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© Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Russia acknowledges significant troop losses in Ukraine
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55 Comments
painkiller
ClippetyClopToday 01:21 am JS
China and India aren’t in Europe. The uk is. Many countries are supplying weapons . How is that going? Attack Russia. Stop playing games. Appeasement isn’t working. Get some courage UK.
englisc aspyrgend
theFu, the answer is no. Hospitals and medics are protected under the Geneva Convention and Ukraine unlike fascist russia has been abiding by it.
Any russian soldier on Ukrainian soil is fair game. If they don’t want to die all they have to do is go home, no one invited them.
starpunk
And if there is a 'retreat', maybe it's because Putin wants to concentrate on the eastern regions again where there are ethnic Russians, so he can salvage what little he can get from all this.
Nevertheless, the Ukrainian capital didn't fall and neither did their government. However you slice it, even if Russia somehow does manage to conquer Ukraine and win this war, the costs are going to be so high on his side. Maybe too high. And Putin now is a world pariah, he has Scheisse on his face.
You screwed up, Vlad!
theFu
Just saw this headline: Putin Pleased As Plot To Ruin Russian Economy, Destroy International Standing Goes Exactly To Plan https://www.theonion.com/putin-pleased-as-plot-to-ruin-russian-economy-destroy-1848769699
And the US govt has taken down a huge one BEFORE it did anything offensive: https://krebsonsecurity.com/2022/04/actions-target-russian-govt-botnet-hydra-dark-market/
Not every Russian soldier deserves to die for the actions of others. The left usually complains that everyone else can't see shades of grey and white from black. Certainly the guy on guard duty at the border with Russia hasn't killed anyone and doesn't need to die.
The world seldom has absolutes. All Russians are racist is untrue. All Russian soldiers in Ukraine deserve to die is also untrue. Even if 99% of Russians and Russian soldiers fit those statements, that 1% is a large number.
I'd even go as far as to say that all Russians in Bucha who didn't have anything to do with the massacres may not need to die. This assumes they weren't part of other war crimes. While I suspect the majority were involved in war crimes, some were not.
Should Ukraine bomb or destroy Russian field hospitals inside Ukraine? I don't know. I'd need to think about that more.
Peter14
More Russian bots have materialized since the invasion began.
theFu
This Russian invasion has just made all the European non-NATO countries want to join.
China will be pissed too, since Taiwan is paying attention and has learned that having effective ground-to-air defenses can be a game changer, denying Russian bombers access to the west and even Kyiv. They'd be shot down with the old S300 systems.
The world outside China/Russia has been supplying Ukraine with man-carried anti-aircraft defensive weapons. That has caused the ground air-support typically provided by rotorcraft to be ineffective. Troops on the ground have to fend for themselves against insurrectionists sniping and using IEDs with tank busters.
Far too many dead on both sides. All caused by the Russian military refusing to 'deal with' their internal leadership problem.
Hiro
Still calling it a special operation instead of just calling it a war. A invasion!
Desert Tortoise
The TB-2 is a mixed bag. It is effective at precision strikes but vulnerable to any kind of air defenses. Turkish forces operating in Libya suffered high losses with their TB-2s while attacking Russian equipped forces including the Wagner pukes fighting for Eastern Libya. Azerbaijani forces lost TB-2s to Armenian ground based air defense systems.
Ukraine had maybe 20 TB-2s when the Russians invaded. The number of kills sometimes attributed to them seems high compared to the number of airframes available. There was a video posted by the Ukrainian Army I cannot find any more that was taken inside a command station while a TB-2 engagement was going on. What was interesting is the operator at the console and his supervisor were speaking to each other in Turkish, implying perhaps that Turkish Army is operating them for Ukraine. Hard to say. Maybe they were Tartars whos language is very close to Turkish? The Turks have not been able to deliver more as Russia has made it too risky for the Turks to fly there. In fact the Turkish Air Force has two brand new A-400M transport planes sitting at an airfield near Kyiv and the Turks are worried that if they try to leave they will be shot down by the Russians in retribution for supplying Ukraine with TB-2s.
ClippetyClop
Supplying lots and lots of weapons and has been for some time. The UK has never been a leader in Europe, apart from when the western bit get's invaded. Why don't you apply those same demands to China or India?
Ukraine was not a foreign policy priority for many nations until Russia invaded.
