Just a few facts in there, just how you want to see things is your own prerogative.
Russia raising the age limit of enlistment isn't a great sign as regards how Russia is doing vs. what was supposed to be a quick victory. An article I saw claimed it was a sign that Russia's army was on the brink of collapse. I'd like that to be true, but until it actually happens, I'll have to file it under 'Russia can only finance war up until the second week of March.'
Richard Wagner - Götterdämmerung - Siegfried's Funeral March
Good riddance!
For Clarity. More sanctions do not assist Russia.
AND
The US hasn't changed their stance on long range offensive weapons including jets throughout this entire thing.
I do love though how people float into the thread heralding ground breaking changes in the situation though....
Like they've stumbled across new news.
More signalling of imminent crumbling of Ukraine military situation in East Ukraine.
General Mark Millie in US talking about negotiated settlement now too. US not sending long range artillery missiles.
Meanwhile more sanctions push up Russian energy revenue due to prices rising. Western leaders really playing a blinder. Maybe there is a magic number of dead or destabilization in economies before pressure to ceasefire really picks up?
I accept that - and if anything the Russians were simply firing on civilians/anybody. I don't see the case against Russia where embedded journalists get injured. The Russians are heinous enough without highlighting where they possibly aren't doing anything wrong.
Wagners getting blasted?
Been saying the same since week 1, he can stop any time he likes and say the same thing whenever it happens to be.
Interesting article from American historian Timothy Snyder suggesting that Putin doesn't even need an "off ramp" or to be appeased by anyone. Even if he loses the war, he will just announce that he has won it and will be backed to the hilt by state media. He argues that appeasers in the West don't even seem to be aware that Putin doesn't give a toss about Western opinion and just needs to be able to control the narrative within his own borders.
Honestly, that's my impression as well. The city is the capital of "Free" Luhansk but has little strategic value. It's rail connection seems to be primarily centered around the heavy industry in the city, and not really suited for resupplying an army, and there don't seem to be any useful airfields nearby either. It seems like the attack is based on the wishes of the Kremlin or at least senior military leadership, rather than on any operational necessities.
MLRS
https://twitter.com/michaeldweiss/status/1531614337923686403?s=20&t=sWgdIdYVyzPpMNfgZJz00Q
The wagner group and the chechens are involved in Severodonetsk so Putin is using his "perceived" best forces.I'm sure many of those fell last night and more will continues to fall in the coming days.
About 15k west of there,another battle going on right now for another bridge
The attack on Severodonetsk seems to be a political decision and not stategic to get a quick result.If they take it fully then they will try to flatten Lysychansk to rubble and claim that the Luhansk Oblast is liberated.It would have made more sense to put that entire force into the Izium attack as there is no river protection there.
But even journalists are targeted when they are on their own, like the Sky News journalists some time back.
Looking at the map, Severodonetsk might actually turn out to be a poisoned chalice for the Russians. More specifically, ooking at a terrain map, the city sits on a flat piece of ground with no real terrain features, making life "relatively" easy for an attacker. However, once you reach the Siverskyi Donets river, things get ugly quickly. The west bank of the river, where the city of Lysychansk is situated, rises up quickly to a height of 30-40 meters over the plain below, immediately after river, creating an extremely strong defensive position. Any attacker will, if they want to take the heights, have to cross the river in the face of an enemy that is able to pour fire down on them from the high ground, without much in the way of cover. At the same time, the heights offer a clear line of sight, and fire, into Severodonetsk itself, exposing even the "rear" areas of any attempted river crossing not just to artillery and mortar fire, but also to direct fire.
Actually, taking a second look at said terrain map, the attempted river crossings near Bilohorivka a few weeks ago make sense now, as a flanking attack on Lysychansk seems to be the only real chance to "crack" that defensive position. Any direct push from Severodonetsk would be a bloodbath. Hell, even occupying Severodonetsk without a push further west could turn into a fiasco for Russian forces if the Ukrainians can get their defense and eventual fallback to Lysychansk right.
And yet the the Baltic states, Poland, UK etc, don't seem the have any problem getting modern weapons into Ukranian hands, while the Germans drag their heels even at the minimum they promised.
That's not one of the 2 remaining bridges over the Dnipro though? It's a smaller tributary to the west of the Dnipro going by the place name in the tweet.
https://goo.gl/maps/p5iLJuuxQRTS29maA
Now, I'd challenge anyone to say I'm in anyway pro Russian. But, why would journalists travelling with armed soldiers be off limits? Armed soldiers are legitimate targets in war, so while the journalists are brave I don't see anything wrong here if they hang out with soldiers in a war zone.
Resupplying Asovstal
Edit
..
Journalists under fire.
Coulda been wired to the 90s on amphetamines and the pressures of war. Still looks really stupid.
As I see it they can hold Severodinetsk until the Russians run out of steam or retreat and fight a war of attrition. If the Russians take Severodonetsk they will hardly have enough steam to take anything else.
Crossfire? Or is it referring to when the Russians targeted an evacuation convoy?
Russia blowing a bridge is a big development.no more russian advances from there which is good news
journos caught in the crossfire, they are selfless, I wish I was a journo
It's worth their while to grind the Russians down when they enter urban areas. The Ukrainians in general appear to be much better at urban combat and despite heavy bombardment from the Russians, every single city block appears to have been a hard fight for them. They'll likely have to retreat across the river soon, but by giving the Russians absolute hell in their attempts to advance, their sapping them of the energy, resources and morale they'd need to push on once they reach the river.
Many signs point to the Russians running out of all kinds of stuff. Ukraine just need to hold the line and get ready for a counter offensive.
Heavy weapons delivered
"we decided to prepare a small illustration showing the artillery already handed over to us from Western partners and their characteristics"
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