Putin wants Ukraine Natural Gas ? Water restarted to CRIMEA ?

[surrept33 + 609]

11 hours ago, kshithij Sharma said:

Iran has paused the JCPOA negotiations to help Russia. Iran also recently fired missiles at USA consulate area as warning: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/multiple-rockets-fall-erbil-northern-iraq-state-media-2022-03-12/

That missile was clearly for Israel. Iran can't attack Israel directly because of Iron Dome directly. So, Iran lobs a shitty missile in the general direction of the US. Iran does this on days that end with the letter 'y'. Doesn't really mean it effects the deal.

Anyway, it sounds like the US is discussing a workaround for a deal without Russia if Russia doesn't back away from its demands for a sanctions loophole, which is a complete non-starter for the west. Iran doesn't seem too happy at Russia since Russia's demands are not in Iran's interests. Geopolitica, this seems like a good opportunity for the US to drive a wedge between Iran and Russia. 

 

 

•  WSJ NEWS EXCLUSIVE 

U.S. to explore alternatives to Iran deal without Russia if Moscow doesn’t back away from demands for sanctions exemptions

The U.S. won’t negotiate exemptions to Ukraine-related sanctions on Russia to save the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and could try to strike a separate accord excluding Moscow, a senior U.S. official said, a diplomatic effort complicated by an Iranian missile attack on Iraq that sent American troops rushing for shelter.

Time is pressing. U.S. and European officials say that Iran’s nuclear work has expanded close to a point that the deal’s main benefit to the West—keeping Iran months away from amassing enough nuclear fuel for a nuclear weapon—would be impossible. Iran is currently just a few weeks from that so-called breakout point.

Earlier this month, as Western diplomats were seeking to wrap up the talks, Russia requested guarantees that its work under the JCPOA would be exempted from Western sanctions over Ukraine. The U.S. had given sanctions waivers for the 2015 deal.However after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters Moscow wanted much broader guarantees, its chief negotiator in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, presented a second paper to European negotiators on Tuesday seeking to protect all future trade and investment against Ukraine-related sanctions, something the U.S. has rejected.

One option for the U.S. and its partners would be to create an interim deal that could freeze some of Iran’s activities and wind back aspects of its nuclear program in return for some level of sanctions relief from the U.S. Iran has always rejected the idea of an interim deal.

Another option would be to create what the senior U.S. official called a “replica of the JCPOA,” without Russia, which would assign Moscow’s tasks in the agreement elsewhere.“I do think we would be open to various alternatives. We are beginning to think about what those might be,” the official said. “We…at this point wouldn’t rule anything out.”

The negotiations in Vienna, which have dragged on for close to a year, aim to agree on the steps the U.S. and Iran would take to return into compliance with the nuclear deal. If Russia’s demands can be resolved, negotiators have said they could be back in Vienna within a few days to finish the talks.

Iran has avoided calling out Russia and has continued to blame the failure to complete the talks on Washington. However there have been hints of irritation from Iranian officials, who have said they wouldn’t let external factors get in the way of their interests.

 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-wont-negotiate-ukraine-related-sanctions-with-russia-to-save-iran-nuclear-deal-11647167692

 

[kshithij Sharma + 78]

5 hours ago, footeab@yahoo.com said:

So, you are saying USA's reserves have increased.  Good to know.  Its up to 55 GBL.   Give you a hint, for the last 50 years the USA's reserves were at 30GBL... now they are 55GBL.... I suppose they will stay there for the next 50 years as well... hrmmm.   "Reserves" mean nothing unless an international oil company is pumping from a foreign nations reserves where their headquarters is not located.  Even then, this "reserves" hold very little bearing to reality.

