"Stop Fearing a Strong Russia. Start Fearing a Dying One." Topic

One of the best I have read…

Five years ago, the Kremlin promised a three-day special military operation. On May 9, 2026, the Victory Day parade in Moscow proceeded without tanks or heavy military equipment for the first time in nineteen years — because the hardware is in Ukraine, destroyed, or protecting the bunker. Putin descended from the Lenin Mausoleum visibly encumbered beneath his coat — the outline of what appeared to be a heavy armored vest, almost certainly of Western manufacture, since he apparently no longer trusts Russian body armor. Ukrainian drones struck oil refineries deep inside Russian territory in the weeks surrounding the parade, causing significant environmental contamination in Tuapse. New cars cost three times what they did in 2014. Small businesses were told by members of the State Duma that 'only a miracle can save them.' Belarus closed its border to Russian men of military age. And Zelensky, standing in Yerevan where 5,000 Russian troops are still stationed, publicly offered to 'assist' with the aerial portion of the parade — a statement whose strategic implication was unmistakable: Ukraine now controls the airspace calculus over Russian territory.

The Russian Cross: A Nation That Began Dying Before the War
In 1991, Russia's population stood at 148.5 million people. In 1992, for the first time in peacetime history, the number of deaths in Russia exceeded the number of births. Demographers named this inflection point the 'Russian Cross' — the moment when the death curve crossed above the birth curve and a sustained demographic decline became structurally embedded in Russian society. It was not caused by war, plague, or famine in the traditional sense. It was caused by systemic despair.

Superimposed on the demographic deficit was a three-wave emigration crisis that stripped Russia of precisely the human capital it could least afford to lose…

More here

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Armand

Thanks, Armand. That was worth reading.

Hope you can read the whole article… there are much more interesting stuff there…

Armand

A great find Armand, thank you!

WOW!! Enlightening! Thanks, Armand!

Until Putang is out of office and Russia returns to pre-war territory they should get nothing! To do otherwise is to encourage the same behavior!

Each and every Russian nuke should be made accountable!
Only when dire consequences are given, will nukes be safely stored and placed out of terrorists hands.

Great find Armand. Thanks for posting it.

Tom

Here … how can I put this ?

Don't trust the Russians …

Thanks for this article Tango1. It gives somewhat frightening clarity to the current situation.

I'm never reading all of that -- impressive though.
Russ Dunaway

Tango01 +1

A votre service mon cher amis…

Waiting Cuprum comments…

Of couse this is all a lie and propaganda… (smile)

Armand

Yes, Tango. This is mostly wishful thinking))) I'm tired of refuting this endless, stupid nonsense, simply because it's an endless and pointless exercise. I just feel sorry for my time…
Consume any fantasies and gossip you like)))
War will show the real results. Let's just wait until it's over ;)

It would be better if you told us that the Russians have adopted a new strategic nuclear missile, the Sarmat. One such missile is enough to destroy, say, Great Britain or France…

The Sarmat is a three-stage, liquid-fueled missile with a range of 18,000 kilometres (11,000 mi) and a launch weight of 208.1 tonnes (204.8 long tons; 229.4 short tons). The missile is 35.3 metres (116 ft) long and 3 metres (9.8 ft) in diameter. Designated a "heavy" ICBM, the Sarmat can load a wide variety of warhead options. According to Russian media, Sarmat is capable of carrying 10 tonnes of payload, of ten 750 kiloton, 15 or 16 lighter MIRV warheads, and 3 Avangard hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs) or a combination of warheads and several countermeasures against anti-ballistic missile systems.

According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Sarmat has a short boost phase, which shortens the interval when it can be tracked by satellites with infrared sensors, such as the U.S. Space-Based Infrared System, allegedly making it more difficult to intercept.
Sarmat provides Russia with a Fractional Orbital Bombardment (FOBS) capability that can fly a trajectory over the South Pole to targets in the United States, which has the advantage of being able to avoid missile defense systems in the northern United States.

According to Russian state media sources, RS-28's launch sites were to be equipped with the "Mozyr" active protection system, which is claimed to negate a potential adversary's first strike advantage by discharging a cloud of metal arrows or balls kinetically that allegedly would destroy incoming bombs, cruise missiles and ICBM warheads at altitudes of up to 6 km (3.7 mi).

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This really puts my mind at ease… I mean… no refutation of the reported data except for the "endless, stupid nonsense" label, which says absolutely nothing… but you still insist on the last bastion of Russia's failure… the nuclear threat… something no one believes because it would trigger mutual destruction, which no one wants… much less the corrupt technocrats who run Russia… there are no religious fanatics or militants there like in Iran, nor does their leader have the idolatry of a single God like in North Korea… your nuclear threats (since you admit that everything else failed shamefully) are a paper tiger…

I invite you to read (I'm sure you've already read it, but it sounds much better to portray yourself as the macho Russian who didn't) the section on nuclear weapons in the same article…

Enjoy!…

"…The Nuclear Question: Deterrence or Theater?
Russia possesses approximately 6,000 nuclear warheads. The threat of their use has paralyzed Western decision-making at every critical juncture. The strategy is explicit — 'escalate to de-escalate': use the threat of nuclear escalation to deter conventional adversaries and extract political concessions. The strategy has worked. Western governments have repeatedly limited military assistance to Ukraine, declined to authorize the use of Western weapons against Russian territory, and moderated their strategic objectives.

