Russia - threadbanned users in OP

The latest from Bakhmut Demon.

There's a lot of evidence to suggest that the Russians replaced Wagner with recently mobilized forces who have been struggling to contain the Ukrainian counter-attacks.

I get the feeling this is a diversionary attack to try and pull Russian forces from the south. The Ukrainians have been consistently talking up attacks around Bakhmut for two months now. Makes me think they are trying to goad Putin into reinforcing the area.

The Russians are their own worst enemy it seems lol, what better way to bolster their war effort than to imprison some of the more competent generals.

Surovikin began the large scale bombing of infrastructure, and constructed a huge network of defensive lines in the south, east, and in Belgorod/kursk on the border. I think it was him who ordered retreat from Kherson too, which was the right call from a strategic pov else they would have eventually been trapped on the north bank.

Once gerasimov was appointed as head of the war above surovikin, the bombings became more indiscriminate attacks on civilians, there was a failed winter offensive, and then an attempted coup in protest at how sh*t gerasimov and shoigu are at leading the military

Thank God Putin values loyalty above competence, if this keeps up Ukraine surely will be able to sever the landbridge

I know we are all concerned about these massive Russian fortification lines that have yet to be encountered,

But,

Are we sure Russia has the manpower, will or resources to man then?

Sorry to be a broken record but RE: Putin out and about meeting people. He ain't running the show anymore. Somebody is telling him that he needs to keep up appearances, to say XYZ, to attend XYZ.

Prigozhin had insurance when they went on the match and were not obliterated. Whatever the insurance is, it is dictating whatever Vladimir Putin is doing right now. He has been beyond uncharacteristic this week. And he knows himself as former KGB, behaving uncharacteristically is a view for suspicion.

If the doubles survive, they could play Putin in any movie about the war!

They found Prigozhin.

Putting my dictator hat on for a moment (😈), I think you're right. Putin's power lies in fear and coercion. If he fails to make an example of anyone who plotted against him, then that power is diminished.

That by the way is why he was so keen on ordering the murders of Skripal, Litvinenko etc.

Putin seems to have a fear of making martyrs of people. Navalny and Murza are two outspoken critics who are both in jail and both he could have had killed a long time ago, yet he has allowed both to live. For now, at least.

Tbf, he's tried to poison a lot of people.

I'm convinced Putin has some sort of Winning Streak wheel in his office, but instead of money where the ball lands on, you have posion, windows, stairs, drowning, etc

The Russians have withdrawn behind the white line at Robotyne. That line roughly corresponds with the defensive lines that were photographed and can be found on the deepstate map.

Here's some evidence of discontent

Good stuff.

Aside: I know they're a convict group so have likely had particularly horrific lives but I'm always struck by how much healthier Ukrainian soldiers look than Russian ones. The Russians often seem to be missing teeth are either overweight or rake thin and just look haggard. If they didn't come from a prison they were probably out in the sticks somewhere drinking themselves to death before this war. I don't recall ever seeing a group of healthy, young Russian troops in Ukraine (they must save them for marching in parades in Red Square)

I was reading that Ukrainian houses are much more upmarket than Russian ones - most Russians live in kips of apartments, totally run down and impoverished. The average Ukrainian has a better standard of living, more western in outlook.