Russia continues to make territorial gains in eastern Ukraine and now controls 95% of Ukraine’s Luhansk oblast, which makes up the northern half of the Donbas region.
The pro-Kyiv governor of Luhansk said Friday that Ukrainian forces might be forced to retreat from the near-surrounded cities of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk, the last hold-outs in the region.
“We will have enough strength and resources to defend ourselves. However, it is possible that in order not to be surrounded we will have to retreat,” said Governor Serhiy Gaidai.
As the war grinds on in the east, Ukrainian officials are starting to admit that their military is facing a dire situation and are pleading for the US and its allies to send more advanced weapons.
Ukrainian volunteer soldiers told The Washington Post that they felt abandoned by the government in Kyiv as they were fighting in the east. In a video posted on Telegram, Ukrainian volunteers said they weren’t properly trained and didn’t have sufficient equipment or support to fight on the front lines.
“We are being sent to certain death,” a volunteer soldier said in the Telegram video. “We are not alone like this, we are many.”
The Post spoke with a volunteer company commander and his lieutenant who retreated to a hotel away from the front. After the interview, the men were arrested by Ukrainian military security services and accused of desertion.
“We are being sent to certain death…” Fascinating how people go to war and die in millions for the benefit of the very few, while still believing it’s the right thing to do (WWI and WWII). That’s a problem or “opportunity” as one deranged politician recently called it as if he was Churchill reincarnated. The bigger problem or “opportunity” now is we’re not talking about millions dying–it’s billions with a “B.”
“A pessimist sees problems in opportunities whereas an optimist sees opportunities in problems.” –Winston Churchill
Looks like Kyiv needs more cannon fodder.
Any more volunteers?
I believe retreat may be too late. The Russians have the last road in/out under fire. Absolute blunder to have kept those soldiers there. They should have retreated several days ago. Estimate is 15,000 troops trapped. Word is top general wanted to and obviously the gov quoted here but Zelensky said fight on.
The Ukrainians again make the same mistakes they made in 2015. They always wait until it is too late to withdraw. It’s a political problem. Politicians who have no idea about military strategy prevent the military from withdrawing because it would look bad in public. The result is that Ukrainian troops keep on getting caught in cauldrons.
There is some speculation that if discontent in the military were to grow; they might topple the government and make peace with Russia. I’m not so sure about that because the right-wing Azov network has infiltrated the military and occupies key positions in state institutions like the security council.
Your point is on the money. The right wing — headquartered in Lvov — consists of many organizatiins, all thinking they know best.
The hint of a coup in Kiev, with a bizzare video clippings of an amusment park, indicating that some officials have been arrested.
Their justice is swift — declared traitors usually do not live long between capture and execution. Weeks ago two generals were dismissed by Zelensky as “traitors”. Not heard from again.
In WaPo article the most damning piece of information was the absence of competent command at the front. In fact, upon being arrested for desertion, the two said that their command deserted them.
In fact, whatvwas left of their unit went in search of their command in nearby village — just to have it found deserted and all supplies gone. These soldiers often had ine polato a day to eat and just light weapons. They complained of their military dumb decisions — namely firing artillery from behing the front, telling Russians exactly where their fortified positions were. These and other examples of command structure crumbling — should be a warning sign to NATO enthusiasts.
With hotheads in charge in Kiev, it is very likely that commanders in the field are either a) appointed by hotheads as being trusted, not competent or b) are professional military not being allowed to make decision.
The new equipment was comming to the battlefield, and Russia had a field day picking them off upon arrival, or intercepted along the way. While in the meantime consolidating the area under control to establish civilian government, restore services and bring food and field clinics.
As the Ukranian military is exausted and surtounded either ohysically or wihin artillery range — a collapse of several fronts is comming. And in preparation for miving the front further, Russia is moving in lighter tanks for controlling roadways, crossroads. infrastructure and other assets. Peace keeping or occupational functions — whichever one prefers. It is devolving into military police function preventing infiltration of saboteurs. Since these areas are heavily Russian populated. an insurgency is not in the cards.
There are still several Russian populated regions to go. The real issue is — will the leadership oov violent hotheads in Kiev hold it together now that their fantasies bave crumbled.
And second — will NATO maage to place more solhisticated weapons into Ukraine, knowing that Ukrainian best trained, as well as volunteers have bern routed. And that the command in the field is in wrong hands.
Russia has demined corridor within Black Sea and Sea of Azov — can now Ukraine export grain to save the world from famine?
First they need to ask foreign ships thst were detained in ports to leave — so that berths can be available for grain export.
The problem is — Kiev management.
From now on — more is needed than speeches.
I just worryy that our media-political environment needs their fix of continuous Ukrainian drama to drawn outt inflation, gas prices, shootings, baby food shortage.
