Seems Turkey decided to lock everybody out of the Black Sea, not just Russia
I don't think these TB2s are being flown by UKR tbh. They can take off on improvised runways and serviced by UKR but I believe they're being controlled and directed by E-8s in western territory. There's nothing RUS can do about this.Russia has had plenty of direct or indirect experience with TB2 in Idlib, Libya, Karabakh in 2020. It was an obvious threat since Ukraine bought them, and should have been one of the top Ukrainian capabilities to destroy at the beginning of the conflict. A surprising failure.
You see this is stuff that had been planned previously.
Seems Turkey decided to lock everybody out of the Black Sea, not just Russia
Isn't Black Sea connected to Russian mainland via rivers? Tatarstan even has a shipyard. Which means warships can enter the Black Sea from the Russian mainland via rivers.
There's been 3 videos of TB-2 strikes so far. At least one seemed to be against an abandoned convoy.I think people are being too harsh on Russia's inability to deal with TB-2 drones. I don't see the current PLA or the US Army doing much better under the same circumstances. By nature these drones are small, fly much lower and subsequently difficult to detect and intercept with existing radar systems. China did export anti-drone radar to Saudi Arabia, but I don't think the Chinese military has put many of them into service.
It will also remove those tycoons power or sway over Russian internal politics. The tycoons that had geopolitical analyst at work had more than enough time to diversify away from their western assets. I expect a lot of think tanks earning some big cash the next couple of decades.Many of these Russian tycoons have a ton of assets in the West. It is going to hurt them a lot. I always find it interesting that MSM can easily justify to target civilians and confiscate their wealth. Isn't private property sacred.
If there is a lesson to be learned for any medium to large sized powers by the Russian attack on Ukraine (and many from the US on others countries in the previous decades) is that nuclear deterrent is the only real guarantee in a might is right world.If Japan goes nuclear, South Korea won't be far behind, then probably Australia. Iran will ride the wave of trend, Saudis will have to counter with nukes of their own, which will worry Turkey and push them to developing theirs. Germans will realise that they need nukes to stay relevant too, and a myriad moderate countries stuck between/close to nuclear powers will have to start their programs... That's why nobody's rocked the NPT boat so far. If the US wants to stay relevant and have the option of "a splendid little war" ever again, they'll have to wag their finger at Japan now.