Posted on 08/30/2022 3:28:47 PM PDT by Timber Rattler
At the outset of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, most experts expected that Kyiv would fall quickly. Ukrainian forces were fighting against a military that was bigger and better armed. Russia’s troops had more combat experience and funding. The question was not if Moscow’s forces would depose the Ukrainian government but when regime change would happen.
Of course, Kyiv didn’t fall. Instead, the Ukrainian military stopped Russia’s assault on the capital and forced a retreat. Russia downsized its initial mission from wholesale conquest, and the war now mostly consists of grinding offensives and counteroffensives in Ukraine’s east and south. The question is no longer how long Kyiv can hold out. It is whether the Ukrainian government can reclaim occupied land.
There are several reasons for Ukraine’s surprising success. The Russian military’s logistical incompetence, its puzzling inability to secure early air superiority, and low troop morale all played a part. So did Western support for Ukraine and the sheer tenacity of the country’s soldiers. But these explanations do not tell the full story. The Ukrainian military deserves recognition not just for its troops’ motivation but also for its technical savvy. It has used cutting-edge technologies and adapted existing capabilities in creative new ways, on and off the kinetic battlefield. It has deployed loitering munitions—missiles with the ability to stay on station until an operator locates a target—and modified commercial drones that can destroy Russian troops and equipment on the cheap. It has tapped commercial satellite data to track Russian troop movements in near real time. And Kyiv has wisely used artificial intelligence, in conjunction with this satellite imagery, to create software that helps artillery locate, aim, and destroy targets in the most efficient and lethal manner possible.
(Excerpt) Read more at foreignaffairs.com ...
Remaking? Who cares? Are they winning? Nothing matters.
Let the nascent Fourth Reich fight with the reborn Russian Empire for resources in the Ukraine.
Neither are our friend, and this is their problem. Not ours.
I guess that means the 20th century way of doing is vastly superior because the Russians are kicking the Ukrainian's asses.
Look at map, you blithering idiot, and the areas the Russians have liberated/taken over. It's area as big as the entire nation of Britain.
These ridiculous narratives are as realistic as thinking Stacey Abrams' romance novels came from her personal experiences. They are lies designed to keep taxpayer money flowing to Ukraine and laundered back to our political class and their allies.
The Russians absolutely WILL control everything east of the Dnieper river and the entire Black Sea coastline and there isn't anything that will stop that.
Post some more CFR articles. Our globalist overlords and betters.
“It’s a new kind of war, George. A new war for a new century. “ - Break Morant
....the Russians are running away like scared bunny rabbits...Ukraine is within 1 day march of Moscow...Ukraine needs more money to finish the job....more money....more money...cause when they destroy Russia, they won’t be able to pay the bills.....the fog of war got foggier with that puff piece...Zelensky is late for his next photo shoot...
The Russians are fighting a war against the US and NATO minus boots on the ground.
Ukraine does seem to be intelligent, creative, flexible, and resourceful in this war.
Something interesting is the sense of humor and confidence in the many videos Ukrainians post about the war, they sure don’t seem a dour, brittle people in spite of the circumstances.
Line of the day. Thanks!
They are not losing, that’s step one.
They are holding their own and making the Russians pay a high price for every inch of ground gained. That’s better than nothing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKUIGVgXQKs
http://dustyheaps.blogspot.com/2017/06/for-pitys-sake-dont-shoot-em.html
“The Russians are fighting a 20th century war against a 21st century Ukraine.”
Exactly. The Russians were all set for a reenactment of the Battle of Kursk with set piece armor-vs-armor engagements which would have heavily favored the Red Army.
The Red Army expected the Ukrainians to respond to a textbook Soviet tactic with Soviet tactics.
The Ukrainians having spent twenty years training with NATO had moved on from the Soviet school of thought that prevails at the Combined Arms Academy (Frunze) and they didn’t respond to the invasion the way Russia wanted them to.
In head to head combat Russia would have annihilated the Ukrainians and the Ukrainians very maturely put their Slavic ego on the backburner and chose to employ all manner of asymmetric tactics against the Orcs.
And Russia has beaten itself bloody against the Ukrainian anvil.
"Napoleon said an army marched on its belly. Dismiss all incompetent and hang all rascally commissaries, and decrease the number of deaths in the army twenty-five per cent."
“My logisticians are a humorless lot … they know if my campaign fails, they are the first ones I will slay.” – Alexander the Great.
Kazan, you’re only bitter because you’re losing.
By the end of the next month, when Russia still possesses Kherson, your fantasy world comes to end.
“By the end of the next month, when Russia still possesses Kherson, your fantasy world comes to end.”
September 30 will be a fun day, I’m sure.
“Ukrainian forces were fighting against a military that was bigger and better armed. Russia’s troops had more combat experience and funding.”
Baloney. We spent 8 years giving them western weapons, western training and funding their buildup. Ukraine was attacking the separatists in the Donbass for 8 years in a hot war and had refined their artillery to a high degree. Russia had very few troops with combat experience compared to the Ukes.
Then when the war started they were flooded with toys and supplies, and had free and full access to American and British intelligence products and advisors from satellites, down to night vision. From anti-tank missiles to Harpoons. All being used under the watchful assistance of western contractors/trainers/and SpecOps.
This is a silly meme that the outnumbered and barely adequate Ukes defeated the USSR of the Fulda Gap days with sheer grit and determination.
The Russian military of today is barely 10% of the size it was then.
Then there is the fact that they are getting their asses kicked and have lost everything Putin went for. Azov was destroyed, the Donbass is secure. Ukraine has no maneuver forces, no air, and has massive manpower and supply problems. They have no capability of combined operations left, and are reduced to despotic secret police at home, expert western propaganda, and terror strikes at individuals.
But they have lost. Soon they will lose more if they don’t wake up.
*They are not losing, that’s step one.
They are holding their own and making the Russians pay a high price for every inch of ground gained. That’s better than nothing.*
Russian people have a lot of experience being victims. They must enjoy it. At least the Israelis can unite behind the ‘never again’ saying. Why can’t the Russians?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
