"Russia's single biggest problem is that Ukraine will not stop killing Russians by the thousands until Russia retreats to its pre-2014 borders"
What 157K dead / missing on the Ukrainian side and 19K dead on the Russian side?
Ukraine Russia War Latest w. Col. Doug Macgregor
http://youtu.be/K74GonVNYO4
Russians outnumber Ukrainian artillery about 10 to 1.
Russia is firing 20K rounds per day and Ukraine is firing 40K rounds per month.
Tell me do the Ukrainians have TOS-1A thermobaric weapons?
http://youtu.be/fngvcDPhnaQ
Why do you think the US is advising to retreat from Bakhmut, they're losing the war of attrition.
- That's why they are running around like mad hatters trying to patch together a frankenstein army on the fly
Some great articles discussed in yesterdays episode here:
Russia Closing Bakhmut Cauldron, Belarus Rejects Ukraine Offer; West Escalates, Sends Kiev Tanks
http://youtu.be/kAd5EphIZ1E

AC,

More BS Russian propoganda?

Even the most conservative estimates put Russian casualties at 180 000 dead and wounded. The Ukrainian losses don't even approach this probably 1/2.
Artillery ratios were 10:1 but now are closer to 3:1. Russia is now only firing 5000 rounds a day while Ukraine is firing about 2000 with vastly more accurate Nato guns.
Russia only has a handful of thermobaric rocket launchers and a shortage of rockets. These rockets are far more expensive and not significantly more dangerous. Russia still has nothing to compare with the HIMARS systems whose range is going to extend to 150km.
The US has not recommended that Ukraine abandon Bakhmut, and the new tanks are for the spring offensive. It looks as though Ukraine might have up to 100 leopard 2s along with the Abrams, Challengers and even LeClercs to go with the 100-odd Bradleys.

As far as Russian aviation is concerned airlines are seriously starting to run out of spares and in a few months will have to start reducing services. With Putin stealing $10bn in Aircraft, even when sanctions are lifted Russia will be screwed unless it pays for the stolen planes. I guess Putin will be issuing bicycles.

"More BS Russian propoganda?"
FYI, the guy stating it is a US Army Colonel.
If you watched my links you'd know what I know, but if you want to get your doctored info from Ukrainian sources then that's up to you.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/ukraine-focus-preparing-offensive-not-212446407.html

"Ukraine should not fixate on defending the city of Bakhmut at all costs and instead use a window of opportunity to prepare a major counter-offensive against Russian forces, a senior US official said Friday...

...However, a senior official in President Joe Biden's administration said the focus on Bakhmut is hampering Ukraine in the more important task of preparing a widely expected spring offensive to make major gains against Russian occupation in the south.

According to the official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity and not being quoted verbatim, time favors Russia in Bakhmut, given its greater artillery resources and sheer numbers of troops."

Well as for the south, Ugledar (Vuhledar) is about to be captured.
It's under siege, surrounded on 3 sides and Russians have captured the water treatment plant and substation.
http://pbs.twimg.com/media/FnZr6GEWAAASNMS?format=jpg&name=medium

As for the other attacks in the south, I heard Russian forces are using a tactic to attack a town and get Ukrainians to fire artillery at them and then fall back, the Orlans locate the artillery when they fire and then the Russians target the artillery.

"With Putin stealing $10bn in Aircraft..."

How much has the West stolen from Russia?

http://www.reuters.com/world/europe/brussels-proposes-plan-confiscate-frozen-russian-assets-2022-11-30/

"The European Commission proposed a plan on Wednesday to compensate Ukraine for damage from Russia's invasion with proceeds from investing Russian funds frozen under sanctions.
Officials in the EU, United States and other Western countries have debated whether Ukraine can benefit from frozen Russian assets, including around $300 billion of Russia's central bank reserves and $20 billion held by blacklisted Russians.
Moscow says seizing its funds or those of its citizens amounts to theft."

NYET MEANS NYET
1st February 2008.

Classified By: Ambassador William J. Burns. Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

1. (C) Summary. Following a muted first reaction to
Ukraine's intent to seek a NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP)
at the Bucharest summit (ref A), Foreign Minister Lavrov and
other senior officials have reiterated strong opposition,
stressing that Russia would view further eastward expansion
as a potential military threat. NATO enlargement,
particularly to Ukraine, remains "an emotional and neuralgic"
issue for Russia, but strategic policy considerations also
underlie strong opposition to NATO membership for Ukraine and
Georgia. In Ukraine, these include fears that the issue
could potentially split the country in two, leading to
violence or even, some claim, civil war, which would force
Russia to decide whether to intervene. Additionally, the GOR
and experts continue to claim that Ukrainian NATO membership
would have a major impact on Russia's defense industry,
Russian-Ukrainian family connections, and bilateral relations
generally. In Georgia, the GOR fears continued instability
and "provocative acts" in the separatist regions. End
summary.
http://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/08MOSCOW265_a.html

The US knew back in 2008 exactly what would happen.
They conducted the coup, they spent 8 years killing the people of Donbass.
The spent years creating this situation in order to oust Putin.
They thought the sanctions would work, but they didn't.
Now they need to patch together a new army, air force etc. on the fly...

US Tools for diplomacy are:
Threats, Blackmail, Regime Change and Military Intervention;
- And no reverse gear, they just double down when mistakes are made, and here we are.

AC,

More Russian propaganda. Nothing justifies Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Russia's assets are frozen not stolen. The $10bn of Aircraft it stole was from private companies which means that the credit rating of Russian airlines is at the level of criminals. Until Russia pays for the stolen aircraft they will never get another western aircraft or spares.

Russian airlines will slowly strangle until they no longer exist.

Russia’s Pantsyr-S1 air defense systems upgraded to intercept US HIMARS rockets
http://tass.com/defense/1566653

Russia unveiled a weapon that can intercept HIMARS missiles
http://youtu.be/Bwaj40d2jbQ

Apparently they captured / acquired intact HIMARS missiles and have been studying them...

Holy crap they openly admit to assassinating suspected collaborators, and put it right there in the news
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/08/30/ukraine-russia-himars-decoy-artillery/

"In recent weeks, Kyiv’s operatives have blown up rail and electricity lines in occupied Russian territory, detonated explosives inside Russian arms depots and assassinated suspected collaborators."

- Sounds more like 'war crimes'...