Free Republic

The recent drone attack on Russian nuclear bombers doesn’t mean much strategically, in military terms. Bomber aircraft are an early 20th century technology used to deliver and drop bombs on targets, only because the bombs couldn’t get there themselves. Today, Russia has hypersonic missiles that are entirely self-directed; and they are up to ten times faster than any aircraft that could deliver them. Fighters and bombers are antiquated last-generation relics. They create some symbolic prestige and that’s about all.Moreover, even if all of Russia’s bombers were disabled, how would that stop them from launching weapons from submarines, ships, or silos?...

A peace proposal by the Trump administration that includes recognizing Russian authority over Crimea shocked Ukrainian officials, who say they will not accept any formal surrender of the peninsula, even though they expect to concede the territory to the Kremlin, at least temporarily. Giving up the land that was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014 is also politically and legally impossible, according to experts. It would require a change to the Ukrainian constitution and a nationwide vote, and it could be considered treason. Lawmakers and the public are firmly opposed to the idea. “It doesn’t mean anything,” said Oleksandr Merezkho,...