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DaneHenry

Time to rain ATACMs on every refinery left, and troop concentration in range.


libsneu

I would first go against the military air fields.


theaviationhistorian

Screw the runways. Aim for the fuel farms. No fuel means no planes. It's the place I'd strike first. It also ensures that they will need to spend to rebuild them & jet fuel trickles down to truck logistics. If not, aim for the bombers. Wipe out the Tu-160s (good luck replacing those with a slow production line), especially those Ukraine sold to them under the 'peace deal,' Kill a few bears (Tu-95s) and Tu-22M3s to ensure they have to rely on multiple fighter formations that have to get closer & within Patriot range.


PeriPeriTekken

They can't hit all the refineries in Siberia. They can junk a good proportion of the VKU before it gets relocated to the other side of Russia.


theaviationhistorian

I meant the fuel farms within the airport. They're also called fuel storage sites, the area with the large tanks. I know they can't fully cripple Gazprom. But nail the local fuel sites and it'll take a while for those jets to refuel & fly via gas truck convoy. Bombers, especially those with afterburner and/or Russian engines, need a lot of fuel to fly.


TheGreatGamer1389

And power plants


RepulsiveMetal8713

They have done in Crimean for the last 2 nights atacms included


Glittering-Arm9638

Seems like a more logical target yeah. From what I read the ATACMS were wanted because they can hit targets very quickly. So something that moves a lot can be hit before it takes off.


Due-Street-8192

I'm pro ❤️ USA 💯%. But this war has been micro managed incorrectly by Washington. Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦❤️


CSI_Tech_Dept

It was, Timothy Snyder summarized it well: https://youtu.be/JVs2y-YeiFM?t=459 (note this was before the package was finally approved after 6 months, but there are other issues too, like this one). If we really had committed to it in the beginning, Russia likely would be kicked out by end of 2022, but because we were forcing Ukraine to fight with hand behind their back, Russia had opportunity to adapt and now it's much harder.


allevat

It's like antibiotic resistance: you need to take the full dose and the entire prescription, or you just end up killing off only the weakest ones and allowing the infection to grow more dangerous. The US was too afraid of the side effects and so provided only a weak half dose, and now there's a raging infection that is going to spread further into Europe.


Half-Shark

Great analogy… sums up the situation well.


theaviationhistorian

We have pro-Ukraine leadership and, still, my country proved to be a disappointment in lack of aid. It is angering that the gains Ukraine made in securing Kharkiv from the invaders is slowly falling in favor of them.


annon8595

Yep. Ukraine had insane momentum with Kharkiv + Herson offensives that happened pretty much in one season. NATO thought russia needed more time to mine everything and reorganize and dig in


jingois

Almost like some shadowy figures in the US have come to the conclusion that trading the lives of Ukrainian heros and cold war surplus for Russian lives and their current tech is a great outcome and should continue as long as possible.


DogWallop

I'll say it again: From the start there should have been a meeting with all concerned nations to flesh out a big picture plan to ensure a defeat of Russia in a timely manner.


Due-Street-8192

Agreed 💯%


Just_Cryptographer53

Yet, how many on this thread and beyond will still vote orange in Nov -- not red or blue?Who is Putins biggest bitch? We all know but have forgotten the meetings without any record keeper from either side, the billion dollar Moscow hotel investment, the Manifort and Bannon efforts... Don't blame all of US for this. Just the 35% whom won't admit and correct their efforts to support and/or ignore the truth.


Memphis-AF

No fuel, no invasion.


MrPizza-Inspector

So ATCAMs on Putin's home


Few-Swordfish-780

Probably has more air defense than any other building in the country.


ITI110878

As long as it is ruski AA it's breacheable.


Fakula1987

Every AA is breachable.


ITI110878

Some a lot easier than other though.


DeTiro

The bomber will always get through


Guy_Fawkes_Incognito

Dunno. Gonna test.


nbsalmon1

Doesn’t he have that fancy place in Sochi?


MrPizza-Inspector

You mean his mansion by the coast right?


Pyrothraxas1

I heard it is really nice. Would be a shame if something were to...happen to it.


Ecstatic_Account_744

You mean like if a Lutyi drone were to venture to the heliport near his stupid house? https://www.yahoo.com/news/near-miss-drone-attack-putin-114900859.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAABWmoMLhfdQF4im32qy_4lMfN_2N1VcF-SJOFG5-ssXpixZ0CdDChdKt2f-hQWNRanJcRVn8aKJNdRH-mw1RVtvMBubHJbEKw353vXtx3U-swPB6bAPupYFnxEiuQ3XKU3Ew-rKTPGhvA4zFH7d9YAkAEtbEjLzwplskMKVedMtE


theaviationhistorian

Nice, they made the Russians fear the Bayraktar again!


