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Russia Intensifies Assaults on an Exhausted Ukraine
The New York Times ^ | Nov. 20, 2024 | Marc Santora

Posted on 11/20/2024 10:34:52 AM PST by E. Pluribus Unum

A small band of Ukrainian soldiers was trapped. They were holding the line on the battlefield, but Russian forces had managed to creep in behind their trench and encircle them.

“Even if the position holds, supplies — ammunition, provisions — eventually run out,” Capt. Viacheslav, the 30-year-old commander of an elite drone unit, said last week as he monitored events from an outpost a few miles away in eastern Ukraine. “Any vehicle attempting to reach these positions will be ambushed.”

“We are always getting stuck in these kinds of tough situations,” he said.

As the war in Ukraine enters its fourth winter and the first snowfall blankets cratered fields strewed with bodies, the situations are only growing tougher for Ukrainian forces.

Gen. Oleksandr Syrsky, Ukraine’s top military commander, recently said his forces were fighting to hold back “one of the most powerful Russian offensives from launching a full-scale invasion.”

Ukraine got a boost on Sunday when the United States, after months of pressure from Kyiv, granted permission for Ukraine to use American-provided weapons to fire deeper into Russia.

But the election of Donald J. Trump to the American presidency this month injected an extra dose of uncertainty over the fate of the Ukrainian war effort.

While questions over whether the United States would continue to provide robust military support to Ukraine have resulted in a frenzy of diplomatic activity around the world, nowhere will those decisions be felt more acutely than on the front lines, where beleaguered Ukrainian troops are engaged in a fierce and bloody defense of their land.

Outnumbered by more than six to one along some stretches of the front, soldiers and commanders say they are hindered by a lack of combat infantry after years of heavy fighting and, just as important, by a...

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Humor
KEYWORDS: marcsantora; russia; ukraine; zeepershasthesads

1 posted on 11/20/2024 10:34:52 AM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

No more time to waste between now and Jan 20th. This will go from a war of attrition to an outright slaughter here shortly. Good. Maybe then we’ll see an end to it.


2 posted on 11/20/2024 10:44:29 AM PST by dware (Americans prefer peaceful slavery over dangerous freedom)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Did you know that Russian egg and butter prices are still rather high?


3 posted on 11/20/2024 10:48:19 AM PST by janetjanet998 (Legacy media including youtube are the enemy of the people and must die)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

If you use the words “Ukrainian” and “cauldron” in a sentence, any Ukrainians hearing the sentence will start to shudder uncontrollably.


4 posted on 11/20/2024 10:56:24 AM PST by BEJ
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
“A small band of Ukrainian soldiers was trapped,” the story begins. Marc Santora knows, because he was there with them. Or maybe not.
5 posted on 11/20/2024 10:57:50 AM PST by Worldtraveler once upon a time (Degrow government)
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To: dware

The little I have read here reminds me of Grant’s grinding war against Lee and, especially, the Battle of Petersburg. Grant just kept flanking Lee in small maneuvers that gradually stretched Lee’s army to the breaking point. Looks like the Russians are using the same kind of tactics against the Ukrainians. Since there are only 30 million Ukrainians versus about 150,000,000 Russians, the outcome is inevitable, as it was at Petersburg.


6 posted on 11/20/2024 11:48:20 AM PST by libstripper
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To: libstripper

Then how did Ukraine kick Russia out of Crimea ?

After 3 years why is Russia still not even close to taking Ukraine?

I know you will not answer....you will just attack me....


7 posted on 11/20/2024 11:55:03 AM PST by POGO163
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

elite drone unit
Drone operators probably get the same summary treatment given snipers, and SS in WWII.


8 posted on 11/20/2024 12:28:40 PM PST by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: all armed conservatives)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Ukraine has absolutely no path to victory, none. It was all lost on their failed infamous Summer Offensive. St Z and vegetable head Joe are only insuring “to the last Ukrainian “ is fulfilled. Very, very, very sore losers.

When the Ukrainian people realize what senile Joe and St Z did to them, they will hate the West for decades…possibly inviting Russia and China in to help rebuild their decimated country.


9 posted on 11/20/2024 12:41:43 PM PST by delta7
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To: libstripper

Truth be told, I figured when this all started, Russia would have it basically wrapped up in a month or two, if not less. So I wonder is Russia truly a paper bear, or have they simply been sitting back and making it look so? Clearly we’re seeing an uptick in their activity. Perhaps we will see more of the strength I think many of us imagined Russia had? Is this Russia’s last stand until Trump is inaugurated? Will we find out who shot JR? Stay tuned!


10 posted on 11/20/2024 1:01:52 PM PST by dware (Americans prefer peaceful slavery over dangerous freedom)
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To: POGO163

“I know you will not answer....you will just attack me..”

No, I’ll just remind you that at a certain point, as Joe Stalin said, “quantity becomes quality,” which pretty well sums up what is gradually happening to Ukraine.

Now, how did I attack you.


11 posted on 11/20/2024 1:58:43 PM PST by libstripper
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To: POGO163
...you will just attack me....

That's pretty funny, given that you call people "Russian bots", who have been here decades longer than you. Guess those dang Ruskies had a lot of foresight, having so many "bots" sign up on FreeRepublic that far in advance!

;^)

12 posted on 11/20/2024 2:47:24 PM PST by Who is John Galt? ("...mit Pulver und Blei, Die Gedanken sind frei!")
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

NYT is propaganda
paywall = worthless


13 posted on 11/20/2024 2:52:09 PM PST by CarolinaReaganFan
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To: dware
So I wonder is Russia truly a paper bear

They took crazy casualties. Anyone else would have given up by now.

But not Russia.

Which is what Valerii Zaluzhnyi (Ukrainian Commander in Chief) said.

14 posted on 11/20/2024 2:54:39 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: Who is John Galt?

Knew you would not answer because ...reality disagrees with your preaching...


15 posted on 11/20/2024 5:18:56 PM PST by POGO163
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To: Who is John Galt?

And your visiting this site longer than you think I have makes your comments more valid than mine? That is not a valid basis for correctness.


16 posted on 11/20/2024 5:22:09 PM PST by POGO163
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To: POGO163
Knew you would not answer because ...reality disagrees with your preaching...

Three simple facts:
1) you didn't ask me a question
2) I'm not a preacher
3) reality disagrees with your assumption that long-term Freepers are "Russian bots"

;^)

17 posted on 11/20/2024 5:29:10 PM PST by Who is John Galt? ("...mit Pulver und Blei, Die Gedanken sind frei!")
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