Russia - threadbanned users in OP

All going well for the Ukrainians, we might witness the first dramatic defeat of a Russian force around Kherson, with the exception of the earlier withdrawal from the Kiev area. If all of what was reported was true, the commanders there know they haven't got many options left in Kherson and have possibly left their conscripts there to be slaughtered. Some might try to just bug out and flee (not easy over those 2 only bridges where their own side might shoot them for trying it), some might get the chance to surrender to the Ukrainians (probably their best option if they can't get home) or they will fight it out and probably die.

Pretty concerned for the residents of Kherson though. Russian conscripts are poorly disiplined as a rule, but without their commanders they are more likely to become feral and do horrible things to the locals. The sooner they can be removed, the better.

Or the Ukrainians could hit it again after any repairs. Rinse & repeat.

If they hit the bridge, it will only be repaired when the war is over (unless ruskies start to advance again). Its not like bringing a car to your mechanic. All the inspections, getting required materials and bringing them to the site, plus if they hit it once, they might hit this again. Whos gonna do all the repair? And even then, its gonna take some time, its not a 1 day job

Yes, and just when it has become operational, its gets hit again....if they can hit it once, they can hit it again, and again and again. Once its out of action, thats it.

Just have to ask if they can afford to 3billion to rebuild it every time it gets blown up ,

Once the bridge get hit it's almost game over for the Russians ,they won't risk large cargo flights knowing that the Ukrainians can shoot them down every time

This is just one day

Germany hoping VP will attend the G20 in Indonesia, might crack a deal before winter. VZ becoming increasingly desperate as he knows the US are starting to tire of him.

This is the big risk. I just can't believe that Russia will pack its bags and go home utterly humiliated. Putin is the epitome of the embittered male who feels the world has done him a grave injustice and owes him and those type of guys, if they go down, tend to want to take their perceived enemies with them.

I dont think this will be the case yet unfortunately.

Ukraine are making great strides in taking out ammo dumps and other assets. But Russia is starting to reinforce the Kherson region heavily now in response to the threat, they just sent 2 more battalions recently.

A full on offensive now may cost huge casualties on the Ukranian side and ultimately may not succeed at this time.

What the Ukranian side are doing now is starving them of their ammo and hardware, the longer they keep takking out their supplies at long range the more depleted the Russian side become in the Kherson region, it may end up forcing the Russians to just retreat themselves. However this strategy may take a long time and could be ongoing well into next year maybe.

I read a twitter thread about this recently which was about military objectives vs political objectives. Military objectives would be to keep hitting the Russian positions from distance without advancing much vs the political pressure to show that they are taking ground and winning the war. Of course their is also the issue of Russia holding their illegal referendums to contend with.

My theory is putin doesn’t give a fcuk about his army winning or losing.

He’s playing a longer term energy war with the EU’s biggest economy.

America aren’t exactly helping by selling overpriced LNG that causes prices of everything in Europe to rise.

German people will only take so much hardship before opinions change and Russian gas will be back on the agenda.

Where are the Putin fanboys, now that the writing is on the wall ?

The West obviously committed itself to full support for Ukraine ages ago, but decided to make it look as if every truckload needed cross party approval and could be cancelled at any time. This made Putin feel confident enough to continue on a path that seems now to have suited the West's approach. Any withdrawal of Western aid is now fantasy land stuff. Putin has been humiliated already by the Crimean situation, but it will get far worse for him. I hope it's true, that Putin has indeed been warned by the US that any use of non-conventional weapons in Ukraine will receive a military response via the destruction, by conventional means, of many Russian military assets.

Germany starting up nuclear plants again, reopening coal plants, most of Europe getting gas from elsewhere, I guarantee you Russia will crack long before Europe will.