Here we go again-Ukraine once again pt2

[mapuc]

Originally Posted by Skybird

So much for Kursk.
Nothing but expenses. The bill is paid by the Donbass front. And it seems that once again - once again in this war - Ukrainian troops are being withdrawn too late and suffer more casualties than needed.

https://www-focus-de.translate.goog/..._x_tr_pto=wapp

The war currently runs good for Putin. Costly but successful. He has the Ukrainians in his garrotte, and he knows it. His American Mini-Me so far is just a snack for an intermediate break, a useful idiot. How anyone in the US can believe they could intimidate Russia by threatening to sanction everybody doing business with them, is beyond me. I dont get it.

Putin has zero reasons to stop the war. And thats the problem. His confidence in victory is not artificial, it is genuine. Someone with that conviction doesn't give up all of a sudden!

This man claim the deep strike was a success



Markus

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by mapuc

This man claim the deep strike was a success

So does Dargo. But thsi claim can be challenged. I do. And others do that as well. The men in Kursk, both those who are sthere and those wgo died there, are terribly missed at other parts of the front where Ukraine paid a high price for their absence.

The bold probem form day one on: Russia can afford high losses, Ukraine can much less so. Thats why Ukraine is losing. They kill more Russians than Russian kill Ukrainians. But the kill ratio is not high enough for Ukraine to turn the helm around.

The problem from day one on. The ukrainian kill ratio is positive, but it is not sufficiently high enough to compensate for their numerical and equipment inferiority. The tactical success of ukraine are there, but they do not reach saturating effect to stop the Russians.


Brutal logic of the maths of attrition warfare.

[Reece]

[Dargo]

About Kursk, I claim only that this counter-offensive was a need at the moment and that no army would walk away from a weak spot in the front where there is the possibility of a breakthrough. You can say Ukraine has lost too much, but we do not know the real figures, only the data from videos that we can geolocate with satellites images. I only know that Russia at its ceiling of war (production 24/7) can not break through, they fight like a snail that will take its army over 80 years to reach Kyiv. What ever comes from those so-called sources claiming Russia doing swell is a lie told too us from the Tzars time. What about Ukraine, then? Apart from the fronts where they keep ... for reasons any state in wartime including ours have done. But economical, we can verify the data that we can not from Russia.

The Kursk retreat was planned, I think it was part of the strategy of Ukraine to play this card . Ukraine has told the US a couple of days ago ceasefire, and we are prepared to give up Kursk why else they could come with a quick result in Riyadh. Other thing is, have you ever looked at the map of Kursk? Do you really think you can defend tree lines and open fields? No so the main reason for this retreat, but it has got its use this occupation of a part of Russia it did divert troops, supply and equipment meant for other parts of the front. It took the Russian more than a half year to get it back, so yes there is a victory in this counteroffensive.

[Dargo]

[Skybird]

[FOCUS] Hopes for peace, or at least a ceasefire, are growing. But the coming days threaten to expose Donald Trump as a greedy egomaniac without a plan.

In the Ukraine war, one US about-face follows another. Trump throws Zelensky out of the White House, Trump stops US military aid to Ukraine, Trump stops the transmission of intelligence information to Ukraine, Trump doesn't want a raw materials deal with Ukraine after all – and then the reverse.

First, whio, whip, whip! And then a tiny bit of carrot.

The obvious goal of this seemingly erratic strategy of the Trump administration was to force the Ukrainians to the negotiating table, where they have been trying to go for years anyway, to stop Vladimir Putin's invasion and fulfill Kyiv's sole task at the moment: to ensure Ukraine's survival as a nation. One thing is clear: Trump doubts that Zelensky truly wants peace.

The Americans' crackdown was intended to make it clear to the Ukrainians: If you don't follow our orders, we'll make you suffer. And there they were. Tormented and humiliated, betrayed and abandoned, a battered Ukrainian delegation gave the US delegation in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, its OK for a 30-day ceasefire, which was ultimately presented to the warmongering Russians.

