Apparently 17 airmen from 1 particular US airbase have died of unspecified causes. Patriot battery operators?
Posted by: Suresh | Aug 27 2023 5:36 utc | 155
I will not post any links, (all stories i found were either short, or full of ad cancer)
but Suresh is talking about Tinker Air Force Base, in Oklahoma, which has had 11 deaths of “natural causes”, and six still classified, since January. I saw two pictures, one of a female Colonel, aged40-ish, and an enlisted female, age mid twenties at most.
“Natural causes”
The base has about 30,000 people overall.

Posted by: UWDude | Aug 27 2023 5:55 utc | 103

Posted by: Eclavdra | Aug 27 2023 5:30 utc | 154

Ukraine isn’t a small nation. They have the most powerful military in Europe and are a near peer of Russia.

Oh come on. Hyperbole on a Sunday? My ass is near peer of Russia.

Posted by: Arch Bungle | Aug 27 2023 6:03 utc | 105

@TruthCanHurt | Aug 27 2023 1:18 utc | 109

“So, Gonzalo Lira was caught (again) and has a new trial date? ”
“Either Gonzalo is full of shit or Ukrainians are extremely gentle folks.”

So you claim to be uninformed about basic facts, but at the same time entitled to condemn. I think you do not speak in good faith.

Posted by: Norwegian | Aug 27 2023 6:22 utc | 107

🇷🇺 (https://rybar.ru/piwigo/i.php?/upload/2023/01/19/20230119124832-cfeab17d-xx.jpg) 🇺🇦 Orekhovsky area
situation by the end of August 26, 2023
🔻In Rabotino, the assault units of the 47th Mechanized Brigade of the AFU, again transferred to the front line, are trying to completely capture the village. The fighting is still going on on the southern outskirts, where infantry groups are thrown by the AFU, but artillerymen work out on them.
The enemy’s original plan to establish control by Independence Day was thwarted. At the same time, the Zaporozhye Front (https://t.me/ZA_FROHT) reports that losses as a result of such “meat” assaults have reached quite significant numbers.
🔻Despite the activity in Rabotino, the most intense battles took place near Verbovoye, where detachments of 82 Air Assault Brigade and 46 Airmobile Brigade were crushed by numbers. Paratroopers use a standard tactic: first, artillery destroys strongholds to the ground, and then infantry detachments break through there.
Thus, the enemy was able to advance in the landings west of Verbovoye, regardless of the losses. For the evacuation of the wounded and the dead to the advanced arrived rescue teams of the 15th Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine.
❗️ Judging by the nature of the attacks, the AFU intend to wedge between the villages and force the Russian troops to retreat from the settlements and thereby straightening out the front line. And after that move inland to the heights of 136.8 and 110.3 to the west of Verbovoye.
To support the offensive, 12 D-30 howitzers from the 118th Mechanized Brigade of the AFU were moved to Malaya Tokmachka, and five AS-90 self-propelled howitzers of the 117th Mechanized Brigade were moved to Omelnik and Krasnaya Krinitsa.
Map in high resolution (https://rybar.ru/piwigo/upload/2023/08/26/20230826212846-934e0069.jpg)
#digest #map Zaporizhia #Russia #Ukraine #Orekhov
with @ZA_FROHT
Support us (https://qr.nspk.ru/BS1A0068ID10D33B9IBAQRQ4M9T0NIFN?type=01&bank=100000000008&crc=36CB) Original msg (https://t.me/rybar/51195)
——
#Summary for the morning of August 27, 2023
▪️The Russian Armed Forces attacked targets in the Kyiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lvov, Kirovohrad, Cherkasy, Zaporozhye regions at night. Missiles were launched, including from ships and strategic missile carriers. By 6 am, another missile salvo was fired at enemy targets.
▪️On the Zaporozhye Front, the enemy is expanding the zone of control in the direction of the settlement. Willow, throws dozens of armored vehicles into battle, including for the delivery of troops to the northern part of the settlement. Rabotino. The enemy is not sensitive to the most serious losses of manpower, there are heavy bloody battles, but the Armed Forces of Ukraine fail to develop a result comparable with the losses thanks to the heroism and selflessness of our marines, motorized riflemen and paratroopers. The enemy command before the rains is trying to achieve an indicative result, grinding the strategic reserve against our defenses.
▪️Fights continue on the islands in the Kherson direction, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are dropping landing groups on small watercraft with the support of drones and artillery fire. They tried to “solve” the problems of organizing combat activities in certain units of the Russian Armed Forces by recording a positive video with servicemen from units, the real state of affairs in the unit is still unchanged.
▪️On the Vremevsky and Ugledrasky directions, the intensity of hostilities over the past day has slightly decreased: the enemy regrouped and conducted reconnaissance in small groups.
▪️In the Kupyansk direction, the Russian Armed Forces repulsed the attempts of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to counterattack, and consolidated their positions.
▪️7 enemy attacks were repelled in the Krasnolimansky direction.
▪️To the south of Artemovsk (Bakhmut), the front near Kleshcheevka has been stabilized, however, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are very active, without stopping the attack.
▪️The shelling of the civilian population by the Armed Forces of Ukraine has intensified in the Belgorod region, incl. from MLRS. One civilian was killed, 6 were injured. On approaching Belgorod, an UAV of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was shot down. In the Bryansk region, the Klimovsky district was shelled, and a drone was shot down over the Trubchevsky district. Explosions sounded in Kursk in the morning, by 7:00 there was no official information. 6 civilians wounded in DPR due to shelling by Ukrainian Armed Forces
Summary compiled by: Two majors
https://t.me/sharednewsby/11985

