Russian invasion of Ukraine | Fewer tweets, more discussion

RedDevilQuebecois said:
And this could well be a direct follow-up to the re-taking of Makariv. It remains to be confirmed, but this would be huge if it's true.

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It might become a genuine headache for Ukraine, the touted number of POWs would be a logistical nightmare at times like these:


What can they do, realistically, if it comes to it?
 
Raoul said:
The length of the term is pretty relative given that Putin can release him whenever he wants to modulate public opinion. He released the likes of Pussy Riot and Khodorkovsky early back in 2013/14. Not that we're dealing with "that" Putin anymore at this point, so it may require a change in government for an early Navalny release.
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He didn’t try to murder them beforehand though. But yeah, the numbers are irrelevant — he’ll stay behind bars for as long as Putin’s at power.
 
Further evidence that interviewing these Baghdad Bob clowns is pointless





At one point about 1:30 into video two - Peskov has to almost hold back from laughing at the absurdity of what he's about to say, losing his original train of thought in the process.
 
Rajma said:
It might become a genuine headache for Ukraine, the touted number of POWs would be a logistical nightmare at times like these:


What can they do, realistically, if it comes to it?
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Ship them West, roads are clear, plenty of room, plenty of people willing to watch over them I'm sure. Wouldn't be a big issue I don't think.
 
Simbo said:
Ship them West, roads are clear, plenty of room, plenty of people willing to watch over them I'm sure. Wouldn't be a big issue I don't think.
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I cannot tell about the legality of such action. I don't think it would be completely legal according to war conventions (I might be wrong, but I think it's ambiguous), but it would be an interesting tit-for-tat reaction to the forced displacement of Ukrainian civilians into camps in Russia. Besides, a number of German POWs were transferred to Canada (then a part of the Empire) during WW2 as Britain could not keep all of them. I'm sure plenty of NATO intelligence officers would like to know more details about the status of the Russian army from the horse's mouth.
 
RedDevilQuebecois said:
I cannot tell about the legality of such action. I don't think it would be completely legal according to war conventions (I might be wrong, but I think it's ambiguous), but it would be an interesting tit-for-tat reaction to the forced displacement of Ukrainian civilians into camps in Russia. Besides, a number of German POWs were transferred to Canada during WW2 as Britain could not keep all of them. I'm sure plenty of NATO intelligence officers would like to know more details about the status of the Russian army from the horse's mouth.
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I don’t know that he meant “west” as it Western Europe, as opposed to just western Ukraine.
 
Carolina Red said:
I don’t know that he meant “west” as it Western Europe, as opposed to just western Ukraine.
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Perhaps, but one would also have to wonder what that scenario would look like in Western Ukraine since most resources are already deployed into defending the region and hosting internally displaced civilians.
 
RedDevilQuebecois said:
Perhaps, but one would also have to wonder what that scenario would look like in Western Ukraine since most resources are already deployed into defending the region and hosting internally displaced civilians.
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Well, didn’t the release a lot of prisoners on the condition that they’d fight the Russians?
 
The BBC reports:

"A ferocious two-day struggle for control of the farming town of Voznesensk and its strategically important bridge was one of the most decisive battles of the war in Ukraine so far.

Victory would have enabled Russian forces to sweep further west along the Black Sea coast towards the huge port of Odesa and a major nuclear power plant.

Instead, Ukrainian troops, supported by an eclectic army of local volunteers, delivered a crushing blow to Russian plans, first by blowing up the bridge and then by driving the invading army back, up to 100km, to the east.

"It's hard to explain how we did it. It's thanks to the fighting spirit of our local people and to the Ukrainian army", said Voznesensk's 32-year-old mayor, Yevheni Velichko.

As on so many frontlines in Ukraine, British-supplied anti-tank missiles proved crucial in turning the tide against Russian armour in Voznesensk, leaving the town littered with up to 30 tanks, armoured cars and even a helicopter.

"It's only thanks to these weapons that we were able to beat our enemy here", said Mr Velichko."
 
If those Russian troops NW of Kyiv are indeed surrounded, cut-off from re-supply and are captured/surrendered, then any remaining Russian ambitions to encircle or capture the capital are totally gone.

Indeed, in that event it wouldn't surprise me if the Russians to the NE of Kyiv head into retreat mode.
 
Rajma said:
It might become a genuine headache for Ukraine, the touted number of POWs would be a logistical nightmare at times like these:


What can they do, realistically, if it comes to it?
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Can’t they strip them of their weapons and hand them back over? I’m sure the Russian problem of sending so many vehicles over to take them all back could be crushing for them.
 
RedDevilQuebecois said:
I cannot tell about the legality of such action. I don't think it would be completely legal according to war conventions (I might be wrong, but I think it's ambiguous), but it would be an interesting tit-for-tat reaction to the forced displacement of Ukrainian civilians into camps in Russia. Besides, a number of German POWs were transferred to Canada (then a part of the Empire) during WW2 as Britain could not keep all of them. I'm sure plenty of NATO intelligence officers would like to know more details about the status of the Russian army from the horse's mouth.
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Yeh I meant western Ukraine, its a massive country mostly untouched by the war, wouldn't take much effort in the scheme of things to set up camps or house 20k or so pow's I don't think. There will be prisons they could make available maybe, warehouses, stadiums to convert, etc. Most industry has shut down, there's a massive manpool available to guard, watch over, feed them, etc.
 
GlastonSpur said:
If those Russian troops NW of Kyiv are indeed surrounded, cut-off from re-supply and are captured/surrendered, then any remaining Russian ambitions to encircle or capture the capital are totally gone.

