Posted on 04/25/2022 4:02:48 AM PDT by GonzoII
Russia has stumbled again. Its southern offensive, the second phase of the Ukraine war, has failed to be the "biggest tank war since World War II," as some analysts were predicting. Instead, Russia's ground forces have shown the same lackluster performance on the ground, unable to break through anywhere. The towns and villages of the south, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday, "are the places where the fate of this war and the future of our state is being decided, now."Experts point to May 9th—Victory Day in Russia commemorating the surrender of Nazi Germany in 1945—as the next decisive milestone for Vladimir Putin. By that date, they say, Russia will either find some way to declare some kind of victory and cease fighting, or May 9th will trigger a transition from Russia's "special military operation" to "war." Then Russia will undertake a mobilization on a national scale to defeat Ukraine, with the threat of Moscow escalating further.
On the ground, though, Putin's forces are now spread thin, exhausted, and show no real signs of renewal. U.S. military and intelligence observers tell Newsweek the big offensive expected in the south has already turned into a deadlock: neither side can fully defeat the other, they say.
"Russia is again depending on long-range air strikes, artillery and rocket fire to pave the way for the ground forces to be able to advance," a senior U.S. Army officer, granted anonymity in order to discuss operational matters, told Newsweek via email. "But it can't support an offensive on the giant front it has now created. Super-motivated Ukrainian forces have not only held their own and even advanced in some places, but they are watching the enemy again stumble. Yes, Russia is fighting—but Ukraine is winning."....
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
"Closer to Russia border, in and around Kharkiv, Moscow lost the most during the week. Though Russia continued intense artillery attacks and air strikes into built-up urban areas, the perimeter of Ukrainian territorial control around the city widened. Ukraine also managed to liberate a number of towns and villages around the periphery of the city, according to governor Oleh Synehubov. In fact, U.S. intelligence observers say, Russia seems to have given up altogether on the goal of taking Ukraine's largest city—just as it gave up on Kyiv, another major defeat."
“Putin has to win by May 9th. Because I said so.”
"Russia seems to have given up altogether on the goal of taking Ukraine's largest city"
Prolly just some kind of head-fake. they didn't really plan on taking it......../s. ;0)
Sure, he just declares Ukraine denazified, and withdraws what’s left of his tanks.
No matter how bad the defeat, Putin will declare victory.
By May 9th, the Putinists on this forum will be arguing that there wasn’t even an invasion at all, just a low level special operation that succeeded in dismantling all the secret nukes and bioweapons and scooped up all of Hunter Biden’s files which will be BOOM BAM BING BOW TICK TOCK on a Russia Today show (because the Putinists no longer like Hannity).
Well, he likely helped Macron get re-elected.
The so-called sanctions are a joke.
How’s he losing?
America is being invaded.
I think in the mind of Putin and these three key military figures at the top level....they can still attain some end-point where Ukraine comes to a table...signs a treaty of some type, and Putin proclaims all the Nazis dead.
I no longer think this is a possible outcome, and that Ukraine has the ability to continue some guerilla war with Russia contributing some tanks/APCs/helicopters on a daily basis to some ‘pit’ and ending the usefulness of a hundred-odd Russian conscripts each day (either dead or wounded enough to never be productive again).
Prepare accordingly.
Funny, but I don't see those comparisons between Russian recruitment ads and the woke American recruitment ads any more.
.
wrong thread
i may save 10% by switching to Geico in 14 days
Experts point to May 9th...
—
Every MSM article that invokes the phrase “experts say” or “fact check” is propaganda masquerading as news.
Footage of crash of spinning Russian jet (reportedly su-34) parachutes also seen
Ukrainians just shot down ANOTHER Russian SU-34 fighter-bomber over Kharkiv today
Videos:
In an uncontrolled flatspin before impact
https://twitter.com/TWMCLtd/status/1518551080510103552
Impact
https://twitter.com/TWMCLtd/status/1518552970211823617
I have no dog in this fight. For all I care, Putin can nuke Europe and the only thing I will miss is taking my wife there to sightsee when we retire in a few years. However, I think Putin made his point. They can turn off oil and gas to the rest of Europe whenever they so desire and know the United States will not do anything to alleviate the shortfall without having to provide gas and oil for domestic purposes. That will piss off the left.
I said from the beginning, this war is about energy and money. Ukraine is the Deep State and Russian Oligarchy bankers and someone did something real stupid which caused this mess. My bet is it was Biden.
True, Ukraine is just a smoke screen for the invasion of the USA. Along with Covid panic. If Covid were real the border would be shut.
If he just withdraws, the Ukes will surely go after the areas Russia gobbled up in 2014 including Sevastopol.
I think the Ukes should use this opportunity to take back eastern Ukraine.
Crimea is probably a harder battle because of geography. And I don't know what the people there would support.
I read the east has been controlled by Putin supported thugs that have just run roughshot over people's rights. They may well want to be liberated by Ukraine even if they are Russian speaking.
?
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