April 26, 2023 - 10:30am
Ukrainians will be able to “out-suffer” Vladimir Putin as the war wears on, former director of the CIA and retired army general David Petraeus has said. Speaking at the Bush School of Governance and Public Service in Washington D.C., Petraeus predicted that the spring “counteroffensive” would convince the Russian President to change his approach.
“I believe that’s what’s going to happen,” said Petraeus. “The question, then … is can Putin, over time, be convinced that he will not be able to out-suffer the Ukrainians, the Europeans, and the Americans, which is what he currently thinks.”
Petraeus was discussing an upcoming US-trained Ukrainian offensive against Russian military operations in Crimea at an event on 30th March, the video of which has only just been published. He noted that there are intensive US training, arming, and recruiting efforts to equip Ukrainians for the coming effort in Russian-occupied Melitopol, a southeastern city known as a gateway to Crimea.
“This May, early June, there is going to be a heck of an offensive from the Ukrainians, very likely in the south,” he said. “It probably has to be roughly in the Melitopol area, and they will try to sever the ground line of communications that Russia has established along the southeast coast of Ukraine linking into Crimea.”
Petraeus advised that “training centres the US runs in Germany, Grafenwöhr, Hohenfels, UK, Poland, Ukraine itself,” have been preparing “entire new brigades… with new recruits from Ukraine”. The former CIA director noted that these brigades will execute the upcoming offensive “equipped with Western tanks … Western infantry-fighting vehicles … and Western-wheeled armoured vehicles — really, quite an extraordinary array of systems.”
During the talk, Petraeus made clear that the US-trained Ukrainian brigades will have “engineers and EODs to produce obstacles and defuse explosives and mines,” and emphasised the novel Ukrainian capacity to hinder Russian military communications in Crimea, claiming that “they’ll have electronic warfare to jam the Russians’ networks.”
Petraeus expressed broader confidence that Ukrainian forces, with US training and additional reserve forces, would be able to continue offensive and defensive operations for as long as necessary against Russian advances.
Other retired US Army personnel have also commented on the prospective counteroffensive following Petraeus’s remarks. Lieutenant General Ben Hodges — former commanding general for US Army Europe, former Commander of Nato Allied Land Command, and current Nato Senior Mentor for Logistics — claimed just days ago that Ukraine will aim to retake Crimea, echoing many of the same details regarding armaments, strategy, and regional advances.
Petraeus and Hodges, both retired US generals of different ranks, believe that Ukraine has the capacity to make Russia “bleed” in this counteroffensive. Leaked US intelligence documents from February suggest that current Biden administration officials are less optimistic about Ukraine’s ability to fully succeed.
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SubscribeAs the successful architect of US strategy in Iraq and Afghanistan we should lister to Petraeus
The words “successful” and “Afghanistan” and “strategy” in the same sentence must be facetious.
The unfortunate fact is that Petraeus is hoist with his own petard and arrogance. He frankly doesn’t know what he’s talking about and is living in a bubble. And clearly here the secret papers from the Pentagon that were just released indicate quite different expectations for the spring offensive.
I assume you are being sarcastic.
Actually, the US is still in Iraq.
And Petraeus was in command when Biden withdrew all support from Afghanistan?
That’s news to me.
But it’s fun to live in a different reality, where you’re always right!
You will have to tell me about it
GREAT comeback!
GREAT comeback!
You will have to tell me about it
The words “successful” and “Afghanistan” and “strategy” in the same sentence must be facetious.
The unfortunate fact is that Petraeus is hoist with his own petard and arrogance. He frankly doesn’t know what he’s talking about and is living in a bubble. And clearly here the secret papers from the Pentagon that were just released indicate quite different expectations for the spring offensive.
I assume you are being sarcastic.
Actually, the US is still in Iraq.
And Petraeus was in command when Biden withdrew all support from Afghanistan?
That’s news to me.
But it’s fun to live in a different reality, where you’re always right!
As the successful architect of US strategy in Iraq and Afghanistan we should lister to Petraeus
I am glad the mask has slipped and we’re now nakedly calling this a proxy war.
