Russia set a number of red lines across which Nato should not step in order to prevent a direct confrontation with Russia.

The first red line was the provision of weapons to Ukraine. But Nato provided 1000s of high-tech anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles that were effectively used to slaughter Russian tanks and aircraft, deny Russia air support for its army, and stop its invasion dead.

The following red line to be crossed was the supply of 155mm howitzers that had more extended range and far better accuracy than the Russian howitzers.

The following red line was the supply of the HIMARS systems with an 80km range that quickly devastated Russian supply lines, airfields, and HARM anti-air defence missiles.

Next came glide bombs and then a stream of Nato tanks, and finally the go-ahead to supply F16s that are superior to any Russian aircraft. All Russia could do was issue the same feeble threats that it has done so much before

While Russia is weakening, Ukraine is getting stronger. Russia cannot win this war.

Shadowminister,
I have the feeling whilst the vultures are busy gorging themselves on holograms, the bears are hibernating !

I do wish you'd stop making a fool of yourself shadowminister.

"But Nato provided 1000s of high-tech anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles that were effectively used to slaughter Russian tanks and aircraft"
- The US supplied stingers and Javelins (as well as the 155mm howitzers) were drawdown from Department of Defense inventories.
http://www.state.gov/u-s-security-cooperation-with-ukraine/

"The following red line was the supply of the HIMARS systems with an 80km range..."
- This worked well for a month or two until Russian Pansir S had software upgraded to intercept them.

"Next came glide bombs and then a stream of NATO tanks, and finally the go-ahead to supply F16s that are superior to any Russian aircraft."

Russia is using the glide bombs, Ukraine has GLSDB (Ground Launched Small Diameter Bombs fired from HIMARS) as well as JDAM and HARM missiles. Russia can intercept the GLSDB's and can jam the GPS of JDAM's and HARM's.

http://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-says-it-intercepted-glsdb-smart-bomb-ukraine-first-time-2023-03-28/
http://www.politico.com/news/2023/04/12/russia-jamming-u-s-smart-bombs-in-ukraine-leaked-docs-say-00091600

GPS-Guided Bombs Should’ve Been Ukraine’s Ace in the Hole. Then, Russian Jamming Stepped In
https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a43591694/russian-jamming-gps-guided-bombs/
"Russia is probably the preeminent world power in battlefield jamming."

UK has supplied Storm Shadow missiles and Russia is taking them down easily as well.
Russia Says It Shot Down Seven Storm Shadow Missiles in a Day
https://www.newsweek.com/russia-shoots-down-storm-shadow-missiles-ukraine-1800618
>>Russia's military "intercepted seven Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles, three HARM anti-radar missiles, and seven HIMARS multiple rocket launchers" in a day, the government department said in a statement posted to Telegram.<<

F-16's are a 4th generation fighter first flown in the 70's.
Russia has plenty of aircraft including about a dozen or so 5th generation Su-57 and superior air defense.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_Russian_military_aircraft

What will happen to those F-16's is likely the same that happened to the US Patriot Battery recently, but it's a great way to clean out all European inventories and sell them F-35's.
- It's all about the money...

From something I read recently, NATO is no longer capable of stepping over a doorstep, let alone 'red lines'.

While Russia is "weakening" (according to the oh so reliable lefty MSM), Ukraine is having the crap blown out of it. Russia is not.

There is no winning or losing in this conflict.

"While Russia is weakening, Ukraine is getting stronger. Russia cannot win this war."

Zaluzhnyi hasn't been seen, likely because he opposes a losing counteroffensive which US is demanding.
How many men did Ukraine lose unsuccessfully defending Bakhmut?
Maybe 50,000?
- Really sounds like they're winning.

Ukraine would've been finished a year ago if not for US military and financial help, which is starting to dry up.

Russia able to conduct its special military op for a long time — German intelligence chief
http://tass.com/world/1621465

US Air Force chief comments on impact of F-16s in Ukraine
http://www.rt.com/news/576738-us-air-force-chief-says-f16-not-game-changer-for-ukraine/
"Frank Kendall has acknowledged that American-made fighter jets won’t be a “game-changer” for Kiev."

Keep up the great work shadowminister.

The only ones "winning" (on either side) are the military industrialists. The USA's supply system is severely deficient in all types of ammunition for small arms and there are rapidly depleting stocks for most other ordnance needed at the Ukraine battlefronts. The world lost when the first shots were fired.

AC,

The Ukrainians lost about 1/3rd of the men in Russia's illegal invasion during the 1 yr siege of Ukraine.

Ukraine is happy to keep fighting for years, Russia will try but is losing so many men and tanks etc that in a year it will be exhausted.

Keep on dreaming AC, Russia is losing

Still believing the news releases from the most corrupt nation in Europe backed up by western propaganda I see.
Ukraine will run out of money, weapons, ammunition and men before too long.
They've already largely cleaned out all of the US and Europe's weapons inventories.
- And what ammo Ukraine uses in a few hours is what the collective west produces in several weeks.
- This WONT CHANGE unless the collective west moves to a full war economy.
Do the math, read what experts are saying, not what the news (for general consumption) is saying.

Or you can always go and watch so more Pro-Ukraine video's and news articles and keep on believing until the end I guess.
It's fools like you that have helped to ensure the whole of Ukraine is completely destroyed and several hundred thousand Ukrainians along with it.
- Your lot really should've gone to the negotiating table last April before Boris Johnson stepped in.

They know the counteroffensive will fail, but when it does the US will expedite the F-16s
And then when the F-16s fail Europe will have to replace them all with F-35s
Ka-ching ka-ching for US Military Industrial Complex and war mongering US politicians
- Nothing like a war to keep the US economy afloat.

After the US spent 8 years building up the Ukrainian military, everything the west could give, including the inventories of 31 NATO countries and more...

Ukraine couldn't even defend one city against a group of largely untrained Russian prison inmates.

Think about that.

Where's Fortress Bakhmut?
- It doesn't exist anymore, it's called Artyomovsk now.

You really need to find yourself some better news sources, here try these:

Belgorod Reckless Stunt Damages Collective West Narrative
http://youtu.be/a9XPC_FamPo

Col. Macgregor: Ukraine Is FALLING APART As Putin Marches West
http://youtu.be/B0q7tiopkdw

When are you all going to realise that US regime changes don't lead to good outcomes?
The US thought Russia would capitulate under the strain of it's economic sanctions.
It didn't, and they've been scratching their heads ever since.
I told you months ago it's over, it's merely a matter of time.

Price Gouging and Profits on US Military Equipment
http://www.youtube.com/live/ylIljM6u9ac?feature=share&t=2450

Try to see the bigger picture of the money EVERYONE involved in the US makes from war, and they all have their finger in the pie.
- They're all riding the gravy train.

Victoria Nuland US has invested $5 billion in Ukraine
(This video is 9 years old, dates back to 2013 after the Maidan)

The bankers, the military industrial complex, the politicians, ALL OF THEM, making money from overthrowing other people countries.

It's not about democracy, it's about everyone making a crapload of money, that's why they want to chop Russia up into tiny pieces and loot everything there they can as well.

It's a well oiled machine to steal everybody else's wealth and resources.
They've been doing it for a long time.
The US prints these things called 'greenbacks' and swaps them for the wealth of other nations hard earned labours.

When are you all going to realise that the US is nothing more than an organised crime syndicate, that uses threats, blackmail, regime change and military intervention to steal whatever it can.

The collective west are vassal states to the US that do as they're told, because if they don't support this 'theft-based order', they too become targets.

It's not about human rights and democracy, it's about imperialism, and enriching itself at the expense of others - no more, no less.

Victoria Nuland US has invested $5 billion in Ukraine
http://youtu.be/rPVs5VuI8XI

Gotta spend money to make money...

Ac and SM,

All this arguing over which side is telling the truth and which is lying is just monumental naivety. Thinking that my side is telling the truth and the other is constantly lying just shows a spectacular lack of understanding as to the truth about the fog of war.

Here's a headline for you boys....both sides are lying.

How do I know this? Because, as anyone with even a mild understanding of the history of warfare will attest, all sides lie in war and always have. From the first time two blokes pointed spears at each other, truth took a beating.

You cannot determined how many died in Bakhmut on either side. But you can be bloody sure that the numbers coming from each side are wrong. You can be also reasonably sure that even if they wanted to tell the truth (and they don't) they wouldn't know the correct answer anyway. The Ukrainians wouldn't know how many Russians died taking the city and, almost certainly, the Russians don't know either.

All you can be certain of is that no certainty exists. The truth might come out eventually, but not for half-a-decade or more. The best you can do is follow the events on the ground and draw from conclusions from that.

Overcoming Bakhmut took the Russians far longer than expected (AC was proclaiming its fall 6 months ago!!) so that tells you a good deal about the state of the Russian forces. Equally the long promised counter-offensive remains a promise. If it comes then conclusions can and will be drawn about the state of the Ukrainian forces based upon the outcomes of that offensive. And if it doesn't come then other conclusions will be drawn.

But making predictions based upon what your favourite side tells you is a fool's errand displaying a woeful lack of historic understanding.

Is Russia losing? No, they've already lost. They started of wanting to keep NATO at arms length and now have NATO on their doorstep. Irrespective of the final outcome, their initial war aims are now unachievable.

Is Ukraine winning? No. Even if they somehow push Russia back to the ante bellum boarders, their development has been set back several decades and the country will remain under a permanent cloud which will scare away investors and native entrepreneurs. So an economic back-water for decades to come.

Which side is more truthful at the moment? Ask me next year.

Mhaze,

One side has a free press and the other only the Kremlin's propaganda. Unless the 100s of independent journalists are also lying then there is a more than even chance of some honesty from the West if not from Ukraine.

AC is claiming that Russia is building 100 T90 tanks a month. The only factory that can build tanks in Russia has a capacity of 20 p.m. and maybe 30 working 24/7. So unless they have suddenly built 2 more factories this is complete bollocks.

Next AC repeat Russian propaganda that general zaluzhny has been critically injured only to have a video posted yesterday of him completely uninjured.

Say no more.

Russia is losing this war.

Even Prigozhin believes that Russia could lose the war in Ukraine.

I still have the impression that Ukraine is content to keep picking off Russian targets. The special military operation in the Belgorod direction showed how stretched the Russian forces have become, and Ukraine's "Any day now" pitch for the counteroffensive is leaving 150,000 Russian troops tied up in the south with no offensive capability.

With Russia perhaps losing 30,000 troops and 8 BTGs per month the success of Ukraine's counteroffensive will be more likely to succeed if they continue as they have been.

Better the devil you know.

SM wrote: "One side has a free press and the other only the Kremlin's propaganda. Unless the 100s of independent journalists are also lying then there is a more than even chance of some honesty from the West if not from Ukraine"

Yes, true, but beside the point. Russia also has its milbloggers who are at least independent of the Russian propaganda apparatus. But none of these independent sources on either side is capable of seeing the entire story or understanding the overall situation.

Any study of the reporting on past wars shows how the government/military are able to manipulate the story to suit its purposes. Embedded journalists see a small part of the war and cannot possibly make overall assessments that matter. Its like someone trying to describe an elephant having seen only its tail. Ben Rhodes talked about how Obama easily manipulated the Iran story because they were dealing with people who " literally know nothing." "The average reporter we talk to is 27 years old…They literally know nothing."

Veteran reporters become cynical because they know what they don't know.

Yes, there are many unknowns, most importantly the status of each force and the damage being inflicted. What does appear to be known is Russia's lack of offensive capability and Ukraine's range and accuracy advantages. If Ukraine also has a surveillance advantage then it makes perfect sense for them to keep doing what they are doing.

My take from the peanut gallery is that with 150,000 troops tied up in the south, Russia has had to put its meat wave offensive on hold, which is allowing the Ukrainians to target artillery and specialist equipment.

Hi Fester,
I wonder if you and SM would believe one thing Progozin said but not another?
- Mind you the bloke does a lot of trolling just to stir things up
http://twitter.com/GonzaloLira1968/status/1641506771800842246

He's said to be linked to a Russian troll factory, said to be responsible for manipulating US elections,
(If you believe Hillary Clinton and Democrats narratives in relation to Trumps 2016 election)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Research_Agency

"Even Prigozhin believes that Russia could lose the war in Ukraine."
- I think he likes to shake up the Russian military commanders, there's a kind of a rift between him and them.

He also said this though, so if you believe him on that, do you believe him on this?

"Prigozhin said that in Bakhmut, Ukraine had suffered casualties of 50,000-70,000 wounded and 50,000 dead. He said around 20,000 of his own mercenaries had been killed during the war."
http://www.reuters.com/world/russias-mercenaries-send-back-bodies-us-turkish-citizens-ukraine-2023-05-25/

At least he had the respect and decency to respect the dead.
"Mercenaries from Russia's Wagner Group were shown in a video clip nailing closed the two wooden coffins and then draping a U.S. "Stars and Stripes" flag over one coffin and the "red banner" flag of Turkey on the other."

Unlike US warmonger Lindsay Graham...

Video shows US Senator Graham's infantile comments: "Russians Dying Best Money We've Ever Spent."
http://youtu.be/fArYADgOTaI

Meanwhile...

