Live Conflict Ukraine-Russia War

[Bojan]

Before being attacked there was always the chance that Russia would choose to attack Ukraine. Now Russia has demonstrated that risk was very grave by attacking Ukraine, I would say that Ukraine's only chance of future security is to be part of some mutual military alliance. In negotiations to end the war Ukraine cannot agree to anything less than joining NATO in my opinion.

True, but that means Russia will fight to the end. Russians still dream of an empire, and without Ukraine they will never have an empire.

 

[TheInsider]

Here is the problem
As far as my info goes, kursk is a flat area and difficult to defend
Therefore, if Ukraine did do your theory, then I expect them to lose kursk back to the Russian forces within 2 months albeit with a bit more casualities on the Russian side

When it comes to such a point; I would start wondering, what was the point of the kursk operation if they were set to lose it again to the Russians in the first place.... and keep in mind that whatever Russia gains in Donbass would be extremely difficult for Ukraine to retake back

The only solution for Ukraine in the kursk frontline is to go deeper and deeper until Putin capitulates which is never gonna happen. Consequently, the kursk operation was a failure

@TheInsider
Why do you think so? In Kursk oblast Ukraine still wages war of maneuver with prospect of gaining all territory south of Seym river, now that the bridges over that river are destroyed and Kursk can no longer be transport hub for Russians on Kharkiv direction. In Donbass or Kherson direction these, some of the best Ukrainian troops would be engaged in positional warfare against superior Russian artillery, gaining nothing. It's wrong in the war to hold territory that offers no tactical advantage, so Ukrainians made a good move.

Just look at river Seym that passes through Kursk, no bridges equals harder logistics for Russians on Kharkiv direction https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seym_(river)#/map/0

Russians mostly left the west of the Seym River. When I say Ukraine should fortify the west of the river I'm talking about capturing rest of the area and ceasing operations east of the river Ukraine also shouldn't move deeper than 30-40km as this will stretch the logistics thin. It will be harder and harder to provide logistics and fire support for friendly troops.

Kursk might be a flat area but most of the Ukraine and Russia are. Donbas is also flat. There are villages, towns, and woods/forests that can be fortified. Seym River is a natural obstacle. 10 brigades are barely enough for an offensive but you can defend with half of that in a well fortified position. Ukraine already took enough to be a bargaining chip what is the end game? Sieging Kursk? The main target should be the Glushkovsky district that lies between the Ukranian border and west of the Seym River and if possible Korenevo.

Russians took half of the Novohrodivka at the Donbass front and it is not looking good. Russians make steady gains everyday. Strategic Pokrovsk town will be the next target.

 

[FiReFTW]

Russia is about 146 million people and Ukraine about 47 million but that doesn't matter because armies are always much smaller, and you can't send draftees and policemen to fight in the frontlies. Armies fight, not the whole population. Also, Russian objective is not only Donbass region but destroying Ukraine as a nation and putting in Kyiv Russian marionette regime. This Kursk incursion proved that Russians are already stretched thin with vast borders with no defense, because they had no even two brigades to spare for the defense of Kursk oblast, that they are ineffective in strategic and operational level because they allowed Donbass offensive to degrade to positional trench warfare, and had shown very little of modern (WWII era and newer) warfare. Meanwhile Ukrainians will use river Seym as natural defensive line if the situation worsens. Also, Russians progress in Donbass region which proclaimed secession on Ukraine in favor of Russia where population is friendly to them while Ukraine in Kursk region does not and look at the gains of both sides since August 6th.

lol, Ukraine had a population of around 40 million BEFORE the war, now there are around 12-15 million people who have fleed the country or are missing and displaced + all the casualties of the war so far.

There might be 25-28 million actual people in Ukraine as of now, 50% of which are women, and from the other 50% which is around 12-14 million a huge chunk of them are bellow 18 or over 55-60

Realistically Ukraine has maybe 3-4 million men of fighting age

Russia's population was 143 million not 146 million before the war with Ukraine, lets count around 250-300.000 casualties so far (im taking US numbers don't give me those BS Ukranian propaganda numbers lol), so we are left with 142.7 million people.

Discounting women and people bellow 18 or over 55-60 we are left with

around 25-28 million men of fighting age


Summary

Ukraine 3-4 million men of fighting age
Russia 25-28 million men of fighting age

Its not even close, if Ukraine will be stubborn enough and grind this war long enough, they will pretty much be doomed, and their future also