Will Russia invade Ukraine and what happens if it escalates with NATO/US getting involved

[Si1]

8 minutes ago, Glental said:

Bombs planted on the train seems plausible. This is a massive psychological blow. We’ll have to wait a while for the trolls to get their lines from Moscow 

But why did BOTH road spans come down? Looks to my untrained eye like all elements of the bridge have been blocked. Rail, by massive fire damage, and road both spans. Seems a bit too comprehensive. Which is why there's debate that a special forces operation timed it to include the passing fuel train whilst blowing the road spans at the same time. But as ever my opinion is mostly founded on pop espionage novels so I am open to debate of course 

Maybe it was really Captain Ramius in the USS Dallas. (He was Lithuanian)

Edited October 8, 2022 by Si1

[Si1]

 

 

[Glental]

They need to find another ferris wheel 

[Si1]

3 minutes ago, Si1 said:

 

 

I'm not sure that one of the road spans may have survived.

[MonsieurCopperCrutch]

1 minute ago, Si1 said:

I'm not sure that one of the road spans may have survived.

 

[Si1]

"Crimean Bridge Explosion Details

 

-The Railway Bridge appears to be seriously damaged

 

-On the vehicle bridge both lanes of the road partially collapsed and two parts fell into the water

 

-Russia is setting up a ferry to transport equipment as both bridges are completely unusable"

 

[MonsieurCopperCrutch]

Looks like a truck was involved at the moment of explosion. 

[Si1]

It is indeed looking like both road bridges, just one is more spectacular than the other

And the heat damage from the fuel train seems likely to have caused severe structural damage to the reinforced concrete of the rail bridge. Although at a guess the Ruskies me that still risk using it even though under normal civilian circumstances it might be finished.

 

 

 

Edited October 8, 2022 by Si1

[Glental]

My troll prediction: US is to blame, West is trying to cause WW3, Pilger quote, something about Vietnam or Afghanistan (not the Russia one) 

[Si1]

1 minute ago, Glental said:

My troll prediction: US is to blame, West is trying to cause WW3, Pilger quote, something about Vietnam or Afghanistan (not the Russia one) 

It was on the Crimean side of the border so not in Russia.

I'm sure Ukraine can legitimately take credit for this, as the only affected territories are Russia and Crimea 

[Peter Hun]

1 hour ago, Glental said:

The video from the car has been widely debunked as fake. 

Can only imagine what the mood in the Kremlin is. What a mess they’re in 

Car video was in daylight,  explosion occurred during night hours.

[Peter Hun]

Food rationing in Crimea. 3kg groceries limit.

 

https://www.mk.ru/economics/2022/10/08/v-krymu-ogranichili-prodazhu-bakalei-3-kg-v-odni-ruki.html

[MonsieurCopperCrutch]

 

[Si1]

That was a mahoosive explosion:

 

 

[Will!]

7 hours ago, Big Orange said:

Glad I'm not the only person who noticed this and not going loopy.

It's very sad to see lots of ignorant Westerners being pro-authoritarian and pro-war in Europe.

Contrarians are contrary.

[btd1981]

3 minutes ago, Si1 said:

That was a mahoosive explosion:

 

 

Difficult to imagine there were no civilian casualties

Had hoped the timing was to ensure an empty road. Guess it should have been worse if during day

[Si1]

8 minutes ago, btd1981 said:

Difficult to imagine there were no civilian casualties

Had hoped the timing was to ensure an empty road. Guess it should have been worse if during day

 

If it was a special forces attack I believe they are often about this time very early morning as that's when defenders are sluggish. But of course there's no point unnecessarily killing civilians. And I guess it was timed for the passing tanker train too.

Edited October 8, 2022 by Si1

[byron78]

7 hours ago, Big Orange said:

Glad I'm not the only person who noticed this and not going loopy.

It's very sad to see lots of ignorant Westerners being pro-authoritarian and pro-war in Europe.

I don't understand what has gone wrong with people tbh (there are a lot of bots, mind).

It seems like some people really aren't capable of thought much past very binary observations.

"Me think this bad. Opposite good?"

"Not really the opposite. Likes to murder any opposition, ethnic minorities, and homosexuals. If that's your idea of "good" then goodbye...."

[Odysseus]

Well this has cheered me up this morning. All going a bit pear shaped for Vlad. Massive symbolic victory for Ukraine.

[Blobsy]

5 minutes ago, Odysseus said:

Well this has cheered me up this morning. All going a bit pear shaped for Vlad. Massive symbolic victory for Ukraine.

Yes, and operationally a disaster for them.

 

Edited October 8, 2022 by Blobsy

[Trampa501]

2 hours ago, Si1 said:

But why did BOTH road spans come down? Looks to my untrained eye like all elements of the bridge have been blocked. Rail, by massive fire damage, and road both spans. Seems a bit too comprehensive. Which is why there's debate that a special forces operation timed it to include the passing fuel train whilst blowing the road spans at the same time. But as ever my opinion is mostly founded on pop espionage novels so I am open to debate of course 

Maybe it was really Captain Ramius in the USS Dallas. (He was Lithuanian)

Already heard claims this was a false-flag operation, given the result was so effective.

Will be interesting to hear the official accounts, from both sides.

[MonsieurCopperCrutch]

5 minutes ago, Si1 said:

If it was a special forces attack I believe they are often about this time very early morning as that's when defenders are sluggish. But of course there's no point unnecessarily killing civilians. And I guess it was timed for the passing tanker train too.

The tanker train was stopped so must be coordinated attack with signals sabotaged. 

[Quiet Guy]

2 minutes ago, MonsieurCopperCrutch said:

The tanker train was stopped so must be coordinated attack with signals sabotaged. 

"The head of the Foreign Ministry noted that Russia has a responsible army and "all these threats are taken into account," since "there is no smoke without fire."

“And I am convinced that all these plans will fail completely,” TASS quoted him as saying.

Earlier, Major General of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Dmitry Marchenko called the Crimean bridge the number one target for destruction by Western weapons.

The Kremlin stressed that the security of Crimea is guaranteed by preventive and additional measures taken by the Russian military."

https://www.tellerreport.com/news/2022-06-16-lavrov-said-that-threats-from-ukraine-to-attack-the-crimean-bridge-will-fail.Bkl6mvTOYc.html

Well that didn't age well.

[Si1]

2 minutes ago, Odysseus said:

Well this has cheered me up this morning. All going a bit pear shaped for Vlad. Massive symbolic victory for Ukraine.

Don't think it's just symbolic. If the rail and road links are out of action then Russia's only other supply route is through mariopol. The rail junction there got HIMARS attention the other day.

Food and petrol shortages ALREADY in Crimea. Also creates a physical barrier for Russian troops to get trapped by.

Sure it's a psychological blow to VTUP's little national symbol, in fairness especially given his birthday. But I think it's a serious strategic victory and well timed too. 

[Quiet Guy]

10 minutes ago, Si1 said:

If it was a special forces attack I believe they are often about this time very early morning as that's when defenders are sluggish. But of course there's no point unnecessarily killing civilians. And I guess it was timed for the passing tanker train too.

Agreed. I'm thinking Ukrainian forces rigged explosives on train track and road then waited for fuel train before detonating for maximum impact. Quite a coup for the Ukrainians.