Russia checkmates the West. Russia to spread Nukes to ANYONE who joins Russia-Belarus Union.
http://youtu.be/Dm7ZstRCyOw

You lot must be keen on a nuclear war backing people like Vicky Nuland and Lindsay Graham?

See this:
http://twitter.com/RealBadVolf/status/1663166757358682113
Now see this:
http://twitter.com/RealBadVolf/status/1662783385385816065

This is the shite the west does, that you lot unwittingly support.
- And the info would be banned from you seeing it if they had their way.

You lot talk all this crap about Bucha.
You were sold lies.
It was Ukrainians shooting collaborators.
READ THE ARTICLES.
http://en.lb.ua/news/2022/04/02/12441_special_forces_regiment_safari.html

http://www.sott.net/article/466350-Special-Forces-Regiment-SAFARI-Begins-Clearing-Operation-in-Bucha-from-Saboteurs-and-Accomplices-of-Russia-National-Police

Still doubt me when I told you that Ukraine deliberately blew up the Mariupol drama theatre full of women, kids and elderly to blame on Russia?

Still refuse to believe witness accounts?
Still think this woman is lying?

WATCH IT AGAIN

What REALLY Happened At The Mariupol Drama Theatre.
http://youtu.be/cKlgBw8mQhs?t=1672

Still believing the West are the good guys and Russia are bad?
Still believing that Ukraine weren't using innocent people as human shields?

Bout time you lot stopped falling for all the lies.
I started a thread on Ukraine years before the invasion ever happened.
I can't be bothered arguing with any of you anymore.
- I made all my arguments many times already, so best you figure things out yourselves.

UN: Russia and Ukraine Share Blame for Nursing Home Attack
http://www.voanews.com/a/un-russia-and-ukraine-share-blame-for-nursing-home-attack-/6652481.html

- And that's from Voice of America, yet you still refuse to read between the lines.
You think propaganda is just something 'other nations' do;
- Too stupid to realise your being played for fools just the same by your own team.

"We believe"
- Then more fool you.

Don't want to believe that people like yourselves with your blind ignorant 'beliefs' make all this carnage possible?
- Well you do, sorry to say.

And don't ever say you weren't told.
It's not about who's right and who's wrong
- but more about who lives and who dies

WAKE UP!
- before it's too late.

AC,

The women and children killed in Bucha were killed during the Russian occupation. No amount of Bullsh1t from you is going to convince anyone. Putting up links to other no-names is pathetic. The evidence of 1000s Russian war crimes is overwhelming.

The Russian missiles are now almost wholly being shot out of the sky while the new stealthy storm shadow missiles have a 100% hit rate killing 100s of Russian soldiers, and Germany is looking at sending cruise missiles of its own.

The US and EU countries are very grateful to the Russian army for providing many targets to test and upgrade their new weapons. I believe the Russian coffin business is doing very well.

I see that the company shipping most of the oil to India has been accused of paying slightly over the $60 limit for Russian crude. As a result, it has had 21 of its 40 tanker fleet deregistered and uninsured so that they cannot sail or do business anywhere.

Give it a rest AC. You continually admonish others for accepting the propaganda from the West/Ukraine side while you continually accept the propaganda from the Russian side.

As I said. Both sides are lying. And I know this because both sides always lie. There is no such thing as a war where one side tells the truth or even something approximating the truth. Only after the end of the conflict (and often a long time after the end) do we find out the facts of the matter.

Whatismore, even those who do currently know the truth about this or that matter, have a vested interest in hiding that truth. For example, when the Nazis found the killing-fields of the Katyn massacre, the Soviets claimed it was done by the Nazis. Despite the fact that the US/Britain knew full well that the massacre had indeed been perpetrated by their Soviet allies, they accepted and propounded the Soviet lies. Only years later did the truth come out.

SM,
Those ships will just re-register in another country and get insurance from Russia

And mhaze,
I was the first one to say years ago 'that the first casualty in war is the truth'
- It's a well known saying, so no need to play the violin to me.

Vested interest in hiding that truth.
- Many of them don't even hide it, you just have to know where to look.
Like here mate:
https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR3063.html
- Click on the little link up the top where the Russian and US chess pieces are, where it says 'read online'
Page 59 Reduce Natural Gas Exports and Hinder
Pipeline Expansions
Page 62 In addition, Europe—or at least some of it—is building Nord Stream 2, a major pipeline for Russian gas running parallel to the existing two Nord Stream pipelines, that will bypass Ukraine and all of Eastern Europe, running directly from Russia under the Baltic Sea to Germany. Officials from the European Commission and leaders from nine EU states have expressed concern about the project, specifically that it would increase European dependence on Russia for gas. In addition, it will diminish the shipment of Russian gas through Ukraine, reducing transit fees to that country...
A variety of options exist for diversifying European gas supplies
and extending Russia economically, although it is not clear how much
control the United States has over them. A first step would involve stopping Nord Stream 2...

Oh no America would NEVR do anything like blow up gas pipelines, it was th 7 cast members of Gilligans island, on the SS Minnow, if you want to believe that crap.

(Cont.)

Geopolitical Measures
Measure 1: Provide Lethal Aid to Ukraine Page 96
Measure 2: Increase Support to the Syrian Rebels Page 103
Measure 3: Promote Regime Change in Belarus Page 109
Measure 4: Exploit Tensions in the South Caucasus Page 115
Measure 5: Reduce Russian Influence in Central Asia Page 121
Measure 6: Challenge Russian Presence in Moldova Page 130

Oh no the US doesn't conduct regime changes (if you take the position of SM, It's all 'grassroots'...

same shite that started this damn war.

You want to talk about vested interests?

House China Committee Proposes 10 Ways to Prepare for War With China Over Taiwan
http://news.antiwar.com/2023/05/25/house-china-committee-proposes-10-ways-to-prepare-for-war-with-china-over-taiwan/

Read the article and tell me who funded this US government report.
I'll save you the trouble...

"Some of the ideas were lessons the members of Congress said they learned from a recent war game they participated in that was conducted by the Center for a New American Security, a hawkish think tank funded by US arms makers and the Taiwanese government."

Arms manufacturers setting US policies to create wars
- Lets just all look away and pretend it's not true, it's all about 'democracy' not arms sales.

10 ways to promote war with China...
- Didn't they do that already 80 years ago with Japan?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCollum_memo
Yet you morons refuse to see that it's the US which manufactures the conditions for the other sides to react and start a war, so they can say 'It wasn't us, we had nothing to do with it'
- Same goes for Vietnam, the US manufactured lies RE Gulf of Tonkin to get boots on the ground there.

'You just shuddup when were trying to get a war started with Russia and China'
You want to be Uncle Sams little yapping lapdog?
- Well I guess that's your perogative to do so if you choose.
- Go support some more chemical weapons attacks.
I showed footage of it myself here 6 months ago.

But it won't be you going over there to fight.
- It'll be your grandkids doing that.

"You continually admonish others for accepting the propaganda from the West/Ukraine side while you continually accept the propaganda from the Russian side."

- Maybe I'm just trying to level the playing field from all the crap many of you blindly believe without question.

"I was the first one to say years ago 'that the first casualty in war is the truth'"

Regurgitating it is one thing.

Living by quite another. When you start trying to debunk Russian propaganda with the same fervour as you try (however ineptly) to debunk western propaganda, then I'll accept that you understand the meaning of the saying.

'Russian propaganda' is merely a well used catch word for 'move along nothing to see here' or
'Don't you look at or listen to that, you should instead be looking at and listening to the bs we're selling'

So the Russian don't use propaganda? You're hilarious AC. Simultaneously claiming to know both sides lie, while steadfastly asserting that your favoured side doesn't.

"So the Russian don't use propaganda?"
- I'm not necessarily saying that.
I'm saying that western media is biased, and labels EVERYTHING that doesn't suit their own narrative or propaganda as 'Russian propaganda' whether true or not.
- And this says a lot for the quality and impartiality of western media.
They claim 'freedom of speech' and 'freedom of the press' but it's a rigged system.

Don't believe me listen to what Tucker Carlson says, and I'm pretty sure he has a lot more first hand experience than you do.
http://twitter.com/TuckerCarlson/status/1656037032538390530

As for as Ukraine is concerned how much of what you get comes from the Western backed Ukrainian government (all of it), who did away with opposition parties, and how much reporting comes from the Russian side in Donbass? (none of it)

If they did report the Russian point of view they'd be put on a Myrotvorets i.e. Ukrainian hit list.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrotvorets

And we all know what happened to Daria Dugan and Vladlen Tatarsky - liquidated.
So don't talk to me about virtuous western media, and freedom of speech / freedom of the press.

- Pretty much any reporting from Russian held regions in Donbass independent or otherwise is labelled 'Russian propaganda'.

Ukraine has even attacked journalists from CNN and Sky News.
http://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-revokes-journalist-accreditations-kherson-reports/32130021.html
- And even this news above comes from US government funded media.

I swear if we went back 20 years many of you would be the same guillible morons running around pointing fingers that something must be done about Iraq's WMDs.

20 years later and you still haven't learned a thing.

And don't try and flip the script mhaze,
This isn't about Russian propaganda, it's more about western propaganda, something many of you fail to believe even exists.

You believe everything your told without question, because you think the west holds all these virtuous standards, that don't even exist.
- It's all just hollow virtue signalling, and conditioning.

In truth both the Russian constitution and the US constitution guarantee 'freedom of speech', but the west is no better than Russian.
- In fact, I find that Russian news is more factual, where the West is absolutely drenched in emotionally charged opinion pieces meant to manipulate your opinions on every topic.

Hi AC,

Here is a documentary of the Ukraine conflict that seemed factual to me:

https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/tv-series/putin-vs-the-west

It gave many instances of Putin's dishonesty, in one instance claiming that Russian soldiers captured in Ukraine fighting with separatists were not Russian soldiers because they were on holiday but had got lost. Putin's lies were frequent and over the top. It was comical but for the atrocities he was engaged with.

Hi Fester,
Thanks for sharing, I'll give it a look and get back to you.

I tried get some info about the director Tim Stirzaker, but couldn't find much, but based on show description I don't hold out too much hope that it will have much depth or substance.

But I'll go into it with an open mind and let you know what I think.
I see the director also has other documentaries too.
http://www.timstirzaker.com/

I may have already seen 'Putin, Russia and the West'.
If it's the one I saw on tv a couple of years back I don't think I was overly impressed by it.
I find it's not so much the story they wish to tell, but the stuff they don't tell you or leave out.

It makes me wonder whether they're biased to tell the story a certain way, or whether they're ignorant of the full facts;
- And it's often hard for me to believe it's the latter.

Just the word 'invasion' without being placed into the right context is enough to put me off.
- Truthfully, after the plans for NATO expansion and US coup, as well as attacking Russian-speaking people, they really left Putin no other options, and knowing neo-conservatives, I think that's exactly what they set out to do.
(Only they thought Putin would be ousted after the Russian economy was destroyed by the sanctions, but that didn't turn out that way)

Putin did try to avoid all this with the Minsk agreements which was unanimously adopted in the UN Security council, but western partners never enforced / supported in bad faith and Ukraine completely disregarded whilst the US built up the country militarily.

Putin's first obligation is to defend the Russian people, and after the failure of Minsk, he recognised the independence of the LPR and DPR,( and I agree with that, I think Ukraine lost the right to rule over them after labeling them terrorists and bombing them for 8 years) and then the 'invasion' was actually a move under the right of collective self defense.

Yes I watched it the documentary, if one can call it that.
It was as expected, it's not what they tell you it's what they leave out.

Nothing about the coup, nothing about Minsk, blame the Maidan shooters on Russia, blame MH17 on Russia and all mainly point's of view from unelected European bureaucrats (which threaten and blackmail their member states the same way as the US does everyone else who doesn't kneel), as well as Russia haters, members of the Ukrainian opposition or government and supporters of neoconservative foreign policy to benefit elites and bankers.

Certainly no Russian points of view to give even a pinch of unbiased reporting or impartiality.
- Essentially, well written and convincing bs.

In the exact way Tucker Carlson says the news is lies.
http://twitter.com/TuckerCarlson/status/1656037032538390530

At least they told the truth in the last 10 minutes about how the Ukrainian forces were more or less surrounded and how Putin could've gone all the way to Kiev, but they agreed to the Minsk agreements, but in bad faith, and only in order to build up the country military, never to give the Russian speaking people autonomy (who were treated as terrorists after the US sponsored coup).

Poroshenko, Merkel and Hollande all letter admitted this.

Hi AC,

I think we will always see things differently, but my respect for you is not about the opinions you form, but for the great interest you have in understanding the world you see your desire to see it become a better place for all.

As I have inferred, I find it hard to see the United States as an evil empire from observing the post WW2 fates of Japan and Germany, and I would much rather see Ukraine supported than see it suffer again as it did under Stalin's tyranny.

What I see in the conflict is the gradual destruction of Russian forces. I hope that Ukraine keeps fighting as they are as it is a very good strategy. Most of Russia's army now appears to be in Ukraine along with their anti-air defences. They have mostly lost the ability to attack, and their ability to defend is diminishing. I am not expecting a counteroffensive for some time, but I do expect to see plenty of counterattacks.