This alleged "milestone" in the war that has lasted over three years has been the subject of much speculation ever since. The fact that Trump is once again providing military aid to the Ukrainians – apparently as a reward for their compliance – has caused many observers to rejoice.

It was – and is – a process that makes Russia the beneficiary – and Putin the puppet master.

It doesn't take much to recognize this. The mere question of what benefits Ukraine actually gained by agreeing to the 30-day ceasefire is enough to justify this. The answer is: ultimately, nothing that wasn't already available to it a few weeks ago – even before Trump cut off the aid.

Sure, one can, for good reasons, believe that the mere possibility of silencing the guns after three years of war is a positive thing. Yes, the deaths would stop for a while. A long-awaited moment, especially for the battered Ukraine, its soldiers, and its citizens. This ceasefire can, of course, lead to peace – and perhaps that is the Americans' hope and strategy.

But that is only a hope. The question is: How sustainable is it? When one looks at the harsh reality of Putin's actions in recent years, one fears that it is not at all. Russia has violated ceasefires repeatedly since 2014 – from early agreements in Donbas (Minsk I/II and follow-up meetings) to local ceasefires that were clearly violated by the Russians.

Each time, the agreements were likely violated within a short period of time by Russian military or allied forces. A ceasefire would possibly be the calm before the next (Putin) storm.

And where does Ukraine actually stand today? Pretty much exactly where it was before the talks in Jeddah – only its negotiating position and the situation on the battlefield have deteriorated significantly. "Dealmaker" Trump himself was also responsible for this.

During the period in which Ukraine received no US support, Russian troops were able to achieve significant successes – such as the massive destruction of energy infrastructure or progress in the Ukrainian-occupied Russian region of Kursk, which could have served as a bargaining chip in potential negotiations with Putin. This bargaining chip is now also almost gone.

The only thing that has become clear is that Ukraine has been and continues to be under intense pressure to make concessions. Such as giving away a fifth of its territory – for many Ukrainians, no less than their homeland – to an aggressive despot, completely disarming itself, and ceasing any efforts to secure security guarantees. For Ukraine, it would henceforth be a life of ambush, oppression, and fear.

But Trump does have a peace plan! There's much more to it than that! If that's indeed the case, it's by no means – as things stand – one that will ensure a secure future for Ukrainians.

So far, nothing concrete has been demanded from Russia other than its consent to the ceasefire. 4.662 / 5.000
Trump's leverage: vague threats of sanctions, nothing really concrete.

"There are things you can do that wouldn't be pleasant financially. I can do things financially," he said.

The more you read that, the more bizarre it sounds.

What Trump's plan will look like remains a mystery. Trump wants to separate Russia from China, some say. But alienating historical allies, NATO and the Europeans, and sacrificing a free nation could backfire. As demonstrated, Putin is simply untrustworthy. Trump will now feel the consequences.

Putin now clearly sees himself on the road to victory. His reaction to the ceasefire proposal on Thursday already shows how infinitely expensive the "deal" will be for Ukraine – and for Trump.

Here's a little taster:

Putin asked a question about the Ukrainian soldiers on Russian territory in the Kursk region: Would they be allowed to withdraw under the ceasefire? Or would they instead have to lay down their weapons and become prisoners of war? In the same breath, Putin made it unmistakably clear that he would only accept the latter.

Putin also expressed fears that Ukraine could use the 30-day ceasefire to mobilize new troops and, with Western support, bring more weapons into the country. This, he made clear, was unacceptable for Russia.

Putin asked: "Or won't all this happen? How can we be guaranteed that this won't happen?"

Putin says no to the ceasefire without saying no. Several renowned experts, such as Carlo Masala and Thomas Jäger, see it exactly the same way. He asks questions to which Trump's negotiators have no ready answers, except perhaps to simply say yes and amen.

Russian soldiers in the Kursk region. In recent days, Vladimir Putin's troops have succeeded in recapturing more and more villages.

