Russia - threadbanned users in OP

Biden letting it slip Ukraine is running out of ammunition isn’t helpful.

You said one rule for the west, and another for everyone else. You oppose western double standards. Well done. To reiterate this does not mitigate against ongoing Russian Human Right abuses in Ukraine .

Nope, what I said is one rule for the west where it is meant to stringently uphold “human rights” of various groups with very tenuous claims on victimisation, while Russians, Saudis or whoever else have no care in the world resolutely NOT upholding “human rights” and at the same time find no impediment to chairing the UN Security Council or its ahem Human Rights Council. Those, worldwide-set, double standards is what I meant.

Russian soldiers attacking Ukraine have no human rights. If they don't see fit to surrender or turn around and go home, then they should be rendered 'combat ineffective' in whatever way is most efficient. Preferably, if they die, their deaths should be so swift as to be essentially painless, but I think Ukraine should prioritise Russian casualties over the most merciful method of inflicting them, unless these two things are one and the same.

There is a way to save these Russian lives, however, and it rests in mr. Putin's hands. Call off this war - let these young men go back to their families, work, and raise families of their own. Let them live lives of relative happiness and peace.

1. I don't think anyone is making the case against cluster munitions due to the human rights of Russian soldiers. Every opponent to this decision that I have seen or read is purely down to the lasting damage that these munitions will do long after the war
2. That argument is a moot point at this stage though given that the front lines are already littered with all sorts of mines and that the Russians have been extensively using cluster munitions since the very beginning. Having a unilateral ban at this stage would only help Russia, especially given that the Ukrainians face a shortage of ammunition and the USA has large stock piles of these weapons.
3. The people who will be most affected in the long-run by cluster munitions hidden on the land will be whomever holds this land into the future. Given that the Ukrainians are fighting to win this land then they are the only ones whose opinion truly matters. They want them. That's good enough for me.

The Kremlin's tactic for dealing with Prigozhin are becoming clearer and clearer

Putin probably thought if he eliminated him immediately after the revolt then there would be a danger that he could become a martyr. Instead he's letting his propagandists tear down Prigozhin's reputation first. I had to laugh at the performance of the main goober in this video - his "surprise" and "outrage" that they found a few handguns in the house and then the host clearing playing devil's advocate.

Deepstate map is your friend.

As your man on Sky News said, the clusters will be used a lot in areas that are mined anyway. Also, I believe, they will make a map of where they are used to make cleaning up easier.

No. I think you were right the first time. They are dismantling his reputation bit by bit, the wigs story is a testament to that also. If Prigozhin does not have dirt on Putin he will fall out a window or get food poisoning in a few months time. I wonder what is going on with the General? I read an article that said if he was charged with anything it would cause further dissension within the Russian Army.

The place is (a) littered with scum of the earth Russian soldiers and (b) littered with mines and booby traps put there by Russia.

I don't see any valid basis to assert they are putting their own population in any more danger than they currently face, either short or long term.

**** off.

Russia are using them, fight fire with fire.

Wish these idiots would just keep their mouth shut.

Where on the map does it display Ukrainian tactics?

I'd be reluctant to say that any one weapon or system will be the one to make the Russians break. After all the Russians have been using cluster bombs and thermobaric munitions (TOS-1) since the start of the war and have found it very difficult to break Ukrainian defensive lines. They'll certainly help the Ukrainians, especially if the alternative was running out of ammunition but I think it's wise to manage expectations about what they can achieve.

I also wouldn't bank on Russians breaking. If there's one thing they are experts in it is unquestionably absorbing suffering, often at the hands of their own leaders and commanders. Even when Russian units upload videos complaining about their conditions and leadership they often show an immense subservience to higher authorities. They either address the President directly or else they ask their relatives to petition local Governors or military officials. It's like they think that the problem is at a unit command level but the people higher up are either competent or compassionate. They don't seem to grasp that the entire system is rotten to the core.

That goes for the people back in Russia too. All you have to do is watch a few 1420 videos to realise that people are either buying the propaganda or have completely checked out. Zero chance or a grass roots revolution there anytime soon.

I would absolutely love to be proven wrong on any above by the way but that's my reading of the situation as it stands.

I think once it dawns on the average Russian Soliders that they are fighting for a loss cause many of them will fold. Putin at the moment is able to invoke the Stalingrad and Stalin doctrine of the heroic sacrifice for mother Russia but I feel a tipping point is coming. We have seen the cracks emerge with the Prigozhin rebellion. I feel once facts on the ground clearly demonstrate that Russia is on a hiding to nothing there might be a mass surrender of Russian troops and another attempt to remove Putin. I honestly can't see a halfway house solution here whereby America forces Ukraine to compromise and surrender territory. Putin has started something he can't finish and a day of reckoning is coming one way or the other for him. America has invested too much politically in all this for Putin to be able to declare any kind of Victory, which he will do if Ukraine does not claim back all of its territory.