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Ukraine and the Russian invasion, 2022-24


Dystopiary
Thank you.

Such an entitled mindset. It's clearly ingrained in him that these people are somehow lesser beings just because they're Ukrainian. Like, we're prepared to help them be second-class Russians after raiding their homes and torturing and murdering their families, why don't they want that?
 

Dystopiary
"All this happens to the accompaniment of street musicians performing the song of Ukraine from Eurovision 2022."

:D
 
Kherson may have grabbed the Russians attention but it doesn't sound like it was a simple diversion. Lots of bad things happening.

SOUTHERN UKRAINE — In dimly lit hospital rooms in southern Ukraine, soldiers with severed limbs, shrapnel wounds, mangled hands and shattered joints recounted the lopsided disadvantages their units faced in the early days of a new offensive to expel Russian forces from the strategic city of Kherson.

The soldiers said they lacked the artillery needed to dislodge Russia’s entrenched forces and described a yawning technology gap with their better-equipped adversaries. The interviews provided some of the first direct accounts of a push to retake captured territory that is so sensitive, Ukrainian military commanders have barred reporters from visiting the front lines.

“They used everything on us,” said Denys, a 33-year-old Ukrainian soldier whose unit fell back from a Russian-held village after a lengthy barrage of cluster bombs, phosphorous munitions and mortars. “Who can survive an attack for five hours like that?” he said.


 
With what seems to be going on with the counteroffensive, if маскировка (maskirovka) is the watchword of Russian military deception, then тролінг (tr: "trolling") should be the Ukrainian one :cool:
 
It sounds like Ukraine is making large gains in the Kharkiv region, and potentially cutting off huge numbers of Russian troops and their supply routes.

This is what's being reported to have been retaken already:



And this looks like the possible goal:



Loads of videos flying around of the small city of Balakliya (population 30,000) having been liberated, with residents out on the streets waving Ukrainian flags.
 
Wonder if the Kharkiv assault was planned - or an opportunistic attack whilst Russia are busy defending Kherson. Think is shows how superior Ukrainian (well US) military intelligence is - suspect they have far clearer idea of where Russian forces are and where they are going than vice versa.
 
They’re using a lot of newer NATO-donated equipment in this offensive, stuff like Excalibur gps guided shells which have an accuracy of 2m. Also very good communications and control. Anything seen that is worthwhile targetting is destroyed promptly.

They’ve also broken through Russian lines and are attacking them from the rear and flanks. Air and artillery support can’t do shit as they‘re unable to identify friend or foe in this kind of situation, fast and chaotic.
 
Blimey even Russian TV are reporting the success of the Ukrainian counter-offensive.

Russian state television broadcast an interview on Friday acknowledging that Kyiv had achieved a "substantial victory", after Ukrainian forces burst through the frontline in a lightning advance.

The Ukrainian breakthrough near Kharkiv was the fastest advance reported by either side for months, and one of the biggest shifts in the war's momentum since Russian forces abandoned a disastrous assault on the capital Kyiv in March.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said troops had "liberated dozens of settlements" and reclaimed more than 1,000 square km (385 square miles) of territory in Kharkiv region in the east as well as Kherson in the south in the past week.

Western military analysts say the advance puts the Ukrainians within striking distance of the main railway Moscow has relied on to sustain its force in eastern Ukraine, and could leave thousands of Russian troops at risk of being cut off.

After a day of providing little or no response, Russia's defence ministry released video of its troops being rushed to reinforce the area.

"The very fact of a breach of our defences is already a substantial victory for the Ukrainian armed forces," Russian state TV showed the head of the Russian-installed occupation administration for Kharkiv province, Vitaly Ganchev, saying in an interview. Russian law bans all reporting of the conflict that diverges from official accounts.

 
Is it totally wild to think they might use a tactical nuke to try and break the counterattack?
 
Is it totally wild to think they might use a tactical nuke to try and break the counterattack?

Probably. They're good for large buildups of troops, bases, heavily fortified positions etc... Whereas this is a very fast moving, very unpredictable phase of the conflict. So they'd effectively be breaking a huge red line both for the west, and for their not-really-allies, potentially for no real gain.
 
Probably. They're good for large buildups of troops, bases, heavily fortified positions etc... Whereas this is a very fast moving, very unpredictable phase of the conflict. So they'd effectively be breaking a huge red line both for the west, and for their not-really-allies, potentially for no real gain.

Was wondering if they'd hit a large military base in Ukraine more than the front line. But yeah hopefully not, although does feel like they're going to be getting desperate.
 
I'm slightly worried that Putin will get desperate. His own side will be plotting to get rid of him if this setback turns into a rout, with all the territory, even Crimea, being lost. He might as well resort to tactical nukes.
 
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