Sixty-two miles. That’s how far it is from Donetsk, Ukraine, to the Russian border. Fifty-seven miles. That’s the maximum effective range of the HIMARS rockets supplied by the United States, currently being used by the Ukrainian military in its war against Russian invaders.
And Michael Flynn has apparently appeared on Steve Bannon's "podcast" in the last couple of days saying Putin has met his objectives. Yeah, right. And what might those be. It does not seem there's been any intelligent "strategy" on the part of Russia, meaning from the very top. The Russians say 63, such a specific number. But as with Trump, I don't believe anything he says nor his pals in Russia. I believe hundreds were killed. This is such a tragedy. These were the sad recruits who couldn't escape Russia in time, meaning they were snatched up at the border even, trying to leave When they bring up talks about ending the war, we all know Putin can't do that unless he finds some face-saving something or other. How on earth is he going to be able to credibly do that?
The Ukrainians have shown themselves to be masterful at exploiting Russian mistakes. But I still can't wrap my head around the idea that hitting the RUSSIANS within RUSSIA represents unacceptable escalation of this so-called "special military operation" while Putin keeps trying to bomb Ukraine back to the Stone Age. Putin needs to get kicked in the pants until his brain gets the message.
It's a question of hitting them with which weapons. Ukraine has used their own homemade drones and hit inside of Russia. Using an American-made and American-supplied missile is something else entirely -- that's how our military leaders defines "escalation." Not by the strike, but by the weapon.
Lucian, if we play this game by that rule Ukraine will be subject to Russian bombardment from sanctuaries. The way I see this we are already in a proxy war and every artillery tube and tank destroyed inside Russia is one less our proxy will have to encounter inside Ukraine or NATI on the plains of Poland.
IMHO if we do not provide Ukraine the smart WAPO net to reach out and touch Russia where they are hiding and replenishing we are only lengthening the war on the Ukrainians Am I wrong?
It is nice to read war analysis by a newsman who actually spent a few years on active duty in a combat arm of the US Army; and a West Pointer, and an Army brat! That is really rare these days.
I'll never forget during our Kosovo intervention when a major network interviewed the head of NATO, a four-star Admiral, who was in fatigues with his stars on his hat and collars. The caption below identified him as "Major General XXX". I nearly fainted, the revelation of such ignorance was shocking. That was in the 1990's, and it has continued downhill since, with "embedding"/manipulation. In Vietnam, reporters were knowledgeable and all over the place.
Army E-3 or E-4's aren't expected to know such stuff! News Network guys are, or they should do some other work. The network field guys gave bad info to their NYC HQ people who mindlessly passed it on. Ignorance in the field passed on to equally ignorant people at HQ. It shows disrespect to the Admiral, all military branches, and, most importantly, the viewing audience---just throw any sort of crap at us, but deliver it in a serious, authoritative, voice. I consider War reporting the most deeply serious of all journalism. Ernie Pyle of WW2 should be every war reporters standard.
One of the main reasons why the Soviet Union was able to defeat the German Heer in WW2 was that they could afford to lose horrendous amounts of casualties in combat, winning by sheer attrition of the German troops. Whether that tactic will work again in Ukraine seems doubtful. Throwing unprepared, ill-equipped conscripts and draftees into a modern combat scenario isn’t going to cut it in this day of precision stand off weapons, drones and satellites, so unlike WW2. Plus the officer corps of the modern Russian army is a joke…no real leadership and no cadre of well-trained, motivated NCOs, no initiative or innovation, a hollow shell at best.
It just points out one more reason why how dictatorships are such a terrible form of government for ordinary people where one man has unlimited and unbridled power, how even if he is a mad man he is thoroughly entrenched and no one can dislodge him because of his spy network, his ability to surround himself with highly rewarded so highly loyal people. In this case hundreds of thousands of young Russian males have died and will continue to die as well of course as his Ukrainian victims. How long I wonder can he continue without someone he trusts puts an end to him?
Yes, shee- rah, difficult to know for sure, but There's a couple of his close associates that sound even worse than him if that's possible. But how long can they keep losing men? It was 70,000 several weeks ago. I haven't seen the latest estimates but maybe over 100,000 by now. That's a lot of grieving families and I'm sure mad as hell with Putin. I bet a lot of these guys were single and so would have had kids later on, so an awful lot of Russians that would have been born won't now, not to mention thjeir kids down the line. You'd think that would be of concern but I guess not something the leaders think about. All the jobs they had may not be filled either, ah again future lost income for their families. War is really stupid when you think about it. Always conducted by we men you notice. Not too many ruthless women dictators ..Not any dictators that are women as far as I know. .
