[RD] Russia Invades Ukraine: Eight

They can hardly flatten the houses of their own citizens, that is probably the advantage of fighting in Kursk over Donbas, they clearly don't mind destroying every building there and advancing over the rubble.

Very primitive way of fighting.
 
I would be very surprised if (assuming it is needed) it doesn't come to that - and if those citizens are pro-war themselves (but even if not), it's not a terrible deal. It can be sold as the citizens losing their houses (and getting new ones in the two major cities) having helped the war effort for the glory of mother Russia etc.

I don't think it is realistic to call it a primitive way of fighting - it's the norm in war still. No one would rather lose more of their army than flatten territory. When it's not done, it is because you care about the land - which doesn't simply imply it is yours, but of some added importance.
The inverse (and in many ways the same) is when you have a scorched earth policy, which is surely ubiquitous in wars.
 
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I doubt they just give houses in Moscow or St P. burg away, from what hear it is not even easy for most Russians to buy a house there, let alone get one for free.

No logically they would want to them to stay in the colonies provinces.
 
Hasn't there been any suggestion to give the former Kursk residents nice apartments in Moscow/St Petersburg and just flatten the remaining area Ukraine controls there?
Surely that will cost far less than extending the war.
I think that was the Ukrainian plan from the beginning - they dig in and Russia throws everything trying to liberate it.
Russia put more pressure on Donbass instead, taking ~5 times larger territory in last few months.
Meanwhile Ukraine has to keep tens of thousands troops in Kursk, with overstretched logistics and lack of proper air defenses.
 
Moderator Action: And back to actual news please.
 
step one, destroy helicopters that were intercepting sea drones (posted previously)


step two:

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The British MoD has released its estimate of Russian casualties in Ukraine in 2024, which amounts to no fewer than ~429,000.

The total figure of Russian casualties since the war began in 2022, is estimated at 790,000. Last month was the costliest so far with almost 49,000 casualties.

Apart from the horrific human losses that Putin is ready to sacrifice for his glorious empire, the economic costs will also be tremendous for the Russian taxpayers in time.
The US MoD estimates that expenses to US casualties and war veterans of the Iraq war, will amount to a total of ~$2,9Trillion by 2050.


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ggr3x2VXAAAPCDh?format=jpg&name=large
 
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some graphical representation of how much territorial gain you can achieve when you accept that number of casualties

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source:

 
Not much news in Western media about renewed Ukrainian offensive in Kursk region. Silence there is usually a good sign.
Russian channels show burned German tanks and compare images with those of 1943.

Zelensky gave weird interview to Lex Fridman, with lots of profanities and incoherent ramblings, though translated version sounds a bit better.

Mobilization doesn't stop, unfortunately.
 
Russian channels show burned German tanks and compare images with those of 1943
You really do think you are the good guys here don't you?🤡
 
You really do think you are the good guys here don't you?🤡
Denial of just profound cynicism.

In the end Putin's war will wreck the Soviet WWII myth of "the good war" as well. Russian's might be profoundly cynical, but they are not stupid, and that cynicism will eat also the WWII myth-making the current Russia government has stooped to.

There used to be a profound memorialization of the lives lost in WWII with actual public resonance. But now the Russian government has turned it into a crass freakshow to paper over its own failings. People are aware.

It won't make them democratic, amenable to the plight of the Ukranians, any less "anti-western" or anything, but till will make Russians yet more cynical.
 
If we are now at the point where Russia will suffer from... increased cynicism of its public, that's not very distinguishable from the animism of counting on someone who wronged you to be punished by his/her own conscience.


It was already explicitly said that Ukraine won't be in Nato. And it was also the position of the previous US government. This pretense of mumbling "well perhaps in the future?" is not a serious position.
 
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Not much news in Western media about renewed Ukrainian offensive in Kursk region. Silence there is usually a good sign.
Russian channels show burned German tanks and compare images with those of 1943.

Zelensky gave weird interview to Lex Fridman, with lots of profanities and incoherent ramblings, though translated version sounds a bit better.
A change in US administrations incentivizes Ukraine to try and capture more territory, so they do not appear like they're slacking off come negotiating time and get their legs chopped off.
OTOH, Donald Trump has hardly shown consistency on anything, so I doubt Ukraine will be waiting to see what he has to say first before doing anything that might benefit them in the long run.
and now:
I'd like to ask, seriously: what do you care?
 
I'd like to ask, seriously: what do you care?
Why do I care about mobilization practices, war weariness and manpower crisis in the country which is at war with us?
Should be self-evident, it directly affects the course of the conflict and ultimately, myself.

Do I care about these people? I sympathize them and prefer if they found a way to escape or surrender and stay alive.
 
part of the issue for Ukraine is that surrendering either as a civilian or as a soldier is not a guarantee to stay alive.
 
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