Yeah, there should have been an “I don’t know” option. I feel disenfranchised.
Option 5: The Russians don’t know what the fuck they’re doing.
The phrase “The Russians are preparing” simply makes no sense.
I have to say I should have put that option in for myself too. The new commander has publicly definitely left both options open. The Russians retreat often.
But suppose you are trying to guess the most likely current Russian intent when choosing.
I personally think they are going to try and hold. But preparing for a swift clean possible retreat. Or at least for a really big fight from the Ukraine forces that could devastate things behind the front line.
There are so few votes, I don’t want to place mine yet. It would probably represent too big a percentage opposite in the poll that is so far 100% one way.
I have to wonder if the Ukrainians are running a somewhat successful bluff regarding Kherson. Meanwhile they are making some further small progress in Kharkiv lines. And able to keep refreshing forces to Bakhmut to hold there. Russians may be diverting forces and energy to the wrong place?
In a time of such accurate satellite and other intel, can you still pull off such large scale tricks?
even civilian commercial satellite imagery is excellent.
Is there some reason that you’re polluting this thread with so many multiple consecutive posts? Are you not aware of the “Edit” function in case you have another brain fart after you post the first one? Do they not have the “Edit” function in Russia?
But perhaps polluting all the threads you (or are still allowed to) participate in is part of your Russia propaganda requirement, as dictated by Comrade Putin. Or you just have no idea how to use this message board for your propagandizing. Fuck off.
This is fucking pathetic.
Moving everything out of Kherson except the good troops could be indications either way. If the Russians want to defend the city, then, given the problems in supplying Kherson, there’s more bang to the supply buck in having those supplies go to good troops. If they want to leave Kherson, then it would make sense for the good troops to leave last, as they would be the ones most likely to successfully perform any rearguard action and make an orderly tactical withdrawal, especially across a major river.
I think what is most upsetting to me about Mr. K’s body of work in this thread is that es language is like E is dispassionately commenting on a chess match, or a tennis game, rather than a truly horrific continuing act of outrage against humanity. It’s a step away from Trump marvelling over how clever and smart Putin is, only occasionally deigning to admit to Putin’s moral defects when someone demands it.
Have you noted the posts in the threads that I am banned from? Of course a war is terrible. That is a base starting and ongoing fact. I feel that it is foregone knowledge. From there I consider what is happening. How it might end. How long it may go on. What effects it is having beyond the two countries directly warring.
If you want to see callous and joking posts on a daily basis about war, read the Russia invades Ukraine {2022-02-24} (Part 1) or (Part 2)
Good points.
The river crossings are a serious pinch point for supply and retreat. Could be the key to retaking the region. I wonder if Ukraine can get the required long range attack systems in place to do it at a constant enough rate to keep them shut down long enough. Ukraine has no shortage of good tactics and dedicated fighters. The materiel supply is hampering them.
This thread was actually started by Johnny_L.A. to specifically roast me in the pit. Doesn’t that seem like an invitation to fully participate?
I hold no grudge at all for Johnny_L.A. doing it by the way. Anything I posted in the other threads led to way too deep back and forth off the rails posts.
I still read the other thread daily. There are good posts there. And not so good ones.
So, another three worthless posts in a row, and a failure to answer a simple question, namely …
But never mind, I’ll just put the entirety of your worthless bloviations on “ignore”, so I can still visit this thread once in a while and enjoy all the inoffensive white space.
ETA: Ahhh … this thread looks so much better now …
You are truly a terrible human being.
My thought is, they’re pulling out the “good” (if we can call them that) troops they don’t want to lose, and plan to use elsewhere, while leaving behind the poorly trained new recruits. Maybe the new recruits can pull it together, and hold at least some of the city. Maybe Ukraine decides they don’t want to pay the price it would take to re-take the city even against the half-assed resistance the recruits could put up, so Russia keeps the city by default. Or, Ukraine bites the bullet, and takes back the city. They lose a few hundred troops in house-to-house fighting, probably a few thousand civilians get killed in shelling and the like, and the city is pretty much trashed in the process, which the Russians consider to be just punishment for the Ukrainians not just letting Russia do whatever it wants.
In a house to house fight, even poor troops can be a problem. Fighting in cities is never an easy prospect, and since it’s the Ukrainian’s own city, they’ll be naturally reluctant to use the most effective means for reducing the Russian forces, making their job that much more dangerous and difficult.
I’m sure whatever he said deserved that remark, but I have no idea what it was because now all I see is a blank rectangle. I’m quite enjoying this new-found tranquility. 
No, I didn’t. You seemed to have a need to defend Russia, and I thought it would be better to take up the moderator’s suggestion and provide a place for you and any possible others to defend Russia without derailing the other thread. I thought about putting it in IMHO, but [see emphasis]:
If you are being roasted, it’s not my doing. You bring it on yourself.
Which is why there’s this thread.
Pish posh. Bugs had that 75 years ago. (skip to 4:55)
As fully expected, Russia continues to be the most evil country in the world. They are now looting Kherson, destroying infrastructure, kidnaping, torturing and raping civilians, and like always trying to blame everything on Ukraine. When they decide to tuck their tails between their legs and run, like the cowards they are, they will destroy as much as possible. Fuck Russia!
I would nitpick with that and say that it’s Putin who’s the most evil ratbastard in the world.
I have no way of proving, obviously, but I wouldn’t be the slightest bit surprised, at all, if it turned out that there’s just as high a percentage of Russian citizens against Putin as there are US citizens against Trump.
Like i said - a nitpick, but definitely an important distinction with a difference.
Russian troops get asses kicked in Pavlivka.
Can’t be explained away with excuses of thin lines and such. The Russians attacked, and failed badly.
Lots of anger in the ranks about it. Wonder what excuses will be used? Seems the Russians were hit hard from Ukraine positions on high ground to the North of the town. Something the commanders should have known about.