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2022-03-21 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
Mariupol Defenders Reject Russian Demand for Surrender Setting up the Largest Siege of a City Since WWII
[Red State] On Sunday, the Russian Defense Ministry issued an ultimatum to the Ukrainian garrison defending Mariupol.
"Lay down your arms," Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev, the director of the Russian National Center for Defense Management, said in a briefing distributed by the defence ministry.

"A terrible humanitarian catastrophe has developed," Mizintsev said. "All who lay down their arms are guaranteed safe passage out of Mariupol."

The deadline is 5 a.m. Monday, Moscow time, or 10 p.m. Sunday Eastern Daylight Time.
Third and fourth floor corner rooms oftentimes make good sniper positions.
With about two hours remaining to the deadline, the defenders of Mariupol rejected the demand. This sets the stage for the largest siege of a city since World War II.
Posted by Besoeker 2022-03-21 04:18|| || Front Page|| [11135 views ]  Top

#1 ...This might be where everything reaches a breaking point: It's not out of the question, and in fact likely, that the Russian flag officers have been told in no uncertain terms that they better either take Mariupol or risk being held personally responsible for the results.

The FOs are either going to utterly flatten the city and plant a flag on a rubble-strewn graveyard, or they're going to tell Putin to pound sand.

Mike
Posted by Mike Kozlowski 2022-03-21 06:26||   2022-03-21 06:26|| Front Page Top

#2 "A terrible humanitarian catastrophe has developed," Mizintsev said.

"I love you so much. Why do you make me beat you?"
Posted by Frank G 2022-03-21 07:31||   2022-03-21 07:31|| Front Page Top

#3 It is likely Vlad wants to have the land bridge to Crimea in his grasp before any ceasefire takes place.
Posted by Besoeker 2022-03-21 07:41||   2022-03-21 07:41|| Front Page Top

#4 from the narrow Russian military point of view it is a waste of soldiers to push for complete capture of Mariupol

it would be better to just surround the city and send soldiers otherwise needed to invade the city to capture more territory toward Odessa

across that wouldn't allow for pictures of Russian flags over CBD municipal buildings which perhaps is the 'doctrinal achievement'
Posted by Lord Garth 2022-03-21 07:50||   2022-03-21 07:50|| Front Page Top

#5 ...from the narrow Russian military point of view it is a waste of soldiers to push for complete capture of Mariupol

That was Eisenhower's view, let the Russians take Berlin. They certainly paid the butcher's bill for it.
Posted by Procopius2k 2022-03-21 10:03||   2022-03-21 10:03|| Front Page Top

#6 #1 It might also be a breaking point in terms of Putin's ability to control the consequences of his ill-conceived invasion. The annihilation of Mariupol would erase any remaining doubt about who Putin is.

And yeah, Frank, the passive voice is doing a lot of lifting there.
Posted by Matt 2022-03-21 10:18||   2022-03-21 10:18|| Front Page Top

#7 This is a contest btwn ruling intelligence structures. Putin and the KGB against the Klingon puppet Biden.

Anyone seen Putin addressing the Russian Parliament or Biden appearing before the US Congress on the Ukraine issue? No, me neither.

Silent, powerless bench sitters, the dead giveaway.

Posted by Besoeker 2022-03-21 10:26||   2022-03-21 10:26|| Front Page Top

#8 Putin in committing some of his most reliable troops to take Mariupol, including the Dzerzhinsky divisions and both FSB and GRU spetznatz units. One of their duties is to make sure no one tells Putin to pound sand.

If someone can figure out how to get to the rocket artillery, there might be a chance. Otherwise figure on tens, if not hundreds of thousands of deaths.

P.S. Many Russian posts on this site have stated that all members of the Azov regiment will be executed "after interrogation" (i.e. torture). Don't expect many of them to surrender.
Posted by Whirong Grumble8237 2022-03-21 12:14||   2022-03-21 12:14|| Front Page Top

#9 Here are some of Putin's elite troops in action. You have to be impressed by their efficiency.
Posted by Matt 2022-03-21 12:31||   2022-03-21 12:31|| Front Page Top

#10 The only way to save thousands of lives at this point is for Ukraine to capitulate. If people in the West really cared about the Ukrainians (I know, they don't, but just assume for a second), they'd be demanding that Biden and Macron find a way to let Zelensky salvage something and agree to some of Russia's terms. Instead of demanding even now to be admired into NATO
Posted by Chusoger Thrusosh4089 2022-03-21 12:43||   2022-03-21 12:43|| Front Page Top

#11 /\ Thanks Matt. That vid just went viral to a company sized element of former colleagues and friends.
Posted by Besoeker 2022-03-21 12:43||   2022-03-21 12:43|| Front Page Top

#12 ^ To be fair I've seen worse videos coming from California, although the BMD is a nice touch.
Posted by Matt 2022-03-21 12:49||   2022-03-21 12:49|| Front Page Top

#13 The only way to save thousands of lives at this point is for Ukraine to capitulate. If people in the West really cared about the Ukrainians (I know, they don't, but just assume for a second), they'd be demanding that Biden and Macron find a way to let Zelensky salvage something and agree to some of Russia's terms. Instead of demanding even now to be admired into NATO

No one in America gives a fuck about eastern Europe.

