Dear Critic,

Russia can never exhaust the Ukrainian forces because they are only the front-liners. Europe prefers, if possible, to send out Ukrainians first to man the Ukrainian front-line and only arm them rather than risk its own sons, but if the situation gets bad enough then they will send to the front further fresh soldiers and equipment of their own countries, by land, by sea and by air. Russia stands not a chance.

Putin readies MASSIVE offensive with 3 goals - Col. Douglas MacGregor
http://youtu.be/gNX6hQVgyWQ

I don't want to argue with you Yuyutsu, over events yet to unfold.
- But I think the only chance Ukraine has left now is to capitulate to Russian demands or for the US to put boots on the ground.
The sooner this all ends decisively, and with the least amount of people killed or wounded, the better.
It would've been better if Ukraine had've accepted and stuck to the Misnk agreements.

Hi AC,

I agree with your sentiments. What I find annoying these days is the condemning of people for showing any sort of xenophobia. Looking at xenophobia over the centuries, it was quite the norm and often justified. People can be kind and helpful, but also diabolically horrible, and both behaviours can come from the same person. I think that rather than see the exploration of past centuries as acts of genocide, it should, along with western laws and democratic systems, be seen as a continuing process by which human beings of all races and cultures can realise shared values, aspirations and purpose. I don't believe in the noble savage.

And as for your war comments AC, you remain the optimist for the Russian war effort. You have ever been predicting Russian advances and victories that have failed to eventuate.

What I see is a Russian army incapable of confronting the Ukrainians directly with mechanised armour, and possessing less accurate long range strike capability. Consequently the Russian strategy seems to be one of using massed infantry to protect their artillery, tanks and apcs, and using their longer range weapons to target supply infrastructure, water and electricity, and to terrorise civilians.

The Ukrainians are keeping their offensive capacities well hidden, but seem to have good mobility and very good intelligence for targeting. Their ability to target Russian air bases seems to have exposed a lack of air defence capability, possible due to a lack of anti-aircraft missiles.

Like you AC, I think the war horrible and hope it ends, but I have been surprised by the Russian Army's willingness to destroy itself. I think the main danger for Russia after the conflict ends will be China retaking its territory in Eastern Russia. Russia will become more vulnerable the more its military gets depleted.

Dear Critic,

«- But I think the only chance Ukraine has left now is to capitulate to Russian demands or for the US to put boots on the ground.»

The useless US will not put boots on the ground - but Europe will!
(the US will continue to provide money and weapons though)

Next year there will be British, French, German, Polish, Italian, Austrian, Spanish, Danish, Greek and Belgian forces on Ukrainian ground and especially in the air, but only if necessary and let's hope that it won't be, that Ukraine can handle the war themselves, just with further American and European weapon support.

What is also being overlooked is that Netanyahu, forming a government tomorrow in Israel, will soon attack Iran to prevent it from having nukes and while a bloody fierce war is expected in the Middle-East, this will mean an end to Iranian drones for Russia.

Let us not forget that this war is not about Ukraine's local issues: if Europe does nothing and Ukraine falls in 2023, then Russian tanks will march in the streets of Warsaw in 2024 and in the streets of Paris in 2026, along with Chinese troops taking Taiwan in 2024, Tokyo in 2025 and Sydney in 2026.

"let's hope that it won't be, that Ukraine can handle the war themselves," No Yuyutsu, lets hope peace comes to the people of Ukraine, and the killing and bloodshed stops. That's what I hope for.