Exactly, Leigh, it has been that way since the kings stopped leading their armies into battle. Putin is nice and warm and comfortable with the best food and wine while his male v citizens freeze in miserable conditions, ill clothed and ill equipped with shells reigning down on them, and for what? to try to enslave a whole m nation whose brave young men are willing to die to prevent that from happening to their families.
I’ve been listening to the interview (NPR? CNN?) with Kilios (?), who is a Russian student who was working at a homeless shelter. Putin had said that students would not be drafted, and then... changed his mind. He fled to Kazakhstan and beyond. It’s heartbreaking to hear, especially since his own parents are deluded by Putin’s propaganda and think the war is somehow just.
I wonder how ordinary Russian civilians understand this war? Do they perceive it righteous, justified? No reason to think that they are any more perceptive than hundreds of millions of Americans who still believe, in spite of cleat evidence to the contrary, that our last presidential election was "stolen" from Donald Trump.
A people that believe in themselves can accomplish almost anything. History has proven this to be true time and again. If we give Ukrainians the help they need they will repay our friendship and assistance in more ways than either they or we can count. This is an opportunity that we as Americans cannot allow to slide by. And we will be the better for it, if we do what we can to help Ukraine survive.
You're right, Arthur. The Ukrainians certainly have the will to fight a numerically superior force but they're going to need some material help. We need to provide them with whatever they need to take the fight to the Russians (as they have) and drive them out of their country.
The Ukrainian's ingenuity has truly been a sight to behold. I've seen videos of them dropping MORTAR ROUNDS FROM DRONES FFS into Russian fighting positions which those unfortunate souls thought were well concealed. From ground level they undoubtedly were.
In a way, they remind me of the Israel Defense Force, nee Haganah and Palmach, (with some Irgun and Stern Gang terrorists thrown in,) in 1948. They stole tanks from the Brits, and oh precious irony, bought German WWII weapons and aircraft from Czechoslovakia. They even got their hands on a mess of Supermarine Spitfires from who knows where. They fought and won with what they had and anything they could get.
Here's to hoping "What's past is prologue."
Except for the hard right authoritarian turn Israel has taken under Netanyahu. That sucks.
I know all about his stints. He has muscled his way in every time. Reminds me of when Trump pushed his way to the front for a photo-op when meeting with foreign leaders.
Michael Flynn should be.... what? Someone tell me what the appropriate punishment is for a U.S. General giving aid and comfort to one of our enemies. Not just an enemy, but a maniacal murderer, Putin. And why isn’t it happening ??
on that ISW map, i believe the diagonal-hatched area around donesk shows Ukr partisans. i'll bet they had eyes on all the activity around that building and all the phone pickups confirmed it. no doubt the partisans gave exact coordinates. nice score.
the soldiers camped in that building were probly desperate to stay out of the weather unlike a group i saw in a drone vid. it showed hovering over about 11 men huddled together in a big bathtub-shaped foxhole. the drone dropped a grenade on them, but they hardly reacted. a couple were immobile. all the rest just huddled closer, one crawled from the blast mark to just bunch in with the others.
they had no cover, no sleeping bags, obviously suffering hypothermia.
Is not insanity defined by doing the same thing over and over getting the same result?
Hate to believe this but Putin would be willing to kill the very last Russian man in order not to admit defeat. He is willing to make the rubble bounce in Ukraine and define that as victory. Ukraine must be allowed to reach out across the border to destroy Russian weapons and troops now given sanctuary over the border. I hope Joe Biden gives them more of this advanced weaponry to kill as many Russians as it takes. Putin is a war criminal and by definition any one taking up arms on his behalf cannot be given sanctuary.
IMHO that course is simply not in his DNA. His New Year speech predicts more of a long drawn out conflict where he will make the rubble bounce in Ukraine. That is who he is and there is no penalty for him to behave differently.
Just one of many very funny lines from the original Pink Panther!! "Does your dog bite? Growl, snap. You said your dog doesn't bite. That's not my dog." I still laugh whenever I get a chance to watch the movie.
