"All of Vlad's forces and all of Vlad's men, are out to put Humpty together again." (4 Viewers)

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I hope Zelenskyy is successful. But to much of the world, Ukraine already ceded Crimea in 2014 by quitting the place without a fight, followed by the AFU standing down ever since.
The Ukraine military was not up to the task of challenging Russia at the time.

To add to that, Ukraine did not have the manpower stationed in Crimea to refuse Russia, though they did slow Russia's takeover in the Donbas region.

The Crimean region is still legally Ukrainian proper.
 
Wine-Os used to pour anti-freeze through a loaf of bread when they ran out of Thunderbird and Ripple.
 
Ukraine did not have the manpower stationed in Crimea to refuse Russia.
Ukraine had a ton of forces in Crimea when Russia invaded. It's just that most of them switched allegiances when the Russians arrived. The very few who remained loyal to Ukraine, mostly a few police, fled.

I agree, Crimea is legally part of Ukraine, and should be returned. I'm just not wholly confident that the West would continue to militarily support Ukraine on that one part, should Russia otherwise leave the Donbas, Luhansk and Kherson oblasts.
 
Wine-Os used to pour anti-freeze through a loaf of bread when they ran out of Thunderbird and Ripple.
Morris had cars with hydraulic suspension. A lot of people had the misfortune to go out at night, return to their car and see it
almost on the ground as the fluid had alcohol and had been drained. Same reason brake fluid had to be changed to smell like dead ants.
 
I hope Zelenskyy is successful. But to much of the world, Ukraine already ceded Crimea in 2014 by quitting the place without a fight, followed by the AFU standing down ever since.

I think a fair amount of the world recognises that Crimea was virtually handed to Russia by a friend of Putin and a lot of chicken troops so will lean more towards total Russian withdrawal. Part of the decision will be that it weakens Russia far more if they lose Crimea and a weak Russia will not pose any problems for much longer than one that feels it won Crimea so it is worth another bite at the cherry
 
From a BBC article
Separately, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head Rafael Grossi tweeted that the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant had lost external power for the second time in five days and back-up diesel generators had been started up.
"This repeated loss of #ZNPP's off-site power is a deeply worrying development and it underlines the urgent need for a nuclear safety & security protection zone around the site," he added.
Also Ukrainian nuclear agency Enerhoatom said in a post on Telegram that the Russian authorities at the plant, the largest in Europe, were not allowing it to deliver fresh supplies of diesel fuel.

What will the world response be if there is an "unfortunate accident "at the facility ?
 
Part of the decision will be that it weakens Russia far more if they lose Crimea and a weak Russia will not pose any problems for much longer than one that feels it won Crimea so it is worth another bite at the cherry
A good point. It makes Europe a safer place for all.


Though I expect a weak Russia will invite incursions from China in the 2030s. Especially if China is denied Taiwan and needs an expansionist adventure to distract its disgruntled population. So we may all be coming to Russia's aid before 2040.


 
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When this war is over the wife and I are visiting Ukraine. She no longer speaks the language of her grandparents, but we're both wanting to support the place.

That said, I am surprised this tourism site is still offering tours now.


If that's fully booked, there are other options for war torn places....

 
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In terms of numbers, there was parity, probably. The official number of Russian forces was under 10,000 vs about 21,000 of Ukraine, but an unspecified number of Russian marines, VDV, and GRU was delivered several days before the seizure of Parliament in Simferopol and there was a huge influx of "civilians" via the Kerch Strait.
Roughly 70% of the Ukrainian military deserted and half of them switched sides. The desertion ratio in police and security service was over 90%.
 
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Further on that.
 
5,000 dead Belarusians returned from Ukraine, followed by their furious families marching on Minsk should be sufficient to show Lukashenko the error of his ways.

Ukraine has one million reserves and over 300k active troops, all well armed, led and motivated. The AFU can hold the north whilst continuing its offensives in the south and east.
 

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