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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums⚡️WSJ: Russia shifts to 'Plan B' after blitzkrieg victory failure.
The Kyiv Independent
@KyivIndependent
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57m
⚡️WSJ: Russia shifts to 'Plan B' after blitzkrieg victory failure.
Unnamed senior U.S. officials cited by the Wall Street Journal said that the Kremlins new strategy is to secure key territorial objectives in Ukraines east and south and push Ukraine to accept neutrality.
machoneman
(3,951 posts)lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)And anti-artillery (the kind that tracks artillery fire back to its origin and blows up the attacker).
dalton99a
(81,062 posts)C_U_L8R
(44,889 posts)Putin is winging it and it shows.
uponit7771
(90,225 posts)... fitted suites and doesn't drink water with both hands.
That's about it, they're both dumb bastards
I thought he was smarter than this, too.
Donkees
(31,075 posts)From CNN's Natasha Bertrand
A senior NATO intelligence official said on Monday that signs are pointing to a stalemate emerging in Russias war on Ukraine, with Russian ground forces remaining stalled and Russian combat aircraft unable to achieve air superiority over Ukraine.
If we are not in a stalemate already, we are rapidly approaching one, the official told reporters during a briefing at NATO headquarters. And it's quite a thing to say when you consider the disparity in strength when this fight began.
You don't get to this point if you didn't make a series of mistakes, the official added.
The official noted a stalemate is particularly dangerous, however, given how Russia has resorted to using less precise, more brutal weaponry against civilian targets since its campaign stalled.
It remains NATOs assessment that Russias top goal is still to capture the Ukrainian capital and force a change of government there, as well as force Ukraine to adopt a neutral position with NATO and demilitarize. I dont think [Putin] has backed off any of his goals, the official said.
https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-putin-news-03-21-22/index.html
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)Drive the fascist infestation off of Ukrainian soil forever. And put a big hurt on the Russkie military.
Bucky
(53,795 posts)A few problems with that:
1. The US military is not some punishing god of ultimate justice. You don't seem to be aware of that.
2. There's no guarantee that this fantasy attack would work as envisioned
3. A direct attack on Russia by any NATO power will expand the war that will plunge Estonia and Latvia (and probably Lithuania) into the same hell that Ukraine is in right now
4. Once the attack on Russia's armies becomes successful, Putin would almost certainly escalate to theater tactical nukes to push back any concentrations of NATO forces.
5. The whole world loathes Russia right now. The US joining into a fight it has no legal standing to engage in would put the US in the same boat--a pariah state.
6. This in turn would globally strengthen China and a diplomatically isolated US would allow them to put more pressure on Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Southeast Asia to accommodate Beijing's wishes.
You seem to be responding to a post I didn't make.
1. I didn't suggest the US military start shooting.
2. Nor did I offer any guarantees. (Seriously? In a war? )
3. Nor did I suggest that any NATO power start shooting.
4. I didn't suggest any concentrations of NATO forces.
5. See #1.
6. Not applicable; see #1.
Nice bunch of straw men though.
peggysue2
(10,811 posts)Not from the looks of the current state of war where Ukraine is struggling mightily and the Russians are being steadily picked-off, stalled and stymied.
The images from Ukraine are truly horrifying, the reports of war crimes on her citizens unbearable. Restraint is very difficult but ultimately necessary at this point.
Tom Nichols had a very sobering piece in the Atlantic arguing that NATO intervening right now would solve most of Putin's mounting problems with his withering support at home and demoralized soldiers. NATO is still perceived as the enemy in Russia and intervention would likely rally the public in favor of Putin's incursion, be seen as an attack on the homeland. There are limits, of course, and I sense we're nearing that tipping point if Putin is reckless enough to use chemical, biological and/or a limited nuclear strike in Ukraine, rather than seek a diplomatic ceasefire.
If the former happens? God help us all.
electric_blue68
(14,598 posts)It's just horrible.
But the report "neither side backs down"...
Why should Ukraine back down? The 14/15 invasion, the taking of Crimea, and now this war are all illegal.
(maybe they'll have to. 😔 I HOPE Not!!!!!)