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U.S. to send Ukraine longer-range bombs in latest turnaround

91 Comments
By TARA COPP, MATTHEW LEE and LOLITA C. BALDOR

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91 Comments

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Ukraine is going to get hammered over the next couple of months despite foreign weapons and that’s guaranteed.

ihave no love for Putin and don’t care about this current military lark but it’s going to happen big time.

-10 ( +18 / -28 )

Ukraine is going to get hammered over the next couple of months despite foreign weapons and that’s guaranteed.

ihave no love for Putin and don’t care about this current military lark but it’s going to happen big time.

Sadly I have to agree. Russia’s history has always shown how winter has been used to regroup, retrain, replenish, re-evaluate and wait for the enemy to deplete a lot of its ammunition. Russia is fully aware ,according to the news, that the new tanks are going to arrive in a few months. By that time Russia will have re-evaluated how it’s used it armor against Ukraine, replenished it’s infantry too.. I really hope Putin gets what’s coming, but the tanks should have been sent before December so crews are fully trained, and ready for the spring offensive, around march. Which is four weeks away. Russia has always seen quantity as a quality and history has shown that. From Napoleon to Hitler. More recently Iraq. The west over estimated Russia and under estimated Ukraine too. We shouldn’t be complacent. That would play into Putin’s hands.

2 ( +14 / -12 )

180,000 dead Ruskies and more to come unless Putin decides to end it. Putin's hatred is intense.

10 ( +27 / -17 )

Russia uses Russian based weapons systems to target Ukrainian civilian populations and the Ukranian army. Ukraine needs Ukrainian based weapons systems to target the Russian army inside Russia. It's not rocket science.

6 ( +19 / -13 )

deanzaZZR

Today 07:59 am JST

Russia uses Russian based weapons systems to target Ukrainian civilian populations and the Ukranian army. Ukraine needs Ukrainian based weapons systems to target the Russian army inside Russia. It's not rocket science

As it is now, Ukraine's Russian tanks are being serviced in Poland as are there russian-made airplanes the future German tanks will also be serviced in Poland as will everything else they don't even have the infrastructure to service their howitzer sent by the US

-1 ( +12 / -13 )

Let’s see how good an idea Russia thinks striking civilian targets is when targets deep in Russia proper are held at risk.

-2 ( +13 / -15 )

Russia uses Russian based weapons systems to target Ukrainian civilian populations and the Ukranian army. Ukraine needs Ukrainian based weapons systems to target the Russian army inside Russia. It's not rocket science.

If any country gives the crazed, desperate Nazis weapons to hit Russia, Russia will hit those countries. It's already been communicated. And Russians have excellent anti-missile defenses while the imperialist powers admit they have no defense against Russian hypersonic missiles.

-23 ( +12 / -35 )

@Axel lol You start a war, deal with the consequences.

14 ( +26 / -12 )

You are never going to defeat a superpower in its own back yard. Using the Ukrainians to attempt the impossible is rather cruel.

-16 ( +13 / -29 )

The only ones buying the line about de-nazifying Ukraine are Putin himself, the uneducated, the alcohol or drug affected, and those who just dont have the required mental capacity to think.

9 ( +21 / -12 )

"180,000 dead Ruskies and more to come"

Just out of curiosity:

How many Ukrainians troops have died so far?

I have a sneaky suspicion that not ALL Ukrainian dead are civilians.

At least 1 must have been in fatigues!

0 ( +12 / -12 )

RUSSIA is toast.

-2 ( +12 / -14 )

Every time the RT trolls drag out their nuclear weapons threat, it does nothing more than to reveal how weak and inept their “army” actually is.

And it’s an empty threat. The Russians have the same vulnerabilities and fears. The idea that it would subject itself to its own destruction is nether rational nor credible.

10 ( +20 / -10 )

Tens of thousands of Ukrainians, civilians, and troops have also been killed by the Ruskie invader.

The Ruskies are killing civilians.

About 40,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed and displaced 15 million to 30 million have. About 100,000 Ukraine troops were killed.

