Russia - threadbanned users in OP

Wonderful.

You will never defeat a people who refuse to be defeated.

Lots more to be done of course, but the snowball effect of damage and demoralisation in Russian military could see a very rapid Ukrainian advance into the remainder of their occupied territory now.

As the maxim says, 'amateurs think tactics, while professionals think logistics', and Russia doesn't have any. NATO estimates 100,000 of their best troops are dead or wounded for the long term. Between that and the lack of fuel, food, winter kit and ammunition to supply the C-class divisions which remain in theatre, what hope can Russia now have. Except perhaps for a few brave (or selfish) souls in Moscow to stage a coup and stop the killing as a first step.

Very true. It's not really what you'd call a "society" or a "community" at all. Nobody seems to give a damn about anyone else in the country (very un-European in many ways).

Thats a nice thought, that the Ayatollah will not be able to count on Putin for assistance. Which means also that other states with similar tyrants in charge, will be unable to avail of Mr. Putin's "Special Talents and Skill's" This could mean many changes for the better worldwide. I wonder how long he can remain in Syria in support of Assad? The outcome of the war in Ukraine will reverberate worldwide. Re Iran, I lived there for a while a few years ago. Lovely Country, and lovely friendly cultural people, and mad to throw of the yoke of rabid Islam. I think (and hope) that this time the revolution will succeed, they certainly deserve their freedom from the Mullahs.

If it is your only son, it's a very big deal. This is fertility rate is a bit dated but it highlights the difference between the wealthy and poor areas.

You can see why the burden of recruitment falls heaviest on the poorest areas of the Russian federation.

In Russia you can have a finite eternity, square circles, true lies, non-real realities - anything you like...

Dugin putting himself forward for a car accident or falling out of a open window....

Very interested to see how Putin's next public appearance goes, in times of crisis before he has been known to dither a bit, so could be a whole before we see him. Will he hide or will he use this now to silence some of the more prominent dissenters like the above.

Would have been easy to blow it up. The Russians are done as an army.

The sooner the dumps are dispersed the better as they would be an obvious target from the Ru from across the river

I think they had to retreat from Kherson because it was too difficult to supply weaponry. The Kerch bridge is barely functional right now, otherwise they have to transport weapons all the way across the south of Ukraine, with most railway routes being within target.

There were satellite pics floating around during the week of Russians digging trenches in Crimea (can't seem to find them). They are expecting company down there for the winter.

Everyone that was charged to defend Odessa, Mykolaiv, Kryvyi Rih, is now available for the East of the country. As are lot of Russians too, but the Russians will also have to defend their new front across the River from Kherson. The Ukrainians won't need to bother, as they know the Russians won't cross back over (and can't cross because they blew the bridges).

When the Russians said they were retreating to save soldiers lives, there may have been truth in that. Not from a humanitarian perspective but from a numbers perspective. They couldn't have afforded a mass capture or surrender. Maybe there was inklings of a potential mass surrender, which is why they granted the retreat.

They key for Ukraine now is to drive south to Melitopol and split the front into 2. Isolating the Crimea/Kherson front

Isn't there the small matter of a rather large river in the way?

spasiba.

There's a bridge connecting the rail line from Crimea to Kherson oblast. If it's now striking range for Ukraine they can permanently sever all rail supplies from Crimea meaning the only good resupply route is from the East and that's within striking distance.

Could make defending the south and cities like Melitopol and berdyansk very hard for the Russians. I feel they'll try and take Svatove and the town's along it's axis but go for a big victory in the south to cut off Crimea and the coast for good.

If Russia keeps throwing everything at the Donbass it makes sense to stay in defence wiping out the newly mobilised. After Crimea is cut off and the south is retaken then they should go for Luhansk and Donetsk cities while leaving Crimea till last.

Could take 12 months or longer but if Ukraine have the will I feel they'll outlast the Russians.

I would say that's accurate. Cut off supplies to the south and retake as much as possible.

I would hope theyd head to Crimea sooner. Bust the Kerch bridge and sink any resupply ships. When the Russians run low on supplies then attack from land and sea.

The Ukrainians don't have to retake every square mile of land. They need to make Putin's position untenable and push for a peace treaty that restores their borders.

Hopefully it's a question of who cracks first. Putin or the Russian Army.