There are satellite images of Russians troops digging in.  Constructing earthen berms around armoured vehicles northwest of Kyiv.  That would indicate that the Russians have not only stalled but are not going to be able anytime soon to encircle the capital.  Possibly even fearing a counter attack from the west.  Reinforcements are pouring in.  I read where traffic is heavy going in and out of the capital.

It's clear now the Russians have not experienced this number of casualties in this period of time since WWII.  For the Russians to admit 500 dead and 1,500 wounded in less than a week from hostilities beginning to then go silent since.  The numbers went from bad to worse.  I read in Gomel in southeastern Belarus Russian casualties have spilled into their regional hospital.  As of March 13 2,500 bodies shipped back to the motherland just through that medical facility.

We all heard of this miles long convoy outside of Kyiv.  I watched a video of a convoy of Russian military medical busses slowly rolling out of town with curtains drawn in the dead of night.  As this drags on its going to become very hard to hide this from the Russian public.

posted by majorspark

There are satellite images of Russians troops digging in.  Constructing earthen berms around armoured vehicles northwest of Kyiv.  That would indicate that the Russians have not only stalled but are not going to be able anytime soon to encircle the capital.  Possibly even fearing a counter attack from the west.  Reinforcements are pouring in.  I read where traffic is heavy going in and out of the capital.

It's clear now the Russians have not experienced this number of casualties in this period of time since WWII.  For the Russians to admit 500 dead and 1,500 wounded in less than a week from hostilities beginning to then go silent since.  The numbers went from bad to worse.  I read in Gomel in southeastern Belarus Russian casualties have spilled into their regional hospital.  As of March 13 2,500 bodies shipped back to the motherland just through that medical facility.

We all heard of this miles long convoy outside of Kyiv.  I watched a video of a convoy of Russian military medical busses slowly rolling out of town with curtains drawn in the dead of night.  As this drags on its going to become very hard to hide this from the Russian public.

If the Russian losses are that high, even more than Afghanistan, there will be protests in the streets. Putin can't hide from that for long. 

The casualties in Afghanistan led to several reforms by Gorbachev. It eventually led to the fall of the Soviets. 

Putin’s looking like an incompetent dictator with a shitty military and a horrible strategy. Or as Trump called it “genius”.

posted by Dr Winston O'Boogie

Putin’s looking like an incompetent dictator with a shitty military and a horrible strategy. Or as Trump called it “genius”.

In hindsight, perhaps Obama and Romney were BOTH right about Russia!

posted by gut

In hindsight, perhaps Obama and Romney were BOTH right about Russia!

I see what you did there!  Very clever my friend.

In a globalized world, I don’t think there’s a whole lot else we could be doing short of shooting at them ourselves, which no one wants.  These people have bee fighting for pissing rights for centuries.  Russia is the bully here, but what’s going to happen will happen.  The good news is Putin appears to be way more bark than bite.  Shit like “anyone who interferes will be hit like has never been done in history” sounds like a fucking dumbass 6th grade bully on the verge of getting his own ass kicked by the kid he’s bullying.  I think he’s not so much a great conqueror so much as a third-tier Jersey mob capo who thinks he’s Don Corleone.  

posted by Dr Winston O'Boogie

Putin’s looking like an incompetent dictator with a shitty military and a horrible strategy. Or as Trump called it “genius”.

Actually at the time Trump made that statement Putin was still acting wisely.  He took Crimea without a single soldier killed.  So he sent in his "peacekeepers" into the breakaway regions of the Luhansk and Donetsk.  Recognizing the whole of those regions as independent.  The Ukrainians would not fire on Russian troops.  From there he could demand Ukrainian troops leave those regions.  Barring no further military action there would have been little support for any meaningful sanctions.  Bide time and wait for the next move.

Instead Putin went for it all thinking he could quickly decapitate the leadership of the whole Ukraine with minimal casualties.  Then off to his next objective.  Putin made it quite clear what that is.  Hitler called it lebensraum.  Hitler too made some wise moves at first to acquire territory without firing a shot.  Then went for it all.  We all know what that lead to.

In the nuclear age our leaders are walking a tightrope.  Biden does not strike me as the guy to walk that rope.  I trust he has been surrounded with people who can.  Putin is not going to off himself in a bunker in Moscow with allied troops closing in.  The only force on this earth that can rid the world of Putin is the Russian people.

posted by majorspark

Actually at the time Trump made that statement Putin was still acting wisely.  He took Crimea without a single soldier killed.  So he sent in his "peacekeepers" into the breakaway regions of the Luhansk and Donetsk.  Recognizing the whole of those regions as independent.  The Ukrainians would not fire on Russian troops.  From there he could demand Ukrainian troops leave those regions.  Barring no further military action there would have been little support for any meaningful sanctions.  Bide time and wait for the next move.