But there is a question Western policymakers have been reluctant to ask publicly: how many of those 6,000 warheads are actually operational?

Nuclear weapons are not static deterrents. They require continuous maintenance, component replacement, and testing. Tritium — a hydrogen isotope essential to thermonuclear warhead function — has a half-life of 12.3 years, meaning warhead yield degrades measurably over roughly a decade without replacement. Electronic components degrade. The specialized scientific and engineering workforce required to sustain a nuclear arsenal is precisely the category of human capital that has been departing Russia in the three emigration waves described above.

A country that cannot repair roads in Novosibirsk. That cannot pay teachers in ten regions. That cannot prevent the bankruptcy of its national railway. That has lost over a million of its most productive citizens to emigration. That is spending 40 percent of its federal budget on defense while watching GDP contract. This country is also maintaining 6,000 nuclear warheads in full operational readiness. The premise deserves scrutiny.

This is not a claim that Russia's arsenal is non-functional. Even a fraction of Russia's declared arsenal — if only ten percent of warheads remain fully operational — represents an existential threat capable of destroying civilization. This analysis does not contest that reality, and nothing in what follows should be read as minimizing it. What it does contest is the assumption that the arsenal's full operational readiness across all 6,000 declared warheads can be taken as given, given the institutional and economic conditions that have prevailed for three decades and have accelerated sharply since 2022. The number functions in Western strategic discourse as an unexamined axiom. It deserves the same analytical scrutiny applied to every other dimension of Russian state capacity — not to minimize the threat, but to understand it accurately. Deterrence built on inflated assumptions of adversary capability is not prudent — it is a subsidy to coercion.

What is clear is that Russia's nuclear signaling has functioned as a highly effective mechanism of political coercion in the current conflict — regardless of the actual operational status of individual warheads. Deterrence works on perception, and Russia has managed perception with considerable skill. The threat of first use against NATO is credible not because it is rational in strict strategic terms, but because a leadership facing existential pressure may not behave rationally — and Western governments have correctly internalized this risk. What deserves challenge is not the reality of nuclear deterrence but the extent to which nuclear signaling has been allowed to function as a blanket veto on all Western conventional action — a far broader application than deterrence theory justifies. The Soviet Union issued nuclear threats throughout its existence. It did not use nuclear weapons. When the Soviet system collapsed in 1991, the nuclear arsenal did not save it. These are data points, not guarantees — but they are data points that Western policy has been too reluctant to incorporate…"

Armand

Tango, I simply cannot go around refuting all the nonsense from the internet cesspools that you regularly drag in here. It consumes a hell of a lot of time. I've simply had enough of it—right now, I'm learning how to create 3D models of figures, and I find that far more interesting.

The Russians are not only maintaining their old warheads but have also developed an entire series of new, state-of-the-art missiles—the most advanced currently in existence—surpassing anything else ever created in the world. These are missiles that have rendered Western missile defense systems completely obsolete. Do you have any idea how much that costs?
And all this is happening while Russia is in its fifth year of facing sanctions unprecedented in history, and is waging a war against a state that is being funded and armed by 52 different countries.

Novosibirsk is right next door to me—just 250 kilometers away. You ask if our roads are bad? They are an order of magnitude better than they were back in the USSR era. And that's despite the fact that our annual air temperatures fluctuate wildly—anywhere from +40°C down to -40°C. How many Western roads, I wonder, are capable of withstanding such extreme temperature swings?

That article of yours is nothing more than a distortion and exaggeration of facts, serving no purpose other than crude propaganda.

Russia has no economy—Obama tore it to shreds years ago. And as for Russian missiles? They supposedly ran out back in 2022.

Can we use nuclear weapons? Once, the Russians burned Moscow to destroy the invaders…

Tango +1

"…And all this is happening while Russia is in its fifth year of facing sanctions unprecedented in history, and is waging a war against a state that is being funded and armed by 52 different countries…"

Lie.

Initial development of the Sarmat began to replace the aging Soviet-era Voyevoda (Satan) missiles.
The program faced severe setbacks, including a failed test in 2023, a massive silo explosion during an abortive test in late 2024, and another potential crash in 2025.
Russia has been developing the RS-28 Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile since 2011. While the heavy-liquid ICBM has suffered years of delays and test failures, Russian officials announced a successful test launch in May 2026 and plan to place the first regiment on active combat duty by the end of the year.

"…How many Western roads, I wonder, are capable of withstanding such extreme temperature swings?…"

Ask to Canada, Alaska, or southern Chile or Argentina…

"…That article of yours is nothing more than a distortion and exaggeration of facts, serving no purpose other than crude propaganda…"

Of course, to say that you'd have to back it up with data… but of course you're more than busy, so it's better to declare that it's all a lie…

"…Once, the Russians burned Moscow to destroy the invaders…"

Around that time in my country there was a legendary exodus of the entire population of the North, leaving the land desolate for the Spanish… epic… but nobody would do it today… it was another century, another era and other motivations… history is full of these sacrifices… not today.