Here's to a better world.

There would not have been a war in Ukraine, unless western neocons and elites set out to deliberately provoke one, likewise there won't be a war with China unless they too can provoke one.

"As I have inferred, I find it hard to see the United States as an evil empire from observing the post WW2 fates of Japan and Germany, and I would much rather see Ukraine supported than see it suffer again as it did under Stalin's tyranny."

Yes I know Fester I understand and accept your reasoning, but the US goaded Japan into war, then they dropped nukes on them when they didn't have to, and Germany has been treated like a sacrificial lamb the way gutless Greens politicians have sold their own people down the river on energy and allowed their own western allies to blow up Nordstream and they don't say a damn thing, and Ukraine has been utterly destroyed and for what, so that the west can go in there and get a hold on the nations wealth at fire sale prices, oil pipelines, land, blackrock wealth management, claimed european benefits, all at the cost of generations of national debt upon the citizens, those lucky to still be alive and all because they want to get Putin and rape and loot Russia as well, or are scared China is becoming to wealthy, strong militarily or impose rule over people and nations that don't wish to be ruled as vassal states by the west?

They don't give a crap about human rights or the citizens, Germanys haddit, they people at home are paying 4 times the price for energy, and as far as the west goes generallyit's probably all just a plan by the elite, their Great Reset to centralise more money and power into the hands of the elite at the expense of the average Joe.

"What I see in the conflict is the gradual destruction of Russian forces."

How is that going to happen?

It's not going to happen, Russia is making 200,000 shells every month, while the west is only able to manufacture little more than a tenth of that, but the western MIC, politicians and bankers will profit from it all they will wield their sanctions, attempting to use money and trade as weapons, meanwhile Russia China and other BRICS nations will find new markets and methods of payment.

Ukraine can't recapture the land, they can't beat them on the battlefield without NATO intervention / US troops coming home in bodybags at which point we may then be looking at a nuclear war with tactical nuclear weapons employed by Russia and risking WWIII.

All for what? Legitimate Russian security interests / Crimea / the autonomy of the Russian speaking people in Ukraine post 2014 western coup?

Look at this they're all so full of shite
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-02/anthony-albanese-keynote-speech-singapore-shagri-la-china-us/102428396

"Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has used a keynote speech at the region's top security summit to urge China to reopen high-level communication channels with the United States, saying both great powers need to establish "guardrails" to ensure catastrophic conflict does not break out."

You won't see the little lapdog saying that about Russia and Ukraine with thousands dying every day do you?
- Every opportunity for dialogue and negotiation the US opposed it and Boris Johnson stopped it.

http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/nov/12/anthony-albanese-meets-ukraine-foreign-minister-at-asean-who-says-it-will-be-a-joint-success-when-russia-defeated

http://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/australia-will-continue-to-provide-assistance-to-ukraine-albanese/video/0aa59cabae50fe01acd232775bd89ef6

On that front, Albo the weasel wants to keep the war going, providing weapons and assistance at our expense and for Russia to be defeated.
- Not one word about 'dialogue' or 'negotiations' to 'avoid conflict'.
- He's helping support and continue the conflict.

He's a weak little pansy and a lapdog.
He doesn't care about people dying in a conflict.
It's perfectly fine.

"US goaded Japan into war, then they dropped nukes on them when they didn't have to"

Unsurprisingly I have a different view AC. Given the high casualties on both sides and the Japanese ethos of fighting to the last I side with the view that bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki saved many lives on both sides.

As for being goaded into war, Japan's invasion of China was hardly the action of a peace loving humanitarian nation.

You speak of Russia as a nation resolute in preserving its autonomy, but like Nazi Germany it is the autonomy of an Afghan warlord, replete with xenophobia, oppression and belligerence. "The west" as you refer to it consists of countries seeking a peaceful and mutually beneficial interaction between nations. The freedom and prosperity enjoyed by these nations is testament to its effectiveness, and as Putin is finding out in Ukraine, those freedoms are highly valued and protected.

There was the view that Russia wanted a war of attrition because it had the capability to outlast the Ukrainians. Because of the superior range and accuracy of Ukraine's weapons, a war of attrition is very much in Ukraine's interests.

AC's claims are beyond factually incorrect and are hilariously psychotic.

Japan was at war a decade before America sanctioned their oil, and the reason they did was after warning Japan to cease the atrocities it was committing they cut off Japan's oil that it used for its army.

Secondly, the US has just supplied 750 000 howitzer shells to Ukraine and is looking at another batch shortly. The 50 countries supporting Ukraine can easily outproduce Russia.

I believe that the Russian separatists are going to hold a referendum in Belgorod to secede from Russia.

Russia is losing this war.

"The 50 countries supporting Ukraine can easily outproduce Russia."

You're as delusional as Zelensky himself, didn't he just ask for 50 Patriot batteries?
- The US has supplied all they are going to for your counteroffensive which is likely to fail to make any significant gains.

"Russia is losing this war"
- I guess that's why Ukraine lost an entire army for nothing trying to defend Bakhmut.
What exactly are you smoking SM, you must be on the heavy stuff.
Where are you going to replace 500K+ Ukrainian war casualties?

"I believe that the Russian separatists are going to hold a referendum in Belgorod to secede from Russia."
- What you believe isn't important, they're likely to all get arrested or shot.
I wish them good luck, they'll certainly need it.

They don't want Peace in Ukraine, they want Russia.
Ukraine refuses all peace plans but "Zelensky's"
http://youtu.be/eRIhCrotZNI

I see Ukraine's big counter offensive is going well, as expected.

Hi AC,

Russia just destroyed a major dam. That is not the action of an army in control.

Hi Fester,
That's just what you 'believe' happened - according to Ukraine.
- It's funny how western citizens just take what they're told to be a certified fact.

From what I hear it was a Ukrainian MLRS, but who knows.
Ukraine has more to gain from this than Russia.
I also hear 8 Leopard tanks were destroyed in a matter of hours.

Ukraine needed a false flag to garner a little more outrage towards Russia, due to their failing counteroffensive and poor outlook for the war.

You forget that Russia left Kherson for this exact reason.
It risks losing the water supplies for Crimea, as well as the IAEA moving to take control and kick Russia out of the ZNPP on behalf of the West.
Also it may make a Russian offensive on the western bank of the Dnieper that much harder, and there's also a lot of Russian defensive positions in Kherson which have now been destroyed, not to mention a lower water level upstream which may make it easier to cross.
And all this at the exact time of Ukrainian counter offensive?
It's going to be a blame game for a few days, in any case.
- What matters is how each side adapts to the new situation, it's a lot of water.

AC,

The portion of the dam wall under Russian control was the part destroyed, flooding the valley protects Russia from a Ukrainian attack. This was yet another Russian war crime.

Once again AC posts Russian propaganda. Ukraine hasn't yet deployed its leopard tanks and the photo of the "destroyed tank" was farm equipment. This is like Russia's claim to have destroyed 400% of Ukraine's himars systems or 200% of its aircraft.

Russia is getting hammered on every front and is retreating in Belgorod, Bakhmut, and now in Zaphorizia.

The tide has turned and the Russians are petrified.

Hi AC,

Apparently the Russians intended to blow a hole in the dam big enough to flood some islands and thwart the Ukrainians, but the dam started collapsing. The consequence is that they flooded their own positions and destroyed their own equipment. They also cut Crimea's water supply, and when the flood recedes in a few weeks the front will be vulnerable to an attack by the Ukrainians.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQbQXUxfhGM

Russia stuffed up big time AC.

"The portion of the dam wall under Russian control was the part destroyed, flooding the valley protects Russia from a Ukrainian attack. This was yet another Russian war crime."

You're so foolish buying into the crap you're fed that you miss the bleeding obvious SM,
Russia was in control of the dam, if they wanted to flood everything downstream they need not blow up the dam, they only had to open the dam gates themselves.
- They didn't do that and do you know why?
Because the eastern side was of much lower lying ground than the western side and their own defensive positions would stand to be flooded and they would suffer militarily more than it benefited them militarily.

Russia didn't do it Fester.
I've even read documents dating back to last year where Russia said that Ukraine was planning to do this.
It's why they moved back to the eastern side and gave up Kherson City despite all the crap about retreating they copped for it.
- And even when I told you the great Kherson counter offensive there last year amounted to nothing and they strategically withdrew, because of the risk of Ukraine blowing up the dam, don't either of you tell me you don't remember me saying it.
- And I already mentioned the loss of Crimean water supply earlier.

They came out with the same bs 'Russia did it' narrative for weeks after Nordstream was blown up, remember?

Too bad Ukraine in their 'it's not THE counter offensive because it failed counter offensive' lost nearly 40 western tanks including 8 Leopards and couple of Bradleys and over 100 armoured fighting vehicles.
(And don't forget your grandkids will have to pay for those lost Aussie donated Bushmasters)

Great way to control the narrative on their botched counter offensive.
Should I say I told you so?

They didn't even reach the Russian fortified defensive lines.
If they lost that much not even reaching them what do you think is going to happen when they do, and Crimea is 27,000 square kilometers of territory.

They cannot sustain those kinds of losses.
Ukraine has no forward artillery for their counter offensive and no air power to give their troops any kind of cover.
Russia does, and Ukraine got smashed just as I told you.

On October 21, 2022, Russia's Ambassador to the UN sent a letter to the UN Secretary General regarding Kiev regime's plans to destroy the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric dam.
http://twitter.com/mfa_russia/status/1666038487546560514

"Total losses of Ukrainian troops in the southern Donetsk Region area were more than 1,500 Ukrainian servicemen, 28 tanks, of them 8 German-made Leopard tanks, 3 wheeled French-made &#1040;&#1052;&#1061;-10 tanks and 109 armored fighting vehicles," the ministry said.
http://tass.com/defense/1628105

(sorry I couldn't find the actual Russian MOD statement.)

Russia Mocked For Claiming To Destroy 4 US-Made Bradley Fighting Vehicles That Are Yet To Be Delivered To Ukraine
http://eurasiantimes.com/russia-mocked-for-claiming-to-destroy-4-us-made-bradley-fighting-vehicles-that-are-yet-to-be-delivered-to-ukraine/

Liars, what's this on the 1st June?
http://twitter.com/walter_report/status/1663959273754198032

On the first day of the offensive Ukraine lost 250 troops, 16 western tanks, 24 armored fighting vehicles, including three Bradley infantry fighting vehicles.
http://twitter.com/12_31_84/status/1665717474258743296
On the second day they had another crack, losses increased to 1500 troops, 28 tanks, 109 armored fighting vehicles.
- and they achieved NOTHING, were driven back to their former positions.

I ask you again and again.
How are you going to achieve any kind of successful military outcome when you're losing this much equipment?
'Believing' won't change the outcome, no matter how hopeful or certain you are, I'm sorry.

"The tide has turned and the Russians are petrified."

- Maybe they'll just drop down on the ground into the fetal position or run away screaming.

If that's what you need to sleep at night SM, then who am I to blow your buzz?
- Keep on believing, don't let me stop you from making a fool of yourself mate.

AC,

No one believes that anyone other than the Russians blew up the dam, even Russian Mil bloggers are accepting it. That it was blown up on the Russian side which the Ukrainians had no access to makes Russian denials laughable. That the flood did more damage to the Russian eastern side than the Ukrainian side speaks more to Russian incompetence and desperation than their innocence.

Secondly, you should read what you post as you just proved yourself wrong.

"Russia Mocked For Claiming To Destroy 4 US-Made Bradley Fighting Vehicles That Are Yet To Be Delivered To Ukraine" Was in January 2023, and the photo of the BFV in Ukraine was in June 2023 6 months later.

Your claims are pure fantasy.

Russia is retreating on every front from Belgorad to Zaphoriza

Russia is losing this war.

You really are an idiot SM,
It's the same stupid mentally retarded thinking as saying Russia blew up Nordstream.
Why would Russia destroy the pipeline, when it can just close the valve on the pipe,
- same thing for the dam, it could've just opened the dam gates if it wanted to flood downstream.

But you have to entertain some kind of complicated conspiracy to explain it all away, your brain must be about to pop with all this information you're buying into that doesn't make sense.

"Russia Mocked For Claiming To Destroy 4 US-Made Bradley Fighting Vehicles That Are Yet To Be Delivered To Ukraine" Was in January 2023, and the photo of the BFV in Ukraine was in June 2023 6 months later

In any case, your precious little machines you've put all your hopes in got blown to smithereens, with absolutely nothing achieved.

All this was was a distraction from the way Ukraine got it's arse handed to it with it's 'Not the REAL counter offensive because it failed counter offensive'.
Just like in sport, when one team is losing really badly and embarrassed, they resort to some kind of dirty tactic and act out.
That's all it is, but you should also know it was also planned in advance, because Ukraine deliberately released more water upstream prior to this to make sure it was well overfull, they knew their counter offensive was going to fail, sent men to die like cannon fodder because all the built up hype, then hit the dam to distract away from the failure and push a different narrative.

Ukraine got smashed before they ever even got close to Russia's fortified defensive lines and it spakked out, shelling the dam.
It's going to be fun watching you dig your whole deeper over the coming months, squirming and attempting to explain away more totally ridiculous events.
- Trying to divert attention away from the fact Ukraine is losing badly.

