Russian invasion of Ukraine | Fewer tweets, more discussion

Because? Not that I necessarily believe them. However, this is coming from Western officials whose estimates tend to be usually more conservative than Ukraine's own reported numbers.

Because the last credible western estimates we had were a tenth of that (maybe an exaggeration, I don't remember the exact numbers). It seems weird that there are so many killed compared to wounded, isn't the difference usually much larger?
 
Russia is fighting a war of attrition here, its obviously very costly for them, but in a war of attrition, it helps to have a population much larger than your opponent.

Having said that, they may never run out of men, but equipment? Thats more difficult, at some point, they have to run out of the soviet-era equipment, only question is when.

That assumes most Russian men are willing to go and fight in Ukraine. I think Ukraine has actually more men willing to fight than Putin. I don't say that all of Ukrainians are ready to fight of course, but it's natural that people are more willing to risk their lives to defend themselves and their loved ones than to attack. There are also many women serving in Ukraine's forces, in contrast to Russia. Putin might increase his propaganda to try and find more willing slaves or mercenaries, but there's only so much he can say that he hasn't said yet.
I believe time is in Ukraine's favor here, as long as the west doesn't stop it's support.
 
Because the last credible western estimates we had were a tenth of that (maybe an exaggeration, I don't remember the exact numbers). It seems weird that there are so many killed compared to wounded, isn't the difference usually much larger?
I think the NYT article pointed out that treating and evacuating the wounded has been very hard because of the nature of the war.

The UK MoD last estimates in February were about 40-60K Russian killed. We're about 6 months further now with a Ukrainian counter-offensive going on as well. I do think 120K is on the extremely high side of the range of estimates though.
 
I think the NYT article pointed out that treating and evacuating the wounded has been very hard because of the nature of the war.

The UK MoD last estimates in February were about 40-60K Russian killed. We're about 6 months further now with a Ukrainian counter-offensive going on as well. I do think 120K is on the extremely high side of the range of estimates though.

Well, the more the merrier.
 
And a new war crime. So far 7 dead and over a 100 wounded. I'm sure Useless Nations will condemn this attack.


 
You can be disappointed in how ineffective it is in doing anything about this invasion, but the UN has improved the lives of hundreds of millions of people since it was founded.
During the cold war it definitely had more impact. The stakes were higher and it seemed like both blocks used it is as a place to wage ideological duels.

In the last years though, it does seem like an organisation without any real power. Wonder when this downfall started ? Maybe after Bush invaded Iraq without a security council resolution ?
 
During the cold war it definitely had more impact. The stakes were higher and it seemed like both blocks used it is as a place to wage ideological duels.

In the last years though, it does seem like an organisation without any real power. Wonder when this downfall started ? Maybe after Bush invaded Iraq without a security council resolution ?

Sure, but the UN does a lot more than (fail to) manage geopolitics. We all wish it could do more, but I think we shouldn't forget all the good it actually does.
 
Sure, but the UN does a lot more than (fail to) manage geopolitics. We all wish it could do more, but I think we shouldn't forget all the good it actually does.
It certainly used to but most of those achievements were during the last half of 20th century , I believe.
 
During the cold war it definitely had more impact. The stakes were higher and it seemed like both blocks used it is as a place to wage ideological duels.

In the last years though, it does seem like an organisation without any real power. Wonder when this downfall started ? Maybe after Bush invaded Iraq without a security council resolution ?

It began when the UN failed to get things done in Sierra Leone, Somalia, Bosnia, Rwanda and then Kosovo. The 1990s was the decade that convinced me of how useless the United Nations are when they were needed the most.
 
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Sure, but the UN does a lot more than (fail to) manage geopolitics. We all wish it could do more, but I think we shouldn't forget all the good it actually does.
I know people involved in humanitarian relief in africa who tell me in some places unicef is the only thing stopping an absolute disaster.
 
I know people involved in humanitarian relief in africa who tell me in some places unicef is the only thing stopping an absolute disaster.

Both my cousins worked on the UN and one of them managed a humanitarian organisation in south Sudan and she has always said everything is a million times worse than people think because nearly all journalists are afraid to venture in there and report.
 
An impressive number from the Netherlands. MH17 sends its regards.


Together with some other countries, Ukraine can get a three-digit number of F-16s.

edit: okay, it seems like these are their planes in total and the exact amount is not clear yet. But it shouldn't be too far off.

 
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An impressive number from the Netherlands. MH17 sends its regards.


Together with some other countries, Ukraine can get a three-digit number of F-16s.

edit: okay, it seems like these are their planes in total and the exact amount is not clear yet. But it shouldn't be too far off.



They're well under way with the F35 replacement so I'd think they will let all of them go to Ukraine. They're all MLU models too so will be a great tool if Ukrainian pilots can operate them properly.
 
Denmark confirms the donation of 19 F-16s to Ukraine. The aircrafts will be donated in 3 batches during 2024 and 2025 so it won't affect the Danish airforces transition to F35s.
 
Is this why they can't do much mobilisation from major cities? The people are far more clued up on what's going on?

 
Russian armor parade in Kyiv. Just a bit different than Putin would have imagined.
 
Today, the major challenge facing Ukraine is that insurers’ risk perceptions will likely drive a spike in war risk premiums, which could make movement in the Black Sea effectively unprofitable, or even lead to coverage being withdrawn. While convoys could resolve this underlying challenge by reassuring shipowners, they could also have the opposite effect. The sight of NATO and Russian assets operating cheek by jowl could just as easily increase perceptions of war risk. Russia could exacerbate this risk through acts of brinkmanship such as risky aerial manoeuvres, much as it has done recently.
 
Ukrainian drone destroys Russian supersonic bomber

A flagship Russian long-range bomber has been destroyed in a Ukrainian drone strike, according to reports.
Images posted on social media and analysed by BBC Verify show a Tupolev Tu-22 on fire at Soltsy-2 airbase, south of St Petersburg.
Moscow said that a drone was hit by small-arms fire but managed to "damage" a plane. Ukraine has not commented.
The Tu-22 can travel at twice the speed of sound and has been used extensively by Russia to attack cities in Ukraine.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66573842
 
Have been on the holiday so havent been in the loop. What's the situation in short, is UA progressing?