Michael Kenny wrote: ↑12 Feb 2023 05:50
Tom Peters wrote: ↑12 Feb 2023 04:35
No one wants nuclear warfare.
Perhaps but a good number of Team Ukrainian want a wider war where NATO fights beside Ukraine. They are quite prepared to risk a nuclear stand-off.
I believe you are one of those people.
There are two types of posters in these threads.
1. Those who report the facts on the ground. Sometimes there are Russian setbacks and sometimes Ukrainian setbacks. Future strategy is discussed including an expected (even by The Ukrainians) Russian spring offensive.
2. Those who are actively supporting Ukraine and vigorously deny/dispute every report about a Ukrainian setback. They shout-down and slander anyone who does not 150% support Ukraine as a Russian troll. They eschew fact and instead post mainly their dreams of a total Russian collapse and a Ukrainian victory.
Again I see you are one of then latter.
Litmus test for those who believe they are impartial:
If you read my post above and conclude that I am a Russian Troll then you are a nut-case.
Moreover, a total Russian collapse is not in the best interest of the West, given the globe's geopolitical situation, where China and other emerging, overpopulating regions are posing a lethal threat to the West and the Western values, whereas the ageing society of Russia does not.
Also if anyone in the West thinks that personally Putin and his regime is a specific threat, and otherwise Russian politics would be diehard democracy, then then are also wrong. Putin is actually a moderate in Russian politics. And while the political market is not open in Russia (it never has been), there is no substantial political support behind the too pro-Western politicians like Navalnij.
Almost one year into the war, with half of Ukraine is in ruins, it is insane to talk about winners of the war. The winners are outside of the European continent.
It seems I was wrong about the potential Russian invasion during the winter, probably because the European economies were not hit nearly as much as I anticipated, thus the cumulative effects of the hybrid warfare can not come into play. With neither side showing any sign of exhaustion, this can continue practically forever. Maybe it's time for peace talks, after all.
"Everything remained theory and hypothesis. On paper, in his plans, in his head, he juggled with Geschwaders and Divisions, while in reality there were really only makeshift squadrons at his disposal."