Yes, the supply lines are so slow and the politics are abysmal. But we can't forget that there have been hundreds if not thousands of Ukrainian soldiers overseas to be trained to use all this "western" hardware, it's not like they can just hand them over in a matter of speech without any training or instruction.
Russian invasion of Ukraine | Fewer tweets, more discussion
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Russia is now playing a long game and stalling things using all its means because it knows how fragile western politics are at the moment. This year will already gonna be occupied by the upcoming Presidential elections in US and the support for Ukraine will further diminish via public pressures given the resources Russia pouring into the troll armies / bots and populist politicians. For me the most infuriating thing about our supposed western leaders is that they did not provide absolutely everything at the peak of the support for Ukraine across general population. Clowns.
I work in intelligence and I am also familiar with our Political scene here - so yes it's been as you described, but we can't also forget how European countries are seriously lacking the military needs themselves also. It's been widely known and said how the situation within many was before the war and how it was hard to make a lot of them to submit their 2% for NATO. There is a reason why Estonia/Latvia/Poland etc are the front runners.
That’s true for Europe but I’m also blaming Biden for a very reserved approach, the US has so much military capacity just dusting off somewhere in Nevada deserts that it could blow away Russia a few times over in no time instead the best of Ukrainian people are dying for no good reason but for hesitation of Biden admin.
She sounds gorgeous
Yes but is UAF losing too many soldiers in Bahmut which can be used elsewhere. Also theres still a possibility of Russians pushing from Belarus. As the article says casualties kaj for men are going in Russia favour apparently.
He had to navigate the midterms first. And he had to get his European allies (France, Germany, and Italy) to agree to crossing that line with him. Plus, it is not as straightforward as you make it sound with "so much military capacity just dusting off somewhere."
This quotation comes from an insightful paper published by The Washington Post a few weeks ago.
"A shortage of artillery ammunition of all sorts remains a weakness. Although production increases are planned, the U.S. defense industry can presently build about 14,000 155 mm howitzer rounds per month, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said in an interview. According to U.S. defense officials, Ukrainian forces have fired that amount in two days during periods of heavy fighting."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/12/23/ukraine-weapons-biden/
This being said, I am more optimistic now, since Zelenskiy's visit to D.C... Most of the hesitation seems to be behind us now.
I'm saying it looks legitimate this time.
I think they most likely will. I watched Mark Hertling giving his opinion to Erin Burnett's show almost an hour ago, and he said that putting Gerasimov in that position is like pulling Gen. Mark Milley out of his position as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff so he can command the troops directly on the ground. It is not a job for a 4-star general, but he is most likely there because he's a member of Putin's inner circle.
Prigozhin just uploaded photos of Christopher Parry’s and Andrew Bagshaw’s passports 
Those are (were?) the 2 volunteers that disappeared a few days ago near Soledar, they were helping to evacuate civilians.
Those are (were?) the 2 volunteers that disappeared a few days ago near Soledar, they were helping to evacuate civilians.
With all due respect it’s clearly mostly nonsense, once Russia got pushed out from Kiev it was clear back then what sort of weapons they’ll eventually require to liberate their territories fully. It’s purely political unwillingness, Poland has offered to transfer their Mig fighters that Ukrainians operate already long time ago but US refused, longer range (140km) HIMARS rockets refused despite Ukraine operating them for several months, they would have known at the beginning that without western tanks and IFV they wouldn’t stand a chance to liberate full territory, meaning either they refused or didn’t set the war aims properly due to hesitation.
Agree with you. Obviously you can't just send complicated stuff and immediately use it, but there was a lot of time to already take care of training etc so that things could be send now.
The long game is all Russia has, they lack the power for short term tactical wins, and even there, their hand is weak. Bleeding money and weapons, the destabilising effect on russian politics of two huge mercenary groups, massive increases in crime, Putin's own health issues. The pressure is far more on them than on the west.
I'm think you're giving you're giving our politicians way too much credit. They don't think that far ahead and are only thinking in the terms of the next election. The truth is more prosaic me thinks. A substantial amount of the population in the West is afraid of Russian retaliations. The big bear to the east with it's wonder weapons still weighs heavily on the minds of many. Maybe less so in the UK than other European countries.
It’s even more prosaic: many politicians in the West were directly or indirectly paid by Russia as lobbyists or worse.
The great russian culture:
That's just not funny anymore, more tragic instead.
On a strictly personal note, I am fascinated by such facial [a-]symmetries. The right side of his face suggests to me he is not a complete sociopath. That's an eye with a permanent edge of concern etched into it, deeper lines run along the cheek than the left as well. In comparison the left eye is utterly dead, whilst that side of his mouth also has an even more pronounced downward frown than the right.
For comparison, Putin's face is almost perfectly symmetrical, betraying no sense of inner conflict or incongruence about his misdeeds whatsoever.
