Russia's invasion of Ukraine: Part 5

Don't go writing off Crimea just yet—regardless of how you look at the politics of it all...
Zelensky himself mentioned that everything starts in Crimea and eventually ends there, too.
Sultan also recently pointed out that Crimea is an inseparable part of Ukraine.
If the Ukrainians catch momentum and things start moving in their favor, I guess they won't just stop.
Even if Zelensky gets a direct order from the US, maybe the sheer momentum of the crowd will be impossible to control.

coastalbison6 said:The next move is likely Mariupol (or Melitopol), mostly heading toward the Black Sea.

The next move has to be right where they least expect it.

Macron reached out to Putin, pushing for a withdrawal of military forces from Zaporizhzhia, while the IAEA is demanding the establishment of a safety zone around the NPP.
Putin is placing all the blame on Ukraine.

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe...ty-2022-09-11/

Zachary Reyes6 said:Yes, it looks like they've started a brutal campaign using strategic weapons against the Ukrainian infrastructure.

At this stage of the conflict, such a move is foolish. It isn't their first blunder, nor will it be the most catastrophic one Russia has committed thus far. However, it serves as a clear indicator of how thin their lines actually are on the ground—they resort to these "measures" precisely because they are weak.
On the flip side, it has become obvious to them that the dream of occupying Ukraine is dead. Previously, they preserved the infrastructure, perhaps hoping that once they seized the state, they wouldn't have to rebuild everything from scratch. Now that those delusions of conquering Ukraine have finally crumbled, their mindset has shifted toward simple destruction—wrecking whatever they can reach.
Even the most die-hard pro-Russian residents in Ukraine will soon see the occupier for what they truly are. They will come to understand exactly why these invaders must be driven out of the country at any cost.
And let's not forget, they have larger Russian cities nearby if they decide to keep playing this game. Ultimately, this clumsy maneuver likely stems from total impotence; it's the act of someone unable to do anything concrete to halt the advance of the liberating forces.

Nancy Gomez26 said:At this stage of the conflict, such a move is foolish. It isn't their first blunder, nor will it be the most catastrophic one Russia has committed thus far. However, it serves as a clear indicator of how thin their lines actually are on the ground—they resort to these "measures" precisely because they are weak.
On the flip side, it has become obvious to them that the dream of occupying Ukraine is dead. Previously, they preserved the infrastructure, perhaps hoping that once they seized the state, they wouldn't have to rebuild everything from scratch. Now that those delusions of conquering Ukraine have finally crumbled, their mindset has shifted toward simple destruction—wrecking whatever they can reach.
Even the most die-hard pro-Russian residents in Ukraine will soon see the occupier for what they truly are. They will come to understand exactly why these invaders must be driven out of the country at any cost.
And let's not forget, they have larger Russian cities nearby if they decide to keep playing this game. Ultimately, this clumsy maneuver likely stems from total impotence; it's the act of someone unable to do anything concrete to halt the advance of the liberating forces.

I agree with what others are saying on the other thread. Putin's biggest threat is the nationalist bloodsuckers thirsty for conflict. They’re already celebrating these destructions; unbelievable, but it looks like Putin will equate battlefield losses with war crimes.
For those fanatics, causing suffering to Ukrainians will be enough.

Adam Harris said:This could be the signal that the actual conflict is finally beginning. Up until now, everything has felt like a staged performance; the radio, TV, internet, power grids, trains, bridges, and plants have all continued to operate as if nothing were happening.

If Russia keeps pushing like this, the West might finally stop playing nice. We'll see weapons being sent without any limits—ATACMS first, maybe, and then they'll be clearing the Russians out of Crimea too. Either way, the Russian military looks like it's headed for a collapse, and once that happens, the instability will bleed right back into Russia itself. I guess Putko might end up meeting the same fate as Ceaușescu.

wanderingmaker3 said:Intel and CNN on Telegram are reporting something new that I definitely didn't see coming, and it changes the whole vibe of this war:

The Russians have started targeting power plants, and word is most of Kharkiv is already without electricity or running water.
Kramatorsk is out of power too.
A thermal power plant in Kremenchuk took a hit.

��������⚡Arrivals were recorded at Kharkiv CHPP-5, which is one of the largest combined heat and power plants in Ukraine.

Just waiting for these reports to be verified.

This isn't the first time they've done this, but it seems they've finally decided to go after the power grid, the water supply, and even heating systems.From the jump, Russia focused on rail infrastructure, certain bridges here and there, and almost exclusively targeted the Ukrainian military industry.

I voiced concerns about Kharkiv earlier, but they haven't moved against Kyiv in any massive way just yet.

