. “There’s nothing to study,” he said. “It’s going to go well.”

What a freaking clown.

 

[mtrycrafts]

...

It's scary how easily Trump gets played by Putin.

Well, Putin been at this a hell of a lot longer than the idiot. And, he has had some training in the secret world there.

 

[mtrycrafts]

...

What a freaking clown.

A clown may be funny, the orange man is anything but, and very dangerous.

 

[Mr._Clark]

He's way out of his depth...as could have easily been predicted.

Unfortunately, yeah, he's clearly not up for teh job.

Hegseth has been getting flamed by political commentators from across the political spectrum:

>>>The National Review’s Mark Antonio Wright shared Schifrin’s post and wrote, “The SECDEF’s not a “realistic outcome” comment on Ukraine and NATO membership was in his prepared remarks. Amateur hour from @PeteHegseth and his staff.” . . .

Former Obama aide and podcaster Tommy Vietor argued, “This was a huge f*up by Hegseth. There’s no walking back his initial comments that Ukraine won’t join NATO or gain back all the territory lost since 2014. He wrote Putin a big check that has already been cashed. Maybe don’t make an unqualified Fox News host @SecDef?”<<<

Pete Hegseth Roasted Over ‘Huge F*ck Up’ and Clean Up on Ukraine Negotiations: ‘Amateur Hour’

“Hegseth’s lack of experience is already showing. Publicly makes a series of pre-emptive concessions prior to the most important negotiations in many years"

www.mediaite.com

A GOP senator slammed him as well:

>>>"I don’t know who wrote the speech — it is the kind of thing Tucker Carlson could have written, and Carlson is a fool," Wicker said, referring to the pro-Putin broadcaster. . . .

“Everybody knows … and people in the administration know you don't say before your first meeting what you will agree to and what you won't agree to,” Wicker said, adding that he was “puzzled” and “disturbed” by Hegseth’s comments. <<<

https://www.politico.eu/article/senate-armed-services-chair-roger-wicker-pete-hegseth-war-in-ukraine-russia/

Trump has been just as clueless. From the Politico article:

>>>Hegseth wasn't freelancing. Trump on Thursday said there was a "good possibility of ending that horrible, very bloody war." He also said it was not "practical" for Kyiv to join NATO and "unlikely" that Ukraine could return to its 2014 pre-invasion borders.<<<

In other words, show Putin your hand, fold, then proclaim yourself to be a brilliant negotiator.

What a maroon.