5 ( +11 / -6 )

How many Ukrainians lives have been sacrificed so far?

Doesn't matter no one seems to care.

Let them die to the last person.

As long as it weakens Russia

-14 ( +7 / -21 )

Nemo - Spot on. Every time I hear the nuclear blustering of the pro-Putin crowd, I am reminded of the lyrics from the Geto Boys, bards from the past century:

But real gangsta-ass n***as don't flex nuts

'Cause real gangsta-ass n***as know they got 'em

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IJCFc_qkHw

1 ( +7 / -6 )

Some seem to think Ukraine should just surrender, then what?

Ukrainians are being targeted and killed by Putin. Ukrainian troops are being killed defending their country.

11 ( +20 / -9 )

"180,000 dead Ruskies and more to come"

Just out of curiosity:

How many Ukrainians troops have died so far?

I have a sneaky suspicion that not ALL Ukrainian dead are civilians.

At least 1 must have been in fatigues

Lower lip shaking more wildly than Putin.

If any country gives the crazed, desperate Nazis weapons

Oh dear. Not influencing many with that kind of hysteria.

Good move from the US.

3 ( +12 / -9 )

Russia uses Russian based weapons systems to target Ukrainian civilian populations and the Ukranian army. Ukraine needs Ukrainian based weapons systems to target the Russian army inside Russia. It's not rocket science

In a sense it is rocket science. The Ukraine needs longer ranged rockets. This new Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb is a clever use of existing hardware that has become redundant in the US. The rocket motors are from an MLRS round called M-23 that fired cluster munitions. Those cluster warheads have been removed from service and are being destroyed, leaving lots of perfectly good surplus rocket motors for some other use. The original Small Diameter Bomb, SDB, is being replaced by SDB II, an improved version with a much more advanced seeker. It is a bit of serendipity that SDB fits on the rocket and also fits in an MLRS launcher. The wings that pop out of the SDB give it a much longer gliding distance than the purely ballistic MLRS rounds the US has shipped to Ukraine. Both SDBs and M-23 rocket motors are abundant in US stocks and supplying Ukraine with them doesn't degrade US stockpiles of current weapons. This will give the Ukraine greatly increased reachback to hit Russian support facilities.

6 ( +11 / -5 )

These are a beginning, they will bring the north of Crimea and the major GLOC’s in to range. The russians have been forced to move their command posts and ammunition dumps deep into southern Kherson to get them out of range of the HIMAR’s, this brings them back under the hammer as well as Henichesk and the occupation authorities.

300 kilometre range, would make Crimea untenable and the illegal Kerch bridge in range for the same treatment as the Antonivka.

Axel, incompetent as they have shown themselves to be but even the Imperialist russian forces are not quite stupid enough to fire hypersonic missiles at themselves. On reflection, yes they are! Good to see you are still drinking the nazis in Ukraine propaganda koolaid, always gives me a laugh, cheers me up no end.

5 ( +15 / -10 )

You are never going to defeat a superpower in its own back yard. Using the Ukrainians to attempt the impossible is rather cruel.

Lol, that's rich. Yeah, the Russians are so mighty they can't even take a weak nation with which they share a long border. They have been fought to a stand still by a nation with a fraction of their population. The mighty Russians my aching backside. I'd like to see you tell a Ukrainian to their face they are being used by anybody to resist the invasion of their country. No thought to the notion that maybe, just maybe, they don't want to be part of Russia and are willing to fight to keep the darned Russians out. Do you even believe the things you write?

12 ( +19 / -7 )

Ian - just curious what the loss threshold would be in your country if a larger enemy were trying to conquer yours? It would be quite high in my own, I can assure you.

6 ( +11 / -5 )

About 40,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed .

More propaganda.

From 24 February 2022 to 2 January 2023, OHCHR recorded 17,994 civilian casualties in Ukraine: 6,919 killed and 11,075 injured.

