Zelensky faces a triple nightmare as Putin unleashes General Winter

The Telegraph via Yahoo ^ | November 20th, 2025 | Roland Oliphant

[Mariner]

In Britain, a November dusting of snow is an aberration. In Ukraine, it is the beginning. Soon pavements will ice over and the Dnipro river could freeze thick enough to walk across.

And General Winter, as Moscow knows, changes everything.

In successive centuries, against Napoleon and Hitler, Russia counted on the big freeze to alter the course of conflict. Today, Vladimir Putin is hoping the year’s bleakest months will mark a breakthrough in a war whose costs in men, money and materiel have become ever more grotesque.

Already, the Russian president’s enemy in Kyiv is on the back foot on three fronts.

Diplomatically, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky has been frozen out of the Trump administration’s 28-point peace plan, which would reportedly hand the Donbas to Russia.

Militarily, Zelensky’s forces are losing ground.

And on the home front, the Ukrainian president is hemmed in by an energy-sector corruption scandal that could not be more politically damaging.

For the past month, residents in Kyiv have been subject to rolling blackouts. Eight to 10 hours a day without electricity is the norm. Usually, residents are notified well in advance and can plan to sleep, sit in a café or otherwise occupy their hours offline.

---

TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:

[Mariner]

Roland Oliphant is a staunch defender and supporter of Ukraine.

And he thinks things are looking bleak.

[scottinoc]

He has good reason to think so. There is literally no good news for Ukraine right now. Z needs to accept the 28-point plan right now. It’s a very good deal for Ukraine. Peace, love and MAGA. Dang! As I post this I realize Trump just took on more work...South Sudan. Dang Mr President! OK I know you’ll nail that one too...

[Mariner]

“Kit, too, has to work harder in the cold. Batteries – so crucial to this tech-driven, drone-dominated war – die rapidly.”

Lithium batteries that power drones fail in freezing temperatures.

The big weakness of being overly reliant on small drones.

[posterchild]

He’s trying to fix the world in his 4 years. God Speed to him.

[MinorityRepublican]

There is literally no good news for Ukraine right now. Z needs to accept the 28-point plan right now. It’s a very good deal for Ukraine.

It's taking the Russians at least a year to capture a town of significant value.

Pokrovsk

Bahkmut

Avdiivka

At this rate, Putin will conquer all of the Donbass by 2030.

[sauropod]

Bkmk

[A strike]

So I guess he’s no threat to Europe then , is he ?

[metmom]

Winter hasn’t fazed the Ukrainians yet.

And what Putin may not be considering is that the Brits and the French are not that used to the kind of winters that Russia, and the Ukraine (being neighbors) get.

I’d hazard a guess that the Ukrainians are far more capable of dealing with a *Russian winter* than the under equipped and unprepared Brits and French were.

[House Atreides]

Why do I consider it a safe bet to say you’re not a Ukrainian conscript on the front destined to serve FOR THE DURATION (i.e., until death, severe maiming or surrender/desertion). YOUR future is not as bleak as theirs so you can safely sit back and cheer for war. Just sayin’.

[MinorityRepublican]

The fortress belt in the Donbass is Ukraine’s strongest defensive line, built over years, and losing it would push troops into flatter, harder-to-defend terrain. Russia would gain a clearer path forward, especially since Ukraine is unlikely to rebuild anything close to these defenses in the west after spending a decade constructing the original line.

[POGO163]

The lights are going off all over Russia also. Russia is calling up reservists because they are running out of troops. Russia looses about a thousand a day. Gasoline is rare now in Russia. Russia has to import gas instead of selling it. I know you are a Russian bot because you never mention Putin bombing civilians every night.

[BobL]

“The lights are going off all over Russia also. Russia is calling up reservists because they are running out of troops. Russia looses about a thousand a day. Gasoline is rare now in Russia. Russia has to import gas instead of selling it. I know you are a Russian bot because you never mention Putin bombing civilians every night.”

Jeeze, do they pay you by how many Neocon Talking Points you can fit into 3 sentences.

Regardless, you better send your message to Trump as he in the process of giving Russia what they’ve been demanding.

[Brian Griffin]

“$100 billion in frozen Russian assets will be invested in US-led efforts to rebuild and invest in Ukraine”

https://www.axios.com/2025/11/20/trump-ukraine-peace-plan-28-points-russia

[Owen]

I suppose this would be a Russian agreement not to sue Euroclear in Hong Kong or Singapore and have all of its other deposits from other countries disappear, forcing Euroclear to then sue the Belgium govt.

I have heard nothing of this being part of the deal. Since money comes whimsically and effortlessly from Central Banks, and Russia has one, maybe it can be worked out. Of course, why risk the Singapore/Hong Kong lawsuit when you can have the ECB print up whatever you need.

[Owen]

And pssst, at 4 million barrels/day export at $60, that’s $240 million per day from just oil. X 365 means the stolen $100B is replaced in about 14 months. Make it 16 months to fund some victory parades.