Ukraine Watch...

[Ralphw2]

It has been suggested that the smaller ship in the bottom right of those images has also been sunk, as a result of the blast damage. This was a fairly minor training ship for the navy, but it show how extensive the secondary explosions were, an entire dockside warehouse has gone, presumably it was full of ammunition.

[Default0ptions]

More signs of an imminent ‘declare victory and retreat’ coming to Ukraine

“President Joe Biden has shifted from promising the U.S. would back Ukraine for “as long as it takes,” to saying the U.S. will provide support “as long as we can” and contending that Ukraine has won “an enormous victory already.”

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/ ... e-00133211

And “Ukraine Doesn’t Need All Its Territory to Defeat Putin”

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/27/opin ... y-aid.html

So; looks like Russia achieves its aims and the west can pretend we won anyway. All happy apart from the hundreds of thousands dead that simply adhering to Minsk II would have avoided.

“Former German Chancellor Merkel admits the Minsk agreement was merely to buy time for Ukraine’s arms build-up”

That worked out well then

[UndercoverElephant]

So; looks like Russia achieves its aims

If you think that then you have forgotten what Russia's aims were and still are.

[Default0ptions]

So; looks like Russia achieves its aims

If you think that then you have forgotten what Russia's aims were and still are.

I have no idea what *you* think Russia’s aims were and are but in the interest of questioning your strawman argument this is what Putin actually said at the time:

https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/ful ... 59zhq.html

The situation on the ground now more or less reflects that.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Default0ptions]

“Millions Of Ukrainians About To See Salaries & Pensions Paused As Western Aid Dries Up”

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/ ... -aid-dries

UE: “Maybe I am wrong, but I don't think the Americans will withdraw support for Ukraine while Russia occupies Crimea.”

Er - that support is now withdrawn

[Default0ptions]

UE a little while ago:

“Just out of interest...Do you have a theory as to why your views on this war are so wildly out of step with those of everybody else on this forum?”

Well - I’m still doing pretty well with my take on the situation. Looks like Ukraine is now being defunded and Russia successfully defended itself against American nukes in its backyard.

If you remember America also did a face off against Russian nukes in Cuba back in the 60s.

Nothing is black and white and if things are presented to you as shining knights on white horses versus orcs and goblins you should know you’re being played.

Reality and truth are always in the grey area in between.

[Ralphw2]

The last couple of weeks Ukraine has started to put the F16s to good use, and has once again forced the Russian airforce and navy into further retreat, as Russia dare not lose more of its premium military assets to second hand Nato cast offs. On the ground, Putin is still happy to throw away thousands of conscripts and convicts and hundreds more of his Soviet era hardware, for tiny gains on the ground.

The US stalling of support thanks to the rabid right wing is serious, but Ukraine is far from finished and still has deep support from Europe, and especially the ex Soviet countries who know first hand what life was like as vassal States

[Default0ptions]

The last couple of weeks Ukraine has started to put the F16s to good use, and has once again forced the Russian airforce and navy into further retreat, as Russia dare not lose more of its premium military assets to second hand Nato cast offs. On the ground, Putin is still happy to throw away thousands of conscripts and convicts and hundreds more of his Soviet era hardware, for tiny gains on the ground.

The US stalling of support thanks to the rabid right wing is serious, but Ukraine is far from finished and still has deep support from Europe, and especially the ex Soviet countries who know first hand what life was like as vassal States

Support like Poland, Slovakia and Hungary blockading the border?

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu ... 023-09-15/

[Default0ptions]

“The last couple of weeks Ukraine has started to put the F16s to good use”

Do you really think that the Ukraine can win its way back to the 2014 borders?

[UndercoverElephant]

I have no idea what *you* think Russia’s aims were

Russia's war aim was the total conquest of Ukraine, one way or another. It was to prevent any part of Ukraine joining the EU or NATO.

[Default0ptions]

I have no idea what *you* think Russia’s aims were

Russia's war aim was the total conquest of Ukraine, one way or another. It was to prevent any part of Ukraine joining the EU or NATO.

Oh don’t be so stupid. I gave you a link to Putin’s speech and you’re just holding up a strawman fallacy.

Again.

[Default0ptions]

Ralph: “The US stalling of support thanks to the rabid right wing is serious”

Does ‘rabid right wing’ just mean anyone who doesn’t agree with you? The US was, last time I looked, a democracy. Or so it claims. So your ‘rabid right wing’ is actually a democratically empowered reflection of the will of sufficient voting Americans to put their interests in a position of power.

Or doesn’t democracy count when the results differ from your opinion?

Or are you suggesting that America is no longer a democracy?

Ironically we’re supposed to be supporting democracy in the Ukraine.

Including the ludicrous whitewashing of the far right Azov Brigade

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azov_Brigade

Rabid right wing?

[northernmonkey]

I have no idea what *you* think Russia’s aims were

Russia's war aim was the total conquest of Ukraine, one way or another. It was to prevent any part of Ukraine joining the EU or NATO.

It's not possible to take what you write seriously when you write this kind of hysterical nonsense. But, then, you are far from alone in that regard on here.

[Forever_Winter]

UE's points are correct. Putin's SMO was basically a land grab and the install of a puppet government in Ukraine. If you don't get that, you are either a) a liar b) a bullshitter or c) a useful idiot.
If it's c) I hope you are getting paid for spouting your kind of nonsense ....

[Default0ptions]

UE's points are correct. Putin's SMO was basically a land grab and the install of a puppet government in Ukraine. If you don't get that, you are either a) a liar b) a bullshitter or c) a useful idiot.
If it's c) I hope you are getting paid for spouting your kind of nonsense ....

Nah. Do you see Russia lining up some candidates? I don’t think you bothered to either read or understand the rather clear objectives - which are now more or less achieved