It also reflects the pressure he is under - on one hand needing to execute the war, on the other to fend off the likes of Pryghosyn back home.
Equipping Ukraine with what?
This is just clickbait. Why do you post such meaningless tweets? Did you read the linked article?
Here is what the linked article says:
<<The Navy is keeping a close eye on the stress on the industrial base as the war in Ukraine grinds on, according to Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro.
This is something the Navy is monitoring “very, very closely,” Del Toro told reporters on the sidelines of the annual Surface Navy Association symposium outside of Washington, D.C.
He was responding to a question as to whether the Navy would have to choose between arming itself or Ukraine if the war lasts another six to 12 months.
"Yeah, that’s always a concern for us and we monitor that very, very closely," he said. "I wouldn’t say that we’re quite there yet. But if the conflict does go on for another six months for another year, it certainly continues to stress the supply chain in ways that are challenging. >>
https://subscriber.politicopro.com/...g-itself-or-ukraine-if-war-continues-00077493
Some articles on how the US is helping Ukraine with boats as well:
This is not relevant at all. It is such a small number of (very small) ships that has zero impact on the US Navy.
What the Navy Secretary meant is that perhaps, maybe, it is possible, that after another 6 months or a year or two years of the industry supplying Ukraine, perhaps, maybe, it is possible, that we will have some shortages of some very specialized chips or other materials that are perhaps, maybe, it is possible, they are also used in Navy projects. So we are monitoring the situation, because maybe in 6 months, or in a year, or two years, maybe we will have to increase production for some specialized stuff. Maybe.
Even managed to destroy Bradleys which Ukraine haven’t even received yet, amazing.
That guy needs a nickname, like Baghdad Bob.
I posted this in another thread, but it is relevant here, too!
A Russian wakes from a 12 month coma, and being Russian, immediately goes to get a shot of vodka at the local pub. While there he gets into a discussion with another Russian and asks him about the latest news. The other Russian tells him "We are at war with NATO. But we are winning on all fronts."
"How many casualties have we taken?" the first guy asks.
"110,000 by the latest count" The second guy answers.
"And NATO?"
"Oh, NATO hasn't arrived yet"
A Russian wakes from a 12 month coma, and being Russian, immediately goes to get a shot of vodka at the local pub. While there he gets into a discussion with another Russian and asks him about the latest news. The other Russian tells him "We are at war with NATO. But we are winning on all fronts."
"How many casualties have we taken?" the first guy asks.
"110,000 by the latest count" The second guy answers.
"And NATO?"
"Oh, NATO hasn't arrived yet"
About the Soledar battle:
While Ukrainians are slowly retreating it might still become a crucial loss for Wagner. They must take it immediately after Prigozhin announced that they have talready taken it completely, otherwise they really might get into trouble with the regular army. So apparently it's an absolute bloodbath and they are taking losses that make no sense from a military point of view, but have to due to ointernal politics.
While Ukrainians are slowly retreating it might still become a crucial loss for Wagner. They must take it immediately after Prigozhin announced that they have talready taken it completely, otherwise they really might get into trouble with the regular army. So apparently it's an absolute bloodbath and they are taking losses that make no sense from a military point of view, but have to due to ointernal politics.
Are Bakhmut and Soledar slowly becoming Putin's Stalingrad?
I think it's premature to say that. But there are some parallels: the fixation with a certain point on map or a name can cost them dearly.
The important thing is that the Ukranians choose their battles carefully (as they have done I might add) and don't get caught up in the Russian strategy. What you cannot gain in Bakhmut, gain it somewhere else.
Yes, that's what I meant, fixation on one place to the extreme. Although Stalingrad wasnt tactically even important while Bakhmut is still there are some parallels. And you're right about UAF, they should be careful this whole battle doesnt overturn to their damage and goes in Russian hands.
Without ever knowing until long after the war ends, I feel like there are so many levels to the whole Bakhmut/Soledar arena. On one hand you have Wagner, who want to win on their terms at all costs so there's that internal Russian intrigue. On the other, you have the Ukrainians who are likely more than happy holding onto these as long as possible so that it pins the best Russian forces in a favourable position (losing Bakhmut won't change anything in the long run). For all the troops that the UAF are committing to the area, it allows others to train on all the new weapons systems that are being delivered at this moment. Everything in this war so far suggests that UAF are not making any rash decisions at all, so just have to trust their process.
I think the Russians will take Bakhmut over the coming days and weeks, but it'll be a phyrric victory that undermines their efforts elsewhere. A bit like how their grinding struggle in the east for Lysychansk and surrounding areas back in June/July was followed by large Ukrainian counter offensives.
All the while, Bakhmut is as close to the modern equivalent of Verdun as I think you can practically get. The videos are appalling, I couldn't imagine what it's like to be there.