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.