Russia’s army in Ukraine is in a transitional phase; its offensive is defeated and now there is a lull as it transitions to defence. And; a little discussed secret of war is that people matter more than anything. Motivated soldiers with high morale can overcome enormous odds; and nothing destroys morale more than waiting. Soldiers required to sit and wait for enemy activity suffer enormously. By their nature soldiers are active, ‘can do’ people trained never to sit still, to always be thinking ahead and trying to seek advantage over an opponent. Russia’s offensive has petered out and now 400,000 of their soldiers are sitting idle, in boggy trenches waiting for the Ukrainian offensive. Idle hands and idle minds allow time for soldier’s active minds to consider their situation, to think about the casualties their units have suffered and to ponder the impact of Ukraine’s next attack.
Across Ukraine, there will be a lot of young Russian men doing a great deal of thinking about what the next few weeks has in store for them. In an effective army, senior soldiers and junior officers would fill this period with planning, exercising and activity specifically to take their soldier’s minds off the coming offensive. Unfortunately, junior leadership is something that the Russian army demonstrably lacks and it is likely that instead of reinforcing and building morale the defenders will be sinking into a cynical, fatalistic mindset ripe for exploitation by Ukraine.
It is probably why in recent weeks we have seen videos of a Ukrainian prisoner being beheaded and reports of malingerers being executed. The Russian command demonstrating; or tolerating a level of violence designed to reinforce soldiers fear of their commanders and to brutalise them into holding the line. Violence of this nature is not a feature of sophisticated modern armies; it is a throwback to an older more brutal form of military organisation. A medieval war band held together by fear.
However, the offensive is coming when the ground dries out. And; a recent Pentagon assessment states Ukraine’s weather will dry out enough for a large offensive in early-May; so we can expect action soon. Ukraine has received about 1700 modern armoured vehicles including about 250 tanks. Significantly reinforcing Ukraine’s already sizeable armoured force of about 900 Soviet designed tanks and about 2000 armoured personnel carriers. Ukraine is organising about 70-100,000 into two-three corps ready for the offensive; meaning that as well as defending its frontlines it can spare this number away from the battle training and preparing for the attack. Further, within this organisation are nine mechanised brigades (each about 3000 strong) and full of tanks and mechanised infantry combat vehicles. Considering the Kharkiv Offensive last year involved four mechanised brigades the potential hitting power is huge. Further, many of these men recently returned from training in NATO countries and are not only well-trained but highly motivated. It is clear that Ukraine has the physical resources required for the offensive. In fact, Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General recently stated that 98% of the material Ukraine requested has been delivered.
Russia of the other hand is tiring, its offensive defeated, its senior command fractured and fighting amongst themselves while troops on the frontline suffer from low morale. On 23 April, the Institute for the Study of War published a detailed assessment of Russia’s ‘ORBAT’ (order of battle) based on public source information. The assessment surmised that “Russian forces in Ukraine are operating in decentralized and largely degraded formations throughout the theater, and the current pattern of deployment suggests that most available units are already online and engaged in either offensive or defensive operations.”
Essentially, the Institute believes that Russian units generally lack manpower, equipment and supplies. That more than a year of combat without sustainable logistics, replacement personnel and maintenance of equipment has left them ‘degraded’ and less able to fight. However, the most important observation relates to the ‘current pattern of deployment’ in which the Institute observes that the Russians have essentially been throwing reinforcements straight into the frontline rather than training and building reserves in depth. This means that between the soldiers defending sections of the frontline or attacking in Bakhmut there is not a significant, centrally commanded and uncommitted force that could be rushed to an area to counter a Ukrainian attack. In terms of household finance, the Russian army in Ukraine has mortgaged the house, maxed out its credit cards and does not have any savings for a rainy day. Or; in this case for the sunny day that dries out the ground and lets Ukrainian armour move.
The Institute’s report also highlights the drain that the war has created for Russia’s whole military. The Ukraine War’s demands reducing the fighting strength of neighbouring Russian military districts. An assessment that supports reports of Russian soldiers being redeployed from across the country and global deployments to meet the needs of the war in Ukraine.
Russia’s military bloggers understand the resource issues; and that is why we are starting to see ultra-nationalists discuss negotiations with Ukraine being a better option than a catastrophic defeat. And; throwing missiles at Ukrainian civilians is not going to change the situation.
