Russian invasion of Ukraine

[SPIDERBOY]

During a Russian assault in Kursk Region,almost 20 pieces of Russian equipment were blown up by landmines.
That's one way to clear a minefield.

Slava Ukraini.

 

[BlueMoonAcrossThePond]

This is the problem with echo chambers, with a numerical advantage you may silence dissent, but you don't change reality.

It's natural when you are emotionally invested in seeing a particular outcome that you will be welcoming to like minded contributors and hostile to those who see things differently.

I'm not even critical of that, I do it myself by mostly watching conservative media.

It just means you are hearing a one sided version of events and as long as you are aware of this, which it seems you are from your post above, this should insulate you from the shock when events don't unfold as the consensus on this thread would have you believe.

The Trump thread was a classic example of this, and I strongly suspect this one is heading for a similarly unhappy ending.

Taking your post a step further - I think it's not echo chambers per-se - at least in my case. It's rather an absence of reliable, factual news and unbiased commentary and interpretation. My go-tos are still PBS, NBC/MSNBC/etc... but most of these outlets are at the least influenced by attracting an audience. Thus coverage of the war in Ukraine slips as interest wanes and to get up-to-date information, one needs to rely on less reputable outlets.

 

[Hgblue2]

Taking your post a step further - I think it's not echo chambers per-se - at least in my case. It's rather an absence of reliable, factual news and unbiased commentary and interpretation. My go-tos are still PBS, NBC/MSNBC/etc... but most of these outlets are at the least influenced by attracting an audience. Thus coverage of the war in Ukraine slips as interest wanes and to get up-to-date information, one needs to rely on less reputable outlets.

The news sources you mention (and many others) are not providing unbiased commentary and interpretation, they are invested in a Ukrainian victory, that's my point.

The fact that they have gone quiet does not reflect a waning interest, but rather something entirely different altogether, which I'll leave you to mull over.

Lets just say that if Ukraine was winning they would be shouting it from the rooftops.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Russia is not in trouble, trust me bro.

Cool story bro.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Curious, honest question - how does one differentiate between excessive pro-Ukraine exuberance and reality or indeed the reverse when consuming posts?

My hosest - but not informed sentiment - as a very pro-Ukraine observer - is that Russia isn't in trouble at all and will continue to grind away; whereas Ukraine, it's much smaller adversary isn't winning the war - and in spite of their heroic efforts may well ceed much of their territory in a peace deal within the next year or so - especially now that Trump is President of the USA.

Anyhow, that's my sentiment - and I'd much welcome accurately informed opinions with backing from major news agencies to the contrary.

I think it's impossible to know.

Russia must be in a desperate position for manpower, otherwise they wouldn't be using prisoners and North Koreans.

They're definitely losing equipment faster than they can replace it, but how critical the overall position is, or how long they can continue, who knows.

If and when Russia reaches a tipping point it's likely to be sudden, not gradual. Think collapse of Afghanistan.

Ukraine definitely can't carry the fight to Russia without external suppor, but I've no idea how well they could hold the line against Russian advances.

 

[cleavers]

It's my sense from watching numerous Youtube videos - mostly pro-Ukraine (taking into account obvious bias)- as well as big media coverage from US news outlets mostly PBS/CNN/MSNBC - from which lately I haven't seen much coverage on the war.

I generally don't watch the Youtube videos, as they are mostly bullshit propoganda, but there are things out there to read about what's going on. Mainstream media not being one, we get some here, but mostly backing russian propoganda of which there is also plenty.

I read the stories on puplications such as the Kyiv Times, obviously to a degree biased in favour of Ukraine, but usually quite honest, I read the stuff from the ISW, again generally it tells the story without great bias, mostly giving the facts. I also think the Ukraine defence ministry is pretty honest about the situation.

I don't get that Ukraine are "in trouble" from anything I read, I get that it's "difficult" in numerous areas, and there are people (inside and outside Ukraine) who aren't happy with some of their tactics at certain points.

I also don't get that russia is only using "a bunch of prisoners", or only using "obsolete WW2" weaponary, or have been holding stuff back. Some elite units have been wiped out over the last 2 1/2 years, some of their top end kit similarly. They've even brought in Korean cannon fodder to help. When you add in how long it takes to replace that kit (or train replacements to a good level), russia is also struggling to win their "3 day war".

It was very poorly planned, very badly executed, and any gains at the moment are at best at a snails pace, and occasionaly they still lose gained ground. They are scared to fly thir juets anywhere near the frontline, and in any war that should be a red flag, in fact 2 years ago their jets were operating out of former Ukraine bases they'd captured, now they seem to be moving them further and further back from their own border, and developing glide bombs that can go further (ie jets are less vulnerable).

Ukraine has also been able to increasingly attack targets well inside russia itself (even ignoring the kursk operation), often using fairly rudimentary weapons (which russia claim to shoot every one down of course), and we see airfields, munition factories, oil facilities etc etc burn for days. All this is documented independent of Ukraine propoganda, with imagery freely available.

All of this is very costly, whilst we see pictures of ordinary people queuing to buy 100g of butter, there's a good reason for that, they are rapidly running out of money.

putin is desperate for trump to find him a way out of this imho.

(oh and ignore the china shill @Alvin-blue-qhd in this thread - he claims knowledge (and to be a blue), but I've not seen even the slightest sign of it, nor that he's done any real research.)

 

[BlueMoonAcrossThePond]

The news sources you mention (and many others) are not providing unbiased commentary and interpretation, they are invested in a Ukrainian victory, that's my point.

The fact that they have gone quiet does not reflect a waning interest, but rather something entirely different altogether, which I'll leave you to mull over.

Lets just say that if Ukraine was winning they would be shouting it from the rooftops.

We're not necessarily in disagreement :-)

 

[Blue Maverick]

Plus he will have a highly trained Ukranian army to move onto the next country of his choice..

You think they fight for him, not a chance mate, it will be a guerilla war for years too come.

 

[BlueAnorak]

Is Ukraine really that important?

Yes. You really haven't read many history books have you? History does repeat.