Russia's War Against Ukraine

[GDS_Starfury]

for reference, that push in the middle is roughly 50km deep from the start line.
hopefully its deep the wider now.

[GDS_Starfury]

https://twitter.com/i/status/1567814838172221440

[MengJiao]

did you catch the russian video of all the dead UK troops and at the end they all get up because the dipshit didnt stop rolling footage?

One thing that's surprising to me is how utterly the Russians have lost "the social media theater" of the Ukraine War.  The Russians basically owned every second of the Social Media Theater during the US 2020 Presidential Election campaign.  They couldn't have scripted either side's actions (or the proliferation of inflammatory information and misinformation on both sides) any better.

But the Internet is now utterly populated by video clips glorifying the Ukrainian resistance and (as near as I can tell accurately) lionizing the Ukrainian fighters.  All we see from Russia on the social media front new is Keystone Kops.  For all I know, half of those sloppily produced videos are being produced by Ukrainian-sympathetic groups to ridicule the Russians.  We live in The Deep Fake Era, and the Internet's only reliable quality filter is "Does it make for a compelling audience experience?"

I'm not saying that all the pro-Ukrainian stuff is made up.  I just can't believe how the Russians were basically able to define the US Presidential election in the eyes of most US voters in both parties, but they can't find their way out of a wet cardboard box in Ukraine.

Apologies if this post turns the thread in any way political.  I'm happy to delete any mentions to the US Presidential election if anybody wants me to.  This thread is too valuable to risk spoiling it.

Considering how strangely the war has gone for the Russians, I'm surprised they have any credibility left about anything at all.  The thing about media theatrics is that reality has some kind of
round-about impact eventually even on social media (or so it seems to me...I just read the New York Times, Ars Technica and CNN, so maybe I have no idea what's what in social media), so I would guess that if they had done even remotely well militarily, they might have done better on social media, but get wrecked 100 times and eventually people get the message that you aren't doing so well.

[SirAndrewD]

I haven't seen a penetration that deep and wide since John Holmes and Marilyn Chambers.

[Sir Slash]

Oh, were they in a war at some point?  ::)  Kind of looks like the Kursk bulge doesn't it?

[Gusington]

 ;D

[SirAndrewD]

A few details that came in about the Kharkiv offensive.

Taking Balakliia was decisive, as that was the primary axis through which the 20,000 troops in Izuim were getting their supply.  Their only other route is the Avtoshlyakh bridge which is now under HIMARS attack. 

This effectively cut off the Russian forces in Izuim.  With their backs to the river they are for all intents and purposes pocketed. 

The main thrust is now on the outskirts of the Russian regional HQ in Kupyansk, and the Russian have evacuated their HQ back towards the Russian border. 

If Kupyansk falls, well, you can read a map.  There's no line of retreat for the Russian forces in Izuim without a massive ferry operation that's well within range of Ukrainian artillery.

[MengJiao]

A few details that came in about the Kharkiv offensive.

Taking Balakliia was decisive, as that was the primary axis through which the 20,000 troops in Izuim were getting their supply.  Their only other route is the Avtoshlyakh bridge which is now under HIMARS attack. 

This effectively cut off the Russian forces in Izuim.  With their backs to the river they are for all intents and purposes pocketed. 

The main thrust is now on the outskirts of the Russian regional HQ in Kupyansk, and the Russian have evacuated their HQ back towards the Russian border. 

If Kupyansk falls, well, you can read a map.  There's no line of retreat for the Russian forces in Izuim without a massive ferry operation that's well within range of Ukrainian artillery.

That's pretty shocking.  Quite a cunning blow and all the disinformation about "wargaming a limited offensive" etc. etc. seems to have worked well so far.

[GroggyGrognard]

https://twitter.com/ChuckPfarrer/status/1568035564452024321?s=20&t=y-nd9k8e8tszP0zJnJ5i7w

https://twitter.com/ChuckPfarrer/status/1568036030527279104?s=20&t=y-nd9k8e8tszP0zJnJ5i7w

[al_infierno]

And the CNBC link for those looking for an "official" source:

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/08/ukraine-launches-counterattack-in-kharkiv-after-russians-redeployed-south.html

[Crossroads]

And the CNBC link for those looking for an "official" source:

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/08/ukraine-launches-counterattack-in-kharkiv-after-russians-redeployed-south.html

To quenqh my thirst for official views, I've started my days the past months by first checking the latest UK Min of Defence update on Ukraine. (Initially, the very first thing I checked if Zelenskiy is still alive)

Here's today:

https://twitter.com/DefenceHQ/status/1568161247589195776



Yesterday:

[JasonPratt]

I suppose it's too much to hope that White Russia is toying with the idea of regaining territory taken by Russian forces and securing their borders...  :-"

[Gusington]

In February, wasn't Belorussia preparing to ally with Russia and partner with the invasion of Ukraine, offensively? Did I miss something? What happened that Belorussia just became a staging area for Russia and little else?

[Crossroads]

Some tanks move but don't shoot, while others shoot but don't move

https://twitter.com/TpyxaNews/status/1568223787874918402

Everyone who's served can indeed confirm this is just plain normal - there's even an abbreviation for this - and on average, things are just fine. As reported  :bd:

[Crossroads]

Another one! (sorry)

BREAKING: Russian army.

https://twitter.com/irgarner/status/1568224936325713920