NYT: Ukraine's top commander says war has hit a 'stalemate'.

[Tomconroy]

Last edited Thu Nov 2, 2023, 10:09 PM - Edit history (2)

Ukraine’s Top Commander Says War Has Hit a ‘Stalemate’ https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/02/world/europe/ukraine-zaluzhny-war.html?unlocked_article_code=1.7Uw.YcjA.7UZZDngHTqoI&smid=nytcore-android-share
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"Ukraine’s top commander has acknowledged that his forces are locked in a “stalemate” with Russia along a front line that has barely shifted despite months of fierce fighting, and that no significant breakthrough was imminent. It is the most candid assessment so far by a leading Ukrainian official of the military’s stalled counteroffensive.

“Just like in the First World War we have reached the level of technology that puts us into a stalemate,” the commander, Gen. Valery Zaluzhny, told The Economist in an interview published on Wednesday. “There will most likely be no deep and beautiful breakthrough.”

His comments marked the first time a top Ukrainian commander said the fighting had reached an impasse, although General Zaluzhny added that breaking the deadlock could require technological advances to achieve air superiority and increase the effectiveness of artillery fire. He added that Russian forces, too, are incapable of advancing.

The general said modern technology and precision weapons on both sides were preventing troops from breaching enemy lines, including the expansive use of drones, and the ability to jam drones. He called for advances in electronic warfare as a way to break the deadlock."

Link to tweet

?t=rB3o_Wg_DIKu1KzaS5jX1Q&s=19


“It was my mistake. Russia lost at least 150,000 people killed. In any other country, such losses would have stopped the war. But not in Russia, where life is cheap. In this sense, Putin's Russian Federation is truly an absolute anomaly. Even in former times, human lives in Russia were not valued as cheaply as they are now. For comparison, similar-scale losses in the Soviet-Finnish War forced even Stalin to stop and refuse to seize further territories. Putin continues to grind his citizens into minced meat without any sense, and they obediently go to slaughter."

[Lovie777]

1. Ukraine is making gains.........................

NYT sucks.

[Tomconroy]

3. They are quoting an essay Gen. Zaluzhny

Wrote in the Economist this week.

[WarGamer]

4. Consistent with what Milley said early this year.

[maxsolomon]

11. Right. The NYT sucks for accurately quoting a Ukrainian General.

And don't forget Judith Miller 20 years ago!

Life IS cheap in Russia - always has been. It's how they won WW2 - a meat grinder.

Ukraine couldn't break through this summer, and it wasn't for lack of trying, and it wasn't for lack of armaments from NATO. Russia will re-fortify their lines over the Winter. I expect the Spring will bring more carnage.

[WarGamer]

2. Pretty much everyone but the fanboys know this...

That's reality.

What's next?

[BeyondGeography]

5. Negotiations whose terms are so shocking to Russia the war will continue

Reparations and security guarantees from the West to Ukraine, territory and zilch for Russia.

When they refuse and decide to press on does the West continue to step up? I know what you’re hoping for.

[PortTack]

6. I'm really saddened to hear this.

I still think Russia is on the brink with old tanks, poor supply chains and moral on the front and at home.

[Kaleva]

7. Kremlin denies there is a stalemate

"“No, it has not reached a deadlock,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, adding: “Russia is steadily carrying out the special military operation. All the goals that were set should be fulfilled.”"

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/23572

[Beastly Boy]

8. Let me put my rose colored glasses on:

A stalemate in the winter time is not the worst of options. The tech Gen Zaluzny is talking about will have time to get perfected: here, with the help of Nato, Ukraine has a distinct advantage over Russia. Ukraine will also be getting the bulk of the promised F-16 over the winter, which were sorely missing in the ill-conceived (I suspect under the pressure from the Western arms suppliers as a condition of receiving military aid) frontal assault on the Zaporizziia front. Ukraine just can't afford to do the Pickett charge-type attacks.

Drone warfare is where the Ukrainians excel. There is much buzz about sea drones and underwater drones, and land drones came into play very recently as effective anti-tank weapons.

There is much Ukraine can look forward to when the snow melts.

On edit: And who knows how things are going to play out on the Kherson fromt over the winter.

[Strelnikov_]

9. Wonder if the Trophy system can be used against drones.

If it can knock out missiles fired from short range, seems a drone coming in at 100 mph, from the sky, would not be that much of a lift.

Don't know if the US has deployed a system like Trophy. But based on what is going on in Ukraine, probably $30b of DOD spending coming up soon to equip US equipment.

[Strelnikov_]

10. " . . .forced even Stalin to stop and refuse to seize further territories."

The General raises a good point in that paragraph. Even Stalin had a limit in a war of choice. Putin, on the other hand . . .

Since History rhymes, will China be Russia's Nazi Germany? That is, at one point a collaborator, and seeing their vulnerability, decide to carve off a piece.

[gulliver]

12. The NYT reporters committed a game-forfeiting journalistic foul

Reporters need to stick to the facts. These reporters used "the most candid assessment so far" to hype up the importance of their story. They have no way of knowing whether the General was being candid or not. Certainly they don't know it's the most candid assessment so far.

If the ump is journalism, these guys spit on his shoes. The ump should throw them out of the park. They lose by forfeit.

[maxsolomon]

13. Using the word "candid" means they should FORFEIT?

just like, close down? they've already lost, long ago, in the court of DU opinion.

Judith Miller, never forget, never forgive!