20119

Huh, Russian fears of NATO weapons being funneled to terrorists weren’t unfounded…

20120

Yeah this doesn’t sound good.

20121
20122

I’m not sure what Ukraine hit in this column, but quite the explosion (at 0:16).

Watching that just made me think of how much footage historians are going to have of this conflict. I think to all the WW2 or other documentaries I’ve watched and the grainy black and white footage that would typically be shown. Now, there are drones watching so much of the battlefield, there has to be countless hours of video from events big and small.

20123

Nevermind historians, think of all the wargame developers!

On the other hand they’re in a tight spot cause “what if Cold War turned hot” or “what if modern Russia starts a war in Europe” scenarios no longer sound interesting and cool.

20124

Seriously! I think I mentioned before in this thread, but this conflict totally turned me off of Eugen’s WARNO game.

20125

Somehow I doubt the explosion comes from what they hit vs what they hit it with…

20126

Reddit comments say it was likely a mine clearing vehicle. They carry huge shockwave-inducing explosives that they fire at mine fields.

20127

Minister of Defense of Russia has officially stated that Russian army leaves Kherson. They will defend the Eastern bank of Dniepr river. He says it’s done to save lives and health of Russian soldiers.

Those bastards do not care about Kherson civilians who are now facing the horde of Ukrainian satanist LGBT NATO Nazis.

20128

Russia just announced on state TV they are withdrawing from Kherson. Huge loss for Russia.

EDIT: Jinx! The amount of territory they are giving up here is huge - just a bit smaller than the major defeat in September. Also they will now have the Province of Kherson without its major city - it’s like trying to say you are the rightful ruler of New York State, and abandoning everything south of Westchester.

20129

This territorial issue existed before. Zaporozhskaya province is also very losely controlled by Russia and it was a very… brave act to write it into the constitution. I guess medieval lords have proclaimed themselves dukes of Somethingshire without really controlling it, but even they usually did this cause they got the claim by their birthright or something. Stuff like this just doesn’t hapen in the modern world. This thing with Russia updating their constitution by including some undefined territories (no Russian act or law actually describes what are included in those 4 new provinces) and losing it in a month or two is, like, a cool historical anecdote for future historians.

20130

The sad part is that Kherson will now be under artillery bombardment for the foreseeable future, but it is a better position for Ukraine anyway.

20131

Technically Russia did cede vast swathes of territory to Germany in the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, but luckily it was annulled when Germany lost in the West six months later so good Russian nationalists can pretend it never happened.

20132

Yeah, that really bothers me. Ukraine should agree not to station troops there if Russia agrees to no attacks on it. There’s no reason to trash another relatively untouched city - unless of course, you are Russians.

20133

Is Kherson really that untouched though?

20134

Yes, there was very little fighting there when the Russians pushed through the first time. It’s seen some artillery attacks since by Ukraine but there had been no urban infantry combat.

20135

Big victory for Ukraine. Putin’s ambitions are shrinking by the day. His gains are now down to a Crimean land bridge and gains in the two separatist republics.

He also has lost operational depth north of the Crimea:

New targets for HIMARS.

20136

They need better actors:

Are they auditioning for the next Red Alert?

20137

Lives of servicemen? LOL. They couldn’t care less. What a joke.

Is there any chance this could turn into a trap? Drawing too many Ukrainian soldiers into the zone, and Russia coming around to envelop them?

20138

Not with the Dnipro being the dividing line.