Russia - threadbanned users in OP

Big fighting overnight near orekhiv in zaporozhia region.

Ukrainians have pushed russians back and taken some initial positions

Trick is, there's no danger of escalation I feel, it already escalated ages ago. Russia are in the process of trying to violently annex a neigbour and are thankfully for the sake of European democracy making a dogs dinner of the attempt.

I suggest that we should not fear "Russian Escalation", because I believe what we are witnessing in Ukraine is Russia's very best shot at a Total War, and are failing at it. This is it, this is the best they can do. Decrepit Soviet surplus weapons, untrained conscripts, a gaggle of undisiplined soliders for hire and "Wish.com" drone tech they have to buy from Iran.

But I do share your concerns for a destablised Russia. I fear that this is something we cannot avoid, nor is it something that can be prevented by *not pissing the Russians off*. They are plenty pissed off already, the Russian world is collapsing and only the most obtruse bell-ends in the West even like them anymore. Ukraine needs to get all the gear, training and help they can get. When all this is done, Ukraine and the Eastern NATO nations will need to contain an increasing unstable Russia.

Best case, a pro-demorcratic movement in Russia to replace Putin's lot and try to bring that place to some kind of sanity. Disavow Putin's nonsense, repay Ukraine for what has happened, give up war criminals and then rejoin the world in peace. Might take a generation, and it will require military defeat in Ukraine, but I like to hope that a reformed Russia might be something we see in the future.

Regarding Belarus. Their army is very small compared to Russia or Ukraine and is mostly armed with Soviet hand-me-downs. Russia aleady use their territory as a staging area, which is what they really need from them, so I see an offical joining of Belarus into the fight to mostly be a symbolic measure, which is probably part of why they have stayed out. Unless Belarus strike West into a NATO nation, I don't feel like they will be a factor here.

I know it sounds ludicrous at this point in history, but the fervent hope of the ordinary Russian should be...to join the EU.

I wouldn't want them to join.... Their people are so indoctrinated I actually believe they are beyond help at this stage.

Great, feeding the narcissists ego's and creating polarising opinions through fake news. As another poster said, twitter is a cesspit.

Possible they suffered hits, but no indication the tanks are out of service

They need high tech drones and air defence more than tanks it seems.

If they are Leopards there is no denying it’s a disaster and not a good sign for Ukraine having success.

It looks like the counter offensive is ramping up. The next couple of week's could be crucial.

Lol. Best give up now eh? That way none of their tanks get destroyed! All unconfirmed twaddle from a Russian source. And in any case it looked like the APC that got hit. Also one damaged tank does not a failed offensive make.

Like i said before. There's going to be a huge amount of unconfirmed shite swirling around from the russian propoganda machine. That could be anything from pictures of one destroyed leopard from different angles made to look like 20. Blurry pictures of supposed leopards from a distance. Pictures and videos from ages ago that show something being hit etc etc... All to hurt the morale of Ukraine and their supporters. This is what it's designed to do, so they have every incentive to lie.

There's a channel called suchomimus on youtube who posts reviews of these kinds of videos. I'll wait for him.

Free dinner.

A Ukrainian column hit hard.

The vehicle in the ditch looks like a donated Swedish CV-90.

Pretty certain that's an old video from around 6 months ago - not recent.

I think I would disagree with the comments made earlier about not wanting Russia to self implode.

While Russia operates as a single entity, conquering forces are looking outward towards Ukraine. If the republics within Russia start to defect and strive for independence, that's more power whittled away from the whole. And based on a lot of what we've seen during this war, It sounds like there is very little for the republics to miss if they annex themselves. It wouldn't be ideal for those within Russia as it stands today as they deal with the fallout of striving for independence but the reality here is that Russia as a country as large as it is doesn't seem to work.