Russia - threadbanned users in OP

"What stalled counter offensive"

The counter offensive wasn't going to take place until all their forces had been trained and equipped,and reorganized into battalions, then they needed the Tanks and IFVs to arrive so they could train the operators and maintainers,and set up repair and support hubs ,and the third part of the plan was waiting for the weather to heat up and the ground to firm up ,

This all has to happen before the Counter offensive begins,

Where are you going with stalled, do you actually understand what your saying or just making it up

You could call it stalled in relation to the expectation that it was going to start by now. That's not stalled as in 'failed' though, just stalled as in not moving yet. It's all a pretty minor semantic point, though. Most of us accept that Ukraine is still preparing.

Actually Putin tried to take all of Ukraine and failed.This time last year, Russian held much more territory than they do now, because Ukraine has retaken most of that territory. They have done that with much less equipment and military hardware than they have presently. What Russia has taken in the same time is fractional compared to what they have lost, but the price in manpower and equipment has been horrendous. Russia will be defeated, and Ukraine inc. Crimea returned to its rightful owners, which will not be the Russians that Putin is transplanting into areas where he is busy ethnically cleansing of Ukrainians.

I'd say that currently getting to within the proverbial asses roar of the real Putin would be nothing short of a miracle!!!. He has surrounded himself with many layer's of human insulation, whose health and wellbeing ( inc, their families) are directly related to his ( Putins) health and well being.

The kidnapping of Ukrainan children is Genocide according to the Parliamentary council of Europe,

It's about time it's been a called out for what it is , Genocide meanwhile they chair the UN while committing genocide

It does equate to genocide and fair play to them for not sticking to the black & white definition. You don't have to kill anyone to erase a people, what they're doing can result in the same and the only difference is the long game played.

I noticed this on a Telegram channel. It included this video. My take is that the explosion might be linked the activities of the whisperer or their friends.

It was reported they tried a fairly large assault, but Russian artillery was over whelming,and they called it off,

But this will be denied,made out to be Kremlin propaganda,

But hey it's boards

No, but I'd definitely keep the windows closed...and the air-con off ( it it has one.......)

This is absolutely absurd revisionism.

The Russian force that invaded Ukraine was absolutely not "comically small". It was the size it needed to be to militarily defeat Ukraine in a lightning campaign using what should've been Russia's massive advantage in equipment and technology.

It wasn't defeated just because Ukraine put up a fight. It was defeated because Russian leadership, equipment, tactical, logistical and combined arms ability are non existent, which literally no-one expected, probably least of all Putin himself.

They have suffered absolutely horrendous losses in Ukraine. Their air force, which should have established air superiority on day one, hasn't turned up despite its size, because their training and ability to work with other branches is appallingly poor. The idea that the current situation is as a result of Russia somehow holding back is utter drivel.

If the Russian Armed Forces were performing as they should have based on their annual budget, which is 10x that of Ukraine (that's even allowing for Ukraine's recent increase since 2014), they should have rolled over Ukraine in the first few days in a somewhat less-dominant, but not entirely dissimilar fashion to how the coalition utterly demolished Iraq in both Gulf Wars.

Even before any meaningful Western support arrived Russia were performing utterly horribly, due to their own colossal ineptitude.

It's actually more comparable to the massive Arab armies attacking Israel simultaneously and still getting utterly destroyed. Russian Armed Forces are rotten with corruption and nepotism and it's laid bare for the world to see in their performance in Ukraine. It's basically an enormous horde army, not a modern 21st century army as even experts expected.

Of course they're still inflicting damage, of course they're still dangerous, of course they can still make some gains potentially. But we're talking about a $5bn army fighting a $60bn army to a total attrition stalemate that's like a conflict somewhere in between the First and Second World War, an artillery and infantry grinder.

Putin has humiliated himself and the Russian Armed Forces, and set Russia on a path to utter ruin and you actually have the balls to insinuate it's part of some calculated plan, really quite unbelievable.

It's very hush hush. But I think theu called it off before it became a mass casualty event.they couldn't get enough of a foothold.

That's what I'm thinking, trying to cross a river under artillery fire and at night, you've literally no where to hide and you can't risk calling in artillery or missles on or close to a nuclear power plant,

River assaults are difficult even in near perfect conditions ,in the middle of winter under darkness and artillery and gunfire, fair balls to them for even trying

...Why do people spin stories in their head to preserve a myth of Putin the Stragetic Genius Strongman?

One type (seen on this website) seems to be people who just find democracy, the whole process and the kind of people it throws up as politicians and leaders distasteful and soiled. They are aching for the day a strong "father" like Putin the Spymaster Genius (thinking and planning 10 moves ahead) will arise to take bumbling weak woke Western countries like Ireland in hand and get things done right!

Be honest with yourself, Russia/Putin tried to conquer the whole country and f-cked up badly.

They are caught on the point of a stick now but I suppose what does it matter to Putin and co who call all the shots...to paraphrase "some of you [or many of you!] may have to die quite horribly, but that is a sacrifice I am glad to make for the glory of Russia and my legacy!"

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