McCain built a reputation as a "Maveric Republican" by sticking his fingers in the eyes of his fellow Republicans and going off in a different direction on many things, to the delight of the Press. Never heard of the other person.
Thoughts on the Russo-Ukranian War?
MontyB
All-Blacks Supporter
My mistake she is a Democrat but like McCain got heavily involved in the Ukrainian crisis of 2012-14.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26079957
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Nuland ( with parents from Ukrainian origin ) worked for Clinton, Obama and works now for Biden .
McCain was an ultra interventionist and the presence of McCain and Nuland in Ukraine was perceived as a big threat by the Kremlin .
Americans saying Ukrainians that they were in Ukraine to support them ( against Russia of course ) .
Did no one in DC see that this would trigger a Russian reply ?
MontyB
All-Blacks Supporter
I assume they did but then did no one in the Kremlin think meddling in Ukraine would trigger a US reply?
No matter who did what the final decision on what happens in Ukraine is Ukrainian to make and if they choose to become a Russian province or the 51st State of the USA that is up to them.
What I don't believe is Putin's nonsense about NATO on his borders as Norway and Turkey were already there and he didn't invade them, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia joined and he didn't invade them, Finland and Sweden have now decided to sign up and he isn't massing troops on their borders to "protect" Russian speakers, the thing that gives him away is the referendums he did it in Georgia, Crimea and now in Ukraine, these are purely wars of conquest.
MontyB
All-Blacks Supporter
Well seems the bridge went boom on its own.
Who had Russia in the Kerch Straight bridge destruction sweepstakes?
Seems a fuel train caught fire in the right spot to damage the rail connection and the road bridge...
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zo...-prized-kerch-strait-bridge-leading-to-crimea
Looking at the pictures at least a couple of spans of the road bridge have collapsed and looking at the rail bridge one span at least appears buckled and will need replacing.
Who had Russia in the Kerch Straight bridge destruction sweepstakes?
Seems a fuel train caught fire in the right spot to damage the rail connection and the road bridge...
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zo...-prized-kerch-strait-bridge-leading-to-crimea
Looking at the pictures at least a couple of spans of the road bridge have collapsed and looking at the rail bridge one span at least appears buckled and will need replacing.
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I3BrigPvSk
The Viking
So convenient.
MontyB
All-Blacks Supporter
Just looking at it the road bridge seems an easy fix but the rail side if things could be more difficult as the heat will probably have damaged the structural integrity of other spans.
I3BrigPvSk
The Viking
I saw a section of the road section had collapsed. The railroad tracks can be damaged as well and to move the damaged train can take a wile
Good job Ukrainian special forces.
Have seen how the Ukrainians reacted to this? Putin celebrate his birthday soon so the Ukrainians mixed Marilyn Monroe's "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" video with a video of the burning bridge
MontyB
All-Blacks Supporter
It is hard to say how much damage was done to the bridge, it has two separate road spans and it appears only one has collapsed, the rail bridge is the critical one and it appears to have been damaged on both sides of the line itself but how badly damaged the track, span and supports are will depend on the temperature and amount of time it was exposed to the heat.
That said even a couple of days out of action will cause major bottlenecks and downstream supply issues.
Interestingly I have been reading that this may not have been the work of Ukraine but a battle between the FSB and the military which seems far fetched but who knows in this crazy war.
I3BrigPvSk
The Viking
We have talked about that bridge since the war started. We will see if the Ukrainians can attack it again.
Are the Ukrainians reading what we are talking about? (Joking)
We have argued for an attack on that bridge for a long time.
Are the Ukrainians reading what we are talking about? (Joking)
We have argued for an attack on that bridge for a long time.
MontyB
All-Blacks Supporter
It was a logical target although for best effect I would have attacked it as the prelude to starting the Kherson offensive rather than half way through and I would have gone for one of its supports.
I have read another couple of theories one of which was interesting, these is some speculation the they planted the bomb underneath the bridge and not in the truck.
MontyB
All-Blacks Supporter
I too am sceptical about Ukrainian military involvement in this, a suicide bombings really doesn't sound like a military action, I would be more inclined to think it was a partisan operation or an inside job given that trucks are scanned at both ends of the bridge before crossing.
I3BrigPvSk
The Viking
It can be a freak accident with the transportation of ammunition, but the detonation occur exactly at the right moment to hit the train. It wasn't an air/missile attack so it might be SF doing it. Placing the explosives under the bridge make sense and it can theoretically be done by SF from a submarine. Partisans can have done it, but they need to be trained to do so and who train partisans to do something like this?
There is something under the bridge just before the explosion. It seems the truck doesn't have anything to do with the explosion.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63192757
There is something under the bridge just before the explosion. It seems the truck doesn't have anything to do with the explosion.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63192757
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MontyB
All-Blacks Supporter
While that seems more likely the amount of force lost between the water's edge and the bridge span would be phenomenal as well and if you were doing that wouldn't a shaped charge on the bridge's support make more sense?
I3BrigPvSk
The Viking
Yes, but the weakest point of a bridge is the road section of it. To destroy the support columns has a greater effect, but it requires much more explosives. When I am looking at the pictures and videos of the blast. It looks like it all begins beneath the bridge.
MontyB
All-Blacks Supporter
I see that idiot Lukashenko is still trying to get involved but what alternative does he have now that he has nailed his colours to the sinking ship that is Russia, apparently Ukraine is planning to attack Belarus because clearly the Russians aren't enough of a challenge.
https://news.sky.com/video/ukraine-plotting-attack-on-belarus-claims-president-lukashenko-12717581
I still believe the West needs to get involved if Ukraine is attacked from Belarus and it is time Poland, Lithuania and Latvia held some northern exercises near the Belarus border to drag Belarus forces away from the southern border.
https://news.sky.com/video/ukraine-plotting-attack-on-belarus-claims-president-lukashenko-12717581
I still believe the West needs to get involved if Ukraine is attacked from Belarus and it is time Poland, Lithuania and Latvia held some northern exercises near the Belarus border to drag Belarus forces away from the southern border.
Photos I was looking at yesterday seemed to show no blast damage undernieth it.
I3BrigPvSk
The Viking
Can you share them, please? You are probably right, it all began on the bridge and not under it. Because if it began under it, how could it reach the railroad section of it and ignite the train?
Anyway, the bridge suffered some damage. Either the Ukrainians did it or a drunk Russian
I3BrigPvSk
The Viking
I think Lukashenko knows if Putin goes down, he goes down too.