By the way, Australia just agreed to sending tanks and F/A 18's.
I can't wait until they get blown to smithereens too.
- Australians will be paying for it, so I might as well enjoy it.

Ukraine has no chance.

A Ukrainian soldier breaks down and calls out Zelensky and his politicians who have sold out Ukrainian people to the globalists.
http://twitter.com/AndyGreensky/status/1641421774121230337

AC,

Don't be such a moron, the portion of the dam wall under Russian control was blown up and it would have been nearly impossible for the Ukrainians to plant explosives there. If the Ukrainians wanted to blow the dam they could have easily done it on their side. The Russians were facing being attacked from Kherson, opening the dam gates wouldn't stop the attack, it was a war crime of desperation and incompetence.

Amazing how Russia claims to have destroyed Leopard tanks yet cannot produce a single photo. Just like their wild claims before of destroying 200% of Ukraine's air force.

The main Ukraine counter-offensive hasn't started yet and already Russia is retreating on all fronts.

Russia is losing this war.

Just about every video that discusses the dam is pointing out how stupid and ridiculous it is, and any other video mentioning their counter offensive is showing how the got their asses handed to them.

"Amazing how Russia claims to have destroyed Leopard tanks yet cannot produce a single photo. Just like their wild claims before of destroying 200% of Ukraine's air force."

I've seen footage on twitter, but the quality is poor.
Others have said it does resemble a Leopard 2.
Ukraine begging for F-16's is enough to tell you their existing fleet of planes have been decimated.

Not much point trying to argue with you, if I said the sky was blue you'd disagree.

And just for reference, the 'front lines' or 'line of contact', is separate from Russias well built fortified defensive lines which Ukraine did not even reach in any of their recent attempts...

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/04/28/world/ukraine-counteroffensive-russia-defenses/

And by the way, sounds like they last another 30 tanks last night in their 'probing attacks' looking for a weakness, before they failed and retreated.

Zaporozhye... One-Way Ticket. Military Summary For 2023.06.08
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQmvc7qwd9o

This is why you have not heard their counter attack has started, they wouldn't be using Leopard 2 if it hasn't started.
They are failing, and then reporting that it hasn't started yet, because every attempt has failed.

If it succeeded, they'd be reporting that the counter offensive is underway.
Fail, and they say they haven't started yet, meanwhile they've already lost dozens of tanks and hundreds of armoured fighting vehicles.

- They can't sustain these losses in men and equipment, and they can't adequately protect their counter offensives pushing into Russian held territory without air support, it's a suicide mission.

But I already told you that weeks ago, and you 'believe' otherwise.
Not even the Ukrainian troops themselves would 'believe' your bs.

Russia's well prepared.
Russian Vikhr air-launched missile smash 8 Leopard tank
http://youtu.be/CSirNs2mavg

Sorry the japantimes link was the wrong one.
These are the fortified defensive lines, and they're set back from the front lines.
Ukrainian counter offensive didn't even reach them let alone breach them.
http://english.elpais.com/international/2023-04-17/russia-constructs-800-km-of-defensive-lines-to-head-off-ukrainian-counteroffensive.html

Here's the video I saw a day or so back of your destroyed Leopard tank.
Reported now in Business Insider and the German news site Bild.
http://www.businessinsider.com/russia-says-video-shows-1st-leopard-tank-destroyed-in-ukraine-2023-6

COMPLETE FAILURE Of The Ukrainian Offensive | Summer Offensive Update 09/06/23
http://youtu.be/d87uBEaPLJA

Everything I tried to tell you all.
Ukrainians sent in human waves and there are fields full of dead Ukrainians.
They couldn't even reach the Russian fortified defensive lines.
They've taken no significant territory whatsoever.
Any town or village they captured has been recaptured by Russian forces.
- A complete failure with heavy heavy losses.

Russia announces it "broke out" of US' Plantation.
Russia will "never again" accept US rules. Lavrov
http://youtu.be/X8sV_bNN7b0

White House anxiously watches Ukraine’s counteroffensive, seeing the war and Biden’s reputation at stake
http://www.politico.com/news/2023/06/08/biden-ukraine-counteroffensive-00101088
"Senior U.S. officials are convinced that future support for the Ukraine war — and President Joe Biden’s global reputation — hinges on the success of Ukraine’s counteroffensive."

Ukrainian forces suffer ‘stiff resistance’ and losses in assault on Russian lines
http://edition.cnn.com/2023/06/08/politics/ukraine-forces-resistance/index.html
"Ukrainian forces have suffered losses in heavy equipment and soldiers as they met greater than expected resistance from Russian forces in their first attempt to breach Russian lines in the east of the country in recent days, two senior US officials tell CNN.
One US official described the losses – which include US supplied MRAP armored personnel vehicles as 'significant'."

Complete Disaster - Ukrainian Armored Columns Got SMASHED and AMBUSHED
http://youtu.be/j0iEe0nfWAo

Ukrainian Offensive Standstill, Leopard 2 Tanks Destroyed,
No Ground Taken; China-Russia Increase Military Ties
http://youtu.be/vVvRg_Ykq1g

We will find out in good time AC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gw1Lq9umjqM

AC,

Remarkable how you use the video of the first Leopard tank being destroyed days after your claim as proof of your claim earlier of many L2 tanks being destroyed. Apparently, you are clairvoyant.

So far you have claimed the destruction of just about every piece of equipment that the Ukrainians have often before they have even received them.

As Fester pointed out, Ukraine is making progress on every front.

Russia is losing this war.

Ukrainian forces are facing minefields, anti-tank ditches, armored counterattacks, fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, ATGMs, loitering munitions, and intense artillery fire.
- There are no tactical successes reported whatsoever.
Where there have been gains, Russian units retreat, rain hell upon the AFU and go back in.

Hi AC,

Yes, it is a hard slog for the Ukrainian forces, but if they breach the Russian lines they will force a lot of Russian troops to abandon their positions without a fight. Ukraine is conducting well planned and coordinated assaults, unlike the Russian firewall and meat wave tactics.

"...but if they breach the Russian lines they will force a lot of Russian troops to abandon their positions without a fight."

i.e. 'Russian troops will drop their weapons and run away'
I really hope that's not the Ukrainian battle plan (for their sake) because it would be as reckless as the Ukrainians just murdering their troops themselves...
- But I have a sad feeling that it actually IS the plan.

What's the Plan B if Russians decide to stand and fight?
- Ukraine's taken 100 sq kilometers and lost 7500 troops in 10 days, and 40% of the Leopard 2's have already been destroyed amongst other losses.

http://twitter.com/squatsons/status/1668002649541599232

By contrast, Crimea is 27000 square kilometers.
I hope Ukrainians aren't planning on sunbathing on a Crimean beach anytime soon, because it's not going to happen.
(Never was, Russia will use tactical nukes before it ever comes to that)

At this rate they have an extremely poor chance of even getting through Russian fortified defensive lines and making it to Tokmak, let alone Melitopol, as well as cutting off the 'land bridge' to Crimea.
- But I told you all this would happen.

AC,

Your figures of Ukrainian losses are pure fantasy, Ukraine has taken 100km2 incl 7 villages and hundreds of prisoners in a week and the main force hasn't yet been committed. This is not the meat waves of the Russian army.

I believe that they have just Himarsed about 300 Russians.

Tokmak is just 25km from Ukrainian lines and can be easily made non-functional for Russian transport. I see that partisans have blown up rail bridges in Crimea and Zaphorisia.

Hi AC,

The weakness of defensive lines becomes apparent when they are breached, as happened with the Maginot line. Russia's problem is that the Ukrainians have very accurate artillery with much greater range, which allows the Ukrainians to disable Russian artillery as they advance. Russia could use tanks and other mobile armour to defend against assaults, but even Putin admits that they are running out of such things:

https://www.politico.eu/article/vladimir-putin-ukraine-war-russia-doesnt-have-enough-weapons-and-drones-putin-admits/

I have been reading about Putin's good mate in North Korea. Lots of people starving to death there. Apparently Kim Jong Un is terrified that the citizens will see how wealthy South Korea has become and overthrow his regime, so he has prohibited engagement with the outside world: Breaking this rule will get you executed. Kleptocratic leaders hate seeing prosperity in those who leave the fold. Perhaps that was Vlad's motivation to rain murder and destruction on Ukraine?

I'm not the one whos saying it SM

Ukr Offensive Stuck, Rus DefMin Claims 7.5k Ukr Casualties in 10 days, Rus Economy to Grow 2% 2023
http://youtu.be/Ek77_C_ME7Q

Ukraine is taking 10 to 1 casualties
10 Ukrainian casualties to 1 Russian casualties
(watch a minute or so of this)

http://www.youtube.com/live/RtPPafaA_og?feature=share&t=240

Zelenskyy: If Ukraine loses, U.S. must choose between the collapse of NATO or going to war
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/06/16/zelenskyy-news-nato-russia-war-ukraine/70328925007/

- Brought to you by the Uniparty and warmongering neoconservatives with their 'liberal' interventions.

Hi AC,

The problem I am seeing for Russia is that they have to use their reserves to reinforce against Ukrainian assaults along with artillery support. The Ukrainians are targeting the artillery and mobile reserves, probably because they see the elimination of heavy equipment and soldiers in transit as the key to defeating the Russian army.

If the Ukrainians are taking ten times the casualties of the Russians as Putin claims (revised from his claim of three times a few days ago) I think that the counteroffensive would not last another fortnight. The initial battle plan of Gerasimov and Shoigu estimated that Ukraine would be captured in a fortnight. So much for that plan!

Fester,

Every time the Russians concentrate forces they are hit with artillery/Himars/drones. Each time the Ukrainians move forward they are covered by accurate artillery and drones. The moment the Russians try and bring forward tanks they are destroyed. Yesterday two Russian helicopters were shot down.

Russia is now critically short of tanks and Ukraine now has more tanks and matches the artillery of the Russians. Russia is losing more men and equipment than it can replace and is losing the war.

Just about everything you say SM is a complete opposite of what's actually happening.

Ukraine got smashed in Pyatikhatki with thermobaric warheads today.

http://twitter.com/squatsons/status/1670253485957484544
"106 TOS-1A rockets were fired at the recently captured farming settlement of Pyatikhatki where a large accumulation of AFU had reportedly been brought up. I cant imagine much of anything is left in the village."

Several hundred conscripts with only a few months NATO training, many many Leopards and Bradleys destroyed, people are saying it was an absolute massacre.

Not to mention Budanov and Zaluzhnyi both gone,
Budanov died in the Bundeswehr Hospital, and Zuluzhnyi may or may not be gone but he's ceratinly out of action, I think their two recent strange videos were fakes.
And not to mention Russia hit another decision making centre yesterday.

There was however, a big Russian ammo depot in Rykove that went up though.

Listen to what this guy says...
http://www.youtube.com/live/yTXnGeoyZgs?feature=share

GoTo 13:20
"the line isn't moving at all the ukrainians want to be advancing into the artillery positions not fighting the artillery positions"

http://www.rt.com/russia/578169-putin-spief-speech-highlights/
Ukrainian counteroffensive yielding heavy losses – and no gains

Russia’s president provided an update on the ongoing long-heralded Ukrainian counteroffensive, which began tentatively in early June. To date, Kiev’s forces have lost some 186 tanks and 418 armored vehicles of other types, according to Putin.

“Their losses are very heavy – about more than one in ten compared to the Russian army. That is a fact. In terms of hardware, the loss of this equipment is growing every day,” he said, adding that Kiev has thus far failed to achieve its goals, wasting its strategic reserves in the push against Russia’s forces.

That's half the western supplied equipment already gone, and that's before what happened in Pyatikhatki

http://twitter.com/GeromanAT/status/1670246249826484227
http://twitter.com/GeromanAT/status/1670341450960195584

The western military trainers know these Ukrainians don't have the training for combined arms warfare, as well as the US and Ukrainian government know they are sending these conscripts to die.
It's outright murder by the west and Ukrainian government, to get Putin, they don't want to lose face, and will only continue to try to escalate the war, in vain.

Truth comes out about the peace negotiations in Turkey in March last year followed by the withdraw of Russian troops from Kiev.

http://www.youtube.com/live/-PoHJ43ZjiA?feature=share&t=961

- Watch 3 minutes of that charter boat.
If I recall correctly one of the Ukrainians negotiators was killed soon after (by Ukraine)

Oh and some say 1000 Ukrainian troops were lost in Pyatikhatki
Total destruction apparently, some say they don't have words for what's happened there, absolute massacre of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

1,000+ Ukrainian Soldiers LOST In Single Day, Putin LEAKS Draft Treaty
http://www.youtube.com/live/-PoHJ43ZjiA?feature=share

RACQ Charter Boat Ad
http://youtu.be/UadHCpSjyew

Hi AC,

I heard that the infantry got out before the strike then returned when the rocket launchers had fired all their missiles and left to reload. Anyway, if it happened as you said there will be footage of the site released by the Russian milbloggers at least. That will be a change from murdering civilians.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43rlM6HmtRA

Hi Fester,
The truth is probably always going to be somewhere in the middle.
Each side to talk about events in a more positive light, no matter what those events are.
Your video doesn't even mention the stuff I'm hearing.

