Obvious question is what is the launch platform:
With that in mind, a ground-launched adaptation is far more likely, and there is a real precedent for this. The AGM-45 Shrike, from which the AGM-88 was partially derived, was ported over into a land-launched concept. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) used an M4A1 Sherman tank hull as a base for the 'Kilshon" ground-based anti-radiation missile launcher system. It used the Shrike with a rocket booster that would be launched off a rail-like armature emanating from the top of the vehicle. The system was rushed into service after the Yom Kippur War. It could forward deploy and provide persistence ARM capability without having aircraft in the air constantly or putting them in danger if they were.
Ukraine strikes targets in Crimea:
Zelenskyy vows to eventually retake the peninsula:
“This Russian war against Ukraine and against the entire free Europe began with Crimea and must end with Crimea—with its liberation,” Zelensky said.
But Ukrainian officials and lawmakers who spoke to Foreign Policy said Kyiv was not immediately focused on taking back the peninsula.
Absent China stepping in and forcing a settlement, this will end extremely badly.
No Russian leader will give up Crimea.
I especially like the crocodile in frilly bonnet in the lower right.
That might actually be very a pro po of the Turks, especially after Attafurk.
The only practical solution would be for the Kiev regime to cry Uncle and ask for a stop in the conflict. But who will be the peacekeepers, able to guard the cessation of conflict?
Russia will never trust NATO or any of its members – for very obvious reasons. The Kiev regime will never trust the Russians. The logical answer is for China to step forward and put a large military force in the rump Ukraine to defend its borders and keep both US/NATO and Russia out. China also has the money to rebuild the rump Ukraine, and has long had plans for the Ukraine as part of their Belt & Road project. Notice that China has tried all along to avoid direct involvement in the Ukraine conflict, perhaps with the intent of keeping this option open.
So the DC Swamp’s nasty proxy war in the Ukraine ends up with Euro NATO countries having a massive Chinese military presence on their border. European nations should choose their allies more carefully.
What about UN peace keepers? Blue helmets … those could be Nepalese troops. Politically defensible and militarily inconsequential.
Ukraine is really far from China and you got to assume that absent any natural support in the region, what would have to be true for Chinese peace keepers to venture out would be an inordinately large prize.
Wouldn’t doing nothing and maintaining plausible deniability be much more advantageous for China?
That is arguably so. On the other hand, we do know that part of our Deep State’s rationale for sending hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians to their deaths, and even more into exile, in our Better’s proxy war is that the Ukraine sits on some very attractive real estate – rich agricultural land, valuable mineral resources, plentiful fresh water. Hence scattered reports about US fronts buying assets in the Ukraine. We know that Chinese Communist Party members are much better capitalists than we have been for several generations, so it is reasonable to guess that the CCP would see some commercial advantages in taking control of rump Ukraine in the name of international peace.
China has a great advantage over us in dealing with a corrupt stinking mess such as Kiev – China has demonstrated it knows how to deal with corrupt officials, quickly & cheaply.
Poland is serious:
1000 tanks and 900 self-propelled howitzers.
The 48 FA-50 aircraft are minor. Perhaps intended to principally serve an attack role backed up by air-to-air assets from other NATO countries. Notably, they may stage Poland to buy the second generation of the KF-21 on the assumption that Korea will develop a combined support network for the two types.
The holiday in question is UA Independence Day on 8/24:
Oh joy, one step closer?
Not even Lee Harvey Oswald could shoot down an Su-34 with a Nagant:
Oy! Is our generation the one with backbone, willing to take chance, or is this a Ukrainian PR piece?
We all know the answer to that. It is the same as the Angel of Kiev, who shot down lots of Russian planes … in a computer game. Or the doughty defenders of Snake Island who fought Alamo-like to the death … and are now all in captivity in the Donbas.
Undoubtedly there have been real Kiev-side heroes and successes … just as there have been many real Donbas/Russian-side heroes and successes. But most of what gets reported in Western media is puff pieces for the rather corrupt honchos in Kiev. Genuine reporting is hard to find. One wonders why?
One does not. It’s obvious.