Posted on 09/10/2026 4:46:06 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
Iryna Rybakova is horribly aware that the front line is inching toward Kramatorsk. Having served in eastern Ukraine for several years, she has watched her units being pushed from one strategic hub after another. But she said the past few weeks have been “insane.”
The city remains one of Ukraine’s last strongholds in the Donbas region, but the Russians are getting dangerously close. Nearly all of the city’s bridges have been destroyed, and barrages of guided bombs and drones are now a daily reality.
“The attacks happen dozens of times a day. Dozens of cars, utility buildings, residential buildings, administrative buildings, and garages have been hit; they’re just setting everything on fire,” Rybakova, who serves as a press officer with Ukraine’s 93rd mechanized brigade and is based in Kramatorsk, told CNN on Monday.
“Toward the evening and in the morning, almost no one is out and about,” she said. “During the day, there are gunmen everywhere … everyone walks around with a rifle, goes out for a coffee with a rifle, heads to the store with a rifle and so on because drones are everywhere now and you never know. They can strike at any moment.”
As the first visit to Kyiv by US President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner came and went Sunday without a major breakthrough, Ukraine is increasingly finding itself on the backfoot in many spots along the eastern front line. It’s a major change in fortune compared to the spring, when Kyiv was liberating more land than it was losing.
Jennie Olmsted, a Russia analyst at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a US-based conflict monitor, said that while a quick breakthrough is unlikely, there has been a shift.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Ok, so let’s have peace then. And Europe can focus on removing Muslims.
“ Ok, so let’s have peace then. And Europe can focus on removing Muslims.”
***********************************************
That would really be a bright day for Europe.
Doesn’t matter.
Russia is simply keeping the pressure on: https://deepstatemap.live/en#10/48.3790576/36.3482666 (you can choose your date range and watch Ukraine lose, lose, and lose more as some are screaming how Ukraine will have a victory).
The Russians are slowly creeping forward.
1.) If they let the pressure off, Ukraine could build up a reserve with which they could launch a true major offensive. So Russia will keep pushing forcing them to commit their forces.
2.) The longer the war goes on, the more land Ukraine loses. Their is a cost in not settling this.
3.) This is a very methodical, risk and casualty averse way of doing an offensive. You find a weak spot along a vast forward edge of battle where it is impossible to cover it all well (to much frontage), and make small advances in those areas.
The reciprocal argument (spin):
Russia is not advancing quickly and Ukraine is therefore doing a great job. It will take Russia 100 years at this pace to take all of Ukraine.
Problem is, Russia never wanted all of Ukraine, they still don’t want it. Even if they end up taking Kiev itself, they would spit it out as a deal is made (they would use it as bargaining chip but not hold it). It would be a pain in the ass if they have the more nationalist areas to the West. It would be a large-scale and permanent resource drain on them. Russia is interested in the Eastern areas that are more ethnic Russian by language, who they vote for, and what church they go to.
Here is the bottom line that is completely overlooked by our MSM waving the Ukrainian flag: Russia has already achieved their political goal, Ukraine in NOT in NATO. Russia has already achieved the military objective, they have seized most of the more ethnic Russian areas to the East.
So what does Ukraine do? Generate BS maps, BS Russian casualty statistics (but not mention their own), BS dreams for their weapons manufacturing output... talk about game changing weapon systems, all while Russia sits on 20% of their land, they aren’t in NATO, and Russia is advancing little by little every month.
End of this year, or early next year, Russia will put an end to this.
Ukraine is sufficiently attritted while Russia still has vast reserves they can tap into.
Note that this is from CNN. I suspect that CNN, after running stories essentially saying that Ukraine was halfway to Moscow, that they’re now having to ‘soften up’ their Leftist audience by preparing them for the TRUTH, since it will be impossible to hide.
As for timing, we’ll know that the fall of these final defensive positions is coming quick when the leaders of France, UK, and Germany start talking about nuking Moscow, or at least talk about sending their own troops in.
But NEVER FORGET, this is ONLY a war between Russia (along with Iran and N. Korea), all arrayed against poor little Ukraine, a country that get no help from anyone - at least that’s pretty much what SOME HERE want us to believe. LOL!
Apt. As with some European press we also read, it seems that "lowering expectations" in terms of messaging is underway, at the very same time that competing voices are pushing for ---
In my bride's view and mine as well, getting President Trump to do ( still ) what the Europeans and US Democrats want.
The men are all dead. Ukraine will no mobilize women
And when they are dead, London, Davos and the WEF will repopulate Ukraine with Arabs and South Asians
So much for “Slava Ukraini” Azov clowns
Not this shit again?
You BorisBots have been posting these lies for the last 4 1/2 years.
“Ukraine is about to fall”, etc.
LOL
You bozos don’t seem to be able to accept the simple FACT that Russia still cannot defeat a country 1/15th its size, a country that has no Navy, no Air Force, no satellites, and no nukes ...
YET, that small country is still able to hold off a former “superpower”
Stay angry and frustrated, BorisBots ... we loved it for the last 56 m0nths, and we STILL love seeing Pootin lose!