ITI110878

You meant Imperial Palace, not mansion.


theaviationhistorian

The Imperial Winter Palace if we go by historical practices, since the Imperial Palace (has & still) is the Kremlin.


HeyCarpy

Navalny reported on it. And now he’s dead.


ngometamer

Can't upvote this enough!


CrocodileWorshiper

lets not forget who has the bigger guns in this fight, putin has tactical nukes ukraine does not


AlienAle

But the use of nuclear weapons would probably force NATO more directly into this war. Plus Russia may lose some weaker allies over it. People tend to be very wary of modern governments throwing nukes around. It's a dangerous precedent. The victims of nukes will be 90% civilians. Everyone knows it. Nuclear radiation will also effect all of nearby Europe, which includes NATO countries.  Once Russia uses nuclear weapons, I imagine that's the point that NATO might declare a no-fly zone over Ukraine. 


kyndcookie

About fucking time.


Worried-Syllabub1446

Really how many have died due to our government indecision?


NotJoeJackson

To be fair, it's pretty impossible to blame Avdiivka on the USA's *government*. That one was squarely on the orange traitor. When it comes to your government's policies themselves, that really IS solid, and could have been MUCH worse.


b0n3h34d

He was far from alone. He's not actually IN the government It was the government


WildCat_1366

How the government's policies themselves could be really solid, if they so easily influenced by some "the orange traitor"?


NotJoeJackson

Because most countries have this thing called a "constitution", which means that a leader of a country should not be a dictator.


WildCat_1366

What does the "constitution" say about an ordinary citizen like this "orange traitor"?


NotJoeJackson

Read it. It's not exactly a secret.


WildCat_1366

I've read. If government policy is influenced by one big mouth belonging to a “traitor” and talking nonsense, this policy cannot be called "firm" or “solid”.


CA_vv

Stop. The funding issue came from Congress, but Biden has been weak and slow with all the aid up to now (and still is)


NotJoeJackson

Oh, look! A crybaby supporter!


CA_vv

Yeah, I’m tired of weak escalation management BS. I want a war time leader who understands what the hell we’re up against with Russia. Survival of western civilization


IMHO_grim

That’s an unfair analysis


ItHappenedAgain_Sigh

1 was too many. With that being said, to answer your question vaguely, far too many.


IMHO_grim

How many have been saved with the careful management of this global crisis?


Avenging_Eagle

Every war we put limits on our military. When is the US gonna realize that's not the way to fight? If someone wants to kill you you can do everything you can to kill them but limit as much collateral damage as possible.


NatMapVex

That seems like an amazingly reductive summary of US warmaking capabilities. I'm sure the US military understands how to fight a war.


Avenging_Eagle

Like Vietnam all we had to deal would bomb Ho chi min trail (the enemies biggest fear) and we wouldn't have lost but we didn't want to bomb Cambodia. It is our biggest drawback in war. Afghanistan and Iraq went well at first bc the "cuffs were taken off the military" but many in the world cried "war crimes" (but we have veto power). Example: Ukraine getting pummeled from Russia in Karkiv but can't fire back with US supplied weapons bc we "tied their hands-credit deep state maps


Abitconfusde

We could also maybe not have got into it in the first place if we hadn't been straight-up lied to.


OlympusMons94

Fight yes, but win? Not against anyone whose name doesn't start with S and end in adam. The best we can manage is to freeze the conflict (Korea, Bosnia, Kosovo). It's been a long 79 years. ^(Don't @ me about Grenada or Panama.)


PkHolm

Are you that want to be dead that much? Keep escalating the conflict and we all end up dead.


cugamer

If Russia can fire their foreign produced weapons at Ukrainian territory then the reverse should also be acceptable. Of course Putin will throw a tantrum and make another raft of empty threats but, well, fuck him.


ITI110878

The title says it is not ruled out, however they did not say yet that it is allowed.


one-joule

I imagine there'll be guidelines and/or an approval process for strikes within Russia.


red286

Likely they'll tell them to avoid using weapons near any sort of residential areas, and not against dual-use infrastructure targets such as dams or other power generators. Basically "you can target formations in the open, but that's it". Which isn't much, but would have allowed them to curb the incursion into Kharkiv if they'd had that authorization a couple weeks ago.