For instance the Natural Gas reserves of Iran/Qatar/Turkmenistan/Russia/USA are so vast, no one knows how big they actually are other than, pure guesses at best and laughable at worst.  Same goes for USA's/Russia/China's/Australian coal reserves.  So vast no one knows how big they are.  There are gigantic coal reserves under ~1/10 of the USA's land area as an example, yet almost none of it has ever had a core drill through it to even know how much is there.  Only reason anyone knows it is there is drilling for oil/gas and coal comes up the bore hole. Lets not even get started with how much NG is on the north slope of the arctic all before we even discuss pretty much unexplored Africa or Interior of Brazil, Canada/Russia. 

I am not talking of coal and gas. I know very well that the amount of coal and gas is extremely huge worldover. The reserves of coal is simply massive in most major producers like Russia, China, India, USA, Australia. Even the natural gas reserves have not been fully estimated for major producers like Russia, USA, Qatar, Iran. This is because there has been no significant pressure on these countries over their coal and natural gas supplies running out or sudden surges in demands. However, in case of oil, the daily production is 100Mbd or about 5billion tons annually. If we compare it in equivalent gas terms, it will amount to about 200-210 TCF gas annually. Even coal production worldover is about 3.6billion tons which is less than oil production. It is due to the enormous over extraction of oil that oil reserves have an especially huge value and the reserves of oil is carefully calculated. This is also why I mostly deal with oil reserve estimates but don't venture to predict gas or coal reserves.

When it comes to oil, I have a reasonably accurate calculations of the amount of extractable oil reserves with EROI > 1.1. The 55GBL oil is all that USA has got and there will be no more oil reserves. The reserve figure I am giving is not the fake reserve figure based on cost of extraction and available infrastructure but the absolute amount of oil that can be extracted with EROI >1.1. Only EROI matters in determining reserves as lower EROI will mean the extraction will not be meaningful.

Here, this is my analysis for the year 2020 of how much oil is remaining:

On 2/8/2022 at 2:07 PM, kshithij Sharma said:

I have considered the oil reserve inflation of GCC countries. That is why I specifically spoke about USA's assessment of oil reserves in 1970s. For example, USA had submitted dossiers to congress on KSA oil reserves in 1979 which stated that oil resources is 530GBL. In KSA, with EOR, the extraction is 50-55% of oil in place. Similarly, I have done some research to estimate the oil reserves of several other countries. The only countries whose reserves is not clear are USA, Russia & China.

I have not given much importance to China as China is a marginal player with 20GBL and even a 5GBL extra won't matter much in the grand scheme of things. In case of Russia, I have strong hunch that it may have significant amount of oil in Siberia which is not yet disclosed by Russia. I have added 20GBL oil to the current estimate though in reality it may be much more. However, that is not of much significance as Russian official oil reserves disclosed as of now is itself enough to last till 2050 and there is no likelihood of Russia extracting additional oil to supply the west as oil depletes.

About USA, I know how USA shows limited oil reserves by imposing various arbitrary conditions just to hide its actual reserves. For example, the tight oil reserves were actually developed after the 1973 oil sanctions and even had started producing oil by 1979. It was closed down by govt citing "environmental damage". Guess what, the environment no longer matters since 2008 as these fields are now being drilled. Despite all the shenanigans and conspiracies, it is still possible to get a rough inkling of the amount of oil USA can extract. This is how I made an estimation of USA oil reserves:

USA extracted 240GBL from 1860 till 2020. The total oil resource available now is 340GBL. So, the initial oil in place was about 575GBL. Assuming 50% extraction on average (55% of large conventional fields, 50% of small and medium conventional fields and 25% of shale), we get roughly 290GBL. Since 235GBL is extracted, remaining is 55GBL which will last till 2033. Adding 5 GBL for being conservative, I took 60GBL

The world oil reserves is about 650GBL. The oil consumption (NGL, Tar sands excluded) is 30GBL per year

Here are some of the rough oil reserves based on various calculations and speculations in GBL:

KSA: 110

UAE: 33-35

Kuwait: 33-35

Iraq: 50

Iran: 50

Azerbaijan: 7

Qatar: 5

Oman: 5

Yemen: 3

Syria: 2

Bahrain: <1

Libya: 15

Algeria: 12

Egypt: 4

Malaysia: 4

Indonesia: 3

Russia: 125 (with shale oil of 20GBL)

