Russia - threadbanned users in OP

Definitely possible. As per the guardian article I posted earlier, there are cracks in Ukraine's political front, also Klitschko basically said Ukraine is now a state in which one man makes almost the decisions and more questions are starting to be asked.

Zelensky has done a great job so far but patience with him may run out if this year does not go well

If they can hold what they have while pounding the Russians especially their oil infrastructure and its earning capacity they will do ok. Wait for the Russians to crack.

I dunno how the west welcomes every made in China, while China supports Russia. The West have a lot of leverage over China, time to use it. Already I'm seeing BYD cars everywhere

Maybe because everything is made in China, and to China, this war is as far from them as the Iraq war was from us.

Very few people in Europe were boycotting American products during the second Gulf war.

Russia could have kept lukewarm relations with the west, addressed any territorial conflicts with international law, diplomacy, even trade war.

Yet still could have kept the European fuel market (and kept making a tidy income), stayed free of international sanctions, kept those 250,000 lives, prevented brain drain and worker losses, spent billions less on military, kept their black sea fleet intact. They wouldn't have had to lock up protestors, or fight mysterious fires which keep popping up, or brown nose China. Their oligarch billions wouldn't be frozen. Wagner wouldn't have staged a near coup. And 100 other problems could have been avoided.

They even could possibly have shmoozed and romanced Ukraine to be their buddy. Now they have a multi generational sworn enemy. (while other powers gain an ally). And no doubt theres been gigantic intel leaking/transfers, to western countries by now, some of their best will have turned their back on the regime out of disgust, others can sense which way the wind is blowing and want to be in the good books, others still can see hot opportunities for quick cash/passports in all the chaos. Before it all falls down.

All this for marginal territorial gain.

All that is on one side of the books. And over on this side ... Avdiivka. Ruined hamlet, population 0. No economy.

What a win.

Funny how any facts that diverge from your opinion are labelled propaganda and smearing. Quite similar to the approach the Russian media takes.

Thankfully, Ukraine is moving towards an open, democratic society where debate and criticism are allowed. Something you seem very uncomfortable with.

This probably merits another thread? Pretty damning stuff too ..

"Now Ireland is again considering how best to deal with Russia, its sprawling Dublin embassy and the nefarious activities of its intelligence services on Irish soil amid warnings from western governments concerned about the potential for war on Europe’s eastern border.

The government is also coming under pressure from Europe to protect and police the waters off the Irish coast containing undersea cables amid fears of Russian interference ... The concern across Europe and Nato focuses on Ireland’s unwillingness to confront Russia and acknowledge the scale of the threat its spying agencies pose, and its inability to defend its own interests.

.... They ( defence forces, Garda ) also know Russia’s Federal Agency for Government Communications and Information (Fapsi) is spying here, deploying vans full of equipment that can intercept private communications. More recently, Ireland has been warned Unit 29155, an elite GRU unit that conducts sensitive foreign operations including assassinations and targeted attacks, might be operating here."

"I have no doubt Ukraine losses are not to far off the reported russian losses of about 300,000???"

I'm confused by your post. You mention hearing of a ratio of losses of 7 to 1 on part of the front yet you then go on to claim to have no doubt Ukrainian losses are not far off losses among the moskovytes. 7 to 1 is not that close a number between the two armies and you would need the ratio to be in favour of putin's troops in many areas to balance the type of ratio I remember being mentioned in relation to the assaults putin's forces were making on Bakhmut before Ukraine pulled its troops back to save lives in its armed forces.

The figure recorded by the armed forces of Ukraine for losses in putin's forces is over 400,000 and is clearly shown in my previous post yet you claim a number 100,000 less. Sounds to me like you are trying to inflate the losses of Ukraine's armed forces and reduce the estimated number of losses in putin's forces just to fit your theory that there is going to be a sudden shift in the conflict in favour of putin's terrorists. While I do think putin's terrorist state is a huge threat to Europe I can't see Ukraine allowing putin to have any sort of victory and will continue the slow bleed of his resources as we have consistently seen over the last two years of the more widespread war in Ukraine.

She's a ranting zealot with an infantile grasp of world affairs.

Ukraine we're due elections in March this year. Probably in Zelenski's interest to host them this year while he has enough support to win.

Forgetting about their politics for a min., I just don't think it is in Ukraine's interest to try to run elections while the war continues. It would be some shít show, that is guaranteed.

I suppose if this war carries on for a few more years (I hope not) they may eventually be forced to hold elections while at war/under invasion. At the moment they are probably better served (imo) putting them off, regardless of who in the country that favours/does not favour politically.

Related