If the state of Russian forces is so parlous; Why hasn’t Ukraine moved yet?
The simple answer is that Ukraine is moving, but slowly and carefully as predicted. Even though the ground is still boggy a great deal of activity is reported. Ukrainian reconnaissance forces are active across the country with small probing attacks reported across the south along the Zaporizhian front line; and north of Kremina. Ukraine is also targeting supply bases in depth, today they destroyed a large fuel depot in Crimea.
In Bakhmut, we are starting to see a steady draw down of forces. An indicator that this battle has completed its task and Ukraine is disengaging rather than suffer further casualties. It is a pretty safe bet that it will ‘fall’ to the Russians soon; and that as that victory is being celebrated in Moscow the offensive will start. Delivering a compelling narrative of defeat for the Russian people, for the silovaki (strong men) and for allies like China that support and enable Putin. Wars are not won on battlefields, but in the hearts and minds of the people, and winning this war means Ukraine demonstrating to the people that enable Putin; that there is considerable risk in allowing him to continue this war. Nothing demonstrates that better than answering a small defeat with a large victory.
Last week, the media was obsessed with Ukrainian forces crossing the Dnipro River and establishing a base area in marshy areas on the east bank near Kherson. The crossing is very interesting because its intentions are unclear; but tactically it is a well-thought out and executed movement. Ukrainian forces crossed the Dnipro River in an area that Russia is not able to build defences because it is within artillery range of Kherson; and is boggy meaning trenches and earthworks cannot be constructed. The lack of defences make a crossing by infantry difficult to stop; and being surrounded by swamps mean a Russian armoured counter attack is impossible. Further, Ukraine can provide artillery cover for their soldiers from the West bank so the area is well chosen from a tactical perspective. The area held by Ukraine is also near the destroyed Antonovski Bridge; and to the town of Oleshky that sits astride the E97 highway to Crimea. If Ukraine captures Oleshky, it will be a small step towards Crimea.
The motive for this crossing is very hard to assess and there seem to be three options:
- It is a diversion. The area is defensible and is supported by Ukrainian artillery on the west bank. Ukraine may be hoping that Russia will send forces away from other parts of the campaign to retake the area. Any Russian attack will be over difficult ground and can be engaged by artillery and attrited. Such a defensive battle could divert scarce resources away from defending against Ukraine’s main effort.
- It is propaganda. Ukraine is very good at information war and this operation may be a demonstration of capability to boost Ukrainian morale, demonstrate to NATO that Ukraine is still in the fight and undermine Russian morale.
- It is the start of a larger crossing. Older readers or military historians may recall the 1973 Yom Kippur War, the first act of which was a surprise crossing of the Suez Canal by Egyptian commandoes. The commandoes established a foothold protected by new and effective anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles that defeated initial Israeli counter-attacks; allowing a large armoured force to cross the canal. Ukraine’s plan may include a similar tactic.
The first two options, or a combination of them are the most likely outcome. However, the third should not be immediately discounted. Obviously, there are significant differences between the Dnipro River and the Suez Canal and although unlikely the possibility of a larger attack developing in this area should not be completely discounted. Although, even a large crossing is highly unlikely to be Ukraine’s main effort because even with a secure base area on the east bank; crossing the Dnipro River with large numbers of tanks and vehicles would be very difficult and requires significant bridging support. An asset that to-date has not been seen in public source information about Ukraine.
This week’s key thought is about how the lull in the campaign and the forced wait for Ukraine to move will effect Russian morale. Everything points to Ukraine being ready to move when the weather clears and if I was in a Russian trench looking out; I would certainly be thinking carefully about the coming battle. And; if my leaders were a gang of brutal cut-throats that consistently demonstrated they did not care about me and whose leadership extended only as far as demonstrating how brutal they were in order coerce me into fighting. I would be practicing saying ‘I surrender’ in Ukrainian and doing everything I could to avoid putting myself at risk.
Napoleon said that in combat ‘morale is to the physical as three is to one’ and Ukraine’s soldier certainly have not only a morale advantage but physical advantages as well; better tanks, better training, better artillery and better logistics. The only advantage that Russia has is the size of its army; and that advantage is dissipated by its requirement to defend a long frontage; and by its poor logistics that mean it can’t quickly concentrate forces in an area.