You notice how I consistently say things and SM comes out screaming "That's BS!"
- But there's always a source that's making the claims that I speak?

Like... That is to say I'm never lying or making things up myself.
I'm only ever just telling the truth as told by the other team, and I cop some flak for it.
- Western citizens would string me up for the crime of 'Russian Propaganda'
i.e. 'A different truth to the one they're selling'.

Speaking which, 'Sky News is spreading Russian propaganda'
http://twitter.com/GeromanAT/status/1670301351987802114

I think Russians can afford to step back a little here and there during the Ukrainians big push, (and then rain hell down on their parade when they move into more forward positions) the Ukrainians haven't even reached the first proper fortified line of defence.
Once all the men and equipment from this Ukrainian counteroffensive is wiped out, Russians will simply take it all back, and the whole saga will have amounted to nothing.

Ukrainian Advances End In Complete DISASTER
http://youtu.be/lwIkUECI_us

If you watch this one you'll see that they're still in the security zone and still some distance away from the first proper Russian line of defence.

Ka-52 hovers out of manpad range and takes out MRAPs one after the other
http://youtu.be/wTEvFQl1CVg

Total destruction of western equipment.

With 18 Missiles ‘Blocked’, Russia’s Vitebsk-25 Electronic Warfare System Saves The Day For Ka-52 Alligator
http://eurasiantimes.com/with-18-missiles-blocked-russias-vitebsk-25-ew-system/

Vitebsk-25
"The Vitebsk-25 has given the helicopters a new lease of life."
"Ka-52 helicopters mounted with the electronic warfare system were also subjected to grueling tests by the Egyptian Ministry of Defense that launched two dozen Russian IGLA MANPADS missiles, and none of them could hit the helicopter."

- What do you think happens to all these air defense missiles and manpads when they miss SM?
Answer = some hit residential buildings

1st Kill By ‘Artificial Intelligence’! Russia Confirms Its S-350 Vityaz System ‘Shot Down’ Ukrainian Aircraft In Auto Mode
http://eurasiantimes.com/1st-kill-by-artificial-intelligence-russia-says-its-s-350-vityaz-system/

"The Minister said that the Vityaz anti-aircraft missile system operating in the NVO zone demonstrated unparalleled capabilities by autonomously detecting, tracking, and destroying Ukrainian air targets without any operator intervention. This remarkable achievement marked the first instance where a system operated fully automatically using artificial intelligence in combat conditions."

Hi AC,

How is Russia going to produce all these fantastical weapons without a chip industry?

https://www.electronicsweekly.com/blogs/mannerisms/dilemmas/russias-backward-chip-industry-2022-04/

I think that you are getting sucked into the zombie box narrative of Russian media. I doubt that Russia's losses in Ukraine are sustainable. Troops have been taken from Kherson to bolster Tokmak. Where do you think the Ukrainians might advance next?

Hi Fester,
The article you quoted gave the answer:
"...the Russian government recognises that it has to try and build a domestic industry or become reliant on China."

I'll be surprised if Ukrainian troops even make it to Tokmak, let alone take it, Ukraine is between a rock and a hard place, if they call off the offensive to save the lives of their troops, Russia will keep finding and destroying their built up hardware, so they have to keep going no matter the cost in the lives of their troops.

I've seen some leaked battle plans, if genuine they thought they would be taking the ZNPP on Day 10. Their whole offensive has gone horribly wrong. It seems that they did actually believe the Russians would run away like in Kharkiv.

The Russians were spread thin in Kharkiv and strategically withdrew.
They had no established defensive lines. Both side made their plans as per established military doctrine, (Russian or Soviet defensive tactics is not unknown to the US) it seems like the US or Ukrainians totally believed their own bs and completely underestimated the difficulties they would face, which many people were warning about months in advance.

They might try to resurrect this mess by making a move on the ZNPP, which probably wont turn out well either if they're planning to cross the Dnieper with armour.

Baldrick,

The reason I say that you are spouting Bollocks is that almost everything you claim is not only wrong but wildly impossible. For example, claiming that Russia had shot down 200% of Ukraine's airforce and had destroyed 400% of Ukraine's HIMARS systems and a month or so ago had claimed that a Russian missile had destroyed 10 western tanks.

All of this with zero proof and your references are either the Russian MOD which lies through its teeth or lone bloggers with zero credibility.

What there is proof of is that Ukraine just shot down 3 KA52 helicopters in 3 hours and Ukrainian HIMARS and Stormshadow missiles are creating havoc and killing 100s of Russians far behind the front line.

Here is a video of the last massive explosion recently.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9ALHJ2bGSM&t=215s&ab_channel=ArturRehi

Russia is losing this war.

"Hundreds of Russian soldiers were allegedly killed or injured when they were struck by Ukrainian artillery while waiting for a motivational speech from the commander of their unit according to new reports from several prominent military bloggers inside of Russia. "

http://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/other/hundreds-of-russian-soldiers-were-killed-waiting-to-hear-a-motivational-speech/ss-AA1cJyy8?ocid=entnewsntp&cvid=716aa334021b4e208acf7ed2b9cfe15c&ei=8#image=1

"...What there is proof of is that Ukraine just shot down 3 KA52 helicopters in 3 hours"

Russia destroyed like 68 tanks in a single day a few days back.
Whether my references are right or not, Ukraines counteroffensive has gone badly wrong, achieved nothing of significance.
- And there's nothing more left to replace your losses with unless the US enters the war, which they won't do, because Biden will lose the election and it will put Trump or RFK Jn in the white house.

You don't have to believe me.
The war won't last too much longer at the rate Ukraine is losing men and equipment.

"Hundreds of Russian soldiers were allegedly killed or injured when they were struck by Ukrainian artillery while waiting for a motivational speech from the commander of their unit according to new reports from several prominent military bloggers inside of Russia. "

Yeah I heard about that, about a week or two back.

This article needs your "full re**rd" mode. Ukraine "temporarily pausing" counteroffensive. Failing!
http://youtu.be/Eqpu8TWvS20

“Offensive Cancelled?” Kalibrated Episode #47
http://youtu.be/j63YPA1JuNI

Not my fault your info is crap.
I bet they're telling you Ukraine is achieving success on the battlefield.

Hi AC,

I agree with you that it is very tough for the Ukrainians, but I think that the most dangerous weapons they are facing are hardly high tech. Glide bombs and remote controlled tanks laden with tonnes of tnt might not be glamorous, but they are deadly.

The unknowns for us in the peanut gallery are how much is each side losing and are those losses sustainable? I get the impression that the main objective of the Ukrainian assaults is to locate and destroy Russian hardware. I think that the Russian defences are still too strong for the Ukrainians, but will they stay so?

Well traditional military thinking asserts that you need a 3 to 1 advantage in troops to wage a successful counteroffensive, but its the exact opposite for Ukraine, Russia has an advantage in troops and weaponry, air support etc.

Really they were sending those poor Ukrainians to die trying to attack such a well established defensive line that Russia has been building up for many months. I've heard there were some instances of outright refusal by AFU to take part and / or deliberately damaging tanks and equipment to get out of taking part in it.

I think Ukraine was hoping to cut the land corridor to Crimea and kick the Russians out of the ZNPP.
I don't know how they were ever so optimistic in thinking it was going to go well.
Even I was saying 'pffft' to you and SM before it started.
Was I not?

'remote controlled tanks laden with tonnes of tnt'
Hadn't heard of those.

I heard the glide bombs are doing a lot of damage, as well as the Ka-52's and the TOS 1A Heavy flamethrowers with the thermobaric warheads, and also the Lancets, apparently a swarm of those drones took out almost an entire convoy of Ukrainian tanks and armoured fighting vehicles a few days back, but I haven't yet come across the footage of it.

Have you seen this at all?
Confirms many of the hings I tried to tell you both 12 months ago.

Putin shows African leaders 'peace document' signed and later thrown away by Ukrainian side
http://youtu.be/rCmo4o4qlB0
(Which is why the Russian forces surrounding Kiev withdrew in a sign of good faith)
Putin was never trying to take Kiev, he wanted to force Ukraine to the negotiation table, which occurred in Turkeye last April, but Boris Johnson went and told Zelensky not to do it, as the west wanted a continuation of the war, and the Ukrainian negotiator was subsequently killed by Ukraine.
You can look all this stuff up.

Sorry I don't have a better clip of the discussion.

Obviously SM is doing his charter boat thing on these inconvenient facts above.

Baldrick, (aka AC)

You haven't posted any facts only conjecture. You need 3 to 1 to attack an entrenched position not to go around it and are doing so effectively. Also, the attacking force needs 3 to 1 at the point of attack. The Russians are spread over 1000km. Entrenched forces need logistical support and the Ukranians are very good at killing tanks and support coming in on the open roads.

Russia has superior air power but its aircraft are not immune to Ukraine's AA weapons as shown by the losses in helicopters.

Russia is suffering heavy losses in men and equipment.

Russia is slowly but inevitably losing the war.

Hi AC,

I read that 60% of the electronics in a cruise missile is made in the USA. So much for Russian high tech weapons of terror, but the Chinese are undoubtedly supplying Russia with western electronics to evade the sanctions.

With the reservoir drying up Ukraine now looks like it has more opportunities to advance. Meanwhile the Russian army is struggling to maintain it's defensive lines

Oh look who's a funny boy then SM
Don't stop living the dream mate.

21 Jun, 2023
Ukrainians know they have ‘no chance’ against Russia – Putin
http://www.rt.com/russia/578418-putin-ukraine-offensive-odds/

>>Ukraine has stopped major offensive operations after realizing its forces could not win, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.

“Oddly enough, it is a slow burn at the moment, because the enemy is sustaining serious personnel and equipment losses,” Putin said. “As of early this morning, our men had taken out 245 tanks and about 678 armored vehicles of various types, to say nothing of the enemy’s casualties, which are substantial.”

Kiev’s forces are currently in the process of rebuilding their brigades, which took serious losses, Putin explained, but fear that taking more casualties at this rate will eliminate the combat capability of not just their strategic reserve, but their entire military.

At this moment, Putin said, “offensive operations are not ongoing,” only elements of combat such as shelling and reconnaissance in force.

Retired general Andrey Kartapolov, who commanded the Russian expedition in Syria in 2016-17, has also estimated that Ukraine will exhaust its offensive capability by the end of June at this rate, with 40% of its force in the theater already rendered combat ineffective.<<

Hi Fester,
"I read that 60% of the electronics in a cruise missile is made in the USA. So much for Russian high tech weapons of terror, but the Chinese are undoubtedly supplying Russia with western electronics to evade the sanctions."

I don't know what percentage is made with foreign components, but I know that sanctions against Russia has actually done the country a favour as a lot more money is now being invested inside Russia, instead of going overseas.

Regards the Chinese, yes that's supposedly true.
Apparently there's flights of tech equipment flying out of China for Russia every single day.

"With the reservoir drying up Ukraine now looks like it has more opportunities to advance."
- Only if they're willing to risk sending heavy armour across the river bed, and I'm told that before it was a dam, it was actually a swamp, there's a significant risk they could get stuck in mud and be targeted by Russian missiles and drones, their chance of making it across intact, aren't great at all.

"Meanwhile the Russian army is struggling to maintain it's defensive lines"
- Bullcrap, last week you said the Western plan was based on Russians 'running away'. Look at those claimed losses above, what's Ukraine got to show for it? A couple of farmhouses.

Did you know that in so far as Russian defensive lines are concerned that their strategy isn't to defend them like each defensive line is the last line of defense?
They are actually built in a way that when necessary the Russian defenders will deliberately fall back to a further line of defence allow the attackers into whats called a firebag and rain hell upon them, then after that they move forward again to take back the lost position.

Not that any of this even matters, because Ukraine has lost a massive chunk of men and hardware, and is still fighting outside the fortified defensive lines, in the security zone.

The Pro Russian side actually expected the Ukrainian counter-offensive to go much better than it did, if the Ukrainians didn't stop what they were doing, EVERYTHING would've been destroyed for zero gains of any significant value.

You guys have been listening to all the wrong people.
My side foresaw the imminent failure of this counter offensive
But even they didn't predict it would go this badly.

Shoigu also said that reserve armies are being formed in the Russian Federation, which will be ready by the end of June. Recruitment comes at the expense of contractors, who receive an average of 1,336 per day (which is equivalent to a regiment). In total, 114 thousand contract soldiers and 52 thousand volunteers were recruited.

At the same time, in the new recruitment of volunteers for the war in Ukraine, according to the minister, "there is no need."

http://twitter.com/anno1540/status/1671930097476009984

"- Bullcrap, last week you said the Western plan was based on Russians 'running away'."

I think that was SM AC, but as SM has indicated, Ukraine does not have to take the Russian lines head on. You can see this on a small scale where Ukraine has been conducting limited assaults with the purpose of locating and destroying supporting artillery, reinforcements and supply logistics. With this approach the front line has been collapsing/retreating as supplies run out. P'yatykhatky, by this approach, is now in Ukrainian hands, and Russian attempts to take it back have so far failed.

