Russia - threadbanned users in OP

They have a large Russian force pinned against the Dnieper and can grind them down at their leisure.

And, considering the usual rhetoric, Soloviev isn't taking rhe beating well and, looking for someone to blame, is taking punishment to a predictable level.

A lot of people are absolutely livid over the attack on the Ukrainian power grid, seeing it as a mean and spiteful act by Putin and not even connected to Russia's war effort.

How can anyone be sure if this ‘retreat’ by the Russians is as a result of the Ukrainians getting the upper hand or is it just the Russians giving the Ukrainians a false sense of victory and they will return with a major offensive including possible chemical/WMD’s…?

I refer you to my reply to Hobgoblin a couple of pages back. Anyone that thinks it was anything other than a rout isn’t looking at the evidence on the ground.

I have no doubt that Russia will try to regroup, however it is Unknown if all those who ran would want to go back into the cauldron.

How can you be so certain of this ie best of their equipment now used up……the WMD’s are still there and I’m sure there is also plenty of anthrax, mustard gas etc etc…?

It may also be a sign of desperation. Bad news after bad news this week, so he stages this nasty stunt as some form of diversion.

I was watching a former NATO commander on CNN today warning that Russia can raise huge manpower and extra resources with a declaration of war.

Putin didn't declare war for internal political reasons but if he's staring defeat of his "special operation" he may have to do something because a defeat is the end for him.

Lasting peace looks like a couple handfuls of nuclear warheads. This imbroglio was only made possible by the west's deception in guaranteeing Ukrainian sovereignty in exchange for them handing over their nuclear weapons.

The main lesson from this conflict, which won't be lost on many, is that the only protection from Russia, Putin, or the like, is to possess nuclear weapons.

Even when this ends, it's not over, given Xi is as dangerous a megalomaniacal pri​ck as Putin. Australia, South Korea and Taiwan, all need them.

Imagine back last January when Putin was massing his troops on the border, if Biden could have said: "it's a good thing you are only conducting exercises their, Vladamir, because we gave them 5 nuclear weapons two weeks ago."

There would have been no invasion and many, many thousands of lives saved and hundreds of thousands of children still with their rightful parents in Ukraine.

Have you seen the sheer quantity of armour left behind during their disorganised retreat? Must be hundreds of millions of euro worth. Must be some masterplan.

These are very dangerous days for Putin. You could imagine a scenario where he is removed from office or even dead within a few short weeks. A situation where his army is taking an absolute hammering and his propagandists can't even cover up the fact is hugely risky for him.