Proxy war implies that somehow we are using Ukraine for our own nefarious ends.
When the actual facts show that Ukraine is probably using us for its own, rather obvious ends:
To evict Russia from Ukraine.
it will be ironic if Putin loses the war and his presidency because he counted on ‘General Winter’ and only ‘General quite mild winter’ turned up.
it will be ironic if Putin loses the war and his presidency because he counted on ‘General Winter’ and only ‘General quite mild winter’ turned up.
Proxy war implies that somehow we are using Ukraine for our own nefarious ends.
When the actual facts show that Ukraine is probably using us for its own, rather obvious ends:
To evict Russia from Ukraine.
I am glad the mask has slipped and we’re now nakedly calling this a proxy war.
Regardless of outcome of the coming offensive the point that Ukraine will ‘out-suffer’ Putin’s Russia has to be correct. What other choice do they have when you see the brutality they have endured. Imagine what would happen to virtually all males of service age were the Ukraine to be overrun? Imagine what would happen to their wives, mothers, daughters, children?
For that reason they will fight and fight, and even if Russia gained the upper hand they’d have to endure a never-ending guerrilla campaign until, like in Afghanistan, they withdraw.
Petraeus knows it. The architect of the ‘Surge’ appreciates full well what it would take to suppress a country even if just for a period. What CenCom accomplished in Iraq under his leadership way beyond capability of Russian forces and even then everyone knew it was just a temporary holding position.
What bollocks you talk….”happen to their wives, mother’s and children….”
Are you a troll?
This sort of crap in vein of ….”The Asiatic/Mongol/Siberian /…. Hordes descending….” is guff spouted since 14th Century or before.
British Army – Kenya
Australian SAS – Afghanistan
US Army -Iraq
Everyone almost – Syria
UN – Haiti
The Ukrainian offensive FAILED….the big one was supposed to have been the Kherson and Kharkov offensives/slaughter (Brigades destroyed that is why you/we (UK/US/EU) are sending our own MBTs and AFV and artillery.
THE Ukrainian offensive stalled, despite Russians being thin on the ground. Russians started with 220K bayonets for an eventual 1000km front, their thin lines exacerbated by Russian contract (regular) soldiers coming to the end of their terms as Russian MOD made a balls up.
Russians then called up 350K reservists…NOT conscripts, but reservists with military and often combat experience. They have been training for months IN….combined /integrated operations and with their OWN kit.
The training is also quite revolutionary in that it is also part of REFORM currently undergoing in the Russian army, at the tactical and strategic level away from BTG
towards a more western model to counter NATO tactics…yup they are adapting
Any Ukrainian offensive will pit professional soldiers who have undertaken professional ADVANCED training on their own equipment for several months, against a conscript with 6 weeks training on Brecon Beacons, or with 6 weeks in a tank that they have never had experience in.
The Russians have 1000s of tanks, many 100s capable of taking out “Western” tanks and many 100s of older ones that are excellent as mobile or “dug in” artillery packing 115 mm, 120 mm, and 125 mm main armaments.
I am sure someone will try and challenge that Russians do not have more plentiful artillery than Ukraine, but they do, and deep defenses in depth..AND an airforce with BIG 500KG -1500KG guided bombs ….AND air defences….no doubt they have problems, but look at “fabled” Desert Storm and the “balls ups”….it happens to all armies.
It may all go pear shape for Russians, that is just war, but the bollocks spouted here is on par with “Russians running out of ammo”, “Russians stripping washing machines for chips”, “Russians attacking in suicide waves”….Russians in fact appear to be “risk adverse” with their men….as much as an army can reasonably be.
I have seen cemeteries in Ukraine….I have an instinctive feeling what the Ukrainians are suffering, and before you shout troll….look up BBC project tracing Russian casualties.
I possibly have more of an insight to “reality” than general P….he may be the strategist but I am closer to the front line and rear because I AM here in Ukraine….yup I really am here in Ukraine.