Posted by: unimperator | Aug 27 2023 7:02 utc | 109

Did this really happen or is it another strange coincidence with happenings in Ukraine?

US military helicopter carrying 22 Marines crashes off Australian coast
A V-22 Osprey helicopter with 22 US Marines on board has crashed off the coast of Australia, according to local 9News TV channel. According to media reports, a search and rescue operation is currently underway.

https://t.me/Slavyangrad/60564

Posted by: Norwegian | Aug 27 2023 7:38 utc | 111

Just now (ref RT) more little “pinprick” drones landing against the windows and walls of residential flats in mainland Russia. [Cue for sb to have a bit of a rant]. No-one hurt, just broken glass and blackened paintwork.
But I’m thoroughly puzzled by the sources and purposes of these. They seem too inconsequential, too random, harmless, non-targetted, to be an organised product of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. I’m wondering if they are just private, near-border, Ukrainian arseholes shitstirring the Russians with SBU supplied toys. Another possibility is drunk Ukrops.
And they don’t seem bold enough to make any effect upon the townsfolk. I know Zelly said “Russian citizens should be made to feel the effects of this war”. But really … all these pinpricks are pretty useless for that. And, if that is the level of annoyance that Kiev can provide, it’s pretty damn juvenile. Which is what makes me think it might be the work of juveniles rather than soldiers.

Posted by: SCCC | Aug 27 2023 8:14 utc | 113

@all
Cleaned up a bit. Blocked some people who only come to start bar-fights.
Stay serious and on the issue.

Posted by: b | Aug 27 2023 8:40 utc | 115

So they recorded as 17 “suicides” coinciding with the arrival of hypersonic missiles.
lets add another 22 marines today in an osprey crash off australia to the conspiracy lists and see
Posted by: hankster | Aug 27 2023 8:16 utc | 124
A real stretch.
I read more… 10 sailors on the USS George Washington committed suicide in the last ten months. Military is seeing upswing in suicides.
However, I did find Tinker does do Patriot exercises:
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/87888/tinker-airmen-conduct-exercise-altus-afb

Posted by: UWDude | Aug 27 2023 8:44 utc | 117

Posted by: UWDude | Aug 26 2023 20:01 utc | 14
among other ‘strange’ comments on ‘facts'(10.000 times?) You have deliverd here (to MoA)- as any options:

.. In the meantime, the real world, as has been mentioned at least 10,000 times before, even if Russia conquered Ukraine tomorrow, the war will be far from over. ..

So, Dear GUY, you migth be true/Wrong .. but pls. oriantate >our phantasy skills on some latest facts published from SBU or Mossad or MI6 or elsewhere acting secret “News” being leaked by …(..) like that of the latest still today. Learn !

