danfrodo

(As per Steve, above "dishonest or ill informed" -- the answer is "dishonest") Meanwhile, NYTimes (full disclosure, I am subscriber) editorial board says Ukraine should negotiate away territory and it's bad to upset Putler and that UKR can't take back all it's territory anyway. That is a disgraceful editorial. UKR might, in the end, have to concede to some of Russia's thievery, but why would they do it before it becomes a necessity? Would Putin negotiate away territory if he didn't have to -- hell no! To those saying that we don't want to humiliate Russia w total defeat, I say that's absurd. Have they learned nothing? Letting Putin off the hook just means he will immediately start planning his next nefarious criminal adventures. Small stuff like assassinating every critic and outspoken ex-pat who fled Russia. Then bigger stuff, like stirring up fight in Moldova. He'll use Russian minorities in Baltic states to ratchet up ethnic/political tensions. Then maybe steal some more land from Georgia or wherever. Politically/militarily annex Belarus. Continue to poison the political processes in democracies. Buying off powerful politicians and influencers in democracies. And that's not even mentioning the physical sabotage he might decide to perform against those that helped Ukraine, like Cyber attacks, arson at critical infrastructure. Solidly defeating Russia matters to the future of the world's democracies a lot more than NYTimes editorial staff seems to understand. He's a rabid dog and need to be as weakened as possible. If Russia removes Putin, then they've got a chance to be part of the civilized world again, but that is the minimum step one. And the worse they are defeated the better the chance he is removed.

Perhaps a rather strategic criticism to light a fire under Scholz. If Scholz is asked about this, he'll say it's not true. Then he'll be asked what he's doing that shows it's not true. Hopefully will help make it hotter for him to keep prevaricating.

Totally agree, CalaimeWaffles. He thinks every BTG is full strength and doesn't understand the gear, as you said. But good daily maps and occasional insights that I don't get elsewhere. Plus I always like to see how a Ukrainian sees things.

and on other thoughts, I am confused as to why UKR would even consider crossing the Dneiper? Going via Melitopol axis would be a fight, but there's no giant river to cross and LOC over one or two easily interdicted bridges.

Anyone ever watch Denys Davydov for UKR war info? Nice 'big picture' view of the war plus what's up locally, ~daily content. He's a Ukrainian commercial airline pilot. He just today posted a longer review on where the war has been, where it is, and where it's going. He's calm, balanced, and seems to know his stuff. A couple days ago he mentioned big UKR offensive(s) would come sometime mid-June to early July. Which made me realize I keep looking for some big event, day after day, that probably isn't coming. UKR is building a proper war machine with the incoming weapons and new troops. Contrast this to RU that is desperately hurling every warm body and 30+ yr old BMP it can find at the front lines. https://www.youtube.com/c/RoadHomeMotorcycleVlogs

Classic issue in any organization -- if you punish people for telling the truth, you won't get the truth anymore.

Must. Send. More. ASAP. from everyone. France, Germany, everyone. This is the world's opportunity to do the right thing and let dictators know that the 'free world' will punish such blatent aggression. 'course, most of the world's dictators and dictator-wannabees are quite upset to see such a (mostly) unified response. I wonder where Putin stands on the "stupidest moves in history" list? Gotta be pretty high. Up there w Conrad of Austria (WW1), Hitler, Napolean in Russia (generally I think Boney was brilliant, but that one was not smart).

Markos at DailyKos echoing Steve, yet again. https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/5/20/2099283/-Ukraine-Update-Seriously-stop-panicking-about-Popasna LIBERAL SITE, ENTER AT YOUR OWN PERIL. But he's an artillery veteran who's had excellent coverage of the war. Today he makes case that even losing the severodonestsk salient is not a big deal. I see the local map and get kinda uncomfortable, then look at a wider map and realize just how small that area is.

F- YES! Get some payback, Ukraine!!

I never ever get tired of watching these videos. Some folks w evil intent thwarted rather completely.

