Since we've started making predictions, let us hear what Jonathan Littell predicts... It's harsh. — Olivier5
My dear Russian friends: some old friends, some more recent, some I only know from afar, friends in soul and spirit. Times are tough for you too. Like those of all Ukrainians, your lives, never simple, have been turned upside down. Many of you are fleeing Russia. And many of you share with me a feeling of guilt and shame about what your country is doing, in your name, to Ukraine. — Olivier5
Municipal workers cover the statue of the Italian poet and philosopher Dante Alighieri with sandbags to protect it from shelling in Kyiv. — Olivier5
Of course if President Biden is removed from power, guess who takes over the reigns, and who will have the entire nuclear arsenal at her disposal? — FreeEmotion
https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-60890199Ukraine has said it would adopt neutral status - one of Russia's key demands - in return for security guarantees, its negotiators have said.
Neutral status would mean Ukraine would not join any military alliances, such as Nato, or host military bases.
The proposals would also include a 15-year consultation period on the status of annexed Crimea and would come into force only in the event of a complete ceasefire, Ukraine said.
He is predicting much sufferings for Russians if they don't get rid of Mr Putin now. — Olivier5
My Dear Russian Friends, It’s Time For Your Maidan
Jonathan Littell — Olivier5
The letter is not mine. — Olivier5
Somebody controlled by the FSB, I would guess. — Olivier5
Modest reasons for optimism. Russian minister of offence has promised to decrease military activity as a gesture of good faith resulting from the discussions in Istanbul today. Let's hope they keep their word and peace talks are indeed constructive. — Benkei
if it's not views you agree with, then you should make that clear, — boethius
If you want to talk about that letter, do address what is actually said in the letter, rather than other stuff that has nothing to see with it. — Olivier5
When you say 'we' you mean pro-Putin guys like you, or some other group? — Olivier5
Stick to what Russians themselves can do, as this is the subject of the letter. — Olivier5
I spend a lot more time thinking about what I can do, — boethius
Well then, you can't really comment on Littell's letter, because it's not about what non-Russians can do. — Olivier5
(The Guardian) The Kremlin again raised the spectre of the use of nuclear weapons in the war with Ukraine as Russian forces struggled to hold a key city in the south of the country.
Dmitry Medvedev, a former Russian president who is deputy chairman of the country’s security council, said Moscow could strike against an enemy that only used conventional weapons while Vladimir Putin’s defence minister claimed nuclear “readiness” was a priority.
Russia would only use nuclear weapons in the context of the Ukraine conflict if it were facing an "existential threat," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told CNN International Tuesday.
I think that Ukrainian strategy hasn't been to stop the advances on the border, but defense in depth and to defend key cities. Defense in depth means to let the armoured spearheads to penetrate, wear the attacker down in depth and attack his supply lines and only defend key points like major crossings or cities. Do note the long advance that happen at the north to the eastern side of Kyiv also and also the various Ukrainian pockets. With the force levels and the size of the country, the front line can be quite sparse.Although this could be accurate, again I feel the need to debate it.
Agreed, total capitulation is what Putin, Kremlin and the Russia military would prefer (who wouldn't).
However, if you look at events on the ground, they go uncontested from Crimea, basically the first day to take Kherson and first couple days to link up with their forces in the East. These were insanely quick manoeuvres, and achieved 2 critical strategic objectives of taking a position South-West of the Dnieper, thus requiring Ukrainians to commit a large amount of troops to guarding a long defensive line to avoid Ukraine being cut North-South ... instead of a small amount of troops if they just blew-up all the bridges or defended Kherson with urban combat resulting in a prolonged siege. — boethius
what's actually effective is the key question — boethius
One possible way the conflict could become larger is if the fighting would have Belarus involved. — ssu
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