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Even With Military’s Underperformance, Kremlin Likely to Achieve Land Grab: US Security Expert, It's Only a Matter of Time
Epoch Times ^ | 03/12/2022 | Masooma Haq and Steve Lance

Posted on 03/12/2022 7:25:55 PM PST by SeekAndFind

Jim Hanson, a retired member of the U.S. Army Special Forces and president of the Security Studies Group, said in his assessment, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s plan in Ukraine is developing according to the Kremlin’s initial goals, except that the Russian military is floundering.

“I’ve known what his ultimate goal was from the beginning, and it was to gain recognition for Crimea, to take official control of the two Russian-speaking provinces, and at that point, to use a further incursion into Ukraine proper as a bargaining chip to get sanctions removed,” Hanson told the host of NTD’s Capitol Report, Steve Lance, in a March 8 interview.

“I think this is playing out pretty much as Vlad expected, except for the fact that his military vastly underperformed.” He said that Ukraine has been using the anti-aircraft equipment it has to undermine Russia’s military.

“What they also have, though, is the Russians have been not particularly good at the tactics they’ve been using. I mean, one of the more famous shots is an attack helicopter being ambushed. And you can’t ambush an attack helicopter unless it’s flying a route you knew it was going to be on.”

“So, I think the Russians are making some mistakes. And I think the technology and the capabilities that Ukraine had and has been given have made it a lot more dangerous for the Russians to think they can fly unopposed.”

Hanson said the offer from Poland, a NATO member, to give fighter jets to the United States, who would, in turn, give those jets to Ukraine, is making the war more dangerous.

“It absolutely heightens tensions between the U.S. and Russia because … at some level, those are NATO aircraft. I mean, Poland can give them to Ukraine and say, ‘Well, this is outside of our function as a NATO member.’ Putin does not see it that way and does not have to see it that way, and I think that vastly increases the danger.”

Hanson sees the Kremlin’s demands to take Crimea and the two provinces of Luhansk and Donetsk like an off-ramp to the war, as the land Putin is asking for is already either aligned with Russia or under its control.

“Crimea is definitely part of Russia at this point, for all intents and purposes, the two Russian-speaking provinces were in everything but name, and now they’re asking for independence. And at that point, if they’re independent, they will almost certainly join the Russian Federation.”

Hanson said another of Putin’s demands is that Ukraine not join NATO. So far, Ukraine has turned down Russia’s demands. Hanson believes Ukrainians have shown Putin they will not submit to his violent attempts to take their country.

“I don’t believe it really ever was [Putin’s] goal to take and keep Ukraine, because I can’t imagine many places other than Afghanistan that would have a more powerful and dangerous insurgency if you managed to topple their government.”

Hanson said if Russia did try to occupy Ukraine, they would “keep it at a very, very high cost in blood and treasure.”



TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Russia
KEYWORDS: armchairgeneral; exmilitaryexpert; hereadspurinsmind; invasion; jimhanson; ooglyboogly; russia; ukraine
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1 posted on 03/12/2022 7:25:55 PM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Please don’t post that here, the media, DNC, Soros, and their apologists here want us to thing that Ukraine is winning.

You make it only more difficult for them.


2 posted on 03/12/2022 7:30:28 PM PST by BobL (I eat at McDonald's and shop at Walmart, I just don't tell anyone.)
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To: BobL

Errr... I post ANYTHING that I find interesting. Each reader will have to decide for himself whether to believe it or not.


3 posted on 03/12/2022 7:31:39 PM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Why would anyone believe the media?


4 posted on 03/12/2022 7:32:39 PM PST by wastedyears (The left would kill every single one of us and our families if they knew they could get away with it)
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To: SeekAndFind

Underperforming?

The Russkies are just warming up.


5 posted on 03/12/2022 7:33:21 PM PST by miserare ( Respect for life--life of all kinds-- is the first principle of civilization.~~A. Schweitzer.)
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To: SeekAndFind

LOL, that’s fine.


6 posted on 03/12/2022 7:34:20 PM PST by BobL (I eat at McDonald's and shop at Walmart, I just don't tell anyone.)
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To: BobL
want us to thing

We don’t want you to thing such a thing. Be of good cheer. Ukraine might well lose, but Russia will pay for the “win”.

7 posted on 03/12/2022 7:35:10 PM PST by windsorknot
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To: BobL

Joe Biden wants us to believe he is the winner in all this and the Russkies lost but “We The People” know the hard truth we are the losers not to mention the folks in Ukraine who went through all this crap to try to prop up Biden.


