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Ukrainians blow up bridge in Bakhmut amid reports Russia closing in
The Guardian ^ | Tue 14 Feb 2023 | Isobel Koshiw

Posted on 02/14/2023 2:17:16 PM PST by MinorityRepublican

Ukrainian forces have reportedly blown up a bridge near the eastern city of Bakhmut, in a sign they may be planning to retreat from the area, which would give Russia a significant, symbolic boost ahead of the first anniversary of the war.

Troops blew up the bridge on Monday, according to a local Donetsk region news site. Ukraine denies it intends to leave Bakhmut, despite six months of heavy fighting and reportedly dwindling stockpiles.

It appears the Kremlin is concentrating maximum force on capturing Bakhmut before the one-year anniversary of the invasion on 24 February. Ukraine and its western allies have said over the past week that Russia had already begun a new offensive across the contact line in an attempt to gain ground before new western supplies arrived in the spring.

“It is clear that we are in a race of logistics,” Jens Stoltenberg, head of Nato, told reporters in Brussels on Monday.

Late on Tuesday Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, described the situation on the frontline as “extremely difficult”, especially in Donetsk and Luhansk.

“It is literally a battle for every metre of Ukrainian land,” Zelensky said in his evening address to the nation.

A Russian victory in Bakhmut would give the Kremlin a boost after months of setbacks and would be a stepping stone to fight for the two next big Ukrainian-controlled cities.

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


TOPICS: Russia
KEYWORDS: bakhmut; demsunitedforukraine; diewachtambakhmutka; isobelkoshiw; putinistas; sparky; takethatputin; thegrauniad; thesparkbot; ukraineuberalles; vatnikgathering; vatniks
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1 posted on 02/14/2023 2:17:16 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

Slow and study wins the race. Despite the west’s and msm propaganda, Russia has consistently been moving forward while limiting its losses and protecting civilian life. America is a bull in the China shop compaired to how Russia oppetates.


2 posted on 02/14/2023 2:26:57 PM PST by JoSixChip (2020: The year of unreported truths; 2021: My main take away from this year? Trust no one.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

This cannot be true. Herr Milley told us TODAY the russkies were losing!


3 posted on 02/14/2023 2:27:33 PM PST by TonyinLA ( I don't have sufficient information to make an informed opinion said no lefty ever.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

I want massive fireworks for my 100 billion.


4 posted on 02/14/2023 2:29:37 PM PST by samadams2000
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To: JoSixChip
while limiting its losses and protecting civilian life


5 posted on 02/14/2023 2:32:52 PM PST by Magnum44 (...against all enemies, foreign and domestic... )
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To: MinorityRepublican
"The battle for Bakhmut costs Ukraine dearly, it can undermine confidence in Zelensky not only in the West but also inside the country" — Wall Street Journal

The WSJ also recalled the words of Zelensky, who promised not to surrender Bakhmut.

6 posted on 02/14/2023 2:33:25 PM PST by JonPreston
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To: MinorityRepublican
It's another sign Ukraine is losing and about done in Donetsk.
7 posted on 02/14/2023 2:33:54 PM PST by Kazan
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To: JonPreston

Zelensky will have the last laugh as he lives in luxury in mansions around the world thanks to the American suckers/er taxpayers.


8 posted on 02/14/2023 2:35:00 PM PST by cgbg (Claiming that laws and regs that limit “hate speech” stop freedom of speech is “hate speech”.)
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To: MinorityRepublican
“It is literally a battle for every metre of Ukrainian land,” Zelensky said

He lies like Biden.

9 posted on 02/14/2023 2:35:37 PM PST by McGruff (Don't underestimate Joe's ability to f*** things up - Barack Obama)
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To: JoSixChip

I’m thinking Russia won’t get the opportunity to use the equipment they’re getting from Afghanistan.

There’s a good chance they have this all mopped up in a couple of weeks from now.


10 posted on 02/14/2023 2:37:26 PM PST by MNDude (Once you remove "they would never" from your Trump shared a post on soci it all begins to make sense)
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To: JoSixChip

“Russia has consistently been moving forward while limiting its losses and protecting civilian life. America is a bull in the China shop compaired (sic) to how Russia oppetates (sic).”