What form do you suggest the confrontation should take?
painkiller
Where is the UK on this? Planning more sanctions? No longer a leader in Europe.
Sad that not country in Europe will confront Russia, although many had no problem invading Iraq and Afghanistan.
Desert Tortoise
Wow, the distortions here. The great majority of equipment in the Ukrainian Army is older Soviet made equipment. Some of Ukraine's newer T-84 tanks, which are made in the Ukraine, have the good Rhinemetal 120 mm smoothbore gun and use western ammo but the great majority still use the Russian 125 mm gun and Russian ammo, which of course Russia isn't supplying them with. Most of their armored force is old Russian made T-72s or locally produced copies of the T-80 with the gas turbine replaced by a diesel engine. The T-84 is an improved T-80 and probably is better than the Russian T-80, but it is not equal to a Leopard 2 or M-1A2 for armor and speed. Their few sort range ballistic missiles are old Russian models. Ukraine has no western tanks, armored vehicles, artillery, surface to surface missiles or rockets like HIMARS or MLRS. They have older versions of GRAD and left over Russian artillery that is the wrong caliber for western ammo (the Russian guns are 122 or 152 mm bore while NATO uses 155 mm ). Ukraine didn't start receiving western MANPADS and anti-tank weapons in any significant numbers until Russia invaded. They don't have any of the west's longer ranged air defense weapons like Patriot, THAAD, SLAMRAAM or SAMP/T. They don't even have older western stuff like Hawk or Roland. A couple of days ago they received some S-300s from the Czechs I believe it was. And the Azov battalion for the umpteenth time has about 900 to maybe 1000 members, and that was their size before the shooting started. They have probably suffered losses. And btw, the Azov Battalion was mostly armed with Israeli made weapons. Their leader and another founder are Jewish.
starpunk
It's not as easy as he thought it would be, is it? Even if Russia does win this war (and they still may win this), it could turn out to be a Pyrrhic victory. The Ukrainians are showing stiffer resistance than Putin expected. However, he's been doing this crap since 2014, that gave the local people time to prepare for a full-fledged onslaught they knew would come sooner or later.
You have failed, Palpatine Putin! And your image and reputation is forever tarnished, *and you did it to yourself. ***Hang your head in SHAME! **
Peter14
@elephant200
Putin has spouted that rubbish but most people do not believe it for a moment.
This is about Russia wanting to expand it's empire at the expense of Ukraine sovereignty.
Zelensky is a servant of his people and a defender of their freedoms. Ukrainians love him now that Putin has made him a hero.
Extreme fantasy with zero basis in fact or truth.
What war? Russia says it is a "special operation". Are you getting a Western perspective?
1941 involved millions of troops and no "smart" munitions. This is just as tragic but on a smaller scale.
Russia already lost this war, it just does not realise it yet.
Gabor Fabricius
The Russian losses are significant due to the Turkish made Bayraktar TB 2 ,
an excellent unmanned fighting vehicle extremely efficient against large tank formations
and other traditional and obsolete weapons.
Yrral
Russian sheep will be shepherd by Putin too the slaughter
elephant200
Indeed it was a terrible tragedu gor both Rusdians & Ukranians but this war is "Just" for Russia and hopefully the Ukranians will get a clear sight the they were "Used & Disposed" by NATO. Zelensky is a puppet who us the "Dog of War" a puppet of NATO! President Putin acknowlegrd the NATO eastward aggression is an attempt for a future "Barbarossa 2.0" campaign which Hitler and the Nazis failed to conquer Russia, the present losses were no where to compare with the one in 1941. My condolences to both Russians & Ukranians! Russia will win this war!
ClippetyClop
Hardly surprising given the amount of Soviet ordinance they are blowing up. Lot's more fancy western military toys on the way though, then lots more after that. The West can happily supply them for eternity and it will still be the cheapest war they have ever fought.
