romad1 Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 This is a worthy read https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/04/18/ukraine-russia-war-counteroffensive-attack-bakhmut-himars/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitalpigsmuggler Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 After Bakhmut: Draining Battle Leaves Ukraine Battered, Russia Rising There is nothing patriotic about an American flying a Ukrainian flag. Nor is there anything treasonous about an American questioning unlimited support for a foreign nation in a foreign war. To recognize that Ukraine will not defeat Russia without much greater American intervention is not pro-Russian, it is pro-reality. It took longer than we expected, but this defeat has made it even less likely that Ukraine can reestablish its 2014 borders without the direct intervention of NATO troops. Russia is now poised to take full advantage of the fall of Bakhmut once dry summer weather arrives. One need not be a prophet to see where this persistent escalation is leading or why it needs to stop. Last year the Ukrainian economy shrank by 30 percent, while Russian GDP fell by only 3 percent. The ruble is as strong against the dollar today as it was when the war began. Now, however, the peace terms Kiev can expect have become even less favorable than they were seven months ago. Ukraine has about as much chance of winning a war against Russia as Mexico would of winning a war with the United States. https://www.newsweek.com/after-bakhmut-draining-battle-leaves-ukraine-battered-russia-rising-opinion-1795453 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitalpigsmuggler Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 Russia Claims Near Total Control of Bakhmut Wgner Group mercenary fighters have taken control of about 90 percent of the city of Bakhmut, according to a report from Russian media. The Wagner private military company controls about 90 percent of Artyomovsk and its advance is inevitable," Gagin told the outlet. Bakhmut was formally named Artyomovsk when Ukraine was still part of the Soviet Union. https://www.newsweek.com/russia-claims-near-total-control-bakhmut-putin-tours-occupied-land-1795185 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitalpigsmuggler Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 3 hours ago, romad1 said: This is a worthy read https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/04/18/ukraine-russia-war-counteroffensive-attack-bakhmut-himars/ Ukraine can not win a battle of attrition. From leaked intelligence reports American intelligence believes the Ukraine offensive will be limited. It is possible Ukraine could be in a worse negation position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitalpigsmuggler Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 So far, Russia has destroyed between 60 and 70% of Ukraine’s critical infrastructure. It seems unlikely that the West will supply Kyiv. Ukraine is becoming less and less able to repair its destroyed infrastructure. Equipment and materials that would usually come from Russia are running out. Russian army is combatting Western precision weapons with sheer numbers, and it has enough resources to fall back on.As the war drags on, Ukraine is running out of soldiers. Depending on how you measure it, the current mobilization drive is at least the eighth wave, and men over 60 are being sent to the front. https://worldcrunch.com/focus/why-ukraine-will-lose-the-war Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romad1 Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 Imagine how sad a person has to be to defend a dictatorship run by Putin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewsieg Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 10 minutes ago, romad1 said: Imagine how sad a person has to be to defend a dictatorship run by Putin I'm not here to defend Putin or Pigsmuggler, but pointing out some legitimate concerns, rather than painting a rosy picture like western media has done, doesn't mean you're defending Russia. I want Russia to lose, it would be awesome if this cost Putin his leadership and in a perfect world, someone like Navalny would be swept into power. But it's important to know the reality that everything isn't coming up roses in Ukraine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gehringer_2 Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 18 minutes ago, romad1 said: Imagine how sad a person has to be to defend a dictatorship run by Putin That analysis could have been cribbed from Westmoreland in '67. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romad1 Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 8 minutes ago, ewsieg said: I'm not here to defend Putin or Pigsmuggler, but pointing out some legitimate concerns, rather than painting a rosy picture like western media has done, doesn't mean you're defending Russia. I want Russia to lose, it would be awesome if this cost Putin his leadership and in a perfect world, someone like Navalny would be swept into power. But it's important to know the reality that everything isn't coming up roses in Ukraine. Defending ****posters is defending their works Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romad1 Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 its like pretending that Tucker Carlson isn't rooting for Putin when he claims he's "just asking questions" 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romad1 Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 6 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said: That analysis could have been cribbed from Westmoreland in '67. You mean, the Russian "light at the end of the tunnel" because they took so many casualties clearly Ukraine is losing. Which is like saying Vietnam must be at the end of their rope because of all the bodycount reports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romad1 Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 The preferred end state that I'm after is a Russia which resembles a democracy allied against China. LFG! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitalpigsmuggler Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 17 minutes ago, romad1 said: You mean, the Russian "light at the end of the tunnel" because they took so many casualties clearly Ukraine is losing. Which is like saying Vietnam must be at the end of their rope because of all the bodycount reports. Neither side is "winning". But Russia controls almost 20% of Ukraine territory. It is not realistic to think Russia is just going to hand it over at the negotiation table. The Ukraine counter offensive is being overly hyped according to the leaked documents. The idea Crimea is going to be taken within the next 7 months as media and Ukraine leaders have said at the start of the year is just wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romad1 Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 RFK JR has some of his grandpa's hatred for democracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romad1 Posted April 20, 2023 Share Posted April 20, 2023 oh, watch out friends of Putin 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romad1 Posted April 21, 2023 Share Posted April 21, 2023 How about that Vladdie? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romad1 Posted April 21, 2023 Share Posted April 21, 2023 So, that war of yours Vladdie...you ended up antagonizing the entire Western world with the exception of a few kleptocracies and autocracies. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romad1 Posted April 21, 2023 Share Posted April 21, 2023 Take these numbers with the appropriate grains of salt. However, can you imagine how much this war would have cost if the Orc's equipment was actually worth anything? Then again, would they have lost the stuff if it was actually of any value? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romad1 Posted April 21, 2023 Share Posted April 21, 2023 The stooge who had Putin's job for a while during the Obama administration is apparently on a drunken bender and threatening genocide to all and sundry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romad1 Posted April 21, 2023 Share Posted April 21, 2023 Side bar...this is a hell of a thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romad1 Posted April 21, 2023 Share Posted April 21, 2023 Very good video Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romad1 Posted April 23, 2023 Share Posted April 23, 2023 Its not as cut and dried as this. But... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romad1 Posted April 24, 2023 Share Posted April 24, 2023 Good thread She knows things. The things are rational. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Cowan Posted April 24, 2023 Share Posted April 24, 2023 1 hour ago, romad1 said: Good thread She knows things. The things are rational. Good thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smr-nj Posted April 24, 2023 Share Posted April 24, 2023 Wow. That was written in a way even I could absorb. Amazing analysis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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