Their behavior suggests they believe their own propaganda.
No surprise here; this has been getting worse and worse, completely ignored by western media spending their time crowing about purported Ukrainian “victories”. IF the Russians do encircle and force the surrender of these 16,000 Ukrainian soldiers, or even force them to withdraw leaving their heavy equipment behind, that would be a massive defeat for the West, that no number of “donated ex soviet tanks from 1980” coming from the west will offset. It is past time for Zelensky to make a deal.
I do not believe Russia really wants a deal with Zelensky. Russia has ample evvidence of attrocities committed sgainst Russians or others — Kiev regime right wing death squads committed. And politicians, including Zelenski approved.
There is evidence — as the criminals took pictures and videos. Trials will be in Lughanksk or Donetsk — and there is desth penalty there.
West may black out the information but the rest of the world will not.
I cannot see Russia cutting the deal with Zelenski or the political/military regime in place that oversaw cultural, legal, economic or phtlysical
genocide.
The real question for NATO is — how to save Zelenski regime, and with it — its own reputation.
How?
Neocons have it sawn up really well.
Seduced US into pursuing Europe, bringing it into fold — and declaring strength by achieving domination over the old continent. Getting Europe ino vassalage, forced to commit economic suicide, and depend in US energy brokerage. After all -/ if there is a market, somebody will fill the need. Objective is to break OPEC+ and have Gulf become new supplier.
There are problems with the math — Gulf will not commit at tge expense of losing a reliable energy and fiancial partner.
But Neocon logic goes beyond — hoping to push
US into contest with both Russia and China. Such efforts require financing. And financing will come, at the expense of other leveraged futures. We all have mortgaged our future income, but some such leveraged entities will continue to be favored, while others will not have a future. Bankruptcies will be celebrated as necessity, while others get a new lease on life.
This is why all stops are pulled. Neocon Blinken is talking from the same shert of music as Berny Sanders or the author of Necessary Illusions.
We are sold illusiins, all right. Do not blame the money changers — that is their specialty.
But others, like our military, need to answer hard questions.
Where is OUR red line, and what are the risks. If we do not decouple from Zelensky, we need urgently to decide WHAT TO SAVE in UKRAINE? What is the bottom line defense strategy?
And start letting prople know what has been committed in our name.
Are we sleepwalking into a ditch. With Blinken serving Neocons, Austin serving military industry and White House very unimpressive.
I expect that members of the Azov group that surrendered in Mariupol will face trials. As far as Zelensky is concerned, I think Russia must have realized by now that the west is not going to allow the complete occupation of Ukraine; strategically, there is nothing to gain for Russia in that anyway; if they complete the pre-war stated goals, I think they’ll go over to the defensive and wait for a deal. We’ll see.
follow the money and you’ll see the real reason why Putin took Crimea in 2014 and why is trying to take all the eastern rich land and sea ports.
So that’s why we invaded Iraq – all that oil.
Ukraine will be defeated slowly but surely…!
Zelensky will be doing cocaine and moving imaginary army groups around a map until Russia yanks him away from his Zoom camera in his bunker.
Russia has a 20 to 1 advantage in troops on the ground and so far a 15 to 1 kill ratio of Ukrainians to Russians.
Looks like losers obama and Biden are in for another loss.
Problem is that others suffer and die while the elite play their chess games.
Could have all been prevented:
1. Should have honored the promises to not expand NATO beyond a unified Germany.
2. Should not have planned, funded, aided, and help carry out the overthrow of the democratically elected government of Ukraine in 2014.
3. Should have been serious about implementation of the Minsk Accords.
yes, could have been prevented, for the reasons above
The final peace terms are likely to look like that, but worse in all the details for Ukraine.
This is all a total waste. The best we hope for is less than what we turned down when we called their bluff.
Or helped a bunch Neo Nazi revolutionaries.
That’s a good summary
Just think of what the results would have been were Russia to have gone full mobilization. Russia had no intention to “shock and awe” Ukraine, like we did to Iraq.
https://thesaker.is/sitrep-operation-z-were-going-down/
Ukraine’s status quo not going swimmingly. TOS-II system being introduced.
Where’s our resident pro-Ukraine trolls ranting about how Russia is failing and doomed? Can’t put in an appearance when even the New York Times wants negotiations and the Washington Post is running articles like this. As I said before, these morons are going to be so butthurt when Ukraine’s army is finished off over the next few months, despite any weapons the US and NATO can send.
If you referred to me, I’m not pro Ukraine, I am against Putin’s Hitler like invasion of Ukraine.