I look forward to accusations of being a Russian troll etc etc….but you have been listening to all the bollocks from MSM, arm chair generals, real generals, presidents, prime minsters, analysts, mystery meg….GO BACK to press articles, interviews, analysis on news channels….refresh yourself on what has and has not been presented to you….then map what they have “told” you to what you read today.
Good afternoon
Thank you “Unheard”… I was expecting my, possibly challenging, opinion not to be published
At least you know what you are talking about, Max, as against somebody who claims he has won the Iraq war for the US and won the war in Afghanistan (and we all know under which circumstances the US left both countries), and he also claimed to have trained the Iraqi army, (and we all know how disastrous THAT turned out), General P has a LOT to learn about the realities of modern day warfare. How you can disclose a counter offensive by going public on your strategy, timing, and then orchestrate the “leaking” of documents about the state of the war and the offensive as he has been party to? This is typical US strategy for continuing in antagonizing the Russians as they have done since 2014 in the region. This war is not about Ukraine, but it is being used as cannon fodder for US objectives (read NATO expansion, control of supply routes, bio-labs, money laundering, defence industry beneficiaries, Black Rock and other US corporations getting ludicrous amounts of WorldBank/IMF money for so-called reconstruction projects, and much more!).
If you are in Donbas, I hope you will enjoy your future home in the Urals, then!
But if Russia is so great, why can’t it capture the 58th largest town in Ukraine, after 9 months (going on 10) of fierce fighting?
Fact is, the Russian CHARACTER always defeats Russia. Whatever changes and innovations the Russian military makes, it still has to use Russians to implement those changes. But each Russian knows that he is totally dependent on whoever is above him–and he also knows that that person considers him nothing more than govno.
So he will lie, cheat and steal to survive, all the time lulling his “Barin” into a false sense of security. Things go along merrily–until they meet reality at Hostomel, Kherson, Kharkiv, etc.
It’s the same in the past. Ivan Grozniy’s dynasty ended with The Time of Troubles. The Romanovs stumbled along through the Crimean War, the Russo-Japanese War, until 1917 destroyed the whole enterprise.
The Soviets managed to create a worthless industry, while killing a large part of their population in wars and purges. Then of course, their worthless industry collapsed, so the whole worthless enterprise collapsed
This latest iteration is just a sick parody of all the previous failed regimes. Putin lies to his general and oligarchs, and they lie to him.
You can’t change it–because you are part of the same uniquely Russian culture of failure.
Indeed, that’s why Russian literature is so great. It has the deepest insight into human failure and despair, because Russians have experienced failure and despair more than any other people on the planet.
But soon you will be able to write your own account of Russia’s failures!
Why not call it “донбасские разсказы?”
As you say problems of Russia are not due to Putin or even Soviet era.
They are result of Russians living for centuries under Mongol yoke and their rulers being nothing more than tax collectors for Tatars.
Apart from maybe 20% of population (mostly in big cities) who feel culturally part of Europe, the rest has slave mentality.
Most people in the West obsessed with slavery and white guilt do not even know that serfdom was only abolished in Russia in 1861.
So later than slavery in England and colonies (1838).
Martin,
Bakhmut was taken, beyond all doubt now,and Ukraine has just called off its “encirclement”.
Bakhmut was indeed a “meat grinder”…..it was finished with FAB 500s and 1000s to collapse the buildings. This could have been done from day one. But, I suspect Russian high command were quite happy for Wagner (who are run by Russian military intelligence) to keep the grinding going within the recruitment thresholds of the organisation.
Read Ukrainian accounts, most of their KIA and WIA never saw a Russian. It was artillery, and latterly tanks of Russian army and FABs of Russian airforce that closed down the grinder. These could have been brought to the battle months ago by the Russians.
I am not in Donbass thank goodness, but even so we have had a week of continual air alarms and Kyiv has been pounded (yes)
I reiterate…..review what you have read or been lectured over the past months. Then assess.
As for your Urals trope….yes a trope along the lines of “Asiatic hordes” etc. Maybe if educated people would educate themselves outside their comfort zones, the “West” might understand the “Russian character”, and how it ticks….and we would have better “outcomes” in our dealings with them, whether constructive or not.
