re: Latest Updates: Russia-Ukraine Conflict.

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NATO's GDP advantage over Russia doesn't matter if Russia doesn't end up in a war with NATO, and I don't think Russia wants that because they aren't suicidal.

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The hell it doesn't. (and clearly, they are)

The enormous GDP advantage manifests itself directly in the hundreds of billions of dollars that is allowing the Ukrainians to fight on is coming straight from NATO coffers - the Russians cry about this every day. The crazy thing about this is that despite what all the Trump supporters and nationalist asswholes of the west say, we absolutely can afford this conflict and I don't just mean that from a survivalist standpoint. We can continue to send them money and aid without any real detriment to our economies.

But moving forward it becomes an even greater advantage when drone technology becomes what it can be. Here's a pretty good take on it:



The European and American advantage in GDP is about to show itself in funding the Ukrainian drone industry which, from what I can tell, would be the nail in Russia's military coffin.

Lastly, Russia's allies, such as Iran, are getting their asses kicked by American allies because of the lack of support their getting while Isreal and others are getting all the help they need. The GDP advantage ABSOLUTLEY matters there.

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General Patton didn't know anything about drones.

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No $hit. He would have gone in even deeper on the Russians if he did.

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It actually just comes down to the very simple math of "a truck, train, or plane costs way more than a donkey does".

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No it does not. JESUS PEOPLE

Yes, they are there because of their lack of actual tracks, that is true, but donkeys have no place in this fight outside of desperation by a stupid, cruel, inept regime who is able to only take a few meters a day because of this stupid aproach.

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That didn't work in Russia, because the entire country was essentially in the military... they were never behind the defensive lines, because... there were no defensive "lines," all of Russia was a giant defensive block. Capturing or defeating lots of Russian troops couldn't force a surrender.

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The Germans vastly overestimated just how many soldiers russia would put into the fight. In "A War to Be Won", a German officer was quoted saying they can destroy 10 Russian divisions and they'd just raise 10 more. They aren't well equipped or led, but they are there." It still sapped German men and material to deal with even these hastily formed armies. Also, unlike Western Europe, Russia gets wider the further you invade.

As for human waves, I think that happened more in the early stages when it was survival mode, but the Soviets started learning how to use both their soldiers and equipment better by 1943. The book I referenced mentions Stalin telling his generals it doesn't matter how much we can produce if you don't start using it smarter. By the time of Operation Bagration, it was clear they were every bit as capable of mounting operations as the Germans who held them in such contempt.

Russia is using missiles comparable to our Tomahawks against Ukraine. That’s nothing new. Selling Ukraine Tomahawks would just be evening out the playing field.

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Key Takeaways The Kremlin remains committed to its rhetorical effort to dissuade the United States from selling Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine amidst critical policy debates.
The Trump administration continues to voice support for additional military support for Ukraine ahead of the October 17 meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Kremlin continues to advance its messaging strategy designed to separate the United States from Ukraine and Europe to undermine NATO cohesion and support for Ukraine.
Dutch officials recently observed unidentified drones operating near a NATO military exercise in Poland that may have disrupted military-grade communication systems, marking the latest incident in a trend of drone incursions across Europe.
Ukraine’s European partners announced new military assistance to Ukraine amid the October 15 Ukraine Defense Contact Group (the Ramstein Format) meeting.
European officials report that UK sanctions and NATO joint military operations are inhibiting Russia’s illicit shadow fleet.
Russian forces advanced in eastern Zaporizhia Oblast and near Pokrovsk and Velykomykhailivka.

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The above report is from yesterday. It remains to be seen if today’s event change things.

ISW

War update: 146 clashes along frontline, fiercest fighting in Pokrovsk sector

16.10.2025 23:56

There have been 146 combat clashes on the front; the Russians have made 42 attempts to break through Ukraine’s defense in the Pokrovsky sector, losing over 150 personnel.

This was reported by Ukrinform with reference to operational information of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as of 22:00 on October 16 on Facebook.

“As of now, a total of 146 combat clashes have occurred. Today, the Russians launched one missile and 63 air strikes, used 37 missiles and dropped 125 guided bombs. In addition, the invaders used 2,372 kamikaze drones to attack our troops and settlements, and carried out 3,301 shelling attacks,” the post says.

According to the General Staff, the enemy launched two attacks on the Ukrainian positions in the Northern Slobozhanshchyna and Kursk sectors. In addition, the Russians launched seven airstrikes, dropped 19 guided bombs, and carried out 182 attacks, including 20 from multiple rocket launcher systems.

In the Southern Slobozhanshchyna sector, Russian forces launched 14 attacks near Vovchansk, Vovchanski Khutory, Kamianka, as well as toward Kolodiazne, Bolohivka, and Kutkivka. Two combat clashes are still ongoing.

In the Kupiansk sector, the Russians made 11 attempts to advance on Ukraine’s positions near the settlements of Petropavlivka, Pishchane, Bohuslavka, toward Kurylivka and Borovaia.