In conclusion, I still predict that Ukraine’s main effort will be in the south aiming at cutting Russia’s Crimean Land Bridge. However, expect blows to land all over the place before Ukraine reveals its main effort. Don’t think that because Challenger or Leopard tanks are leading an assault that it is the main effort, it seems likely that NATO tanks would be used to help ‘sell’ a diversion. Regards timing, expect Bakhmut to be handed over soon probably next week; and that after that we will see the offensive start in earnest. Not with a single large thrust but with increasing probes looking for weakness. The ground should be dry in early-May so we could see something big by the middle of the month. And; my thinking is that when the offensive starts the Russian units in its immediate path will collapse relatively quickly because of their low morale and poor leadership. Making the most important question – Can Russia stop a local collapse spreading across its army in Ukraine?
Ben Morgan is a bored Gen Xer and TDBs military blogger
Ben – you missed the following
– Eastern Ukraine cannot stand the Ukraine President, and Western Ukraine is starting to turn against the President due to corruption
– NATO weapon systems provided to Ukraine are from the 1970s – 1990s, and do not work
– The weapon systems that do work are ending up on the blackmarket
– Ukraine is running out of soldiers…and the mercenaries are a mixed blessing
Clearly they have a lot common with the Russians then. They too have a corrupt leader, shit weapons for the most part, and inadequate soldiers
If there is something unclear about an election war time Presidents can just make a council.
I think we’ve been living in this stupid benign bubble where all the conventions of war no longer exist.
The European war doesn’t exist and more Americans hate each other more than they hate Russia.
The only ones who know how to do anything are Ukrain, Russia and China.
This is a fight for world order and we don’t have any skin in the game.
No I think of Ukrainian President has any brains there will be zero amounts of NATO tanks on the front page.
Wheel – True
Maybe Xi shared his plan with Z. And Z is delaying the counteroffensive.
Would it not be a great outcome if a Putin withdraw his troops on May Day.
I guess we will see more bloodshed.
You are are a real expert on misinformation Nathan! How much are they paying you?
Ukraine is an absolute abortion at present, who is right and who is wrong, God only knows. This War is definitely not benefitting the Russian’s or the Ukrainian people. A lot of damage being done to the average person in Russia and the Ukraine.
Well said Ngungukai, short and to the point. Both sides are corrupt as. Say that though, or challenge the narrative with reality and you will be accused of being a Putinista.
Putin has a long way to out do Stalin. In 1932-1933 during the Holodomor Campaign (The Terror Famine), 3.5-5.0 million people died of starvation, a famine engineered by Stalin to starve ethic Ukrainians.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holodomor
Putin has a long way to out do Stalin. In 1932-1933 during the Holodomor Campaign (The Terror Famine), 3.5-5.0 million people died of starvation, a famine engineered by Stalin to starve ethic Ukrainians.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holodomor
The geo-physical problems that beset the Russian defence of the east bank near Kherson will also trouble the Ukrainian forces in attack. The ground is swamp to both sides. If it devolves into an infantry on infantry battle I would put my money on the Ukrainians (motivation, equipment and training compared to the Russians), but the issue of heavy stuff crosssing the Dnieper remains. Even if the Antonovsky bridge remains wrecked and unpassable I would have thought the east bank of the bridge area is still needed as possibly the first firm ground on the river where they can unload the heavy stuff. Also as the Ukrainian troops move further inland southward, at what point will their artillery no longer be able to offer them cover from Kherson? Of course the Ukrainians may have special adaptations that alllow heavy stuff to negotiate the swamp that the Russian heavy stuff can’t. But I’ve seen nothing about that anywhere. All this is moot of course, if it is a feint.
Which it may well be. Confusion is a weapon also.
Good assessment Ben, thanks.
Ngungukai while the Americans try to get back their world leader status. The empire is failling but the fall may be hard for the whole world as the Americans start new wars.
Crop dust the Ukraine/Russia battle fronts with proper Ecstasy and watch a turbo charged and loving humanity take over.
Warring and killing must be made unfashionable.
countryboy – worth a try
meh – the serotonin and dopamine comedown will have them bitching at each other again on Tuesday.
The Ukrainian offensive will no doubt be delivered within a month and we will get a definitive picture of how accurate Ben is. I’m picking that it will be a shambles. If wrong I will eat humble pie, question is, will Ben?
