Also, NATO won’t intervene directly against Russia so as not to start WW3. But intervening against Belarus… well, who cares about Belarus?
The Ukrainians are determined to live life in spite of the war. I’ve read the coffee shops are still an important part of social life in Kiev. I admire their resilience.
If Putin had enough Russian troops to keep the Belarusian troops in order, then he wouldn’t need the Belarusian troops.
Remember last winter, when Western governments were offering to evacuate Zelenskyy? I think that future historians will mark the moment when Zelenskyy said “No” as the critical turning point that led to Ukraine’s eventual victory.
Kiev Independent reports Ukraine estimates Russia has 200,000 troops training in Belarus for a major counter offensive.
That’s more than they sent Feb 24. I doubt they have as much armored equipment.
Heh, and the thing they lacked at that time was troops to support the armor. It’d be kind of fitting if they failed in their second attempt due to a lack of adequate armor.
What they also lacked last time was logistics: Trucks carrying fuel, food, ammunition reloads, etc. And I suspect they’ll be short on that now, too, especially since Ukraine has been making logistics their priority target.
Not so much in 1939/40, actually …
Winter was only on the Russia side as a defensive weapon when it sucked the life out of invaders. Now, they are the invader.
Or in the 13th century. The Mongols deliberately waited until winter, then used the frozen rivers as cavalry highways to penetrate Rus.
I think that’s the part they forgot. Winter is cruel to the invaders.
If you think Russian soldiers are unmotivated imagine the disdain Belorussians have for this war. It will be pandemonium.
Putin’s days are numbered from within.
No problem! They just put 10 Russian soldiers behind every Belorussian soldier and force them to the front! This great plan literally cannot lose!
I think I’ve posted this before but I’m remembering this scene from Dr. Zhivago.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/12/17/europe/moscow-army-recruits-intl/index.html
From the article:
During a meeting with mothers of the mobilized in November, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that it was better to be killed fighting for the motherland than to drink oneself to death on vodka.
THOSE are the only two options? Man, life in Russia sucks.
A “Putin in a barrel” picture would be a very satisfying final entry in Wiki. It would be right up there with Mussolini hanging upside. They should paper Moscow with that image.
“Comrade Putin, what if we only drink ourselves into the occasional mild coma?”
Have they never heard of multitasking in Russia?
Yeah, I think there are RUS soldiers managing to do both tasks at once.
Yes, surrender, retreat, or die.
Speaking of running out of men…a quick google for Russian population figures shows that Russia has about 1.5 million babies born every year. (specifically, in 2005, there were 1.457 million babies, who will turn 18 years old this year. Half of them are girls, so that leaves three quarters of a million men eligible for the draft, this year, and every year…
So, yes, ,Putin can keep fighting for years.
Probably longer than Ukraine can.