But things may get even worse. While Putin is coming up with the "salami tactic" – as political expert Thomas Jäger put it in an interview with FOCUS online – and thus embarrassing Trump and playing for time, the puppet master's followers are already demanding the big pieces of the pie:

Yuri Ushakov, Putin's negotiator, rejects the 30-day ceasefire. His reason: It would only give Ukraine a respite and thus help its army.

Russia does not want European peacekeeping troops in Ukraine. The reason: That would be a "direct armed conflict."

Russian diplomat Dmitry Peskov called for the abolition of the "illegal" sanctions against Russia.
The pro-Kremlin commentator Sergei Markov proposed an arms embargo for Ukraine. Then Moscow could agree to a ceasefire.

Another of Moscow's wishes: presidential elections in Ukraine. These would be possible after martial law is lifted. "Peace would allow Russia to influence Ukrainian politics and ensure friendly relations through peaceful means," Markov said.

Whether it's an arms embargo, a lifting of sanctions, or elections in Ukraine: the benefits for Russia would be immense. And then, once again, it's a matter of relying on Putin's word.

The next few days will reveal to the world how great Trump's "great relations" with Putin, which he so often boasts about, really are. The days will show whether this supposed spiritual connection actually has any effect.

Yes, Trump is good for surprises. Yes, perhaps we simply haven't understood Trump's strategy yet. Yes, he seems to be the only one at the moment who is at least bringing some movement into the conflict.

But he's dealing with a seasoned, unscrupulous despot. Putin can give Trump a good showing and entangle him in exhausting talks. The Kremlin can pile up conditions one by one and continue pursuing its strategic goals in the meantime.

This Trumpian peace offensive is running into a dangerous dead end.

The last glimmer of hope is this: All of this is false, and the Ukrainians are actually the clever masterminds here. US historian and professor of strategic studies Phillips O'Brien describes this optimistic scenario (which he himself no longer believes in) as follows:

The Ukrainians are the ones outmaneuvering the Trump administration. How? By getting Trump's negotiators to agree to the 30-days ceasefire, they have at least made it possible for Trump and Putin to fall out, says O'Brien.

Because, as the world now knows, nothing is more important to Trump than his reputation. That could now seriously suffer. And if Trump doesn't get his ceasefire and Putin refuses, or his demands are too far-reaching even for Trump, the US could actually reverse course and be prepared to do what Trump is threatening: impose tougher sanctions on Russia.

The Ukrainians would then move closer to their goal of moving closer to the US and receiving more military aid, and it could even lead to the US reviving its relations with NATO, the expert says. A clever maneuver that lures Putin into a trap. That's the theory.

As great as the desire may be, too many facts speak against it today.

[Jimbuna]

Putin will be forced to sit down at negotiating table "sooner or later" - Starmer

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke before the start of a virtual meeting of world leaders to discuss peacekeeping in Ukraine.

According to Censor.NET, this was reported by Sky News.

Starmer emphasized the importance of continuing to put pressure on Vladimir Putin.

"I believe that sooner or later he will have to sit down at the negotiating table and start a serious discussion. But we cannot sit back and just wait for that to happen. We must continue to move forward, push forward and prepare for peace - peace that will be secure and lasting," he emphasized.

This means strengthening Ukraine's own defense, "being prepared to defend any agreement ourselves with a coalition of the willing," and continuing to "put pressure on Putin to come to the negotiating table," the British prime minister added.

As a reminder, former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that Putin has no plans to end the war in Ukraine and will continue his aggression, even if he does not agree to a temporary truce. Source: https://censor.net/en/n3541328

US Senator Kelly gives up his Tesla after a dispute with Musk over Ukraine

American Democratic Senator from Arizona and former astronaut Mark Kelly, who recently visited Ukraine, refused to use his Tesla car after a public altercation with its CEO Elon Musk.

This is reported by Bloomberg, Censor.NET reports.

"I'm here in Washington, D.C., driving my Tesla to work for the last time. When I bought it, I didn't think it would become a political issue. Every time I've gotten in this car over the last 60 days, it reminds me of how much damage Elon Musk and Donald Trump are doing to our country," Kelly said in a video posted on the social network X on March 14.