We are still at risk of the nukes coming out. I think America is smart enough to not push things too far rn ... It seems like Ukraine is starting to hit more and more targets in Russia. God I hope they don't start using our hi tech weapons to hit these Russia targets but I fear we are in risky unknown territory.... We are all in just like Russia and soon it will be time to turn over the hole cards
If the Ukrainians do not hit into Russia Putin will, essentially, have a sanctuary to continue murdering civilians and conducting a campaign of terror. Putin is playing chicken praying we will force Ukraine to operate with one arm tied while they see their citizens slaughtered and their nation turned to rubble. Do we sit by and watch that happen?
We have been sitting and watching the war for months. I don't see a change in u.s. strategy... We sit in the middle and watch Ukraine fight to the bitter end... The other choices seem to be never hv gotten involved or fighting the hot nato vs. Russia war you seem to be itching for. None of these are great choices.
Quite the contrary, Tony. I want to prevent a hot war with NATO by defanging this megalomaniac before he gets stronger. The Ukrainians have not just the right but duty to protect their homeland. You seem to view Ukraine as disposable and pawns. I see them as Allie’s if not by treaty then by practice.
For Putin to use WMDs requires us to believe he has a death wish because the minute he uses them a real war will start with the free world and all the weaponry, sanctions and isolation he and Russia have seen so far will be child’s play. Couple weeks ago there was a satellite image of Russia’s entire long range bomber fleet lined up like duck’s in a row on two airfields outside Moscow. One B-2 with 40 or so JDAMs and Poof.
He is playing chicken but day by day we see his hand is weakening. Now is the time to double down not pull back. Fortune and war favor the bold not the fearful.
The Ukrainians are fighting like hell and I respect that... Just as I think Americans would do if called upon. Sadly America has treated many countries like pawns over the years and that needs to change. There were peace treaties that could have avoided this years ago... Not sure how long peace would have lasted but maybe it could have lasted. Now everyone is between a rock and a hard place... I still feel the worst is yet to come in this war. Putin seems weaker by the day but the media on both sides is somewhat distorted it's hard to tell. If Putin is actually I'll and possibly dying like the rumours say he is even more dangerous.
Lucian, I'm quite certain you read Sun Tsu's "The Art of War" during your West Point/active duty period. I think it's safe to say that nobody in the current Russian military leadership has read it. On the other hand, it seems clear that someone (or many) in Ukrainian military leadership HAS read the book because they are using many of the books lessons against the Russkies.
Somewhere in Russia there has to be a rational person. You wonder if (Moscow Patriarch, Kirill) Vladimir Mikhailovich Gundyayev has any sway with Mr. Putin? Can the church ignore the slaughter? Russia can't win in Ukraine, the west isn't going to allow any victory because it just gives Putin another chance to seize another border state. How long will the Red Army suffer this debacle? Surely one night after a few drinks the generals might decide that they've had enough of this little war?
And Michael Flynn has apparently appeared on Steve Bannon's "podcast" in the last couple of days saying Putin has met his objectives. Yeah, right. And what might those be. It does not seem there's been any intelligent "strategy" on the part of Russia, meaning from the very top. The Russians say 63, such a specific number. But as with Trump, I don't believe anything he says nor his pals in Russia. I believe hundreds were killed. This is such a tragedy. These were the sad recruits who couldn't escape Russia in time, meaning they were snatched up at the border even, trying to leave When they bring up talks about ending the war, we all know Putin can't do that unless he finds some face-saving something or other. How on earth is he going to be able to credibly do that?
Flynn is an utter imbecile
And worse, far worse. He's sickening.
his remarks obviously in favor of putin shld be enough to drag him back in, put him on trial for abetting the enemy, and strip his rank
I wrote that here awhile back, and, no retirement $$$!
Trump Organization recruiters find that characteristic attractive.
But a dangerous imbecile.
"Michael Flynn is recruiting an 'Army of God' in growing Christian nationalist" ... - PBS https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/michael-flynn-is-recruiting-an-army-of-god-in-growing-christian-nationalist-movement
Wowza, tax churches and religious entities, like when will that ever happen!
The Ukrainians have shown themselves to be masterful at exploiting Russian mistakes. But I still can't wrap my head around the idea that hitting the RUSSIANS within RUSSIA represents unacceptable escalation of this so-called "special military operation" while Putin keeps trying to bomb Ukraine back to the Stone Age. Putin needs to get kicked in the pants until his brain gets the message.
