We start todays review by saying something that the Pentagon people have figured out…
The Russian Army isn’t all that…
We are now in the 5th day of the effort by the Russians to take two cities they ‘thought’ they could just roll over….
That has NOT happened….
150,000 troops ?
Don’t matter….
(Those troops come from ALL over Russia and are mostly conscripts, NOT professional soldiers)
We have heard whisperings of Russian troop’s surrendering….
We have heard whisperings of Russian armoured vehicles turning round and retreating from engagements …
We see pictures of burned out tanks and armoured personal carriers, which Russian soldier’s KNOW now do NOT provide them with safety….
We have seen the effectiveness of Ukraine military use of anti-tank weapons .against those vehicles….
We do NOT see the use of air power in this effort…
We have to believe that the Russian’s think their enemy has the ability to shoot down helo’s or fighter jets?
The Russian military has been reduced to shooting rockets into urban area’s…
There was word that the Russian’s might try to get more troops from Belarus to join their efforts against the Ukraine…
The Russian effort against the Ukraine has been successful in the South of the Ukraine…
But up in the North and East of the country?
Things HAVE stalled…
Putin’s dream is in serious doubt as ‘cease fire’ talks have begun…
And his troops are bogged down mostly….
The Ukraine people are hanging in there and they ain’t about to quit…..
Ukrainian troops slowed Russia’s advance on key cities, at least for now, while a Ukrainian delegation arrived at the border with Belarus on Monday for talks with Russian officials, though prospects looked uncertain at best.
European Union defense ministers were also to meet, to discuss how to get weaponry they have pledged into Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Western sanctions triggered by the invasion sent the ruble plummeting, leading Russians to line up at banks and ATMs.
The Russian military assault on Ukraine went into its fifth day after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his nuclear forces put on increased alert, ratcheting up tensions yet further.
WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE GROUND?
Kyiv’s outgunned but determined troops slowed Russia’s advance and held onto the capital and other key cities — at least for the time being….
…
HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE FLED?
The head of the United Nations refugee agency said that more than 500,000 people had fled Ukraine for neighboring countries since Russia’s invasion started on Thursday.
The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, gave the updated figure in a tweet. A day earlier, he had said that 368,000 people had crossed into Poland, Hungary, Romania, Moldova and other countries.
Shabia Mantoo, a UNHCR spokeswoman, said the latest and still growing count had 281,000 in Poland, more than 84,500 in Hungary, about 36,400 in Moldova, over 32,500 in Romania and about 30,000 in Slovakia.
At times, it was hard to keep up with all the announcements of new anti-Kremlin moves that landed in recent days, the sum of which was arguably historic in size and scope. Even some private companies and international sports organizations took steps to punish Russia. Countries friendly or neutral toward Moscow, meanwhile, largely stayed silent or are offering to help mediate an end to his latest attack on Ukraine. And Putin’s hints that he might be willing to take the nuclear route didn’t prompt any sudden kowtowing from his detractors.
The Russian economy immediately felt the impact, with the country’s currency, the ruble, crashing as Russians rushed to get cash and the country’s stock market was kept shut. U.S. officials on Monday, meanwhile, laid out new details of sanctions imposed on Russia’s financial institutions, including its central bank, finance ministry, National Wealth Fund and Direct Investment Fund. The sanctions will make it much harder for the Russian government to access and move around many of its assets….
…
No one claims that victory is near: Putin is stubborn, and he has few, if any, checks on his power in Russia. His troops have been instructed to capture Kyiv and oust the government of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Russian forces still have the upper hand over Ukraine’s troops, despite years of funding and support for the latter from Washington, and neither the United States nor its NATO allies are willing to send their troops to directly fight Russia. Ukraine’s leaders, meanwhile, are calling for more international help….
…
As the fury over Russia’s Ukraine invasion has grown in recent days, countries not in the European Union or even in Europe joined the punishment campaign….
A Ukrainian sailor sunk his Russian boss’ $7.7 million luxury superyacht in Spain before accusing him of selling weapons to Vladimir Putin.
The yacht, named the Lady Anastasia, is owned by businessman Alexander Mijeev….
More…
Trump vs Reality…
Sam Stein
@samstein
Trump, who discussed pulling the US from NATO takes credit for NATO’s existence in a new statement. Trump, who threatened to withhold weapons funding from Ukraine to get dirt on Biden, takes credit for Ukrainian weapons in same statement.
…
Jennifer Hayden
@Scout_Finch
Replying to
@samstein
Let us never forget the one and only change his team asked the RNC to make to their official party platform in 2016 was to remove the pledge of military support for Ukraine.
As Putin is getting bogged down mark Trump’s comments calling him “smart” as another of both men’s miscalculations
He, he, he…..INDEED!
I wonder how the Russian on the street feels about this and their money squeeze?