[Politics] Russia invades Ukraine (24/02/2022)

[raymondo]

if you want to play like that, by todays standards, yes. we dont expect military to engage in total war, to make the civilian populations a target. there are hundreds of other targets. you're saying a better way to prosecute the war is to target a public high street, rather than target a barracks, supply depot, rail hub, factory.

Ukraine has 99% targeted valid military targets since the invasion of their country... yesterday they got a bit pissed off because, after Ukraine destroyed validly a military ship in Crimea, Russia responded...as they always do...by sending 200 missiles and drones into Ukrainian cities targeting civilian population (including kids). I think Ukraine got a bit angry... understandable.

 

[raymondo]

A local view. Also, page down to read the tweet from Maksym Borodin too.

 

[raymondo]

Three ways the conflict could go in 2024:

Ukraine war: Three ways the conflict could go in 2024

We asked three military analysts how they think events may unfold in the coming 12 months.

www.bbc.co.uk

TL/DR? It's business as usual. Come back in a year's time.

None of them predict an outright victory for Ukraine or Russia.

None of them mention the Russian economy either. Perhaps Steve Rosenberg's piece is the one to take heed of.

Thanks for that, Eric. I found the third piece , by Hodges, the most interesting in terms of possible actions.

 

[Eric the meek]

Agreed Eric.

The problem is Putin will not lose all the while the West prevaricate or deliberately delay support. It is in the US interest to see Russia in for the long haul.
Which just means more death and destruction for Ukraine for a long time to come.

I just can't see how this ends well for Ukraine - ever.

I understand your fatalism. But nothing is forever. Empires come and go. I believe Russia is losing slowly and grinding to a halt.

Take a look at this. In particular the last paragraph.

Boeing plane flying from Moscow makes emergency landing due to engine failure

A passenger plane belonging to the Russian airline Utair had an engine failure during a 29 December flight from Moscow to Kogalym, Russia’s Tyumen Oblast.

www.pravda.com.ua

It's grinding to a halt. Slowly. Gradually. Maybe with the odd disaster along the way.

 

[Eric the meek]

Thanks for that, Eric. I found the third piece , by Hodges, the most interesting in terms of possible actions.

'Crimea is the decisive terrain' - Ben Hodges.

 

[raymondo]

Natalka shares an interesting post from a Russian politician (I have trusted her translation),:

 

[raymondo]

 

[raymondo]

Interesting piece from David Axe about Russian losses around Avdiivka, and how unsustainable they are. Bit of positivity

Killing Russians By The Truckload Around Avdiivka, Ukraine’s M-2 Fighting Vehicles Are Showing How Russia Loses—And Ukraine Wins

Russia is counting on staying in the war for the long term. That’s its whole plan for victory. A plan a few battalions of Ukrainian vehicles have exposed as a farce.

www.forbes.com

I always find Axe's pieces interesting, thanks for posting .

 

[Eric the meek]

One of the replies got my attention:



'this is how to end the war'. I wonder if he's right?

 

[raymondo]

One of the replies got my attention:



'this is how to end the war'. I wonder if he's right?

In a way I think he is. The body count doesn't have to be civilian either... continued Russian military deaths at the current rate will surely result in more questionning at home, and potentially more articles such as above.

 

[Binney on acid]

News from the BBC. Russia's great tsar has vowed to "Intensify" attacks on Ukraine. He's obviously irked by the strike against Belgorod, and has the audacity to refer to is as "A strike against civilians!" It just beggars belief ! May this be the year when we finally get to watch extracts from his funeral on the box. Slava Ukraine !

 

[Eric the meek]

News from the BBC. Russia's great tsar has vowed to "Intensify" attacks on Ukraine. He's obviously irked by the strike against Belgorod, and has the audacity to refer to is as "A strike against civilians!" It just beggars belief ! May this be the year when we finally get to watch extracts from his funeral on the box. Slava Ukraine !

Here's another tweet I noticed yesterday:

 

[raymondo]

News from the BBC. Russia's great tsar has vowed to "Intensify" attacks on Ukraine. He's obviously irked by the strike against Belgorod, and has the audacity to refer to is as "A strike against civilians!" It just beggars belief ! May this be the year when we finally get to watch extracts from his funeral on the box. Slava Ukraine !

Russian leadership has delusion and arrogance of the highest order.

 

[beorhthelm]

Here's another tweet I noticed yesterday:

it's expected reaction from Russia. not only is it their character, its not the first time they have responded to some escalation with a false sense of injustice and resolve to escalate.

 

[raymondo]

And here is Japan's response, at the UN Security Council, to Russia's arrogance in calling a Security meeting to complain that Ukraine attacked Belgorod (I assume).

 

[Eric the meek]

And here is Japan's response, at the UN Security Council, to Russia's arrogance in calling a Security meeting to complain that Ukraine attacked Belgorod (I assume).

The fact that those words have come from Japan, among the most polite people in the world, is an indication of how the UN has lost patience with Russia.

No doubt Russia will play the victim, plead innocence, insult Japan and blame the US, but their duplicity and absurd hypocrisy do not fool the world's top diplomats.

Russia is losing all perspective. Their blind arrogance prevents them from seeing it.

 

[raymondo]

The fact that those words have come from Japan, among the most polite people in the world, is an indication of how the UN has lost patience with Russia.

No doubt Russia will play the victim, plead innocence, insult Japan and blame the US, but their duplicity and absurd hypocrisy do not fool the world's top diplomats.

Russia is losing all perspective. Their blind arrogance prevents them from seeing it.

Yes, Eric, either your last line is 100% on the money...or Russia play the game of showing to their loyal population how the rest of the world is firmly against Russia.

 

[raymondo]

That's interesting thanks. I've watched a few snippets and will try to watch it all tomorrow .

 

[Eric the meek]

Yes, Eric, either your last line is 100% on the money...or Russia play the game of showing to their loyal population how the rest of the world is firmly against Russia.

I don't doubt that is their agenda. To maintain a siege mentality.

But there is a limit to how much they can pull that stunt. I take heart from a variety of responses to Youtubers from Russians in the street. There is a perceptible change.

 

[raymondo]