dinsdale

This is something you really need to back up. How about a source or two otherwise this can only be seen as something you've made up.

There are "Putin stooges" for sure. Just as there are "Zelensky stooges". Then there are those who who have rational thought. Where would you place yourself. Your history of posts suggests not the latter.

I suggest you research protracted attritional warfare. It's not just about ground taken. As for 2000 km2 in three years this just shows how hard fought and difficult this war is for the troops on both sides with countless 100's of thousands (?) losing their lives.

Think what you like. Putin will retaliate because of this drone strike. There has also been what is being said to be two attacks on bridges taking out passenger trains.

Sorry but this is a protracted war of attrition. It's not linear. Gains of a few km2 in a day can substantial. It's slow moving trench and urban warfare. Add to this the winter months when gains and loses in km2 are minimal.

Sadly it's the reality. The term poking the bear means to deliberately provoke or antagonise someone more powerful. Russia is clearly more powerful than Ukraine. You can deflect from the reality of my post all you like but the fact is Putin will retaliate. The bear has been poked. Also say what you like but this is escalation and probably the largest of the war so far. Sadly many more lives will be lost as IMO Putin will hit back and hit back hard.

Been around an extra 2000km2 taken by the Russians since end of Feb 2023. In a protracted war of attrition this is quite a bit

Talks are ongoing. This attack will not help. Putin will 100% retaliate. The size of this retaliation is not going to be small. As I have posted previously I would not be surprised if some Oreshniks will be heading toward Ukraine. Add to this a massive drone and missile strike. Poking the bear is not what anyone with any sense wants to see and this is exactly what this drone strike from Zelensky has done. De-escalation not tit for tat escalation which is now immanent.

Things look a little different now. The second map is Sumy. I'd take most of the grey zone here which denotes "in dispute" as red denoting "Russian controlled". This is IMO the beginning of the buffer zone Putin is talking about and will expand. The blue zone in the second map is what's left of the territory held in Kursk by the Ukrainian's. As I stated before this is now only around 5 km2 with the Russians now occupying somewhere between 106-170 km2. DeepState maps are always a bit slow to update. https://deepstatemap.live/en#11/51.1211959/35.0587463

An interesting comment. Why do they want tanks? What Ukraine really needs is lots of artillery and artillery shells, plenty of anti air defences, loads of long range missiles and drones by the 10's of thousands but above all Ukraine needs boots on the ground and this they will not get from NATO or the EU.

Agree but to take it militarily is difficult.

Agree in part. I think although this was a well planned and carried out attack but the actual strategic affect is minimal and it's just poked the bear. Let's see how "the bear" reacts. As for Kiev and Odessa this I doubt.

Agree. My mistake.

A paper tiger that as of now is defeating Ukraine. Reality is without massive support from the west Ukraine cannot win militarily. Some tanks here and there, some cruise missiles, some jets aint going to change the tide. If no agreement is made during the summer months the map is going to look a lot different. Already >100 km2 has been taken in Sumy in around a week to ten days. The failed incursion into to the Kursk Oblast has all but disappeared (only around 5 km2 now held out of what was once 1000 km2 ) and the eastern front is continuing to move west. Can't see where you get "paper tiger" from. Maybe it was just a thought bubble without any rational thought behind it.

These were not FPV drones. FPV drones are drones that use fibre optic cables which makes them immune to electronic counter measures.

It's not word games at all. This is very simplistic. A declaration of war is a formal statement. As I previously said we all know this is a war but if Putin does declare a formal state of war escalation could be massive. IMHO he won't do this. No need. As I have pointed out many times Russia is winning the ground war. What we'll see from Putin instead is a heavy retaliation for the drone strike.

As I've pointed out very clearly (obviously not clearly enough for you) Russia has made no formal declaration of war upon Ukraine. This is simply a fact.

Of course it's not.

As the EU is willing to sacrifice Ukrainian's in it's proxy war with Russia.

If this is true why is it that the front continues to move into Ukraine? If you're suggesting Russia is losing the ground war you are either ill-informed or delude.

. As I pointed out before Russia has NOT declared war on Ukraine. Yes, of course there is war but it's a "police action" according to Putin. An official declaration of war is a big step up. More rockets, more drones with targeting being broadened. The ground war will continue going the way it is but Putin might not stop after taking the four regions and having established a buffer zone which is underway with an increasing incursion into Sumy.

No I'm not saying this. What I'm saying is Russia has a lot more than what we've seen. Don't be surprised to see the Oreshnik hypersonic missile being used in response to this drone attack.

Russia also has drones. Lots of them and are producing thousands more every month. What we've seen is a complete change in the nature of warfare whilst at the same time seeing a protracted war of attrition.

It matters a lot. So far Russia has used a fraction of it's available force (not talking nukes). If Russia declares war the escalation will be massive.