90 percent of Americans think eastern Europe's main export is vampires.
Posted by badanov 2022-03-21 12:49||   2022-03-21 12:49|| Front Page Top

#14 looting a gas station
Don't spread that vid around the US or we're gonna have mass looting of gas stations here too. $10 unleaded is just around the corner
Posted by Chusoger Thrusosh4089 2022-03-21 12:51||   2022-03-21 12:51|| Front Page Top

#15 ^ Close to $7 a gallon in Cali. I'd like to rent me some rooskies and get me a free tankful.

Could be a good business. "GasComrade.com"
Posted by Chaving Clunk7252 2022-03-21 13:07||   2022-03-21 13:07|| Front Page Top

#16 Assuming Putin is assigning his most reliable troops to the total conquest of Mariupol, it risks

-demoralizing these troops when they witness the unjustified destruction first hand

- demoralizing these troops when their comrades and commanders get picked off by snipers and drones
Posted by Lord Garth 2022-03-21 14:32||   2022-03-21 14:32|| Front Page Top

#17 #15 ^ Close to $7 a gallon in Cali. I'd like to rent me some rooskies and get me a free tankful. Could be a good business. "GasComrade.com"

maybe "GasBudski"?
Is there an app for that? (asking for a friend)
Posted by Chusoger Thrusosh4089 2022-03-21 14:44||   2022-03-21 14:44|| Front Page Top

#18 Not Mariupol, but similar from the Times of Israel liveblog:

Israeli arrested in Ukraine says Russia complained she was ‘making too much noise’

Tatiana Komuk, an Israeli woman detained by Russian forces earlier today, tells Israel’s Kan news that she and her parents were investigated for having reported on what is happening in Melitopol, which Moscow has bombarded and attempted to capture for over a week.

Komuk, who is normally based in Tel Aviv where she runs a bridal shop, tells the news outlet that Russians first arrested her parents, who run a local newspaper, along with other journalists. She says about an hour later Russian soldiers came to her home.

“They told me if I don’t open up they will break into the house. They threw me in a car and took me to a base,” Komuk says. She was not told where the base was.

She says the three Russian soldiers who arrested her were respectful and did not hurt or yell at her. When she asked why she was arrested she says they told her “for making too much noise in the city,” and because it’s illegal to protest. Komuk, who has been posting pictures from protests on her Facebook page, says the soldiers told her, “We came from Russia to Ukraine to free Ukrainians from the Nazis,” to which she replied that they should “go on Google and look up what real Nazis are.”
Posted by trailing wife 2022-03-21 16:09||   2022-03-21 16:09|| Front Page Top

#19 Are you're beating Ukraine like a drum
When you rather be shopping at GUM?
Do partisans hate you
And Juden berate you?
You just... might... be... Hitlerite scum!
Posted by Eohippus Foxworthy2607 2022-03-21 19:02||   2022-03-21 19:02|| Front Page Top

#20 Phones and thumbs... why do they hate me?
Posted by Eohippus Foxworthy2607 2022-03-21 19:06||   2022-03-21 19:06|| Front Page Top

#21 They should have responded with "Nuts!".
Posted by DarthVader 2022-03-21 21:49||   2022-03-21 21:49|| Front Page Top

#22 Thank you, Matt. It was hilarious.

"Stop here, Pyotr!"

"But ve haf gas enough."

"I need to get my candy fix."
Posted by Dron66046 2022-03-21 22:04||   2022-03-21 22:04|| Front Page Top

#23 "Look! Slim Jyims!"
Posted by Frank G 2022-03-21 22:15||   2022-03-21 22:15|| Front Page Top

#24 
Posted by Dron66046 2022-03-21 22:22||   2022-03-21 22:22|| Front Page Top

09:43 Mullah Richard
09:27 Warthog
09:11 Mercutio
09:07 AlmostAnonymous5839
08:52 Matt
08:24 Matt
08:20 SteveS
07:43 Procopius2k
07:42 BrerRabbit
07:42 Procopius2k
07:39 Procopius2k
07:36 Procopius2k
07:35 Procopius2k
07:34 trailing wife
07:31 Procopius2k
07:30 NN2N1
07:22 NN2N1
07:18 trailing wife
07:14 Richard Aubrey
07:10 NN2N1
07:09 Besoeker
07:03 NN2N1
06:58 NN2N1
06:58 Besoeker









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