As for Russian “Character”, well again review please. Russia is not just the largest, but the largest multi -ethnic, multi denominational and multi-cultural STATE on earth. Russians are Russian by State citizenship, but have many diverse nationalities. As Stalin recognised and feared, and tried to diffuse. A Volga German (some left) has a different “character” to a Siberian. European Russia of course is just a sliver of geographic Russia.
In Donbass we unfortunately find many nationalities fighting, not as conscripts but volunteers, for the Russian state. As the old adage says “Russian nations spilt blood for the Russian state”.
“Classical” Russian literature does not reflect Russian character, but it often portrays Russian characters, wrapped in European Russian literature. And of course much “classical” Russian literature angst, looking for”Russia” and often ending in turning away from European (Western) Russia towards the Roussean “wild child” of the Caucuses, or Caspian basin etc
If you think the Russian “character” is so ingrained, what makes you think it is dropped so easily by those who were once educated by and still are the generation in power across former CCCP? They may have western, national and liberal aspirations, but their formative years are the same as those they seek to leave behind
Finally, the Crimean war resulted in the final abolition of slavery in Russian Empire, though parts such as Ducky of Warsaw and Finland escaped this “tying to the land” of people. This was not some sort of humanitarian or liberal gesture, but an economic revolution to make Russia socially and therefore industrially capable of challenging the “West” that defeated it with technological supremacy.
Russia before 1914 was laying more railway lines, producing more steel and matching/surpassing the industrial indices of GB, US and Germany.
War brought Russian empire down, exasperating the outstanding social issues, but war also brought German Empire down despite not being defeated in 1918.
War is fickle, and state are machiavellian, and all the “arm chair generals” before pontificating about who is winning/losing should so be aware
As you say problems of Russia are not due to Putin or even Soviet era.
They are result of Russians living for centuries under Mongol yoke and their rulers being nothing more than tax collectors for Tatars.
Apart from maybe 20% of population (mostly in big cities) who feel culturally part of Europe, the rest has slave mentality.
Most people in the West obsessed with slavery and white guilt do not even know that serfdom was only abolished in Russia in 1861.
So later than slavery in England and colonies (1838).
Martin,
Bakhmut was taken, beyond all doubt now,and Ukraine has just called off its “encirclement”.
Bakhmut was indeed a “meat grinder”…..it was finished with FAB 500s and 1000s to collapse the buildings. This could have been done from day one. But, I suspect Russian high command were quite happy for Wagner (who are run by Russian military intelligence) to keep the grinding going within the recruitment thresholds of the organisation.
Read Ukrainian accounts, most of their KIA and WIA never saw a Russian. It was artillery, and latterly tanks of Russian army and FABs of Russian airforce that closed down the grinder. These could have been brought to the battle months ago by the Russians.
I am not in Donbass thank goodness, but even so we have had a week of continual air alarms and Kyiv has been pounded (yes)
I reiterate…..review what you have read or been lectured over the past months. Then assess.
As for your Urals trope….yes a trope along the lines of “Asiatic hordes” etc. Maybe if educated people would educate themselves outside their comfort zones, the “West” might understand the “Russian character”, and how it ticks….and we would have better “outcomes” in our dealings with them, whether constructive or not.
As for Russian “Character”, well again review please. Russia is not just the largest, but the largest multi -ethnic, multi denominational and multi-cultural STATE on earth. Russians are Russian by State citizenship, but have many diverse nationalities. As Stalin recognised and feared, and tried to diffuse. A Volga German (some left) has a different “character” to a Siberian. European Russia of course is just a sliver of geographic Russia.
In Donbass we unfortunately find many nationalities fighting, not as conscripts but volunteers, for the Russian state. As the old adage says “Russian nations spilt blood for the Russian state”.
