What to do About Russia and Ukraine?

1. 86

   My Esotericposted 8 months ago

   INTERESTING
   
   The Russian military has undergone a rapid and comprehensive transformation since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 by optimizing itself to fight a positional war. The Russian military has made a virtue of necessity in that optimization, but its degraded force is now likely incapable of effective maneuver warfare at scale. The Russian military has revised the structure, equipment, and tactics of its units at every echelon from group of forces to company to enable itself to fight a positional war with low-quality personnel, insufficient stores of armor and advanced munitions, and poor command and control. The current Russian military can only conduct positional offensive operations to support its theory of victory — outlasting Western support for Ukraine and sustaining grinding territorial advances that Ukraine cannot reverse — and cannot currently conduct significant operational maneuver. - ISW Publication

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2. 86

   My Esotericposted 6 weeks ago

   Here is an encouraging update on where things stand in the fighting between Ukraine and Russia (I just made another donation to their cause).
   
   "Russia’s winning streak in Ukraine is over"
   
   https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/14/europe/r … r-intl-cmd

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3. 86

   My Esotericposted 3 weeks ago

   Another very interesting report of how Ukrainian ingenuity is winning against Russian Neanderthals.
   
   "Robots are redefining the war in Ukraine – and forcing Russia onto the back foot"
   
   At the end of the piece is a heartbreaking description of life on the frontline for real Ukrainian soldiers..
   
   https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/30/europe/u … a-war-intl

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      Sharlee01posted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

      Ukraine’s drone and robotic innovations are real and have clearly changed aspects of the battlefield, but the idea that Russia is “on the back foot” doesn’t fully match recent developments.
      
      Just this week, Russia has escalated its aerial campaign with some of the largest coordinated strikes of the war, involving hundreds of drones and large numbers of missiles. Reports also indicate the use of advanced long-range systems, including the Oreshnik hypersonic/intermediate-range ballistic missile in recent attacks. That reflects not just continued capability, but a willingness to deploy more sophisticated and lethal weapons at scale.
      
      This doesn’t diminish Ukraine’s technological progress, especially in drone warfare and asymmetric strikes. But it does show a more complex reality: both sides are rapidly adapting. Ukraine is innovating with robotics and drones, while Russia is responding with increased volume and more advanced missile systems.
      
      So rather than one side being clearly “on the back foot,” the evidence suggests an escalating technological arms race, where each adaptation is met with a counter-escalation.
      
      It would seem neither is winning this war.

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   2. 61

      CHRIS57posted 3 weeks agoin reply to this

      Having the privilege of speaking Russian, i don´t necessarily follow western news outlets on the topic of the Ukraine Russian war.
      
      My take is that Russians are on the retreat. It is not only Ukraine having a lead in Robotic and Drone warfare, it is more how they apply their advantage in 3 fields of the war:
      1. long range strikes on critical infrastructure (manufacturing, raffineries, ports)
      2. choking Russian logistics (Ukraine has literally closed all supply lines to the front and especially to Crimea)
      3. Extendend range frontline surveillance (killzone) with FP drones.
      
      There was a gradual shift in dominance starting at the end of last year. By now Ukraines dominance is clearly visible and is creating panic in the Kremlin.
      Recent attack on Kjiv only describes the despair of Russia. Even pro Russian milbloggers call the attack useless and a waste of resources.

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4. 86

   My Esotericposted 9 days ago

   Why is Hegseth continuing to give material hope, aid and comfort to Russia and helping them to achieve their goal of dominating Europe?
   
   "Hegseth announces review of US forces in Europe and again criticizes NATO allies"
   
   
   https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/18/politics … eview-intl

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   1. 61

      CHRIS57posted 8 days agoin reply to this

      Whatever Hegseth and the other morons of the Trump administration say, it will no more influence the outcome of the Russian invasion. Russia has lost, militarily and economically.
      
      It is a matter of time that Russia will have to retreat from occupied territories. Already political voices (Crim Tatars) are warning that property aquired after 2014 on the Crimean peninsula is illegal and has to be returned. Unthinkable only a year ago.
      
      Hegseth and Trump have to lick their wounds from the Iran war disaster. Paying a full GDP in war reparations to Iran makes true winners and loosers of the war visible.
      
      Europe has come to terms with itself, is supporting Ukraine financially and militarily and is opening the gate to EU membership. If an US offical had said this 2 years ago, it would have caused great concern in Europe. No more today.
      
      The USA is rapidly loosing weight in international relations, thanks to Trump. Disasters like the Iran war (for USA) or the Ukraine special military operation (for Russia) clearly display the inability of superpowers to overcome determined countries under attack.
      
      Trump spends his way out of the war, Putin doesn´t have this option.

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5. 86

   My Esotericposted 6 days ago

   More good news out of Ukraine
   
   "No fuel, no weapons: How Ukraine’s new drone strategy is mauling Russian supply lines"
   
   This is one of several reports regarding the devastating impact Ukraine's technology lead over Putin is having on his ability to conduct his war.
   
   https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/20/europe/u … s-intl-cmd

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      peterstreepposted 4 days agoin reply to this

      The drone industry changed warfare completely. A multi-million dollar plane can be terminated by a drone build for ten thousand dollars.
      It has made a lot of expensive gear......expensive....

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         Credence2posted 4 days agoin reply to this

         Reminds me of Reagan’s 1980s  “Star Wars” program, putting multi-million dollar nuclear warhead defense shield equipment into orbit which can be brought down with the equivalent of a firecracker……

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         1. 83

            peterstreepposted 4 days agoin reply to this

            Yes, I remember that.
            Problem today is that companies want to sell expensive military equipment to governments. And drones simply aren't that expensive. So the danger lays in the problem that the weapon industry is basically holding the modernization of the US army back.
            It also puts the world order into a different perspective, when you can't threaten a country anymore with highly expensive gear.
            So why spent so much on the military if you can be just as dangerous with less? The ultra capitalistic system of the US is driving this, not making use of common sense. I think a lot of money that goes into the military could have been better used in education for example.

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         2. 61

            CHRIS57posted 45 hours agoin reply to this

            Imho we have to see Reagan´s "Star Wars" program with the eyes of the cold war. The plan was simply to outspend the Soviet Union, after intelligence knew enough about the deteriorating Soviet economy.
            
            Totally different today. Achievements of Ukraine do remind more of Nazi Germany 80 years ago. Sheer lack of resources enabled rapid ingenuity, inventions, engineering 80 years ago. Then it was V1 (first cruise missile) and V2 (first ballistic rocket), today it is drones and the use of AI.

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            1. 83

               Credence2posted 25 hours agoin reply to this

               “Imho we have to see Reagan´s "Star Wars" program with the eyes of the cold war. The plan was simply to outspend the Soviet Union, after intelligence knew enough about the deteriorating Soviet economy.”
               ————————
               Thanks, Chris, no doubt that this was part of the overall strategy.

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