Russia Ukraine Update Thread - part 3

originally posted by: Dolby_X
a reply to: Arbitrageur

Even before this war unemployment was around 4.8% across Russia .

I think that's about what the video I posted said, and it also pointed out that inflation was not a problem with that unemployment level.

Now I think it said unemployment is about half that, maybe 2.4% IIRC, which is way too low for a country struggling to get inflation under control, and inflation is way too high in Russia. That's why they have 18% interest rates trying to reduce inflation.

Can you imagine trying to borrow money at 18% to build an apartment complex? Or anything else? The rents would have to be sky-high to pay back all that interest. And from what I've read, they are getting there, relative to Russian's average purchasing power at least.

Russians are deciding whether or not to raise interest rates even higher in September. This article says they may or may not raise rates above 18%, depending on the data, but it also says target inflation is 4% and it's currently running over 9%. It also mentions a risk of inflation rising to 13 to 15% next year in 2025, so if they do raise interest rates again in September, that's what they are trying to prevent.

30 August Update

Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian and Russian forces made marginal gains in Kursk Oblast on August 30.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk as Ukrainian Air Force Commander on August 30.

Russian forces recently advanced near Svatove, Pokrovsk, and Donetsk City.

French outlet Le Monde reported on August 30 that about 100 mercenaries from the Russian "Bear Brigade" private military company departed Burkina Faso to join Russian forces fighting in Kursk Oblast.

More at URL above.

Cheers

a reply to: F2d5thCavv2
It took three weeks, but hopefully the next update will show that Russia is finally re-deploying forces from the Pokrovsk direction to help in Kursk. Maybe Putin is finally realizing that he can't keep ignoring Ukraine's counterattack on Kursk, or only sending second and third tier military units there, if he wants to stay in power.

Meanwhile, in Sudzha, Ukraine was able to take the town with only limited damage to government buildings, so most buildings were left standing after Ukraine's occupation and were only in need of limited repairs. But someone here said once the FSB took charge of fighting the "terrorist" Ukraine activities, they would apply the typical Russian "scorched earth" tactics, which was a good prediction, because it appears the Russians are now destroying their own city of Sudzha, as discussed here (which still has 500 or so civilians left who didn't get evacuated with the other 4500 or so):

RUSSIA STRIKES SUDZHA: SELF-DESTRUCTION ACTIVATED Vlog 792: War in Ukraine

Russian troops are “wiping" the Ukrainian-captured town of Sudzha in russia's Kursk Oblast "off the face of the earth", Oleksandr Pavliuk, commander of Ukraine's Ground Forces, said on Aug. 31. Russia is regularly shelling Sudzha and attacking it with guided aerial bombs and kamikaze drones, according to Pavliuk.

6:14
now Russia has like a couple of hundred thousand uh internal refugees. Already, this is very difficult for any country, and these people know it's very likely they won't have an opportunity to return back. Ukrainian refugees dream about this possibility in future, and Russians know Russia itself will destroy their homes, their kindergartens, their lives. Many of them remain very isolated, and are not allowed to travel freely across Russia.

The reason the 200,000 or whatever Russian refugees are isolated, is so they won't spread tales of the Russian defeat in Kursk, which will make Putin look weak, and of course Putin can't have that. But Putin is giving the refugees each the equivalent of $112 US, so will this help them solve the destruction of their lives and the fact they are now homeless and jobless? Or is the $112 not enough to solve all their problems, and there will be unrest? A lot of the refugees won't even get the $112, if they weren't on the official evacuation list and they just evacuated voluntarily to avoid the war zone.

Ukrainians are giving humanitarian aid to the ~500 Russian civilians in Sudzha, like food and water and trying to help them find shelter against the Russian bombing, but probably the Russians will end up killing some of their own civilians as they continue to destroy the town, and it appears Russia doesn't care about their own civilians, any more than they care about Ukraine civilians.

a reply to: gortex

A picture paints a thousand words.

31 August Update

Ukrainian forces continued to conduct assaults in Kursk Oblast on August 31, but there were no confirmed or claimed Ukrainian advances.

Russian forces recently advanced near Chasiv Yar, Pokrovsk, and Donetsk City.

More at URL above.

Cheers

Russia has made sweeping advances in recent days that threaten to outweigh the gains made by Ukraine in its cross-border attack into the Kursk region.

Russian forces are just a few kilometres from the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, a crucial logistics hub used by the Ukrainian military.