Source:

https://www.ohchr.org/en/news/2023/01/ukraine-civilian-casualty-update-3-january-2023#:~:text=From%2024%20February%202022%20to%202%20January%202023%2C%20OHCHR%20recorded,6%2C919%20killed%20and%2011%2C075%20injured.

And again:

and displaced 15 million to 30 million have

False

According to the UNHCR there are about 7 million, nearly 3 million in Russia where the largest single number are.

https://data.unhcr.org/en/situations/ukraine

Facts are real

-6 ( +7 / -13 )

"The mighty Russians my aching backside"

The Russian army is a joke. They should rise up and kill their masters.

8 ( +17 / -9 )

As it is now, Ukraine's Russian tanks are being serviced in Poland as are there russian-made airplanes the future German tanks will also be serviced in Poland as will everything else they don't even have the infrastructure to service their howitzer sent by the US.

The work is spread across Slovakia, Czechia, Poland, Germany and other NATO nations. A lot of what the West is doing is taking left over Russian hardware from former Warsaw Pact nations, often stuff that was sitting in boneyards, and refurbishing it for the Ukraine to use. There are a few instances of the US doing these rapid turn around conversions of existing Ukrainian equipment such as when Ukrainian MiGs and SUs were outfitted to fire HARM missile (a weapons integration that in normal peacetime takes two years was done in 45 days, not perfect but works good enough). But, obtw, the Ukraine builds a lot of innovative small drones on their own, developed the Neptune missiles used to sink the Moskva and came up with ways to turn old Russian recce drones into cruise missiles so they are not just sitting there with their hands out.

7 ( +13 / -6 )

DT - and Ukraine is making their own 152mm shells as well:

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/ukraines-locally-produced-artillery-shells-have-reached-the-front

6 ( +11 / -5 )

DT,why do the US just go into Russia and remove Putin from power,that would be the logical,instead of the half butt strategy of killing Russian in Ukraine, everyone no the US is behind targeting Russian in Ukraine,target them in Russia instead,instead of an half butt approach

-17 ( +1 / -18 )

Yeah I remember those days long long ago when confirmed corruption was actually inexcusable and disqualifying.

now it’s supposedly just whining about something unimportant.

-16 ( +5 / -21 )

The Pentagon decided against that once it became apparent that you would complain unintelligibly about that too, Larry.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

Displaced Ukrainians mean 5-7 million who have left the country and those who were forced to leave their homes but remain in the country.

6 ( +11 / -5 )

PS, Russia was supposed to be toast last year when the US decided to sanction it for persisting in trying to preserve international law that the US didn't like.

The IMF recently UPGRADED the projected growth in the Russian economy to higher than its projected growth in the economies of those providing weapons to destroy that international law.

-10 ( +7 / -17 )

why do the US just go into Russia and remove Putin from power,that would be the logical,instead of the half butt strategy of killing Russian in Ukraine, everyone no the US is behind targeting Russian in Ukraine,target them in Russia instead,instead of an half butt approach

huh ?

Ukrainian soldiers are killing Russian soldiers, & Wagner terrorists & Chechen TikTokers are killing Russian soldiers

3 ( +8 / -5 )

the US is going to send more weapons to help Zelensky try and violate UNSC 2202

the US is going to send more weapons to help Zelensky & Ukraine kick Russia out of their country.

you don’t like the idea of other countries supporting Ukraine in their fight with an invading country do you ?

4 ( +10 / -6 )

Give them all you got.

6 ( +11 / -5 )

You are never going to defeat a superpower in its own back yard. 

True. Lucky for the Ukrainians that they aren't fighting one.

8 ( +13 / -5 )

longer-range bombs .

excuse me?

are there also shorter-range bombs?

TARA COPP, MATTHEW LEE and LOLITA C. BALDOR Dasha Litvinova - truly "bomb specialists".

if you make crap headline like-how abt rest of your "story"?

reality on the ground that heroi and loosing at all places,steadily loosing.or you believe that we read just JT?

-10 ( +5 / -15 )

Russia will prevail.

