In WW2 Germany pounded Stalingrad into rubble and then tried to take the city. The problem they then faced is that it was difficult to move vehicles through this rubble and made 1000s of perfect sniper nests which nullified all their previous advantages and gave the advantage to the defenders eventually costing the German army about 500 000 men.

In Mariupol, the Russians have committed massive resources with limited success over 4 weeks, and finally capturing the city will require door to door fighting against an entrenched and well-equipped and highly motivated force that will make the Russians pay heavily for every inch while the Ukrainian army is disrupting their supply lines from the north.

The massacre of innocent civilians by Russians in Bucha is likely to infuriate the Ukrainians and motivate the west to supply heavier weapons and more sanctions.

War results in death and destruction.
So all wars have that in common.
The details vary of course.
But there will be many similarities.
Mariupol could well be one such.

In any society there are many who resort to physical violence to settle difference.
This behaviour is instinctive, and part of our 'survival kit'.
It is usually a spontaneous reaction to perceived danger or disadvantage.
But a premeditated, and carefully thought out, attack on some one or some group, is not in this category.
It stems instead from a desire to harm people and take their goods from them.
War can be seen as theft on a grand scale?

We can only base our opinion on what we read.
If we do that, Russia is clearly the aggressor.
It is trying to use 'war' to take Ukraine away from Ukrainians.
It is attempting to steal by force.

I think the peoples of the world can no longer ignore what happens in other places.
To some extent we need to forget boundaries, and react as one to common problems.
The warming of our world, for example, can only contained by combined effort.

I think war is another common problem.
Countries should move against one of their number who disrupts orderly living?
It needs to be a combined effort to make this happen?
And must be done as peacefully as possible?
There can always be 'bullies', in positions of power, who will initiate hostility.
And these bullies must always meet a solid wall of resistance.

Is Mariupol becoming the Stalingrad for Russia?

The Soviet Union inflicted a catastropic defeat
on the Germany Army in and around Stalingrad
during WWII.

However in Mariupol - the military engagement is
still on going. Ukraine has not been defeated.
Of course Mariupol would be a strategic prize for
Russia. For Ukraine it is a symbol of resistance.

Losing Mariupol would be a potentially heavy
psychological blow that would dent Ukrainian morale.
We can only hope that Putin will be deposed by
internal sources sooner rather than later.

And if war comes to our shores, how do we resist/

Hi Issy, let us fight against war, and when successful war will not come to our shores.

Hi Foxy, the terrible loss of life and the utter destruction, how can anyone in their right mind justify war. I am appalled at the Ukrainians and Russians being killed in this bloody senseless war. It must stop now.

The Russian forces have bravely run away from Kyiv leaving behind not only hundreds of destroyed tanks and other vehicles and dead Russians but evidence of Russian brutal treatment of the civilians under their occupation. After the news of the Russians murdering civilians, the army in Mariupol is not going to surrender.

It is now becoming apparent that Russia's vehicles and munitions are being severely depleted and its standing army has suffered appalling losses all of which are difficult to replace. The question is whether Putin will go all in and declare a nationwide mobilisation. If he does his propaganda that all is going well will start to fall apart.