The Ukrainians are the ones desperate to make gains Foxy
They need to show military gains to please their western backers in order to get further weapons shipments.
- Tanks, F-16's, ATACMS
Ukrainians have been taking between 8 to 1 and 10 to 1 losses during the current counteroffensive.
i.e Ukraine loses 1000 men, Russia loses 100.

Ukrainians have been sending their men to die through well prepared minefields and cannot even breach the security zone.
They havent even made it to Russias fortified defensive lines.

See for yourself.
http://twitter.com/OlgaBazova/status/1680285021934960641

A Wall of Steel’: Ukrainian Troops Face Hard Slog in Offensive’s First Days
http://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraine-achieves-mixed-success-in-counteroffensives-early-battles-says-u-k-e0b40334

Big Win For Russia; 'Ukraine Loses 26,000 Fighters, 3,000 Arms In Counteroffensive' Despite NATO Aid
http://youtu.be/SOo5BdtMKQw

It is said that Ukraine is set to run out of artillery shells entirely in August.

Also Russia has created an entirely new army from recruits and volunteers, they've been training for months, word is they plan to open a new front.

AC,

After I wrote: "But even after I'd proven that indeed Lavrov and all the others who'd talked about this were lying"

He wrote: "You didn't prove squat."

But at the time AC wrote: "Yeah fair enough, I got something wrong"

But it seems that now he's decided he can now safely deny what he had previously admitted. A man of principles is AC <sarc>

Flailing about as his arguments and fondest wishes unravel AC writes: "Yeah mate, what about the US sponsored coups in Turkey, Georgia and Belarus, AFTER the coup in Ukraine.
Who decides what... the people?"

Yes the people. There is something very racist in AC's attitude. Basically what he's saying that these people (be they Turks, Georgians or Ukrainians) are too stupid to know that they are being used by the CI and didn't really want to revolt - they were tricked into it. AC et al think these others are inferior to the white US operatives and can't work out that they are being used (according to AC). It never seems to occur to him that these revolutions were what these people wanted and the US involvement was peripheral - it helped the revolts to succeed but wasn't instrumental in the revolts. This is beyond AC's understanding.

I wrote: ""When Putin rose to power, Russia was a democracy, albeit an imperfect one."
AC responds: "Go find out the truth."

I actually visited Russia more than once in that period. Things weren't great, but no worse than before the fall of the USSR. But that wasn't the point and AC, as usual, fails to get the point. I was simply talking about the democracy - the level of individual freedom. It wasn't perfect when Putin took over but it was there. I did write " albeit an imperfect [democracy]" which it seems went over AC's head. But that is all gone - democracy freedom, and with it living standards. Its unsurprising that other states don't want to experience that.

"The US is screwed, " Yeah dills like you have been telling me that since the 1960s

Dear mhaze,

I wish that I could have visited Russia ages ago - when
it was safer to do so. My Gran was Russian. One of my
daughters-in-law is of Russian ancestry (born here) and
I grew up listening to Russian folktales and songs from
my Gran - as well as her teaching me Russian food recipes
and of course reading Russian history and lit.

I feel so sorry for what's happening to the Russian people
under Putin. All I can do is hope that things will change for
them for the better. But in order for that to happen, they
need to defeat Putin. A revitalised NATO and unflagging
Western support will help Ukraine - but it is still up to
Ukraine to defeat the Russian army - and they would succeed
with the help of the Russian people. The sooner the better.

Putin has erased his country's prosperity in an
irresponsible attempt to build a doomed empire.
The burden of Putin's war on Ukraine will be borne
by average Russian citizens for decades, if not longer.

The damage done to Russian society, the economy, its
military, its political development and its international
reputation will far outlive Putin. He has managed to ruin Russia.

The heavy sanctions imposed on Russia will not be lifted
anytime soon - given the Russian military's brutality.

The war will only really come to an end if the West either
abandons Ukraine or Putin suffers a total defeat.

mhaze, (still going on your violin)

"Yes the people. There is something very racist in AC's attitude. Basically what he's saying that these people (be they Turks, Georgians or Ukrainians) are too stupid to know that they are being used by the CI and didn't really want to revolt - they were tricked into it."

Blah-blah-blah-blah bleh-bleh-bleh-bleh-bleh

Maybe this maight make you backpaddle;
- Probably not, but it's worth a shot.
I'll make fool of your arguments with actual documents.
Try to worm your way out of this one...

http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/pnaec705.pdf

Now answer this for everyone...
Who funded this paper?
Tell everyone where this paper came from
Make sure you say it loud and clear, so everyone can hear.
Now tell everyone the name of this particular paper please

Now go down to page 8.
Tell everyone the question being asked, and the date given please
Tell everyone the percentage for Russian and for Ukrainian

Now go down to page 13 and tell everyone the question being asked
Can you tell us in your own words why you think the funder of this paper might be asking this question?

Now go to the next page, 14.
Tell everyone what the question being asked on this page is please
Now identify for us who the largest percentage of people were and what they chose as their first and second options (for comparison) and the percentages.

Continue over to page 15,
Read out the question and summarise the responses for us please

Now go to page 17
Read out the question and identify the majority, and what there preference was

I'll let you all go through the rest of the paper yourselves...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euromaidan
Please tell us (using the above link) how long in months was this survey compiled prior to the Maidan please.
Also please remind us who conducted this survey again, and the name of the place identified in this paper

FEEL FREE TO USE CAPS IN YOUR RESPONSE
I wouldn't want anyone to miss the important information you're about to share with us all mhaze

Thoughts, Foxy?

"Putin has erased his country's prosperity in an
irresponsible attempt to build a doomed empire."

It's not true Foxy, Putin pulled the Russian people out of poverty.

"But in order for that to happen, they need to defeat Putin..."
"I wish that I could have visited Russia ages ago - when it was safer to do so."

- Yes, I think it definitely wouldn't be good for you to go there with your current attitude.
It might be something you should work on I think.
It's just that you may not get the welcome you hope for.