Posted by: spare_truth | Aug 27 2023 9:14 utc | 119

Russian MIL meanwhile, has learned a lot of new “things” how to defend themselves, and its “occupied” regions, which have been declared as RU-Territory by regional – UN-watched(?)- elections last year.
Mr. Piano-Cock-Player, Mr. Z. is a puppet of US/UK- that’s clear for future times – here on MoAs.
So, what’s to “do” now acc.to o-called “Peace-Talks” (Prigizhin killed by MI6/SBU?) ..
The diplomatic fronts (US/UK <> RF) are going harder & harder, RF is on a “defense state with some significant retreating and redraw states”, the UAF have still today some on-ground gains toward East/SouthEast, but not yet towards Asow-Sea ..
Asow-Sea, Dear Mr. Cock-TV-Player, a la Mr CensorTVsKy, go abroad on Florida, keep your Mn$s to survive, just before even cilled by an ”””””US-Schooled Sniper .. Think about your “private plane” support done by “whome” ? ..

Posted by: spare_truth | Aug 27 2023 9:28 utc | 121

Military summary:
-RU holds their positions to the south of Robotyne and manage continuous bombarding of the central part, which slows down AFU building a force to advance further from that village
-AFU uses supply road to the north of Robotyne to drop off infantry, they also use Bradley vehicles for this purpose, one of which was destroyed
-No updates from the eastern field or direction of Verbove
-Possible AFU attack attempt east of Ugledar
-A video of AFU somewhere in the west part of Kleschevka, but the video had no date confirmation
-AFU tries to bombard Soledar from the north, but they don’t have critical mass to attempt attacks here

Posted by: unimperator | Aug 27 2023 9:47 utc | 123

Okay – no one here doubts – the RF-Army has had a new very bad number of “lost soldiers” on ground on their infantry. That’s very bad & esp. for its relatives.
– but RF-Army’s still striking furthermore. – more in retreat-mode & counter once-more same positions.
The Rf propaganda is also “working”, same as in Europe and US.
How many brave soldiers will be shot dead anymore on either side (US/UK-UKR-RF) ?
I give here a ratio to be updated:
Stats dated Aug 26 2023 – Do not know from any reliable sources:
– RF-Soldiers + volnteers dead and ‘Hindered longterm’, incl. Wagners = ??? Male/female ?
– AFU-Soldiers + volnteers dead and ‘Hindered longterm’, incl. Polish-MIL = ??? Male/female ?

Posted by: spare_truth | Aug 27 2023 10:04 utc | 125

Eclavdra | Aug 27 2023 5:30 posted THIS:

“Ukraine isn’t a small nation. They have the most powerful military in Europe and are a near peer of Russia.”

“Ukraine” is NOT A NATION.
“Ukraine” had NEVER BEEN a (nation) state before 1991 [see “*CONDITIONS*“].
There’s no “HISTORY of Ukraine” because it NEVER had a distiguinshable SEPARATE stateship nor government before 1991 [see “*CONDITIONS*“].
What is today called (the) “Ukraine” was CREATED as “Soviet Socialistic Republic of Ukraine” as a PART OF USSR, from HISTORICAL territories of Russian Empire, AND territories acquired by USSR after it won the WW2 against fascism/nacism.
Before the complete dissolution of the USSR (december 1991), the former “Soviet Socialist Republic of Ukraine” was granted independence from USSR as a souvereign state, on following
*CONDITIONS*:
1.
All the territories belonging to the former “Soviet Socialistic Republic of Ukraine” become the territories of new INDEPENDENT (state of) “Ukraine”.
2.
All internationaly owned DEBT of the “Soviet Socialistic Republic of Ukraine” will be serviced by the Russian Federation, the LEGAL successor of USSR (it is already payed by now 27.08.2023);
3.
The newly INDEPENDENT (state of) “Ukraine” SHOULD NOT posses NUCLEAR WEAPONS — all it’s EXISTING (in 1991) nuclear arsenal becomes the possesion of Russian Federation, the LEGAL successor of the USSR.
4.
The new INDEPENDENT (state of) “Ukraine” shall NOT became a member of any existing or new military alliance, in Europe or otherwise …
5.
… and MUCH, MUCH more.
So please reread the history and try to learn something.
BTW: All of 1. to 4. had been registered in valid documents of UN, based on INTERNATIONAL LAW.