"…right now, I'm learning how to create 3D models of figures, and I find that far more interesting…"

I sincerely congratulate you… I hope you achieve the greatest success… but since you're SO busy, I hope I don't have to read any more of the lies you tell from your country for as long as your new project takes up your time…

Armicalement
Armand

Tango, this video from Novosibirsk—filmed two months ago—is just for you (I couldn't find anything more recent). Please take a look and let me know where exactly you see anything "terrible" regarding the roads.
For reference: Novosibirsk is the third-largest city in Russia by population.

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Novosibirsk faces a completely different, major problem: traffic jams. Too many cars, too narrow streets… Road services often struggle to keep up with snow removal when snowfall is frequent, which further hinders traffic.
In which countries are there cities with a population of more than one and a half million who live in such conditions for more than six months a year?

Which countries are providing aid to Ukraine?

"At least 41 countries have contributed to Ukraine's war efforts monetarily, either through military, humanitarian or financial assistance, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, a German think tank".

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Well then… Let it be 41 countries (at least)))) Well, Russia has much to be proud of, standing up to such powerful enemy efforts.

Enemies you created yourselves… no doubt about it… and you also have help, not only materially; thousands of North Koreans went to fight in your war because you couldn't reconquer your own territory on your own.

There are dozens of cities with populations as large as, or even larger than, yours, and their roads are well-built and maintained. That's not an excuse; it only confirms that you don't know how to build and maintain your infrastructure properly. In any case, as pointed out in the original thread, this would be the least of the issues.

The famous "effort" isn't because they consider you their enemies… the "effort" is trying to help a much smaller country that was invaded and massacred by you… the same vile people as always.

What happened?… and what about those 3D models that steal your time?…

Armand

No, Tango, it's the West that has recreated Russia as its enemy. For decades, Russia has been demanding an end to NATO's eastward expansion, considering it a threat to its security. The West didn't care about these concerns. Well, you considered us an enemy – and we became your enemy.
You've perfectly demonstrated to all Russians how the West views Russians (not the Putin regime) by ignoring the extrajudicial killings of Russians in Ukraine for eight years until 2022, and the massive smear campaign against them since then. Well, if people like you hate Russians, then they have no reason to love you either.

Demanding what?… that each country have a democracy and that through their votes they decide to unite against those who occupied/exploited them after WWII?…

Do the Russians consider it expansion that those countries that were under their sphere of influence decide to become independent and unite so as not to suffer the humiliation under the Soviet flag again?… Who forced them to do it?… Who do they fear?… Who do they consider a danger to their freedom?… Precisely Russia… so it was never about "expansion," it was about the fact that you did and do things so badly that nobody wants to be anywhere near you.

Nobody is asking for Russian love… what is being asked is that the democratic will of each country be respected without interference or military occupation on your part.

Personally, I don't consider Russians enemies… there are thousands here who are truly wonderful… what I don't respect is the type of government you have and those barbaric customs you perpetuate under those kind of regimes. I wish you could connect with one of the thousands of Russians who live here and have them tell you why they left.

And now you can rub your hands together with pleasure and have sweet dreams, I'm attaching an article that I'm sure will bring you pleasure.

More than 15,800 (Ukranian) people killed in Russia's all-out war on Ukraine: UN

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Best of luck with your 3D models…

Armand

What are the US, Germany, Great Britain, and France afraid of? They are the main participants and beneficiaries of NATO. They are simply building up their military potential and advancing it toward Russia's borders… speculating on an imaginary threat in Eastern Europe that disappeared along with the USSR.

It's surprising: where there is no NATO or the threat of its emergence, there are no threats from Russia. Where is Russian intervention in the Central Asian countries—the former Soviet republics? There isn't any. There are no "unrecognized republics," no conflicts with Russian-speaking citizens. Amazing, right? Maybe it's because Russia doesn't see the threat of a hostile military bloc there?

I communicate with a large number of Russians who left Russia at various times. And many of them hide their sympathies for Russia, in part because in some places in the West you might still be turned away from a café or store simply because you're Russian. And just recently, for this, you could unceremoniously terminate your contract or be fired from your job if you did not ritually renounce your nation and country.

I mourn those of our brothers in Ukraine who were lured into a fratricidal war by deception and sweet promises. I mourn those who were made the tip of NATO's spear, aimed against their own triune people.

"They are simply building up their military potential and advancing it toward Russia's borders…

Advancing how?…Including countries that voluntarily do so because they want nothing to do with Russia?… because they have suffered under them and see what they usually do?

"I communicate with a large number of Russians who left Russia at various times…"

Where?… In which countries?… Belarus?… If they feel so much love for their country… why did they leave?… Why don't they come back and fight for their homeland?

" in the West you might still be turned away from a café or store simply because you're Russian. And just recently, for this, you could unceremoniously terminate your contract or be fired from your job if you did not ritually renounce your nation and country."

Where does this happen?… Saying it on the air doesn't mean anything… Please specify which country/city does this to Russian immigrants…

The best lament you can have is for your own compatriots… more than a million dead or wounded because of your government's idiocy…

Please… don't try to sell any more smoke and mirrors and finish your 3D…

Armand

Since the end of the last Cold War, NATO troops and infrastructure have advanced more than a thousand kilometers in the direction of Moscow… This is what matters. Everything else does not.

