Article

2022-12-12 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

Russia's attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure - does strategic bombing ever work? - Perun

In the opening months of the war, Russia's formidable arsenal of cruise and ballistic missiles was directed against a wide array of targets, from ground based air defenses to military bases and infrastructure. For more information on that stage of the campaign, please refer to my previous video on the subject.

But since October, Russia has turned both these systems and its newly arrived Iranian drones on Ukraine's critical infrastructure instead, particularly its power grid, sending millions into rolling (or total) blackouts.

These attacks have all the hallmarks of strategic bombing, an attempt to destroy the ability and will of a nation to resist by striking targets behind the lines. It seems reasonable to assume that Russia's focus has thus turned from using its best weapons to destroy military units, to coercing the population and Government of Ukraine to surrender.

That is not a new idea, and in this episode I examine the nature of the new Russian campaign, discuss historical strategic bombing campaigns and their outcomes, and try to build a better understanding of these attacks and what they might achieve.

Caveats:
Any attempt to discern exactly what Russia's intention is with these strikes is obviously limited by the fact that information on decision making in the Russian Government is extremely limited. This video is based on attempting to divine their motivation based on their actions.

I also want to stress that announcements by all parties regarding these acts should be scrutinized closely - including all discussion of damage or interception rates.

Estimates on production rates and stockpiles is subject to wide error margins.

Posted by DarthVader 2022-12-12 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11148 views ] Top

#1 It worked well against the Germans in WW11 and at times by us in our many wars. Only in Western media do you see this presented. The slaughter continues while the west continues their collective decline. Ukraine had a powerful well trained military(8 year build up also). I say had, as with Germany the Germans lost 68,000 experienced soldiers.The same has happened to Ukrainians. The west continues to shoot their own feet. New powerful alignments are occurring and not for the west. Biden will drag this out for every penny of our money.

Posted by Dale 2022-12-12 03:51|| 2022-12-12 03:51|| Front Page Top

#2 Dale your comments early in the war that it would be over soon with a quick Russian victory and each subsequent turn in the war you have revealed your Russian bias, I do not place any confidence in you objective analysis of the crisis.

Posted by Chinesing Protector of the Weak6914 2022-12-12 09:58|| 2022-12-12 09:58|| Front Page Top

#3 Doesn't it all depends on what you mean by 'Strategic Bombing'? My father had a copy of Alexander de Seversky's Victory Through Air Power(1942) that I read as a kid. Later (much later) I read John Ray Skates' The Invasion of Japan(1994) and Robert A. Pape's Bombing To Win:Air Power and Coercion in War(1996).

The problem with strategic bombing is that the defender starts thinking "*Yawn* So now what are you going to do that's worse than what we can already survive...? Kill entire cities with 'Go Full Mongol' ghoulishness?"

Posted by magpie 2022-12-12 11:51|| 2022-12-12 11:51|| Front Page Top

#4 #2 I deal with reality. We have been feed a constant diet of propaganda. I am glad to see India develop into a powerhouse. So now as each day passes the coverup will be fully exposed. We will soon see. Certainly the war is over. You have NATO and troops from many countries working in place of Ukrainians. Send me money send me equipment the beggar begs on and on.

Posted by Dale 2022-12-12 12:51|| 2022-12-12 12:51|| Front Page Top

#5 ^ There once was a suave Hilter-smoocher,
A globalist, socialist moocher
Who begged for our stuff
When the going got rough;
Whom the press gave a pass
As they praised him en masse!
Propaganda? You bet!
And we bought it... and yet...
When he looked in the mirror
He muttered, "Oh, dear...
I'm that cute little Jooo in the future!"

Posted by Menhadden Ulumble3061 2022-12-12 18:44|| 2022-12-12 18:44|| Front Page Top

#6 Ha ha ha ho ho ho

Posted by Dron66046 2022-12-12 21:58|| 2022-12-12 21:58|| Front Page Top

#7 Does it work?
Ask those remaining few that caught it.

Posted by Skidmark 2022-12-12 22:53|| 2022-12-12 22:53|| Front Page Top

05:28 Whiskey Mike
05:23 Whiskey Mike
05:21 Whiskey Mike
05:18 Whiskey Mike
05:15 Whiskey Mike
05:13 Whiskey Mike
05:08 Whiskey Mike
05:05 Whiskey Mike
05:03 Whiskey Mike
03:23 Besoeker
02:05 Grom the Affective
02:04 Grom the Affective
01:26 49 Pan
00:22 EMS Artifact
00:16 Skidmark