Russia - threadbanned users in OP

They'll be back to a 10 year waiting list for a Trebant, as was the case in the glorious USSR.

Indeed, and in exchange they got a vassal state run by a lackey (Kadyrov)

As we've seen in Syria, the Russian doctrine is to surround a city and bombard it. Their military is also heavily artillery based. This is precisely what's happening in Ukraine now, they have difficulty taking cities, so instead they park outside, encircle as much as they can and just start to bombard.

They couldn't get shag all in a conventional battle with NATO forces, and in rolling out the nukes, there is no victory, for the land they would inherit would be radioactive and unsuitable for much of anything.

Ironically no, it's based on various US and EU intelligence sources. Oh and the open comms the Russians have on their unencrypted conversations because they don't have military comms for all of their units.

Gas...

Reading a few different reports of the situation today and yesterday. Looks like Russia is making gradual progress toward Kyiv, maybe 5km closer today, the English and American intelligence seems to be expecting a significant attack on Kyiv by Sunday. Everywhere else there are incremental gains by Russian forces, seems to be they want to encircle key cities to siege them, whilst also bypassing to focus on taking smaller towns/villages. Ukrainian forces are knocking out armor, but don't seem to be conducting any strong largescale counter-attacks (so far)

You also have to remember Ukraine mobilised when the war started - they will be forming new units from the reserves all the time. Russia hasn't mobilised, and their whole army isn't in Ukraine. Russia can bring in more troops, but that's difficult to justify when it's just a special peacekeeping operation in the Donbass. And their supply lines are long, everything takes time. The war can end quickly if Russia takes Mariupol (likely) and Kyiv (less likely), but if that doesn't happen, then it becomes less likely Russia can "win".

Russia have been planning this for the past 7/8 years…. Just look at how they moved their reserves out of dollars and tried to implement its own payment systems. It’s not like they forget to check their equipment before going to war. It’s a game of chess with the next 50 moves already thought out…. The 2 curve balls were Ukrainian resistance and Germany’s response

Interesting article in the Financial Times:

"Russia’s techies flee country they fear is ‘flying into an abyss’

I cannot link it as it may show up under a paywall

Assad, with the help of Russia, laid siege to towns and cities in Syria and was shelling/barrel bombing them at the same time. Nothing went in or out. The people that managed to survive surrendered in the end. The Russians are going to do it to Kyiv, trying to destroy it without having to fight in the streets. Rather than setting up ambushes on street corners etc, Ukrainians should be focussing on not allowing the encirclement. There's no point in having their snipers and ATGM crews deep within Kiyv if the Russians aren't going to enter the city centre.

They don't want NATO ,

Remember 3 days is all it was going take the whole of Ukraine and install Viktor Yanukovych as president again ....

Day 15 and Russia controls some roads ,and you think they are holding back for nato ,