Russians have the right to choose where they live and where they work. Russia has open borders, and no one forbids anyone from traveling wherever they wish or living wherever they please.
The Russian diaspora worldwide:

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In Russia, the fighting is being done by volunteers. And, in fact, a great many people have come forward specifically to fight for their country.

Oh yes—so the widespread manifestations of Russophobia in the West are merely figments of my imagination? In that case, what exactly are all these people writing about?

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I came across a sound opinion expressed by someone even before this war began… But, as usual, no one listened to him:

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Tango, you can give advice to your wife—telling her what to do and when to do it. But I can make a decision about this perfectly well without your help.

Tango +1

Well many former Warsaw Pact joined NATO. But again they wanted to. Seems they didn't like being under Russia's boot.

So from that standpoint the only way NATO advanced is these former WP joined …

I wonder—what kind of reaction were you expecting from Russia?

Fascinating read. THanks for the insights into this topic Armand.

"Five years ago, the Kremlin promised a three-day special military operation."

A lie. You won't find any statements anywhere from Russian officials claiming it would be a three-day operation.

"On May 9, 2026, the Victory Day parade in Moscow proceeded without tanks or heavy military equipment for the first time in nineteen years — because the hardware is in Ukraine, destroyed, or protecting the bunker."

A lie. Simply because Russia possesses vast land borders, and Russian troops are stationed all along them. And every one of these units has military hardware listed in its standard inventory. Furthermore, you won't find any information suggesting that these units were stripped of their equipment to supply the war in Ukraine. Surely, finding twenty tanks for a parade would have been no problem—for instance, the "Armata" tanks, which have appeared in parades before but have never actually been deployed in Ukraine.

"Putin descended from the Lenin Mausoleum visibly encumbered beneath his coat — the outline of what appeared to be a heavy armored vest, almost certainly of Western manufacture, since he apparently no longer trusts Russian body armor."

Pure fantasy on the part of the author—hardly even worth commenting on.

"Ukrainian drones struck oil refineries deep inside Russian territory in the weeks surrounding the parade, causing significant environmental contamination in Tuapse."

Ah… The first statement that doesn't contradict the truth.

"New cars cost three times what they did in 2014."

Yes, but Russians' incomes have changed since then:
In 2014, the average salary in the country was 32,629 rubles. In 2026, it was 108.3 thousand rubles. This is easily verifiable.
The author is engaging in distortion and manipulating the minds of readers.

"Small businesses were told by members of the State Duma that 'only a miracle can save them.'"

This is true, but the author forgot to mention that this statement was made in the context of flawed amendments to the Tax Code and a two-percent increase in the VAT rate in January 2026. These amendments are currently being fine-tuned with the aim of shielding small businesses from excessive taxation. Are all reforms in Western countries successful? That is a rhetorical question.

"Belarus closed its border to Russian men of military age."

This is true, but the author neglected to mention that this applies specifically to conscripts—those legally obligated to complete one year of military service to acquire a military specialization. This system of conscription has been in place in Russia throughout its entire post-1991 history… And these conscripts are not fighting in Ukraine…

"And Zelensky, standing in Yerevan where 5,000 Russian troops are still stationed, publicly offered to 'assist' with the aerial portion of the parade — a statement whose strategic implication was unmistakable: Ukraine now controls the airspace calculus over Russian territory."

Really? Then why is he unable to control the airspace over Ukraine? :)

This is just the first paragraph of the article, yet it consists entirely of lies and manipulation. Do you actually like this article? I can only pity you. :)

Of all the lies they feed you and you reply here every day in your country, I'm only going to answer one: NO ONE advises my wife… she's a blonde Irish woman with emerald eyes and a legendary unmanageable character….

Armand

And now… back to business…

I see that you agree with 3 of the 7 points chosen to answer… so let's leave those aside and move on to the rest…

"three-day special military operation…"

The phrase "three-day special military operation" is a satirical amalgamation coined by observers to mock the Kremlin's failed initial strategy in the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. It fuses two distinct elements from Russian state rhetoric and intelligence expectations.

Russian military planners grossly underestimated Ukrainian resistance, anticipating a rapid blitzkrieg to topple the government. Russian forces reportedly brought parade uniforms in anticipation of a victory march in Kyiv. While no singular Russian official officially declared the operation would last exactly three days, the timeline was deeply rooted in military intelligence and intelligence leaks, amplified by prominent state media figures like Margarita Simonyan, who speculated the defeat of Ukraine would take mere days.

The phrase "three-day special military operation" emerged as a popular idiom to highlight the stark contrast between Moscow's grand expectations for a lightning victory and the reality of a prolonged conflict.

"the Victory Day parade"

In 1925… only a year ago.. Moscow Victory Day Parade featured a mechanized column of exactly 153 weapons and modern military vehicles rolling across Red Square, which included 30 Main Battle tanks…

Seems that year and all the above "Russia (didn´t) possesses vast land borders…

Why not Armata Tanks there…?

