midlifecrisis
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No doubt the Russians will also deny the recent uncovering of mass graves in the liberated settlements in the Kharkov Oblast.
spot on, my friend.Since Her Majesty died several days ago, the Russian Government has issued a steady stream of
letters/ Facebook posts/what have you; expressing condolences / sympathy etc etc to the Royal Family
and the British people.
Now, that they realise that no invitation for Putin nor any other Russian official to attend, will be issued.
We are suddenly an immoral and corrupt country / government / etc etc
This from the regime who used a weapon of mass destruction (nerve agent) in Salisbury, four years ago
and who have refused to extradite those identified as carrying out the attack, despite their being named.
If we are immoral. What does that make the Russian regime that is filled with criminals and klepomaniacs?
Putin and his regime of psychotic criminals, have more faces than an onion has skins.
There are probably few people on here who understand what you mean byYou notice that they've ensured that the communications tower behind them is in the centre of the picture.
So that everyone who knows the area, can't mistake where they are now.
Their kit, mostly looks pretty squared away too. Always a good sign.
Agree with all...and add that UKR is getting additional intel. RUS lacks two things, as well: technological and HUMINT sources on any sort of scale in the areas they have (ahem) annexed...and a level of dysfunction driven by the appearance that no one really wants to be the one to break the bad news to Vladdy.If I was a Russian soldier, I reckon I'd shoot my CO and catch the next bus home to whichever remote city I was conscripted from.
The Ukrainians have taken the initiative from the Russians and it's going to be exceptionally hard for the Russians to take it back.
To the non veterans amongst us. Taking and keeping the initiative is critical in warfare, because you can dictate where and how the fighting takes place and it forces your opponents onto the defensive.
It'll be exceptionally hard for the Russians to take it back, because they don't have control of the skies. This makes intelligence gathering exceptionally hard, as well as makes anywhere that you concentrate troops, vehicles or supplies, extremely vulnerable to attack.
For the Ukrainians to convince the Russians that they planned to counter attack in the south. Only to do it in the north is nothing short of amazing in the twenty-first century, when developed countries have so many means of gathering battlefield intelligence.
Doing to the Russians what the Russians did to the Ukrainians, in terms of MLRS and the U.S. equivalent, must be driving the Russians nuts. As evidenced by Putin's warning to the U.S. not to supply longer range missile systems. Not only was the warning a massive 'tell', but the way it was phrased was too. Putin equated it to the U.S. becoming directly involved. Which Putin knows NATO doesn't want to do. It's a redundant way to phrase the warning. The Ukrainians have demonstrated the ability to use every weapons system that NATO has supplied, so NATO no longer has to contemplate getting directly involved.
Apparently the truth about Russia's invasion is increasingly being discussed in the Russian media and public opinion is starting to shift perceptibly.
I realise that it sounds dramatic even mentioning WMDs. However, I would suspect that the Russians are fast coming to the conclusion, if they haven't concluded already, that the only way to stop Ukrainian forces, would be to use chemical weapons. I don't believe that Russian field commanders would use either chemical weapons or battlefield tactical nukes, because Russia is almost certainly facing regime change, in which case a future Russian government would likely be compelled to hand over any field commanders who used WMDs to the ICC.
Funny how BOTH TIMES the Russians were fighting Nazis, too...Love the Russian way of moving the goalposts. If it all goes to plan Ukraine will trespassing on Sovereign Russian territory thereby justifying Russia being able to declare war and set in motion a mobilisation to bolster its war effort. Obviously all kitted out in 70s and 80s gear no doubt with gen 1 Ak47’s. Back to ww2 ussr tactics. You’ll run out of bullets before we run out of people.
It looks like the dramatic end game is now afoot. Is Mr Putin bluffing? Will he use tactical, low-yield nuclear weapons to warn off Ukraine and her supporters?Interesting analysis video about Putin’s potential psychology on Ukraine. If this is correct then it means a most dramatic, not pragmatic end game.
Why is Vladimir Putin so obsessed with Ukraine?
Guardian correspondent Luke Harding chronicles the key historical events that led to the invasion of Ukraine, from the Euromaidan protests to the annexation of Crimeawww.theguardian.com
This doesn't end well. The question remains...for how many? But Vladdy is definitely on the list. Related but unrelated, anyone tracking the unrest in Iran? Maybe it will be contagious...It looks like the dramatic end game is now afoot. Is Mr Putin bluffing? Will he use tactical, low-yield nuclear weapons to warn off Ukraine and her supporters?
My hunch is that this is certainly the end game for Mr Putin himself.
There are probably few people on here who understand what you mean by
“Squared away”. I agree tho..you can see the clip of the state of a lot of the areas where Russians have been, and their kit generally looks in clip order.
Many twists and turns to come.
Like you tho I am a little fearful of where the Russian thinking may go if they are suddenly looking down a barrel sat in Crimea..
I think once Ukraine can get Himars close enough in Kherson they will be looking to hit that bridge Russia built to Crimea..that will then be those on Crimea fk’d for re supply apart from air and sea.
There are folks inside Russia who disagree with much of what's going on. We are edging, I think, into tipping point territory. The question is, which way do things tip?Agreed it doesn’t end well because many more innocents likely to die for the end game, regardless of which road Mr Putin takes.
I do agree that he is finished. If he is bluffing and the West calls him on it, he will lose and be disgraced. If he is not bluffing, I think he may be taken out by his own side who have too much to lose.
Strength to those Iranian protesters but I fear it will lead to nothing. I don’t think the Russian people will realise that this is all for Putin and not for Russia - he’s still very popular.
I hope you are right.There are folks inside Russia who disagree with much of what's going on. We are edging, I think, into tipping point territory. The question is, which way do things tip?
People become radicalized when things affect them personally. Having family members conscripted is one of those things. Having family members killed or disappeared is another...
The nutjob J6 people here see themselves as freedom fighters and True Patriots. But clearly those who speak up and out in Russia, Iran, Hong Kong, and other areas are to be commended, cheered on, and supported.
There's plenty of scholarly research on the last straw on an autocracy's back...i expect a slew of fresh peer-reviewed articles in the next 12 to 18 months...
Me, too...definitely no crystal ball. But time spent in Bosnia, Haiti, certain parts of the middle east, and other hotpsots have given me some front-row seats to the radicalization of the populace. And obviously the outcomes of those shifts aren't universally positive...or, even final outcomes.I hope you are right.