8 posted on 03/12/2022 7:35:16 PM PST by Nextrush (FREEDOM IS EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS REMEMBER PASTOR NIEMOLLER)
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To: wastedyears

RE: Why would anyone believe the media?

A significant chunk of articles posted in Fr are from the media. You don’t have to believe them if you don’t want to.


9 posted on 03/12/2022 7:35:51 PM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

These ex-military are popping up all over the place.

I saw that creep Petraeus on Kilmeade this evening.

Old soldiers never die, they just keep getting regurgitated on FOX.

Puke! 🤮


10 posted on 03/12/2022 7:39:48 PM PST by miserare ( Respect for life--life of all kinds-- is the first principle of civilization.~~A. Schweitzer.)
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To: SeekAndFind

“...one of the more famous shots is an attack helicopter being ambushed. And you can’t ambush an attack helicopter unless it’s flying a route you knew it was going to be on.”

And a camera was conveniently located in the right spot and facing the right direction to capture the kill shot. The camera was steady indicating it was mounted, but it slightly tracked the helo after it was hit. I was wondering how that video was captured.


11 posted on 03/12/2022 7:47:37 PM PST by ProtectOurFreedom (“Today I will do what others won't, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can't.” ~ Jerry Rice)
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To: BobL

I’m on Ukraine’s side, but even I know your hero will take Ukraine.


12 posted on 03/12/2022 7:50:06 PM PST by roving
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To: SeekAndFind
I think the strong Ukrainian resistance has kind of thrown a kink into the playbook. We all know that Biden telegraphed to Putin that we were fine with him taking the Seperatist regions in Ukraine, so you can figure the EU was on board as well.

The plan was that Russia would swoop in and demolish Ukrainian resistance in a matter of days, (according to the Russian battle plan, they thought it would over in 4 days and didn't even carry enough provisions for more than a week). The West would make a show of wringing their hands and putting some sanctions on Russia. Then Ukraine would be forced to the bargaining table, Russia would get what they wanted, and West would quietly remove the sanctions in a couple months.

Except Ukraine actually put up a real fight. They stalled Russia for days, then weeks and we are now into the third week and Russia is still barely advancing.

So now the West is kind of stuck, they have to bow to public pressure and take some "real" action against Russia, and the longer the war goes on, the more anti-Russian sentiment will force them to do even more.

That's why you are seeing some leaders getting desperate and essentially begging Ukraine to surrender "for the good of the Ukrainian people".

13 posted on 03/12/2022 7:50:11 PM PST by apillar
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To: wastedyears

Why don’t you go to Ukraine and tells us what is happening? Who do you recommend we get info from? Are we to ignore all info and yell fake news?

Or, is it are to only listen to Russian news like it seems these Russian bots want us to?


14 posted on 03/12/2022 7:54:27 PM PST by roving
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To: roving

“I’m on Ukraine’s side, but even I know your hero will take Ukraine.”

Not sure Putin’s my hero, yet. It depends on whether he can break up the DNC/Soros/media/Green block that’s in the process of DESTROYING Western society.

If he’s able to do that, then yes, he will be my hero.


15 posted on 03/12/2022 7:56:40 PM PST by BobL (I eat at McDonald's and shop at Walmart, I just don't tell anyone.)
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To: BobL

Only a fool would question the ultimate outcome of the war. But military victories are not political victories—and Russia will pay dearly for this.

One can be objective about that, and still be satisfied with every 45 mm ruble payout to some Russian mom.


16 posted on 03/12/2022 7:57:48 PM PST by Vermont Lt
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To: All
3-F6-B4-C8-D-D1-D7-4-DE0-88-B8-1-BD9295-CF957
17 posted on 03/12/2022 8:00:06 PM PST by AnthonySoprano (And the Wuhan Flu came from a food market and Joe Biden comes from the black community )
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To: SeekAndFind

“Hanson said the offer from Poland”

Bull. Poland was responding to the US Blinken’s “green light”. We were the ones escalating the war, not Poland.


18 posted on 03/12/2022 8:00:55 PM PST by alternatives? (The only reason to have an army is to defend your borders.)
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To: Vermont Lt

“One can be objective about that, and still be satisfied with every 45 mm ruble payout to some Russian mom.”

First part makes perfect sense, as it perfectly explains Vietnam and other US ‘adventures’, but the second part is not understandable to me. Might you be able to explain it?


19 posted on 03/12/2022 8:01:30 PM PST by BobL (I eat at McDonald's and shop at Walmart, I just don't tell anyone.)
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To: BobL

When a Russian soldier is killed, thei momma gets $45 from the government.

Dead Russian soldiers is usually a good thing for the world.


20 posted on 03/12/2022 8:03:28 PM PST by Vermont Lt
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