Because the Armata program has faced significant hurdles, including technical issues, steep production costs, and component delays. As a result, the Russian military has scaled back initial ambitions and prioritized producing cheaper, proven tanks like the T-90M for ongoing operations.
Only about two dozen pre-production tanks have been built so far, forming an experimental trial batch, the T-14 has not yet passed official state trials and has not been formally adopted into standard military service, they have not seen mainstream frontline combat due to their high cost and the complexities of manufacturing them under wartime economic constraints.

"the average salary in the country was 32,629 rubles. In 2026, it was 108.3 thousand rubles…"

This was driven primarily by a severe, artificial labor shortage caused by military mobilization. Other factors include massive state spending on the wartime industrial sector, and high inflation.
Heavy cash injections from the state directly into the defense sector and heavy industry forced private businesses to raise salaries to prevent employees from defecting to state-sponsored factories.
To offset persistent consumer price inflation, which eroded purchasing power across the board, businesses were forced to raise nominal wages to keep pace with the cost of living.
The federal minimum wage (MROT) was legally increased to keep pace with median wages, pushing up the overall pay floor.

While the nominal average salary figure is reported over 100,000 rubles by official platforms like Rosstat and SberAnalytics, economic experts and data analysts at Wage.is note that this average is heavily skewed by high-paying sectors and executives. Wage disparities between regions are also vast, with Moscow averaging well over 130,000 to 160,000 rubles, while the median income for the general Russian population is much closer to 40,000 to 48,000 rubles a month.

"Really? Then why is he unable to control the airspace over Ukraine?"

Ever since Putin had to humiliate himself before Trump by calling him by phone and beg him to intervene to prevent the Ukrainians from bombing on the day of the parade.

I look forward to your comments on the rest of the article…

Armand

So you shouldn't give advice to others… In Russia there is an indecent saying: "Don't tell me what to do, and then I won't tell you where to go with your advice))) I tried to make it as decent as possible.

No, I only agree with the facts. But since those facts have been taken out of context, they serve merely as tools of manipulation.

You are once again fabricating "facts"—this time regarding the supposed use of dress uniforms. Russia intended to change the regime in Kyiv, not to occupy the country. Russia overestimated the strength of the opposition forces willing to overthrow the regime and restore the previous constitutional government. Much in the same way, incidentally, that the West overestimated the strength of the pro-Western opposition within Russia.

I know exactly why the "Armata" program was scaled back. But why weren't those tanks used for the parade—especially if, as you claim, the Russians had no other tanks left? After all, they had already been used for that very purpose once before. Perhaps the problem wasn't a lack of hardware for the parade after all? Incidentally, the cadets from the military academies were missing, too. Presumably because they've all been killed on the front lines)))

Tango, in that case, let's look at the *median* salary instead. In 2014, it stood at 25,000 rubles; today, it is 61,972. Go ahead and Google what a "median salary" actually is.

Prior to 2014, the ruble-to-dollar exchange rate in Russia was 32.6587 rubles per dollar; in 2026, it is 70 rubles per dollar.

So, given that context, by how much would you expect the price of a car to have increased?

In what way was Putin humiliated? Was it because he asked for help in reining in a deranged drug addict? He certainly had another option: to launch a massive missile strike on that very day. But that would have sent a terrible symbolic message on such an important national holiday. Trump understood that; the Argentine lawyer, evidently, did not.

I see no point in dissecting yet another "Goebbels-esque speech."

A tsunami of nonsense… as usual…

"Russia intended to change the regime in Kyiv, not to occupy the country…"

Russia used an estimated 150,000 to 190,000 troops to launch its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022… That's a lot of troops for a change of government… it seems more like an invasion by any measure… of course, it was a historically shameful failure…

"…and restore the previous constitutional government."

The government you were trying to overthrow had been democratically elected… didn't you get the memo?

"Much in the same way, incidentally, that the West overestimated the strength of the pro-Western opposition within Russia…"

Much in the same…? Same how?… When "The West" attempted to invade Russia like you usually do with your neighbors?… What an idiotic comparison.

" But why weren't those tanks used for the parade…"

Malfunction or fear…

"Median Salary…"

From Google: Median salaries are found in education (50,500 RUB) and healthcare (56,100 RUB) the median is significantly lower due to high economic inequality.

Having inflation doesn't justify the prices… it only means the population is getting poorer… that's what causes inflation…

This is the best one!…

"He certainly had another option: to launch a massive missile strike on that very day. But that would have sent a terrible symbolic message…"

Russia launched a massive wave of aerial attacks on Ukraine immediately following the May 9 Victory Day holiday. Within a 48-hour period, the Russian military fired dozens of missiles, including ballistic, air-launched, and cruise variants, alongside thousands of attack drones. Much of the onslaught targeted the capital, Kyiv.

In what was described as a prolonged 24-hour barrage, Russia launched 56 missiles alongside over 1,500 drones. The missile package specifically included three Kinzhal, 18 Iskander/S-400, and 35 Kh-101 cruise missiles.

May 17–18: Another massive combined strike package consisted of over 540 drones and missiles, including 14 ballistic missiles.

