The same holds true for Russian conscripts and militias/proxy fighters. I think the true advantage of Ukraine over Russia is that they are essentially backed by the entire arms industry of NATO, which in the long run completely outclasses the Russian capabilities, both technologically and quantitatively. The heavy arms being sent to Ukraine have to be procured and shipped, and their soldiers have to be trained to use them, so it's gonna take a couple of weeks before this equipment arrives. I've read from multiple sources that the Ukrainian command expects the tides in this war to turn by July or August when they can finally deploy the heavy artillery, tanks and all that stuff to the frontline.

This post was edited by Black XistenZ on May 24 2022 03:57pm

there are rumours about NATO advisors telling the ukranian government to make a rather big retreat to keep the combat strength up

That should be a no brainer. The Severodonetsk salient is surrounded by Russia-controlled territory on 3 sides. Much more difficult to defend than territory with a straight front line.

Ukraine joining NATO was not and will not be acceptable I think that's a hill that Russia is willing to pour a lot into, regardless what happens in the Donbas.

No they would of not have been allowed to chose freely all of those things, nor would the media have been free, similarly as it was pre-war when the pro-Russians were ran out of town and marginalized and intimidated. To me though as someone that has been to Ukraine both pre and post 2014 painting this as some ultimate struggle for freedom and democracy is kind of nonsensical and not consistent with reality. They were always a corrupt state. The 2014 revolution wasn't about democracy persevering over cronyism but rather getting rid of one puppet and exchanging it for another, meanwhile the country still remained corrupt and looted by oligarchs post 2014. Yes I think ultimately leaning towards the west would of been best for Ukraine if there was no war, but the way it was done, violently and telling half of the country that was pro-east basically to stfu and accept it was not the right way.

I get this point and somewhat agree but not entirely. There's no scenario imo in which Russia will try and march on west Ukraine trying to take it town by town. They are going after territory that can ultimately be ideologically turned, where tons of Russians and pro-Russian loyalists are. I genuinely think if Ukraine sat down with Russia today and said you can keep the Donbas, Kherson, southern Zap and make some pact to not join NATO the war would come to an end.

This post was edited by ofthevoid on May 24 2022 04:16pm

Not quite, the DNR/LNR mobilisation is facing a lot more resistance than with Ukrainians, they have morale issues and there are far fewer people there. Russian conscripts are (according to most sources) not being forced to stay on but rather being offered attractive salaries, plus it's illegal under Russian law to send them into combat and it's deeply unpopular with the public. Obviously, some conscripts were sent into Ukraine but it's not like there will be a flood of Russian conscripts going into combat

I totally agree that Ukraine was and is a corrupt shithole. The thing is that there was no hope for this sad state of affairs to change if they had remained aligned with Russia, while there is hope that things improve if the country orients itself toward the EU.


I believe many Russian-speaking or Russia-positive Ukrainians have been firmly pushed into the pro-West camp by this war and all the destruction and crimes that came with it.
The Donbass and Crimea are probably the only places in Ukraine which have any hope of having a pro-Russian majority post-war. Definitely not in Odessa or Kharkiv, cities which had a large share of Russian-speakers, and definitely not in the rural south around Kherson.



And I believe that Putin would interpret this suggestion as an indicator of weakness and be emboldened to continue his war efforts and/or to demand even more concessions. Pretty much all Ukrainian and Western experts agree that peace negotiations only make sense for Ukraine when it is doing so from a position of (relative) strength.

Funny how the same people that are for Ukraine are against gun ownership.
What would the Ukraines have done if you took their guns?

This post was edited by sirthom on May 24 2022 06:17pm

Congratulations for posting hating speech content, here's the message from youtube if you want to know more:

They are only for something if it fits their agenda.

MUH UKRAINE!

Ukraine is a statistic
Uvalde Texas is a tragedy