But Putin is now a pariah leader and Russia identified as a pariah state (perhaps even more isolated than North Korea). Goodness knows what sort of a future the country has if the tyrant remains in power. He has burned all his bridges with the West and will never be able to re-enter the international fold. 2022 wasn't a minor blip for the Russian Federation - it was the mafia state deciding to permanently withdraw from the international community.
The Grim Reaper was due to take Vladimir but took Alexei instead.
Don't confuse wishful thinking with proper tactical predictions.
Looks like discussions in the US about giving Ukraine M2 Bradley fighting vehicles , if this comes to fruition and the US sends realitive modem armored vehicles other countries could follow suit,not so sure main battle tanks but modern IFVs could be a game changer for the Ukrainans infantry units ...
Putin has the least control of any leader of Russia from the Soviet era, the Tsarist approach was more chaotic but a decent stab at brutal control and gifted at keeping people in mind numbing poverty.
Putin will continue to move towards more control, I suspect his replacement will role it right back to Soviet era levels of control and cohesion.
Xi in China is leading the way on how that can be done, within the framework of the modern world.
The defeat has to leave no gain for Russia.
Yes, unfortunately, a dictatorship often ends with a 'small victorious war'. Ukraine's "special military operation" for Putin was just a political show designed to ensure that he stays in power for longer, by stoking the imperialist sentiment in Russia and by removing a democratic regime which could serve as an example.
Russia cannot win this war. But Putin has already won -- he is staying in power, his critics in Russia are silenced, his power over any Russian citizen is larger than that of any czar -- anyone can be thrown into the jail or drafted into the military.
What Putin wants next? Obviously, a "peace" with Ukraine giving up territories. Then Putin can declare an intermediate victory, while preparing for a larger war in 2-3 years.
No chance of that
"The Russians are captured in gangs without even understanding what's going on!
Were you thinking of marching through Ukraine?"
Sounds like they just walked off the battlefield.
More fire-
Also, the kind of forces Belarus can offer are tiny compared to what Russia are already fielding. Add to that the armor they have to offer in the fight is of the same (crappy) vintage as what Russian already have to work with.
The only “advantage” I could see is possibility morale-related, so that the Russians don’t feel so alone in this fight.
Lukashenko knows damn well that his small army are part of what keeps him in power. Throw them into the meat grinder will mean that all bets are off.
If Lukashenko didn't think there'd be significant downside to committing troops in Ukraine, they'd already be in there. Luka knows the political instability it would cause. Putin must know it, too, and he can't much afford to have another vassal state suddenly revolt against Russia.
Gotta love the low level trolls of the world..
I suppose Lukashenko might be considering sending a message to Zelensky, but I think it might be an email.
When Lukashenko first offered support to Putin's gang, the Russians insisted that the Belarusian troops would be led by Russian officers, and I imagine that the Belarusian officers and troops reacted with silent dismay. I'm wondering if they'd actually cross the border into Ukraine, or just lob the occasional missile. I'm thinking that Lukashenko might have a coup on his hands whatever's decided. I doubt very much that the Belarusians want to be cannon fodder.
Dont tell Pa
Napoleon want's a word...
What I mean is, you have no clue what the Nordic battlegroup even is or does.
As for Fighter planes and the Irish military, go and have a read of the report of the Commission on Defence and the Government's later published implementation plan.
If you can be bothered, go read back through posts here from April onwards, a rapid defeat of Russia was being predicted by many. Not in next 12-15 months but next 2-3 months. Didn't happen, even though Ukrainian progress has been good.
We'll see where we are this time next year.
I'll just toss the Wars of the Third and Fourth Coalitions into the pot then. (1805 - 1807)
Plus the Crimean War as a sweetener.
Considering what?
its a bit like Poland being hit by Ukrainian air defence missiles that killed the farmer(s), collateral damage, why do you think Belarus are considering it?
I linked to a London Times article here a few days ago which suggests it could take Russia 30 years to get back to normal after this war - and that's even assuming they can get rid of the dictator in the near future.
Or they were feeling that their finances were a bit vulnerable , didn't have enough of their military present at the ukainian border , and didn't want a long war -
Just when you couldn't despise them any more. Should have been kicked out months ago. Looking for an apology and compensation while they contuine to bombard innocent civilians in Ukraine, shower of c***s.
I’ll see your WW1, and raise you a Russo-Japanese war :)
I don't care about SAABs salesmen commissions, they are obviously lobbying for this. We have a cost effective solution in place using the British military, Irish taxpayers do not need this cost burden with no tangible benefit. There are serious deficiencies that must to be addressed with the Irish naval service. Russia is not a direct military threat to us and nor are there any other countries, unless we want to go to war over Rockall. In case you have not been paying attention, the nature of aerial warfare is changing with the rapid development of aerial drone technology, Gripens don't address the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or coastal defense, and if required for combat operations it will be as part of the Nordic battlegroup rapid reaction operations.
You do make up some horseshyt.
It’s been about a week since you last told us that Belarus are about to enter the war. So, are they about to enter the war?
My guess is that it will be ignored because Belarus are already complicit in the war and scared shitless.
Belarusian Ministry of Defense says parts of Ukrainian S-300 have fallen near Ivanava town of Brest region
Over 15k of Irish Tax payers money goes to repair the gates on the largest troll farm outside of russia.🙄
54 out of 69 shot down. So 15 through which would be a higher proportion than usual but at least they didn't all hit their intended target.
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