-17 ( +5 / -22 )

Let the world hope that, after more than 25 years in power in Russia, Putin's career is now running on its last legs. And he knows it. And that is the reason why he attacked Ukraine. To prove to himself that his legs can still run. Why he has stopped taking pics of a bare-chested Vladimir riding his horse in Siberia? And why has he stopped taking pictures of immersing himself in a freezing water hole? And videos of his Black Belt victories ? And why his devoted wife divorced him years ago? Why? Let the world now hope that after more than twenty five years in power in Russia, Vladymir Putin's career is now running on its last legs.

6 ( +12 / -6 )

Let’s see how good an idea Russia thinks striking civilian targets

Russia doesn’t operate HIMARS which have killed the majority of Ukrainian civilians. Same as cluster bombs etc. please study reality.

-14 ( +6 / -20 )

DT,why do the US just go into Russia and remove Putin from power

You make it sound like it is something the US could easily do, it's oh so simple, but you ignore that such a move is a blatant act of war. The US does not want to go there.

7 ( +11 / -4 )

Give Ukraine everything needed to protect Ukraine's freedom.

This should be tanks, missiles and more!

Don't give PUTAin any chance to prolong this war.

Kick those Russian marauders out of Ukraine, incl. all temporarily occupied areas!

Ukraine prevails!

9 ( +16 / -7 )

Eastman: Russia will prevail.

Let's make them pay for each inch

Blacklabel: now it’s supposedly just whining about something unimportant.

In the past you supported sending arms to Ukraine. Was corruption just whining and unimportant to you then?

6 ( +12 / -6 )

its very naive that west and UA with its help can defeat Russia.

more guns from west to UA means just prolongation of conflict and more business for western gun lobby.who minds that people are suffereing and country is destroeyd.UA is not western country and UA people are not western people...so why to worry.we know same stories from history when ubermenschen from reich believed that they are "exceptional nation" and Slavs are just next to monkeys.dont forget what have happened in Stalingrad some years ago/actually yesterday was anniversary of german "victory" there/ but it seems that some narratives are back and need to fight for "western values" again.soon UA will run from human power,will be citizens from east european countries next kanonenfuter and fight for US interests?looks like so?

-14 ( +4 / -18 )

Russia doesn’t operate HIMARS which have killed the majority of Ukrainian civilians

Stop. Were does this nonsense come from. HIMARs are not killing Ukrainian civilians. Russian artillery and missiles are what are killing Ukrainian civilians.

11 ( +16 / -5 )

At the beginning of the war, as soon as Russia hit civilians with artillery, Ukraine should have been given artillery and rockets to eliminate those civilian-killing Russian positions. Thankfully, they got them eventually, but it was a bit late. They also should have been given a fleet of fighter jets at the start. Thankfully, the fighter jets should arrive soon. And after that, a fleet of bombers, if necessary. Whatever it takes.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

Yeah I remember those days long long ago when confirmed corruption was actually inexcusable and disqualifying.

now it’s supposedly just whining about something unimportant.

It’s actually just a face-saving way to carry water for a fascist without openly declaring oneself to be “fascist-curious.”

1 ( +7 / -6 )

I’m from Europe and I live in Japan. Sure, I’m not fighting, but this is my war the Ukrainians are fighting, as much as it is theirs. If you live in Japan or Europe, the outcome of this war will have a profound effect on your well-being, either way. So if the Ukrainians are brave enough to fight for all of us, give them more weapons!

10 ( +15 / -5 )

one more thing to note.

one and only plan A of west how to solve this conflict is to supply weapons,money and media propaganda coverage.

they are making grave mistake as they have no plan B,in situation where Russia so not even one inch closer to its "defeat" and west is not even one inch closer to its "victory".

remaining question is-are politicians from west that much blind or naive to fight for US interests,to ruin own economies and nations against will of own citizens,support most corrupt regime in Europe by sending money like to black hole?or are they under full control and influence of USA?

why nobody talking about peace?

all of UA supporters here-are you happy that many people are dying at UA soil at daily basis?it seems so...?