Russia is slowly working through all the enhanced fortifications NATO built up prior to Victoria Nuland’s 2014 revolution.
Years of aggression and genocide against Russia speaking people, mostly in eastern portions of The Ukraine, forced Russia to defend it’s territory against NATO machinations and military advances.
Your soul mate, last minute mark carney, just signed a 100 year pact with your buddy Big Z
The jokes on mark.
The Ukraine will not last 100 years
What an edifying comment. Translation for the Freepers in Quebec: "Ce n'est plus sa merde."
News: Mark Carney signed a 100 year agreement ( details to be negotiated later, because this was a media show of sorts ) with Zelensky, and also declared himself and his nation "at war" with the United States.
Links for those who cannot otherwise find them.
"Prime Minister Mark Carney said the war in Ukraine is at a turning point where some of its uncrewed systems are now reaching hundreds of kilometres inside of Russia."He also acknowledged the heavy toll Russia's stepped-up missile and drone campaign is having on Ukraine, especially Kyiv which has been under relentless bombardment.
" 'Canada will always stand in solidarity with Ukraine,' Carney said alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Calgary."
Source: Canada, Ukraine forge 100-year pact built on drones and defence 10 September 2026
"Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has declared Canada is effectively 'at war' with the United States over trade, as President Donald Trump's new 50% tariffs on Canadian goods push relations between the two longtime allies to a new low. Carney, vowing retaliation, said Canada has the 'reserves,' 'resilience' and 'plan' to fight back against what he called an attempt to pressure Ottawa into a bad deal.
“ 'We were attacked. You're at war when you get attacked. We got attacked'.”
Source: ‘We got attacked’: Mark Carney claims Canada is ‘at war’ with US as Trump's 50% tariffs trigger trade showdown Economic Times, 23 August 2026
If both "wars" continue another 100 years.... But of course, they won't.
When your pact with Zelensky is 100 years old, there will be no Carney, no Zelensky, no Putin, nobody. Not even some Canuck commenting on a forum like this.
Great arguments from a shining intellect.
The ebbing Ukrainian optimism was apparent as Ukrainian drones struck a Russian refinery 3,000 km away in Siberia.
This particular refinery had never been struck before and was so far away was considered incapable of being a target
Meanwhile, Crimea has no electric power
Our tariffs are not to gain an advantage, but to force nations that are discouraging imports, to stop.
The typical games are played using: environmental, safety, tax structures, currency conversions, and quotas. They are not called “tariffs.”
For example, if you have to pay a tax on cubic displacement on a vehicle, and this is a high tax every year, it will push the US car out of the market, even if the US had far more stringent environmental standards than ALL of Europe far earlier (earlier adoption of catalytic converter, unleaded fuel, pollution pumps, etc). That tax is “intended” (by design) to discourage imports but pretends to be for the environment.
It is extreme in many cases. Try to bring a US car to Mexico and they slap a (((huge))) tax on you at the border, which will get refunded except $50 once you return, that is so you do not dare sell this car in Mexico. They want you to buy a car at a Mexican car dealership and which is made in Mexico.
They want to sell all the stuff here and promote exports like mad (the example Trump gave with Canada, sell Bombardier in the US, but please don't sell Gulfstream in Canada), but please don't import in any industry where we have domestic production. That is the game played by many - frankly, most.
When they play these games, they ALWAYS deny it. It's always some process for public safety, their tax code, environmentalism, that is used as a shield to fend off accusations of unfair trade.
Even we are not immune: pharma, defense (albeit that is the one industry where protectionism is warranted for anyone, even all our allies etc.)...
It's understandable that this happens. All Western democracy's are really just oligarchies, where a small elite with a lot of money and influence on the MSM can nudge government in a direction of their liking. Government is simply about “interests,” and these are for sale. Government runs on money, period. The party, a political campaign, lobbying, legal litigation, and making politicians and their families rich (mostly done legally), all costs money. Those with the money have the say. Those with the money make sure that the laws and bureaucratic policies favor them.
—Just a handful made sure this happens: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_Term_Extension_Act
—Just a handful made sure the laws are what they are today regards so called “piracy” and software.
Fair trade with nations that have aligned geopolitical security interests, is beneficial to all: specialization, economy of scale, taking advantage of a natural geographic/resource advantages, or even labor advantages (skills or culture).
Geopolitical security interests need aligned because trade with potential adversaries is frankly, not smart.
Towards the end and height of the globalist movement you had of course more “follow the science.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lexus_and_the_Olive_Tree
The idea was sold to the public (economic theory), that exporting US manufacturing and tech to China would usher in prosperity and create more stability and security as we're all tied together economically. That is of course, total BS.
All we managed to do is feed the crocodile which may eat us: https://www.reuters.com/world/china/iran-get-chinese-shoulder-launched-missile-systems-weeks-sources-say-2026-07-29/
In economics, science, psychology, sociology and environmentalism, the theories always tend to support whatever the prevailing currents are: suddenly homosexuality becomes normal, healthy, and natural.
Attempts in the past to create large and free markets have generally failed since everyone almost immediately went to work behind the scene to create rules that somehow impede this trade and give their domestic businesses an advantage.