In short, yes—when you start hitting the entire infrastructure, it means they've flipped the switch to a real war where nobody is holding anything back.☕

Andrew Miller102 said:This isn't the first time they've done this, but it seems they've finally decided to go after the power grid, the water supply, and even heating systems.From the jump, Russia focused on rail infrastructure, certain bridges here and there, and almost exclusively targeted the Ukrainian military industry.

I voiced concerns about Kharkiv earlier, but they haven't moved against Kyiv in any massive way just yet.

In short, yes—when you start hitting the entire infrastructure, it means they've flipped the switch to a real war where nobody is holding anything back.☕

Great, it’s much easier to admit you lost a war than to claim some pointless little operation failed. ☕

And more accurate, too.

So, am I to understand that if we aren't systematically dismantling civilian infrastructure until cities are left without a drop of water or a flicker of electricity, then we aren't witnessing a "real" war? Does the total devastation of New Orleans, Gary, Donetsk, Pittsburgh, and Mobile simply not count toward that definition?

Now we’re finally going to see if this Ukrainian offensive was just poking a sleeping bear, or if they actually woke something up—assuming the bear isn't already dead and just playing possum at this point. We should have a much clearer picture in the coming days, though I’ll say it again: without bringing more boots on the ground or establishing actual air superiority, Russia isn't going to turn the tide of this war. The real question is whether they can even manage to pull off one of those two things.

Drew Booth60 said:Now we’re finally going to see if this Ukrainian offensive was just poking a sleeping bear, or if they actually woke something up—assuming the bear isn't already dead and just playing possum at this point. We should have a much clearer picture in the coming days, though I’ll say it again: without bringing more boots on the ground or establishing actual air superiority, Russia isn't going to turn the tide of this war. The real question is whether they can even manage to pull off one of those two things.

If a bear's biggest strength is hitting civilians, then to me, that "strength" looks more like pure desperation and weakness...
Because if they actually had the power, they'd be hitting the military instead of civilians...

Drew Booth60 said:Now we’re finally going to see if this Ukrainian offensive was just poking a sleeping bear, or if they actually woke something up—assuming the bear isn't already dead and just playing possum at this point. We should have a much clearer picture in the coming days, though I’ll say it again: without bringing more boots on the ground or establishing actual air superiority, Russia isn't going to turn the tide of this war. The real question is whether they can even manage to pull off one of those two things.

Let's just hope there isn't a single tactical blunder. Once people lose their minds, they become capable of anything.

Larry Sanchez7 said:If a bear's biggest strength is hitting civilians, then to me, that "strength" looks more like pure desperation and weakness...
Because if they actually had the power, they'd be hitting the military instead of civilians...

It really depends on whether this stays relevant, though—we’ll have to see how Russia reacts to this offensive. Things should get a lot clearer in the next few days. Either way, we’ve reached a massive turning point in this war.

Larry Sanchez7 said:If a bear's biggest strength is hitting civilians, then to me, that "strength" looks more like pure desperation and weakness...
Because if they actually had the power, they'd be hitting the military instead of civilians...

👍👍

lp

Drew Booth60 said:It really depends on whether this stays relevant, though—we’ll have to see how Russia reacts to this offensive. Things should get a lot clearer in the next few days. Either way, we’ve reached a massive turning point in this war.

The second Putin's propaganda machine stops rattling those nuclear saber teeth, you know things are getting serious.

Kate Lewis3 said:The second Putin's propaganda machine stops rattling those nuclear saber teeth, you know things are getting serious.

How should we read this? Is it good news or bad?

If they drop a tactical nuke on Ukraine, we aren't just talking about the end of Ukraine—we’re looking at the end of Russia. It would leave nothing but a wasteland surrounding Moscow, and honestly, even places like Mexico City wouldn't be safe.

Noah Sanchez2 said:How should we read this? Is it good news or bad?

Fair question.

I’d say it’s looking good though...

I think they finally realized there's no point in lying to themselves anymore.
They were making all those threats about strikes if anything touched Ukies Krim, and now look at them hitting back whenever they feel like it...

Kate Lewis3 said:The second Putin's propaganda machine stops rattling those nuclear saber teeth, you know things are getting serious.

Noah Sanchez2 said:How should we read this? Is it good news or bad?

Drive safe and stay sharp out there! I guess you should always be mindful of how you handle your car. You never really know which traffic light might be the last one you see, right? Better safe than sorry!

Whoa, looks like a few people over in Russia are finally starting to realize what a massive mess they've gotten themselves into:

https://mobile.twitter.com/JuliaDavi...70513909022720

You really gotta watch this (or just skip to the end), because man, he absolutely nailed it with that last response 🙏 🙏