Article

2022-03-25 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

Russia signals scaled-back war aims as Ukrainians advance near Kyiv

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Posted by DarthVader 2022-03-25 14:35|| || Front Page|| [10 views ] Top

#1 "I'm here in Poland to see first hand the humanitarian crisis," Biden said.

But what about ... oh, wait -- he sent Kamela to address the southern boarder humanitarian crisis.

Problem solved.

Posted by Bobby 2022-03-25 16:04|| 2022-03-25 16:04|| Front Page Top

#2 War tourist.

Posted by Sheba Barnsmell9965 2022-03-25 16:08|| 2022-03-25 16:08|| Front Page Top

#3 Russian troops have failed to capture any major city.

I am seeing this meme a lot lately. Looking at a map, I would retort, "Yeah, so?".

Posted by SteveS 2022-03-25 18:20|| 2022-03-25 18:20|| Front Page Top

#4 Taking the fort/castle/city is kind of the last thing to do, and only if necessary.

IIUC the most effective sieges are when the attackers make life so miserable for the population they overthrow the defenders. That involves first cutting off supply routes.

Posted by swksvolFF 2022-03-25 18:58|| 2022-03-25 18:58|| Front Page Top

#5 For the Russians, this is basically WWII with them playing the role of the Nazis, and the Ukrainians in the role of the Soviets. The locals hate the invader's guts. The Ukrainians are being supplied by the West. The Russians are being strangled economically, like their WWII Nazi counterparts.

What happened to the Nazis in Soviet territory - initial advances followed by defeat after defeat - could well happen to the Russians in Ukraine. Except the Russians don't even have significant initial victories as a buffer. There is an outside possibility that Ukraine not only drives the Russians out of pre-war Ukraine - it also drives them outside of Crimea and the occupied parts of Donetz and Luhansk.

Posted by Zhang Fei 2022-03-25 19:53|| 2022-03-25 19:53|| Front Page Top

#6 I am seeing this meme a lot lately. Looking at a map, I would retort, "Yeah, so?".

The example I use for Russian military incompetency is the city of Kharkiv. 20 miles from the Russian border... 35-40% of the city is ethnic Russian... and the Russians can't capture it.

If you can't capture or even fucking surround a city that is supposed to be mostly friendly and that close, you are a fucking disgrace.

Posted by DarthVader 2022-03-25 21:13|| 2022-03-25 21:13|| Front Page Top

#7 The example I use for Russian military incompetency is the city of Kharkiv. 20 miles from the Russian border... 35-40% of the city is ethnic Russian... and the Russians can't capture it.

If you can't capture or even fucking surround a city that is supposed to be mostly friendly and that close, you are a fucking disgrace.

Kharkov is close, but not particularly friendly. There's a long thread here that explains why.

Posted by Zhang Fei 2022-03-25 21:41|| 2022-03-25 21:41|| Front Page Top

#8 If you can't capture or even fucking surround a city that is supposed to be mostly friendly and that close, you are a fucking disgrace.

A good point. However, the enemy always gets a vote...

It is hard to find info on the disposition of Ukrainian forces to know what is going on, but if I were playing the Ukie side, I would support Kharkiv heavily. A Rus breakthru there allows them to encircle forces in the Donbass OR drive to Kiev from the southeast. Neither is good.

I'm guessing the Russian end game at this point is control of everything east of the Dnieper, so both of those things will eventually happen.

Posted by SteveS 2022-03-25 21:50|| 2022-03-25 21:50|| Front Page Top

23:59 Vespasian Omereque5237
23:58 inconsequence grise
23:56 Vespasian Omereque5237
23:52 Vespasian Omereque5237
23:49 SteveS
23:48 trailing wife
23:45 SteveS
22:48 trailing wife
22:40 trailing wife
22:36 Slineling Chusong5031
22:28 inconsequence grise
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21:50 SteveS
21:50 inconsequence grise
21:41 Zhang Fei
21:36 Zhang Fei
21:27 NN2N1
21:21 inconsequence grise
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21:13 DarthVader
21:12 Zenobia Black7630
21:00 Rob Crawford
20:57 Slineling Chusong5031
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