Russia - threadbanned users in OP

There was a chap in Germany who had a warehouse with full of Leopard I tanks, I bet he had a few more warehouses full of surplus vehicles. As I recall he purchased the tanks for 10 thousand a piece and wants a million for each now.

Alan wants to be let free.

It's the only reason why private companies bought so much surplus vehicles only to be put into long term storage, knowing that there wasn't enough in Europe with with militaries or producer's such as Rheinmetall ,

No one is really producing tank Hulls anymore just upgrading or building something new on old hulls

Business mantra , speculate to accumulate

Leave Alan out of this. You can't be trying to grab Putin by the pussy

Putin's pets:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pets_of_Vladimir_Putin

Well, the convict supply has dried up.... word of the high mortality rate was circulating around the prisons for one thing, and for another, the prisons were supplying labor ( for profit), so the managements were not too happy with Prigozhin either. Anyway, cannon fodder is becoming increasingly scarce. Putin recently had to draft a law that forced schools and universities to send lists of their pupils, with all their details to the local mobilization offices. In one instance, recruits at a police academy were herded into a hall, and the doors locked, while their teachers tried to force them to sign military contracts. Ironically, they had had to call the police to come and free them. At this stage, there has to be rumblings of discontent amongst the population, faint though that may be.

If Ukraine don't make big gains in the spring - summer this war will grind to a stalemate over a few years. Interesting to see where they attack and how weak the Russians are on the defensive.

We have seen minor Russian victories before, followed by catastrophic defeats. No need to assume anything different this time.

When did the frontline get smaller?

Ya'd assume Ukraine mined any area they fall back from

Why won't the Kharkiv counter attack happen again? It's happened TWICE already and no one thought it would.

Why shouldn't Ukraine counter? It may be in their best interest to counter to move Russians troops.

Who is putting pressure on Ukraine? What is the significance of the summer for liberation of settlements mentioned?

I'm just in a negative move lately with what's likely the fall of Bakhmut. The Eastern side is probably gone already and the north and south are Just about holding. Meanwhile Russia is pushing further West so I'm not in a positive mood right now.

The Kharkiv offensive came from a frontline which was not sufficiently manned or prepared. The extra troops from the mobilisation hadn't been deployed.

Russia had sent so many of it's best units to Kherson. That Luhansk front will never been undermanned again so any future breakthroughs will be much harder.

The Kherson retreat was inevitable as Ukraine had a major advantage. Russia couldn't adequately resupply their forces across the river. Now that they've retreated that entire front line along the river is not at risk of a Ukrainian push so the frontline has been massively shortened.

There are less place's for Ukraine to counter now. Only 2 realistic options are towards Melitopol and the Svatove/Kremina area. So the Russians will be prepared. I think the best hope is that Russia absolutely exhausts itself over the next 2/3 month's and before another mobilisation can come into effect Ukraine managed to successfully launch a big counter.

There's so much at stake for both sides. If Russia holds they could break Ukraines ability to breakthrough but if Ukraine are successful and take a city like Melitopol they could cut off the Russians and force a retreat to Crimea. And Crimea cut off by land and bridge blown again could become a massive logistical headache for Russia to supply enough in order to defend.

Part of me could see Ukraine retaking Crimea before Donetsk/Luhansk/Mariupol but so much needs to go right for them over the next few months.

The first 90 US Stryker vehicles have been unloaded in Germany getting ready to be sent to Ukraine,

Part of several hundred modern westen armored vehicles due to arrive over the next few weeks,

Armoured bridgeing vehicles are being sent to Ukraine too ,

Has anyone noticed how this "big" winter/spring offensive from Russia has taken place all along the Eastern front line from kupyansk to vuhledar?

Why haven't the Russians be striking along the southern frontline along the Zaporozhye front? Is this the sum of their capabilities?

It strikes me that Russian methods of advancement are becoming less and less sophisticated. When they began their (official) invasion of Ukraine, they looked to be attempting something that resembled a combined arms assault, wojus as it ended up. After a period of stagnation, came the iron rain, as Russia looked set to grind their way across Ukraine by burning through their entire Cold War shell stock. That tactic has also become less and less effective. Now, their latest attempt at achieving strategic goals is to just launch pure numbers of men at the problem. What will they do, if and when Ukraine gets something that makes this not even worthwhile? The summit with China seems like it will be pivotal for Putin...