Ukraine counter offensive

[Odds]

The drone attacks early on Monday targeted critical infrastructure in Kyiv and the surrounding region, according to Ukrainian officials, and have wounded at least one person; according to AlJazeera.com. “It is loud in the region and in the capital: night drone attacks,” said Oleksiy Kuleba, the governor of the Kyiv region. “Russians launched several waves of [Iranian-made] Shahed drones. Targeting critical infrastructure facilities,” he wrote on the Telegram messaging application.
The attacks followed a barrage of Russian missiles and drones that hit Kyiv and other cities on New Year’s Eve and early on New Year’s Day. At least three people were killed in the attacks in Kyiv and other cities on Saturday, while another person died in an attack in the southern region of Zaporizhia. By 3am local time on Monday (01:00 GMT), Ukraine’s air defence systems destroyed 20 air objects above Kyiv, the city’s military administration said. Air raid sirens had been wailing by that time for more than four hours.

In his New Year’s address, Putin signalled no let-up in his assault on Ukraine.

“The main thing is the fate of Russia,” he said in a stern speech to a group dressed in military uniform, instead of the event’s normal backdrop of the Kremlin walls. “Defence of the fatherland is our sacred duty to our ancestors and descendants. Moral, historical righteousness is on our side.”

 

[JohnD]

He said "Fatherland?"

Unusual for a Russian.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Remarkable, if true.

"Russia launched 45 Iranian-made drones mostly targeting the capital Kyiv overnight, all of which were shot down by Ukraine’s air defences, with no reported casualties."

FT.com

Practice makes perfect.

 

[transam]

Reports state that the Ukranians launched a massive ?? Missile strike on Russian barracks 400 dead 100s wounded

Seems that the Russians were actually housing conscripts ? In the same building
Being used as an ammo store ???

 

[ajohn]

School converted to barracks. Numbers not clear.

 

[transam]

Well the Russians state that 63 were killed

So we can safely conclude that the casualty figure is higher than 63

 

[ajohn]

I only look at that now and again to see if there has been any real changes.

 

[Vinty]

Interesting analysis of the cause of the Ukraine war.

 

[JohnD]

Interesting analysis

Interesting opinion that a nation does not have the right to self-determination.

 

[bernardgreen]

Interesting opinion that a nation does not have the right to self-determination.

More than just an opinion, it was Russian / Soviet policy. A policy that Putin is re-instating.

The Soviet Union orders an entire armored division of its troops into East Berlin to crush a rebellion by East German workers and antigovernment protesters. The Soviet assault set a precedent for later interventions into Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968.

On August 20, 1968, the Soviet Union led Warsaw Pact troops in an invasion of Czechoslovakia to crack down on reformist trends in Prague

A spontaneous national uprising that began 12 days before in Hungary is viciously crushed by Soviet tanks and troops on November 4, 1956.

source https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/soviets-crush-antigovernment-riots-in-east-berlin

 

[Vinty]

Interesting opinion that a nation does not have the right to self-determination.

If a small nation presents an existential threat to the survival of a larger nation, then the small nation doesn't have that right.
Those are the rules the major powers play by.
America and the Europeans only support Ukraine because it weakens Russia as a major power.
That is why the EU and America invested so much time and money in overthrowing the democratically elected government of Ukraine.

 

[JohnD]

More than just an opinion, it was Russian / Soviet policy. A policy that Putin is re-instating.

But Vinty's opinion.

No doubt he feels the same about Putin's predecessor invading Poland in 1939.

 

[IT Minion]

Existential threat? Apparently the North European plain is the existential threat. Interestingly Ukraine isn't part of the Northern European plain by most definitions. Poland and Germany are though. Perhaps this is why Poland especially sees Russia's invasion to be an existential threat, as does Moldova.


Also I don't believe he's right on several points, the US didn't station troops in Poland. They do now since Russia invaded.

 

[JohnD]

overthrowing the democratically elected government of Ukraine.

Another lie thrown in by Vinty who favours a puppet government installed by the Kremlin.

 

[IT Minion]

Another lie thrown in by Vinty who favours a puppet government installed by the Kremlin.

Who are trying to overthrow the democratically elected government of Ukraine. With tanks and cruise missiles.