How Putin's Kharkiv Gamble Backfired

Newsweek ^ | 6/4/2024 | David Brennan

[marcusmaximus]

Russia's new offensive into Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region has done what months of lobbying from President Volodymyr Zelensky could not: secured Kyiv's ability to fire advanced Western weapons at Moscow's forces within their borders.

The Russian drive into the Kharkiv border region—where fighting is ongoing some 15 miles north of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city and an important political, economic, and cultural center—has prompted Kyiv's NATO backers into a flurry of diplomatic and military activity, with the result that Ukrainian cross-border strikes are now ravaging Russian forces operating in the Belgorod region.

[JonPreston]

[JonPreston]

Did you actually mean to say this?

"We actually win wars, by not going for the official win"

[JonPreston]

How about Russia gets out of Ukraine

Aren't they in Russia?

[adorno]

"We actually win wars, by not going for the official win"

Okay, dopey.

See if you can answer this...

How many wars has the U.S. been engaged in, in the last 80 years, and how many did we win, and how many did we lose, and how many did we go and take possession of? How many of those wars have we had to fight again? How many of those wars ended with no one declared the clear winner? How many of those wars were officially ended with surrender by the losing party? How many of those losers came back for more fighting? How many of the losing parties continue being hostile but 'afraid' to re-engage with the U.S. in a war?

And, don't come back with telling me that it is I that has to answer your question. It is you that has to understand what it means to 'win'. Otherwise, get lost and stop annoying people.

[Zhang Fei]

Ukraine ping

This is the truth seldom highlighted with all the hype surrounding drones.

---

[”Drones are just toys; they can’t damage lots of tanks or heavy equipment,” he said of the previous scale of cross-border Ukrainian operations. “But HIMARS can.”]

---

The one thing drones have going for them is dispersion. A single howitzer costs millions and can be destroyed by one well-aimed Russian JDAM-equivalent. The millions for one howitzer would buy hundreds of drones that can’t be taken out by a single bomb. Drones are less effective, but they’re a reasonable response to the Western refusal to supply Ukraine with the jet fighters needed to replace the prewar fleet’s losses to combat and wear and tear and reluctance to provide more air defense batteries to Ukraine. Without adequate protection from Russian air strikes, drones are one way to disperse Ukraine’s firepower.

[marcusmaximus]

Chasiv Yar by “Victory Day” 2024 2027!

[JonPreston]

In your example, how did we ‘win’ by losing?

[glorgau]

The whole “offensive” was nothing but a ploy to draw and fix Uke reserves to that area. Worked quite well - ruskies in that area are now outnumbered.

[adorno]

In your example, how did we ‘win’ by losing?

You didn't answer my questions. Do that, and I may answer yours. But, if you answer my questions correctly, you will have answered your own question.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

ZEEPER FOLLIES PINGLIST!

(((PING!)))

[JonPreston]

This isn't a question, it's more of a word salad.

What does it mean?

"We actually win wars, by not going for the official win

[kiryandil]

Zeeper front line soft. Unable to rise to the occasion and offer stiff resistance. Discipline low, privates do not salute properly. Better Defense, Strong Military (BDSM) program

not stronk, like bull.

[adorno]

This isn't a question, it's more of a word salad. What does it mean?

It means that, it's way beyond your capacity to understand.

[Darksheare]

No, you just went overly verbose in saying the same exact thing.
And then you did a strutting poodle at the end of your post.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Zhang Fei.

[JonPreston]

It means that

Example(s) please.

[laplata]

You’re right. It’s Crony Capitalism at new heights of corruption

[bimboeruption]

>>>>Kharkiv in 3 days!<<<<

Crimea by Christmas!

[laplata]

I have been gone but will check it out. Stupidity is impossible to defend.

[PIF]

155mm M982 Excalibur cost 100,000 range, most other shells cost hundreds.

No planes were sent because UKR pilots could not use Western fighters, since to them it (without training and maintenance), it would be like asking the random freshman college student to fly a UFO.

F-16s look like Russia fighters in that they both have wings, tails and jet engines, but the simularity ends there.