In an interview with the agency, Kelly called Tesla a "billboard" demonstrating Musk's work for President Donald Trump.

According to the senator, he bought a white Chevy Tahoe instead of a Tesla.

Later, the senator also explained that he did not want to drive a Tesla anymore, given the activities of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Musk, which has launched a campaign to fire tens of thousands of government employees.

"He (Musk - ed.) is trying to fire all these people...destroying people's lives just to make room for a giant tax cut for billionaires like him," Kelly said.

The American official suggested that Musk resign from the government "and focus on SpaceX again."

As a reminder, U.S. Senator Mark Kelly called for support for Ukraine during his visit to Kyiv. Billionaire Elon Musk reacted to this and called him a traitor. The official later criticized Musk. Source: https://censor.net/en/n3541336

[Jimbuna]

No one trusts anyone, - Erdogan’s advisor Kilic on obstacle to peace between Ukraine and Russia

Foreign Affairs Advisor to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Akif Çagatay Kilic has named one of the main obstacles to a peaceful settlement between Ukraine and Russia.

According to Censor.NET, his statement was cited by The Guardian.

According to Erdogan's adviser, one of the key obstacles to peace in Ukraine is the "loss of trust" between Russia and Ukraine.

"The main problem is the loss of trust. No one trusts anyone," Kilic said.

It is noted that Turkey plays a key role as a mediator in the negotiations and maintains good relations with both Kyiv and Moscow, despite its military support for Ukraine. It hosted the talks in 2022 and offered to do so again if asked.

Earlier, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey supports the ceasefire in Ukraine. Source: https://censor.net/en/n3541333

First territorial defense division created in Germany

The German Armed Forces have formed and manned the first territorial defense division.

According to Censor.NET, citing DW, this was stated by Army Commander Alfons Meis

The unit's personnel will number six thousand people.

It will be tasked with protecting critical infrastructure (ports, railway facilities, pipelines, roads, bridges, etc.), as well as facilitating the redeployment of troops and assisting in the event of emergencies and natural disasters. Source: https://censor.net/en/n3541332

Operation of Defence Forces in Kursk region continues. There is no encirclement of our troops - Zelenskyy heard Syrskyi’s report

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy heard a report from Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi.

Zelenskyy said this on Telegram, Censor.NET reports.

According to him, it was about defending positions in Donetsk and other parts of the frontline.

"I am grateful to all Ukrainian troops for their resilience and efficiency in destroying the occupier. The situation in the Pokrovske direction has been stabilised. Separately, regarding the Kursk region. The operation of our forces in certain areas of the Kursk region continues. The units are performing their tasks exactly as required. Thanks to the Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region, a significant number of Russian forces were pulled back from other areas. Our troops continue to hold back the respective groups of Russia and North Korea in the Kursk region. Our troops are not surrounded," he said.

Also, according to the President, we see areas along our eastern border of Ukraine where the Russian army is amassing forces.

"This indicates a desire to strike at our Sumy region. We understand this and will counteract it. I would like all partners to understand what Putin is planning, what he is preparing for, and what he will ignore. The accumulation of Russian forces indicates that Moscow intends to ignore diplomacy in the future. Russia's prolongation of the war is obvious. We are ready to provide our partners with all the real information about the situation at the front, in the Kursk region and along the border," he adds.

As a reminder, the day before, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Kursk operation had achieved its main goal of pulling back a significant part of Russian troops from the Pokrovske and Kharkiv directions. Source: https://censor.net/en/n3541324

[Dargo]

That is not how the Kremlin views this they see Ukraine as a NATO army, and basically they are not wrong, we NATO integrated Ukraine into NATO for years. DELTA, a system developed for, and by, the military, is the largest Ukrainian integration platform and national data lake that operates in the cloud. It is unique in its ability to create situational awareness tools, such as a digital map platform that allows for manual information input or integration with various sensors, trackers, radars, and satellite providers. This enables users to track the location of friendly forces and identify enemy positions.

