Several times in past posts I’ve included maps that illustrate Ukraine’s ethno-linguistic makeup and, especially, how those realities have been consistently reflected in Ukraine’s elections.
CTD, what is your basis for your statement (1st para)? I mean other than WWII. I recall early on in this conflict that Putin encouraged the Ukrainian troops to put down their weapons and go home...?
“Russian forces are engaged in four primary efforts at this time:
Main effort—Kyiv (comprised of three subordinate supporting efforts);
Supporting effort 1—Kharkiv;
Supporting effort 1a—Luhansk Oblast;
Supporting effort 2—Mariupol and Donetsk Oblast; and
Supporting effort 3—Kherson and advances westward”
LOL. This list has the Russian priorities more or less backwards or upside down. Kiev is NOT the “main effort.” The effort is concentrated in the east because the bulk of Ukraine’s forces are concentrated there as they were engaged in fighting with the Russian-speaking separatists there.
Thanks for this masterful explanation of the complex ethno-linguistic background to this war!
Here’s another good summary of Russia’s military approach, this one from from a former CIA guy named Larry Johnson.
https://sonar21.com/putting-russias-ukraine-invasion-in-context/
Some very good points.
If the Russians merely wanted the death of Ukrainian forces, this war would look very different and be over by now.
Russia is not the Soviet Union. Putin is not Stalin.
CTD, what is your basis for your statement (1st para)? I mean other than WWII. I recall early on in this conflict that Putin encouraged the Ukrainian troops to put down their weapons and go home...?
https://edition.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-news-02-23-22/h_1de2599043c9291496b812e0d9e3a2fa
Thanks, but that's too big a void for me to fill.
According to this report:
“Russian forces are engaged in four primary efforts at this time:
Main effort—Kyiv (comprised of three subordinate supporting efforts);
Supporting effort 1—Kharkiv;
Supporting effort 1a—Luhansk Oblast;
Supporting effort 2—Mariupol and Donetsk Oblast; and
Supporting effort 3—Kherson and advances westward”
LOL. This list has the Russian priorities more or less backwards or upside down. Kiev is NOT the “main effort.” The effort is concentrated in the east because the bulk of Ukraine’s forces are concentrated there as they were engaged in fighting with the Russian-speaking separatists there.
I've learned to ignore that outfit.