Ρωσία - ΝΑΤΟ

[Garcia]

Ας χτυπησει Σουηδια ο βλαχορωσος,τωρα που μπηκε στην ενωση του ΝΑΤΟ,αλλιως κιοτευει και βαζει ζαχαροβα να λεει αρλουμπες.

[nostromos]

[dna replication]

NATO's White Whale

Will Schryver
@imetatronink

"To me, the white whale is that wall, shoved near to me. Sometimes I think there's naught beyond. But 'tis enough. He tasks me; he heaps me; I see in him outrageous strength, with an inscrutable malice sinewing it. That inscrutable thing is chiefly what I hate; and be the white whale agent, or be the white whale principal, I will wreak that hate upon him."

Now that the long-range ATACMS missiles are in Ukraine — almost certainly operated by NATO-affiliated "volunteers" — it is inevitable that we will see an attempted strike against the Crimean Bridge.

They have already expended about two dozen of them to probe Russian air defenses in Crimea — with scant appreciable success, so far.

Nevertheless, it is all but certain they will make a play against the bridge, which holds the greatest symbolic significance of any target within range of their precious ATACMS missiles.

I figure they will ultimately launch a salvo of at least twenty missiles against the bridge. Probably more, with as many Storm Shadow cruise missiles mixed in as they can manage to launch with the depleted Ukraine air fleet.

Who knows, they might even sneak in a few "volunteer-piloted" F-16s to contribute to the mission as missile-carriers.

If they launch a total salvo of 30+ missiles, I think it's highly likely at least two or three will hit the bridge — maybe as many as half a dozen if they're extremely lucky.

It might be enough to drop a span or two of the bridge. Time will tell.

But even if the bridge is severely damaged and put out of commission for a few months, it will have no meaningful strategic significance in terms of the trajectory of the decisive battle on the ground in eastern Ukraine — with the very possible exception that the Russians may, in the aftermath, declare a "no-fly zone" for NATO airborne ISR aircraft over the Black Sea. That is a move long-anticipated but never yet made.

In advance of a major Russian offensive, a dramatic strike against the Crimean Bridge might be seized upon by the Russians as a justifiable pretext to close off the Black Sea to NATO intelligence gathering activities.

In any case, I won't be at all surprised to see a strike against the Crimean Bridge at some point in the next several days.

Short-lived though it shall be, it will constitute the last big hurrah of this war for the NATO/Ukraine cheerleaders.