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Ukraine war: Borrowed time for Bakhmut as Russians close in
BBC ^ | 02/08/2023 | Orla Guerin

Posted on 02/08/2023 10:19:50 AM PST by thegagline

The soil of Bakhmut is dusted with snow and soaked with blood. This small city in Eastern Ukraine is at the centre of an epic battle. For more than six months Russian forces have tried to claim it. Ukrainian troops have resisted, giving rise to the popular slogan here "Bakhmut holds." Now the Russians are attacking from three sides, with regular troops and fighters from the notorious Wagner mercenary group. The Russians have reached one of the main highways into the city, and are closing in on the outskirts. There is house-to-house fighting in some areas on the outskirts, with "hard battles for every home" according to the Ukrainian military. It feels like Bakhmut is on borrowed time. ***

But Ukraine is counting the cost and there's speculation it could withdraw to avoid further heavy losses.

In the Kremlin, a clock is ticking - counting down to the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of its neighbour, on 24 February 2022. President Putin wants a victory before then. Taking Bakhmut would give him one, and bring him closer to his aim of capturing all of the mineral rich Donbas region. To reach Bakhmut you drive along winding back roads. The route we used for previous trips last September is now classed as "suicidal" because of constant Russian attacks. The city is now a shell. The thud of incoming and outgoing fire echoes through empty streets. Missiles have punched holes through buildings. Power and water supplies are long gone, along with most of the pre-war population of about 70,000. *** "These heights are more important for the Russians than Bakhmut itself," said a Ukrainian colleague. "If they can bring their artillery here, they can target bigger cities like Kramatorsk and Slovyansk. " Bakhmut holds, for now, but for how much longer.

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


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 000asplanned; 100000deadukies; 100000deadukrainians; 12monthslater; 3daywar; bbc; intothegunsdearukies; muscovyhorde; orlaguerin; putingenius; russia; thebbc; thebozo; theusualdumbspects; ukraine; war
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To: Dick Vomer

I don’t think so. The war isn’t going to end till a very large part of eastern Ukraine is destroyed and the Russians take Odessa.


The Russians are never taking Odesa. If they threaten such a move it will result in a massive increase in western aid. Crimea, etc., will then be turned into a smoking ruin.

Keep in mind Ukraine has still not received the best NATO weapons. They are smashing the Russian army to pieces with 30-40 year old western tech.


41 posted on 02/08/2023 12:18:46 PM PST by lodi90
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To: silverleaf
How many laws has Sweden passed banning ethnic languages and cultures

Right, God forbid you have to learn the language of the country you live in.

42 posted on 02/08/2023 12:22:18 PM PST by tlozo (Better to Die on Your Feet than Live on Your Knees )
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To: montag813

This entire conflict is stupid and pointless and was avoidable.


Putin thinks Ukraine is part of Russia. Ukrainians want a sovereign nation. How do you avoid a conflict given those two underlying facts? Once Russia chose to invade Ukraine you can’t, obviously.


43 posted on 02/08/2023 12:22:58 PM PST by lodi90
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To: tlozo

Based what I have seen from this war so far, the Ukraine is going to lose unless NATO gets directly involved. From there it’ll go nuclear which means everyone loses.


44 posted on 02/08/2023 12:23:45 PM PST by Tom Tetroxide
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To: Tom Tetroxide
Based what I have seen from this war so far, the Ukraine is going to lose unless NATO gets directly involved.

No reason for NATO to get involved directly. Ukraine has 7 million men of military age, there is no lack of manpower. There is a lack of heavy weaponry.

45 posted on 02/08/2023 12:29:01 PM PST by tlozo (Better to Die on Your Feet than Live on Your Knees )
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To: tlozo
I think Ukrainians are in for the long haul, and are willing to take the casualties, otherwise they know Putin will be back eventually for more territory.

I agree. This is now a war. Unfortunately the Ukes are the underdog and are depending on the EU, USA and the good flow of money and weapons into the quagmire.

One day, someone is going to look around and see that they're sitting in a pile of rubble with much fewer men between the ages of 18-45 and see the smiling happy faces of Zelinsky, the EU gang and US bureaucrats all patting themselves on the back and living the dream safely in Brussels or Switzerland..... and wonder what they're all smiling about?

Then the worm will turn.

Taiwan is looking on and realizing that there is over a 7000 mile logistical distance that must be used in order for it to defend itself.

Meanwhile the superpower in charge of defending them is not concerned with SeaLift capacity, improving morale and pay of armed forces or even inculcating patriotic values into the armed forces.....