Nigeria: 22

Kazhakhstan: 20

USA: 60 (with shale oil)

China: 20

Brazil: 12

Ecuador: 8

Angola: 7

Mexico: 6

Norway: 7

India: 5

Canada, Venezuela, Vietnam, Sudan, Colombia, Chad, Argentina, UK, Australia, Bruinei, Guinea, Peru and others: 20 (PS:Venezuela and Canada don't hold large oil reserves but hold tar sands)

So, when it comes to oil reserves, the figures become much more clear compared to gas or coal reserves. Due to extreme strategic importance of oil compared to gas or coal due to its versatility, oil reserves will determine how the strategic calculations will be made. Gas and coal simply can't substitute oil as otherwise, USA would have started pumping gas or digging coal to substitute for oil after 1973 embargo.

 

15 minutes ago, surrept33 said:

That missile was clearly for Israel. Iran can't attack Israel directly because of Iron Dome directly. So, Iran lobs a shitty missile in the general direction of the US. Iran does this on days that end with the letter 'y'. Doesn't really mean it effects the deal.

Anyway, it sounds like the US is discussing a workaround for a deal without Russia if Russia doesn't back away from its demands for a sanctions loophole, which is a complete non-starter for the west. Iran doesn't seem too happy at Russia since Russia's demands are not in Iran's interests. Geopolitica, this seems like a good opportunity for the US to drive a wedge between Iran and Russia. 

You are assuming that USA can make any deals as per its whims while others are just duffers. Iran has got enough assurances from China to buy its oil for long term. India buys significant amounts of products like oil, fertilisers, minerals and chemicals, Venezuela buys condensate for blending its oil sands, Russia facilitates sales of Iranian oil via its ships and ports by smuggling. With Chinese importing 10Mbd oil, it can easily afford to take in more of Iranian oil and Iran does not really need USA to lift sanctions to produce more.

USA has very little to bargain. Lifting sanctions is not a big favour as the sanctions were arbitrarily imposed. It is like someone pushing you into the river and then claiming to do a favour by helping to pull you out. Russia has been a much reliable partner for Iran. Iran seems to be in agreement with Russia that it is prudent to punish USA & Europe by high oil prices instead of buckling for short term greed of higher oil sales. Iran now prefers to destroy Western influence and wealth by inducing recession in Europe and thereby ensuring that west permanently loses its ability to impose hegemony rather than be able to gain some additional money in the short term

[footeab@yahoo.com + 2,131]

a

1 hour ago, kshithij Sharma said:

I am not talking of coal and gas. I know very well that the amount of coal and gas is extremely huge worldover. The reserves of coal is simply massive in most major producers like Russia, China, India, USA, Australia. Even the natural gas reserves have not been fully estimated for major producers like Russia, USA, Qatar, Iran. This is because there has been no significant pressure on these countries over their coal and natural gas supplies running out or sudden surges in demands. However, in case of oil, the daily production is 100Mbd or about 5billion tons annually. If we compare it in equivalent gas terms, it will amount to about 200-210 TCF gas annually. Even coal production worldover is about 3.6billion tons which is less than oil production. It is due to the enormous over extraction of oil that oil reserves have an especially huge value and the reserves of oil is carefully calculated. This is also why I mostly deal with oil reserve estimates but don't venture to predict gas or coal reserves.

When it comes to oil, I have a reasonably accurate calculations of the amount of extractable oil reserves with EROI > 1.1. The 55GBL oil is all that USA has got and there will be no more oil reserves. The reserve figure I am giving is not the fake reserve figure based on cost of extraction and available infrastructure but the absolute amount of oil that can be extracted with EROI >1.1. Only EROI matters in determining reserves as lower EROI will mean the extraction will not be meaningful.