-11 ( +6 / -17 )

more guns from west to UA means just prolongation of conflict and more business for western gun lobby.who minds that people are suffereing and country is destroeyd.

As long as a Ukrainian is willing to defend their homeland we will be helping them. Don't try the pity card after what you people pulled.

9 ( +16 / -7 )

@eastman

Russia will fail.

fixed it for you ;)

9 ( +15 / -6 )

all of UA supporters here-are you happy that many people are dying at UA soil at daily basis?it seems so...?

The Russians are killing Ukrainians and so we need to help the Ukrainians. We would help Serbia too if Russia ever invades them. It's what we do.

6 ( +13 / -7 )

one and only plan A of west how to solve this conflict is to supply weapons,money and media propaganda coverage.

they are making grave mistake as they have no plan B,in situation where Russia so not even one inch closer to its "defeat" and west is not even one inch closer to its "victory".

While you have been despairing we have been preparing. You want to widen the war, be careful what you ask for.

2 ( +8 / -6 )

It's more naive to think that appeasement is a better option.

its very naive that west and UA with its help can defeat Russia.

5 ( +11 / -6 )

While you have been despairing we have been preparing. You want to widen the war, be careful what you ask for.

Amen. The Bear should be careful not to wake the Sleeping Giant.

2 ( +9 / -7 )

its more reasonable to stop this now.

take seat,discuss around the table both sides involved than look for solutions.

but this time west must be serious,not like with Minsk agreements when they just wanted give more time to UA to weaponize and be ready for attcak on Russia/Hollande,Merkel/.

west have to come to senses that they are not going to plan to parcel some Iraq,Libya or Syria but nuclear superpower Russia-completely different league.

its time to get real and stop this west ignited and provoked conflict.

Peace will prevail.

-12 ( +5 / -17 )

Awa - do you really think Putin is looking for an excuse to declare war on the West? More likely he is hoping that we lose interest and stop supporting Ukraine in their defense, but he doesn't know us, you see.

4 ( +11 / -7 )

How many Ukrainians lives have been sacrificed so far?

Doesn't matter no one seems to care.

Many here don’t care, but The west does care, which is why they are supplying them with whatever they need to win this war.

not like with Minsk agreements

and not like The Budapest Memorandum of 1994, where Russia had no intention of respecting Ukraine’s independence.

when they just wanted give more time to UA to weaponize and be ready for attcak on 

and what or how exactly did Ukraine weaponise ?

most of their current weapons were donated by the west or taken from Russia after they invaded

3 ( +10 / -7 )

Putin is the cause of suffering for Ukrainians, Europeans, and many in the world today.

8 ( +14 / -6 )

DT,the Russian know Ukrainain do not have the technical knowledge to target them,without technical assistance from the US,using satellite to kill Russian,either the Russian are insecure of the US or waiting inkind to strike America at their choosing,

-12 ( +3 / -15 )

U, Ukrainain are killing Ukrainain too , even helping Russian inside Ukraine targeting Ukrainain

-12 ( +3 / -15 )

U, Ukrainain are killing Ukrainain too , even helping Russian inside Ukraine targeting Ukrainain

There are traitors in every country, including the US, so tf what?

2 ( +7 / -5 )

Peace will prevail.

Absolutely, as soon as russia’s army of rapists and child killers and other associated scum are swept away, peace will assuredly prevail.

No one is going to fall for the lying russian propaganda aimed at freezing the war they are losing while they rearm for a further attack under the guise of negotiating a peace they have no interest in. Poo tin still holds to and keeps reiterating his maximalist goal of the complete eradication of Ukraine, its people, language and culture.

5 ( +11 / -6 )

U,their are not million of American traitors in America,like their are in Ukraine,10 percent of the Ukrainain population, support Russian invasion of Ukraine

-11 ( +3 / -14 )

It’s actually just a face-saving way to carry water for a fascist without openly declaring oneself to be “fascist-curious.”

no its actually a way to speak about confirmed corruption and why that is bad for every place and every situation but this one, somehow.

