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"Contrary to what many analysts, journalists and politicians are saying, Ukraine can still defeat the Russian army and drive it out of their country — not just “hold out for an indefinite period,” as retired U.S. Navy Admiral James Stavridis put it in March. But victory will not come from the close fight alone. Ukraine simply does not have the manpower or weapons necessary to dislodge Russian defenders from their fighting positions in a direct fire engagement.
Linear thinking will only result in needless loss of life, playing right into Russian President Vladimir Putin’s desire for a war of attrition. To defeat Russia, Ukraine must first secure its skies, then win the deep fight, interdict Russia’s supply lines and isolate Russian forces in Ukraine from their lifeline. The last 100 days should have demonstrated to Team Trump that playing along with Russian negotiators’ games will not bring about an end to the war. Kremlin cease-fire talk is just deliberate misdirection. Putin’s conditions have not changed — he is simply buying time. Unlike the U.S. and NATO, Russia already has a clear end state in mind: “Russia will accept nothing less than total victory over Ukraine.” But as retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg has stated, “Russia’s not winning this war. Russia has not made any major advances in the last year and a half.”
So, how exactly does Ukraine defeat Russia? Isolate and destroy Russian ground forces in Ukraine by attacking their ability to sustain their army and their ability to wage war. This will create siege warfare-like conditions for Russian ground forces in the close fight. They will be left eventually to wither on the vine, vulnerable to defeat by a decisive combined arms offensive. ...This would involve three phases. First comes the destruction of Russia’s deep strike capability. A no-fly zone over Ukraine would protect civilians being targeted by Russian ballistic missiles and drones. European countries have already put forth an initiative called Sky Shield, the deployment of 120 fighter jets as part of a European air force to protect Kyiv and western Ukraine. Ukraine would also need the air defense systems and munitions to create an integrated, layered air defense belt like the one Israel employed to defeat the Iranian attacks in April and October 2024. ...Phase two starts with turning back on the flow of weapons, munitions and intelligence to Ukraine, reactivating the logistical throughput of military aid from the Rzeszów-Jasionka airport in Poland is mission critical. ...Phase three is the decisive push of Russian forces out of Ukraine. Once the conditions have been set, a combined arms offensive including close air support can be launched, driving Russian forces from the occupied territories just when Russia is at its weakest."
Link
If we want peace, we'll have to fight for it.
Linear thinking will only result in needless loss of life, playing right into Russian President Vladimir Putin’s desire for a war of attrition. To defeat Russia, Ukraine must first secure its skies, then win the deep fight, interdict Russia’s supply lines and isolate Russian forces in Ukraine from their lifeline. The last 100 days should have demonstrated to Team Trump that playing along with Russian negotiators’ games will not bring about an end to the war. Kremlin cease-fire talk is just deliberate misdirection. Putin’s conditions have not changed — he is simply buying time. Unlike the U.S. and NATO, Russia already has a clear end state in mind: “Russia will accept nothing less than total victory over Ukraine.” But as retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg has stated, “Russia’s not winning this war. Russia has not made any major advances in the last year and a half.”
So, how exactly does Ukraine defeat Russia? Isolate and destroy Russian ground forces in Ukraine by attacking their ability to sustain their army and their ability to wage war. This will create siege warfare-like conditions for Russian ground forces in the close fight. They will be left eventually to wither on the vine, vulnerable to defeat by a decisive combined arms offensive. ...This would involve three phases. First comes the destruction of Russia’s deep strike capability. A no-fly zone over Ukraine would protect civilians being targeted by Russian ballistic missiles and drones. European countries have already put forth an initiative called Sky Shield, the deployment of 120 fighter jets as part of a European air force to protect Kyiv and western Ukraine. Ukraine would also need the air defense systems and munitions to create an integrated, layered air defense belt like the one Israel employed to defeat the Iranian attacks in April and October 2024. ...Phase two starts with turning back on the flow of weapons, munitions and intelligence to Ukraine, reactivating the logistical throughput of military aid from the Rzeszów-Jasionka airport in Poland is mission critical. ...Phase three is the decisive push of Russian forces out of Ukraine. Once the conditions have been set, a combined arms offensive including close air support can be launched, driving Russian forces from the occupied territories just when Russia is at its weakest."
Link
If we want peace, we'll have to fight for it.