Here, this is my analysis for the year 2020 of how much oil is remaining:

So, when it comes to oil reserves, the figures become much more clear compared to gas or coal reserves. Due to extreme strategic importance of oil compared to gas or coal due to its versatility, oil reserves will determine how the strategic calculations will be made. Gas and coal simply can't substitute oil as otherwise, USA would have started pumping gas or digging coal to substitute for oil after 1973 embargo.

 

You are assuming that USA can make any deals as per its whims while others are just duffers. Iran has got enough assurances from China to buy its oil for long term. India buys significant amounts of products like oil, fertilisers, minerals and chemicals, Venezuela buys condensate for blending its oil sands, Russia facilitates sales of Iranian oil via its ships and ports by smuggling. With Chinese importing 10Mbd oil, it can easily afford to take in more of Iranian oil and Iran does not really need USA to lift sanctions to produce more.

USA has very little to bargain. Lifting sanctions is not a big favour as the sanctions were arbitrarily imposed. It is like someone pushing you into the river and then claiming to do a favour by helping to pull you out. Russia has been a much reliable partner for Iran. Iran seems to be in agreement with Russia that it is prudent to punish USA & Europe by high oil prices instead of buckling for short term greed of higher oil sales. Iran now prefers to destroy Western influence and wealth by inducing recession in Europe and thereby ensuring that west permanently loses its ability to impose hegemony rather than be able to gain some additional money in the short term

You claim EROI of 1.1.....   AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

By that definition, USA has Trillions of barrels of oil in the Green river formation by itself and so does Canada and Australia and Israel and Iraq and probably Russia/China as well.  Heck I believe even India and South Africa have gargantuan shale rock oil deposits by your EROI 1.1 definition.   Good grief.  Last pilot project in the Green River had an EROI over 3 and they thought with a larger operation they could hit an EROI of 5 without problems.  By the way, the Shale oil rock green river formation averages over 3 km deep by who knows how many square kilometers(tens of thousands of square kilometers)...  I'll let you contemplate that simple basic truth. 

Your calculations appear to have a gargantuan problem if we ignore your EROI statement.  The Bakken, by itself has 55GBL recoverable at today's recovery rates.  True, some of the Bakken extends into Canada, but the point holds.  Total oil in place in Bakken is north of 300G barrels + gas and EROI is increasing, not decreasing and is well past 10% of recovery rates in the very beginning of oil drilling in N. Dakota many years ago and is well past 15% in most regions(with EROI well over 10 EDIT: Some are now saying well over 25 in BAKKEN even 5 years ago, sorry I had not looked this up in a decade).  PS: Ignore everything the idiots at the USGS/EIA keep posting regarding oil/ng.  So far, they have been very consistent in consistently being 100% wrong as the USGS/EIA have been overtaken by Anthropogenic Warming religious zealots and science has left the building. 

Edited March 15, 2022 by footeab@yahoo.com

[Andrei Moutchkine + 828]

On 3/12/2022 at 1:20 AM, Jay McKinsey said:

Russia has a very open immigration policy. No one is stopping them from moving.

Indeed, like you haven't seen before. We accept all of Odessa, no need to move.

Edited March 15, 2022 by Andrei Moutchkine

[Jay McKinsey + 1,489]

1 minute ago, Andrei Moutchkine said:

Indeed, like you haven't seen before. We accept all of Odessa, no need to move.

Haha, are you still living in the comfortable safe western democracy of Austria while your brothers and sisters are suffering for their sins? The mighty Russian military is a global laughing stock! Maybe the Chinese can bail them out.

[Andrei Moutchkine + 828]

2 hours ago, surrept33 said:

That missile was clearly for Israel. Iran can't attack Israel directly because of Iron Dome directly. So, Iran lobs a shitty missile in the general direction of the US. Iran does this on days that end with the letter 'y'. Doesn't really mean it effects the deal.

Anyway, it sounds like the US is discussing a workaround for a deal without Russia if Russia doesn't back away from its demands for a sanctions loophole, which is a complete non-starter for the west. Iran doesn't seem too happy at Russia since Russia's demands are not in Iran's interests. Geopolitica, this seems like a good opportunity for the US to drive a wedge between Iran and Russia. 

