Posted on 09/17/2022 4:24:26 PM PDT by libh8er
Vladimir Putin built his dictatorship on two core foundations: ruthless control of his nation, whether fleecing its wealth with his pals or silencing dissident voices, and restoration of Russian glory in the wake of the Soviet Union unravelling.
So the diminutive despot posed as the modern-day successor to Peter the Great, that 18th Century giant who created the Russian empire, while rehabilitating Joseph Stalin, stepping up repression and strengthening his armed forces.
Six of the first 11 decrees he passed after becoming President in 2000 focused on the military – and since then he has almost tripled defence spending to fund his aggressive foreign policy.
Yet Putin faces humiliation following his bungled invasion of Ukraine. First, his plan to take Kyiv in a few days was defeated. Now his cherished military has collapsed in Kharkiv, reportedly losing 3,000 square miles in just six days.
This is a pivotal moment – and a significant morale boost for both the nation under attack, suffering so much pain, and for its allies in the West as the energy crisis sparked by this crisis starts to bite.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
So they dump (or whack) Putin tomorrow. Who takes his place, and how different is that person going to be from every other totalitarian-living-off-of-his-rich-oligarch-friends?
Reports of Putin’s demise are greatly exaggerated.
some more of Ian Burrell’s greatest hits
We need an investigation into Russia’s role in the Brexit vote
https://www.ianbirrell.com/we-need-an-investigation-into-russias-role-in-the-brexit-vote/
Battles remain but progress on gay rights is now global
https://www.ianbirrell.com/battles-remain-but-progress-on-gay-rights-is-now-global/
The trauma of Trump is over (9th November, 2020)
https://www.ianbirrell.com/the-trauma-of-trump-is-over/
Trump: emboldened and dangerous 26th March, 2018)
http://www.ianbirrell.com/trump-emboldened-and-dangerous/
Muslims are under siege around the world
Published by The i paper (30th December, 2019)
https://www.ianbirrell.com/muslims-are-under-siege-around-the-world/
Could a murdered student be Trump’s salvation (if Melania stays silent)?
https://www.ianbirrell.com/4332-2/
1/2
Ukraine actually lost some time back.
Just one of many that reported on these leaked Ukrainian documents put all over the net.
Unconfirmed leaked data from the Armed Forces of Ukraine General Staff:
- The AFU are only 43-48% complete;
- medical workers at the limit of their strength: the seriously wounded are transported to Europe;
- small arms and bulletproof vests are not enough;
https://twitter.com/Russ_Warrior/status/1555546218608365568
This is backed up by other reports.
And Ukraine reportedly lost up to 12k soldiers in the last week taking an area the size of Rhode Island while Russia has taken more land recently in Southern Ukraine.
Ukraine has lost at least 50% of its regular, trained people (no doubt more since the leaks), and had no choice but to go all-in on an offensive attack.
Ukrainians aren’t the ones actually making inroads into the 1/5 of Ukraine that Russia has taken; they’re cannon fodder. So-called “volunteers” in Ukraine are responsible for Ukraine taking a paltry 1k sq miles of8 120,000 sq. miles.
Ukraine needed a faux win for more arms:
New $600M Arms Package For Ukraine Marks 21st Time US Draws From Own Stockpiles
9/16/22
The Biden administration has just announced yet another new weapons package for Ukraine worth $600 million, which now brings to total US military aid pledged since the start of the conflict to $15.1 billion.
Crucially, in this case the arms are being sent under the presidential drawdown authority, which allows the White House to take arms directly from US military stockpiles for use by foreign allied forces. The administration confirmed it was the 21st time it drew from Pentagon stockpiles.
The Guardian details, “Joe Biden authorized the latest assistance using his Presidential Drawdown Authority, which allows the president to authorize the transfer of excess weapons from US stocks.” The report stresses, “The White House said it was the 21st time that the US’s defense department has pulled weapons and other equipment off the shelves to deliver to Ukraine.”...
President Zelensky is now going straight to Congress and the US arms makers themselves, which is somewhat unprecedented:
...
The Ukrainian offensive failed miserably everywhere the Russians had choosen to defend. The only success was the area where the Ukrainians managed to put ten to one numerical advantage against the Russian rear troops and rebels. The idea was to encircle and take them prisoners which didn’t work. Not a lot of the defeat and victory respectively. What Ukraine did was throw it’s most capable and well armed troops, that NATO had been preparing for months, into a small area of the front, but Russia has made great inroads into Southern Ukraine.
2/2
The Guardian, Democracy Now, and most reported that a mere 1,000 square kilometers were retaken by Ukraine, far less than Zel’s claimed 6000 sq km.
The BBC reported that about 1/5 of Ukraine has been conquered by Russia. So Ukrainians retaking 1k to 6k square kilometers of 1/5 of Ukraine turns out to be a paltry percentage (less than 1% to around 5% of what Russia has conquered) and especially paltry given that Russia has made recent advancements into areas of southern Ukraine.
Ukraine took back land the size of Rhode Island (as Russia took more land in the south) and Ukrainian leaders have said publicly they are “worried” if they can even keep it.
Zelensky Says Ukraine Has Retaken 6,000 Square KM, But Army “Worried” About Defending It
Good we can stop sending the Ukraine money since Putin is 2 weeks from a coup and 3 weeks from dying of cancer and 4 weeks till all of Russia collapses.
2/2, continued:
Then there’s Russia making more inroads in the south:
Russia Advances in Bakhmut, Defends in North Donetsk; EU Leaders Split on Gas Crisis’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PGkz08hzSg
‘Russia ‘Encircling’ Bakhmut, Putin Sticks with SMO, Rebuffs Scholz, Macron’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RdTnaP5plk&t=5s
‘Russia Encirclement of Bakhmut, Parries Ukrainian Counterattacks; Putin, Modi & Xi Meet in Samarkand’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhyqhulOaKQ
He looked pretty healthy in some pics from the last few days. But the Daily Mail is pretty important with the Bidettes lately.
Battle of the Bulge neocons:
“Germany will drive back the allies for sure! Hitler will win this war by next week!”
Funny title, sounds like an old radio show.
Headline should read: Is this the beginning of the end for the thoroughly corrupt country of Ukraine.
The British seem to be infected with Putin Derangement Syndrome.
Ukrainian wounded have been hosted in both Poland and Germany from the first week of the war. This is nothing new.
The proper way to look at casualties is current strength, not cumulative losses. In the way your post is counting them, comparable losses in US divisions in the ETO would have averaged 100% from July to December 1944 (6 months). That is, on the face of it all the US divisions that landed in June 1944 were wiped out by Christmas. But they weren’t, their unit cohesion was retained and they were kept up to strength with replacements and returning wounded. These are the casualty rates of modern war.
Etc. etc.
Anyway, some new news, Ukrainian soldiers are expected in Spain next week to train on the Spanish Leopard 2A4’s. Spain has @200 of these in reserve, and it looks like the lot of them are going to Ukraine.
You know, you can look at maps, and keep in touch with the war news, to figure out whats what. You can fact check a lot on your own.
Look at the ground that Ukraine has taken - those lines on the map mean something. Among other things highways and railroads tell you how the armies are sustained. Logistics is key. The Kharkiv territory taken by Ukraine has cut both the principal logistics routes from Russia to Luhansk and Donetsk. The alternate route is from Rostov to Donetsk, which will now have to serve nearly the whole Eastern front. The South front is sustained from Crimea, and thats already under stress.
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