This video was released by the Armenian Ministry of Defense on the first day of the 2020 Azerbaijan-Armenia war.
The Armenians released half a dozen of such gloating videos in the first three days of the war... and then none, because after three days 1/n
Azerbaijan had broken through Armenian minefields and defense lines and began to run circles around the hapless, incompetently led, shoddily equipped Armenians.
The reason I am showing you this video is to make everyone realize that the first days of an offensive are ALWAYS
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the most difficult for an attacker.
In the first days defenders sit in their prepared positions behind by minefields, and still have all their tanks & artillery, still have ample ammunition, still have all their troops, still have functioning logistics, still have reserves.
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An offensive needs to grind down these resources of the defender, before a breakthrough can be accomplished and exploited.
There are various ways to do this and all of them take time: the 1991 Gulf War ground campaign lasted just four days, because before its start coalition
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aircraft had subjected Iraq for 38 days and nights to one of the most intensive air bombardments in military history.
We can't judge the success of the Kherson offensive now. The Second Battle of El Alamein looked like a disaster for the British for its first twelve days,
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the Battle of Waterloo shaped up to be a disastrous British defeat until 4 pm in the afternoon. In Normandy the allies failed to achieve any of their goals on the first day and it took them 55 days to finally exhaust the Germans and break out from Normandy.
Every day now
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Ukrainian troops degrade russian manpower, equipment, and logistics. We will know the outcome of the battle in a few days... when one side will run out of troops, ammo, logistics, and reserves.
The russians, whose supply lines run over the Dnipro bridges, which are pounded
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relentlessly by HIMARS strikes, are likely to be exhausted first... but until then Ukraine will lose many troops, tanks and vehicles... but these losses tell us nothing about the success or failure of the Ukrainian offensive.
At this point no one can make an assessment about
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the success or failure of the offensive - not even the russian general staff, not even the Ukrainian general staff.
So be patient. For now fighting rages and we don't know, which side has the upper hand in manpower and materiel.
I believe it to be the Ukrainians, because
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they have more and better trained troops, Western precision weapons, higher morale, ample ammo supplies, and now also air support (thanks to American HARM missiles and Turkish TB2).
Once Ukrainian troops reach the Dnipro, we will now for sure. Until then: Слава Україні!
10/end
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Italy's 61º Stormo received enough of the new T-345A basic jet trainers to begin pilot training this June.
As everyone knows, I am all for growing European militaries and adding capabilities... but why does EVERYTHING have to be with US engines?
Europe must stop buying US
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made kit, components and weapon systems.
The Italian T-345A (left) and the Czech L-39 Skyfox (right) are the only two basic jet trainers currently in production in Europe... and both use a Williams International FJ44-4M turbofan made in Ogden, Utah.
Yes, there are more 2/n
American components than just the engines in both, but as aircraft are designed around their engines Europe needs to stop buying American and start building engines again.
Both planes the T-345A and L-39 Skyfox replace used European engines: the Italian MB-339 (pic) 3/n
To my American followers: it is time to plan for exile.
Doesn't mean you will have to leave, but based on experiences of Jews fleeing Nazi Germany after 1933 here are a few things to make escape and exile easier:
1) get an up to date passport (the regime might no issue you
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one in the future thus stranding you) 2) if possible get a passport from another nation. It doesn't matter which; just get a passport the regime can't cancel. 3) open bank accounts in a foreign nation (I can't stress this enough! The regime will freeze your American accounts,
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which will prevent you i.e. from booking a flight; and you will arrive in another nation penniless if you do not shift your funds into a non-American bank in a non-American nation ASAP) 4) plan for the regime putting you on a no-fly list. How can you get to the border and to
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I am sorry 🇸🇪 Sweden, but I must talk about the Blekinge-class submarine procurement disaster.
Because it exemplifies what happens, when a nation guts its defence budget AND nonetheless demands from its defence industry to deliver cutting edge systems.
This never works!
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Sweden built its first submarine HM Hajen (pic) in 1904.
Since then Sweden continuously built submarines at Kockums' shipyard in Malmö and at the state owned Karlskrona shipyard.
Between December 1954 and December 1988 (34 years) the two yards launched 24 newly built and 2/n
6 upgraded submarines (The latter, the Jaktubåtarna boats, were extensively reconstructed WWII era coastal submarines).
From 1960 to 1979 Swedish defence spending was always above 3%... in 1980 the decline began, but when the last Västergötland-class submarine was launched 3/n
Those of us, who have been at Euromaidan, know that Ukrainians are fearless, fight for freedom, and never surrender.
Even if the US betrays them, they will fight on.
If you ever met a Ukrainian, you would know that.
Trump etc. have no clue, about these people. 1/9
Ukrainians stood their ground and defend their capital against these russian stormtroopers for months... in the deepest winter.
Ukrainians, like the English, Scottish, Welsh and North Irish during the Blitz 1940, never surrender. They will continue the fight even if alone. 2/9
I lived in Ukraine from 2009 to 2015... the Ukrainian people want to be European and free.
They already fought two revolutions in this century for freedom and Europe.
Now Ukrainians fight bloodiest war in 80 years to keep Europe safe from tyranny and destruction. 3/9