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Russian troops are proving that cell phones in war zones are a very bad idea:
It’s been a nightmare scenario for U.S. commanders for years: An amphibious readiness group sails stealthily towards its objective, one reckless Marine or sailor goes topside and uses a personal cell phone to check Facebook, revealing the position of the assault ship. The Chinese or Russians quickly detect the cell phone signal in the middle of the ocean and realize they can’t miss. The enemy fires its anti-ship ballistic or cruise missiles at Pfc./Seaman Schmuckatelli as he posts a meme and suddenly the entire ship along with thousands of sailors and Marines are lying on the ocean floor.
To some, this type of scenario may seem as hyperbolic as warnings that wearing white socks in combat could give away your location to the enemy, but Russian troops in Ukraine have shown the perils of using cell phones in modern-day warzones.
The Ukrainians claim to have killed 12 general Russian officers since late February, in part because the Russians have resorted to using cell phones when their communications systems break down.
“It is not hard to geo-locate someone on a phone talking in the clear,” retired Army Gen. Ben Hodges, former commander of U.S. Army Europe, told the New York Times.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 16 2022, @04:40PM (1 child)
"Maybe this won't work as you expect it."
I can see that if the Russians can't restrain themselves from the little green men plan, then the proportional response is as you suggest.
If they eventually figure out that life is better without the LGM, then both can withdraw. The Russians seem slow learners in this regard.
More interestingly, the number of opposing forces poised just outside Russia in the New Nato North should depend on if Russia becomes smart enough to learn that with Nato less forces deployed on the border makes Russia more secure. More Nato forces on the border doesn't risk an invasion, but rather some sort of mistake with bad consequences.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 17 2022, @04:46PM
Russia has restrained itself from that exactly once in the last thousand years, and it was only the direct threat of a third Russian massacre by Finland that made it stick.