And just how do you propose to “win” a war with a country with the most powerful nuclear arsenal on the planet (a sobering 6000 super powerful nuclear weapons) and willing to use it if necessary?
Hopefully this was just some kind of accident or malfunction of the drone. But, because Russia is now aware that the U.S. has brought American soldiers into Ukraine to operate some of the weapons we have sent them (HIMARs, etc.) which obviously was an escalation this is something to keep an eye on...
_______________________________
https://twitter.com/imetatronink
Will Schryver
@imetatronink
·
8h
In my recent blog post “Playing With Fire”, I speculated Russia might retaliate for US “boots on the ground” in Ukraine by striking US drones in Polish and/or Romanian airspace.
https://imetatronink.com/2022/07/playing-with-fire.html
_________________________
Monday, July 11, 2022
Playing With Fire
Over the course of the past several weeks we have learned the following:
· US intelligence operatives and special forces have been deployed in Ukraine throughout the ongoing war.
· These US troops are directly involved in attacking Russian targets.
· US-provided intelligence of various types, combined with US “hands-on” training and (almost certainly) even direct operation of US advanced weaponry, has resulted in:
- the killing of Russian field commanders
- (likely, but not certainly) the sinking of the Moskva
- the terrorist-style attacks on Russian cities
- recent attacks on Russian ammo depots
To emphasize: US military personnel are directly involved in battlefield strikes against Russian forces and terrorist strikes against Russian civilians.
There are rampant reports swirling on various Telegram channels that US personnel are actually operating the 12 HIMARS mobile rocket systems recently entered into the battlefield.
However you measure it, the indisputable fact remains that the hard power of the United States is being directly applied against Russians in a war – and that is something that has profound potential consequences – the flapping of butterfly wings that could very likely spawn hurricanes in their wake.
The leaders of the United States are, quite literally, playing with fire.
The Russians may have their shortcomings – that is up for debate – but backing down from a fight forced upon them offends every fiber of their national psyche.
Frankly, I believe it is already too late for the US to avoid the inevitable repercussions of what they have already done, and continue to do in Ukraine. What the Russians will do in response to this direct US involvement in the war – and when – remains to be seen. Putin is the most prudent and deliberate Russian leader in modern times.
But it should now be abundantly evident to everyone that when he chooses to act, he does so boldly and resolutely.
Last week, in brief comments, Putin said the following:
“Today we hear that they want to defeat us on the battlefield. What can you say? Let them try.”
“We have heard many times that the West wants to fight us to the last Ukrainian. This is a tragedy for the Ukrainian people, but it seems that everything is heading towards this.”
“Everyone should know that, by and large, we haven’t started anything yet in earnest.”
Russia now understands it is at war with America. I am convinced they will, sooner than later, respond proportionately to US attacks upon them.
One likely development about which I have commented for weeks now is that, if/when Russia opts to act against US direct intervention in the Ukraine War – which has expanded in recent weeks – their most likely initial response will be to shoot down all the unmanned US ISR assets in the theater of battle. Platforms such as the RQ-4 Global Hawk, and possibly even military surveillance satellites.
If they do that, I would then expect them to immediately afterwards explicitly inform the US/NATO that they will shoot down any and all manned ISR assets in the theater of battle.
RQ-4 Global Hawk
And, by “theater of battle”, I include the air space of the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, Romania, and Poland.
Obviously this would be viewed in the west as a major escalation.
But, from the Russian viewpoint, the escalation has already occurred.
Posted by William Schryver at 7:10 PM
_________________________________
This video purports to be of a US drone downed today over Romania.
14 July, 2022
The operators specially destroyed the MQ-9 UAV. UAV MQ-9 Reaper. Photo credits: US National Guard
US MQ-9 Reaper UAV crashed during the exercises in Romania
Aviation Aviation incidents Romania Training UAV USA
A US-made MQ-9 Reaper fell down near the Romanian Câmpia Turzii air base. This happened during the military exercise.
Information about the accident was shared by Vasile Dîncu, Romanian Minister of National Defense.
This was reported in the Digi24.
“There was no damage, he fell in a field, in an uninhabited area. Americans are now doing the first analysis. (…) So far, these drones are being used for training. We train together, both us and Americans, with these drones,” Dîncu said.
He also noted that at the time of the incident, the US military was flying the drone.
All circumstances of the incident are being investigated. A video from the scene of the incident appeared online.
BoardingPass
@BoardingPassRO
An MQ-9 Reaper drone (USAF) crashed earlier today, 14JUL22, while approaching Câmpia Turzii AB (#Romania).
Romanian MoD spokesperson: “The drone was not armed. It crashed about 3 kilometers south of Air Base’s runway at around 2:15 pm” local time.