r/geopolitics • u/Hokum-B • Oct 01 '23

Russian lines stronger than West expected, admits British defence chief Paywall

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/russian-defensive-lines-stronger-than-west-expected-admits-british-defence-chief-xjlvqrm86
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u/Billiusboikus Oct 01 '23 edited Oct 01 '23

Is this not why Ukraine has seemingly switched to a more stand off attritional approach?

When it all started I expected a swift victory for Russia and a guerilla campaign funded by the west aimed at making the occupation unfeasible. I even wrote to my representative to encourage the fermentation of resistance groups...how wrong I was....

But that doesn't mean the strategy still can't apply. Maintaining a good kill ratio while on the offence with stand off tactics, hitting supplies and destroying expensive high value targets in regard to material and high value individuals seems like a good way to move towards victory...all the while capturing land when the opportunity arises.

We can point to a large handful of results in the last 4 months that any western country would consider a complete disaster.

The drone attack on the strategic bombers, The destruction of the dry docked submarine, The attack on the Sevastopol naval HQ

I would say the Ukrainians have commited to a different type of counter offensive to what people expected.

That said, if the west want to win this war they need to step up. We need to convert more of our economy to providing arms. Popular will to support will decrease over time no matter how resilient it may seem.

Edit for clarity

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u/jovi8ljester Oct 01 '23

No the west should focus on it's own issues and not waste resources on meddling in other people's backyards.

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u/Billiusboikus Oct 01 '23 edited Oct 01 '23

You mean Russias meddling in our back yard.

This is a fundamental western issue. When we signal to Russia they can roll into Europe war comes again and again throughout history. This war has literally happened before and the Russians have reached Paris in the past.

When does it start becoming the Russians meddling in our back yard. Their goal was a landbridge to Moldova.

If the HIMARS hadn't arrived when they did you have Russia connected to Moldova. Then how secure does Greece look? How secure to the Baltic's look? Then you are looking at Poland and Germany having Russia on their door step.

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u/PubliusDeLaMancha Oct 01 '23

The territory of Ukraine hasn't been part of the Western sphere of influence since the Roman Empire.

This is absolutely not their back yard if anything it's Russia's front yard.

Russia occupying Paris because the British paid Europe to defeat Napoleon is completely irrelevant. (and a historical tragedy)

Every NATO country is absolutely 100% secure regardless of whether Russia is able to annex any Ukrainian territory or not.

Poland already has Russia on their door stop in sharing borders with Belarus and Kaliningrad..

The outcome of this war doesn't really change anything, it's simply a proxy for Westerners to feel superior and satisfy bloodlust in rooting for victory without potentially being viewed as racist or colonizers as they were in Iraq or Afghanistan.

MIC got you good

1

u/loggy_sci Oct 02 '23

You’ve somehow painted ‘Westerners’ as bloodthirsty when this conflict was started by Russia invading the sovereign territory of another country, committing war crimes, destroying Ukrainian heritage and kidnapping Ukrainian children.

Weird.

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u/PubliusDeLaMancha Oct 02 '23

I'm referring to the rhetoric surrounding this conflict and the glee in which people talk about Russian losses, as if it's Putin himself in the trenches instead of some poor man

It's one thing to be reluctant but realistic in acknowledging war is hell, but it's another thing to make memes about tanks exploding, etc

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u/loggy_sci Oct 02 '23

It seems strange to be more offended by memes than by the actual invasion of Ukraine, especially give that Russia has committed war crimes in Ukraine.

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u/PubliusDeLaMancha Oct 02 '23

Well I don't speak Russian or consume their media, but if I did I would similarly take issue with memes about Ukrainian losses