Yup it will be interesting alright however if the Kharkiv counteroffensive was so successful last year and the Ukrainians have received considerably more ex-Nato equipment and training in the time since you would surely have to conclude that they stand a pretty good chance?
Plus they are fighting for the freedom of their homeland rather an invading force fueled now (in part at least) by released prisoners . .
Russia should have celebrated May Day in Kiev. Their inability to achieve this tells me they are as probably as useless as what they seem to be.
Putin started this war and can stop further bloodshed. For some reason the Ukrainians are holding off on their counter offensive.
It is time that the Russians stop targeting civilians. That demonstrates the Russian elite’s mentality.
“It is time that the Russians stop targeting civilians.” You do write some crap sometimes, usually not very comprehensible.
Yes, consistently a garble of coherent sentences making nonsense comments. And suddenly prolific with a surname for authenticity.
= I think he’s AI.
I will dumb down my opinions so that the two of you can keep up.
I am sorry.
Johan is perfectly correct seer. You are the crap artiste.
I look forward to that Nick J!
Ditto, will you eat yours?
Since none of your predictions have come to fruition Nick J, I think it is very unlikely!
You mean you are hoping it will be a shambles Nick J. What a mean spirited citizen you are!
“On 23 April, the Institute for the Study of War published a detailed assessment of Russia’s ‘ORBAT’ (order of battle) based on public source information.” Again ‘BEN’ citing information from a source who’s family (Kagan’s) is related to ‘Victoria Nullan’ through marriage. She is the architect to over throwing an elected President of Ukraine in 2014 Viktor Yanukovych.
Bukmut is more strategically important than you’ve given assessments too, underplaying its importance is a sign that even a writer like yourself that gets second hand information from sources like “Institutes for the Study of War” can’t truly be relied upon because of the bias through association and only a western narrative. Also the leaks recently have put Ukrainian death toll 7-1 in favour for the Russians but you’ve clearly stayed away from this finding why and that NATO forces are in Ukraine.
This writer is opinionated and should be scrutinized like every opined article. IMO Ben hasn’t distinguished himself from quoting and referencing sources that have a stake to see the Russian lose but more importantly that these sources are from NATO countries that scurry information to sell military weapons and destabilization.
So far Ben’s assessments have been pretty accurate. However, the upcoming Ukrainian offensive will be very challenging. The Russian winter offensive basically failed. Winning Bakmult hardly justifies the enormous casualties to do so.
I think the Ukrainians have a better chance of success, but I rate it no higher than 50/50. If they do make a real breakthrough and divide the land bridge in two, that would certainly count as a success. Nevertheless a salient like that would be hard to defend with both flanks exposed.
I am still of the view that there will be serious negotiations by the end of summer. Both sides will have suffered with insufficient gain. I guess we will know within the next 3 months.
You comment reflects a very different perspective to the sources I have read Wayne. Has the Russian winter offensive failed? Id question:
* was there ever a deliberate winter offensive?
* was there an attempt to maneuvre and gain a decisive victory?
* if so would that have won the war?
* alternatively did Russia employ a strategy of attrition in Soledar and Bahkmut as a more effective option?
* if so is that winning the war for Russia?
So many more questions not being asked here.
It was all a bluff.
They kept their powder dry.
Yeah, right.
You just read the wrong sources Nick J. Confirmation bias.
Try the mirror PhuD.
Well said Ngungukai, short and to the point. Both sides are corrupt as. Say that though, or challenge the narrative with reality and you will be accused of being a Putinista.
Any day now Putin will arm his first team and send them in to clean up.
Putin’s half baked army made up of large contingent of criminals is facing an interesting situation. It has been over six months since their contract was initiated.
You know what that means. HOME TIME.
So the thieves, murderers, rapists, pedos and general deviants are off back to their communities. Sure, some might keep their noses relatively clean, but they are crims, so it isn’t likely. Some have already gone back home and committed crimes. Murders and sexual violations have already taken place. But the other compounding problem the military faces, is these thousands of ex convicts are going to talk. It won’t be about what a glorious overwhelming victory Pooty has achieved, or the stellar treatment they received. Will it boost the likelihood of more accepting the offer to take up the chance to have their sentences exonerated?
Doubt it.
According to many Putin is getting ready to send his first team in soon.