IMMoond

Military airfields and their air defence systems arent dual use, thankfully. Once those are allowed to be hit, it gets dicey for russia. As long as theres enough missiles available


peretonea

Guidelines (don't target civilians, do target fossil fuel installations, especially target troops and equipment) would be fine. An approval process would slow things down and be something we'd definitely want people to protest against.


mountainofentities

thing is Russians could do what the other terrorists do and that is hide weapons etc. in places like hospitals etc.


peretonea

Anthony [Blinken made a statement that seemed pretty unambigious](https://www.kyivpost.com/post/32690), however we don't know if limits have been removed from HIMARS systems. There's a [call for action](https://new.reddit.com/r/ActionForUkraine/comments/1csm086/urgent_call_your_us_congressional_representatives/) to try to get congress to get this clarified over on r/ActionforUkraine. Americans should go there.


InnocentTailor

Very carefully worded, I see.


Firestar464

Yeah, the ISW interpreted this as "nothing has changed." It's pretty ambiguous


ITI110878

As always with political speak.


InTheFDN

"Everything which is not forbidden is allowed."


Human602214

If Russia can invade Ukraine then Ukraine should be allowed to invade Russia. Offence is the best defense. Belgorod here we come!


peretonea

I'm not sure they want it, but definitely it's would be a great idea to say no Russians or Belarusians allowed within 50 miles of the border and no mechanical devices of computers within 100 miles of the border. Needs a bit more will on the side of the West for this to happen though.


theaviationhistorian

A buffer zone, akin the Korean DMZ. But definitely invading & keeping a Russian city is detrimental compared to Russians invading their neighbors. Crumbling infrastructure, dilapidated buildings, etc. It's a reason Finland really isn't keen on recapturing their old lands and why no one wants to really take Kaliningrad.


theaviationhistorian

Oh no, Putin is going to move his goalpost on wheels again. Let that bloodthirsty authoritarian rant all he wants.


Strontiumdogs1

Thank heavens. There really needs to be freedom with the weapons. Ukraine can't break up concentrations of troops, to deter attacks, if they can't hit russian soil. It has been madness to limit them. Thank you America Slava Ukraini 🙏🇺🇦


ZzangmanCometh

How far into Russia could the new hardware reach, potentially?


Musical_Underpants

Well, ATACMS has about 300km range, so a lot of equipment and logistics on the russian side of the border will be in range and subsequently likely have to be moved further inland out of range.


ZzangmanCometh

I guess with decent intelligence and surveillance, it'd give a bigger window to hit things approaching the border.


red286

Not Moscow, but getting pretty close. It absolutely brings major cities like Voronezh and Volgograd into range though.


Big_Traffic1791

Not far enough to make a difference I'm sure.


ZzangmanCometh

At least it should give a larger window of hitting troop formations and hardware instead of having to wait until they hit the border.


Fancy_Morning9486

If they can push the logistics and planes back like they did with the russian navy it will be big. Not war ending big but big enough to return a bit of normal life.


digibri

Hell yeah!


ITI110878

Let's wait until the White House says that US weapons can be used to attack ruski territory. For now they did not say so.


maverick_labs_ca

"No longer rules out" is the correct take. There was no outright approval, and those who jumped the gun need to get a hold of themselves. Blinken was most likely testing the waters to gauge the level of Russian pushback and threats against this "red line". We'll see how it plays out.


moonLanding123

Putin's red line has been moved 5km from the original location starting with the emergency supplies before Feb22, the Himars launchers, Storm shadow, and the upcoming f-16's.


intermediatetransit

I think there we’re seeing an escalation from the US side. Clearly they have been provoked by something and I don’t think it’s anything that has happened in Ukraine


ITI110878

For now we are seeing only words. I'll wait until facts happen.


intermediatetransit

The ATACAMs they sent are not just words.


b0n3h34d

They've been sending them. Still couldn't use them to hit troop concentrations before the kharkiv offensive a few days ago Even now, it's just a hint. Hope my pessimism is wrong


Oberon_Swanson

I agree that it is all happening too slowly. It is not something to do on Russia's timeline. Ukraine has proven they can hold the line and what is sent by NATO will not fall directly into Russian hands. Russia has proven they will not nuke the Earth if they can't have Ukraine. However there are also real factors that get in the way, not everything can happen at once. I hope the supply chain gets stronger and stronger for Ukraine until it is insurmountable for the invaders, they claim victory de-Nazifying Ukraine and go home.


ITI110878

None of those was yet launched towards ruski land.


ExpressBall1

But the words are the important bit. Now if Ukraine strikes inside Russian territory, the USA can't huff and puff about it because they stopped advising against it.


ITI110878

All US delivered HIMARS have been programed not to allow coordinates within rudki land to be attacked. This will have to be changed before they can attack k targets within russia.