Indeed, in that event it wouldn't surprise me if the Russians to the NE of Kyiv head into retreat mode.
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It's a big 'if' at this point, let's wait and see if it becomes confirmed and if so that the Ukrainians are able to hold vs counter-attacks to re-link the Russian units. But also as far as the forces east of the river, they don't necessarily have to retreat as the Dnieper river is uncrossable until you get up to Belarus. So their right flak would still be protected.
 
GlastonSpur said:
The BBC reports:

"A ferocious two-day struggle for control of the farming town of Voznesensk and its strategically important bridge was one of the most decisive battles of the war in Ukraine so far.

Victory would have enabled Russian forces to sweep further west along the Black Sea coast towards the huge port of Odesa and a major nuclear power plant.

Instead, Ukrainian troops, supported by an eclectic army of local volunteers, delivered a crushing blow to Russian plans, first by blowing up the bridge and then by driving the invading army back, up to 100km, to the east.

"It's hard to explain how we did it. It's thanks to the fighting spirit of our local people and to the Ukrainian army", said Voznesensk's 32-year-old mayor, Yevheni Velichko.

As on so many frontlines in Ukraine, British-supplied anti-tank missiles proved crucial in turning the tide against Russian armour in Voznesensk, leaving the town littered with up to 30 tanks, armoured cars and even a helicopter.

"It's only thanks to these weapons that we were able to beat our enemy here", said Mr Velichko."
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Great to hear the weapons are so impactful.
 
cyberman said:
Can’t they strip them of their weapons and hand them back over? I’m sure the Russian problem of sending so many vehicles over to take them all back could be crushing for them.
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Surely they would just be given new weapons and return to fight.
 
Oly Francis said:
I don't know if Russian programmers are really employable in europe. Most company will probably be suspicious...
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My first thought also. Wouldn't let a Russian near anything unfortunately. Many will be upstanding people however there may be one bad egg etc etc
 
The BBC reports:

"Russian forces are continuing to face logistical problems such as a lack of correct equipment, which is leading to frostbite among soldiers, a US senior defence official has said."
 
Sarni said:
Surely they would just be given new weapons and return to fight.
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I’m not sure how many weapons they have at hand? They seem to be struggling to supply them as it is. Never mind having that much armoury snatched away with their capture anyway.
Maybe they could be used in negotiations with Russia but I don’t think it’s the problem for Ukraine as it’s made out to be.
 
Simbo said:
Yeh I meant western Ukraine, its a massive country mostly untouched by the war, wouldn't take much effort in the scheme of things to set up camps or house 20k or so pow's I don't think. There will be prisons they could make available maybe, warehouses, stadiums to convert, etc. Most industry has shut down, there's a massive manpool available to guard, watch over, feed them, etc.
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Give them all mobile phones so that they can call back home to their families and friends and tell them the reality of what's going on.
 
cyberman said:
Can’t they strip them of their weapons and hand them back over? I’m sure the Russian problem of sending so many vehicles over to take them all back could be crushing for them.
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Would seem to defeat the purpose of taking prisoners if you’re gonna let them go back into the fight.
 
Rajma said:
It might become a genuine headache for Ukraine, the touted number of POWs would be a logistical nightmare at times like these:


What can they do, realistically, if it comes to it?
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Put them all in a hospital and paint "children" on the roof. Russia will take care of them in a day or two.
 
Carolina Red said:
Would seem to defeat the purpose of taking prisoners if you’re gonna let them go back into the fight.
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Oh if it were on a more forgiven situation for Russia I wouldn’t even think about it but these soldiers seem abandoned by Russian incompetence as it is. I just can’t see how they take back 8k people in a terrain that’s stopping Russia supplying them in the first place. I dont think it’s as easy as resupplying them as soon as they’re given back. I’m probably miles off but how do Russia even feed them when they’re apparently starving already? Minus all the armoury and vehicles?
I can’t see how that isn’t a logistic nightmare
 
If the reports are to be believed it seems to me that Ukraine are out thinking Russia and using decent strategy and tactics to fight Russia back.

Allowing Russia to over extend and now they launch a counter offensive to cut off a large section of the Russian northern offensive. An army that seems ill prepared, rationed with low ammo in unfamiliar lands. They could very easily capture a host of Russian troops and use that as leverage. If Russia abandons those troops then not only does it cause bad morale across the military but it could provide a headache for Putin domestically. Could become a key moment in the war.
 
RedSky said:
If the reports are to be believed it seems to me that Ukraine are out thinking Russia and using decent strategy and tactics to fight Russia back.

Allowing Russia to over extend and now they launch a counter offensive to cut off a large section of the Russian northern offensive. An army that seems ill prepared, rationed with low ammo in unfamiliar lands. They could very easily capture a host of Russian troops and use that as leverage. If Russia abandons those troops then not only does it cause bad morale across the military but it could provide a headache for Putin domestically. Could become a key moment in the war.
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You'd think someone in the Russian high command would have read a history book about the Great Patriotic War at some point, but alas, thankfully, they’ve apparently not.
 
Increasingly believe a chemical attack is in the cards, especially if Putin feels he's beginning to lose.

 


Wouldn't be surprised if some NATO spooks aren't working on exfiltrating some of the equipment Russia is losing.
 
Raoul said:
Increasingly believe a chemical attack is in the cards, especially if Putin feels he's beginning to lose.

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If the rumors that the Ukrainians are in a good position to rout the Russians West/Northwest of Kyiv or another week or two in Mauriopol, I could see the Russians using WMDs.
 
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