Ukraine had better watch out for encirclement of its elite battalions on its eastern flank!


BBC News -

The chief of the Russian army says Russia will now focus its main war effort on the "complete liberation" of the eastern Ukrainian Donbas region.

The defence ministry said Russia had been considering two options for its "special military operation" - one covering the whole of Ukraine and one focusing on the Donbas.

The comments - carried by Russian state news agencies - hinted at a possible downgrading of Russia's war aims. Russian forces have met strong resistance in the north of Ukraine and around Kyiv.

Sergey Rudskoy, head of the main operational department of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, said 93% of Luhansk oblast and 54% of Donetsk oblast was under Russian control.

Russia had destroyed the vast majority of Ukraine's air force and navy, and this marked the successful end of the first phase of the conflict, he added.

However, the defence ministry did not rule out storming Ukrainian cities that had been blockaded and said Russia would react immediately to any move to close airspace over Ukraine - something President Zelensky has repeatedly urged.

The ministry also said Russia would continue its invasion until targets set by Putin had been achieved, Ria news agency reported, without specifying what the targets were.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So these generals are out there on the front lines with the troops? Or are these targeted strikes? I always thought the senior guys were esconced safely away from danger but maybe the Russians do things differently.

Russian troop morale is low and Russian comms are compromised. A huge number of high ranking Russian officers need to be on the front lines to intimidate the grunts to keep fighting and coordinate strategy.

It really is that bad for Russia.

Up thread, people have pointed out that Putin deployed the Chechens, in part, to shoot any Russian deserters since the Chechens feel no loyalty or kinship toward teenage Russian conscripts.

On a related moral note:

- There has been at least one documented case of a Russian soldier found with his leg chained to a light pole in Ukraine; he apparently froze to death outside overnight, with an anti-tank rocket next to him. It appears he was chained to prevent him from deserting a post.

Source? This needs to be used by Anonymous and blasted on Russian state media, like they did with early images of the war weeks ago.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So these generals are out there on the front lines with the troops? Or are these targeted strikes? I always thought the senior guys were esconced safely away from danger but maybe the Russians do things differently.

Russian troop morale is low and Russian comms are compromised. A huge number of high ranking Russian officers need to be on the front lines to intimidate the grunts to keep fighting and coordinate strategy.

It really is that bad for Russia.

Up thread, people have pointed out that Putin deployed the Chechens, in part, to shoot any Russian deserters since the Chechens feel no loyalty or kinship toward teenage Russian conscripts.

On a related moral note:

- There has been at least one documented case of a Russian soldier found with his leg chained to a light pole in Ukraine; he apparently froze to death outside overnight, with an anti-tank rocket next to him. It appears he was chained to prevent him from deserting a post.

Anonymous wrote:So these generals are out there on the front lines with the troops? Or are these targeted strikes? I always thought the senior guys were esconced safely away from danger but maybe the Russians do things differently.

They are being targeted. No front lines when the hold country is against you.

Anonymous wrote:Maybe they don't want to survive. Who knows what awaits them after this fiasco.

They probably don't want to be blown to bits, PP. But they could be worried about their own safety when they return without a clear win (which at this point is guaranteed), because apparently some top spy chiefs are under house arrest and the Defense Minister hasn't been seen in a week. For "health reasons". Polonium tea didn't agree with him.

Maybe they don't want to survive. Who knows what awaits them after this fiasco.

Anonymous wrote:So these generals are out there on the front lines with the troops? Or are these targeted strikes? I always thought the senior guys were esconced safely away from danger but maybe the Russians do things differently.

Russian troop morale is low and Russian comms are compromised. A huge number of high ranking Russian officers need to be on the front lines to intimidate the grunts to keep fighting and coordinate strategy.

It really is that bad for Russia.

So these generals are out there on the front lines with the troops? Or are these targeted strikes? I always thought the senior guys were esconced safely away from danger but maybe the Russians do things differently.

From a BBC reporter

Western official: a 7th Russian general killed (commander of 49th combined arms army). Also a colonel commanding a Russian brigade deliberately run over and killed by his own troops "as a consequence of the scale of losses that had been taken by his brigade."

https://twitter.com/BBCPaulAdams/status/1507373803353030666?s=20&t=cjgnBbOTsOyk0QSFblAFgw

Anonymous wrote:How come there is no reporting on Ukrainian casualties?

You understand that Ukraine and NATO want to keep up morale? Therefore it's not in the West's interests to disclose Ukrainian losses, just as it's not in Russia's interests to acknowledge their own?

Their military casualties have probably been significantly less than the Russians. The issue is the civilian casualties. I hope Russia can be forced to pay reparations to rebuilt the country.

Anonymous wrote:How come there is no reporting on Ukrainian casualties?

Fox News is reporting Ukraine casualties and other Russian propaganda. Might want to check that out!

How come there is no reporting on Ukrainian casualties?

Is that General number 6 killed by the Ukrainians?

We need to send them more support.

Anonymous wrote:

Good I hope Ukraine send Russia the bill.