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Hans Torvatn's avatar

Thank you for the update, including the rant in the beginning. I am not surprised that the Ukrainian offensive has a pause, is temporary stopped. Even permanentes stopped. Neither am I dismayed because of this. Dismayed will come only if the Ukrainians suffer heavy losses. Withdrawing will slo not Disney me, Ukraine doesnt want that territory. Regarding the lack of removal of forces from elsewhere, I think there is an effect, but it may take longer to materialize. Because the rebuilding was redirected the units in the Donbas did not get so much/will not get so much resources as planned. And finally, Russia must now keep their forces on the whole Ukrainian border. Add to that the kuddling and prisoning… no dismayed now. Shit may happen later of course.

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ParanoidNow's avatar

Thanks Tom!

But I think that you are mistaken about Pudding and “his orders.” Not that I intimately know his thinking, neither I’m his Rasputin, err Kabaeva … but I’m sure that he has given pretty clear orders ZSU to be flushed out of Kursk at all costs. For propaganda reasons, of course he is not publicizing his orders (nothing worse for a dictator to be seen incapable of imposing his will). Yeah Kursk - small advance, small city, who cares!? - that is just his pose for the public but every Russian knows Kursk, no one Pokrovsk or Toretsk. And Putin has charged the guys that are closest to him with this paramountly important task - FSB and his former bodyguard. Of course, they don’t want to be seen as failure and are free to ask everything from Gerasimov, who is now in a weak position and will be the ultimate scapegoat. That is why we are going to see more and more elite units being sent to Kursk and this is no contradiction with Putin’s orders.

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