On a larger scale, Ukraine is now starting to wipe out the bridges supplying the Russian forces in the south. Ukraine is also becoming very effective at targeting Russian military hardware, and I think that is starting to make a big difference for them as well. There is speculation that if the defences start to collapse, Russia may precipitate a nuclear disaster at Enerhodar in order to prevent the advance of Ukrainian forces over the Dnipro.

The west is losing, I'd say neocons are considering a false flag attack to draw NATO into the conflict. (and the worlds ire against Putin) Neocons have no reverse gear, they're losing, and running out of options, they've largely run out of weapons and are looking for a way further extend the conflict and gain the upper hand.

The counteroffensive was failing, neocons got together and said what are we going to do, and obviously 'false flag' attack on a nuclear plant was discussed.

Russia doesn't need to nuke anything at this point. All it needs to do is continue to grind down the Ukrainians slowly and steadily.

The only scenario I can see where Russia might use nuclear weapons is
A/ if the counteroffensive resulted in a risk of cut off the land bridge to Crimea or Ukrainian forces entering Crimea itself or
B/ Ukrianian forces attacking Russia itself, where it would be well within it's rights to let of a nuke on it's own territory.
- There is no risk of either of these things at the moment.

I did however hear about some Russian a few days back urging to use them, not Medvedev someone else can't remember his name, started with 'K' it was about a week back nearly and would be difficult to go back through videos to find it.

AC,

Now you are misquoting me. I did not claim that the Ukrainian strategy was based on the Russians running away.

The Ukrainians are taking the strategic heights which gives them fire control over the Russian positions and set ambushes for potential supplies/ relief. The Russians have lost many tanks etc just trying to provide backup. The Russians have failed to retake the land and villages that they have lost.

After the pathetic Russian offensive where the Russians lost nearly 10s of 1000s killed or wounded for minuscule gains plus 20% of their remaining armour, Russia is on the back foot.

As Fester has mentioned, the Ukrainian long-range precision weapons have taken out bridges supply depots etc making it miserable for Russians on the front line.

Russia is losing this war.

I didn't misquote anyone you drongo.
Fester suggested Russians might abandon their positions on this thread on Wednesday, 14 June 2023 7:58:18 PM

You can cling to all these tiny worthless arguments SM but the fact is Ukraine has completely failed to win back any territory of significance.
All they've done is lost men and equipment on a massive scale and whilst their military still has a significant combat capability is slowly starting to fall apart and is at risk of total collapse.

Russian Spring | The Russians Advance On Kupyansk And Liman Frontlines. Military Summary 2023.06.23
http://youtu.be/yAjzPFmEFWQ
- They've already built a pontoon bridge, supplies across the Chonhar Strait have resumed.

Graham, NATO will go to war. Putin, Sarmat is ready. DOJ Biden cover-up. Russian book ban.
http://youtu.be/tXZyUKtjTC8

Hi AC,

Prigozhin is now publicly declaiming the war in Ukraine, saying that it is based on lies and that Russians were never in any danger of being attacked by Nato. As for those Ka-52 attack helicopters you mentioned, I have read that they were being used by the Russian army compensate for the destruction of their artillery. Six shot down in the past week apparently.

https://www.newsweek.com/ukraine-russian-helicopters-armor-losses-counteroffensive-ka-52-leopards-bradleys-1807836

Ukraine will not mount a full scale assault on the Russian defensive lines, especially as they are well equipped with atgms, but as SM has pointed out to you, those lines will fail if their supply lines are cut.

Russia is losing over three BTGs of equipment per week currently, so it is making good progress in achieving its objective of demilitarising a fascist state.

Just as I said.

http://twitter.com/KimDotcom/status/1671997656204472320

Warning: The Ukrainian counter-offensive failed miserably. The US needs a massive false flag to keep the war going. Something that affects NATO countries directly, like a cloud of nuclear radiation. They will blow up the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and blame it on Russia

I said abandon AC, not flee. There is a difference, although there is no shortage of footage of Russian troops doing the latter.

Going by the recent commentary of your sources I think that Russia is entering the "Comical Ali" phase of its war in Ukraine. I hope that means a collapse of the Russian forces is imminent.

Wow! Prigozhin is on his way to Moscow AC, so there might be a belated May 9th parade in Red Square after all. Going by his comments the conflict in Ukraine could end very quickly as I'm sure he is communicating with the Ukrainians as well.

Yes it's an interesting development.
See what happens I guess.

The political damage he's done because of his grievance with Shoigu and Gerasimov is huge, but the nation largely backed Putin, so his little insurrection didn't turn out exactly as he may have planned.

I think he had no choice than to call it off and make a deal otherwise he would've been facing life in prison, or a bullet.

I think Putin and Lukashenko did some quick damage control, but going forward it's still a messy situation and who knows where it might lead, and the political damage as far as Russia's standing with other nations, as a stable country definitely are significant.

Militarily I'm not sure that anything significant has changed, at this point anyway.

It's almost kind of curious that it happened right now to be honest - during this Ukrainian counteroffensive.
Some are suggesting Western involvement, whether there's any truth to that (or what that potential involvement might be) who knows.

AC,

From where I stand it looks as though the Russian defence is unravelling. Russians are still losing 1000s of men every month along with dozens of tanks, IFVs howitzers, aircraft etc. The destruction of 4 bridges used to supply Russian front-line troops is making Russian lives miserable and the systematic destruction of Russian sleeping quarters and ammunition dumps can't help either.

The rebellion by Wagner is a symptom of the desperation of the Russian fighting men who see their comrades dying in droves the failure to pay the soldiers and their terrible living conditions.

Russia is losing this war.

Nar, everythings fine bar the existing issues.
"Russians are still losing 1000s of men every month along with dozens of tanks..."

That may be true, but Russia is largely keeping pace in resupplying that which it's losing. Ukraine is not, it's losing heaps more men and equipment in comparison and the west has no significant means with which to replace those losses.

Shite, they're on the 12th mobilisation, Russia's only had one and currently has over 100K well trained troops in reserve, Ukraine is dragging what's left of it's men and boys off the street sending them for a few weeks training in Kharkov to fire off a few clips or a few months specialist training in western aligned countries and then sending them to the front. And Ukraine is largely the side sending it's troops in to attack and take it's land back, and needs to show progress to get continued support and flow of weapons from the west whilst Russia is essentially well dug in and fighting in defense.

"The destruction of 4 bridges..."
- They're not destroyed. Pontoon bridges were built immediately to alleviate any supply concerns, and the bridges are rapidly being repaired.

"The rebellion by Wagner is a symptom of the desperation of the Russian fighting men who see their comrades dying in droves the failure to pay the soldiers and their terrible living conditions."

- Not really, in some ways it's strengthened and consolidated the military and political leadership. The coup failed. Wagner forces that didn't take part in it will get contracts with the Russian military, the ones that did get amnesty from their mutiny, because they are essentially heroes from previous battles, all the significant players backed Putin, Prigozhin is considered a traitor and has been exiled and will lose support with Wagner essentially diminished / disbanded / or brought under the control of the Russian MOD.

AC,

Just about everything you say is patently false.

Russia is not even close to replacing everything they are losing. For example, they are replacing about 30 tanks a month and losing about 150. They have lost 6 helicopters this month so far and have replaced zero. In the time that Ukraine has lost a handful of tanks, they have already received 30 more from the EU along with another 500 000 shells, missiles, IFVs etc. The US and EU are ramping up production of all weapons and ammunition and there is no danger of Ukraine running out of anything. In fact, by year-end they will be getting F16 fighters and long-range missiles.

Russia's on permanent mobilisation, and has virtually no one in reserve having virtually no one to stop a handful of rebels taking towns in Belgorad.

The 4 bridges are not completely destroyed but are functionally unusable and repairs will take months. The Pontoon bridges are best better than nothing but can't take heavy loads and only a small fraction of traffic that the bridges could take, and certainly no trains.

As for Wagner, how can the confusion and panic be good for the Russian army? How many of the Wagner forces are going to willingly sign up for the pittance that the Russian army pays its soldiers?

Ukraine is advancing on all fronts and Russia is inevitably losing this war.

"In the time that Ukraine has lost a handful of tanks, they have already received 30 more..."

A handful you say?
Ukraine lost 245 tanks in 18 days.
What is 30 more going to do compared to that which the Ukrainians were unable to do with 245?
https://www.rt.com/russia/578418-putin-ukraine-offensive-odds/
- Russia has probably built 20 new T90M and refurbed 40 T-72s so far this month.

"Russia's on permanent mobilisation, and has virtually no one in reserve having virtually no one to stop a handful of rebels taking towns in Belgorad."

- Well whats this 166 thousand then Mr. 12th Ukrainian mobilisation?
http://www.oreanda-news.com/en/gosudarstvo/by-the-end-of-june-the-russian-armed-forces-will-form-a-reserve-army/article1479529/
Soon Ukraine will be emptying out nursing homes, rounding up nursing mothers and children under 12.

"The 4 bridges are not completely destroyed but are functionally unusable and repairs will take months."

Really?
I'll give the Chonhar bridge about a week and a half tops based on this footage.
http://twitter.com/squatsons/status/1672930379777597440
Looks like they've already torn out the damaged section, replaced the beam, probably onto the steelwork right now and will be ready to pour concrete in a few days.

Maybe you missed that post I showed you nearly a year back where they completely built brand new blocks of high rise apartments in Mariupol in 60 days, ready for people to move in.
- I can dig up the footage if you like?

Hi AC,

I wish that Russia could perform such miracles as you allude to, but I suspect that Prigozhin had it summed up pretty well. It was a war intended to enrich Russian kleptocrats and justified to the Russian people with lies. It is a mess that has destroyed much of Ukraine and killed hundreds of thousands on both sides. As for Russia being able to match the industrial output of the rest of the world, that sounds improbable.

I suspect that Prigozhin will be busy behind the scenes garnering support for his next coup attempt.

It's hard to know what Prigozhins true intentions were, whether he was simply going after Shoigu and Gerasimov, or whether it was a real attempt to unseat Putin and put himself in the Kremlin.

Some of the things he's said and done over the past few months make the latter seem quite possible, whether he simply wanted changes in the MOD or whether he was compromised or siding with Ukraine and the west.

There seem to be people making valid arguments for both positions, and I'm not exactly sure what the truth is.

AC,

Where did you get the info that 245 Ukrainian tanks were destroyed? From some Russian propaganda mouthpiece, I guess. Funny how they make these claims with zero evidence produced.

Also, funny how the Ukrainian army having been completely destroyed several times is still beating the snot out of the Russian front lines and taking more territory.

Apparently, Putin and all his cronies fled Moscow when Wagner drew near.

Russia is losing this war.

"Where did you get the info that 245 Ukrainian tanks were destroyed? From some Russian propaganda mouthpiece, I guess. Funny how they make these claims with zero evidence produced."

Putin said it.

http://www.rt.com/russia/578418-putin-ukraine-offensive-odds/

“Oddly enough, it is a slow burn at the moment, because the enemy is sustaining serious personnel and equipment losses,” Putin said. “As of early this morning, our men had taken out 245 tanks and about 678 armored vehicles of various types, to say nothing of the enemy’s casualties, which are substantial.”

"Also, funny how the Ukrainian army having been completely destroyed several times is still beating the snot out of the Russian front lines and taking more territory."

Nothing of any significant consequence, in some places Russia has taken more territory, and the Prigozhin mutiny did nothing to change the military situation in Ukraine's favour, it's actually strengthened the Russian militarily and politically.

Prigozhin actually did them a favour by giving Russia an opportunity to cut out a cancer.

"Apparently, Putin and all his cronies fled Moscow when Wagner drew near."
- Likely Ukrainian propaganda, but you would be one to believe it.

Russia is losing this war.
- Yes SM... and pigs fly backwards to Antarctica each year on their annual migration.

Ukraine lost 80,000 troops defending Bakhmut and they still lost that city, and now their counter offensive has been a complete failure too.

All their big grandstanding about the coming successful counteroffensive are complete bs.
It was a complete debacle as many people predicted.
(Though not the ones who parrot a narrative on our TV channels)

'Brittle' (referring to Russian military)
- How many times have I heard that word repeated like a cracked record on the news?
Listen closely and you'll hear it spoken here first from retired 4 star Gen. David Petraeus here:
http://youtu.be/L3qCYIPaPqU
7th June - General Petraeus: The spring offensive will be 'much more successful' than many think
- You're all just buying into a parroted narrative, in complete contract to what actually happened.

These people are idiots, they don't even know when spring is in Ukraine.
- Fyi, Spring in Ukraine is March, April and May, it's now the end of June.
Counter offensive - went so bad they had to call it off due to excessive losses.

I don't know what the hell you people are smoking, honestly.
(This makes me think of a song actually, I'll share it in a sec)
You lot are getting by purely on propaganda and wishful thinking.
Russia will continue to grind down the Ukrainian military, until they're no longer able to mount any kind of defense, and then the whole entire house of cards (along with all the bs including yours SM) will collapse in on itself.

It's only a matter of time.
Ukraine has no chance.

