Hi shadowminister,

"Why do you keep posting absolute sh1te?"
It's not my fault you've been relying on Ukrainian sources.
I've been trying to share all the info I'm getting for months, if not years on this topic.

"If Russia had so few casualties then why mobilize 320 000 men and 40 000 prisoners for cannon fodder?"

It hoped for a negotiated settlement early in the conflict, when that didn't happen and the war continued and some troops quit at the end of 6 month contracts Russia found it didn't have enough troops under the terms of the SMO.
It understood that US and NATO would likely escalate so it mobilised 300K more and 70K volunteers, (as well as Wagner, Chechens and forces of the LPR and DPR).

"And why is Russia still mobilizing men?"
- I guess they're not only preparing to put a decisive end to this conflict, but they're also preparing for the potential for Polish or NATO troops to enter the conflict.

- This is why they've already established miles of defensive lines.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/08/russia-installs-dragons-teeth-blocks-in-shift-to-more-defensive-warfare
(Personally I wonder whether they cant just tie a chain around the tank main gun and lift a couple of these dragon teeth out of the way and drive through, although I don't know if that would do damage to a tanks main gun - and there's also anti-tank mines as well)

"Why does Russia have anti-retreat firing squads if their troops are doing so well?"
You're projecting, I've heard exactly the same things about the UAF, though I can't remember the slang name that was given to those units.
I've actually seen at least 3 videos of Ukrainian men being thrown to the ground and dragged away screaming and thrown in a van to be sent to fight at the front (but Twitter removes them);
I've even seen detailed instructions on how to surrender to RF without being killed.

In response to your understanding of Western industrial capacity, I suggest you read this:

JANUARY 2023
EMPTY BINS IN A WARTIME ENVIRONMENT
The Challenge to the U.S. Defense Industrial Base
http://tinyurl.com/2dh5t46d

AC,

I don't rely on Ukrainian sources if I did the figures would be much higher. Your figures are clearly from Russian sources who clearly lie through their teeth. For example, they claimed the destruction of 4 Bradley vehicles a week ago when they had yet to arrive and still haven't.

In 3 days the ban on refined products comes into effect and the Russian budget shrinks by another $1bn a week.

The 321 advanced tanks coming from the US will smash Russia's 1970s design of tanks.

Russia will never win this war.

Hi AC,

My gran was Russian.

My daughter-in-law and her family are Russian.

I was raised with Russian culture.

What I am objecting to are the Russians who are supporting
Putin - They deserve a strong message - to be sent.

Hey shadowminister,
I told everyone months ago.
All things being equal:

Russians will talk up their successes and play down their failures.
- At the same time -
They will talk up Ukrainian failures and play down Ukrainian successes.

The same goes for the Ukrainian side,
They will talk up their successes and play down their failures.
- And at the same time -
They will talk up Russian failures and play down Russian successes.

Beyond this, you can imagine that this is a matter of troop morale.
- Essential on both sides for their war effort.

But when reporters print one sides narrative as if its the actual true state of things, then there's a risk that people at home are going to be mislead.

This is especially true when keeping the citizens at home hopeful of a particular outcome and thus supporting the impositions of said war:

You don't want the citizens at home losing faith in the war effort because the moment they do, they will also withdraw their support.
- These things are essential on both sides for their war effort.

And that's why 'The first casualty of war is the truth'.

FYI, Russians have gained operational encirclement in Bakhmut.
The window for Ukrainians to safely withdraw from the city has now closed.
I also heard last night they've captured Krasna Hora, though it's not unofficial, unconfirmed at this point.
I haven't followed any news today, but I did find the videos of Ukrainians being grabbed off the street and sent to the front.

Hi Foxy,
What if your gran (as well as your great grandparents) had struggled for years to see your gran reach her potential and compete on an Olympic level.
How would you feel if all that was thrown away;
- Because foreign people with an attitude such as yourself said Russians should be banned from competing?

Do you really think that would be fair?
You didn't say 'Russians who support Putin's war, you simply said 'Russians'.
Individuals aren't responsible for what their country does.

If you think so, then name one thing Australia has done, that I'm myself responsible for.

I hope that all people who have worked hard to compete at an Olympic level get to compete, regardless of where they come from of what their country does.
Those achievements are theirs alone.
They worked hard, made the sacrifices, and deserve the recognition.
if their country helped them achieve this, they deserve some recognition too, regardless of ANY other issue.

Politics and sport don't mix.
I'm not trying to badger you, but what you've suggested in your first comment simply isn't fair.
It's not fair to take these peoples dreams that they worked for away from them.

There's a small window for current offensives,
(based on the current temperature in Ukraine - when it goes below zero)
In the north that window began today and from what I understand the Ukrainians have gone on an offensive there.
In the south, that window opens on Saturday.

We'll see what happens over the next week.

Don't pin all your hopes on those tanks.
Without air support they're going to burn like the thousands of tanks that came before them.
There have been very few tank on tank battles during the conflict.
Russia destroys them with artillery, drones and missiles.
F-16's are just the first step towards more modern planes.
- When they're shot down, then it will be F-15s and then F-35s.