 

 

•  WSJ NEWS EXCLUSIVE 

U.S. to explore alternatives to Iran deal without Russia if Moscow doesn’t back away from demands for sanctions exemptions

The U.S. won’t negotiate exemptions to Ukraine-related sanctions on Russia to save the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and could try to strike a separate accord excluding Moscow, a senior U.S. official said, a diplomatic effort complicated by an Iranian missile attack on Iraq that sent American troops rushing for shelter.

Time is pressing. U.S. and European officials say that Iran’s nuclear work has expanded close to a point that the deal’s main benefit to the West—keeping Iran months away from amassing enough nuclear fuel for a nuclear weapon—would be impossible. Iran is currently just a few weeks from that so-called breakout point.

Earlier this month, as Western diplomats were seeking to wrap up the talks, Russia requested guarantees that its work under the JCPOA would be exempted from Western sanctions over Ukraine. The U.S. had given sanctions waivers for the 2015 deal.However after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters Moscow wanted much broader guarantees, its chief negotiator in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, presented a second paper to European negotiators on Tuesday seeking to protect all future trade and investment against Ukraine-related sanctions, something the U.S. has rejected.

One option for the U.S. and its partners would be to create an interim deal that could freeze some of Iran’s activities and wind back aspects of its nuclear program in return for some level of sanctions relief from the U.S. Iran has always rejected the idea of an interim deal.

Another option would be to create what the senior U.S. official called a “replica of the JCPOA,” without Russia, which would assign Moscow’s tasks in the agreement elsewhere.“I do think we would be open to various alternatives. We are beginning to think about what those might be,” the official said. “We…at this point wouldn’t rule anything out.”

The negotiations in Vienna, which have dragged on for close to a year, aim to agree on the steps the U.S. and Iran would take to return into compliance with the nuclear deal. If Russia’s demands can be resolved, negotiators have said they could be back in Vienna within a few days to finish the talks.

Iran has avoided calling out Russia and has continued to blame the failure to complete the talks on Washington. However there have been hints of irritation from Iranian officials, who have said they wouldn’t let external factors get in the way of their interests.

 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-wont-negotiate-ukraine-related-sanctions-with-russia-to-save-iran-nuclear-deal-11647167692

 

It is not obvious that Iron Dome is any good against a proper cruise missile attack. More like against homemade Gaza rockets and mortars. Arrow 3 is the Israeli system you are looking for here. (Much more expensive and not so widely deployed) The Patriot is entirely useless there, as has been demonstrated time and again.

Iran sending yellowcake for processing to Russia was an essential part of the original JCPOA, hence the sanction waiver. How else do you suppose to achieve the same? Iran is doing jack for the sake of Russia.  It is only a situational ally of Russia's in Syria, otherwise, not really.

[notsonice + 1,068]

Just now, Jay McKinsey said:

Haha, are you still living in the comfortable safe western democracy of Austria while your brothers and sisters are suffering for their sins? The mighty Russian military is a global laughing stock! Maybe the Chinese can bail them out.

Jay,  He is  a coward. He will not return to his beloved Russia as he knows he will have to serve his military service digging a trench in Ukraine , where he most likely will die, starving and freezing. You can bet Putin will have to start drafting 50 year old fat Russians in short order. 

[Andrei Moutchkine + 828]

4 minutes ago, Jay McKinsey said:

Haha, are you still living in the comfortable safe western democracy of Austria while your brothers and sisters are suffering for their sins? The mighty Russian military is a global laughing stock! Maybe the Chinese can bail them out.

I'll be more helpful where I am, undermining the wretched "Western democracy" every step of the way and helping to bail my brothers and sisters out. You will pay for everything you did to us and the rest of the world. Hope you live long enough to enjoy the payback.

The mighty Russian military does not need my help. Like an old saying goes, he who laughs last, laughs best.

[notsonice + 1,068]

Russian Military........ going nowhere fast...sitting ducks waiting for death.

