A military strategic question

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

If the convoy picks up a Russian military escort as it nears the border I'm doubtful the Ukrainians could stop it but it would show all the world what Putins real intentions were.

He's not that brave or stupid...is he?

I doubt he'd give it an escort, more like he'll let this one get sent back and then go again with an escort.

[Skybird]

There is great relief in Kiev. The rumoured suspicious convoy of trucks from Russia that were feared to hide weapons and even fighters, when it approached the border was found to be formed not of trucks but harmless huge wooden horses for a regional culture festival.



Meanwhile it gets reported that the next assembly of the Russian Duma will be held on the Crimean peninsula, with Putin attending it, too. A message to the West and Kiev.

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by Skybird

There is great relief in Kiev. The rumoured suspicious convoy of trucks from Russia that were feared to hide weapons and even fighters, when it approached the border was found to be formed not of trucks but harmless huge wooden horses for a regional culture festival.

[mapuc]

Earlier today I saw and heard a commentator on the Danish news channel TV2NEWS saying

That this convoy started from Moscow and that no Journalist is allowed to join/follow this convoy first hand is...

Wonder what's going to happen if Russia defuse Ukraine's demand to change from the Russians lorry to Red Cross lorry ?

Markus

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Oberon

Perfect! Obama's gesturing and the general's facial expression perfectly match!

[TarJak]

Originally Posted by Oberon

We all know what comes next:

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Oberon

I doubt he'd give it an escort, more like he'll let this one get sent back and then go again with an escort.

https://twitter.com/BBCSteveR/status/499832198355492864

It's not just white aid lorries that are heading down the highway towards Rostov: military vehicles, too.

[Skybird]

Since quite some time now there is growing indications for that the Westukrainian military is getting a terrible beating by those "inferior" separatists in the East, pieces of info, hints, tfaces and of course plenty of propaganda can be found across the web and especially on sites that are more friendly to the Russian side - well, big surprise.

But there are also indications that are not so easy to be wiped off the table as propaganda. Too much has been reported and shown about the famous case of the 72nd brigade that got almost anihilated and its survivors finally more or less completely, changed sides and turned on the Russians side after they protest over their hopeless case in the field and soldiers even went on hunger strike over protest against their own military and political leadership.

This video seems to show feedback by Ukrainian soldiers who just returned from the front. They report that the had lost three brigades, that the Russians are eating them alive, and that their losses rank in the high thousands.



this does not fit into the propaganda claim by Kiev that they have lost just 200 or 300 soldiers, and had wiped out a Russian column of infantry carrying armour. The desperate attempt of Kiev to get military aid and weapons form NATO also speaks volumes.

The separatists recently saw the quitting of two or three of their top senior commanders. They all had one thing in common: they had Russian passports. They hjave been repalced, as far as I learnedf from web info, that are less obviously attached to the Russians. I think the Kremlin already is preparing a separate and relatively autonomous military and political leadership in the east that should make its existence to an enforced federalist Ukraine more "acceptable" by not being formally linked to Russia too obviously.

In case there are still people hesitating to call it a war, these images by a - very pro-Russian, keep that in mind! - website may make them change their minds. If this does not look like a full scale war, then I don't know what it is. And it seems to me that Kiev'S troops are receiving plenty of beating, and have little to trade back.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=4a2_1407852495

I wonder why such images are almost non-existent in Western media coverage?



And this soldier's testimony from a hopeless battle position surrounded by Russians/separatists also tells something.





There are many videos available showing the mere scale of the losses at least one side in this war is suffering.

Kiev escalated into a war that it cannot win. It seems several brigades already have been destroyed. Thousands of their own soldiers pay the price.

All for a bunch of criminal oligarchs clinging to power.