Plus after you threatened me with a cyber attack, I’m afraid to lose my identity and have my bank account cleared. BTW, how is that cyber attack coming? Perhaps your Russian hacker friends are too busy in Ukraine.
Yes just as if the US Army went into North Mexico because they are a failed state; Russia has short supply lines and factories making their own weapons.
As the West (UK) tells Zelensky not to negotiate the Russian military will take the entire coast of Ukraine and Hungary and Poland will take part of Western Ukraine.
It is not over until it’s over and Zelensky and his Fascist hordes will not realize that they are a vestigial organ of a failed state until the Russians rip Zelensky from his zoom camera in his bunker.
I read in the French news that Ze is visiting Eastern Ukraine for the FIRST time in three months!!! He seems to think that that the war was in Kiev where he was welcoming world leaders,money and weapons. Now France tells us that the Ukie forces have beaten back Russia from Kharkhiv. Complete refusal to face reality.
After Kharkiv, the Russian strategy was clear. Attack a large city, send a few missiles and then retreat. And while the Ukrainians chase them out and brag about their victory, they drain their southeastern flank of fighters.
The Western propaganda is just beginning to realize that what they described as Russian incompetence is in reality their strategy AND, it is paying off.
Putin reacted to a security threat on Russia’s southern border with a preemptive war of aggression that Russia can’t win. So now, instead of a security threat, Russia created a permanent war that won’t end until the Russians withdraw. Every act the Russian occupation takes to repress the resistance will only make the resistance stronger. I am surprised that the Ukrainian army has held up as long as it has. But the decisive stage in asymmetric war is the guerrilla war of national resistance. The Russians will occupy Donbas, but they will never pacify Donbas. South Eastern Ukraine will become like the West Bank under permanent occupation. The Russian army will not be able to withdraw without their puppet regime collapsing. It may take years or it may take decades, but the Ukrainians are fighting to defend their homeland and the Russians will eventually have to leave.
I watched this play out in every imperialist war from the French at Diem Bien Phu to Bush’s “Mission Accomplished” speech to Obama’s futile surges in Afghanistan and Iraq. There is always a stage in imperial war where the imperialists occupy their target and believe they have won. But when the resistance has popular support, the resistance persists, intensifies and eventually prevails.
Russia is sometimes a valuable ally opposing US/NATO imperialism. But given the opportunity, Russia is another evil imperialist power striving to dominate other countries. US/NATO imperialism has been worse. But Russian imperialism is evil and with this war Darth Vlad has gone over to the Dark Side.
Great objective analysis.
Look in the mirror you two.
Why? Do they have something in their teeth?
Yes and it spread to their brains.
Russia has more oblasts to take. Ukraine’s time to negotiate was before the war even started. Now they are doomed.
Russia, the biggest country in the world with more land than they know what to do with. Yet, they want more and it’s showing hence NATO keeping its guard up cause if Russia succeeds in Ukraine, in ten years, after their shit army recovers, they’ll go for the next vulnerable neighbor. Im guessing BELARUS is next.
Is Russia proper the biggest country in the world, or is that only the case if its 22 conquests/colonies/occupied areas are included? Sakha alone is nearly the size of India.
Yes, Russia has a history of imperial expansion. They are doing it again in Ukraine.
Shhhh. You know imperialism is OK it’s Russian imperialism! 🤣
De-Nazification is a euphemism for Russian imperialism. Funny how every war has an altruistic sounding slogan.
Oh the Brits hold the record.
US neocolonialism outdid British colonialism.
‘We have managed to acquire bases all over the world. . . . There is no part of the world where trouble can break out where we do not have bases of some sort in which, if we wish to use the pretension, we cannot claim that our interests are menaced. Thus menaced there must remain when the war is over a continuing argument in the hands of the imperialists for a vast naval establishment and a huge army ready to attack anywhere or to resist an attack from all the enemies we shall be obliged to have. Because always the most powerful argument for a huge army maintained for economic reasons is that we have enemies. We must have enemies.’
John T Flynn
Bite me. It’s not the land that they want. It’s the half of Ukraine that is filled with Russian people, that is being shut upon by your glorious heroes in Kiev.
There is no “half of Ukraine filled that is filled with Russian people.”
Ethnic Russians are about 17% of Ukraine and about 38% of Donetsk and Luhansk.
The root of this war and the UIkrainian resistance is the Russian chauvinist delusion that Ukrainians are “Little Russians.” Over 100 years of Czarist forced assimilation and repression of Ukrainian culture, language, religion, politics, literature and education only strengthened Ukrainian national identity.
Putin’s stupid invasion is only reinforcing Ukrainian nationalism. The Russians may dominate the battlefield, but they are have lost the hearts and minds of the Ukrainian people, including many, if not most, of the Russian speaking Ukrainians.