Russia - threadbanned users in OP

Are these conscripts Tartars mainly. Was Crimea well populated with Tartrs at one stage only to be outed , through various means , by the Russian Federation. I do’nt think that the Tartars had any problem in living amongst the Ukr. If all of the above is true, then no wonder they all walked ‘off the job’

In news that has actually happened, Ukraine may have cut the strategically important P66 highway in Luhansk.

The Russian positions in the north of Luhansk don't look very defensible to me.

I didn't say the artillery was 'breaking', that was a journalist for the NYT. In fact, it was the headline: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/25/us/ukraine-artillery-breakdown.html

I am someone who's been repairing their own cars since the late 70's, so I do understand what maintainance is. When I'm sitting on a stool, crouched over an engine block, carefully threading the con-rod of a piston down the newly honed bore, trying not to scratch it, and then carefully compressing the cast iron oil scraper ring, being careful as that material doesn't like bending and is prone to snapping, so I can get it and the piston down the bore, I am fully aware I won't be driving the car to work that day, or a few to follow.

Part of the point I am trying to make is that I believe we armchair generals have read so many stories about weapons and stuff being supplied to Ukraine that we have perhaps formed a mistaken overall picture that the Ukrainians are well equipped, when the actuality is that they aren't, compared to the size of the problem, so with a third of all those goodies offline at any one time for maintainance, it's even worse. I was trying to highlight something I thought might have been missed by some who don't know what brake fluid or glycol tastes like.

One of the Ukraine millitary Telegram channels I view has these occasional little pieces where they go ecstatic with thanks when someone donates a well used car to them, to enable a squad to better get about in. That's how short on gear they really are when a used car as a frontline troop transport is a big deal to make a suitably sized fuss over.

Argueing??? Nope. Just stating a well-known fact, that in any situation, change the circumstances and conditions, and you change the outcome. But that does not necessarily mean that the changes will be beneficial. But as you mention Vietnam, some facts for you (and a preview of what's coming to Russia, curtesy of the war in Ukraine) Up to 2008, between 8-9'000 ex-Vietnam soldiers committed suicide after coming home. 38% got divorced within 6 mths of returning. 75'000 were severely disabled. 23'000 were totally disabled. 271'000 suffered from PTSD. Drug use dropped to "Normal" peer group levels. It did not stop. The above figures may well be higher by now. And they all had knock-on effects, so like ripples ina pond, the negative effects spread far and wide.

Now all of the above upheaval and disorder happened in a modern "Civilized" society, which was capable of containing / controlling it. Even so, it caused major damage to society. Russia is quite the opposite of America, where you have some kind of democracy. Russia is a mafia state. And we have already seen the contempt Putin holds the Russian people in. He is beyond contempt.

Not a question of "Fuss" as such cnockbui. In ww2, Russian women fought alongside the men (if you have seen "Enemy at the Gate" you will know what I mean) but in Ukraine, I have not seen or heard of any Russian women fighting on the front lines, there's one or two vid showing them at the bases OK, but on the Ukrainian side, the women are on the front lines fighting, predominantly snipers.

Standings should be standins

Tks for that. You learn something everyday

Maybe, but so far, such niceties of rules of war have not bothered our Vladimir overmuch. That bastard would send his own mother or father to the front lines if it suited him. In his world there's only one center of importance, that everything must revolve around, and that's himself. And as we have already seen, many of his friends, colleagues, or advisors who thought different have discovered, they were not so important or essential after all.

It's no wonder Putin wants to destroy Ukraine and kidnap it's children.

If they were left alone,.... they'd rule the world.

I think you mean the AN 225, the 124's are still flying.

I highly doubt that's the reason Ukraine haven't received any Abrams. I'd assume a tank barrel would last longer than artillery due to just the sheer volume of artillery shells being fired. There hasn't been many large scale tank on tank battles so far. Maybe the turbine engine would be a bigger issue.

What's your issue with Ukrainian artillery being transported to Poland for repairs and maintenance? For so many reasons it makes sense.

Quicker access to parts.

Mechanics who have years of experience fixing and maintaining said equipment.

Frees up Ukrainian engineers to fix Soviet era equipment and do field repairs.

Zero risk of a large repair facility in Ukraine getting attacked if it's actually in a NATO country.

the USA are getting ready for Armageddon, and their bombers have bespoke GPS too unlike Russia

Purrty lady that B21 Raider