War Is A Racket – YouTube Book Reading
https://bit.ly/War-Is-A-Racket-Chapter1
https://bit.ly/War-Is-A-Racket-Chapter2
https://bit.ly/War-Is-A-Racket-Chapter3
https://bit.ly/War-Is-A-Racket-Chapter4
https://bit.ly/War-Is-A-Racket-Chapter5
Book Depository
War Is A Racket
https://bit.ly/WAR-IS-A-RACKET–General-Smedley-Butler
“The ground should be dry in early-May so we could see something big by the middle of the month.”
That ‘something big’ will be a lot of lives, a lot more lives I should say, most likely Ukrainian unfortunately. Its a sad, because it is so unnecessary, loss of life. Politicians, and yeah I am talking about Ukrainian and Western politicians here, have well and truly let down the Ukrainian people.
Yeah, Putin shares no blame. He is just promoting his brand!
Fortunately, the Ukrainian public can rely on Putin to help them!
Well, he could just let the USA, via Ukraine, dispose of Russians within the (former) Ukraine boundary and then, with NATO, destroy and break up Russia itself. Tis the initial plan (and actions) after all.
Likewise, he could just take the gloves off and pummel Ukraine, no more Kiev, no more Ukrainian government, just like the US did to Iraq. This is well within in their capabilities. But, he still sees Ukrainians as brothers, albeit misguided kin, thus he has been fighting this ‘war’ with kid-gloves on, hence why it is called an SMO.
Negotiations are key and it isn’t hard to see which party here is refusing to negotiate, therefore is to blame. But again, when you have a country, or political party within the USA, hellbent on annihilating another, and then China after that, no wonder negotiations are off the board.
Not necessary. Putin is doing just fine. The olympics after the next one will see many more countries participate.
As long as he can keep the US, via Ukraine and NATO from annihilating Russians, Russia itself, and himself, then yeah, he will OK. No easy task mind you, and a tragedy that most of the Western world believe him to be the bad guy in all of this. But a greater tragedy because this is not the only song and dance that the Western world are misinformed on…
He is one of the bad guys in this. The main bad guy. NATO has an open invitation to Russia to apply for NATO membership.
The bad guy is the US. NATO is their weapon. Russia joining said weapon, neutralizes said weapon, hence why both NATO and the West, closed the door on Russia. Main point, I feel sorry for the Ukrainian people, they are being used and abused by a flailing superpower, whom is willing to drag down anybody, including their allies, in order to stay atop of the world. If only we had a mainstream media that held power to account!
Rubbish AO! The Ukrainian people had enough of Russia controlling them through a corrupt kleptocrat – Yanukovych. When FSB snipers and the Berkut decided to assassinate innocent protesters the Ukrainian people flooded into Kyiv to demonstrate their dismay against the government who allowed this.
Again, it is sad what is happening to the Ukrainian people. We disagree on who, ultimately, has led them down this sad path. We can only hope that it ends soon.
You are so deluded AO. Sad really … How can one be so sucked in by Putin’s propaganda. You are what is termed a ‘useful idiot’.
Well, an idiot is easily debunked and yet you come empty handed…
Peace-talks sabotaged by NATO Hawk Britain and it’s then dickhead leader Boris Johnston …….. https://youtu.be/q0BV_lf5eHU?t=5334
And while the Poms went from bad to worse with Liz Truss ,,,, Karma predictions has Britain judged the most likely country to go into a recession in 2023 ,,,, https://youtu.be/q0BV_lf5eHU?t=5673 ,,, New Zealands economy is the SECOND MOST LIKELY to fall in a hole, according to Bloomberg ,,, that’d be largely from the 5 eyes neo-con and western neo-lib one two sucker punches ,,,.
Here is a good write up on Russian soldiers and their military ,,,, https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/western-experts-new-fear-russia-is?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2
***********************
These two historic articles show who and what were fighting in Ukraine ,,, after the violent 2014 coup, which installed the Poroshenko regime. ….
Robert Parry , ConsortiumNews, July 15, 2015 https://truthout.org/articles/the-ukraine-mess-that-nuland-made/ “Nuland was the “mastermind” behind the Feb. 22, 2014 “regime change” in Ukraine, plotting the overthrow of the democratically elected government of President Viktor Yanukovych while convincing the ever-gullible US mainstream media that the coup wasn’t really a coup but a victory for “democracy.”
