Blackout? Not in Poland. Our power plants may be coal-fuelled, but the largest ones run on lignite, and not coal. And there's enough of industry-grade coal in Poland (not to mention lignite - we're world's fifth largest producer). It's the home-heating grade coal that we've imported from Russia, not the industry-grade one.
It seems two of Putin's regiments have been lost during the last days. War supporters here, would you replace those guys if Putin asked you to do it?
I don't know how bad the economy will suffer, I'm guessing we'll be hurting a bit one way or another. But honestly, I'd rather take the hit than roll over and cave to Russia launching a friggin' war of conquest in bloody EUROPE in the TWENTY-FIRST century. Perhaps it will also have a teaching effect on our economic decision makers on the dangers of making yourself completely dependent on energy imports from 1 damned country, particularly one that is obviously an ideological rival.
Do that you want but Russia will not back down. You choose confrontation instead of cooperation. We will live with it.
We choose confrontation? Did we invade an independent country? Your optics are so fucked up, it's a miracle you still see anything at all. Slava Ukraini! Ukrainians are brave enough to stop your lunacy! Even if some of the Western Europe (speaking about France here, which is kind of "eternal ally of Russia") is about to shit it pants. Just completed a reader-survey at faz.de the question was whether Germany was to supply some more heavy arms to Ukraine. 94% of readers supported the thesis. Central and Eastern Europe will not let you do as you wish. And US and UK are even more so. You will be downgraded from a power (but no longer superpower), to just a local power in 2-3 years from now. Enjoy.
I really enjoy the ruSScist reactions to that. They already lied they're withdrawing to focus on "liberating" the Donbas Oblast... and hours after that news spread about Ukrainians recapturing the Donetsk airport. I also heard rumors of citizens of Belogorod being outraged with Ukrainian recon infantry crossing the former border and patrolling some 10 km deep into Russia. What did they expect? It's war. And since its war, the tides may change... on one day you invade someone, some days later that someone may pay you a return visit. I would be delighted to see Ukraine take some large Russian city - just to show them "how it feels". They may consider conducting a referendum on "joining Ukraine, and - prospectively - the European Union". I guess they would not have to rig it to win.
I am hopeful about the battlefield news, too. I just hope the Ukrainians don't outrun their supply lines or get suckered into some sort trap. As great as the successful breakthrough is; it also exposes the Ukrainian flanks to Russian counter-attacks. I mean I'm probably being paranoid here, but I'm still a bit nervous about it.
Me also a little bit nervous, if Russia has some reserves in the north it could be dangerous for UA troops when advancing. But for now, it seems like RF has no reserves at all. I catch some new about 7000 RF soldiers revolting and simply surrending to UA, who didn't want to deal with all that UA/RF war shit anymore... but still not confirmed from official sources.
Indeed. The ones on this forum are quite spectacular. All out support for actions that harm Ukrainians. And this ideological divide will stay with us for a long time, even after their defeat, written in forums and other social media.
I'm very optimistic. I think the Ukrainians are smart, that their NATO training pays off, while the russians are stupid, unorganised and incompetent. I don't think russia can do much from now on, except to prolong the war in the East and take revenge on the civilian population.
The best is Solovjov saying that some russian commanders should be executed and he can give a few tips to the government... These are very dangerous words from somebody who can only talk in TV I think he will shit his pants even hearing about what russians did in Ukraine. Maybe there will be "accident" and he will slip out of window (and then shot himself in the head few times) as many before him Russia is still dangerous place with many unsecured windows in these times ...maybe there will be another bomb attack made by some "ukranian terrorists",who knows, who knows...
They've already retaliated their incompetence by hitting critical civilian infrastructure - power stations, waterworks. Typical for a terrorist state. They hit civilians, cause they're hopelessly outclassed in the field.
Shojgu meets with Putin, discussing the special operation. Shojgu: I have a good message and a bad message for You Vladimir Vladimirovich. The good one - the Donnetsk and Luhansk will be conquered till mid of september as You wished according to the plan. Now, to the bad one...
It seems something's brewing in Vuhledar, in Donetsk oblast. Russian Telegram channel says the Ukrainians are demining, preparing to launch an offensive. Putin might get more bad news, after all.
You'll live with what? With bombing Ukrainian cities? Right now there are russian rockets hitting downtown Kharkiv. You're protecting the Russian speakers there by sending rockets on them? Clearly there's something off.
Put-in has just announced the state companies run by oligarchs are to launch their own private armies to deliver him new cannon fodder for his planned October counterofensive. Unitary training takes 30 days, and this is barely enough to train soldiers to use their personal weapons, and some basic team tactics. And they plan to organize, train and deploy these units in less than 30 days it seems. Ukraine is bringing in new troops, it intensively trained. Ukrainian intensive training took 5 to 6 months and involved intensive courses in NATO countries. Brigades that now take over Kharkiv Oblast were trained ever since March. They have received some of the new equipment. Put-in wishes to have a huge force in just a month. Without enough time, without new equipment. I guess the Donbas "meat grinder" will just grow in size.
I like comparing Putin to Hitler. This "private army" thing is nothing else but the Nazi "Volkssturm".
I've read a quote from a russian soldier who was complaining about the lack of equipment and organisation, saying that manpower wasn't the problem. They're addressing the non-problem.