Posted by: LongCovid | Aug 27 2023 10:05 utc | 127

Posted by: Micron | Aug 27 2023 10:05 utc | 130
Just out of curiosity, but why do you assume that Russia will want peace negotiation?
Combat intensity may become lower as a result of there being no new viable force to attack with in the immediate-medium term future for Nato, will have a similar effect of an negotiated ceasefire, which, without being negotiated should benefit Russia more as they rebuild and prepare to push Ukraine west of the Dnepr river from the longitude south of Dnepropetrovsk. Which seems to be vital in permanently kicking Nato out from the vicinity of Crimea, and secure the entire south of Ukraine for good.
USA always wanted Russia to occupy entire all of Ukraine and mobilize 5 million people to do it. That is precisely why it probably won’t happen. If the Russian war industry is humming along, combined with lower combat intensity they will be able to easier replace losses and produce excess, which will inevitably lead to renewed Russian push to kick Ukraine out. It may take some years, though.

Posted by: unimperator | Aug 27 2023 10:16 utc | 129

Posted by: unimperator | Aug 27 2023 9:47 utc | 126
I’m increasingly finding the YouTube commentators are either getting out of their depth or trying to overly dramatise mundane events. They don’t seem to be able, or willing to read the runes, and keep suggesting the Ukrainians are hovering on the edge of major breakthroughs. I think they’re also scared of making definitive statements, for fear of being wrong and losing viewers. It’s a shame that the, usually reliable, analysts have all been co-opted into making statements that they know are palpably false, meaning the un-narrative voices are largely comprised of enthusiastic amateurs.

Posted by: Milites | Aug 27 2023 10:23 utc | 131

I mean, it’s obvious that in a few months Russia will sue for a ceasefire.
Posted by: Micron | Aug 27 2023 10:05 utc | 130
Care to place a wager on that? I mean if it’s so obvious and everything.
By few I assume you mean 3-5 months. So we’re go from September to end of January? We can revisit this then.

Posted by: James M. | Aug 27 2023 10:29 utc | 133

Posted by: Milites | Aug 27 2023 10:23 utc | 135
Lots of bold proclamations all around for 18 months.
Got to wonder when the humility starts to hit all of them, really. I personally stopped watching, none of them know any more than I do. It was nice for the hopium, but they are all so long winded.
The only one I kind of miss is Berletic, because he touches on Asia, an area I dont look into as much.
AFU os pressing first line… …finally. RF seems not too interested in stopping them.
And, tho clobber lists could suffer serious faults.
However, MOA seems to have matured. Prigo was supposedly killed, and there are very few cock-sure proclamations of who is to blame, or even if he actually is dead.
Two months ago, during his.. ..thing, it was much different.

Posted by: UWDude | Aug 27 2023 10:38 utc | 135

Posted by: Ed4 | Aug 27 2023 10:43 utc | 140
Landing may refer to the use of APC and dismounting their infantry.

Posted by: unimperator | Aug 27 2023 10:55 utc | 137

Milites @ 135
It’s like rock stars well past their prime but still cranking out one lame album after another, year after year, decade after decade, they have brand loyalty and need the slate roof replaced on the 17th century “farm house”.
OK, an exaggerated comparison, but thanks to the SMO after two years the pundits have establish a big subscription list and reliable daily hits and have very good income coming in, but like the MSM 24/7 news cycle they now have to keep feeding the beast if they want the steady revenue.
So, they start making ever more vids, ever longer, with less and less to say. I still watch Christoforou he keeps his insights short enough, Mercouris has become a windbag with tiresome hour and a half daily vids and I’ve stopped watching, volg version of bloatware. In a nutshell MSM or citizen journalism they are all driven to monetize. Capitalism is a shit motivator.