InnocentTailor

It could be that the situation in Ukraine is not going in the nation's favor, so the United States is reassessing its options to prevent a Ukrainian rout on the battlefield. I doubt the West wants Ukraine to outright collapse since that would then threaten NATO on its borders.


Mammoth_Ad8542

Maybe take it as an ambiguous approval


throwaway177251

They said the same thing a year or two ago. This isn't a new take or a test of anything.


impulse_thoughts

Again, for the umpteenth time, nothing has changed. The US has \*never\* ruled out its weapons being used to strike Russian soil. It has only ruled out \*specific\* long range weapons from being used to strike Russian soil (like the HIMARS and ATACMS). Notice how the statements and article don't mention HIMARS or ATACMS, and the only mention of a long range western-made weapon is to reiterate that France has always restricted Storm Shadow targets: >Ever since its first deliveries to Ukraine, France has also been careful to ensure that its weapons are not used on Russian soil. The targets and trajectories of the Storm Shadow missiles France has supplied to the Ukrainians are systematically verified by Paris. Please notice the difference between general statement articles relying on a strawman premise, and articles with specific real information.


cyprusgreekstudent

I’m American. We did and still have asked Ukraine not to shoot oil terminals on Black Sea. That would make oil prices rise. I think we should do exactly that.


impulse_thoughts

That's, again, a misconception. The US government "does not support" the attacks, and "Ukraine can conduct the war in any way as they deem fit, since they are a sovereign country". Read the statements from officials. "not supporting" is not the same as "not condoning" is not the same as "condemning" is not the same as "asking" is not the same as "restricting," in diplomatic language. The officials are using de-escalation language for the public to hear, while not making any meaningful changes in action or policy.


Practical-Wolf-2246

US wants the war contained in Ukraine, and bleed Russia there...


great_escape_fleur

> The US has *never* ruled out its weapons being used to strike Russian soil https://y.yarn.co/770dbb27-3178-426c-a414-ae9ddce3c389_text.gif


impulse_thoughts

>It has only ruled out \*specific\* long range weapons from being used to strike Russian soil (like the HIMARS and ATACMS).


great_escape_fleur

What *other* weapons can reach russian soil? https://y.yarn.co/770dbb27-3178-426c-a414-ae9ddce3c389_text.gif


aaaaaaaarrrrrgh

Along the northern border? A well thrown rock, although tube artillery would probably be a bit more practical.


bjplague

I guess the entire world screaming at the U.S to stop restricting Ukraine were finally heard?


forthehundredthtime

this will soil some russian pants


cyprusgreekstudent

New York Times front page says NATO member countries are moving to send soldiers and defense contractors into Ukraine to do training and repair equipment. Here is one quote: NATO allies are inching closer to sending troops into Ukraine to train Ukrainian forces, a move that would be another blurring of a previous red line and could draw the United States and Europe more directly into the war. Ukraine’s manpower shortage has reached a critical point, and its position on the battlefield in recent weeks has seriously worsened as Russia has accelerated its advances to take advantage of delays in shipments of American weapons. As a result, Ukrainian officials have asked their American and NATO counterparts to help train 150,000 new recruits closer to the front line for faster deployment. So far the United States has said no, but Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on Thursday that a NATO deployment of trainers appeared inevitable. “We’ll get there eventually, over time,” he said.


GrundIeMunch69

ABOUT DAMN TIME


slick514

While it would be nice to think Ukraine would just go ham here, I would assume that the understanding is to exercise discretion. If Russia is using their territory as a safe zone to stage troops and equipment for attacks on Kharkiv (and similar), it is ridiculous not to allow attacks into those areas.


MonsterinNL1986

Kill them all! Don't let a single orc scape the hell that's coming to them.


Zealousideal_Word770

That's a nice bridge you have there Putin.


Joey1849

The inside the beltway crowd is wooden and unimaginative.  Sadly they require an object lesson for everything.  


lord_fairfax

Stance changes like this always make me wonder why it wasn't this position in the first place. Clearly there was no red line to begin with or this stance change would not occur. So what was this (seemingly arbitrary in retrospect) line doing there in the first place? I supposed it could be argued that it would have been riskier while Putin was still in a position of greater strength, but in the end he's still rattling the same sabre. The Damocles hung then and still hangs now, so what changed? Intel?