The onslaught severely damaged civilian infrastructure—including apartment buildings in Kyiv and Kharkiv—and resulted in high civilian casualties…

The Argentine lawyer has two Phd…

Armand

What are the US, Germany, Great Britain, and France afraid of? "

The same as Russia- an enemy with proven expansionist ambitions. Both "sides" have the necessary propaganda machines, armament conglomerates, over-egoed national leaders, sycophantic star-ranked officers, and the long histories of expansionist activity, to persuade their populations to think along those lines. Add in the usual watchers standing by, ready to stir the stewing mess to their own advantage.

Once the populations choose My Team to support, we can see the next instalment of the Clash of Egos. Let's hope it's not the last time anybody sees anything.

About what we were talking about…

Ukraine retakes 400 square kilometers after Russian Starlink terminals deactivated

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Armand

Russia entire active duty tank Force is destroyed

"Reactive armor, various combinations of composite armor materials, advanced gunners' thermal sights, smoke grenades, and the ability to jam incoming anti-tank missiles are all reported attributes built into the Russian T-90M tank.

However, despite its many stated attributes, the T-90M tanks have been getting obliterated in Ukraine to a massive degree. The overall destruction of tanks and armored vehicles in Ukraine has captured global attention, in large measure due to the use of drone explosives and the success of anti-armor weapons and effective Ukrainian tactics. Russia's entire tank force has been decimated, to the point where many might be inclined to wonder if Russia's tank fleet has simply been erased. As part of this equation, the failure of the T-90 in particular seems especially significant given the amount of upgrades which have been built into the platform in recent years.

U.S. Army intelligence has been studying the destruction of Russian tanks for many years, and the rate of loss could be described as somewhat staggering, if ultimately not surprising given modern tactics and innovations. As far back as 2024, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command published an academic report which found that, at that time, Russia's entire active duty tank force of more than 3,000 tanks … had been destroyed. The Army G2 intel analysis from 2024, called "The Operational Environment 2024-2034 Large-Scale Combat Operations," states…"

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Russia 1.1 Million Casualities

"An observer's eye look at the sheer "size" of Russia, and the history of its military, might lead one to instantly assume their land Army massively out-numbers the Ukrainian military … yet the difference is not as stark or alarming as one might initially suspect.

With the war now in its fifth year, many are likely to wonder how much longer each side can continue to sustain casualties and fight? Many independent public estimates, including a New York Times report published in May, 2026, finds that as many as 1.1 million Russians have been killed or severely wounded during the war in Ukraine. The number of full combat deaths is quite high as well, according to the paper, which estimates as many as 350,000 Russians have been killed in the war. This is simply a massive number, and it suggests that more than one-half of its active duty force has been disabled or destroyed in the Ukraine war.

The question this raises is … is there a limit or a breaking point at which Russia would have no choice but to "stop" fighting? Putin seems to have a strong grip on power, yet thousands of continued casualties without victory or resolution in the war is likely to potentially challenge or threaten the status quo to some extent. Also, added to this complexity is the reality that, despite the massive Russian sacrifice in terms of lives, the war essentially remains a "stalemate" with Ukraine gaining momentum and no clear victor emerging…"

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Armand

Tango, when the USSR and its allies invaded Czechoslovakia in 1968, a quarter of a million soldiers were used. And the goal was the same – regime change. So that argument is beside the point…

A government whose election was not attended by entire regions of the country is relatively legitimate…

Tango, if you don't know what you're talking about, then you're the one saying things that seem idiotic:
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Oh… The tanks weren't brought out to parade because they all broke down at the same time))) And who's saying idiotic things here?)))

Tango, don't you know that salaries vary in different industries? Do you live under socialism?))) We're talking about the price of a car, not how many cars a teacher can buy…
If wages grow roughly in line with inflation, no one is getting poorer. It's simply a way to extract savings from under the pillow and return them to the economy.

Yes, a couple of days after celebrating Victory Day, Russia dealt another blow. Another of many… I'm much more interested in whether the blow will be dealt on Ukraine's Independence Day on July 16th… Or will a humiliated Zelensky ask Trump to talk Putin out of it?)))

Congratulations on your degrees, but I wouldn't want you to defend my interests)))

Tango, these are such insignificant numbers for a thousand-kilometer front))) They're simply impossible to verify… Did they "squeeze" a few centimeters in the "gray zone" between the trenches along the entire length of the contact line?)))

Oh, all the Russian tanks have been destroyed? Great news! Tell Zelensky the road to Moscow is clear))) Tango, during World War II, a German tank was "destroyed" before it was completely written off 20 times. And a Russian tank, only 7. This is just information to broaden your horizons.

But I'm glad the West has such analysts)))

Dal Gavan. Yes, all of this undoubtedly influences countries' policies. But Russia has no less reason to fear Western aggression than the West has to fear Russian aggression. And a very bad way to reduce tensions is to increase your adversary's fears by moving your military infrastructure closer to their borders.