Cheech & Chong - Lost Due to Incompetence (Theme For A Big Green Van)
http://youtu.be/9S7AMveTOLQ

3m10s
"Attention all units, attention all units
This is Sargent Stadanko, attention all units this is Sargent Stadanko
We are changing from a code 3 direct pursuit, to a code 347
Completely lost due to incompetance"

Hi AC,

I thought that nobody believed Putin, but like the Chernobyl melt down, the truth of what is happening will be revealed in time.

Ukraine would take heavy losses if they hit the Russian lines head on. Why would they do that? I think that the Ukrainian armed forces are acting very methodically and carefully, using the advantages of organisation, improvisation, adaptation, range and accuracy. They also have the advantage in the dark, so the coming full moon might slow things down for a bit.

I think that a current priority for the Ukrainians is to destroy the jamming systems that Russia is using to disable drones, then they can get back to locating and destroying the artillery and armoured support.

'I thought that nobody believed Albo, but like the The Voice referendum, the truth of what is happening will be revealed in time.'

Lol

"Ukraine would take heavy losses if they hit the Russian lines head on. Why would they do that?"
- Well that's exactly what they did, and that's exactly what happened... before they called it off to reevaluate tactics

"They also have the advantage in the dark"
- Do you seriously think that Russians don't have any night vision?

It's Russia, not the Taliban.
They get flight's of tech equipment from China every single day.

Russia is using a barrier of infantry in trenches. Ukraine has a plan for that too AC. Unlike Russia, Ukraine values the lives of its soldiers and has a vast and highly informed military think tank to develop strategies. Russia is struggling to hold positions. It would collapse if it were not from military aid being smuggled from wonderful democracies like Iran, China, North Korea and RSA.

Forget Cheech n Chong,
You lot are on the crack pipe.

"Ukraine values the lives of its soldiers and has a vast and highly informed military think tank to develop strategies."

- Really? And that's why Ukraine lost 20,000 KIA during the last 25 days of it's failed counter offensive, to achieve nothing?

"Russia is struggling to hold positions."
- Compared to your earlier wishful thinking scenario that they would run away, I think they're holding their positions more or less as well as they have done previously.

"It would collapse if it were not from military aid being smuggled from wonderful democracies like Iran, China, North Korea and RSA."

Why do you lot fall into these tired narratives?
It's like hearing someone play the violin.
Don't you know everything you say is equal for your own side?
Ukraine has a foreign legion, and the recent attack in Kramatorsk was a NATO Trainers Conference.

Here's what one western leaders says;
- One that dares to speak the truth that is.

Ukraine will not win
"The Hungarian leader thinks that it is impossible for Ukraine to win this war. Ukraine will run out of soldiers faster than Russia, and this is what matters at the end. Orbán says that peace is the most important thing. If the war goes on, the Ukrainians will lose a lot of money and many will die. He also added that Ukraine could no longer be considered a sovereign nation."
http://dailynewshungary.com/pm-orban-putin-is-not-a-war-criminal/

Read this thread and tell me how many foreign nations are supporting Ukraine.
http://twitter.com/AyazK100/status/1674142939512188928

"vast and highly informed military think tank to develop strategies"

FYI, they're idiots, completely detached from reality.
- They think they can fight a war with both Russia and China at the same time, at the borders of their territory, and win.

The Wests military capabilities have degraded over the last few decades.
Their power is limited to fighting small weak nations, this is the force their militaries have transformed into, they are ill prepared to fight a war on the scale that is occurring in Ukraine, what do you think the Australian public would say if 20,000 Aussie men came home in coffins every month.

They are going to come out with sanctions against China soon, and they will try to convince us that the hardships we'll have to endure because of their position and what they claim needs to be achieved is somehow worth it.

These people are out of their minds.
They believe all their own bs.

Highly decorated 4 star General David Petraeus said the counter offensive would be highly successful, I just gave you that link yesterday, but even he couldn't get it right, the counter offensive is a disaster.

These people sit in the Atlantic council echo chambers blowing smoke up each others backsides believing all their own crap, and they always get things wrong.
Do you think the 'War on Terror' achieved anything?
The US has completely lost influence there, China and Russia have gained influence - the former brokering a peace deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
The US spent trillions, achieving little - killion hundreds of thousands of people and we helped them do it...

War crimes in Ukraine?
Is the US going to go on trial for its war in Iraq built on top of WMD lies?

"You lot are on the crack pipe."

You are the one believing what Putin says AC. For me to attain such a state of my mental faculties I think that I might go to a casino and drink until I attempt to take a dump in a pot plant, then after a few more shots I might find Putin a credible source of information.

We are the peanut gallery AC. We are not with Zaluzhny nor in Rostov on Don being briefed on the status of the conflict. What I see is a conflict that has lasted over sixteen months and a Russian army taking unsustainable losses.

Russia could withdraw its forces at any time from Ukraine and face no military threat, but Putin chooses to continue with his campaign of international terrorism.

You're quite the disappointment AC.

After I'd gently led you to understand how the Russians had straight-up lied about Russians in Ukraine being forced to give up their language, I thought you'd take that on board and learn a bit.

After you'd asserted that Lavrov wouldn't lie about such things and being shown via source documentation that indeed he'd had lied and led you (and all those gullible folk like you) down the garden path, I really thought you become more circumspect.

But instead we find you completely discarding that learning experience and returning to your penchant of believing absolutely everything that the Russians assert.

Disappointing.

Forget Ukraine. Try a western country instead.

"The demonstration came as President Emmanuel Macron held a crisis meeting with police chiefs and senior ministers, at which it was agreed to put an extra 40,000 officers on the streets."
http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/world/nahel-m-mother-of-teen-shot-by-police-mounia-leads-rally-as-riots-spread-in-paris-c-11135296

- 40,000 extra? Must be serious.

That's how people in a liberal democracy respond to injustice AC. You don't see that in a brutal kleptocracy like Russia because you get jailed or killed if you complain.

Baldrick,

You are making outrageous claims about Ukrainian losses based on the statements of a person that has frequently lied and with zero evidence. The question of who is taking drugs is more focused on you.

Ukraine is constantly advancing, hammering Russian troops way behind the front lines, shooting down Russian helicopters and blowing up Russian tanks at a rate faster than Russians can replace them.

Now the US is likely to send their ATACMS rockets that can reach the Kursk bridge and Ukraine will get F16s shortly.

Russia is losing this war.

As I have been saying, Russia is burning through its reserves at about US$10bn a month.

http://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/russias-oil-gas-budget-revenues-fell-by-almost-36-yy-may-2023-06-05/

MOSCOW, June 5 (Reuters) - Russia's federal budget revenues from oil and gas, the lifeblood of its economy, fell almost 36% in May from the same month last year and declined by 12% from April, the finance ministry said on Monday, as a result of a lower profit-based oil tax.

The decline in income from oil - a huge source of budget revenue - is likely to exacerbate an already high budget shortfall as Russia pursues what it calls its special military operation in Ukraine. It recorded a 3.4 trillion-rouble ($42 billion) deficit in the first four months of the year as spending rose and energy revenue fell.

Russia is losing this war.

"Now the US is likely to send their ATACMS rockets that can reach the Kursk bridge and Ukraine will get F16s shortly."

Just more junk for Russia to blow up, like all the rest.
I think Ukraine lost 40 tanks is a single day, couple of days back.
Not exactly sure where you're going to get all these new weapons and a whole new military from, but it's going to run out very soon.

"That's how people in a liberal democracy respond to injustice AC. You don't see that in a brutal kleptocracy like Russia because you get jailed or killed if you complain."

The Truth About France
http://youtu.be/SLKmwuuo5h0

What's happening in France is karma.
Though I feel sorry for the French people.
France supported colonialism in Africa then wanted to entertain these immigration policies now look where it's gotten them.

Macron supported sanctions against Russia,
That's like saying he supports the economic collapse of Russia;
- that would result in generating civil unrest, as a goal.

Now what he wanted for others is happening for him at home.
Karma is a b*tch Macron.

AC,

More BS? Ukraine hasn't lost 40 tanks in a day yet and you know that.

Moreover, Russia hasn't destroyed a single HIMARS yet and the ATCMS travelling at nearly hypersonic speed is almost impossible to stop.

I believe the US is going to send cluster munitions to Ukraine to exterminate the cockroaches in the Russian trenches.

Ukraine is advancing slowly but consistently and is breaking through Russian defensive lines.

Russia is losing the war.

You fell hook, line a sinker for the Ministry of truth's propaganda SM.
That is, the Ukrainian narrative.
The side that needs to maximise or inflate it's successes, and minimise it's losses, and minimise Russia's successes and maximise her losses, specifically for western political and citizenry consumption and thus a continuation of war support and funding.
- Simply put, there's only one side in this conflict relying on media spin (as well as battlefield successes) to get further military and financial aid.

Well they lost 30 on a single day on June 8 and I heard they lost 40 on a single day a few days back.
I'd dig up the info, but you'd only dismiss it anyway.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/6/14/ukraine-attacks-the-front-line-russia-says-big-losses-inflicted

>>Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said a force of 1,500 Ukrainian soldiers with 150 armoured vehicles attempted to break through Russian lines overnight on June 8.
“A preventive strike was delivered by artillery, aviation and anti-tank weapons. In all four directions, the enemy was stopped,” said the Russian defence ministry, reporting Ukrainian losses of 30 tanks and 350 men.<<

Well, that's what happens when you try to push an armoured column through a well prepared minefield.
Stupid Ukrainians had been telling everyone of their coming counter offensive for months.
(I guess that's what happens when you need to beg for weapons)
Russia had ample time to be well-prepared.

[Cont]

After these armoured columns entered the security zones
(We can also call this a well prepared 'trap')
Russia fires ISDM Zemledeliye and other artillery launched scatter mines ahead of them and behind them.

Then the column hits a minefield, as well as the artillery, Lancets, KA-52's and Mi-28's, tanks and ATGM's...
- and if the column tries to go around the head unit that is destroyed by a mine, then they too hit another mine,
Try to turn around - hit a mine,
Try to go back the way you came - hit a mine.

Absolute carnage ensues upon the attacking Ukrainians, as the Russian defender chose a place well suited for his trap.
http://www.armyrecognition.com/ukraine_-_russia_conflict_war_2022/russian_army_deploys_in_ukraine_its_new_isdm_zemledeliye_mine_mine-laying_system.html

If Ukrainian troops try to take a village, they get hit with heavy flamethrower TOS-1A.

The Ukrainians have no chance, losses are around 10 to 1.
They never even make it to Russia's actual fortified defensive lines.
- A complete military disaster, so bad that Zelensky is begging for military successes prior to the NATO meeting.

The Ukrainian military is actually destroying itself and it's own troops with such ill-conceived plans.
Are you that dumb, that you actually believe Ukraine is going to have ANY success pushing Russia out of any of the areas it currently occupies?
If so, you'd be a gullible moron.

Ukraine has ZERO PROSPECTS of a military victory.
Face the facts SM, and stop making a fool of yourself.

[Cont.]
"Moreover, Russia hasn't destroyed a single HIMARS yet and the ATCMS travelling at nearly hypersonic speed is almost impossible to stop."

Of course they have, and they can shoot down their rockets with Pansir S systems as well.
As for ATCMS Russia will just hit the launchers and radar control station like it did to the Patriots.

There's not enough of them to defend any sizeable territory, which is the only thing you can do - defend, (or face the inevitable) since you have just wasted your one chance for a successful offensive.
Where are you going to get the new tank army and hundreds of armoured vehicles and armoured fighting vehicles from to replace the ones you've just lost in the last 3 weeks?

The whole thing was a disaster waiting to happen, without any air support, (let alone air superiority).

"Ukraine is advancing slowly but consistently and is breaking through Russian defensive lines."

They haven't reached Russian fortified defensive lines, they are set back 10 klm or so from the front lines.
All you've conquered are paddocks and farmhouses...
Please stop, it's pathetic.

Russia deploys over 180,000 troops to 2 major eastern fronts
– Commander of Ukraine's East Group of Forces
http://news.yahoo.com/russia-deploys-over-180-000-172045020.html

AC,

You almost never provide any evidence for your wild claims. You have claimed the complete destruction of the Ukrainian army so often that it can only be women and children that are beating the crap out of the Russians. You have also claimed that Russia has destroyed 200% of the HIMARS systems 300% of its fighter planes and 400% of its tanks often long before they have been delivered.

There is not one photo of a destroyed HIMARS system. Your credibility is zero.

Russia's economy is circling the drain, it's losing planes, tanks howitzers, helicopters and soldiers faster than it can replace them.

Russia is losing this war.

I see now that the US is going to send Ukraine cluster munitions. They have 4700 000 155mm cluster shells and a large stockpile of cluster bombs designed to kill people hiding in trenches.

I also see that the ruble is collapsing.

"I see now that the US is going to send Ukraine cluster munitions."

It just goes to show how pathetic and what a toothless tiger the US is.
They with superior firepower compared to other nations would use cluster bomb use by other nations as a reason to intervene on humanitarian grounds, but when push comes to shove and they found themselves outgunned, they would have no issue using them themselves.
- Also it's an admission Ukraine is losing the war, maybe that part went over your head. They've got nothing to take to the NATO conference except, "We're losing and the counteroffensive was a complete debacle"

It's going to be good to see Albo dodge questions about cluster bombs, when he continues to support Ukraine with weapons and ammunition, as we are a signatory to the cluster bomb convention.
- Albo: 'Move along nothing to see here'

It might drag the war out a little longer but it won't change the outcome.