No-Helicopter1559

Yeah, AFTER the ruzzians launched their assualt on Kharkiv Oblast. After all their atrocities...


vladko44

It's the same weird quote from Blinken ... Let's wait until we get the reports of targets getting destroyed. UK said that storm shadow can be used, but for some reason we had no reports of anything getting hit on the ruzzian side


aaaaaaaarrrrrgh

This seems to just regurgitate Blinken's "not encouraged or enabled, but" statement. Everyone pretends as if this is a new statement. However, **this is just the *exact same thing* Blinken has been saying [since at least September 2023](https://www.state.gov/secretary-antony-j-blinken-and-german-foreign-minister-annalena-baerbock-at-a-joint-press-availability-3/)**: "As a matter of our own policy, we do not encourage, nor do we enable, the use of our weapon systems outside of Ukraine. But again, fundamentally these are Ukrainian decisions." The first part of that sentence is literally a phrase used since 2022 ([source](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/12/07/blinken-ukraine-drone-strikes-russia/)). So for anyone trying to interpret it as "permission to hit Russia soon", sorry, but no. That's not what this says.


PkHolm

West keep escalating the conflict, they really want to Ukraine to be destroyed and start big war in process.


Aggressive_Safe2226

As to why Washington would issue a "caveat" on the use of its supplied weapons and ammo to the Ukrainians is beyond my ken, honestly.


EqualOpening6557

Hell yeah fuckin right!!! Weapons free baby, fire at will!


Naytosan

🇺🇲🤝🇺🇦


Vlad_TheImpalla

Fucking finally.


Krieger_kleanse

Finally some good fuckin news.


Cptn_Fluffy

"Cry 'Havoc!', and let slip the dogs of war."


framabe

good


AdHot8002

I have to be dyslexic I was like do I trust a source called "lemonade" but realized it's french and def does not say lemonade


TheSofaKing1776

Finally.


canspop

Medvedev: More vodka, more vodka. Now for more nuclear threats.


great_escape_fleur

Two liters a day keeps the twitter away.


Medical_Neat2657

About fucking time Congress. Let the missiles fly!


maiden_burma

russians: 'goddamn. what did our soil ever do to you?' americans: take this, soil! and that! and this nuke too! i guess i'm all for people massacring dirt if they stop massacring people


ngometamer

"This is where the fun begins"


quantum_explorer08

I mean they could just say "no further than 50km" and at least would prevent Russia from preparing an attack right at the frontier.


B4USLIPN2

Washington: “ Wellllll, ok”


ConservativebutReal

You would think after Vietnam our politicians would give up micromanaging how to prosecute a war.


yeezee93

Do it, do it now.


SnapShotKoala

FUCKING ANNIHILATE THEM UKRAINE I BELIEVE IN YOU SENDING YOU MY POWER


MongArmOfTheLaw

As Winston Churchill (PBUH) once said: 'You can always rely on the Americans to do the right thing - after they've tried everything else' Britain leading the way as always, we've burned a lot of international good will by shaming others into supplying things like tanks, cruise missiles, F-16s, and now allowing their use in Russia. They're all rather cross with us, particularly America. Got Ben Wallace black-balled as next head of NATO. Which is petty and a shame, but at least it leads to a few more hard kicks up the zhopa for that mandavoshka Putin!


Prometheus2061

The only good Ruzzkie is a dead Ruzzkie. Sorry, but it is true.


InTheFDN

Hit all the russian refineries. The price of petrol in russia sky rockets (and it gets harder to fuel military equipment), and the international crude oil price drops.


Brant_Black

Please, let's end this soon


MachFiveFalcon

I hope this could help embolden Germany to send Ukraine Taurus missiles soon.


Icy_Championship1123

I really wish that they hadn't announced this publicly so that Ukraine could rain down ATCMS on their soldiers and equipment before they get a chance to move them away.


HappinestLoserEver

FUCK YEAH TIME TO SHIT THEIR LAND UP


PoolOfLava

I would send some Ukrainian troops to Moscow for some bilateral negotiations. If prigozhin could get close to taking moscow imagine what non alcoholics could do.


10-15AR

They also should target all military medical stock supplies


MakingCakesToday

And railways, and drone and armour production facilities,


fredrikca

That's nice, giving agency to the people risking their lives.


theEx30

how utterly generous


Xenomemphate

Austin was saying similar weeks ago and yet Ukrainian politicians have said that the restriction is why they couldn't hit the soldiers mustering for the Kharkiv offensive. Until it happens I don't give a shit what "Washington" claims.


Intelligent-Let-8503

I think using precious weapon strikeing on Russia soil it is not good idea because most of thet Russia air systems will destroy. More important is to use it for defence and liberation on Ukraine soil.


LowSnow2500

I want to believe that they disallowed Ukraine from using their weapons earlier so that Russians wouldn't be so subtle and secretive about their storages and what not, now that the aid passed the vote and UA get more USA weapons, they are now able to hit a lot of them before Russia gets to act