The Russia-Ukraine War has begun

[Aribeth Zelin]

I'm beginning to think that Putin is fast becoming like my toy poodle/chihuahua cross doggo - she's fierce, and her teeth hurt if she bites hard, but in the long run, you just pick her up and she can't do a whole lot but bark [which hurts the ears, but does little beyond a headache]

 

[Veritable Quandry]

I'm sure that most of the infrastructure for joining Nato already exists, but would be placed into a higher state of preparedness. This would give Putin / Russia less maneuvering space.

With just a quick Googling, it appears that their military equipment is all either home-grown or supplied by NATO compatible suppliers. Their troops contribute to UN and NATO peacekeeping missions already. They should have no problems joining on short notice. They are in a better position to coordinate than some of the ex-USSR supplied countries that are still using old Soviet equipment, although the war in Ukraine has led to a faster refresh rate as they send their Soviet arms to be used in exchange for newer systems from NATO suppliers.

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

You should not forget that Sweden has some weapons industry on its own. Maybe you still do remember that old car brand Saab? Well, they are also making this, the Saab Gripen (which is Swedish for Gryphon). Saab also makes anti-tank weapons.

Then Sweden has its own class of submarines, which runs using a stirling motor for refreshing air, otherwise Diesel engines. In 2005 one of these submarines sunk an US aircraft carrier in a maneuver.

They also licensed the German Leopard 2 and made their own changes to it. They are quite well equipped for a 50000 man army. Finland officially has only 23000 active soldiers, but 870000 reservists, which is around 20% of its population.

 

[Soen Eber]

Yes, but the primary intent of my post was to point out that now everyone has less space & time to moderate any issues revolving around Sweden & Finland short of military action because of how vulnerable Russia would be if something blew up. They would need to react quickly, possibly even at a hair trigger.

While I trust Nato, the Swedes and especially the Finns not to ruffle any feathers or to start anything, the general tempo of military response will now be irrevocably faster and less constrained in the region at least until Putin is no longer in power.

 

[WolfEyes]

I'm beginning to think that Putin is fast becoming like my toy poodle/chihuahua cross doggo - she's fierce, and her teeth hurt if she bites hard, but in the long run, you just pick her up and she can't do a whole lot but bark [which hurts the ears, but does little beyond a headache]

Is that like a chidle or a poohuahua?

Oh no! They didn't! They did.

 

[Aribeth Zelin]

Is that like a chidle or a poohuahua?

Oh no! They didn't! They did.

I looked, and oddly, none of them actually look like their own breed - Cadence [ours] looks like a black and white version of Sir Didymus from Labyrinth, except not a muppet.

For those not familiar

 

[WolfEyes]

I looked, and oddly, none of them actually look like their own breed - Cadence [ours] looks like a black and white version of Sir Didymus from Labyrinth, except not a muppet.

For those not familiar

Depends on the breed of Chihuahua. Yours is most likely a Fawn mix.

6 Types of Chihuahuas (With Info & Pictures) | Hepper Pet Resources

Even though there are officially only two varieties of different Chihuahua breeds according to the AKC, we've found five different...

www.hepper.com

 

[Aribeth Zelin]

Depends on the breed of Chihuahua. Yours is most likely a Fawn mix.

6 Types of Chihuahuas (With Info & Pictures) | Hepper Pet Resources

Even though there are officially only two varieties of different Chihuahua breeds according to the AKC, we've found five different...

www.hepper.com

I really don't know; she was adopted by a housemate, without even making sure we could handle yet another animals [at the time 9 cats, and a big dog [dog and three cats were theirs] and she didn't even ask her husband], then abandoned along with the three cats].

She is mostly black, with a bit of white on her chest, and then now white on her muzzle - thing is, she's not that scary, and relatively speaking, Putin isn't either. He's just a big, lying, corrupt bully.

 

[WolfEyes]

she's not that scary, and relatively speaking, Putin isn't either. He's just a big, lying, corrupt bully.

I should introduce you to the next door neighbors, Champ and Boris. Champ is a chocolate long hair and Boris is... well Boris.

He cries if we don't pet him.

 

[Chin Rey]

Russia has deployed much of its nuclear weaponry around Murmansk on the Kola peninsula. That important military hub has only one street

Murmansk isn't that small. I played a gig there once and our drummer managed to get lost on the way back to the hotel. He may have been a bit intoxicated but I am 57% sure he would have found the way if there had only been one street to choose.

Murmansk has a population of around 300,000 so it's not actually a small town. However, I once had a chat with somebody who had been on a drinking-and-shopping trip there. He told me that one of the party took upon himself to show the others around. Turned out the self-appointe guide knew the place like the back of his hand, where all the shortcuts were, where to get the best prices (and the best vodka) and everything else. When asked if he had been there before, he replied no but he used to work for the Norwegian miltary intelligence.
It worried us all a bit since we assumed the Russian military knew our town just as well but after seeing how they manage in Ukraine, I'm not sure about that anymore.

 

[Sid]

I Think that Bartholomew referred to a sea street out for the subs.
It was not so much about streets over land IMHO.

 

[Chin Rey]

I Think that Bartholomew referred to a sea street out for the subs.

Oh, a strait, not a street. Yes, that's right. Russia does have other naval bases in the north but nearly all of them suffer from that same problem with a narrow and easily blocked entrance.

 

[Soen Eber]

Oh, a strait, not a street. Yes, that's right. Russia does have other naval bases in the north but nearly all of them suffer from that same problem with a narrow and easily blocked entrance.

I've seen photos of the massive Muskö Swedish underground naval base which has been recently (2020) reactivated. Sea streets is quite applicable.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

 

[Argent Stonecutter]

Then Sweden has its own class of submarines, which runs using a stirling motor for refreshing air, otherwise Diesel engines. In 2005 one of these submarines sunk an US aircraft carrier in a maneuver.

Back in the '70s a cousin of mine was in maneuvers in a WWII era sub, and they sunk a US aircraft carrier. This is what an aircraft carrier looks like to a submarine:

 

[Innula Zenovka]

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

Back in the '70s a cousin of mine was in maneuvers in a WWII era sub, and they sunk a US aircraft carrier. This is what an aircraft carrier looks like to a submarine:

Well yes, that's how it looks like. And the reason why an aircraft carrier is always accompanied by a small fleet of other ships which are there to protect it. So in order to sink an aircraft carrier in a maneuver you've got to be able to avoid detection by its protecting fleet.

 

[Arkady Arkright]

So in order to sink an aircraft carrier in a maneuver you've got to be able to avoid detection by its protecting fleet.

Which the Swedes managed to do in 2005...

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

Which the Swedes managed to do in 2005...

You, as I wrote in post 1622.

 

[Argent Stonecutter]

So in order to sink an aircraft carrier in a maneuver you've got to be able to avoid detection by its protecting fleet.

Avoiding detection is basically the whole point of being a submarine.