-8 ( +5 / -13 )

Here is an interview with an Australian fighting for Ukraine with explanation of what and where this are.

https://youtu.be/EJ8i6Jix5uw

Interesting as to where are all the weapons sent to Ukraine?

-7 ( +6 / -13 )

You two should just admit you want Russia to win. It's pretty obvious.

3 ( +10 / -7 )

three

0 ( +7 / -7 )

You are never going to defeat a superpower in its own back yard. Using the Ukrainians to attempt the impossible is rather cruel.

Ukraine wasn’t attacked by a superpower, it was Russia.

Putin certainly didn’t think this one through very well, did he!

8 ( +13 / -5 )

U, Ukrainain fate was sealed almost, 1 year ago by an corrupt government in Ukraine

-11 ( +3 / -14 )

Here is an interview with a Russian officer fighting for Russia in Ukraine before he deserted and left the county in fear for his life.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64470092

8 ( +13 / -5 )

Putin kills civilians with missiles fired from hundreds of miles away, but the Ukrainians aren't allowed to have anything that goes more than 47 miles? Hardly seems fair, or logical. Upping their arsenal with 100 mile missiles will mean that all occupied territory except Crimea can now be targeted, and the Russians have fewer places to hide.

7 ( +11 / -4 )

DT,the Russian know Ukrainain do not have the technical knowledge to target them,without technical assistance from the US,using satellite to kill Russian,either the Russian are insecure of the US or waiting inkind to strike America at their choosing,

Au contraire, the Ukraine Army is using locally produced drones in highly innovative ways to find and target Russian forces for destruction. If anything it is the armies of NATO learning many new things from the Ukraine Army. They have proven exceedingly good at locating and destroying Russian forces without NATO help.

11 ( +15 / -4 )

Late March, early April Russian Army will be worn out and in a state of collapse. Remember I told everyone here the Ukrainians would put up a fight not unlike the Finns did when Russia tried invading them in 1939. The fanbois and the two Bs both laughed. I was right. Now I'll repeat what I wrote before Christmas that by the end of the winter the Russians will be spent and with western armor, a lot more former Russian armor (both equipment captured from the Russians and old Russian equipment refurbished and donated by former Warsaw Pact nations) plus the additional artillery being sent the Ukrainian Army will be on the move retaking their lands from the Russians. The Ukraine Army has whole battalions going through training in Germany on advanced tactics, NATO tactics. They will return to fight soon with the new equipment. By spring the situation on the ground in Ukraine will look very different. Now have your fun voting me down but we'll revisit this in April.

8 ( +13 / -5 )

DT - prediction noted, thanks for putting it out there. Predictions are hard, especially about the future :)

7 ( +11 / -4 )

The US is very eager to help not just break, but void UNSC 2202.

There's one thing that stopped them for most of a decade, Ukrainian resistance to those like Zelensky.

Last year, it became 2 things, Ukrainian resistance and Russian bravery.

Will it become 3 things this year? Quite possibly.

-14 ( +4 / -18 )

Blacklabel - just admit you want Russia to win.

2 ( +11 / -9 )

War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.

Peace will prevail.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

why nobody talking about peace?

There will be peace when Putin withdraws his troops from Ukrainian territory and stops killing Ukrainians. All it takes is one word from him.

Why Putin not going home?

6 ( +12 / -6 )

For those making up all the bravado stuff the claims of more Russian dead over Ukrainian.

Etc...

Here is the full interview of an Australian volunteer in the Ukrainian army, the guy is pro Ukraine the interviewer is a pro Ukrainian YouTuber, note the parts where the Australian soldiers says it was the Ukrainian forces not Wagner that lost thousands.

Note were he points out his unit has lost 80% casualties.

Not where he describes what happens to Ukrainians refusing to fight.

" Best case prison, but sent to the front to be killed or shot"

Again this is a PRO UKRAINE YouTuber.

https://youtu.be/PKZpYglZrW4

-10 ( +6 / -16 )

For those making up all the bravado stuff the claims of more Russian dead over Ukrainian

Thank you for pointing out how important it is for Ukraine to continue to get the weapons it needs to defend itself.

