This sort of summary is no longer controversial … Russia inserted no more than 75-80k troops in February 2022, probably no more than 30k sent to Kyiv as an intimidatory gesture. It appeared to have worked as Ukraine was forced to the negotiation table as brokered by Turkey. Whereupon Boris Johnson, under the auspices of Washington, scuttled negotiations with the promise of never ending weaponry and support. Emboldened by more money (for weapons) than Russia spends (on defense) in a year, Ukrainian nationalists commit to to endless meat waves (sustained by multiple mobilizations) thrown against Russian defensive lines. As Ukraine is wholly dependent upon the West for support - and even the viability of its government - it is obligated to strive for territorial gains (at horrific costs) to convey the *perception* of progress. Russia, on the other hand, is completely satisfied to fight a war of attrition predicated on the maxim that there is little need to advance when your enemy comes to you to be killed.
Ukraine Strikes Headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in Crimea https://archive.ph/9Ssh2 Ukraine Strikes Headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in Crimea Cruise-missile attack is the latest of several Ukrainian strikes on major Russian military targets A Ukrainian cruise missile Friday slammed into the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in the occupied city of Sevastopol, the latest of a series of strikes that aim to dent Russia’s naval power. The missile destroyed the top floors of the fleet’s monumental headquarters, with plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky as the building caught fire, according to videos posted by local residents and Russian media. Ukraine has been targeting Sevastopol, which Russia seized along with the rest of the Crimean peninsula in 2014, almost every night in recent weeks with drones or missiles. Friday’s attack is Kyiv’s third major success in ten days. During that time, Ukraine destroyed a Russian submarine and a large landing ship by hitting a dry dock in Sevastopol, and blew up the Black Sea Fleet’s backup communications headquarters situated in a bunker on the outskirts of the city.
read or heard somewhere that Ukraine now has artillery in firing position and controlling the road into and out of Bakhmut.
this was 3 days ago. not sure why drones shouldn't be able to eliminate the rail connection Ukraine’s forces closing in on main supply route to Bakhmut: UK | Al Arabiya English Russia Weakening Its Bakhmut Defenses, Ukraine 5 Miles Away: UK Intel (businessinsider.com)
Ukraine's forces advance south of Bakhmut, Russians lose tank and Pion system (msn.com) "We are specifically targeting and destroying the enemy's heavy equipment, tanks, and artillery. Over the past day, we were able to destroy one tank, two combat armored vehicles, and a 203mm artillery unit called Pion," Yevlash said. He also notes that Ukrainian forces destroyed six ammunition depots, and a drone control point was discovered and struck, resulting in its destruction. Frontline situation Earlier, Yevlash reported that the Armed Forces had gained control over the Bakhmut-Horlivka highway, significantly complicating the logistics for enemy forces.
and then it changed. How long will the bridge stand? what other primary targets currently out of reach will be chosen? fuel, rail, weapons, airports? Biden agrees to send long-range missiles to Ukraine - POLITICO President Joe Biden promised his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, that the United States will soon provide Kyiv with a small number of long-range missiles to help its war with Russia, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the matter. Biden made the pledge to Zelenskyy during the Ukrainian leader’s visit to the White House on Thursday, fulfilling a long-held wish by Kyiv, according to the officials who like others for this story were granted anonymity to speak about private conversations. The Army Tactical Missile Systems will likely be delivered to Ukraine in the coming weeks. The White House declined to comment on the matter The news is a major win for Zelenskyy and officials in Kyiv, who have long sought the missiles. ATACMS have a range of 45 to 190 miles and Ukrainians have long argued that they are crucial to striking deep behind entrenched Russian positions along a 600-mile front line.
Why don't you stop trying to guess what other people were thinking, and start guessing what you were thinking? What were you thinking ? ! ! ! You backed a loser in this war. Admit it and move on to another war.
And yet, Russia is getting its ass kicked. How 'bout that? The only question is whether Russia will admit defeat this year or next.
My guess is they will try killing as many Ukrainians as they can destroy as much infrastructure as possible before declaring victory and leaving.
Yes, I did Google him since the credibility of a source does matter to me and it took around 30 seconds at the most to get the hit.
My guess is that Putin is holding out until next November waiting for the results of the US presidential election. If the former defeated indicted president is somehow elected he will sell out Ukraine probably demonstrating real chutzpah by claiming that he will be saving Ukrainian lives as he pledges to end virtually all US aid to Ukraine. Conversely if Biden is reelected Putin will probably sign an armistice agreement within a few weeks ending the war.
I didn’t hear much in the way of suggestions there, apart from “Europe should be paying a greater proportion of the cost.” So, great, I have no problem with Europe paying a greater proportion of the cost. What I didn’t hear him say was, “Just let Putin have it.” If that’s what Hawley actually thinks, then that’s what he should say and not hide behind the cost of our support. I already know weapons are expensive.
How about we peg the $$$ we spend protecting Ukraine's border, to say $.50 per $ spent on protecting our own? He'll, how about dollar for dollar per mile of border (US-Mex to Rus-Ukr)? Too much to ask? Seems to me that fentany, drugs, weapons, terrorists and sex trafficking pose a 1,000x greater threat to us, than rust bucket Russia that can't make it through the Ukr mud to even come within sniffing distance of NATO's (of whom they are petrified) eastern most border.
The rebuilding headfake … The Coming Ukraine Collapse and the "Rebuilding" Headfake | naked capitalism
