Russia - threadbanned users in OP

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.

That's hilarious 😂

I've been wondering roughly what percentage of Russian artillery has been taken out so have tried to get a rough ball park figure.

Using this as a starting point:

(I'm assuming that that number includes MLRSs since no separate figure was given for those)

The Oryx database gives a minimum eliminated figure, since that tracks all visible neutralisations. Their numbers are:

• Towed Artillery - 250
• Self-propelled Artillery - 441
• MLRS - 230

For a grand total of 921

At the other end of the estimation spectrum we have the Ukrainian MoD's figures:

• Artillery - 4,330
• MLRS - 658

For a grand total of 4,988

That's quite the difference. Safe to say that the true number lies somewhere in between. The MoD's numbers seem overly optimistic purely because if true it would mean that the Russian's would have run out of artillery pieces. Clearly that hasn't happened and what's more there doesn't seem to be any rumblings that that's going to happen any time soon.

Ruble Euro parity.

Nothing shows the gap in age between the Millennials running Ukraine and the gerontocracy running Russia than their respective media campaigns.

Russian MoD messaging always takes itself so seriously. There's never any fun or humour in it. It's all about conveying "Russia Strong". It's often just looped footage of Russian soldiers in suspiciously clean uniforms on maneuvers or even just this guy reeling off a bunch of made up figures each night

In contrast, Ukrainian MoD messaging:

Yes, and so true.