Fair trade does not need to be balanced trade. You can have unbalanced trade but still have fair trade.
But the games need to stop.
Trump is addressing this issue head on with a tariff and of course our MSM is doing an extremely poor job, and often giving highly biased explanations, of what is actually going on. That said, as mentioned before, we are ourselves not immune to this (albeit more open than anyone else I know of) and with those who “GENUINELY” want fair trade, we should address their issues as well.
Where this is going is pretty obvious:
https://acleddata.com/monitor/ukraine-conflict-monitor
https://map.ukrdailyupdate.com/?lat=48.272225&lng=35.936279&z=9&d=20705&c=1&l=0
Lo-o-o-o-o-o-ong overdue.
I recall Perot's "giant sucking sound" remarks, which were prescient. Decades of malfeasance by government being addressed now. Long overdue.
Optimistic Ukrainian Military commander are so confident of victory that they are now going to use women against the feckless Russian invaders who are being destroyed. The full superiority of Bandeira Women will soon be on full display as Ukraine takes a victory lap. The Ukrainian men will be taking a break from the festivities and they will be in the rear of the always advancing Ukrianian columns... that way they can be first in retreat if the moment comes to fruition on the battlefield. Heil Zelinski and the Forth Reich. As we await the demonstration of Ukrainian superiority, 150,000 female body armor is currently being procured to prove that the Ukraine is winning with style points.
Excellent post. I left active participation in FR over this very fact because of the DNC-like attacks by so called Freepers and conservatives who could never imagine Ukraine is losing and badly.
Ten years of NATO construction of the Donbas defensive belt is about to be defeated - that took four years in a causality adverse tactical pinpoint destruction with stand off munitions.
There are no more major defensive fortifications all the way to the border of NATO.
Besides De-Nazification requies a slow bleed of the Bandarite educated generation since 2012 that will have to dealth with. The most viseral will probably receive the WWII treatment by US and Russia whereby Nazi prisioners were detained for up to 10 years thousands of miles from the homeland.
The question now,
Will Russia be able to peel us further away from Ukraine (arms that go there through NATO/ally purchases to Ukraine, Intel that is being shared...)?
I doubt it. Why? We already pulled way back, and if we pull back further we threaten to blow up NATO (figuratively).
I suspect, I have no proof, that we threw Venezuela on the table when we pulled back in Ukraine initially.
When we went into Venezuela this year, not one word about the Russian navy which used their ports and frequently had a vessel there: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article289724459.html Not one word about Wagner which we knew was protecting Chavez and Moduro: https://insightcrime.org/news/brief/russian-mercenaries-venezuela-regime/ Not one word about Russian technical personnel which HAD to be there, just like we have folks everywhere our forces operate (Northrup Grumman, GD, Lockheed). Many of these complex systems require some specialized / skilled personnel to keep them in working order on site or nearby: radar systems, Migs, etc.: https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/venezuela-deploys-advanced-s-300vm-missile-systems-to-protect-capital-amid-growing-u-s-threats
That said, I suspect Russia is not really trying to play hard ball against us with Iran, that would be counter productive for them. Russia most likely sees Iran as leverage for Ukraine at this point, but they (((must know))) we can’t go much further than we already did without breaking agreements on Intel sharing and arms deliveries to the Euro’s under the NATO umbrella.
Us backing far out of this conflict was a smart move. Trump came into office with the intent to settle it. He surely could have since Ukraine is “dependent” on the West, and the Russians don’t want this dragging on. The Euros (French and UK) were the loudest and most resisting in opposing a settlement. So if they want this war and for sure do not want those Americans and especially Trump ending this, then they need to pay for it and put their neck on the chopping block: https://www.reuters.com/world/putin-says-russia-will-respond-kind-if-eu-nations-seize-russian-vessels-2026-08-12/ I suggest the Euro’s play the hand they have really smart. With us out of the picture, the Russians will much more likely follow through with threats like this. Maybe it’s a good idea for France to stop seizing Russian vessels (5th or 6th vessel): https://www.reuters.com/world/french-navy-has-intercepted-another-russian-shadow-fleet-tanker-macron-says-2026-06-25/
With us out of the picture, the risk exposure for the Euro’s changes (neck on the chopping block). I’m sure they are realizing this now.
If the Euro’s deliver arms for deep strikes into Russia, do not be shocked if there are suddenly a series of unexplainable fires in armaments factories across Europe, coincidentally those firms and nations where key components or entire weapon systems for these strikes come from: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y4g6meekro
It’s hard to end a conflict when you have entrenched parties (figuratively AND literal - pun intended) in conflict, and a lot of hands in the cookie jar (US, Ukraine, Russia, Germany, France, Poland, UK, NATO, EU), and everyone has their own distinct agenda.
Trump putting the Euro’s on the hot seat when they didn’t want to go along with settling this, is classic Trump. He’s made out as a bozo, near clownish, by our MSM, a loudmouth (that he is, but out of necessity given a highly adversarial media). The MSM over simplify what are issues with a long back story and many various facets to them, Ukraine being one such example. I think Trump is in reality miles ahead of folks most of the time.
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