It's a question of hitting them with which weapons. Ukraine has used their own homemade drones and hit inside of Russia. Using an American-made and American-supplied missile is something else entirely -- that's how our military leaders defines "escalation." Not by the strike, but by the weapon.
Thank you Lucian! That has a "logic" that my nonmilitary mind can grasp!
Lucian, if we play this game by that rule Ukraine will be subject to Russian bombardment from sanctuaries. The way I see this we are already in a proxy war and every artillery tube and tank destroyed inside Russia is one less our proxy will have to encounter inside Ukraine or NATI on the plains of Poland.
IMHO if we do not provide Ukraine the smart WAPO net to reach out and touch Russia where they are hiding and replenishing we are only lengthening the war on the Ukrainians Am I wrong?
It is nice to read war analysis by a newsman who actually spent a few years on active duty in a combat arm of the US Army; and a West Pointer, and an Army brat! That is really rare these days.
I'll never forget during our Kosovo intervention when a major network interviewed the head of NATO, a four-star Admiral, who was in fatigues with his stars on his hat and collars. The caption below identified him as "Major General XXX". I nearly fainted, the revelation of such ignorance was shocking. That was in the 1990's, and it has continued downhill since, with "embedding"/manipulation. In Vietnam, reporters were knowledgeable and all over the place.
Not a criticism but TBH as a U.S. Army veteran (1968-1970) I had trouble identifying Navy rank especially personnel in fatigues.
Army E-3 or E-4's aren't expected to know such stuff! News Network guys are, or they should do some other work. The network field guys gave bad info to their NYC HQ people who mindlessly passed it on. Ignorance in the field passed on to equally ignorant people at HQ. It shows disrespect to the Admiral, all military branches, and, most importantly, the viewing audience---just throw any sort of crap at us, but deliver it in a serious, authoritative, voice. I consider War reporting the most deeply serious of all journalism. Ernie Pyle of WW2 should be every war reporters standard.
The Marines' taxi drivers have ranks? Besides, which of the squid's tentacles do they even put them on?
And the beat goes on...
This is a direct result of the Volunteer concept which was applied in the early 70's.
We have almost 3 generations of Americans with no military experience.
Recently, I offered that over half of our Congress had worn the uniform at one time or another until the 1970's.
Congress appropriates the funds, they need that background.
One of the main reasons why the Soviet Union was able to defeat the German Heer in WW2 was that they could afford to lose horrendous amounts of casualties in combat, winning by sheer attrition of the German troops. Whether that tactic will work again in Ukraine seems doubtful. Throwing unprepared, ill-equipped conscripts and draftees into a modern combat scenario isn’t going to cut it in this day of precision stand off weapons, drones and satellites, so unlike WW2. Plus the officer corps of the modern Russian army is a joke…no real leadership and no cadre of well-trained, motivated NCOs, no initiative or innovation, a hollow shell at best.
Putler & Co. are living in a delusional past.
A historian once said the only way to beat the Germans of that era was to run out of Germans.
Another modern wag suggested, put a uniform on a German, they will march into France.
I have regularly told my kids that accessing social media via the cell phone is dangerous. Now I have proof!
Well you can use a banking app to buy cryptocurrency, how is that dangerous?
Rim shot!
Same result. The Ukrainians will find you and blow your shit away! 😄
It just points out one more reason why how dictatorships are such a terrible form of government for ordinary people where one man has unlimited and unbridled power, how even if he is a mad man he is thoroughly entrenched and no one can dislodge him because of his spy network, his ability to surround himself with highly rewarded so highly loyal people. In this case hundreds of thousands of young Russian males have died and will continue to die as well of course as his Ukrainian victims. How long I wonder can he continue without someone he trusts puts an end to him?
I keep seeing reports of Putin’ illness. Maybe he’ll die soon and his successor will end the war (wishful thinking).
Yes, shee- rah, difficult to know for sure, but There's a couple of his close associates that sound even worse than him if that's possible. But how long can they keep losing men? It was 70,000 several weeks ago. I haven't seen the latest estimates but maybe over 100,000 by now. That's a lot of grieving families and I'm sure mad as hell with Putin. I bet a lot of these guys were single and so would have had kids later on, so an awful lot of Russians that would have been born won't now, not to mention thjeir kids down the line. You'd think that would be of concern but I guess not something the leaders think about. All the jobs they had may not be filled either, ah again future lost income for their families. War is really stupid when you think about it. Always conducted by we men you notice. Not too many ruthless women dictators ..Not any dictators that are women as far as I know. .
