Russia - threadbanned users in OP

In the recent 2 months, not much, it's the winter season, so fighting has slowed to a crawl. The Russians and Wagner especially are throwing the "winter" kitchen sink at Bahkmut and surrounding, which is costing a lot of lives on both sides. Unfortunately they are making some gains, but it's WW1 stuff, either measured in villages or metres.

I am worried about a larger Russian offensive in the spring, and have always been worried about the impact of those infrastructure attacks on the Ukrainians - on the flipside Ru has been using winter as a weapon of war, that gets defused as we leave winter, the Ukrainians are adapting to the infrastructure attacks as well as decentralising their utilities needs

The Russian 'war machine' has made very few advances since late Summer 2022. Since that point, the most notable changes in territorial control are in the Ukraine column.

You have the Russian apologists currently saying that Russia's objective in all of this is to conquer the Donbass. Assuming that Bakhmut is the key to achieving that, if Russia were to capture that town and the rest of the Donbass, it would be interesting to see the apologists' tune change toward a more sweeping goal, which is obviously what Russia intended to begin with before their military was shown up to be woefully obsolete, corrupt and generally feckless, relative to its size and reputation.

Even if you were to assume the worst and that Russia could somehow subsume the whole of Ukraine at the end of this conflict (or at least get to Kyiv), there would still be the task of holding that territory and controlling a population who would now despise Russia, especially the further west you go in that country. If you think of the brutal regime of repression and coercion that Russia would have to implement to control this population, it gets to be no mystery at all as to why the Ukrainian population is fighting so hard to, if not expel the Russians, then to keep them at bay.

@Wolf359f The Abrams won't be arriving until late in 2023/ possibly 2024 ,but they don't need to arrive if the 100+ leopards and other tanks and IFVs arrive over the next 12 weeks or so .

Can't believe I quoted myself instead of your post

Something on the move from Iran has suddenly stopped is this a US/Israeli op to interrupt a drone shipment?

Still holding.

They aren't trying to. They are sending lot's of troops to other countries for advanced training, even to Cambodia, and conserving and marshalling forces, ammo and equipment for a major offensive later in the year. They aren't on their last legs, they are resting and up-skilling. The Bradley's haven't even arrived, but any hour now, but you want them to go tearing off, half cocked.

I say America want this conflict wrapped up at some point this year with a complete Ukraine victory if there is a worry on their behalf in regards to China. I say they want a weak Russia so they can concentrate on China.

Interesting times indeed I reckon in that part of the world within the next few years.

On telegram, I saw a mention that behind the scenes, more is happening privately than is mentioned publicly. Valery Zaluzhnyi looks to be getting his wish; just over that magic 300 number.

Is there something wrong with that particular Twitter account?

Why don't you tell us.....

in 1 week, when Russia potentially lost 5400 soldiers and 437 pieces of equipment, how many sq. km or land have they taken? They may have gained 3km (maybe 1 sq. km) from Kuzmyne to Dibrova in a very very narrow focus attack (only 576km to Kyiv)

Big Zel???? That some kind of word play on Zelensky? Regarding best interests for Uncle Sam, at this point in time ( particularly at this point in time) I'd say that the ongoing illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia would have an impact on Uncles Sam's best interests, given their commitments to support Ukraine... but, no according to you. Its not of interest to the Rand Corporation to include them in their assessments. Gotcha!!! All clear now.

Listen up, boys and girls; when you want to make sure no one could possibly mistakenly think you are a Nazi, dress the way I do.

Ivan Okhlobystin.

And, this putpologist woke up when the most recent one was threadbanned. Their posts are similar, too. Puzzling... /s