Russia and Ukraine

[Thumpalumpacus]

In a nutshell, badly. After taking Avdiivka over the winter at enormous cost, they are now fought to a standstill while still suffering several hundred casualties per day. They're combing out prisons, tricking foreigners, and denuding other borders in order to maintain sufficient manpower in Ukraine. They have numerous logistical issues ranging from being mostly tied to railroads to having Crimea close to being cut off, supply-wise.

Meanwhile, they have to stay on the offensive  because they're in a race against time with the arrival of the aid recently approved in Congress and about to be approved by the EU.

I would suggest they're already in the middle of a "loud and humiliating fiasco".

There is a lot you said, but overall, they are doing badly?

In the words of Darth Sidious from Star Wars…

Good. Good.

I literally wrote at the outset, "In a nutshell, badly."

I then went on to justify my opinion. I agree with @GUBU that their time is a lot shorter than they think. I'd also add that if they do run past that time, every day they do so is another nail in the coffin of their current government.

I don't doubt the oligarchs are busy offshoring money and making travel plans as we write.

[ShinyCrystals]

There is a lot you said, but overall, they are doing badly?

In the words of Darth Sidious from Star Wars…

Good. Good.

I literally wrote at the outset, "In a nutshell, badly."

I then went on to justify my opinion. I agree with @GUBU that their time is a lot shorter than they think. I'd also add that if they do run past that time, every day they do so is another nail in the coffin of their current government.

I don't doubt the oligarchs are busy offshoring money and making travel plans as we write.

Even if it may not be necessary, I hope I did not say anything offensive about your opinion in that post, as I wasn't trying to cast it aside.

With that said, what do you mean by offshoring money and making travel plans, though?

But yeah, soon, all the nails will be hammered into the coffin, and the current government of Russia will become toast. I prefer the funeral pyre, in a metaphorical way, of course. Still, Putin, or Putinhead as I like to call him, won't have much options left at this rate, if he even has any now.

[Thumpalumpacus]

Even if it may not be necessary, I hope I did not say anything offensive about your opinion in that post, as I wasn't trying to cast it aside.

No offense taken or given, in my book -- you just asked a question I'd already answered.

With that said, what do you mean by offshoring money and making travel plans, though?

Taking their money out of Russia, and preparing plans to leave Russia with family if they're not already out. I'm pretty sure they've all got plan B/C in place. I know I would. As @The Grand Nudger noted, they sat on the sidelines while Prigozhin mounted his revolt. Those who sat aside have certainly been noted for further surveillance etc.

[ShinyCrystals]

Even if it may not be necessary, I hope I did not say anything offensive about your opinion in that post, as I wasn't trying to cast it aside.

No offense taken or given, in my book -- you just asked a question I'd already answered.

With that said, what do you mean by offshoring money and making travel plans, though?

Taking their money out of Russia, and preparing plans to leave Russia with family if they're not already out. I'm pretty sure they've all got plan B/C in place. I know I would. As @The Grand Nudger noted, they sat on the sidelines while Prigozhin mounted his revolt. Those who sat aside have certainly been noted for further surveillance etc.

Glad there is no offense taken. Also, oooh, I think all that you said about the oligarchs could be fun to see!

[Jackalope]

Not well.

Technically true, but if you measure it in terms of mayhem, destroyed lives and families, they're doing fine.

[Thumpalumpacus]

Not well.

Technically true, but if you measure it in terms of mayhem, destroyed lives and families, they're doing fine.

This is one reason why I find our six months' Congressional ennui so mystifying. Helping those folks defend themselves also helps us build up our own defense plant. WTF is the problem, over?

[Jackalope]

This is one reason why I find our six months' Congressional ennui so mystifying.

Paid, blackmailed, or too stupid or.evil to care.

[Thumpalumpacus]

This is one reason why I find our six months' Congressional ennui so mystifying.

Paid, blackmailed, or too stupid or evil to care.

You know? HTF do you say "meh"? Especially when these sonsabitches are kneecapping a major adversary. Something's crooked here.

[The Grand Nudger]

Putin is a white christian identitarian who hates him some queers and libs. He's been their boy since the 00's. Like recognizes like. Where you and I look at putinism and russia as a cautionary tale, they see aspirational goals. If the us reich wing could flatten us cities, they would.

[Pat Mustard]

Their goal was the swift annihilation of a country and a culture.  It not only still exists, it's making a laughingstock of them and costing them billions in weapon trades.

The s and k series was supposed to be better than patriot.  Turns out it's only marginally better than a bottle rocket. They (and by extension any other purchaser) should have spent their missile money on glide bombs.  The only people doing well off the war in ukraine, is us.

Demand for us weapon systems has increased beyond capacity...and we make alot of weapons.......meanwhile, at the last big despots ball, literally zero orders were placed for russian shit.

The S300 is quite good actually, provided that it's being used by a professionally trained force who know how to pick objectives and are motivated to use them properly. I.e. the Ukrainian S300s have been well deployed and used.