2 minutes ago, connda said:

Well, then Russia is losing, of course.  If funny the differences between the Western narrative and the Eastern narratives of the war.  Once the fighting stops and one side or the other capitulates, the facts will come to the surface.  In the meanwhile it really doesn't matter.  It's all propaganda.  

 

Russia COULD take Ukraine in 3 days.  All it would take would be a shock-and-awe carpet-bombing campaign completely ignoring civilian casualties.

 

In that case, Kiev would resemble Fallujah, Zelensky would get the Gadhafi treatment, and the Russians would be the villains.

5 hours ago, ericbj said:

I do not consider myself to be pro-Russian

Yet your propaganda filled post proves otherwise. 

The Russian army is advancing in hundreds of meters... at the cost of thousands of lives and equipment, how very Russian. The disregard and disrespect for the life of their own troops and the civilians of Ukraine is just a war crime in itself. What an utterly disgusting society and government the Russian authorities are!

The only thing the Kremlin respects is strength... and if you don't show it, you are toast in their mind. Europe needs to toughen up and become strong again, in it's own right, as the US is ambivalent to it all under the Trump administration, and it is trying to play both sides but can't be relied upon like before... at least for the next 3 years or so. 

Unfortunately, the current White House administration is unpredictable and you don't know when it's going to throw curved-ball at someone... best to square your own stuff away and take care of yourself... a lesson Europe needs to learn.

41 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

Russia COULD take Ukraine in 3 days.  All it would take would be a shock-and-awe carpet-bombing campaign completely ignoring civilian casualties.

 

 

Russia lacks the capabilities to pull this off.   

5 hours ago, johng said:

 

But I thought Russia was just a paper tiger gas station and that Ukraine is winning the war ?

Russia is a paper tiger.  They have been trying to take Ukraine for close to four years.  

2 hours ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

Gen. Milley says Kyiv could fall within 72 hours if Russia decides to invade Ukraine: sources

 

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley told lawmakers that Kyiv could fall within 72 hours if a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine takes place, multiple congressional sources tell Fox News.

 

Milley told lawmakers during closed-door briefings on Feb. 2 and 3 that a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine could result in the fall of Kyiv within 72-hours, and could come at a cost of 15,000 Ukrainian troop deaths and 4,000 Russian troop deaths.

 

https://www.foxnews.com/us/gen-milley-says-kyiv-could-fall-within-72-hours-if-russia-decides-to-invade-ukraine-sources

 

Vladimir Putin initially thought Russia could defeat Ukraine and overthrow its government in just three days, according to leaked FSB intelligence.

 

https://metro.co.uk/2023/02/24/putin-thought-he-could-capture-kyiv-in-three-days-leaked-docs-claim-18342384/

55 minutes ago, connda said:

Well, then Russia is losing, of course as most of the Russian troops have been killed and there are barely any left to fight.  It's funny the differences between the Western narrative and the Eastern narratives of the war.  Once the fighting stops and one side or the other capitulates, the facts will come to the surface.  In the meanwhile it really doesn't matter.  It's all propaganda.  

In the meantime there’s a nation fighting hoards of looting raping murdering thugs many that have indeed been recruited from prisons and asylums…..to me it’s heartbreaking to see a brave peoples being snuffed out and the survivors being forced to live under the Russian boot.but then again I believe in sovereignty and freedom.

43 minutes ago, TedG said:

Vladimir Putin initially thought Russia could defeat Ukraine and overthrow its government in just three days, according to leaked FSB intelligence.

 

https://metro.co.uk/2023/02/24/putin-thought-he-could-capture-kyiv-in-three-days-leaked-docs-claim-18342384/

 

"according to leaked FSB intelligence"

"the Russian despot"

"According to the leaks"

"report comes from ....

"is now believed several people contributed"

a Russian human rights activist and founder of ‘Gulagu’"

"the source said"

"says the source"

"they said"

 

echochamberpot propaganda outlet reposts anonymous source claiims from other echochamberbot propaganda outlet.

 

Here's from the original source linked in the article:

 

"leaked docs show"

"the Russian tyrant"

"revealed by emails from within the FSB, which have been shared"

"the source reveals"

"The source mentioned several times that three days was time timetable"

"a senior associate fellow at defence think-tank"

"the expert told The Sun Online"

" the International Institute for Strategic Studies"

 

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/21449691/putin-ukraine-3-days-docs/

 

Many words, repeated, liked and shared, do not form reality.

This is merely another attempt at shaping public opinion.

2 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

"according to leaked FSB intelligence"

"the Russian despot"

"According to the leaks"

"report comes from ....

"is now believed several people contributed"

a Russian human rights activist and founder of ‘Gulagu’"

"the source said"

"says the source"

"they said"

 

echochamberpot propaganda outlet reposts anonymous source claiims from other echochamberbot propaganda outlet.

 

Here's from the original source linked in the article:

 

"leaked docs show"

"the Russian tyrant"

"revealed by emails from within the FSB, which have been shared"

"the source reveals"

"The source mentioned several times that three days was time timetable"

"a senior associate fellow at defence think-tank"

"the expert told The Sun Online"

" the International Institute for Strategic Studies"

 

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/21449691/putin-ukraine-3-days-docs/

 

Many words, repeated, liked and shared, do not form reality.