8 ( +15 / -7 )

even helping Russian inside Ukraine targeting Ukrainain

those traitors don’t tend to live very long - boom !

Russian bravery.

do they have a choice ?

The alternative is being shot by Wagner terrorists or Chechen tiktokers, who are standing behind them preventing any retreat.

why nobody talking about peace?

Peace will prevail.

if Putin withdraws his army back to Russia, there will be peace.

4 ( +10 / -6 )

I guess with the Minsk agreement, brokered by Germany, and France really didn’t learn from their every own history of appeasement. We signed the Budapest treaty where in return for Ukraine, gave up its nukes and we would guarantee it’s security. Russia, China, UK, France, Russia all signed up to. Russia shoots down an airliner and we didn’t do anything and then Crimea ,was invaded. More appeasement! More chances for Russia. Russia wants more. So the choice is, throw Ukraine under the bus? Or let Russia win? Or more appeasement. Ironically it was the complete defeat of The Nazis that returned europe to peace. I believe it is the same here.

5 ( +10 / -5 )

Putin certainly didn’t think this one through very well, did he!

Vladimir Putin as isolated himself and surrounded himself with yes men. There was nobody in his trusted circle of advisors willing to contradict him, or point out weaknesses in his plans. I believe that is still the case btw.

9 ( +15 / -6 )

Not where he describes what happens to Ukrainians refusing to fight.

" Best case prison, but sent to the front to be killed or shot"

In US law the penalty for refusing to report for duty when drafted is $250,000 and five years in prison. That law is still on the books in the event the draft is re-instated and is not predicated on the nation being at war for it to apply.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Hopefully this will be a short escalation leading to deescalation and peace. I think we have to be realistic that Ukraine is going to end up a smaller country

What do you think Ukraine should settle for?

Be precise.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

Ukraine is going to get hammered over the next couple of months despite foreign weapons and that’s guaranteed

where have you been the last year theyve already been hammered , so much so that Russia is runnung low on it cold war ammunition. yet Ukraine is still there. Now when those weapons arrive they can detroy more Russian targets and soldiers, thats Guaranteed

5 ( +11 / -6 )

Apparently in clown world, surrender now means success! The neocons are still practicing their insane word magic as they try to convince Russia to let them surrender Ukraine without openly admitting that they have lost their proxy war on Russia:

David Ignatius has been a career-long mouthpiece for the US State Department. He has just been called in by the current Secretary of State Antony Blinken to convey an urgent new message to President Vladimir Putin, the Security Council, and the General Staff in Moscow.

For the first time since the special military operation began last year, the war party in Washington is offering terms of concession to Russia’s security objectives explicitly and directly, without the Ukrainians in the way.

The terms Blinken has told Ignatius to print appeared in the January 25 edition of the Washington Post.

The territorial concessions Blinken is tabling include Crimea, the Donbass, and the Zaporozhye, Kherson “land bridge that connects Crimea and Russia”. West of the Dnieper River, north around Kharkov, and south around Odessa and Nikolaev, Blinken has tabled for the first time US acceptance of “a demilitarized status” for the Ukraine. Also, US agreement to restrict the deployment of HIMARS, US and NATO infantry fighting vehicles, and the Abrams and Leopard tanks to a point in western Ukraine from which they can “manoeuvre…as a deterrent against future Russian attacks.”

This is an offer for a tradeoff – partition through a demilitarized zone (DMZ) in the east of the Ukraine in exchange for a halt to the planned Russian offensive destroying the fortifications, rail hubs, troop cantonments, and airfields in the west, between the Polish and Romanian borders, Kiev and Lvov, and an outcome Blinken proposes for both sides to call “a just and durable peace that upholds Ukraine’s territorial integrity”.

Also in the proposed Blinken deal there is the offer of a direct US-Russian agreement on “an eventual postwar military balance”; “no World War III”; and no Ukrainian membership of NATO with “security guarantees similar to NATO’s Article 5.”