Home to a key railway station and major roads, Pokrovsk is an essential supply and reinforcement point for Ukraine’s troops on the eastern front line.

Critics in Kyiv fear that the country's military has made a serious miscalculation.

By sending troops into Kursk instead of reinforcing the eastern frontline, the military has left Pokrovsk and other important Ukrainian towns exposed, these critics say.

On a visit to the front line, Ukraine's armed forces chief Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi said Russia was throwing “everything that can move” into its assault.

“The situation is extremely difficult,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky conceded on Wednesday.

“If we lose Pokrovsk,” military expert Mykhaylo Zhyrokhov warned, “the entire front line will crumble."

www.bbc.com...

Ukraine seemed to have halted a Russian attempt at rescuing some of its troops trapped in the Kursk region.

www.express.co.uk... aign=embedded_search_item_desktop

Disaster for Putin's army as Ukraine destroys military column trying to rescue 3k troops

A Russian military column was wiped out in a devastating drone attack in the Kursk region, leaving many dead.

The convoy was transporting equipment to help build pontoon bridges across the river Seym, where up to 3,000 Russian troops are believed to be cut off and facing encirclement.

Ukraine has taken out three main bridges over the river in the last week or so, as it presses home its attack on Russian territory.

In a desperate bid to evacuate troops to the other side of the river, Russian engineers have scrambled to build pontoon crossings.

"Evacuation efforts are currently accelerating in eastern Ukraine’s Pokrovsk as the Russian military draws closer. Residents are fleeing amid fears their hometown will soon become the latest in a growing list of Ukrainian cities reduced to rubble by Putin’s invading army.

Pokrovsk has long been an important Russian objective. Located on a crucial road connecting eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk province with neighboring Dnipro region, the city serves as a key logistical hub for the Ukrainian military. Russian troops have been steadily moving toward Pokrovsk for some months as Vladimir Putin seeks to consolidate his grip on the surrounding area. If the strategically important city falls, it will undermine Ukraine’s defenses while potentially serving as a gateway for further Russian gains.

Ukraine’s leaders are well aware of the stakes but have so far been unable to stop the Russian offensive. There has been considerable speculation that the recent Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk region was primarily intended to ease the pressure on Pokrovsk by forcing the Kremlin to redeploy forces. If this was the plan, it has not yet succeeded. Instead, the Russian army appears to be concentrating more troops for the push toward Pokrovsk, and is advancing with increasing speed." www.atlanticcouncil.org... * All I do is balance things up with the pro Zelensky fan club. Not my war.............. No religious, economic, ethnic, historic, links to this far eastern region with my nation Great Britain whatsoever.

a reply to: Kurokage

Does seem that this was the reason for the Kursk incursion and it sounds like it might be working.

a reply to: ufoorbhunter

* All I do is balance things up with the pro Zelensky fan club. Not my war.............. No religious, economic, ethnic, historic, links to this far eastern region with my nation Great Britain whatsoever.

You may think that with the "it's not my war" and "pro Zelensky fan club" comments but what about the crazy dictator invading a sovereign nation, didn't we British twice stand up to European scum trying to invade and unjustly rule and occupy Europe?

Zelensky facing furious public backlash as Russia poised for major military breakthrough

Volodymyr Zelensky is facing a furious public backlash after Russian troops breached Ukrainian defences in the east to move within striking distance of Pokrovsk.

Pokrovsk is a vital transport hub - one of two key rail and road junctions in the Donetsk region - and now stands at the mercy of Vladimir Putin's troops, who have advanced to within five miles of the city.

The situation is the east of Ukraine is becoming increasingly desperate for Kyiv, as Putin's army advances towards Pokrovsk.

Ukraine deployed thousands of some of its most experienced troops to take part in the Kursk incursion earlier in August.

Many analysts warned at the time that this could seriously compromise Ukraine's defence of its eastern front, where troops have been outgunned and outnumbered by their enemy.

www.express.co.uk...

a reply to: Imhere

www.express.co.uk...

Vladimir Putin 'ignoring' major issue as Ukraine and Russia fighting 'two different wars'.
“The Russian Donbas campaign, along with the air and missile attacks against Ukrainian infrastructure, is a political signal from Putin that he is far more committed to hurting Ukraine and its citizens, and achieving his strategic goal of destroying Ukrainian sovereignty, than he is in defending his own people and protecting Russia’s sovereignty.”

a reply to: Kurokage

Over a $billion worth of missiles etc spent in one day to murder about five Ukrainians.