Whoa. Russia LOST half of what it had earlier “taken,” and now, after many months and much fighting, it takes one objective.

And your analogy of a bull in a china factory is riduculous, as RUSSIA has historically been the bull in a china factory, NOT the United States. And, the utter fiction that Russia cares about protecting civilian life? Son, you need to put down whatever you are drinking, because you are seeing visions.


11 posted on 02/14/2023 2:39:28 PM PST by ought-six (Multiculturalism is national suicide, and political correctness is the cyanide capsule. )
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To: cgbg

“Zelensky will have the last laugh as he lives in luxury in mansions around the world thanks to the American suckers/er taxpayers.”

You don’t think he’ll go down with the ship?


12 posted on 02/14/2023 2:40:31 PM PST by MNDude (Once you remove "they would never" from your Trump shared a post on soci it all begins to make sense)
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To: MNDude

“I’m thinking Russia won’t get the opportunity to use the equipment they’re getting from Afghanistan. There’s a good chance they have this all mopped up in a couple of weeks from now.”

I’m bookmarking your comment. But, I’ll give you the chance to clarify your comment: All mopped up in Bakhmut, or all mopped up in Ukraine? Commit yourself now to your comment so we can all check back in two weeks.


13 posted on 02/14/2023 2:42:47 PM PST by ought-six (Multiculturalism is national suicide, and political correctness is the cyanide capsule. )
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To: MNDude

Not if he can help it. If he goes down with the ship, it will be an accident.


14 posted on 02/14/2023 2:46:12 PM PST by sport
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To: ought-six

Sparky, this is over. Rejoice and sing. Freedom is at hand!


15 posted on 02/14/2023 2:47:16 PM PST by JonPreston
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To: MNDude
There’s a good chance they have this all mopped up in a couple of weeks from now.

I think the war may end up in a stalemate. A little like the Korean War.

16 posted on 02/14/2023 2:50:27 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: JoSixChip
Slow and study wins the race. Despite the west’s and msm propaganda, Russia has consistently been moving forward while limiting its losses and protecting civilian life. America is a bull in the China shop compaired to how Russia oppetates.

You must be a Putin plant.

Nothing else could explain your apparent joy.
17 posted on 02/14/2023 2:58:31 PM PST by adorno
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To: MinorityRepublican
I think the war may end up in a stalemate. A little like the Korean War.

More like the victory Russia enjoyed in Afghanistan.

Win a battle. Lose a battle.

In the end, Russia will be driven out of Ukraine, even if it takes years. Russia cannot win.
18 posted on 02/14/2023 3:01:28 PM PST by adorno
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To: MinorityRepublican

“I think the war may end up in a stalemate. A little like the Korean War.”

I think Russia will prevail eventually as the “allies” continue to slowly cut off the goodies. ‘Prevail’ meaning they will keep the land they control outside their border at the end. The allies are wasting money and Ukrainian lives at this point, and they know it, though they have to keep quiet about it of course as they prepare to kiss the pig.


19 posted on 02/14/2023 3:01:42 PM PST by SaxxonWoods (The only way to secure your own future is to create it yourself. 111 is the key.)
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To: MinorityRepublican
The general rule of thumb is that attackers incur 3 to 1 casualties. If Ukraine met or exceeded this number by inflicting 3 or 4 to one casualties on the Russians then they did well. All seem to agree that Bakhmut is of little military value although it is of some symbolic value. We shall see if that's the case.

The Battle of Verdun in WW1 was such a calculated battle. The Germans figured that Verdun was emotionally so important to the French that they'd defend it to the last even though it was of little military value. The Germans figured they could inflict (if memory serves) 5 - 3 casualties, which they believed would bleed out the French. It didn't work out (Germans did not achieve their number) but it's a tried and true strategy.

The Germans flipped roles in WWII in Stalingrad, which had essentially no military value but was emotionally important to Hitler because the city bore Stalin's name. The Germans gave up all their advantages in speed/mobility and air superiority by allowing themselves to be ground to bits in that vast rubble heap.

Maybe that's what happened in Bakhmut?

20 posted on 02/14/2023 3:04:58 PM PST by Thilly Thailor
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