"Tango, when the USSR and its allies invaded Czechoslovakia in 1968, a quarter of a million soldiers were used. And the goal was the same – regime change…"

But who the hell do you Russians think you are, invading a country to change a government you don't like?… We don't live in the 18th or 19th century anymore…

"Oh… The tanks weren't brought out to parade because they all broke down at the same time…"

That's not what I said… you yourself admitted that the Armata suffers from technical problems and their numbers are small compared to tanks used until last year… the other issue was the fear of a Ukrainian attack… Putin never cared about the value of human beings, but he did care about technical equipment that isn't easily replaceable…

"If wages grow roughly in line with inflation, no one is getting poorer…"

Clearly, economics is not your area of ​​expertise… there isn't a single prominent figure in that field who would say that inflation is a good thing… and the idea that it's just an adjustment is a lie. Read up on it.

"Tango, don't you know that salaries vary in different industries? Do you live under socialism?…

Of course they vary… as I told you earlier… the issue is the average of the most representative activities for the people… nobody cares if politicians or CEOs of cutting-edge industries are paid exorbitant salaries… what matters is what teachers, doctors, etc., are paid…

"Yes, a couple of days after celebrating Victory Day, Russia dealt another blow. Another of many…"

That's right… from day one of the invasion… always killing civilians… but then don't come saying that the parade show you better, because otherwise Russia look bad in the eyes of the world… the world knows perfectly well that you are very bad… you always have been and it seems you will continue to be…

"Tango, these are such insignificant numbers for a thousand-kilometer front))) They're simply impossible to verify.."

The quantity and location were confirmed by Russian sources, and it's not about the amount… it's about the fact that for the first time, Ukraine recovered more territory than Russia.

Armand

Tango—do you not remember what happened in Venezuela, Syria, Iraq, Libya, and Yugoslavia? And that's not even mentioning the artificially stoked series of "Color Revolutions"… What right do you have to reproach anyone?

Oh… And *that* is precisely why he cancelled the participation of the cadet schools in the parade… Right, right.

Tango, for a country that has been waging a full-scale war for five years now, the Russian economy is doing beautifully. Take a look at Russia's national debt, for instance, and compare it with the figures for Western nations. *Real* high inflation is what you see in Turkey, Romania, and Poland… Countries which, moreover, are neither at war nor under sanctions.

I am talking about the median wage. Yes—in Russia's state-run healthcare, education, and similar institutions, salaries are—in my view—insufficient. Yet, for some reason, whenever these figures are calculated, people forget to factor in state-provided benefits as part of the total income. For instance, how would you put a value on a teacher's paid annual leave—which lasts 56 days?

Oh… When Ukrainians spent eight years shelling cities with artillery and bombing them from the air—they were still considered the "good guys"… When the West flattened residential neighborhoods in Belgrade or Mosul—you all still considered yourselves the "good guys." But the *bad* guys—naturally—are the Russians.

We are who we are. And sooner or later, we will rid ourselves of the indecisive Putin, and for every single blow we take, we will strike back with ten of our own.

Russia is steadily expanding the territory under its control—albeit slowly.
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Ukrainians may be able to "bite off" a bit of territory in secondary sectors while some troops have been redeployed from there to the main axes; however, once their defenses collapse under pressure in a critical sector, the Russians will more than make up for the lost ground. But the overall score remains in favor of the Russians…

Russia's War Boom Masks an Economic Implosion

"Earlier this year, the Alabuga industrial complex in Russia's Tatarstan region released a series of job recruitment ads aimed at Russian teenagers. The company promised the children full-time wages significantly above the national average to assemble Geran attack drones—Russian clones of Iranian Shaheds that have been terrorizing Ukrainian civilians almost nightly for the past four years. The recruitment campaign was a simultaneous admission of two things: that Alabuga is not the vocational training institution it claimed to be in earlier ads and how severe Russia's worker shortage has become. Competition with the military for labor has become severe enough that recruiting children into weapons manufacturing is now done openly rather than hidden and denied.

Alabuga has attracted international attention before. Its recruitment practices have been described by investigators and Ukrainian intelligence services as bordering on human trafficking: Young women from across Africa, Asia, and Latin America were lured with promises of study programs or civilian factory work, only to be assigned to drone assembly lines under strict curfews and oppressive conditions. Alabuga is not an anomaly but just the visible edge of a systemic crisis. Russian President Vladimir Putin presents record-low unemployment—the official rate is currently 2.1 percent—as proof of a dynamic war economy. The reality concealed by the ultra-low jobless rate is that Russia's manufacturing sector was short nearly 2 million workers in 2025, according to the Russian labor and trade ministry, with the overall deficit of workers officially projected to reach more than 10 million by the end of the decade…"

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Using BRICS, the rf Recruits Women from Poor Countries to Manufacture Drones

"russia is actively expanding its recruitment efforts for drone manufacturing in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, using the "Alabuga" special economic zone in Tatarstan as the center of the program. Young women from poor countries are offered high salaries and career prospects, but are not told that the work involves the production of strike drones to be used against Ukraine.

In 2024, women from 44 countries, including Mozambique, Colombia, Mali, and Sri Lanka, participated in the "Start" program. The goal for 2025 is 77 countries.