Russia is falling deeper into the meat grinder that they made for themselves.
kaimycahl
This does not surprise me at all! Like I said at the start of the war, if any one can recall the same exact thing happened in Afghanistan. The Russian military sucked!! On the nightly news, one could see russian mothers crying over their dead son's bodies and coffins being sent back. The soldiers were dying at the hands of defeat by the afghans in large numbers to the point the country ran out of body bags because. Yes, Russia have bombs but they are not battle hardened and you can't fight another country on their turf. Its urban warfare. The russians never controlled the air so they tried to soften up target by sending in crusise missiles from the see but that didn't work. The US found that out in africa and the russians in afghanistan. I am sure China is taking notice and they might have a slight chance because Taiwan does not allow their citizens to have arms. The country where the citizens had arms survived, africa and afghanistan the people were battle hardened and prepared for urban warfare. The US soldiers were killed and drugged through the streets in mogodeesu and they have afghan was picking the Russian soldiers off in the rugged terran. Russia still haven't learned. Putin can go home to his family at the moment but I am sure he has a target on his head because he is becoming powerless not only abroad but in his inner circle.
Khaos
This seems taken a bit out of context, and again portrayed as if the fight is going bad for Russia. But the reality seems to be that the Ukrainian side is systematically getting depleted of weapons, troops, fuel and logistics.
And it seems to be starting to lose support politically a bit by bit, as some countries realize that getting further dragged into conflict with Russia can bring them nothing but misery.
tooheysnew
That should read - an offensive to invade Odessa
i think you’re mistaking azov battalion (who are defending their country) with the real animals, the Russian army (who are committing war crimes)
The Avenger
https://staging.wfin.com/abc-world-news/russia-ukraine-live-updates-at-least-30-killed-over-100-injured-in-attack-on-ukrainian-train-station/
Peter14
Yes, your version IS "political erotica" as you say.
Donbas is split between Ukraine control and the invaders. Ukraine will continue to work to liberate the region.
The land bridge remains incomplete.
NATO never had access to the sea of Azov.
An offensive to invade Odessa could happen at any time, but the citizens there have built many defenses to bog down Russian invaders. The people of Odessa will resist Russian troops as the rest of Ukraine has been doing.
Russia will not get what Putin wanted. Russia will get a long time enemy who hates them on their border. That will be Putin's legacy. Hatred closer to home.
Paul
NATO's biggest loss is economic. The entire imperialist cabal threw everything they had at Russia economically and the Russian economy has come out the other side while the imperialist powers are freaking out over inflation, food shortages and etc.
Ingvar
This is political erotica. Almost all of Donbass has been liberated. A land bridge between Russia and Crimea has been established. NATO has lost access to the sea of Azov. Russia is firmly in control of the facilities which generate over 40% of the electricity in the Ukraine. An offensive to liberate Odessa could at any time which would cancel access to the Black Sea for Ukraine.
There is a reason the regime is desperately asking NATO to intervene.
Bob Fosse
Russia has already lost this war and will suffer the consequences for years to come.
All for one little man’s delusions and fragile ego. A tragic waste.
Paul
This is an outstanding, critical and accurate analysis of the war from the Russian perspective. No childish delusions about "dying for one's country". https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/04/05/lett-a05.html
Ingvar
This is very predictable. Ukraine had the second largest army in Europe and armed to the teeth with the latest NATO weaponry and the Azov Battalion and etc may be fascist animals but unfortunately they are rabid as well. At least 20k fought to the death in Mariupol.
On top of that, the Russians mean to win the war. If they did as NATO does, go in and blast anything with a pulse and then hide behind heavily fortified walls, they'd have few losses but each one of them would be utterly pointless as they'd lose the war.
englisc aspyrgend
If russian officials are admitting this many the true figure will be way, way higher.
No hint of an admission of criminal acts starting with the illegal invasion of a peaceful neighbour or the war crimes committed while there? What a surprise!
The only way russia can be “doing their best to bring an end to that operation” is by either surrendering or Withdrawing and pay full reparations for the damage they have caused.
Instead of which the Demented Dwarf in the kremlin is plotting further death, destruction and misery in eastern Ukraine, blithely herding more young russian sacrificial lambs to be slaughtered on the alter of his ego and failed ambitions.
Sam Watters
Dead Russian troops is not a tragedy.
Martimurano
Putin, Peskov, Labrov, the most pathetic lying triumvirate representing the once great State of Russia - how on earth does anyone imagine a peace-treaty could possible be reached when such evil, murderous, bloodthirsty sub-humans are in charge there.
Putin is totally insane due to being pumped to the hilt with steroids, their joint appetite for depravity knows no bounds.
How much longer is it going to be before the plot is primed in Moscow to liquidate these monsters - how many more innocent men, women, children and babies are going to lose their precious gift of life on this planet ???
albaleo
Why do those comments bring this poem to mind?
