Ukraine Watch...

[adam2]

Yes, a year or two ago a neighbour paid £200 for a dozen Russian army surplus blankets for the use of the children. good quality, un used, all wool. Children state that they are much better than the supermarket duvets used previously.

Similar looking blankets are still for sale on fleabay but are more expensive and NOT wool.

[Vortex2]

When this is all over we will have few pubs, few restaurants, thousands of bankrupt firms, possibly significant unemployment, many elderly dead due to lack of heating and/or food, a crushed economy, massive inflation.

I hope all the blue-yellow flag wavers will be happy sitting in the dark and in the cold.

(We'll conveniently ignore the thousands of dead, many of whom were killed by British weapons).

Is all this worth supporting the most corrupt European country (which you couldn't find on a map) who have been shelling civilians for 8 years?

Woke virtue signalling simpletons.

[BritDownUnder]

When this is all over we will have few pubs, few restaurants, thousands of bankrupt firms, possibly significant unemployment, many elderly dead due to lack of heating and/or food, a crushed economy, massive inflation.

I hope all the blue-yellow flag wavers will be happy sitting in the dark and in the cold.

(We'll conveniently ignore the thousands of dead, many of whom were killed by British weapons).

Is all this worth supporting the most corrupt European country (which you couldn't find on a map) who have been shelling civilians for 8 years?

Woke virtue signalling simpletons.

Time will tell if the above is true or would have happened anyway as a result of the pandemic or interest rate policy or even energy policy. I can honestly say that this war has changed nothing in my life in Australia. If it gets Europe off dependence on Russian oil and gas, indeed any oil and gas, and erodes Russia's military, economy and demographics to such a degree that they can never wage war again for the next 100 years it will absolutely be worth it.

[PS_RalphW]

Ukraine is claiming to have broken through the Russian defensive lines in the North and captured 1000 square km of ground. This is now a dangerous time in the advance as there is a risk of the bulge being cut off from supply lines and attacked from North and south. Hopefully their well telegraphed attack in Khersonhas drawn in and trapped the bulk of the Russian mobile forces on the far side of the blown bridges, and the weakened defensive lines will be unable to respond quickly.

How much this was plan A and how much a tactical response to the battlefield situation is unclear, but I think it shows that Russia is a dinosaur in their military leadership and intelligence fields.

[mr brightside]

Would the Russians mine any lost ground? As in if we can't have it, nobody's having it?

[adam2]

Would the Russians mine any lost ground? As in if we can't have it, nobody's having it?

Probably not for two reasons, firstly the russians were driven out suddenly by direct military force, without time to lay mines or leave other booby traps. Secondly they are reported to be short of mines and other munitions.

[UndercoverElephant]

Ukraine is claiming to have broken through the Russian defensive lines in the North and captured 1000 square km of ground. This is now a dangerous time in the advance as there is a risk of the bulge being cut off from supply lines and attacked from North and south.

Much less of a risk when a country is reclaiming its own territory rather than advancing into hostile territory, I think.

This does look like a turning point. More here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-62849235

I think it shows that Russia is a dinosaur in their military leadership and intelligence fields.

Yes. And I think it is looking likely that they will lose considerably more ground before this counter-offensive ends.

[PS_RalphW]

There are rumours that Russian forces have abandoned Izium. This should become apparent in the next 24 hours if true, and would cement the Ukrainian position against any pincer movement by standing or reserve Russian forces.

It would be a very good military victory and an obvious point at which to pause the attack to regroup.

You tube videos show Ukrainian troops on the road passing the Izyum city boundary. Russians nowhere to be seen.

This is where Ukraine needs to consolidate and return to political pressure on Putin personally. He will be feeling the heat right now.

[PS_RalphW]

Izyum confirmed abandoned by Russia, rumours that towns 30 miles both north and south east of the confirmed front lines now being approached by Ukrainian forces. This would suggest that the entire northern flank of the Russian invasion has either retreated our been routed. The flank of the advancing Russian line in Donetsk would be highly vulnerable in such a situation.

It seems almost too good to true, so I remain cautious.

[UndercoverElephant]

Izyum confirmed abandoned by Russia, rumours that towns 30 miles both north and south east of the confirmed front lines now being approached by Ukrainian forces. This would suggest that the entire northern flank of the Russian invasion has either retreated our been routed. The flank of the advancing Russian line in Donetsk would be highly vulnerable in such a situation.

It seems almost too good to true, so I remain cautious.

So it seems all the fanfare about an attack in the south was indeed a decoy. The real attack came in the east, and it is looking like a rout. Now, where are our Russian trolls?

[UndercoverElephant]

Loads of reports now of thousands of Russians surrendering or being captured, ammunition dumps being abandoned, Donetsk airport being recaptured, and that the centre of Moscow has been closed off in the last few hours. All from https://www.reddit.com/r/UkrainianConflict/

It is possible that we are now going to see a large-scale retreat/collapse/rout, because it is unlikely that the Russians expected this to happen and they may not have prepared a backup line of defence.

[Default0ptions]

Well it still irritates me that you arbitrarily label me as a Russian troll simply for not following the party line - but I agree. This looks like a rout.

The deeper they push the salient into Russian held territory though, the more precarious it becomes. We’ll just have to wait and see how the situation evolves.

I’m unconvinced that this is a major turning point in the war.

[PS_RalphW]

What do the posters here think are Putin’s chances of still being in power by the end of the year?

https://youtu.be/nhpfNnqtinE

[UndercoverElephant]

Latest update from the BBC

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-62860774

In his nightly video address on Saturday, President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that Ukraine had now liberated 2,000 sq km (700 sq miles) from Russia since beginning a renewed counter-offensive earlier this month.

His claim would suggest that half of that area has been recaptured in the last 48 hours alone - as it istwice the area of territory Mr Zelensky said had been liberated when he spoke on Thursday evening.

Analysis by Orla Guerin, Senior International Correspondent in central Ukraine

The pace of the counter-offensive has not only caught the Russians off guard, but even surprised some Ukrainians. People here have been struggling to keep up with news of the latest gains.

The Russians have now lost two key logistics hubs - the railway cities of Izyum and Kupiansk. This is a military setback and a public humiliation for President Putin.

[UndercoverElephant]

What do the posters here think are Putin’s chances of still being in power by the end of the year?

https://youtu.be/nhpfNnqtinE

Impossible to guess. He could be turned on pretty fast if this rout continues, but who knows what it will take to remove him. Maybe comes down to a key decision by one person.