Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-23 and Invasion

[Grey Fox]

No one claimed it would be an easy operation

Sure, but that death ratio is unsettling.

It's really not. This is not our Afghan or Iraki operations where any casualties was too much because our motivations were always on shaky grounds. This one is retaking your country from a genocidal force intent on making your way of life disappear.

[Tamas]

A flight on its way to Aberdeen carrying seven members of the royal household is expected to land in about 10 minutes, reports BBC News, having taken off from RAF Northolt.

The family is being flown in. Not looking good.

[Zanza]

A flight on its way to Aberdeen carrying seven members of the royal household is expected to land in about 10 minutes, reports BBC News, having taken off from RAF Northolt.

The family is being flown in. Not looking good.

I don't think the British royal family will make a difference in the Kherson offensive.

[Barrister]

I don't think the British royal family will make a difference in the Kherson offensive.

You never know - several of them have military experience...

[crazy canuck]

And they can bring their own uniforms

[viper37]

I don't think the British royal family will make a difference in the Kherson offensive.

You never know - several of them have military experience...

Prince Andrew could be sent to the front lines.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

No one claimed it would be an easy operation

Sure, but that death ratio is unsettling.

I quickly skimmed the article, but it all seems anecdotal.  It's very much possible that things may have gone badly for Ukraine somewhere, and the unfortunate soldiers affected may be extrapolating it to everywhere.

It seems an article written for an audience used to Irak war casualty rates.

indeed. and this one is not of that type

[Crazy_Ivan80]

I don't think the British royal family will make a difference in the Kherson offensive.

You never know - several of them have military experience...

Prince Andrew could be sent to the front lines.

Not sure I'd wish that to befall even the russians

[Sheilbh]

Ilia Ponomarenko with a vid, "Balakliya has been liberated":
https://twitter.com/IAPonomarenko/status/1567904298029260800?s=20&t=HocBiGn2VZ25CZX-ZgMcPg

It feels again like Ukraine can keep asking questions of Russia - Donbas, Kherson, Kharkiv - because it's not clear they can hold all the lines at once as the Ukrainians probe and misdirect.

Edit: Also in relation to this given Ukraine's very competent information war - the amount of noise and videos and coverage coming from Kharkiv v Kherson seems interesting.

[Berkut]

No one claimed it would be an easy operation

Issue for Ukraine will always be their resource disadvantage, and retaking captured land is a lot harder than defending. From what little we know through the fog of war it seems like the Ukrainians are doing this in the smartest way possible, focusing on logistical strikes that actively make it harder for the Russians to continue holding these areas and undermining advantages they have from being on the defense here.

I will say one really sad thought I have about this war is if the West and Ukraine had taken the threat of a Russian invasion more seriously post-Crimea, and the country had been able to pursue the sort of military reforms and improvements we've seen in the last 6 months, starting back in 2015, it is very likely Russia would not have been able to take much if any Ukrainian territory at all by 2022 due to simply being a less effective military.

I think thats the story of nearly every war of aggression ever.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

Ilia Ponomarenko with a vid, "Balakliya has been liberated":
https://twitter.com/IAPonomarenko/status/1567904298029260800?s=20&t=HocBiGn2VZ25CZX-ZgMcPg

there seem to be indications that the UA has advanced to the gates of Kupiansk. If true then that's pretty impressive

[Legbiter]

I hope the Ukrainians can keep the momentum. But very, very nicely done.

[PDH]

So the Russians thinned their lines on the Kharkiv front to reinforce a tenuous supply situation in Kherson.  Now the Ukraine Army seems to be meeting very little resistance north of Izyum, and they might even cut off direct supplies to that city.  I am glad to see the Russians have regained their strategic acumen from earlier in the war.

[Legbiter]

So the Russians thinned their lines on the Kharkiv front to reinforce a tenuous supply situation in Kherson.  Now the Ukraine Army seems to be meeting very little resistance north of Izyum, and they might even cut off direct supplies to that city.  I am glad to see the Russians have regained their strategic acumen from earlier in the war.

[Barrister]

Short video of citizens of recently liberated torn of Balakliya greeting Ukrainian soldiers.

https://twitter.com/avalaina/status/1567957011559743488