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Aug 27 2023 11:19 utc | 139

Slavyangrad telegram musings WRT Ukie losses…..
https://t.me/Slavyangrad/60596
We saw during these almost 3 months multiple hits by Lancets and many other drones. Some videos are not disclosed by MoD for security reasons. Add on that ATGM, air strikes, and artillery. Targets were various. From tanks, and IFVs, to single soldiers. Some hardware is destroyed, and some damaged (to which degree, we can’t know, but let’s assume that the majority is salvageable). So, we have a huge number of vehicles out of action, one way or the other. What Ua’s capacity to restore all that in working order is unknown, but judging by some recent and previous selection of rocket attacks, exactly such facilities were hit, which is good. AFU has a problem with hardware, and that’s a fact, not because they have a small amount of it but because the rate of attrition is high. Following recent MoD updates, you will notice that regarding IFV, AFV, and similar, you have roughly between 6 and 14 destroyed daily. Let’s take an average, and say 10 are blasted every day. That gives us a monthly tally of 300 destroyed with an unknown number of damaged, broken for different reasons, or lost due to accidents. In these 3 months, the intensity of the fighting differed, but it was in range from mild, and hard to mayhem. We saw numbers circulating around about 1400 destroyed IFVs in these 3 months. If we take the average monthly score of 300, that brings us 900 for the offensive. Let’s add some more because intensity of fighting and we can get the milestone of 1,000 destroyed during this period. The usual overestimate of the casualties by 20% (historically and methodologically proven fact- I will explain some other time) gives us solid ground to believe that the figure of 1000 destroyed is certainly correct, maybe even understated. A dear friend of mine, Zin published an article yesterday about assessment by another source (https://t.me/c/1866599150/57367) and came under fire. What for? Given the statistical method (yes, you would say that it doesn’t prove anything – it does ), the published figure is close to the figure that any of you can calculate based on known inputs.
Regarding tanks, I can’t say for certain because MoD lacked published data on more than on several occasions, but we saw a huge number of destroyed and disabled tanks, so, meaning with video confirmation. We are not ORUX to count every tank destroyed 5 times, so the assessment regarding them is a little heavier, but certainly, no less than 250 is destroyed, in a conservative estimate.
Regarding human losses, that is a blank field. We don’t know the results of the long-range artillery strikes, which is active non-stop at high intensity, nor air strikes and their consequences for that matter. Because of the style of the attacks forced by AFU during the first two months, they are big. We can say about dozens of thousands (combined, kia/wia/mia) but for exact numbers, we can count only on MoD data.
So, the quoted numbers are roughly in line with the published data.
Maybe, next time when you judge, you will have some better arguments than those you brought. And if that is just for spitting, knock yourself out.
In summary 1000 IFVs 250 tanks 60,000 personnel
INDY

Posted by: Dr. George W Oprisko | Aug 27 2023 11:31 utc | 141

Very strange stuff going in Kleschevka. One AFU soldier walks past a RU trench, another AFU soldier enters the trench and gets shot. Then the first AFU soldier starts giving covering fire to the RU soldier and throws a grenade on the other Ukrainian soldiers. Then another AFU soldier comes to the RU trench and sits down assuming its their own trench.
The whole saga apparently initiated due to RU capturing the hill near Kleschevka and the AFU commanders didn’t have information about that. Either way, the defense hold and RU has better position by controlling the hill.
https://twitter.com/djuric_zlatko/status/1695761607492575713

Posted by: unimperator | Aug 27 2023 11:47 utc | 143

Posted by: UWDude | Aug 27 2023 10:38 utc | 139
Macgregor, Berletic etc all good, all have military experience so all see the big picture. Brian was excellent on his predictions about Kherson which showed his analysis was not psyche-wrapped.
As I keep on saying, bottom line, Ukraine was going to be militarily defeated once the first armour nosed it’s way over the border. What we are watching is the process by which that destruction is occurring, we are also watching the evolution of an army as it changes its structure and national role, during combat. What so few posters seem to understand is that the SMO’s slow pace is partly as a result of necessity but also exploitation of its unique format to create an army of unparalleled experience, with combat tested doctrines, exploiting combat tested weaponry. Putin’s dark hints, of unused capabilities suggest that that process is nearly complete, and if the stars align then all bets are off as to how the end game plays out. What’s certain is that Russia’s final decision will be motivated more by maximising her future returns and not on focusing on the zombie-entity she’s fighting now.