Blinken has also told the Washington Post to announce the US will respect “Putin’s tripwire for nuclear escalation”, and accept the Russian “reserve force includ[ing] strategic bombers, certain precision-guided weapons and, of course, tactical and strategic nuclear weapons.”

Russia isn’t going to accept this offer or even use it as a point to begin negotiations, because they already tried negotiating with the West with the Minsk Accords of 2014 and 2015. But, as Angela Merkel and other Western leaders have publicly admitted, the agreements were a sham from the start, and were only intended to buy Ukraine more time to prepare its defenses.

Various Russian leaders have stated that both the USA and Ukraine regimes are now “non-agreement capable” and they are absolutely correct to have reached that conclusion, as Clown World’s leading neocons are still making plans to win a war that was not only unwinnable from the start, but has already been lost.

Because what they really need to prepare for is success, you see!

Success. That’s the potential outcome that the United States, Ukraine, allied and partner governments, and private-sector actors must now prepare to confront. Ukraine’s counteroffensives, backed by expanded and accelerated US and allied support, continue to push Russian forces out of Ukrainian territory, although at a reduced rate. These hard-won successes, however, bring with them possible challenges that also must be addressed.

In the short term, there are fresh threats from Moscow—attacks on electricity, water, and heat as winter approaches, sham annexations of occupied territories, mobilizations of new troops, reduced but persistent nuclear risk, and Russian prisoners to manage. Areas that Ukraine has liberated from Russian forces need immediate governance, cleanup, humanitarian assistance, and economic revival. Over the longer term, Ukraine will have to rebuild destroyed infrastructure; institute the economic and political reforms required for European Union (EU) membership; and be capable of ensuring its security.

How exactly to meet these looming challenges while exploiting present and future opportunities?

It is, of course, up to the Ukrainians to determine their priorities and their supporters to assist as much as possible, which is also consistent with US interests. But what’s urgently needed is a four-front, long-haul strategy for helping Ukraine win the war against Russia and the peace that follows—one built to withstand the dramatic developments that are sure to play out over the coming years, not just over the next weeks and months of this rapidly evolving conflict.

Preparing for victory: A long-haul strategy to help Ukraine win the war against Russia—and secure the peace, Atlantic Council, November 30, 2022

This isn’t, yet, quite Hitler in the bunker giving orders to nonexistent divisions levels of delusion while the Red Army tanks are just a couple of blocks away, but they’re observably getting closer to that level of delusion. And, of course, the word magic failed. Russia simply said: No deals. I find it particularly interesting that they went out of the way to mention Victoria "Nukeland" Nuland’s name. I think they’re making it clear they know perfectly well who is calling the shots in Washington:

The Russian Foreign Ministry has dismissed proposals issued this week in Washington by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Under Secretary, Victoria Nuland. Ministry spokesman Maria Zakharova has confirmed that Russia’s military plan for the Ukraine will not be interrupted or delayed.

The West’s desperation is observably increasing, as both China and Russia have gone largely silent. This leads me to suspect that both nations will make their next major moves in concert with each other. Exactly what those will be, we can only offer our best surmises, but it would not be surprising if both Ukraine and Taiwan are entirely lost to Clown World by the end of this year.

-9 ( +6 / -15 )

Putin's war.

To stop NATO and kill Nazis and protect Jews.

If Russia were to win and take over the whole of Ukraine, guess what the borders with NATO would increase.

0 ( +9 / -9 )

I dont. I just want all the senseless killing in this proxy war of the West against Russia to be over.

It's not a proxy western war since the west didn't start it. You don't know what 'proxy war' means, go look it up.

by continuing to escalate the arming of Ukraine, it will never end until every Ukrainian except Zelensky is dead.

What about Russia escalating by actually invading, annexing, mobilizing 300,000 men?

We see you clearly. You want one side to surrender and we know why you want them to surrender, and we know that you can't bring yourself to say why.

3 ( +11 / -8 )

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