The only westerners participating as combatants are volunteers officially enlisted with the Ukrainian army and not there in an official capacity as part of their own respective nation's military.
Russia blows a gasket about that of course, but whining like a little bitch about it is all they have.
Rob Lee is reporting a Russian channel has said Izyum has surrendered. This isn't him saying it but just reporting on Russian sources.
Seems unlikely that it has yet but we've said that a number of times the last few days.
There are (unconfirmed) rumblings that the Russians have left Izyum. If that's true, it's enormous. It effectively sews up that entire frontline. It does feel like it's a little too early to celebrate though, wasn't Russia supposed to have 10k troops in that region?
https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1568502706557296641
Edit: Sniped! Well played, Corvus.
Amount of troops is irrelevant if they do not want to, or are unable to, fight. If these were, as reported, rear echelon troops then they weren't exactly in a position to put up a big resistance, it's better to surrender or retreat in such a situation. No use in laying down your life when you have the chance to survive.
It remains to be seen how widespread this is but ehm, does this look like the frontline is crumbling?
Last edited by Iphie; 2022-09-10 at 08:49 AM.
Izyum just a couple of days ago were pretty far behind the front, relatively speaking. Wouldn't surprise me at all if the Russians there were just mostly logistics and support personnel as reported, many of whom wouldn't be all that combat capable.
russian Telegram channels report russians fled Lyman:
https://twitter.com/BarracudaVol1/st...31278256799750
Anyone considered what the effect will be on the Kherson front? I mean the russians can only keep it a secret for so long that the eastern front is crumbling.
Last edited by Iphie; 2022-09-10 at 12:19 PM.
Extremely happy to see the Russian forces buckle so greatly. These past few weeks to me are strong signs of serious impending trouble for the Russian regime. The pressure on Putin will now become tremendous, as both the undeniable military failures and the economic implications of the end of Russian gas in Europe support his removal. I simply do not see a way for a man who now stands between 100's of billions in revenue in both Europe and Russia AND who is the driving force behind a deeply failed and embarrassing military operation to stay in power (or indeed, alive) for long.
He may have some success in the short term, because he has convinced a meaningful part of Russia that the operation is of limited scale and thus downplay or deny any significant losses. However, in the long term I believe the economic impacts and his exposure as a fraud rather than a strategic genius as well as grievances over the loss of Russian status will likely cost him.
Sometimes, the light of the moon is a key to other spaces. I've found a place where, for a night or two, the streets curve in unfamiliar ways. If I walk here, I might find insight, or I might be touched by madness.
wonder what the potato fuhrer is thinking about all of this
Sometimes, the light of the moon is a key to other spaces. I've found a place where, for a night or two, the streets curve in unfamiliar ways. If I walk here, I might find insight, or I might be touched by madness.
russian channels now reporting russia left Svatove.
https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1568560997371191296
That's pretty deep into so called 'liberated Luhansk'. Being a bit skeptical here as there are also reports to the opposite effect, but if it's true then I'm kinda wondering what the HELL is going on there as this would be insanely fast.
I read, and this is just me reading stuff on the internet, that the Belorussian army refused to engage in the north after being given orders by the russians. The truth is out there, but I wouldn't actually discount it seeing that the Belorussian army command isn't stupid.
Last edited by Iphie; 2022-09-10 at 12:08 PM.
Behind the scenes, they wrote off everyone there, no plans to withdraw, just abandoned. "Good Mornink Comrade, you are, how they say, fucked? You are Ukraine problem now. Hey, at least they feed their prisoners."
69th Dimensional Regicide game, if we overload the Ukrainian Nazis Terrorists who desecrate borsch with POWs they won't be able to advance as fast.
I mean, once the front lines are breached if there are no deeper, manned, lines of defence and no reserve forces to plug the gap, because they all got redirected somewhere else or simply never existed (remember Russia is short on manpower) then what is there to stop an advance once it has broken through the front? Empty uncontested ground is really easy to claim.
It ignores such insignificant forces as time, entropy, and death
True, but a token occupation force would have to be in place to stop resistance. So it's not completely empty, but I wouldn't defend it either if i was part of the occupation force.
Ukrainians are reportedly in Lysychansk again, the outskirts, but still.
https://twitter.com/wartranslated/st...92602160680963
https://twitter.com/IAPonomarenko/st...94855118442497
Last edited by Iphie; 2022-09-10 at 02:01 PM.
"In order to achieve the stated goals of the NVO to liberate Donbass, a decision was made to regroup the Russian troops stationed in the Balakliya and Izyum regions to step up efforts in the Donetsk direction"
Today's Russian MoD briefing acknowledging the retreat, but trying to put a brave face on it. They're shuffling troops around like it's 1917 all over again.
Ex-Mod. Technically retired, they just won't let me quit.