Posted by: Milites | Aug 27 2023 11:57 utc | 145

Ed4 | Aug 27 2023 10:57 said THIS:

“How did the USSR get three votes in the UN? One was for [“]Ukraine[“]“, another for [“]Belarus[“], both founding members of the UN. Finally the Soviet Union got a vote.”

OK. These are the real facts of the establishment of the UN — documents of the REAL HISTORY (and not from the later, Western-invented “Rules-Based-Order” [whatever]).
BUT … they by themselves DOESN’T CHANGE anything about the “Ukraine” being, at the time of adoption of these documents, and later on (until the final dissolution of the USSR), a souvereign (nation) state SEPARATE from the USSR!!
The “Ukraine” and “Belarus” ENTITIES in these UN documents were NOT recognized by UN as souvereign states INDEPENDENT OF THE USSR! It was just two more votes for the USSR, just like the votes of (thence) Great Britain colonies in the “COMMONWEALTH OF NATIONS”.

Posted by: LongCovid | Aug 27 2023 12:02 utc | 147

Posted by: Norwegian | Aug 27 2023 6:28 utc | 108
It means as anyone with brain they see Ukrainians as some sort of Russians and having Russians killing Russians is profitable to them (puppet masters).
It is a civil war within Ukraine that has morphed into a civil war within Russia.

Posted by: Greg Galloway | Aug 27 2023 12:09 utc | 149

On legionella (note, this is part of my professional work):
There are two potential sources. Others have covered the first which is populations of legionella in domestic water. It can live in the biofilm that develops inside hot water heaters or dead legs in the plumbing system, sometimes in the faucet or fixture itself. Domestic water outbreaks are usually related to depressurizing and then repressurizing the system (but not always).
The other is in large buildings where water to air HVAC systems are used. It usually happens in the cooling phase where the system water is evaporatively cooled in an exterior cooling tower. The legionella lives in the cooling tower and there’s a leak somewhere that allows HVAC air to directly contact the cooling water.
HVAC as a source is worse because to get legionnaires disease you need to breathe the bacteria not swallow it. Catching it from domestic hot water is usually from shower or sink steam.

Posted by: Lex | Aug 27 2023 13:21 utc | 151

Salt to taste.
https://t.me/CyberspecNews/40282

Western sources also claim that Anton Elizarov, the commander of the unit that led the attack on Bakhmut and Soledar, and also fought in Syria, the Central African Republic and Libya, became the new leader of the Wagner group.

Posted by: anon2020 | Aug 27 2023 13:36 utc | 153

The shit show in the West is just getting started. Buckle up.
Expect the numerous disinformation agents who haunt the bar like a bad smell to step up their amateurish efforts to derail real conversation, as the cold hard grip of reality grasps the Maerican brain trust. All I can say to them is that the barking is always loudest before the final defeat.
And the West just loves to bark doesn’t it. Myself I prefer to keep silent until deploying overwhelming violence in a single threat ending strike, but what do I know. Maybe being big mouths is good for your image in the Maerican calculus.

Posted by: Doctor Eleven | Aug 27 2023 13:44 utc | 155

Posted by: Anthony | Aug 27 2023 13:15 utc | 158

Let’s keep the perspective right: Russia, the largest country in Europe, is at war with NATO, the largest military organization in the world. So oh what despicable weakness of president Putin not to have started all-out pandemonium yet! Why, we could have had tens of millions of dead by know if only President Putin had been honest and steadfast!