…”To sell this latest neocon-driven “regime change” to the American people, the ugliness of the coup-makers had to be systematically airbrushed, particularly the key role of neo-Nazis and other ultra-nationalists from the Right Sektor….. ” …………
.”So, for nearly a year and a half, the West’s mainstream media, especially The New York Times and The Washington Post, twisted their reporting into all kinds of contortions to avoid telling their readers that the new regime in Kiev was permeated by and dependent on neo-Nazi fighters and Ukrainian ultra-nationalists who wanted a pure-blood Ukraine, without ethnic Russians.”
“when the Kiev regime announced an “anti-terrorism operation” against the Donbas and dispatched neo-Nazi and other extremist militias to be the tip of the spear, Moscow began quietly assisting the embattled ethnic Russian rebels, a move that Nuland, the Obama administration and the mainstream news media called “Russian aggression.”
John Pilger 2015 https://johnpilger.com/articles/why-the-rise-of-fascism-is-again-the-issue
“This reached its apogee in 2014 when the Obama administration splashed out $5 billion on a coup against the elected government. The shock troops were neo-Nazis known as the Right Sector and Svoboda.” ,,,,, “These fascists are now integrated into the Kiev coup government. The first deputy speaker of the Ukrainian parliament, Andriy Parubiy, a leader of the governing party, is co-founder of Svoboda. On February 14, Parubiy announced he was flying to Washington get “the USA to give us highly precise modern weaponry”.”
“Nuland’s coup did not go to plan. Nato was prevented from seizing Russia’s historic, legitimate, warm-water naval base in Crimea. The mostly Russian population of Crimea – illegally annexed to Ukraine by Nikita Krushchev in 1954 – voted overwhelmingly to return to Russia, as they had done in the 1990s. The referendum was voluntary, popular and internationally observed. There was no invasion.”
“At the same time, the Kiev regime turned on the ethnic Russian population in the east with the ferocity of ethnic cleansing. Deploying neo-Nazi militias in the manner of the Waffen-SS, they bombed and laid to siege cities and towns. They used mass starvation as a weapon, cutting off electricity, freezing bank accounts, stopping social security and pensions. More than a million refugees fled across the border into Russia. In the western media, they became unpeople escaping “the violence” caused by the “Russian invasion” https://rumble.com/v2hdpca-good-rockets-truth-about-the-war-in-ukraine-english-subtitles-grishanov.html
“Since 1945, more than a third of the membership of the United Nations – 69 countries – have suffered some or all of the following at the hands of America’s modern fascism. They have been invaded, their governments overthrown, their popular movements suppressed, their elections subverted, their people bombed and their economies stripped of all protection, their societies subjected to a crippling siege known as “sanctions”. The British historian Mark Curtis estimates the death toll in the millions. In every case, a big lie was deployed.”
https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2023/05/01/the-single-dumbest-thing-the-empire-asks-us-to-believe/ ” “the empire is not passive, it is not innocent, and it is primarily responsible for the extremely dangerous current and emerging conflicts we are seeing on the world stage. The US empire is imperiling us all with its last-ditch frantic scramble to secure unipolar planetary hegemony before multipolarity takes over, engaging in freakishly aggressive actions on borders of the nuclear-armed nations who challenge its power.”
Finally,,,, countryboy is right ,,,, dancing is much better than killing ,,, who in this TDB comments section OWNS UP to wanting to kill these people??? https://www.bitchute.com/video/pBirmHxcqUOi/ ,,, because that’s the goal of our ‘lethal aid’.
It all seems very John Key/Wayne Mapp …………………bad & rotten guts..
What a load of garbage B Awakesky. When I have finished translating ‘Maidan: The Untold Story’ from the Russian, I will post a powerful riposte to your blatant propaganda and misinformation about the Maidan.
What’s wrong Blowfly, the Truth hurts doesn’t it? B Awakesky is dead right & your full of shit!
Antforce62 you are a complete a…hole. Nobody has provided proof that Parubiy co-founded Svoboda.
None of you Putinists seem to have basic comprehension let alone critical thinking or analytical skills.
Andriy Paribiuy is not a co-founder of Svoboda. Get your facts right B Awakesky!