Instead Putin went for it all thinking he could quickly decapitate the leadership of the whole Ukraine with minimal casualties.  Then off to his next objective.  Putin made it quite clear what that is.  Hitler called it lebensraum.  Hitler too made some wise moves at first to acquire territory without firing a shot.  Then went for it all.  We all know what that lead to.

In the nuclear age our leaders are walking a tightrope.  Biden does not strike me as the guy to walk that rope.  I trust he has been surrounded with people who can.  Putin is not going to off himself in a bunker in Moscow with allied troops closing in.  The only force on this earth that can rid the world of Putin is the Russian people.

Your analysis is fair, but I don’t think Trump has any understanding of the specifics.  “Putin invades Ukraine, calls it ‘Peacekeeping’” = genius move.  I think that’s as deep as his statement went.  He has a Kamala understanding of Eastern European history and geography I’m sure.

posted by Dr Winston O'Boogie

Your analysis is fair, but I don’t think Trump has any understanding of the specifics.  “Putin invades Ukraine, calls it ‘Peacekeeping’” = genius move.  I think that’s as deep as his statement went.  He has a Kamala understanding of Eastern European history and geography I’m sure.

I think Trump deliberately says outrageous things to provoke a reaction from the left, so he can then whine to his supporters how he's being unfairly attacked.  Especially when it comes to Russia.

But his lack of filter definitely causes him to just spontaneously spout off stupid shit, too.

I read that Russia's defense minister has not been seen in all most two weeks.  Apparently he has suddenly developed "heart problems". 

posted by majorspark

I read that Russia's defense minister has not been seen in all most two weeks.  Apparently he has suddenly developed "heart problems". 

I bet there are all sorts of "heart problems" in the upper rungs of defense and intelligence right now.  "Comrade Putin has purchased you this pearl handled revolver for your collection.  We will leave you alone to inspect your new pistol."

video of Russian soldiers raiding a gas station convenience store for food the other day, and all I could think was "look, ma, the shelves are full and no lines!"

posted by Dr Winston O'Boogie

Your analysis is fair, but I don’t think Trump has any understanding of the specifics.  “Putin invades Ukraine, calls it ‘Peacekeeping’” = genius move.  I think that’s as deep as his statement went.  He has a Kamala understanding of Eastern European history and geography I’m sure.

ouch

posted by gut

video of Russian soldiers raiding a gas station convenience store for food the other day, and all I could think was "look, ma, the shelves are full and no lines!"

A healthy diet of combos, zebra cakes, and Monster energy drinks will keep the invasion going. 

posted by QuakerOats

ouch

You know it’s true.  

posted by Dr Winston O'Boogie

You know it’s true.  

I don't know that; I do know if he was president this would not be happening, so it is somewhat of a moot point. 

posted by QuakerOats

I don't know that; I do know if he was president this would not be happening, so it is somewhat of a moot point. 

You don’t know that either.

posted by friendfromlowry

A healthy diet of combos, zebra cakes, and Monster energy drinks will keep the invasion going. 

If a diet like that works for our service members, then it can work for Russian ones.

Well looks like todays news is that Russia is backing down.  Basically they know they cant win.

small news leaks are saying that for a cease fire and future talks, Ukraine will not let foreign military aid inside its borders and Russia will scale back to the 2014 annexed lines when Obama let them take land.  

So who was the posters that criticized me when I posted that this will end with Russian lopping off a chunck of Eastern Ukraine and call it a day?

posted by Fletch

Well looks like todays news is that Russia is backing down.  Basically they know they cant win.

small news leaks are saying that for a cease fire and future talks, Ukraine will not let foreign military aid inside its borders and Russia will scale back to the 2014 annexed lines when Obama let them take land.  

So who was the posters that criticized me when I posted that this will end with Russian lopping off a chunck of Eastern Ukraine and call it a day?

If your second paragraph is correct, the third is wrong as nothing new is being "lopped".

What's a "chunck?"

posted by ernest_t_bass

What's a "chunck?"

Good catch. I have my cc to English filter turned on.

posted by ernest_t_bass

What's a "chunck?"

And "who was the posters".

posted by Heretic

And "who was the posters".

Go back and look.  I posted weeks ago that this was the outcome.  Russia wants that Eastern bank of Ukraine for multiple reasons.  They want the buffer zone from UN nations and they want the resources in that region including access to the Black sea.

posted by Fletch

Go back and look.  I posted weeks ago that this was the outcome.  Russia wants that Eastern bank of Ukraine for multiple reasons.  They want the buffer zone from UN nations and they want the resources in that region including access to the Black sea.

You and half the commentators I've read over the past years have opined this.  Passing along predictions of others as your own are not why you are typically ridiculed on here though.

posted by Fletch

Well looks like todays news is that Russia is backing down.  Basically they know they cant win.

Not buying that.