 

[Jay McKinsey + 1,489]

2 minutes ago, Andrei Moutchkine said:

I'll be more helpful where I am, undermining the wretched "Western democracy" every step of the way and helping to bail my brothers and sisters out. You will pay for everything you did to us and the rest of the world. Hope you live long enough to enjoy the payback.

The mighty Russian military does not need my help. Like an old saying goes, he who laughs last, laughs best.

Oh delusions of grandeur. 

I agree, the mighty Russian military doesn't need more cowards such as yourself.

Edited March 15, 2022 by Jay McKinsey

[notsonice + 1,068]

2 minutes ago, Andrei Moutchkine said:

I'll be more helpful where I am, undermining the wretched "Western democracy" every step of the way and helping to bail my brothers and sisters out. You will pay for everything you did to us and the rest of the world. Hope you live long enough to enjoy the payback.

The mighty Russian military does not need my help. Like an old saying goes, he who laughs last, laughs best.

You will pay for everything you did to us and the rest of the world??? What is a fat tired Russian in Austria going to do?????? Fight or hide in a basement when Putin calls him up for service??? my bet is hide like a coward who is afraid to die......

[Andrei Moutchkine + 828]

4 minutes ago, notsonice said:

Jay,  He is  a coward. He will not return to his beloved Russia as he knows he will have to serve his military service digging a trench in Ukraine , where he most likely will die, starving and freezing. You can bet Putin will have to start drafting 50 year old fat Russians in short order. 

They are not accepting volunteers who are ex-military, not to speak of sorry old me. If they start using as much as regular, young conscripts, they've got an army that is over a million men strong already.

[Jay McKinsey + 1,489]

1 minute ago, Andrei Moutchkine said:

They are not accepting volunteers who are ex-military, not to speak of sorry old me. If they start using as much as regular, young conscripts, they've got an army that is over a million men strong already.

We all know they are scouring mercenaries from Syria and Chechnya, just now basement dwellers from Austria.

Untrained conscripts they have plenty of, they are the ones being killed.

Edited March 15, 2022 by Jay McKinsey

[Andrei Moutchkine + 828]

3 minutes ago, notsonice said:

Russian Military........ going nowhere fast...sitting ducks waiting for death.

 

How can you even tell, whose tank that was?

[notsonice + 1,068]

Just now, Andrei Moutchkine said:

They are not accepting volunteers who are ex-military, not to speak of sorry old me. If they start using as much as regular, young conscripts, they've got an army that is over a million men strong already.

they've got an army that is over a million men strong already.???? Drunk and low IQ conscripts....No wonder why Ukrainians are kicking Russias ass. How many dead and wounded Russians already 20,000 in two weeks.......What a fucking joke

[Jay McKinsey + 1,489]

1 minute ago, Andrei Moutchkine said:

How can you even tell, whose tank that was?

The Russians are the ones driving their tanks down city streets. There wouldn't be a photo if this were now behind Russian lines.

[Andrei Moutchkine + 828]

Just now, Jay McKinsey said:

We all know they are scouring mercenaries from Syria and Chechnya, just now basement dwellers from Austria.

Sourcing mercenaries from Syria is yet another BS story. Plenty of Syrians who would like to go, which does not mean they are accepted.

The Chechens are not mercs, but really Russian National Guard against a specific region. They travel much lighter than Army mechanized infantry and are supposed to be more suitable to urban warfare.

In other news, the Western foreign legionnaires mostly shit their pants and left, after their barracks got hit by cruise missiles at night. Like somebody expected them to fight against a technologically superior opponent? Former American spec ops types were running ahead of everybody else, I hear. Those cannot fight against anybody who is as much as capable of scratching them back.

[Andrei Moutchkine + 828]

5 minutes ago, Jay McKinsey said:

The Russians are the ones driving their tanks down city streets. There wouldn't be a photo if this were now behind Russian lines.

Where do you think the Ukrainians keep their armor, genius? A lot of those "lines" are in the cities.