Biden: "The Ukrainians (The US) are running out of ammunition"
http://youtu.be/UPwyQ3vCrR0
- The west is losing the war of attrition.

"I also see that the ruble is collapsing."

- This works as a benefit in the case of Russia who exports many things.
They sell something, and they receive more ruble.
It's the West who are in trouble, sending Janet Yellen to China to beg them to buy their treasuries and save the USD from collapse.

America Runs To China - Help Save Our Economy!
http://youtu.be/UYIMQhOKfrA

Trade without USD. BRICS currency (backed by gold) coming soon
http://youtu.be/qrsDpZT7P_o

Neocons warn Biden White House, Don’t Let Ukraine Join NATO
http://youtu.be/EsYxz4OxsR0

You do realise SM the west was only just able to scrape up enough ammunition for the counteroffensive?
- And well they need a whole new army again now as well as going back to rationing their ammo.

Why do you think Biden's admitting it?
- It's because he has no choice, there's nothing left.

AC,

Where did you dredge up the drivel you just posted?

The US is sending cluster munitions to Ukraine mainly because Russia uses cluster munitions in civilian areas. This munition is especially useful against entrenched Russians and the 155mm cluster shells are particularly useful against trenches from a distance.

Also:
You have been claiming that the West is running out of ammunition, yet every month, a new batch of weapons, tanks, etc., is delivered to Ukraine. Russia seems to be far short of tanks ammo etc especially as Ukraine focuses on hunting Russian equipment. 4700 000 additional shells plus bombs etc should help a bunch. More ammo than Russia can make in 4 years.

As for the US going begging China for help, what a laugh. China's economy is in far greater trouble than the US with massive debt issues.

Russia is losing this war.

I'm not sure how your logic works SM
You lost Mariupol, Severodonetsk, you couldn't defend Bakhmut, lost 80,000 troops there for nothing.
The Ukrainian offensive failed, achieved absolutely nothing.
- And by Biden and Blinkens own admissions, the collective West has run out of 155mm shells to continue a war of attrition, emphasis: artillery.

You say Russia is losing?
I say Ukraine should just keep on doing whatever it's doing.
Not only do they have no military capability to push Russia back, they've conscripted and gotten killed all their own men and boys, (and in some cases girls as well) to achieve nothing.

Hundreds of thousands of lives just thrown away, for nothing.
- With nothing on the horizon.

And to think this could've all been over 15 moths ago, last April.
- But the west just wanted to keep the war going, at whatever cost.

Western warmongers who spent their lives trying to make a military confrontation with Putin happen.

If it wasn't for the senseless loss of life, I'd support the 'keep the war going' argument.
- After all 31 NATO countries plus many more have emptied all their military inventories into keeping this mess going.

What a way for Russia to destroy all their adversaries military inventories all at once.

Russia and China have gotten much stronger, and the collective west has become so weakened, they now lack the ability to wage any kind of serious war.

The US should've stuck with bombing goat herders and wedding processions.
Keep on winning, you're doing a remarkable job.

Angered by counteroffensive complaints, Ukraine's top general says the expected mission is 'not feasible at all' with just the weapons his army has now - Jul 1, 2023
http://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-needs-more-weapons-counteroffensive-top-general-zaluzhny-2023-6

>>"Without being fully supplied, these plans are not feasible at all," Zaluzhnyi noted...
He argued that NATO doctrine calls for neutralizing enemy air power and securing air superiority before conducting a ground-offensive, but Ukraine doesn't have the weapons to compete with Russia in the air.
"The enemy is using a different generation of aviation," Zaluzhnyi told the Post. "It's like we'd go on the offensive with bows and arrows now, and everyone would say, 'Are you crazy?'"
The general also pointed out that in the artillery fight, Ukrainian forces are being outshot ten times over.<<

John Kirby - "They are running out of inventory. We are trying to ramp up our production of ammunition they are using most, but that production rate is still not where we want it to be, so were going to send these additional artillery shells that have cluster bomblets in them to help bridge the gap as we ramp up production of normal 155mm artillery shells"
Host - "You're sending those cluster munitions because we don't have enough of the kind of munitions they need?"
John Kirby: "That is right."
http://www.youtube.com/live/aBMMOJqnjlg?feature=share&t=499

Biden - "The Ukrainians are running out of ammunition"
http://youtu.be/UPwyQ3vCrR0?t=26

State Dept. spokesman "We believe the war has been a strategic failure for Ukraine"
http://youtu.be/9Ka4be8A_Jw

My sources foretold all of this SM
Your sources are liars and strung you along.

Meanwhile, Russia has begun mass production of Kinzhal missiles:

Terrifying news for West. Russia started "mass producing" Kinzhal hypersonic missiles.
http://youtu.be/EE8i1aqIREc

AC,

Debunking some of your lies:

Ukraine did not lose 80 000 soldiers at Bakhmut it was closer to 8000. Russia lost about 40 000.

The US is a long way from running out of ammunition, and the 51 countries supporting Ukraine are supplying plenty.

And in the last year, Russia lost Kherson the Karkhiv oblast, and much of the Luhansk oblast and their much-vaunted offensive captured only captured Bakhmut which they are about to lose. Russian casualties at Vuhledar were horrific.

So far Russia has lost most of the tanks and vehicles it started with and is now using T54s and T55s. Russia's artillery systems are being hunted and destroyed by the Nato guns and HIMARS that have greater range and accuracy. Its headquarters and warehouses are being destroyed daily. Ukraine now has more tanks and IFVs than Russia and is catching up on artillery.

Russia is losing this war and is retreating on all fronts.

"Ukraine did not lose 80 000 soldiers at Bakhmut it was closer to 8000. Russia lost about 40 000."

You must have the mind of a freaking goldfish mate.
Tell me in 20 words or less how Ukraine took 5 times less KIA when Russia had 8 to 10 times the amount of artillery?

You want to know something that talking with you has taught me SM?
Just how completely gullible and clueless the people who believe all these bought and paid for narratives really are.

It's like 'The Greatest Trick the Devil Ever Pulled Was Convincing the World He Didn’t Exist';
- You think that you and the rest of us in the West aren't victims of propaganda, and that only countries lead by dictators use propaganda.
Yet we in the West are THE MOST propagandised of all.
Go over to a Russian news site and show me where the 'opinion pieces' are.

You really are a victim of the information war.
Bought into the propaganda hook line and sinker.
You're not the direct problem in this world, but you are a symptom of everything that is wrong in it.
On the other hand though, as long as there are more idiots like you who believe all the lies - and who outnumber the others who have some sense of what is real and what's bs, nothing in this world is ever going to change, things are only ever going to get worse,
- And that includes all the good things that you support, will all be for nothing.

If you're so gullible to fall for US foreign policy lies and propaganda, then it doesn't get much worse than that.
You may as well be screaming about Iraqi WMD's
- that's how dumb you actually are, no offense.

The term that comes to my mind is 'useful idiot'.
The evil people of this world could never get away with the things they do, without the support of clueless morons like yourself supporting their lies, narratives and propaganda.

It's people like yourself that are going to have the blood on your hands (indirectly of course) when this war in Ukraine gets serious and somebody nukes someone.

And if Putin does it, I'm still going to say that it was US foreign policy together with the help of people like yourself who are to blame for it.

It should be obvious that neither side is going to give in.
The West isn't going to give in (unless forced to abandon Ukraine due to lack of military ability to continue the war or political reasons - election next year) and will continue to escalate nor will Russia so we're on a collision course for nuclear weapons use unless one side backs down. Sooner or later one side is going to think "there's no end to this" and consider a pre-emptive strike.

You're actually lucky Russia is winning and doesn't need to use them.
- Because they would if it came to it, and then we'd have the totally fecked up scenario discussed in the main forum a few days ago, 'How will Australia fare when a nuclear holocaust takes place?'

The US could support a negotiated settlement of this conflict right now if it wanted, but it would have to sit down with Russia and negotiate European security guarantees including ones that Russia supports, and the US isn't in any way willing to do that.

This has always been about conquest and looting of Russia, it's not even about Ukraine.
(Empowering the Ukrainian Nazis is no different than empowering the Mujahadeen or any of the other completely messed up situations the US has historically created AS A MATTER OF POLICY BTW)

Building up NATO, profiteering off military industrial complex, removing Putin, installing a US puppet ruler, subjagating the Russian people with Marxist western liberalism, chopping Russia up into small microstates and looting every resource, industry and aspect of wealth in the 21% landmass of the Russian Federation owned by the Russian people.
(not to mention Ukrainian coup itself and explotation of such to western financial interests as a added bonus)

Baldrick,

Only a dumbass ignoramus would think that Russian waves of soldiers attacking well-entrenched and armed positions would lose fewer soldiers than those in the entrenched positions. Note that artillery is less effective here and Russia's superiority is far less than 10 to 1 today and continues to fall.

Ukraine continues to slaughter Russian tanks IFVs and artillery way faster than Russia can replace them.

Russia is losing this war.

Blinken: Ukraine Will Be "Defenseless" Without US Cluster Bombs
http://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/blinken-ukraine-will-be-defenseless-without-us-cluster-munitions

Ukraine had 26000 KIA and 1244 tank and armoured vehicle losses since the counter offensive began a little over a month ago.

Also it's had 300 - 350 thousand KIA since the conflict began, and probably just as many seriously injured (unable to return to combat)

And now they are largely out of weapons, scraping the bottom of the barrel and NATO is unwilling to enter the war, firstly they are scared of escalating the conflict and the optics of Americans and Europeans coming home in coffins (especially with a US election next year) and secondly they do not have the military resources to fight the war anyway.

They would exhaust their military stockpiles completely at a time when they need to keep it on hand in the case of a confrontation with China.

The US promised Ukraine it could provide them with weapons and defend them, but the truth is it can't.
The US government, with an election looming next year and the prospect of a loss to Trump, or even RFK Jnr, will keep on supplying what it can, but I expect they will be looking for a face-saving off-ramp in the coming months.

Ukraine has already lost the war.
It's like putting Peter Brock in a car to race in Bathurst, but only giving him enough fuel for 800 klms, instead of 1000.
The outcome is inevitable.

Ukraine and the west cannot win the war, no matter how much they hope for an alternative outcome.

We're probably looking at a million people dead or maimed.
This is the price of US regime changes.
Is it worth it?

http://twitter.com/DrEliDavid/status/1678156741333209089

"Only thanks to the stupid and 'following orders' majority can the evil minority enforce catastrophic policies."
- That's you SM

Russian Soldiers Flaunt 'Captured' American Bradley In Ukraine; Send 'Greetings To Zelensky' | Viral
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpTeVrtP9js

AC,

Only morons would believe the people that have been lying to them continually before and posting their made-up numbers.

That's you AC

Didn't your liars spend the last year saying the Russians had run out of missiles, were sending human waves (implying they were running out of troops) and that the Russian economy was going the be strangled and Putin ousted?
Didn't they say that Putin blew up Nordstream, then that 5 castaways in the SS Minnow did it, didn't they say Putin attacked it's own prison holding Azov inmates and that Russia would blow up the ZNPP where it's own troops and IAEA are stationed?

They lie as a matter of basic policy, nothing they say can be believed.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Baldrick,

No, they didn't say any of that. Russia is running low on missiles and has to use Iranian drones to fill the gap mainly as most of them are shot down.

Is not in dispute that Russia was using human wave attacks. It led to massive Russian casualties.

The Russian economy is being slowly strangled with oil and gas revenues halved and a budget deficit of about US$60bn so far for 2023 according to Russia's central bank.

I see that in the last few days, the Kerch bridge was damaged and a massive ammo store in Ukraine was destroyed and Russians had to evacuate 2000 people.

Russia is losing this war.

Here are ten reasons why Staromaiorske, home to just 900 mostly older people, matters in the context of Ukraine’s summer offensive to take back Russian-occupied territory.

1. Staromaiorske’s liberation confirms the wisdom of the strategy by Ukrainian military commanders and political leaders’ to ‘starve, stretch and strike’. Under this approach, Ukrainian forces took their time to systematically target and destroy the Russian rear echelon forces with missiles, artillery and armed drones before attempting large-scale advances with mechanized infantry units on defended points like Staromaiorske. As a result, and in full alignment with their proclaimed military doctrine, the General Staff were able to save Ukrainian lives and new equipment.

2. I am advised by leading global military strategists that, at no time in modern military history, is there a precedent for mechanized infantry advancing against an entrenched enemy without strong air support. Ukraine is able to fly less than 10 sorties per day which is at least 5 times fewer than their enemy. In part, the Ukrainians compensate for their lack of air cover with the increased and effective use of Western-supplied HIMARS, Storm Shadow cruise missiles and other long-range weaponry. This took time to acquire and to learn, and it was also good to have the time to further master battlefield drone technology and management software systems. (Subject experts strongly affirm that the military IT systems Ukraine itself has developed, including for use in artillery engagements, are better and much more flexible than many NATO-standard versions.) What the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) are accomplishing is admirable and has, obviously, taken great attention to detail to prepare and execute. That’s called discipline and purpose rather than PR.