Free Republic

A series of swift Russian advances have challenged Ukraine’s new line of defense set up after their withdrawal from the key town of Avdiivka and are raising fears about Kyiv’s tactics and momentum on the front lines. Ukraine announced a withdrawal from Avdiivka on February 17 to a series of positions to the town’s west. Yet three tiny villages have since fallen to Russian forces, with Kyiv insisting they never intended to defend them. But the defensive line it declared it would fall back to - three villages further to the west - has since come under heavy Russian assault,...

As the second anniversary of Russia's unprovoked invasion approaches, the situation is beginning to look bleak for Ukraine.Last year's counteroffensive brought hopes that Ukraine could capitalize on its successes in 2022 and drive back Russian forces from occupied territories in southern and eastern Ukraine.But the offensive failed to achieve a breakthrough, and Ukraine is now seeing crucial support from its allies bleed away. Meanwhile, its troops are experiencing shortages of personnel and ammunition.There are problems at the top, too. Its senior command has been engulfed in chaos, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy replacing Valery Zaluzhny, a senior commander, amid reported...

ransomnote: This 40 minute video is an analysis of an interview in The Economist which featured General Zaluzhny, Colonel Syrskyi, and Zelenksy. I'll put some transcript hi-lights in Post #1. Basically Zaluzhny and Syrskyi say that the Ukraine will lose unless NATO provides vast amounts of military hardware and troops. They say Putin has been successful in raising troops and can field 1.5 million additonal troops at a time when Zelensky has approx 700,000 troops but only 200,000 have combat training.The video narrators note there is a weakening of support for Zelensky's continued requests for more money and arms, and...