[Andrei Moutchkine + 828]

8 minutes ago, notsonice said:

they've got an army that is over a million men strong already.???? Drunk and low IQ conscripts....No wonder why Ukrainians are kicking Russias ass. How many dead and wounded Russians already 20,000 in two weeks.......What a fucking joke

Arguably, this is why they don't use conscripts in this campaign. Not as much drunk and low IQ, but low experience. Ukraine does draft any male 18-60 they can catch now, though. 20,000 is at least and order of magnitude too many.

[Jay McKinsey + 1,489]

1 minute ago, Andrei Moutchkine said:

Sourcing mercenaries from Syria is yet another BS story. Plenty of Syrians who would like to go, which does not mean they are accepted.

The Chechens are not mercs, but really Russian National Guard against a specific region. They travel much lighter than Army mechanized infantry and are supposed to be more suitable to urban warfare.

In other news, the Western foreign legionnaires mostly shit their pants and left, after their barracks got hit by cruise missiles at night. Like somebody expected them to fight against a technologically superior opponent? Former American spec ops types were running ahead of everybody else, I hear. Those cannot fight against anybody who is as much as capable of scratching them back.

Haha, we all know better. Those strikes killed all of 35 people. Tens of thousand western volunteers are suiting up and on their way to fight against evil Russians.

[notsonice + 1,068]

love the fact that Zelensky is pimping out Putin

 

Zelensky claims Russia has already suffered more casualties in Ukraine than during Chechen wars

CATHERINE GARCIA

MARCH 14, 2022

Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed in a Monday night address that Russia has had more soldiers die in Ukraine over the last few weeks than it did in its two Chechen wars.

"Our brave defenders continue causing the Russian forces devastating losses," Zelensky said. "Very soon, the number of downed Russian helicopters will reach 100. They have already lost 80 military planes, hundreds of tanks, thousands of other military vehicles and equipment. In 19 days, the Russian army had more soldiers killed than in two bloody wars in Chechnya. What for?"

The first Chechen War was fought between 1994 and 1996, and the second between 1999 and 2009. The exact death tolls are not known, but The Guardian reports that the official estimate is that 5,732 Russians died during the first war and around 7,400 in the second war.

Zelensky made an appeal to Russian troops during his address, saying in Russian: "On behalf of the Ukrainian people, we give you a chance to live. If you surrender to our forces, we will treat you as humans have to be treated: with dignity. The way you have not been treated in your army. And the way your army doesn't treat our people. Choose."

[Andrei Moutchkine + 828]

14 minutes ago, notsonice said:

You will pay for everything you did to us and the rest of the world??? What is a fat tired Russian in Austria going to do?????? Fight or hide in a basement when Putin calls him up for service??? my bet is hide like a coward who is afraid to die......

Indeed, what a fat tired Russian in Austria can do? Probably nothing. Unless I can. In which case, you would not know what hit you till it is too late.

[Andrei Moutchkine + 828]

2 minutes ago, Jay McKinsey said:

Haha, we all know better. Those strikes killed all of 35 people. Tens of thousand western volunteers are suiting up and on their way to fight against evil Russians.

30 cruise missiles impacting various barrack, killing only 35 people? Almost 1:1. Wow, those guys look like real pros to me.

[notsonice + 1,068]

3 minutes ago, Andrei Moutchkine said:

Arguably, this is why they don't use conscripts in this campaign. Not as much drunk and low IQ, but low experience. Ukraine does draft any male 18-60 they can catch now, though. 20,000 is at least and order of magnitude too many.

When will Putin head to the front lines in support of his own troops???? or is he a coward and afraid his own troops will take him out???? My bet is Putin sleeps in a bunker, as a coward would, afraid of his own people. Putin has destroyed Russia , enjoy the thought.

[Jay McKinsey + 1,489]

Just now, Andrei Moutchkine said:

30 cruise missiles impacting various barrack, killing only 35 people? Almost 1:1. Wow, those guys look like real pros to me.

Standard Russian military incompetence. Fits perfectly with everything else we have seen.