Well reasoned and true. Simple and within the reach of ordinary people.
Of course, the shadowbanned faction, would reason: “If only weak Putin had nuked a few cities NATO would have gotten the message early on and we’d finally have a world at peace”.
There’s no arguing with madness …

Posted by: Arch Bungle | Aug 27 2023 14:02 utc | 157

Just out of curiosity, but why do you assume that Russia will want peace negotiation?
Combat intensity may become lower as a result of there being no new viable force to attack with in the immediate-medium term future for Nato, will have a similar effect of an negotiated ceasefire, which, without being negotiated should benefit Russia more as they rebuild and prepare to push Ukraine west of the Dnepr river from the longitude south of Dnepropetrovsk. Which seems to be vital in permanently kicking Nato out from the vicinity of Crimea, and secure the entire south of Ukraine for good.
USA always wanted Russia to occupy entire all of Ukraine and mobilize 5 million people to do it. That is precisely why it probably won’t happen. If the Russian war industry is humming along, combined with lower combat intensity they will be able to easier replace losses and produce excess, which will inevitably lead to renewed Russian push to kick Ukraine out. It may take some years, though.
Posted by: unimperator | Aug 27 2023 10:16 utc | 131
I do not believe that the Ukraine will ever have the military ability to drive by force all the Russian troops out of the 1991 borders. They do not have enough armor, ISR and troops for that.
However they will have enough military toys to make life painful for Russia over a long time. F16 are coming. Maybe F-15 or F-35 later ? ATACMS, Taurus will be there. it’s the equivalent of water torture ; just a drip-drip-drip of strikes on the border cities, on Moscow, on Crimea, which over time will drive Russia mad as it has no way of countering.
Well yes, it has a way of countering it. As shadowbanned says, they should declare that every attack on Russian soil will be followed by actual strikes on decision centers,including in Poland and NATO countries. But as we saw it, a lot of red lines were crossed without Russia doing anything really painful in response.
There are two factors which will push Russia to the negotiating table :
– Deep down, Russian elites want to get back in the club. I’m stating it again : they don’t have the stomach for this fight. A lot of the Russian elite still wants to travel to Courchevel and the Côte-d’Azure, hobnob with the global elite at Davos, be “respectable” again. They don’t give a rat about the Donbass people or the Ukraine. They lied low last year due to popular fervour, but instinctively they hate this war.
– The Russian people will tire of it. Putin hasn’t been able to formulate coherent, uplifting goals. All the enthusiasm of 2022 has vanished because the Kremlin has made a mockery of its principles.
Denazification ? The Azov leaders got a nice holiday in Turkey and are now back on the frontline. Protection of the people ? Russia left Kherson, abandoned countless people who thought they enjoyed its protection, and is not even at least affirming its will to go back. The goals are completely muddy.
Compare to Ukraine : it’s crystal clear. They want their 1991 borders back, even if 1 million people have to die for it. Russia ? Who the hell can even say what Putin and the government wants ? You can say “oh it’s secret, in order to keep some leverage”, fine, but you will never create a national fervour or movement out of it.
It’s a bit as in 1812 Alexander I had proclaimed some vague goals of denapoleanization, studiously abstained mentioning the territories conquered by the French, and tried from the get go to negotiate with Napoleon during his advance on Moscow. I doubt it would have been really uplifting for the troops.
I mean if I were a Russian I would think it’s a f*** joke. What started as a holy crusade has degenerated in a sordid business venture where it seems any day you could learn that Crimea has finally been given back or that the Russian troops will vacate this or that piece of land as a “goodwill gesture”. Yeah sure, I don’t recall Stalin making so many goodwill gestures or trying to negotiate with Germany in 1942. It does not exactly look like iron resolve…

Posted by: Micron | Aug 27 2023 14:28 utc | 159

The Duran was discussing the secret meeting between Zaluzhny, Radakin and Cavioli. Apparently they demanded that Ukraine deploy all its forces to Zaporozhye front, before they lose their ability to attack. They also told Ukraine to stfu about casualties and do what they are ordered.
Also, how the media have moved goalposts from “shores of Azov” to that pesky little village called Robotyne, which is now a major victory according to western experts.
Ukraine is also supposed to be mobilizing millions more. What’s laughable about this is that Nato has maybe a hundred tanks there or hundred artillery there to support all these million of men.