Any women involved seem to have been roped in by the men or are themselves direct relatives.
No surprise that old men in suits send 18 year olds to war.
Exactly, Leigh, it has been that way since the kings stopped leading their armies into battle. Putin is nice and warm and comfortable with the best food and wine while his male v citizens freeze in miserable conditions, ill clothed and ill equipped with shells reigning down on them, and for what? to try to enslave a whole m nation whose brave young men are willing to die to prevent that from happening to their families.
I’ve been listening to the interview (NPR? CNN?) with Kilios (?), who is a Russian student who was working at a homeless shelter. Putin had said that students would not be drafted, and then... changed his mind. He fled to Kazakhstan and beyond. It’s heartbreaking to hear, especially since his own parents are deluded by Putin’s propaganda and think the war is somehow just.
I wonder how ordinary Russian civilians understand this war? Do they perceive it righteous, justified? No reason to think that they are any more perceptive than hundreds of millions of Americans who still believe, in spite of cleat evidence to the contrary, that our last presidential election was "stolen" from Donald Trump.
A people that believe in themselves can accomplish almost anything. History has proven this to be true time and again. If we give Ukrainians the help they need they will repay our friendship and assistance in more ways than either they or we can count. This is an opportunity that we as Americans cannot allow to slide by. And we will be the better for it, if we do what we can to help Ukraine survive.
You're right, Arthur. The Ukrainians certainly have the will to fight a numerically superior force but they're going to need some material help. We need to provide them with whatever they need to take the fight to the Russians (as they have) and drive them out of their country.
The Ukrainian's ingenuity has truly been a sight to behold. I've seen videos of them dropping MORTAR ROUNDS FROM DRONES FFS into Russian fighting positions which those unfortunate souls thought were well concealed. From ground level they undoubtedly were.
In a way, they remind me of the Israel Defense Force, nee Haganah and Palmach, (with some Irgun and Stern Gang terrorists thrown in,) in 1948. They stole tanks from the Brits, and oh precious irony, bought German WWII weapons and aircraft from Czechoslovakia. They even got their hands on a mess of Supermarine Spitfires from who knows where. They fought and won with what they had and anything they could get.
Here's to hoping "What's past is prologue."
Except for the hard right authoritarian turn Israel has taken under Netanyahu. That sucks.
Bibi is a nightmare and his hard right Likud Party is obnoxious! Israel now has their own Trump to deal with.
Netanyahu isn't Israel's Trump, Trump was our Netanyahu. This is his third time as PM and his first two stints totaled over a decade.
I know all about his stints. He has muscled his way in every time. Reminds me of when Trump pushed his way to the front for a photo-op when meeting with foreign leaders.
That was an abomination, will never forget.
Michael Flynn should be.... what? Someone tell me what the appropriate punishment is for a U.S. General giving aid and comfort to one of our enemies. Not just an enemy, but a maniacal murderer, Putin. And why isn’t it happening ??
Flynn is even more dangerous and diabolical (in the name of god) than that:
"Michael Flynn is recruiting an 'Army of God' in growing Christian nationalist ..." - PBS https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/michael-flynn-is-recruiting-an-army-of-god-in-growing-christian-nationalist-movement
Exactly! Why is no one stopping him?
The USA is not in a declared war with the Russian Federation. So he's safe from that for now.
on that ISW map, i believe the diagonal-hatched area around donesk shows Ukr partisans. i'll bet they had eyes on all the activity around that building and all the phone pickups confirmed it. no doubt the partisans gave exact coordinates. nice score.
the soldiers camped in that building were probly desperate to stay out of the weather unlike a group i saw in a drone vid. it showed hovering over about 11 men huddled together in a big bathtub-shaped foxhole. the drone dropped a grenade on them, but they hardly reacted. a couple were immobile. all the rest just huddled closer, one crawled from the blast mark to just bunch in with the others.
they had no cover, no sleeping bags, obviously suffering hypothermia.
putin's army of frozen meat for the grinder
—although "like" is hardly the word. Gut-wrenching.
exactly!
Is not insanity defined by doing the same thing over and over getting the same result?
Hate to believe this but Putin would be willing to kill the very last Russian man in order not to admit defeat. He is willing to make the rubble bounce in Ukraine and define that as victory. Ukraine must be allowed to reach out across the border to destroy Russian weapons and troops now given sanctuary over the border. I hope Joe Biden gives them more of this advanced weaponry to kill as many Russians as it takes. Putin is a war criminal and by definition any one taking up arms on his behalf cannot be given sanctuary.