“DELTA is an ecosystem of different military products. We actually call it ‘Google for military’ because after a single login, you have access to different modules in the system. Google helps to organize your workspace, DELTA helps to organize your ‘war’ space.”~Lieutenant Colonel Yelyzaveta Boiko, Ukrainian Army, Capability Lead for the Centre of Innovations and Defence Technologies Development of the Digital Branch of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence

After the full-scale invasion of Russia into Ukraine, the services that DELTA provided for Ukrainian frontline combatants grew tremendously. The new functionality is based on the feedback from the fields. Thanks to these inputs, DELTAÂ’s developers are able to release new functionality frequently because their primary goal is to provide their fellow service members everything they need to efficiently target the enemy and protect their own lives, as well as the lives of their families. https://www.act.nato.int/article/delta-system-cwix/

What ever happens in the future the Kremlin will not allow any Ukraine to survive this is the Russian thinking for centuries we had this already with the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth vs Russian tzar empire, Ukraine became the country where both wanted control over that will never change if we do not step up.

“Long Neptune” Has Reached Range of 1000 km

Ukraine’s defense industry has increased the range of the Neptune cruise missile. The missile is capable of striking at a distance of 1000 kilometers. This was announced by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi. “Long Neptune” has already been tested and successfully used in combat with precise strikes.

“Today we also had reports on our missile program. We have significant results. A new Ukrainian missile, an accurate strike. The range is a thousand kilometers. I thank our Ukrainian developers, manufacturers and military,” Zelenskyi said. Ukrainian cruise missiles of the Neptune complex have long been used by the Defense Forces to strike important targets. https://mil.in.ua/en/news/long-neptu...nge-of-1000-km

The fire at the refinery in Tuapse, Russia, is still burning because of this missile .

A Serious Blow to Russia

The meeting between US Special Representative Steve Witkoff and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin was not very successful, because immediately after the conversation America resorted to some “methods” to put pressure on the Russian President. This opinion was expressed by diplomat Volodymyr Omelyan on air at “Espreso”.

“US Special Representative Steve Witkoff waited for a conversation with Putin in Moscow for more than 8 hours. He waited for Putin to drink vodka with Lukashenko and then set aside time to talk to him. Then they met. I think that these three-hour negotiations were not very successful. Because by a strange coincidence, a few hours later they forgot to renew the license for Russian banks to trade energy resources. This is a serious blow to the Russian financial system and energy industry. There were also reports that Ukraine will receive long-range guided air bombs. Therefore, if they really wanted to, the US has a very large toolbox to put pressure on the Russian Federation,” the expert emphasized.

According to Omelyan, RussiaÂ’s position is now heavily influenced by China, which continues to supply the country with the necessary equipment to continue the war in Ukraine.

“Putin knows very well that with current oil prices, which are close to the critical level for the Russian Federation, he will be put in a losing situation. Logically, he should have bargained and raised the rates to the sky, and then accepted Trump’s proposal. It is difficult for me to predict how he will act further. In this situation, much still depends on China,” the diplomat added. https://ukrainetoday.org/a-serious-b...epresentative/

[Jimbuna]

March 20, European military leaders to discuss peacekeepers for Ukraine - Starmer

Military leaders from a number of countries are planning to meet in the UK on March 20 to discuss support for Ukraine's future security.

This was announced by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a press conference following an online dialogue with the leaders of the "coalition of the willing," Censor.NET reports citing the League.

According to Starmer, representatives of the countries will develop "practical plans" on how the military can support Ukraine's security in the future.

"We will accelerate military support, increase sanctions on Russia's revenues, and continue to explore all legal avenues to make Russia pay for the damage it has done to Ukraine," he said.

Starmer was asked how effective a peacekeeping force could be if deployed to Ukraine. The prime minister did not give a direct answer, but only noted that this would be discussed at a meeting on March 20.

He said that the UK would "play a leading role" by providing troops and aircraft, while other countries could provide other capabilities. But before that, a peace agreement must be reached.

Starmer also emphasized that any plan for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine requires cooperation with the United States.

