It would be a de facto ceasefire as Putin clearly would want to go back in for more. Agree to a peace deal to seize some land, recover the economy and military and invade again when ready.
That would have been a risk of any ceasefire ever signed. The West would insist on a variety of conditions that would make another invasion a no go.
Like in 2014?
What about 2014?
You seem oblivious to the fact that a full scale invasion, part of which entered through Crimea, happened 8 years after the territory was effectively ceded.
You don’t see this as a sign of weakness from Putin by his own “tough” man standards? It’s certainly a changer in his position.
No, not really.
Not sure how you see it that way. He’s clearly trying to appease a growing more daring vocal opposition in Russia. He can only put so many in prison for “extremism”. He’s losing his own support in Russia both on the street and from within his circle.
This took 5 seconds to find - Senate panel backs assessment that Russia interfered in 2016
Not sure what else you expected them to say!
Happy birthday for tomorrow mate
It sounds like Russia had to throw everything at it to achieve it though for a minimal gain. The town is a destroyed ghost town. The Russians were desperate to get it back because it has a key road for resupplying its front lines. Although in the last few weeks Ukraine seems to have gained control of the air in the last few weeks through its use of western hardware including surface to air missiles and aircraft, attacked a ship docked in Crimea last night unopposed. This road they were desperate to take control of could end up being shooting fish in a barrel for Ukraine and not the victory some think it is for Russian. Also Ukraine is still holding on to its bridgehead east of the Dnipro River, Russian sent its newly organised 104th air assault division there at the beginning of the month who were supposed to be an elite new force who were going to take the bridgehead back with ease, only to get wiped out. If you look more closely at the backdrop to Russias “victory” in Marinka it’s probably a hollow victory and even then unless they can make use of the road to any great degree taking a decollate ghost town is unlikely to be a victory at all. Time will tell.
Just like the counteroffensive then.
Not sure what point you’re trying to make there. Russia has been trying to take this town since 2014 for one road, they’ve taken it (allegedly, Ukraine now reporting it’s still fighting there) a mere 9 years later with great losses in terms of hardware and personnel while taking heavy losses elsewhere in an attempt to regain a bridgehead that Ukraine has taken east of the Dnipro. In the big scheme of things this is hardly a victory and still might not be if they can’t make use of the road due to Ukraines air power. I think you’ve put the bunting out a little early on this one. Let’s see what its ultimate strategic value is first.
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