Posted by: unimperator | Aug 27 2023 14:45 utc | 161

Posted by: shаdοwbanned | Aug 26 2023 18:22 utc | 2 and his answer replied @ 5

Ukrainian formations continue massive shelling of the Belgorod region .
In the village of Shchetinovka , Belgorod region, an enemy drone dropped ammunition on a civilian who was cutting grass in his yard. ..
Unfortunately, the man died on the spot from his wounds. .

That’s only a small capture of a “single case” newly claimed by AFU-Azov-NAZI Guys as a further ‘success’ of any new AFU-Offennse OPs just ongoing these days by using CLUSTER ammo ..
A Warning at US/UK : Stop that! .. Remember the flight-crash of “private” planes (Prigoszhin).
Remember that day..!

Posted by: spare_truth | Aug 27 2023 15:06 utc | 163

164 – Despite rumours to that effect, the Chinese, who had the population for it, did not mobilise millions for their intervention in the Korean War. They did not have the logistics to support a vast army.
Whether Kiev, with a far lower population base, could mobilise several millions, I rather doubt. “Human waves” do not work against heavy firepower.

Posted by: Waldorf | Aug 27 2023 15:13 utc | 165

Posted by: tesla | Aug 27 2023 12:06 utc | 150
„Sense“…..,
In a official festive ceremony with lots of tam tam the new oblasts have been accepted into Russian Fed only one week later to withdraw from city of Kherson????
Insane!
Treason!

Posted by: SlowSoft | Aug 27 2023 15:22 utc | 167

Posted by: UWDude | Aug 27 2023 10:01 utc | 126
Agree to disagree then.
Being a warmonger was an albatross around Hillary Clinton’s neck in the Democratic primaries for the 2016 nomination, even though Bernie Sanders barely had a position on foreign policy. It was just that she was so horrific to a significant slice of voters that it helped Sanders have an path to staying viable.
That forced Clinton to have to campaign, and swing voters loathing of Clinton grew and grew, and those swing voters eventually went to Trump.
America’s proxy war in Ukraine is already enough of an albatross around the neck of the most blatant warmongers in the Republican primary that Trump is easily dominating the field. Should he be the nominee, and face Biden, then the albatross of the war in Ukraine will weigh around Biden’s neck, and cost him the votes of lots of Independents.
Very, very, few people will be voting for Biden, imo, because of him sending aid to Ukraine, but I can see a lot of votes going to Trump from voters who are disgusted at our fomenting war in yet another country. And of course by election day the sum total of the value of all the aid we’ll have sent, and are on the hook to send in the future, will stick in the craw of a lot of voters.
Crumbling cities, crumbling roads, failing schools, rip off health care, but hundreds of billions of dollars to Ukraine? That will be an issue.

Posted by: Babel-17 | Aug 27 2023 17:09 utc | 169

One of the unknowns in all of this is whether Russia despite its military technical power is able to deal with human wave approaches from the Natokraine side (even if individual fighters are of poor quality).
Posted by: Arch Bungle | Aug 27 2023 14:52 utc | 164
Perhaps dealing with human waves with artillery, as opposed to say machine guns in the old days, is akin to carpet bombing by pilots. Once removed.

Posted by: JohninMK | Aug 27 2023 20:01 utc | 171

Honestly, these Western leaders are becoming more insane by the day.
In German Bild newspapers… Scholtz and Macron discussed how on Feb 2022 talking with Putin, he never “complained” about “sanctions” …
In other words dear general public readers in Germany & France, know that your leaders were unaware of the impact these “sanctions from hell” would have on you poor citizens, because “Putin didn’t complain” about them, we thought it was a good idea, and if he had “complained” well, you all wouldn’t be suffering…
The twisted, insipid, ridiculous, absurd “spins” of late.
There is no other explanation for this rabid statement coming out now… other than a cover you a** and blame Putin.
Anyways, sickening.. read for yourself
https://tass.com/world/1666401

Posted by: Trubind1 | Aug 28 2023 18:46 utc | 173

Well yes. The question of course is the prize. But I would be willing to bet that negotiations will have started before January next year.
Posted by: Micron | Aug 27 2023 14:16 utc | 160
Not a taker on the bet eh. Well, we’ll see what happens this fall with regards to Russian negotiations.

Posted by: James M. | Aug 29 2023 5:05 utc | 175