Using previously disabled IFVs, is my guess. Otherwise, yes, a net negative.

The weird thing about the war, at least in my little American bubble is that despite the “overwhelming feeling the west has to capitulate eastern Ukraine” or any of it is… Most people I talk to barely know there’s a war going on over there. They certainly don’t understand why. The war fatigue everyone keeps claiming does not apply. I’m starting to believe it’s manufactured. Certainly, the politicians are fighting, because the Reps don’t want the Dems to look like they defeated Russia. That would put them right back in office. Maybe things are different in Europe, but if I stay off the internet, there are no signs of what the media keeps talking about. Occasionally, I see a Ukrainian flag in a window, but I’d wager half the people who see that flag have no idea what country it is.

We could all stop pointing fingers and give Ukraine what it needs.

What little civilian opposition we’ve seen almost never revolves around the invasion of Ukraine, itself, instead focusing on better supplies and conditions for their troops. The further right you go, the more they call for more soldiers to take all of Ukraine, obviously.

I mean… It’s not that crazy. There’s a whole political party in the US that spouts pro Russia stuff on social media all day, and they don’t even require payment.

Alternatively, it could be that Russia is refusing trades. Everyone knows that Russia can “out - meat” Ukraine, and they’ve just installed a system in which (civilian) prisoners in Russia will be voluntold to serve. We all know that Wagner was doing something similar, but now the MoD will be doing it, en masse.

"but there’s a growing sense that it’s too late, and it’s time to do a deal,” the former senior administration official said.

It’s too late because you didn’t send what they said they needed to win, you ape. Unreal.

What Andrew says was correct, of course, but Zelenskyy was under pressure to do something, in order to keep the inertia of aid coming in. Now that it looks like a quagmire to the casual observer, things seem a little more perilous.

I agree that the west can out-produce Russia, but I’m less confident that without the US, China will continue to stand by, if that’s what you can call their current actions.

I also agree on the Eisenhower reference, and have pointed out before, that as much as people freak out about it, it’s somewhat necessary. I’m a veteran, and I thought the hero worship of the GWOT was too much, but now I fear that the pendulum has swung too far the opposite way. At least back on reddit, you’d see people absolutely trashing the fools that volunteer for the military, complain that defense spending was far too high, etc. Then, as soon as things pop off, it’s, “Russia better stfu or we’ll come over there and kick their ass”. You can’t have it both ways. I’m pretty Left on most issues, but we can’t even focus on building a good society, if we aren’t secure, first. Our advantageous geography has granted us a lot of leeway, but the world gets smaller, everyday, and our allies aren’t granted those advantages, anyway.

Ukraine has had a rough few months, for sure. It appears that the Russians have outdone their own doctrine, when it comes to the surovikin line, dooming the Ukrainian offensive. Long term, I don’t think Russia has enough skilled troops to conduct another serious offensive, but I think they’re content to occupy eastern Ukraine. At least until everything is replenished in twenty years, and they decide to move again. The western style of maneuver warfare hasn’t proven fruitful, and that is likely because Ukraine is unable to get and maintain air superiority. But that goes back to my point - the west took too long and sent too little. It’s easy to see why Ukraine is frustrated with the supply situation, and now fatigue is setting in with a lot of people in the US. We’ve fumbled plenty of foreign relations in the past, but this seems like the most justifiable war since WWII, and we’re failing the test.

Hope you’re right, but the reason cluster munitions were sent was because Ukraine was running danger low on ammo. The more this stalemates, and the longer air supremacy is lost, the worse the situation looks for Ukraine.

If cool internet quotes could win the war, this would’ve definitely done it.

Not sure, but Russia has already begun the process of turning factories, and reportedly even bakeries, into munitions producing facilities. Both sides are gearing up for a long war, and that, I think, is more beneficial for Russia. The west’s attention is already being dragged to the middle east, the manpower is heavily in Russia’s favor, and again… The next election could stop aid to Ukraine in a flash. It’s unreal, how hard we dropped the ball.

Ukraine uses north Korean munitions, too. Most of the Ukrainian military still uses Russian stuff. The west didn’t suddenly drag Ukraine into this century. The Russians notoriously endure more BS than most countries. This war is destined to last a long time. The Russians are developing cheaper Shaheed Drones to overwhelm AA. Cities in Ukraine are going to have a bad time. It’s hard to be optimistic.

The issue is that Soviet era crap can run dirty ammo. The west is in a real fight, trying to keep up. Once the industry spins up, it’ll be fine, but it takes time, which will cost Ukraine. The Russians, meanwhile, have essentially unlimited manpower. We didn’t do enough, to start with, and now it’ll be impossible, if the wrong people get into power during the elections. We’ve failed Ukraine.

In other news, water is wet. I’m all for supporting Ukraine, but of course there’s money to be made. I’ve been perplexed, the whole time, that Republicans haven’t latched onto this war.

Someone is going to be in deep crap for posting this. Really surprised to see any aftermath pics.

I’m just here for the Latvia jokes.

Because it showed nothing.

They shouldn’t have included video, at all.

You hate that it happens, but it’s good to see Ukraine cleaning up its situation.