This is merely another attempt at shaping public opinion.

Let me ask you this.  Did Putin plan on a four-year war? 

So Russia is winning.

 

Not Ukraine.

 

Well. 

 

What a shock.

1 minute ago, TedG said:

Let me ask you this.  Did Putin plan on a four-year war? 

 

Let me ask you this.  Can you provide a link with Putin proclaiming victory would be accomplished in three days?

 

The SMO will take as long as it takes.

18 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

Let me ask you this.  Can you provide a link with Putin proclaiming victory would be accomplished in three days?

 

The SMO will take as long as it takes.

How about two weeks

 

Putin: ‘I can take Kyiv in two weeks if I want’

The Italian daily La Reppublica has published what appears to be the account of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, of an exchange held at the 30-31 August EU summit. Commission President José Manuel Barroso is reported to have told EU leaders that Vladimir Putin had informed him that he could take Kyiv in two weeks if he wanted.

PRO

DEFENCE

 

 

https://www.euractiv.com/news/putin-i-can-take-kiev-in-two-weeks-if-i-want/

19 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

The SMO will take as long as it takes.

As long as it takes to destroy Russia. 

2 hours ago, connda said:

I love the US, and especially Trump and the military hacks he surrounds himself with.  "If that was my war it would have been done in 3 days."  So says the military which was bogged down in Afghanistan for 20 years and close to 9 years in Iraq and 10+ years in Vietnam.  It makes guys like Milley and Kellogg look like idiots.  I can't wait for Trump to open fronts in Venezuela, Colombia, and Iran, all the while rattling a sabre at China.  Then you can watch a "3 day war ala Trump."  

 

Of course the unspoken truth, of which you are doubtless as well aware as I am, is that the U.S. Government in reality represents the interests of the big-time rentier-capitalists, not the American people.

 

For them, these lost wars were resounding successes: a transfer of wealth by the Government from wage-slaving tax-payers to the private-investor class.

 

As an example, the returns on 'Defense' companies' shares reached nearly 1,000% over the course of the Afghan War.

Latest battle-front news according to a Russian source:

 

https://youtu.be/3BkMz0awfjo

 

It may be worth recalling that during the earlier period of the 39-45 war, German news bulletins of the fighting tended to be more accurate than those of the Allies.  They had less reason to hide details.

47 minutes ago, TedG said:

How about two weeks

 

Putin: ‘I can take Kyiv in two weeks if I want’

The Italian daily La Reppublica has published what appears to be the account of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, of an exchange held at the 30-31 August EU summit. Commission President José Manuel Barroso is reported to have told EU leaders that Vladimir Putin had informed him that he could take Kyiv in two weeks if he wanted.

PRO

DEFENCE

 

 

https://www.euractiv.com/news/putin-i-can-take-kiev-in-two-weeks-if-i-want/

 

The Italian daily La Reppublica has published what appears to be the account of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, of an exchange held at the 30-31 August EU summit. Commission President José Manuel Barroso is reported to have told EU leaders that Vladimir Putin had informed him that he could take Kyiv in two weeks if he wanted.

 

Yes, but put it in context, assuming the fourth-hand quote is legitimate, and that's a bigly assumption.  HOW could he take Kiev?

 

Carpet bomb them into the stone age?  Need 2 weeks to demolish everything.

 

Nuke 'em from orbit?  Need 3 days for the radioactive dust to settle.

6 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

The Italian daily La Reppublica has published what appears to be the account of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, of an exchange held at the 30-31 August EU summit. Commission President José Manuel Barroso is reported to have told EU leaders that Vladimir Putin had informed him that he could take Kyiv in two weeks if he wanted.

 

Yes, but put it in context, assuming the fourth-hand quote is legitimate, and that's a bigly assumption.  HOW could he take Kiev?

 

Carpet bomb them into the stone age?  Need 2 weeks to demolish everything.

 

Nuke 'em from orbit?  Need 3 days for the radioactive dust to settle.

I guess you are in denial of the fact that Putin thought his paper tiger of an army was going to roll over in short order.  Now, Putin is stuck in a quagmire. 

Just now, TedG said:

I guess you are in denial of the fact that Putin thought his paper tiger of an army was going to roll over in short order.  Now, Putin is stuck in a quagmire. 

 

Still waiting for a quote from Putin................

 

Good news is that now that we've determined that Russia has a toothless papier-mâché army, NATO can disband and divert their 5% of GDP defense spending to more important concerns, such as providing food, clothing and shelter for the millions of economic migrants from the Middle East set loose by NATO regime changes.

1 minute ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

Still waiting for a quote from Putin................

 

Good news is that now that we've determined that Russia has a toothless papier-mâché army, NATO can disband and divert their 5% of GDP defense spending to more important concerns, such as providing food, clothing and shelter for the millions of economic migrants from the Middle East set loose by NATO regime changes.

I'm glad you now agree that Russia is a paper tiger.  What  NATO regime are you referring to? 