Base Details (Siegfried Sassoon)
If I were fierce, and bald, and short of breath,
I’d live with scarlet Majors at the Base,
And speed glum heroes up the line to death.
You’d see me with my puffy petulant face,
Guzzling and gulping in the best hotel,
Reading the Roll of Honour. “Poor young chap,”
I’d say—‘I used to know his father well;
Yes, we’ve lost heavily in this last scrap.’
And when the war is done and youth stone dead,
I’d toddle safely home and die—in bed.
HBJ
Many Ukrainian soldiers have died in honor for their country.
No Russians have died for their country in this war. They have died for one man's ego.
Peter14
That depends on what nation your from at the time. For Ukrainians it might be a tragic honor to die defending your nation from Russian invaders.
For Russian soldiers dying while committing war crimes and invading a peaceful neighbor their death is tragically embarrassing and meaningless. Nothing to be proud of in what Russian soldiers are doing. An empty death far from home and family as an unwanted invader. They get little sympathy from the world as it watches in real time the horrors they commit as aggressors.
While Putin and his family and co conspirators remain safe deep inside Russia. Cowardly lot.
lolozo79
And ? Does it want the world's sympathy ? I wish it would acknowledge the wanton destruction and crimes against humanity that it has unleashed.
Expect worse from Mariupol contrary to what Lavrov, et al state.
Peter14
Actually over 15,000 today.
Only for those in retreat who may or may not need to fight again after units are refit and resupplied.
For those still fighting their morale is at ground level, it cant get any lower.
Peter14
Truly, a tragedy of Russia's own making. They can thank Putin for their losses.
Ingvar
If they went in and blasted anything that moves, like NATO does, they'd have very few losses but would lose the war.
ClippetyClop
And then
Why would he be strongly criticized for normal remarks?
gakinotsukai
They are preparing the public opinion to the real death numbers.
As reminder, the Afghanistan war stopped, partially, because of the russian mothers having enough not seeing their sons back alive while USSR claimed everything was going well.
Olegek
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has acknowledged that Russia has suffered “significant losses of troops” during its military operation in Ukraine. Peskov said: “Yes, we have significant losses of troops and it is a huge tragedy for us.”
It's quite normal remark in such situation. Russia (unlike US) - starts ground op from the very first day
It costet lot of lives for Russin soldiers. (about 1500 today)
but moral in the Russian army is very high today.
And Mr Peskov was strongly criticized from Army for such remarks.
The Avenger
Troop losses are the only thing he admitted, lied about everything else.
How can you tell when Russian officials are lying? Their lips move.
Haaa Nemui
Not sure if one can have less than zero sympathy, but that’s about where I am on this.
PTownsend
after retreating Russian forces left crushed buildings, streets strewn with destroyed cars and mounting civilian casualties
"retreating Russian forces', those same forces the world was promised, by Russian officials as well as by Russia's media, which had been amassed at the Ukraine border for 'exercises' are now said to be retreating (assuming a single word from any Kremlin officia can eve again be believedl) with their tails in their mouths. Putin's mighty military which had pillaged, Grozny, Aleppo, and lately many places in Ukraine, supported by his private army of mercenaries like the Wagner Group, among other mercenary groups should be called back from Russia, assuming Putin'e forces actually do retreat so they could face war crime trials for their actions in Ukraine, Syria, Libya and elsewhere in Africa.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10648653/Putins-assassination-squad-Wagner-Group-sanctioned.html
Monty
*Peskov said: “Yes, we have significant losses of troops and *it is a huge tragedy for us.”
And who is responsible for that you stupid idiot???
If you would not illegaly invade a country and if you would not mass murdering and trying to extinguish a complete nation, nobody would face any tragedy!
Daninthepan
Dmitry is a brave man, speaking out against Putin. I wouldn't be touching any doorknobs for the next couple of months if I were him.
UChosePoorly
Good thread on Russian colonialism. Some of this I knew, some of it I didn't. Russia doesn't take kindly to client states trying to leave her orbit. Russia, of course, loses lives and treasure, but their colonies always end up losing more.
https://twitter.com/MaximEristavi/status/1495323069539405826
tokyo-star
welp, they're going to need a new spokesman in the coming days.
Good
Putin got his ass kicked.