“Classical” Russian literature does not reflect Russian character, but it often portrays Russian characters, wrapped in European Russian literature. And of course much “classical” Russian literature angst, looking for”Russia” and often ending in turning away from European (Western) Russia towards the Roussean “wild child” of the Caucuses, or Caspian basin etc
If you think the Russian “character” is so ingrained, what makes you think it is dropped so easily by those who were once educated by and still are the generation in power across former CCCP? They may have western, national and liberal aspirations, but their formative years are the same as those they seek to leave behind
Finally, the Crimean war resulted in the final abolition of slavery in Russian Empire, though parts such as Ducky of Warsaw and Finland escaped this “tying to the land” of people. This was not some sort of humanitarian or liberal gesture, but an economic revolution to make Russia socially and therefore industrially capable of challenging the “West” that defeated it with technological supremacy.
Russia before 1914 was laying more railway lines, producing more steel and matching/surpassing the industrial indices of GB, US and Germany.
War brought Russian empire down, exasperating the outstanding social issues, but war also brought German Empire down despite not being defeated in 1918.
War is fickle, and state are machiavellian, and all the “arm chair generals” before pontificating about who is winning/losing should so be aware
At least you know what you are talking about, Max, as against somebody who claims he has won the Iraq war for the US and won the war in Afghanistan (and we all know under which circumstances the US left both countries), and he also claimed to have trained the Iraqi army, (and we all know how disastrous THAT turned out), General P has a LOT to learn about the realities of modern day warfare. How you can disclose a counter offensive by going public on your strategy, timing, and then orchestrate the “leaking” of documents about the state of the war and the offensive as he has been party to? This is typical US strategy for continuing in antagonizing the Russians as they have done since 2014 in the region. This war is not about Ukraine, but it is being used as cannon fodder for US objectives (read NATO expansion, control of supply routes, bio-labs, money laundering, defence industry beneficiaries, Black Rock and other US corporations getting ludicrous amounts of WorldBank/IMF money for so-called reconstruction projects, and much more!).
If you are in Donbas, I hope you will enjoy your future home in the Urals, then!
But if Russia is so great, why can’t it capture the 58th largest town in Ukraine, after 9 months (going on 10) of fierce fighting?
Fact is, the Russian CHARACTER always defeats Russia. Whatever changes and innovations the Russian military makes, it still has to use Russians to implement those changes. But each Russian knows that he is totally dependent on whoever is above him–and he also knows that that person considers him nothing more than govno.
So he will lie, cheat and steal to survive, all the time lulling his “Barin” into a false sense of security. Things go along merrily–until they meet reality at Hostomel, Kherson, Kharkiv, etc.
It’s the same in the past. Ivan Grozniy’s dynasty ended with The Time of Troubles. The Romanovs stumbled along through the Crimean War, the Russo-Japanese War, until 1917 destroyed the whole enterprise.
The Soviets managed to create a worthless industry, while killing a large part of their population in wars and purges. Then of course, their worthless industry collapsed, so the whole worthless enterprise collapsed
This latest iteration is just a sick parody of all the previous failed regimes. Putin lies to his general and oligarchs, and they lie to him.
You can’t change it–because you are part of the same uniquely Russian culture of failure.
Indeed, that’s why Russian literature is so great. It has the deepest insight into human failure and despair, because Russians have experienced failure and despair more than any other people on the planet.
But soon you will be able to write your own account of Russia’s failures!
Why not call it “донбасские разсказы?”
Pretty much everything you say is 100% wrong.
1) Their “Reservists” are not organizede reserves like the US National Guard. They did not belong toi units and have no ongoing training. They are simply conscripts who did their one year over the past 10 years. They are no better than conscripts; probably worse since they’ve experienced the brutality and corruption of the Russian military.
2) The Russian BTG concept has been a complete failure. They’ve shown no ability to use combined arms. In the last 6 months they’ve reverted to pre-1918 infantry tactics with predictable results.
3) Russian has completely exhausted their reserves of modern tanks. Most of them were stored so poorly that they rotted, or were looted of their valuable equipment to be sold on the black market. No way they would mobilize 60 year old T-62s and T-55s if they had any T-72s or T-80s left in reserve.