"The position on the United States has not changed. I have made it clear that this needs to be done jointly with the United States... We are talking to the United States every day... If we want to achieve a lasting peace, we will have to take security measures," the Prime Minister said.

Earlier it was reported that Starmer would call on allies to make concrete commitments to support Ukraine at the meeting of the "coalition of the willing". Source: https://censor.net/en/n3541342

Zelenskyy appoints members of Ukraine’s negotiating team for peace talks with partners - decree

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has determined the composition of Ukraine's negotiating team for peace talks.

This is stated in the presidential decree No. 14/2025-rp of March 2025, Censor.NET reports.

"To establish a delegation of Ukraine to interact with Ukraine's international partners in order to ensure the negotiation process to achieve a just peace:

YERMAK Andrii Borysovych - Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Head of the delegation;
SYBIGA Andrii Ivanovych - Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, member of the delegation;
UMIEROV Rustem Enverovych - Minister of Defense of Ukraine, member of the delegation;
PALISA Pavlo Serhiiovych - Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, member of the delegation," the order reads.

According to the document, the head of the delegation is allowed to:

make changes to the composition of the delegation of Ukraine in agreement with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine;
to engage, in accordance with the established procedure, employees of state bodies, enterprises, institutions, organizations, scientific advisers and experts to ensure the work of the Ukrainian delegation.
It should be noted that this delegation represented Ukraine in the negotiations with the United States in Saudi Arabia. Source: https://censor.net/en/n3541345

[Jimbuna]

Russia must demonstrate that it is ready to support ceasefire in Ukraine, - von der Leyen

Following a virtual meeting of world leaders organized by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reaffirmed her support for the ceasefire agreement between Ukraine and Russia.

She wrote about this in the social network X, Censor.NET reports.

"We reaffirm our support for Ukraine's ceasefire agreement. It is now up to Russia to demonstrate that it is ready to support a ceasefire that will lead to a just and lasting peace," she emphasized.

Von der Leyen noted that "in the meantime, we will support the strengthening of Ukraine and its armed forces in line with our 'porcupine strategy'.

"Finally, we will intensify Europe's defense efforts under the Rearming Europe program by increasing defense spending," she added.

Von der Leyen also expressed her gratitude to the British Prime Minister "for organizing today's meeting of leaders".

Earlier it was reported about a virtual meeting of world leaders to discuss support for Ukraine on Saturday, March 15, organized by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

For reference.

"The Porcupine Strategy envisages the creation of a powerful defense capability that makes it as difficult and costly as possible for an aggressor to invade. Source: https://censor.net/en/n3541347

Ukraine does not recognize occupied territories as Russian. This is exactly what Russia needs, - Zelenskyy

Ukraine will not agree to recognize the temporarily occupied territories as part of Russia.

This was stated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a briefing today, Censor.NET reports.

He noted that this position is unchanged.

"Our position is that we do not recognize the occupied Ukrainian territories as Russian. In any case. I say this right away, that this is a sensitive issue. I understand that this is exactly what the Russians need. We will strike where Ukrainians are stubborn," the President emphasized.

The Head of State said that during the meeting in Jeddah, the United States had received Ukraine's position on this issue.

He also emphasized the importance of explaining the details of the situation, which are difficult to convey in words.

Zelenskyy said that Ukraine showed a map and explained to its partners why it was impossible for "life in the city to be divided" when one part remained under Ukrainian control and the other under occupation.

"Even if they know about it, they don't know the details. Then people understand how to return life, not just on paper. Therefore, there can be no frozen conflict, no frozen conflict in cities and villages," Zelenskyy added, emphasizing the need to end the war and regain control of all territories.

Earlier, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal said that there were no directives from the President of Ukraine to negotiate territorial concessions. Source: https://censor.net/en/n3541358

[Exocet25fr]

[Jimbuna]

[Exocet25fr]

French LCI media: Kursk is finished for the Ukrainians....?

[mapuc]

Have received conflicting information about the Ukrainian soldiers in Kursk - One report says that tens of thousands are surrounded. While other information says it ain't so-Not true.

I do believe it's not true.

Markus