In South Africa, BRICS structures were used for recruitment. The Ministry of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities called on young people to "be vigilant", while the authorities launched an investigation into the activities of russian companies. The local branch of the BRICS Women's Business Alliance signed an agreement to recruit 5,600 employees for "Alabuga". The BRICS Student Commission posted job ads in January, and popular bloggers on Instagram and TikTok helped spread the word…"

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Armand

Tango, Russians are recruiting migrant workers from Asian and African countries? Unthinkable)))
They even dare pay them big salaries for their work? Disgusting!
Wait… Are there migrant workers in Europe and the US? Yes? Really! That's unbelievable!

Are there migrant workers in Ukraine? Yes. Moreover, a major conflict has broken out there between local residents and migrants.

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This is not what the articles said…

Armand

The rest of the articles were irrelevant propaganda garbage. I'm talking about the facts. Are students recruited to work on UAV development in Russia? Yes—and a lot. A major goal has been set to increase drone production tenfold—from 6,000 per year at the start to 18,000 now, and to 157,000 per year by 2030. The plant in Alabuga is already the largest drone production facility in the world. They need personnel. Trained, qualified workers—and lots of them. That's why they recruit young people fresh out of school. And they pay them enormous salaries—salaries so high that it's simply impossible for young people without qualifications in other fields to earn a living. In addition to working in production, they simultaneously undergo intensive training in their chosen specialties. The best are sent to train as engineers and other specialists at the plant's expense. Excellent career prospects! Graduates from all over the country flock to this enterprise…
By the way, the article doesn't mention that the Russians have long since expanded their line of drones, which now have various engines (with a jet engine, the Geranium has twice the speed), that the drones can now carry anti-aircraft missiles, that they can carry out autonomous attacks on detected air defenses, under the control of artificial intelligence… Now, according to some reports, mass production of naval drones is beginning.

Russia lifts lid on secretive drone factory as satellite images reveal rapid expansion at key site:

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Operation of the Geranium drone (recent):
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Tango, I found a video especially for you from a Russian blogger at the factory in Alabuga. The video is in Russian, but you can turn on English subtitles. Of course, this is a report from the "auxiliary" workshops, not the workshops where the weapons are actually produced.
Here, students not only work as workers, but the best of them become designers and workshop managers. These students are the future pride and strength of Russia.

link

""Earlier this year, the Alabuga industrial complex in Russia's Tatarstan region released a series of job recruitment ads aimed at Russian teenagers. The company promised the children full-time wages significantly above the national average to assemble Geran attack drones—Russian clones of Iranian Shaheds that have been terrorizing Ukrainian civilians almost nightly for the past four years. The recruitment campaign was a simultaneous admission of two things: that Alabuga is not the vocational training institution it claimed to be in earlier ads and how severe Russia's worker shortage has become. Competition with the military for labor has become severe enough that recruiting children into weapons manufacturing is now done openly rather than hidden and denied…"

You're just confirming the article, except you're disguising it as the great opportunity of a lifetime for these teenagers… nothing better than starting their lives manufacturing weapons… no pursuing a university degree or a job with better prospects… I suppose if you have or had a child, you'd be more than proud to say that their working life starts there at such a young age, when we know they should be enjoying life in other ways. What a proud country… their men are sent to their senseless deaths, and their teenagers are offered a bright future making drones. How can we not envy you?… Do you note any difference with Germany at Nazi times?

Armand

This is training. It's done on high-tech equipment and in real-world production conditions. Again, this is a specially created facility that doesn't hire adult workers (and there would be plenty of people willing to work for that kind of salary—and far more qualified than these children). How can this indicate a labor shortage? This plant is a college and a university all rolled into one. In a few years, graduates from this university will be working at dozens of similar factories across Russia.
What Russians are good at is scaling up their education and production systems. Remember World War II, when the Russians were able to move their industry from Europe to the Urals and launch a massive new production facility—hundreds of new factories—in just one year.

Putin Is in a Perilous Position. Nothing Is Going To Save Him.

"On May 28, Russian President Vladimar Putin visited the friendly neighboring country of Kazakhstan. The convoy that conveyed him through empty streets was extraordinary – 20 armored vehicles of various types, fourteen motorcycles, and an air cover of drones, helicopters, and jet fighters. Some of the vehicles had gun turrets and drone protection antennas. Even for the notoriously paranoid Putin this was remarkable.

Putin has heavily scaled back public appearances and routinely implements extreme security and social distancing protocols – sometimes keeping crowds, officials, and even foreign leaders tens of feet away.

The fear is not just of a Ukrainian drone attack, but of discontent from Russia itself. Discontent that is primarily a result of the war against Ukraine…"

link

Armand

Yes, many in Russia are unhappy with Putin's indecisiveness in waging the war. Many are already considering returning Medvedev to the post…

Here's Putin's motorcade in Astana:

YouTube link

And here's Trump's motorcade in Beijing:

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Aside from the helicopters (a precaution against drones, clearly not a bad thing) and the motorcyclists (purely decorative), I don't see any particular differences. Especially considering that Kazakhstan is a Muslim country.

I did a little digging online…
The armored vehicle with a machine gun spotted in the motorcade is called "Alan" (KPE Alan). This vehicle is not
in service with the Russian special services or the army, but is manufactured directly in Kazakhstan by Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering specifically for the needs of the local police, special forces, and army.

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Another window fly…

Oleg Sokolenko dead when he tried to fly…

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Armand