4) The Russian air force is out of precision weapons, and has proven unable to provide even rudimentary close air support. They supposedly have 1000 front line aircraft yet can’t obtain air superiority. Odd are larck of maintenance and pilots mean they have only a few hundred plane that can fly.
You’re wrong on all points Arthur, the Russian Air Force is NOT out of precision weapons, they have been dropping more of them in recent weeks. the Russians will build more new tanks this year than the Ukraine will receive from the West, they will also refurbish more T-72s than the Ukraine will receive from the West
The problem, as always, is that they are driven by Russians.
As long as that prevails, Moscow will lose.
The problem, as always, is that they are driven by Russians.
As long as that prevails, Moscow will lose.
You’re wrong on all points Arthur, the Russian Air Force is NOT out of precision weapons, they have been dropping more of them in recent weeks. the Russians will build more new tanks this year than the Ukraine will receive from the West, they will also refurbish more T-72s than the Ukraine will receive from the West
Thank you “Unheard”… I was expecting my, possibly challenging, opinion not to be published
Pretty much everything you say is 100% wrong.
1) Their “Reservists” are not organizede reserves like the US National Guard. They did not belong toi units and have no ongoing training. They are simply conscripts who did their one year over the past 10 years. They are no better than conscripts; probably worse since they’ve experienced the brutality and corruption of the Russian military.
2) The Russian BTG concept has been a complete failure. They’ve shown no ability to use combined arms. In the last 6 months they’ve reverted to pre-1918 infantry tactics with predictable results.
3) Russian has completely exhausted their reserves of modern tanks. Most of them were stored so poorly that they rotted, or were looted of their valuable equipment to be sold on the black market. No way they would mobilize 60 year old T-62s and T-55s if they had any T-72s or T-80s left in reserve.
4) The Russian air force is out of precision weapons, and has proven unable to provide even rudimentary close air support. They supposedly have 1000 front line aircraft yet can’t obtain air superiority. Odd are larck of maintenance and pilots mean they have only a few hundred plane that can fly.
I doubt it if the Pentagon papers are anything to go by: 7 Ukrainian soldiers dead for every 1 Russian. That sounds as if the Ukrainians will have to do at least 7x the suffering.
You DO know that the ratio of losses was changed from 3 Russians to 1 Ukrainian by the Russians themselves.
It was designed to fool idiots who get all their info from youtube and tiktok.
But never mind, you’re still waiting for the first 15,000 casualties…
Actually my information is directly from the Pentagon papers that were leaked by the whistleblower. Not Tiktok or YouTube. So actual US intelligence data.
Not that particular page.
The original also exists.
It was changed to fool the gullible–who think that only 15,000 will die in this war.
Not that particular page.
The original also exists.
It was changed to fool the gullible–who think that only 15,000 will die in this war.
Actually my information is directly from the Pentagon papers that were leaked by the whistleblower. Not Tiktok or YouTube. So actual US intelligence data.
You DO know that the ratio of losses was changed from 3 Russians to 1 Ukrainian by the Russians themselves.
It was designed to fool idiots who get all their info from youtube and tiktok.
But never mind, you’re still waiting for the first 15,000 casualties…
I think you will find that following WW2 Ukraine had a gorilla campaign going against Soviet occupation until the mid 1950s, but the Soviets stamped it out in the end
And hence the hatred that most Ukrainians feel toward Russians.
Wage an anti-guerrilla campaign for 10 years and you make a lot of enemies–as every major power has found out.
Well no. Ukraine was largely pro-Russian until 2014. Sine 2014 there has been a large scale organized campaign to make Ukrainians hostile towards Russia
Well no. Ukraine was largely pro-Russian until 2014. Sine 2014 there has been a large scale organized campaign to make Ukrainians hostile towards Russia
And hence the hatred that most Ukrainians feel toward Russians.
Wage an anti-guerrilla campaign for 10 years and you make a lot of enemies–as every major power has found out.
What bollocks you talk….”happen to their wives, mother’s and children….”
Are you a troll?