Last night there were 300+ something heavy bombs dropped on UA. Ballistic missiles. on the front line there are heavy uses of massive thermobaric "cleansings". One attack can make Pattaya & Jomtien great again (waste land).
Sh*tload of drones. 
Kyiv and other major cities are in total blackout. 
Millions are suffering. Isn't time to listen to Trump's initiative and stop it right away? Why is Zelensky still rising stakes? These are living people lives, not a casino on coke!

1 minute ago, NativeBob said:

Last night there were 300+ something heavy bombs dropped on UA. Ballistic missiles. on the from line heavy use of massive thermobaric "cleansings". Sh*tload of drones. 
Kyiv and other major cities are in total blackout. 
Millions are suffering. Isn't time to listen to Trump's initiative and stop it right away? Why is Zelensky still rising stakes? Its a living people, not a casino!

I hope Ukraine blacks out Moscow. 

2 hours ago, ericbj said:

 

Of course the unspoken truth, of which you are doubtless as well aware as I am, is that the U.S. Government in reality represents the interests of the big-time rentier-capitalists, not the American people.

 

For them, these lost wars were resounding successes: a transfer of wealth by the Government from wage-slaving tax-payers to the private-investor class.

 

As an example, the returns on 'Defense' companies' shares reached nearly 1,000% over the course of the Afghan War.

Bingo!

6 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

You still sticking to Putin's boast that he will take Kyiv in 3 days? 

Alas deflection is your only comeback when it's shown that you're wrong. Just admit that Russia is winning on the battlefield and continue to gain ground. It's not difficult because it's what's happening. 

Some background to the Ukraine conflict

 

An old interview from 2022 that could be of interest:

 

https://avalonlibrary.net/Ukraine/2022_Russian_invasion_(Operation-Z)/Jacques_Baud_%2B_article_resources/Part_1_The_Road_to_War/The_Military_Situation_In_The_Ukraine-Part_1_The_Road_to_War_(Jacques_Baud)_April_01_2022.pdf

 

And a more recent article:

 

https://thepostil.com/the-russian-art-of-war-how-the-west-led-ukraine-to-defeat/

 

13 hours ago, johng said:

They do seem hell bent on more war.

Should be difficult now that China has restricted the export of rare metals. Trump is reaping the tariff whirlwind.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-russia-war-defeat-david-richards-world-of-trouble-podcast-b2844349.html

 

Ukraine cannot win its war with Russia and should negotiate peace terms with the Kremlin, according to Britain’s most senior army officer.

On 10/20/2025 at 8:39 PM, TedG said:

Let me ask you this.  Did Putin plan on a four-year war? 

 

No, he did not.

 

Neither had he any plan of permanently occupying the Ukraine.

 

Nor even - initially - of incorporating the ethnic-Russian oblasts into the Russian Federation (What changed things was this:  When Russian-speakers in liberated areas were told by the Russian authorities "We shall not be remaining here", the response was typically "In that case we shall not collaborate with you.  For when you leave our families and we ourselves will be killed.")

 

The Russians made some serious miscalculations.

Such as misunderstanding the way the ordinary Ukrainian would react to the SMO (some FSB heads fell as result of this).

Failure to negotiate a settlement fulfilling their political goals (as per Carl von Clauswitz); because NATO, not Zelenski, was calling the shots.  (another factor: intimidation of Ukrainian officials by the tentacular neo-nazi "Azov Battalion")

Lack of infantry to protect the extended flanks of the northern thrust; vulnerable to small units armed with man-portable A/T and A/A weapons.  Imagine a British/Indian Army motorised column driving into rebel-held mountains on the North-West Frontier without piquetting the surrounding heights.

The Russian Stavka knew the northern attack was far too weak to take a major city such as Kiev.  Not their intention; although claiming it so was a major boost to Ukrainian/NATO propaganda.
It was designed to 'shape the battlefield' for the benefit of the main attack to the south - because Russia put into the field far fewer men than what the Ukraine could muster.  It needed LOCAL superiority of numbers, and it achieved this by THREATENING Kiev.

 

Western miscalculations of the planned demise of Russia included a shift in its economy from a peacetime economy to a full wartime economy causing growing discontent amongst the population.  The Russian Government, by a balancing act, managed to avoid a complete disruption of the consumer economy.

 

A common misunderstanding fostered by western propaganda: Ukrainian positions are submerged by Russian mass attacks.  No.  This is not the Chinese on the Imjin River in April 1951.  Russian assault teams are typically composed of three men who go forward after a position has been well larded with explosives, which in the case of underground bunkers may involve hyperbaric weapons.  Russian casualties are not light, but, contrary to conventional expectations, are lighter than those of the defenders.

 

If NATO sends regular military units to the Ukraine they will be in for a shock.  Their men will lack the motivation, endurance and battlefield experience of the Ukrainians.  This is not the asymetric warfare of Afghanistan or Iraq.

 

It seems that NATO (or at least the current leaders of Europe) is determined to fight Russia to the last Ukrainian.  Moreover the politicians in power seem oblivious to the consequences of their policies upon their own nations.  Is this a case of mass-derangement?  Or of a hidden agenda?