Ukraine has retaken about 20% of territory lost in Sievierodonetsk -regional head

[blue-wave]

Source: Reuters

June 3 (Reuters) - Ukrainian forces have recaptured around 20% of the territory they lost in the city of Sievierodonetsk during fighting with Russia, the head of the eastern region of Luhansk said on Friday.

"Whereas before the situation was difficult, the percentage (held by Russia) was somewhere around 70%, now we have already pushed them back by approximately 20%," Serhiy Gaidai told national television.

Russia has poured forces into the battle for the city which Moscow must capture to achieve its stated aim of holding all of Luhansk province. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Thursday said his country's forces had had some recent success there.


Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-has-retaken-about-20-territory-lost-sievierodonetsk-regional-head-2022-06-03/

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There were some unconfirmed reports of the Ukrainians having set a trap and the Russians taking heavy losses in a Ukrainian offensive to push the Russians back. I guess the reports were true. Slava Ukraini!!!

[brer cat]

1. That is very good news.

[onecaliberal]

2. Goddess help them.

[PortTack]

3. Clint Watts, frmr intelligence agent said on MSNBC after the orcs were pushed out of Kyiv and

Kharkiv and settled into the Donbas for a big push there, that the Ukrainians would no doubt do what’s called “trading space for time.” A known war tactic where one grinds down their enemy, making them defend more and more territory with fewer and fewer troops and less equipment. The enemy all the time thinks they are making slow but good progress and then the hammer gets dropped.

Slava Ukraine!!

[GregariousGroundhog]

4. Yes, and I'm curious where the hammer is going to drop

A lot of Russia's forces are concentrated around Severodonetsk, and it has allowed Ukraine to put pressure in ground lines of communication running south from Belgorod to Izyum and on the front between Mykolaiv and Kherson. It wouldn't surprise me if Ukraine tries to wear down Russian in Severondonetsk and then pushes one of those other two fronts hard.

[Warpy]

5. I hope to read soon that they've retaken Crimea

which is a major staging area and ship refueling port. Without Crimea, Russia is going to be screwn, which is why they wanted it so much in 2014.

[speak easy]

6. The Russians will use nukes, if necessary, to defend Sevastopol.

They cannot afford to lose it.

[Warpy]

7. I'm not sure they will

I think being able to refuel there will be the main thing they demand before they leave Ukraine. Using nukes would send the fallout plume right over Russia, Putin's palace would get an especially heavy dusting. The only reason they'd use nukes is in the spirit of a spurned ex turned dangerous stalker, "if I can;t have you, nobody can."

It might be the one thing Ukraine is willing to cede, but for a huge docking and refueling fee.

That blob of land has been squabbled over forever. I imagine during deep prehistory, when it was a steep hill overlooking a dry and fertile valley, people squabbled over who would control such a fine lookout point for spotting game. A more sensible species with our capabilities would dig and dredge it until no part existed above the level of the sea, eliminating it as a cause of war.

[blue-wave]

10. By invading Ukraine, Russia has

forfeited any right to Sevastopol.

In the Partition Treaty on the Status and Conditions of the Black Sea Fleet, Russia was bound to "respect the sovereignty of Ukraine, honor its legislation and preclude interference in the internal affairs of Ukraine" and, furthermore, Russian military personnel had to show their "military identification cards" when crossing the Ukrainian-Russian border; Russian forces could operate "beyond their deployment sites" only after "coordination with the competent agencies of Ukraine.".

The Russians ripped this treaty up and many others when they invaded. The treaties are null and void. Sevastopol and all of Crimea are legally possessions of Ukraine.

The Russians have other property on the Black sea. They can build a port on their own land if they want one.

[speak easy]

11. "The treaties are null and void." Yes. Absolutely.

Russia should get the hell out of Crimea - you don't have to convince me of that - but I am (very) skeptical that Crimea can be taken back militarily.

[niyad]

8. Slava Ukraini!

[riversedge]

9. The Ukrainians are brave souls.

[ck4829]

12. K&R