Instead they are concerned with homosexual acceptance, racial justice, lowering standard in order to allow females to enjoy infantry life and of course reminding each and every soldier, sailor, marine and citizen that they are defending a racist, slave founded/built country that they should despise in order to be more like....... Sweden or France.

46 posted on 02/08/2023 12:45:05 PM PST by Dick Vomer (2 Timothy 4:7 deo duce ferro comitantes <i></I><P> <img src="">)
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To: thegagline

The war in Ukraine is the beginning of WWIII. The goal of The West is the destruction of Russia or regime change. The West will keep ratcheting up support until the war in ukraine becomes a full scale Russo-American war. As America gets further and further embroiled in the war other nations like China will jump in. Enjoy!


47 posted on 02/08/2023 1:00:06 PM PST by McCarthysGhost (q)
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To: McCarthysGhost
The war in Ukraine is the beginning of WWIII.

Just as Japan's invasion of Manchuria, was the beginning of WWII, although it took another ten years for it to go truly global.

48 posted on 02/08/2023 1:01:38 PM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: McCarthysGhost
The West will keep ratcheting up support until the war in ukraine becomes a full scale Russo-American war. As America gets further and further embroiled in the war other nations like China will jump in. Enjoy!

Certainly possible. Imagine if Russia sends a rocket into Poland supposedly by accident, like China said the balloon was accidental.

49 posted on 02/08/2023 1:02:40 PM PST by 1Old Pro
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To: tlozo

Every province that Putin annexed, except for Crimea, had a Ukrainian ethnic majority.==

No it is not true. Ukes are majority in Lvov and Ternopol. In Kherson Malorusses are majority. They was ukrainized during soviet time. Will be deukrainized today.


50 posted on 02/08/2023 1:15:26 PM PST by nickfrost1
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To: lodi90

Putin thinks Ukraine is part of Russia. Ukrainians want a sovereign nation.==

Are you a Putin mind reader?

And no. Ukraine no part of Russia. But Novorossiya and Malorossiya are parts of Russia.

Russia wants to liberate Novorossiya and Malorossiya.


51 posted on 02/08/2023 1:20:07 PM PST by nickfrost1
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To: 2banana
"Why have the Ukrainians not evacuated all civilians???"

I've read some accounts from aid volunteers and seen some of their videos in regards to Bakhmut. They've been trying all along to talk remaining civilians into evacuating, but many of them refuse. Many of them including old people and children had horrible, rotting wounds from Russian shelling while living outdoors, but they still refused. Only a small portion of the civilian population remains there. The town is destroyed.

52 posted on 02/08/2023 1:21:25 PM PST by familyop ("For they that sleep with dogs, shall rise with fleas" (John Webster, "The White Devil" 1612).)
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To: nickfrost1
They was ukrainized during soviet time. Will be deukrainized today.

Not surprised a Russian admits Russia is planning to commit another Ukrainian genocide.

53 posted on 02/08/2023 1:47:10 PM PST by tlozo (Better to Die on Your Feet than Live on Your Knees )
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To: nickfrost1

And no. Ukraine no part of Russia. But Novorossiya and Malorossiya are parts of Russia.

Russia wants to liberate Novorossiya and Malorossiya.


You have been reading too many Russian fairy tales. Russians will continue dying for nothing in Ukraine until such delusions are bled out of Russian Supremacists and their duped fellow travelers.


54 posted on 02/08/2023 2:06:20 PM PST by lodi90
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To: tlozo

Ukraine has 7 million men of military age, there is no lack of manpower. There is a lack of heavy weaponry.

Those are not your sons being slaughtered.
BRAY DONKEY BRAY
YOU’RE AN ASS!


55 posted on 02/08/2023 3:08:06 PM PST by Right Brigade (It was better before they voted for whats his name,this must be the New World)
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To: RonaldusMagnus-DonaldusMagnus

well said
those zeepers sure are an irritating bunch


56 posted on 02/08/2023 3:21:47 PM PST by CarolinaReaganFan
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To: CarolinaReaganFan

Thank you kindly.

Globalist/CCP/ChatGPT propagandists they are...


57 posted on 02/08/2023 4:28:39 PM PST by RonaldusMagnus-DonaldusMagnus
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To: nickfrost1

Good grief! You can’t even get your propaganda lines correct. Malorussians is just the name used by Russian chauvinists for Ukrainians. According to Putin and other Russian ultra-nationalists Malorussian=Ukrainian.


58 posted on 02/08/2023 7:15:05 PM PST by Salohcin
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To: Right Brigade
Those are not your sons being slaughtered.

Right, it is Ukraine's choice to fight and defend itself from invasion.

59 posted on 02/09/2023 5:25:57 AM PST by tlozo (Better to Die on Your Feet than Live on Your Knees )
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