This sort of crap in vein of ….”The Asiatic/Mongol/Siberian /…. Hordes descending….” is guff spouted since 14th Century or before.
British Army – Kenya
Australian SAS – Afghanistan
US Army -Iraq
Everyone almost – Syria
UN – Haiti
The Ukrainian offensive FAILED….the big one was supposed to have been the Kherson and Kharkov offensives/slaughter (Brigades destroyed that is why you/we (UK/US/EU) are sending our own MBTs and AFV and artillery.
THE Ukrainian offensive stalled, despite Russians being thin on the ground. Russians started with 220K bayonets for an eventual 1000km front, their thin lines exacerbated by Russian contract (regular) soldiers coming to the end of their terms as Russian MOD made a balls up.
Russians then called up 350K reservists…NOT conscripts, but reservists with military and often combat experience. They have been training for months IN….combined /integrated operations and with their OWN kit.
The training is also quite revolutionary in that it is also part of REFORM currently undergoing in the Russian army, at the tactical and strategic level away from BTG
towards a more western model to counter NATO tactics…yup they are adapting
Any Ukrainian offensive will pit professional soldiers who have undertaken professional ADVANCED training on their own equipment for several months, against a conscript with 6 weeks training on Brecon Beacons, or with 6 weeks in a tank that they have never had experience in.
The Russians have 1000s of tanks, many 100s capable of taking out “Western” tanks and many 100s of older ones that are excellent as mobile or “dug in” artillery packing 115 mm, 120 mm, and 125 mm main armaments.
I am sure someone will try and challenge that Russians do not have more plentiful artillery than Ukraine, but they do, and deep defenses in depth..AND an airforce with BIG 500KG -1500KG guided bombs ….AND air defences….no doubt they have problems, but look at “fabled” Desert Storm and the “balls ups”….it happens to all armies.
It may all go pear shape for Russians, that is just war, but the bollocks spouted here is on par with “Russians running out of ammo”, “Russians stripping washing machines for chips”, “Russians attacking in suicide waves”….Russians in fact appear to be “risk adverse” with their men….as much as an army can reasonably be.
I have seen cemeteries in Ukraine….I have an instinctive feeling what the Ukrainians are suffering, and before you shout troll….look up BBC project tracing Russian casualties.
I possibly have more of an insight to “reality” than general P….he may be the strategist but I am closer to the front line and rear because I AM here in Ukraine….yup I really am here in Ukraine.
I look forward to accusations of being a Russian troll etc etc….but you have been listening to all the bollocks from MSM, arm chair generals, real generals, presidents, prime minsters, analysts, mystery meg….GO BACK to press articles, interviews, analysis on news channels….refresh yourself on what has and has not been presented to you….then map what they have “told” you to what you read today.
Good afternoon
I doubt it if the Pentagon papers are anything to go by: 7 Ukrainian soldiers dead for every 1 Russian. That sounds as if the Ukrainians will have to do at least 7x the suffering.
I think you will find that following WW2 Ukraine had a gorilla campaign going against Soviet occupation until the mid 1950s, but the Soviets stamped it out in the end
Regardless of outcome of the coming offensive the point that Ukraine will ‘out-suffer’ Putin’s Russia has to be correct. What other choice do they have when you see the brutality they have endured. Imagine what would happen to virtually all males of service age were the Ukraine to be overrun? Imagine what would happen to their wives, mothers, daughters, children?
For that reason they will fight and fight, and even if Russia gained the upper hand they’d have to endure a never-ending guerrilla campaign until, like in Afghanistan, they withdraw.
Petraeus knows it. The architect of the ‘Surge’ appreciates full well what it would take to suppress a country even if just for a period. What CenCom accomplished in Iraq under his leadership way beyond capability of Russian forces and even then everyone knew it was just a temporary holding position.
I understand that a new dictionary is being published, with Petraeus’ photo illustrating the word “w***e.”
Some wanted to use it to illustrate “liar” but they decided they couldn’t use the same image for two different words.
I understand that a new dictionary is being published, with Petraeus’ photo illustrating the word “w***e.”