In the Lyman sector, Ukrainian defenders repelled ten Russian attacks. The enemy attacked near Derylove, Ridkodub, Torske, Kolodiazi, Zarichne, toward Druzheliubivka and Lyman. Three combat clashes are still ongoing.

In the Sloviansk sector, Ukrainian forces repelled three enemy attacks. Units of the invaders attempted to advance near Serebrianka and Yampil. One battle is still ongoing.

In the Kramatorsk sector, the enemy did not conduct offensive operations.

In the Kostiantynivka sector, Ukrainian forces repelled 16 enemy attacks near Shcherbynivka, Pleshchiivka, Rusyn Yar, toward Kostiantynivka, Stepanivka and Sofiivka.

In the Pokrovsk sector, throughout this day, the Russians attacked Ukraine’s positions 42 times near the settlements of Shakhove, Nykanorivka, Volodymyrivka, Dorozhne, Chervonyi Lyman, Novoekonomichne, Rodynske, Pokrovsk, Zvirove, Kotlyne, Lysivka, Udachne, Filiia and toward Myrnohrad, Novopavlivka, Bilytske and Balahan. Two attacks are still ongoing.

According to preliminary estimates, today, in the Pokrovsk sector, the Russian invaders lost 153 people killed and wounded. Ukrainian defenders destroyed two tanks, one artillery system, 21 unmanned aerial vehicles, two UAV control points, four units of automotive equipment and one unit of special equipment. They also hit three veheicles, one unit of special equipment, three artillery systems, three UAV control points and 12 shelters for enemy personnel.

In the Oleksandrohrad sector, Ukrainian defenders have already repelled 20 enemy attacks near the settlements of Zelenyi Hai, Novokhatske, Sichneve, Sosnivka, Verbove, Novomykolaivka, Ivanivka, Oleksandrohrad and Novohryhorivka. Two more combat clashes are still ongoing.

In the Huliaipole sector, the enemy attacked the Ukrainian positions five times near the settlements of Poltavka and Malynivka. Four combat clashes are still ongoing. The settlement of Zaliznychne was hit by an airstrike.

In the Orikhiv sector, the Russians carried out one unsuccessful offensive operation near Stepove.

In the Prydniprovske sector, Ukrainian defenders repelled three attacks by the invaders. Kozatske was hit by an airstrike.

As Ukrinform reported, in Pokrovsk district, Ukraine’s Defense Forces liberated 182.8 sq. km and cleared 230.1 sq. km from enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups.

Ukrinform

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They also had American equipment.

400,000 trucks and jeeps, 14,000 aircraft, 13,000 tanks.

Russia is the OG “government we gave shite to that ended up a mortal enemy”

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As the manager of Russia's Moscow refinery said to me in English, "Thank you Mr. Roosevelt" in 1992 while seeing a single process unit he had three identical copies of.

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We gave them lots of arms before we (or they) officially entered the War against Germany.

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We didn’t begin to aid Russia until October of 1941 several months after Germany invaded Russia.

Remember Russia had already allied with Germany to carve up Poland s d the Baltic States.

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We gave them lots of arms before we (or they) officially entered the War against Germany.


We didn’t begin to aid Russia until October of 1941 several months after Germany invaded Russia.

Remember Russia had already allied with Germany to carve up Poland s d the Baltic States.

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I worded that goofy... we started sending them aid when Germany turned on them, but before we had entered the war, and before they were "officially" on team Allies... I think Germany attacked Russia in June of '41, and we started sending them arms immediately... it took some convincing to get the other Allied countries to trust them, considering, so there was a bit of a lag... or that's what I remember from some class.


Here's the thing that's forgotten, though. The Soviets were VERY anti-Nazi Germany early on in the '30s... I forget the name of the Soviet official but he was trying very hard to unite Europe against Hitler, and a couple of key things happened and the Nazis grabbed territory and... nobody wanted to do anything about it. When Stalin saw that "appeasement" was going to be the Western approach to Hitler until it was probably too late, he calculated that being on the losing side of that would be bad... he replaced that official with Molotov. Then we get the non-aggression pact, and then "hey, let's split Poland and everything under it, what do you say?"

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Looks like Putin made enough promises to Trump to get the Tomahawks off the table for the time being. Zelensky will have to hope for other results from this trip.

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Putin usually goes overboard on Shahed drone and missile attacks right after he talks to Trump...

Not everyone is like you and tells the "truth"

LINK

FTR, decommissioning was in 1991 and demolition started in 1992 completed in 1994. Due a commission dispute, I left the project in August 1993. My employer, the contractor, Kimmins Industrial Service, HQ in Tampa, with offices in Houston and Niagara Falls, was a preferred contractor for Shell. The Houston office was located at 3555 Timmons Lane a block away from Richmond close to Greenway Plaza

That is a helluva lot more accurate than your process compressors boguht off th shelf from the local Graineer store.

Shell in Wilmington/Carson was the first refinery to bug up due stupid and onerous CA regulations. The Carson site was built in 1943 for the War Dept to primary provide high octane aviation fuel for the Pacific. It also had a small chemical plant which took ethane from the Cat Cracker to make 200 proof SD Alcohol (synthetic ethanol) for Scope