As an alternative, he could declare victory and send all his troops home.
IMHO that course is simply not in his DNA. His New Year speech predicts more of a long drawn out conflict where he will make the rubble bounce in Ukraine. That is who he is and there is no penalty for him to behave differently.
"Ah, ze 'ol Trump ploy. I know it well." Sorry Peter Sellers, I couldn't help myself.
"Does your army bite?"
Just one of many very funny lines from the original Pink Panther!! "Does your dog bite? Growl, snap. You said your dog doesn't bite. That's not my dog." I still laugh whenever I get a chance to watch the movie.
I still laugh just thinking about it. "Do you have a licence for your minkey?"
Do you have a leesans for your minkey?
Not my dog...
We are still at risk of the nukes coming out. I think America is smart enough to not push things too far rn ... It seems like Ukraine is starting to hit more and more targets in Russia. God I hope they don't start using our hi tech weapons to hit these Russia targets but I fear we are in risky unknown territory.... We are all in just like Russia and soon it will be time to turn over the hole cards
If the Ukrainians do not hit into Russia Putin will, essentially, have a sanctuary to continue murdering civilians and conducting a campaign of terror. Putin is playing chicken praying we will force Ukraine to operate with one arm tied while they see their citizens slaughtered and their nation turned to rubble. Do we sit by and watch that happen?
We have been sitting and watching the war for months. I don't see a change in u.s. strategy... We sit in the middle and watch Ukraine fight to the bitter end... The other choices seem to be never hv gotten involved or fighting the hot nato vs. Russia war you seem to be itching for. None of these are great choices.
Quite the contrary, Tony. I want to prevent a hot war with NATO by defanging this megalomaniac before he gets stronger. The Ukrainians have not just the right but duty to protect their homeland. You seem to view Ukraine as disposable and pawns. I see them as Allie’s if not by treaty then by practice.
For Putin to use WMDs requires us to believe he has a death wish because the minute he uses them a real war will start with the free world and all the weaponry, sanctions and isolation he and Russia have seen so far will be child’s play. Couple weeks ago there was a satellite image of Russia’s entire long range bomber fleet lined up like duck’s in a row on two airfields outside Moscow. One B-2 with 40 or so JDAMs and Poof.
He is playing chicken but day by day we see his hand is weakening. Now is the time to double down not pull back. Fortune and war favor the bold not the fearful.
The Ukrainians are fighting like hell and I respect that... Just as I think Americans would do if called upon. Sadly America has treated many countries like pawns over the years and that needs to change. There were peace treaties that could have avoided this years ago... Not sure how long peace would have lasted but maybe it could have lasted. Now everyone is between a rock and a hard place... I still feel the worst is yet to come in this war. Putin seems weaker by the day but the media on both sides is somewhat distorted it's hard to tell. If Putin is actually I'll and possibly dying like the rumours say he is even more dangerous.
I believe they're ours. HIMARS, didn't we give them those?
It's right there in my first paragraph.
Lucian, I'm quite certain you read Sun Tsu's "The Art of War" during your West Point/active duty period. I think it's safe to say that nobody in the current Russian military leadership has read it. On the other hand, it seems clear that someone (or many) in Ukrainian military leadership HAS read the book because they are using many of the books lessons against the Russkies.
Wow. your knowledge of war strategy continues to amaze me. Though I know it must be especially disturbing for you...
A wise man observed...on campus for information...off campus for education.
Somewhere in Russia there has to be a rational person. You wonder if (Moscow Patriarch, Kirill) Vladimir Mikhailovich Gundyayev has any sway with Mr. Putin? Can the church ignore the slaughter? Russia can't win in Ukraine, the west isn't going to allow any victory because it just gives Putin another chance to seize another border state. How long will the Red Army suffer this debacle? Surely one night after a few drinks the generals might decide that they've had enough of this little war?
i just read an article that penned the derogatory sobriquet "ecclesiastic warmonger" on gundyayev. it fits well
Holy War.
"Michael Flynn is recruiting an 'Army of God' in growing Christian nationalist ..." - PBS https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/michael-flynn-is-recruiting-an-army-of-god-in-growing-christian-nationalist-movement
They left. Brain drain for years.