Some wanted to use it to illustrate “liar” but they decided they couldn’t use the same image for two different words.
Wow,pure, unadulterated copium
Wow,pure, unadulterated copium
apropos the conflicting comments, I guess we will see soon enough who is right …
apropos the conflicting comments, I guess we will see soon enough who is right …
The problem for Russia is that almost no Russian really wants to fight in this war. Some may do it for the money. But people aren’t lining up to join the fight–as Americans did after 9/11.
And that’s because Russians simply don’t see Ukraine as part of Russia.
On the other hand, every Ukraine now has a deep hatred for Russia and all it stands for. They don’t just want to survive, like the mobiks. They want to kill as many mobiks as possible.
In particular, people in Russophone areas now know that Putin doesn’t just want to take their territory, he wants to convert them into “good” Russians, by torturing, imprisoning and killing them. That’s why teachers of Russian literature in Odesa want to tear down statues of Pushkin.
And that’s why every Ukrainian Russophone who’s not senile wants to kill every Russian.
Putin has been Ukraine’s greatest ally since Day One of this war.
When they take back Sevastopol, they should put up a statue to him.
The problem for Russia is that almost no Russian really wants to fight in this war. Some may do it for the money. But people aren’t lining up to join the fight–as Americans did after 9/11.
And that’s because Russians simply don’t see Ukraine as part of Russia.
On the other hand, every Ukraine now has a deep hatred for Russia and all it stands for. They don’t just want to survive, like the mobiks. They want to kill as many mobiks as possible.
In particular, people in Russophone areas now know that Putin doesn’t just want to take their territory, he wants to convert them into “good” Russians, by torturing, imprisoning and killing them. That’s why teachers of Russian literature in Odesa want to tear down statues of Pushkin.
And that’s why every Ukrainian Russophone who’s not senile wants to kill every Russian.
Putin has been Ukraine’s greatest ally since Day One of this war.
When they take back Sevastopol, they should put up a statue to him.
Realists believe Ukraine will capitulate by this summer, Zelensky having done the job he was paid to do: sacrifice his country to the gods of lucrative war.
As the Russian imperialists have been bleeding men matériel and money for 14 months and are well on the back foot, could you elaborate on what evidence supports your prediction?
Check out the recently published/leaked secret Pentagon papers and you’ll find your answer.
I have.
But you have instead “checked out” the doctored Russian version.
And never wonder why Russia still can’t take Bakhmut.
No I haven’t. You’re living in cloud cuckoo land.
Russia needs Bakhmut principally to reduce the bombing/shelling of civilian locations.
Russia also needs to ensure that civilians in Bakhmut, sorry, Artyemovsk, are protected from both Russian and Ukraine/NATO impacts.
Further, it seems that another objective is to draw the Ukraine military into an enclosed area and the more of those that can be enclosed the better.
NOTE. Russia is not using the classic “Western” method of blanket destruction, one reason being that Russia sees itself in possession of the territory & therefore has skin in that game.
HTH
No I haven’t. You’re living in cloud cuckoo land.
Russia needs Bakhmut principally to reduce the bombing/shelling of civilian locations.
Russia also needs to ensure that civilians in Bakhmut, sorry, Artyemovsk, are protected from both Russian and Ukraine/NATO impacts.
Further, it seems that another objective is to draw the Ukraine military into an enclosed area and the more of those that can be enclosed the better.
NOTE. Russia is not using the classic “Western” method of blanket destruction, one reason being that Russia sees itself in possession of the territory & therefore has skin in that game.
HTH
I have.
But you have instead “checked out” the doctored Russian version.
And never wonder why Russia still can’t take Bakhmut.
Check out the recently published/leaked secret Pentagon papers and you’ll find your answer.
As the Russian imperialists have been bleeding men matériel and money for 14 months and are well on the back foot, could you elaborate on what evidence supports your prediction?
Realists believe Ukraine will capitulate by this summer, Zelensky having done the job he was paid to do: sacrifice his country to the gods of lucrative war.