I suspect Zelensky was frustrated by Scholz duplicity. Saying one thing, doing another, making promises he then doesn't keep. Still, doesn't help to publicly insult while asking for charity. And the tweet is really rather a strawman argument. We're not within a million miles of German ground troops doing this. All that's asked for is aid, which is generally much less than promised. But it's a fun way to obfuscate the actual issue for whoever this fellow might be.

the important thing, obviously, is for RU to be smart enough to split their dwindling offensive forces over multiple offensive axes so that none are strong enough to actually achieve anything. It's the last thing a smart enemy would expect!

and another day passes w all of us waiting fervently for news of developments east of the S-Donetz. If Putin were winning there he would be trumpeting it, so I am thinking that RU is in trouble there.

Dang it, France, get to it! You've got lots of nice weapons & other needed aid, military & humanitarian, get going! Or maybe they are and they are keeping it quiet? Anyone have any knowledge on this? If France ever wants to be in CMBS they need to step up.

Yeah, I was wondering same thing. If they had something up north why are they losing so badly up there. Meanwhile, UKR seems officially silent about what it's up to w the two alleged bridgeheads. I hope we get some official news (and victories!) soon.

Any news from the fronts for the end of day in UKR? Seems some very small gains by both sides, looks like the bridgeheads by UKR across the Donets east of Kharkiv are the real deal. UKR saying nothing? RU still pounding away to capture very little. And where are the UKR reserves? We still have no idea of UKR overall plan. Kupiansk, unhinge Izyum? what else, I wonder?

I remember I bought a Panzer General game some years ago. Then realized it didn't take into consideration supplies. It was like playing checkers.

WHAT????? I MEAN, WHAT???? They are going to rescue them? How? and they announced it? what????????? Imagine the morale victory for UKR if they actually pulled this off. If they announced it then I am guessing they already know something about success?? Boats? Helicopters? Land corridor? How? Update: according to NYT this was just the soldiers being bused out to RU territory for upcoming prisoner exchange?? It's not a rescue? Was the above post a bad translation?

very cool. But who played the original 1984 version on their Atari? That was a really hard game to win. I loooooved it. Then grigsby came out same year w the epic Reforger 88. He is guaranteed to go to heaven. It's really funny to google these games and look at the actual screenshot images. I have memories that are completely wrong about what the games actually looked like.

interesting, very interesting. UKR continuing to find ways to weaken & unhinge RU forces. And it sounds like they did it via arson. I bet all the firefighting gear was looted and sent back to PutinLand. And who is gonna get anywhere near burning buildings filled w ammo? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

and contrast the above to Steve's earlier post showing UKR forces training as units on their recently arrived equipment. UKR feels safe enough at the front to actually train troops instead of desperately throwing them into the fire. Since leaves on trees I am assuming those training videos were recent. Meanwhile, if those UKR river crossings east of Kharkiv are real we might see some fun things happen. Hopefully lots of trapped RU troops and equipment.

exactly what I've been thinking for a while. RU attacks just reek of high level micromanagement by non-military player.

for those of us hoping for RU collapse it seems there's lots of positive information from the excellent posts over the weekend. Desperation in manpower, shown by the crazy mixing of sailors w soldier, mercs w paratroopers, conscription notices, possibly women being conscripted in DNR. Low morale, low cohesion, and zero motivation (other than looting, though I think all the good stuff already stolen in the occupied areas). Another nice precursor for collapse is the loss of the RU artillery umbrella. It seems the number of arty systems lost per day is climbing. And we'll really know there's an RU arty shortage if the rumored Donetz crossing east of Kharkiv is real. By the way, the more things change the more they stay the same. Currently reading Prit Buttar's Collision of Empires, eastern front 1914. paraphrase: "the germans setup two pontoon bridges but each time troops formed up to cross the bridging sites were pounded by Russian artillery". And it sounds like US et al need to send some trucks.

there is simply nothing cooler in all of mechanized warfare than panzergrenadiers riding forward in those sports car lookin' german halftracks

whoa, a visit from youtube MegaStar Megalon Jones! I am your biggest fan!