From Dr Wiki…… Andriy Parubiy – Wikipedia : In 1991 he founded the Social-National Party of Ukraine together with Oleh Tyahnybok; the party combined radical nationalism and some neo-Nazi features (by its name and the “Wolfsangel”-like sign).
A whiff of something nasty there.
AP was 20 years old in 1991. Maybe he was a student activist. Many believe that the human brain is not yet fully developed at that age.
So I think you are right, there is something smelly in this interpretation.
Hell, at that age I was prepared to go out and kill for an ideology that was harmful land despicable.
Awakesby did get his facts right
You’re the ignorant twat here
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andriy_Parubiy
There is no need to be abusive Frank. Svoboda is not mentioned in the article. The joke is on you.
The Social National party of Ukraine, an ultranationalist party Paruiby co founded in the 90s ….as mentioned in the very article you refer to , was renamed the Svoboda Party in 1991.I would have thought you who pretend to know so much would have at least heard of this
Furthermore I find your targeted abuse extremely distasteful Francesca but this is hardly surprising from somebody who supports a bloodthirsty despot like Putin.
Pot meet kettle.
Oh come on Gadfly, do you think I haven’t noticed your content- free snide attacks on other commenters?
he co founded the Social-Nationalist Party of Ukraine in the 90s which was renamed as Svoboda in 2004
From Dr Wiki…… Andriy Parubiy – Wikipedia : In 1991 he founded the Social-National Party of Ukraine together with Oleh Tyahnybok; the party combined radical nationalism and some neo-Nazi features (by its name and the “Wolfsangel”-like sign).
A whiff of something nasty there.
Maybe but Russia has plenty of equivalent actors, not least Prigozhin.
But B Awakesky is wrong – Parubiy was not a co-founder of the Svoboda party.
Point is PhuD, you made an accusatory statement, and were factually wrong. So don’t try deflecting from your failure with other nonsense.
I am not factually wrong. Paribiy was not a member of the party when it was renamed Svoboda so I am correct. You Putinists are a pack of idiots!
Well Frank otherwise known as Francesca, had it wrong when he said the party was renamed in 1991!
After suffering staggering losses and sill failing to take the city Wagner leader plans to withdraw his mercenary army from Bakhmut and hand his positions over to the regular Russian army. The Wagner withdrawal will probably come at a bad time for the Russian army preparing for the coming Ukraine offensive to cut the land bridge to Crimea.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/prigozhin-wagner-troops-withdraw-bakhmut-russia-military-ammo-video-rcna83015
You can pay mercenaries enough to kill for you. But you can never pay them enough to die for you.
https://www.rt.com/russia/575824-wagner-boss-announces-withdrawal-bakhmut/
OMG Pat, stay of the Booze! Money is not the only motivation, Patriotism to defend the Russian Homeland is as well!
What sort of patriotism for Russia is it, that keeps Wagner’s mercenaries busy putting down pro-democracy protests in Sudan and fighting over gold and other natural resources in Africa?
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/17/what-is-the-wagner-groups-role-in-sudan
Keep Calm & Ben Morgan On? More BS Ukraine “Perception Management” by the Keyboard Warrior? Here’s a Scenario for you? In the unlikely event Russia were to lose this War, every Western Capital on Earth would be targeted & nuked including the Scum in Washington who started this! It’s called the WW3 Deadman Switch, Russia’s failsafe, fallback position! Stick that in your pipe & smoke it Ben?
Antforce62 your stream of vitriol is unconvincing. Putin does not have the powers of Satan however much you would wish he had. The myth of the Kinzhal hypersonic missile has been exposed. Patriots are more than a match for them.
Full Putin Speech at the Victory Day Parade 2023
“..We see how in certain countries they ruthlessly and cold-bloodedly destroy memorials to Soviet soldiers, demolish monuments to great commanders, create a real cult of the Nazis and their proxies, erase and demonize the memory of true heroes. Such profanation of the feat and sacrifices of the victorious generation is also a crime, an outright revanchism on the part of those who were cynically and blatantly preparing a new march on Russia and who brought together neo-Nazi scum from around the world for this. ..”
URA!
https://twitter.com/upholdreality/status/1655948103206465539
You are backing the wrong horse Seer. Putin will be rotting in jail at The Hague before you know it. Remember what happened to fellow war criminals Milosevic, and Mladic!