That is not only unsustainable, it is spiteful terrorism, pure and simple.

Putins ego will soon be writing cheques that he can't cash.

The inter Slav mafia war in eastern Europe is non of our business whatsoever. No historic, linguistic, religious, political, ethnic, economic, religious links with the land currently known as Ukraine whatsoever. Our politicians and MIC need to stop getting us involved in foreign adventures and getting involved in the affairs of arabs and slavs and causing the deaths of millions when it's non of our business. We live in a country the UK literally coming apart at the seams yet there seems an endless supply of dosh is available for foreign neo colonial adventures to please the City and foreign 'friends.' Let the slavs and likewise arabs sort things out for themselves. No more meddling in their affairs. Putin was always going to bite back at some point. I'm amazed it took until 2014. Ukraine is part of Russia's domain, it's one and the same, it is like us and the Scots and Welsh. Part of the same, something we the Anglo Saxon nations need to steer clear of and get on with sorting out our own nation.

originally posted by: Kurokage
a reply to: ufoorbhunter

* All I do is balance things up with the pro Zelensky fan club. Not my war.............. No religious, economic, ethnic, historic, links to this far eastern region with my nation Great Britain whatsoever.

You may think that with the "it's not my war" and "pro Zelensky fan club" comments but what about the crazy dictator invading a sovereign nation, didn't we British twice stand up to European scum trying to invade and unjustly rule and occupy Europe?

a reply to: ufoorbhunter

The inter Slav mafia war in eastern Europe is non of our business whatsoever.

And if Russia had just walked over Ukraine, do you really think Putin would have stopped there? You're kiding yourself if you believe that.

originally posted by: Kurokage
a reply to: ufoorbhunter

The inter Slav mafia war in eastern Europe is non of our business whatsoever.

And if Russia had just walked over Ukraine, do you really think Putin would have stopped there? You're kiding yourself if you believe that.

Thought Russia is a paper tiger using shovels to dig their way across feverishly contested frontlines? Now, it’s back to fear about Russia taking over Europe lmao

Which is it?


The mental gymnastics here is hilarious lol

a reply to: Imhere

You missed the "if" part.

If the West had not helped Ukraine and had stood by, then Putin would indeed not have stopped.

Point being, the West did not do nothing.

Obviously?

originally posted by: Kurokage
a reply to: ufoorbhunter

The inter Slav mafia war in eastern Europe is non of our business whatsoever.

And if Russia had just walked over Ukraine, do you really think Putin would have stopped there? You're kiding yourself if you believe that.

Putin might well go on to take more ex Soviet states under his rule. I have no idea. I doubt he'll go for the Baltics, the people are different. When it comes to Moldavia and georgia then yes he might go for it. Do I give a sh*t about it? Nope. Will Russian rule over those provinces make any difference to my life? No. Do I give a monkey's? Nope. Why? Because it's non of my business. So what if Russia takes Ukraine. Again, this inter Slav mafia war is non of our business whatsoever. Our insane neo colonial politicians need to keep their snouts out of this one. Let the Slavics sort things out for themselves. Just like let the arabs do the same. I never gave a monkey's for invading Iraq, same for Afghanistan. Same for backing the inter arab civil war in arabia / Yemen. Same for encircling the Persians with bases. Same with encircling China with bases. Same for neo colonial activity in africa and asia. It's non of our business whatsoever. What total nonsense taking part of my wages as taxation and using it to manufacture weaponry to place on ships and exprt to war zones to kill arabs, slavs. If they want to kill each other let them. It's their own locality. NOT OURS!

originally posted by: Oldcarpy2
Putins ego will soon be writing cheques that he can't cash.

If Putin's arrested tomorrow, he may find it difficult to cash checks in jail.

But many are concerned that Mongolia may not fulfill their obligation to arrest Putin on his ICC international arrest warrant for war crimes, when he visits there tomorrow.

Putin to visit Mongolia despite ICC arrest warrant

Putin will travel to Mongolia on Sept. 3, according to the Kremlin. Mongolia's foreign ministry announced the visit on its website, saying the Putin will meet with the country's prime minister and the speaker of the parliament.

It will be Putin's first trip to an ICC member country since the court issued the arrest warrant for the Russian president last year over the forced transfer of children to Russia after Moscow’s all-out invasion of Ukraine. Under the Rome Statute governing the court, member countries are obliged to act on ICC arrest warrants if the subject is on their territory.