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| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| Russian troops in Ukraine are surrendering, sabotaging their own vehicles, Pentagon officials say |
| 2022-03-02 |
| [The Week] Russia's halting progress in its invasion of Ukraine has puzzled Western observers and analysts, but a senior Pentagon official told The New York Times on Tuesday that Russia's forces, plagued by low morale and food and fuel shortages, have suffered mass surrenders and self-sabotage by conscripts who "deliberately punched holes in their vehicles' gas tanks, presumably to avoid combat." The Economist's Shashank Josh said a Pentagon source told him "with certainty" that Russians are sabotaging their own military vehicles. NYP - ‘Morale is flagging’ among desperate Russian soldiers in Ukraine: US official MSN - Pentagon official says Russian troops have 'deliberately punched holes' in their own gas tanks 'presumably' to avoid combat as morale declines Audacity - Pentagon official says some Russian troops are surrendering, sabotaging vehicles instead of fighting Reddit - '“They sent us to death, the whole fu**ing battalion.' Russian prisoner of war speaks with mom. My voice over Russian-Ukrainian War youtube.com/watch?... |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #25 I wish I were as "slow" as you. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2022-03-02 23:34 |
| #24 I was amused by one of our people having just gone to a comedy show in Russia, but on second reading that wasn’t the point at all. I can be slow. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2022-03-02 23:33 |
| #23 I was in Russia listening to a stand-up comedian making fun of Putin. The jokes weren’t that good, but I liked the execution. |
| Posted by: Clyde Untervehr8732 2022-03-02 22:01 |
| #22 I'll tell one just for fun. Vladimir Putin arrives at an airport, gets in line at customs desk. Customs officer: Occupation? Putin: No, just visiting. |
| Posted by: AuburnTom 2022-03-02 19:40 |
| #21 Putin and Medvedev are dining at a fine Moscow restaurant. Putin orders the steak, rare. Waiter: "Very good choice, sir. And for the vegetable?" "The vegetable will also have the steak." |
| Posted by: KBK 2022-03-02 19:22 |
| #20 So sour Who shat in your pancakes comrade? |
| Posted by: Chineling Oppressor of the Pixies5776 2022-03-02 17:42 |
| #19 #14 Classic, you have no jokes of your own so you steal ours. We've been saying that about Democrats for years now, so even if it's fitting, it's not original. Try again. |
| Posted by: Rex Mundi 2022-03-02 17:39 |
| #18 I simply do not believe Russians stopped making jokes after Breshnev. But I can understand if you don't want to tell Putin jokes in a public place. (psst. you can do it anonymously!) Joke: Breshnev's mom is visiting and he is showing off the perks that come with the job - the wood-paneled office, the nice apartment, the dacha, the black Mercedes. Mom is getting more and more nervous. Finally, she blurts out," Lyonya, this is all very nice but what if the Communists come back?" |
| Posted by: SteveS 2022-03-02 17:23 |
| #17 #14 is a direct quote by Putin. Also a joke, black humour I think you call it |
| Posted by: Captain Crurong2111 2022-03-02 17:09 |
| #16 OK, here's one set in 1950's Moscow: Guy buys a parrot and the parrot lives in the guy's apartment for a few months.But then the parrot vanishes. Guy runs down to the nearest state security office and says, "My parrot is missing!" Security guy says, "Comrade, that is a matter for the police, not for state security." Guy says "I know that! But I'm here to denounce anything that parrot says!" |
| Posted by: Matt 2022-03-02 15:59 |
| #15 Trump couldn't get the Germans to spend more on military, but Putin did it. Germany could't stop the Greens turning off nuclear power, but Putin did it. Sweden and Finland citizens didn't support joining NATO, but Putin did it. Putin is a disaster, get rid of the Chekist. |
| Posted by: Nero 2022-03-02 15:37 |
| #14 This is the joke that's making the rounds in Russia now. "Negotiating with the Americans is like playing chess with a pigeon: she knocks over all the pieces, shits all over the board, and declares victory." - Vladimir Vladimirovich |
| Posted by: Elmailet the Grim8147 2022-03-02 15:27 |
| #13 Old Russian joke - In America you can make fun of the American President. Same in Russia, you can make fun of the American President. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2022-03-02 15:07 |
| #12 I think he's Chinese. |
| Posted by: Cthulhu of Ryleh 2022-03-02 14:48 |
| #11 Well, I'm disappointed, but thanks for the civil response. |
| Posted by: Matt 2022-03-02 14:19 |
| #10 Come on trolls, one little Putin joke. I'm sure he'll forgive you. And if you don't understand that most of those on this site already think Biden is a feckless idiot, you've been poorly briefed. Tell you Chekist minders to do better. And ask for a raise, the ruble ain't what it was a week ago. |
| Posted by: Nero 2022-03-02 14:18 |
| #9 We don't. We have lots of Brezhnev jokes from USSR but now it's your president who's the senile braindead figure head |
| Posted by: Marilyn Ghibelline2248 2022-03-02 14:05 |
| #8 Hey, let's make a deal: One of us will tell you a Joe Biden joke, and you tell us a Vlad Putin joke. Here's a Joe Biden joke: In 1992 while being interviewed by MTV, Bill Clinton was asked if he wore boxers or briefs? Clinton replied, "Boxers" In 2008 US magazine asked Obama, "Boxers or briefs"? Obama declined to answer the question. Last week AARP asked Joe Biden, "Boxers or briefs"? Biden responded, "Depends". Your turn. And don't tell us you don't know any Vlad Putin jokes. |
| Posted by: Matt 2022-03-02 13:45 |
| #7 They have started to commit suicide under the walls of Baghdad! |
| Posted by: Omomolet Phutch9064 2022-03-02 11:56 |
| #6 Enjoy now. Wait till the Puzzle Palace sends in their 'Rainbow' battalions. Appointing 'yes' men to the leadership positions gets you there. The only blessing is that the CCP plays the same 'political reliability' with their own forces. They march pretty. In the Himalayas, not as much. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2022-03-02 11:33 |
| #5 Ukrainian tractor steals Russian APC. Just had to see it one more time. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2022-03-02 11:25 |
| #4 I have always admired Russians and Poles for their cynical sense of humor. Looks like it is a regional thing because that tax thing is damn funny. (PS: don't say 'black humor' because that be racis!) |
| Posted by: SteveS 2022-03-02 11:21 |
#3  |
| Posted by: Frank G 2022-03-02 11:12 |
| #2 my recollection is that about a decade ago they realized this problem and lengthened the conscription period and increased salaries but then some new people got into power and shortened the conscription period to one year (it probably takes at least 10 months to learn the skills to handle some of their hardware) and let salaries go flat |
| Posted by: Lord Garth 2022-03-02 11:06 |
| #1 Untrained, unmotivated and unwilling conscripts. Russia has yet to move on to a more professional army. Mostly because it is expensive. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2022-03-02 10:42 |