Russia - threadbanned users in OP

I have to agree and disagree here. A fleet that is sunk is definitely a massive PR win, I agree with you on that, especially given that Ukraine has effectively no navy. However, a number of the launching platforms for cruise missiles are Kilo-class submarines, against which Ukraine only has limited countermeasures. Even the F-16s are not able to attack submerged submarines, and Russian sub skippers are generally smart enough not to remain on the surface in broad daylight unless in port. Frigates or corvettes are more vulnerable, but the Black Sea Fleet doesn't have too many of them. Now granted, the fleet can be attacked while in port. It's been done before, Port Arthur, Taranto, or Pearl Harbor are some prime examples. However, the defenses of the likes of Novorossiysk or Sevastopol are pretty extensive and the type of strike package necessary would probably be way beyond Ukraine's capabilities.

Given that, I believe Ukraine's current strategy actually makes sense. The ongoing threat of Ukrainian marine drones, combined with some high-profile attacks, is keeping the majority of Russian navy assets in the Black Sea effectively bottled up in port with comparatively low effort on the Ukrainian side. Any ship that moves beyond the protective barrier nets of the base is vulnerable to attack, which the recent highly effective attack on a Ropucha-Class LST showed. While Russia may be able to send out the occasional submarine or frigate, the current situation effectively has the Black Sea Fleet under blockade. Why risk a massive strike package to attack such a blockaded force when the odd Storm Shadow or marine drone is enough the keep their heads down?

Hopefully Greece can provide some additional equipment

It is all relative.

Russia performance has been dismal since day one given the size and equipment of their army on paper.

Obviously they have some capability. Just nowhere near the capability they should have, and the world expected to see last year when they invaded.

Early last year Ukraine was a $4bn army, Russia was a $60bn army. Also, Ukraine before 2014 had a similar budget to the Irish army with armed forces in a terrible state.

Long before western aid started arriving the war was still going disasterously bad for Russia, everyone assumed Russia would function as a modern army and steamroll over Ukraine. They didn't because of many factors, including but not limited to dreadful leadership, dreadful logistics, poor training, shocking lack of combined arms ability.

In no reality is this war anything other than a catastrophe for Russia. If their military was functioning as it should have been the main combat stage of the war would have been over in a few weeks at best, long before anyone could provide any meaningful aid to Ukraine whatsoever.

They failed to destroy Ukraine's army, they failed to disable its defence network, they failed to destroy its air force, failed to destroy it's command structure, failed to capture key points - they failed at everything and got bogged down in WW2-style ground fighting and attrition warfare.

We have seen this many times before. All the Arab countries invading Israel, Italy invading Greece, etc. Huge armies that fared badly because of all of the above problems despite having strong militaries on paper.

The world expected a high-tech war. Russia didn't deliver one and has shown itself incapable of delivering one. Even with very limited support, in the sense of very limited stocks of actual cutting edge Western weaponry, Ukraine has not just halted the invasion but actively reclaimed land and is currently on the offensive, with zero sign of Russia being able to regain any sort of initiative.

Completely unthinkable last year. It's basically turned into the Iran-Iraq war even though Russia should have had overwhelmingly superiority in every aspect possible to comical degrees.

There is no way out for Russia in the medium to long term. None.

I wonder if a Republican candidate wins the Presidental election will the military aid stop, a lot of Americans don't seem to be too happy with what Biden is doing arming the Ukrainians.

Pretty sure the US had advised all citizens to leave Belarus since April.

Keep wondering.

“I wonder if a Republican candidate wins the Presidental election will the military aid stop, a lot of Americans don't seem to be too happy with what Biden is doing arming the Ukrainians.”

Keep wondering.

What the f** is that "jewrunUSA" hashtag?

Most of the territory Russia occupy in Ukraine was pretty much put on a plate for them by the little green men invasion of 2014. What did they actually “win” since the 24th February 2022. They pounded Mariupol into the Ground after reaching it effectively unopposed at a time when Ukraine was trying to get their bearings with attacks coming in three directions at once. They had a woeful hard slog to capture Severiedonetsk and lysychansk and then an infinitely more desperate hard 9 month slog in Bakhmut. It’s a woeful return for the resources they lost and the loss of national prestige. There is no way that Putin or any person with even half a brain would have started this war if they had the benefit of knowing it would turn out like this. The map is virtually static since September 2022. With thousands upon thousands dead to achieve that deadlock. Once Ukraine got over the initial shock of being invaded they have had the Russians by the throat. It’s been an unmitigated disaster for Russia. They have shown zero superiority over Ukrainian forces in any sector of this war bar maybe propaganda trolling at times ( they have bizarrely won the hearts and minds of the extreme conservative right and far left west) and of course the nuclear sector. That’s it they have Nothing else.

Sure, that's what Tucker Carlson would like very much, with himself being in a position of power in the new structure, but he would not like one little bit being a citizen of that kind of state.

Lots of Americans (i.e. Republicans) would condemn Biden if he walked on water or personally stopped Hurricane Hilary in its tracks. They would appprove of one of their own,(a Republican president) if he were to take the same robust attitude to Russia as Biden is now doing.

They just can't help it.

Just another good night in Moscow

Stopping aid for Ukraine would be a surrender to Russia and embolden China

A victory to all dictators and a defeat for democracy

Alaska might be back with Russia.

But when people support trump that as undemocratic as some referenced above

..