What are the Russian objectives in Ukraine?

[Paslode]

Originally Posted by Old Dog New Trick

Paslode:

Anytime you disrupt society like this and put literally millions of people on the move, infectious disease will exploit that,” he said. “People are packed together, they’re stressed, they’re not eating, not sleeping properly. They’re highly susceptible [to disease].


If you are coming from or through Mexico, it’s all okay!

You read my mind 😉

[Javadrinker]

Originally Posted by Old Dog New Trick

Paslode:

Anytime you disrupt society like this and put literally millions of people on the move, infectious disease will exploit that,” he said. “People are packed together, they’re stressed, they’re not eating, not sleeping properly. They’re highly susceptible [to disease].


If you are coming from or through Mexico, it’s all okay!

Isn't that the truth. Past time that our southern border was secured.

[Penn]

WD

It appears that the west is OK with standing by and watching Russia continue to up the intensity until the wipe out all connections to corruption

The truth is always simple.

[Surf n Turf]

I am still confused as to what Putin is up to. I suspect that if he wanted the Ukraine gone…it would be gone. His troops taking a “winter break” is not Russian / Soviet planning. There has to be something in background…….

Could this be one of the reasons Vlad is a “little pissed off” at Obama / Biden / Zelensky ? I suspect that we might get a little worried if Russia developed such a site in Cuba

SnT

Deleted Web Pages Show Obama Led an Effort To Build a Ukraine-Based BioLab Handling ‘Especially Dangerous Pathogens’

deleted web article recovered by The National Pulse reveals that former President Barack Obama spearheaded an agreement leading to the construction of biolabs handling “especially dangerous pathogens” in Ukraine.

The news comes on the same day that Biden regime apparatchik Victoria Nuland told the U.S. Senate that the American government is concerned about biological research facilities falling into Russian hands as a result of the ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe.

The article, which also highlighted the work of former Senator Dick Lugar, was additionally included in Issue No. 818 of the United States Air Force (USAF) Counterproliferation Center’s Outreach Journal.

A 2011 report from the U.S. National Academy of Sciences’ Committee on Anticipating Biosecurity Challenges of the Global Expansion of High-Containment Biological Laboratories explained how the Odessa-based laboratory “is responsible for the identification of especially dangerous biological pathogens.”

This laboratory was reconstructed and technically updated up to the BSL-3 level through a cooperative agreement between the United States Department of Defense and the Ministry of Health of Ukraine that started in 2005. The collaboration focuses on preventing the spread of technologies, pathogens, and knowledge that can be used in the development of biological weapons,” the report continues.

https://thenationalpulse.com/2022/03...iolab-efforts/

[WarriorDiplomat]

Originally Posted by Penn

WD


The truth is always simple.

Democrats are evil and it is easy to boil down the why to something as simple as destroying the evidence

[Badger52]

Originally Posted by Surf n Turf

The news comes on the same day that Biden regime apparatchik Victoria Nuland told the U.S. Senate that the American government is concerned about biological research facilities falling into Russian hands as a result of the ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe.

Saw some of that testimony. Nuland is experienced in the dance, having been instrumental in setting up the 2014 operation in UKR. She was setup perfectly by Rubio's questions and leading conclusions, which he saved till his time was about to expire. He is the Vice-Chair of the Select Committee on Intelligence. "Let's make sure that ANYthing that happens is attributed to the Russians, and we'll call it their standard disinformation technique." When it comes to such "circle the wagons" operations they're all of the same party.

John Kirby at DoD was a bit irritated & uncharacteristically adamant over repeated questions on these labs that the Russians found. He had his "I did NOT have sex with that woman" moment. It's a tell. But not a "weapons" lab. Like Wuhan isn't a weapons lab maybe...

[7624U]

The news cycle is all about a melt down at the reactor in Chernobyl because of power being cut off wouldn't that be convenient how close are the labs.

[Badger52]

Originally Posted by 7624U

The news cycle is all about a melt down at the reactor in Chernobyl because of power being cut off wouldn't that be convenient how close are the labs.

There are apparently a number of them scattered about the country, a story which DoD calls "malarkey" - or a few doing really nefarious work.

Russia has requested a UN Security Council meeting to present their evidence today (11 Mar) at 1100 EST.

Here is an additional Fox story, slightly different take.

The last few days has seen vigorous adherence by USG to the term "weapons" lab, to distinguish it from a "research" lab. There are going to be some "side games" played using that forum, China having already waved their arms & flapped their gums on Thursday about what goes on at Ft Detrick.

[GratefulCitizen]

Digging around the rumor mill on the internet:

Supposedly the bulk of the Ukrainian military was massed near the border of the Donbas region prior to the start of the conflict.
Rumors of a February war in Ukraine have been circulating since October.

Russian forces are supposedly about to complete encirclement of the bulk of the Ukrainian military near the Donbas region.
Is this a case of Russia stealing a march?

Maybe the Ukrainian military was there to counter an expected Russian invasion.
But why the Donbas region when there is so much more of the country to defend?

Don’t know if there’s any truth to any of this.
Time will tell.

[JJ_BPK]

While talking to a friend in Scotland, she ask me if I thought Putin had cancer and was dying.

It seems to be a circling theme in the UK.

If you wanted to go out with a bang??

Is Putin sick? Does Vladimir Putin have terminal cancer, and why is Russian President's health in question?
The health of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the man behind the invasion of Ukraine, has been called into question – but why are some people claiming Putin has cancer, and what have news outlets reported about his health?
By Joshua King
Sunday, 6th March 2022, 4:46 pm

https://www.scotsman.com/news/world/...estion-3598823

[GratefulCitizen]

So far, we’re still getting Instagram videos and other media from inside Ukraine.
The power, water, internet, and phone services are functioning.

Gas is still flowing to western Europe.
As of yet, there doesn’t appear to be razing of the cities.

One has to wonder how much of the Ukrainian military leadership was bought off in advance of the invasion.
Who do the Russians really want gone?

When Zelensky says he’s the number one target, he’s probably correct.
Russia definitely wants a puppet regime like in Belarus, and can’t have a leader in exile.

Igor Kolomoisky may remain a target of Russia for some time.
He fled to Switzerland some time ago and likely won’t return.

If there are any grains of truth to Russia’s claims, they will probably also wipe out the Asov battalion.
These appear to be the targets of the “de-nazification”.

After consolidating their gains, there may be a slow push in the direction of Poland, dumping refugees into the rest of Europe.
Poof. Now they have a more friendly “electorate” and more compliant population remaining.

Then they could carve off the majority ethnically Russian areas in the south and east into a new puppet state.
Finally, set up another one or two majority Ukrainian puppet states as a buffer.

Listened to an analysis proposing that if Russia conquers Ukraine, they’ll offer Lviv to Poland in exchange for a buffer zone.
This would undermine Poland’s solidarity with the rest of NATO.

Regardless of the morality, it’s difficult to see why Russia would act against their own perceived self-interest.

[cbtengr]

Originally Posted by JJ_BPK

While talking to a friend in Scotland, she ask me if I thought Putin had cancer and was dying.

It seems to be a circling theme in the UK.

If you wanted to go out with a bang??

Maybe, the Daily Mail is claiming possible Roid Rage.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...gs-effect.html

[GratefulCitizen]

Watching the news, and knowing there’s an agenda, I have no reason to believe the prevailing narrative.
Conversely, I also have no reason to disbelieve the prevailing narrative.

Given the limitations of information, there’s just no way to know the truth.
So, I dig for alternatives to the prevailing narrative and test for plausibility.

To be clear, I’m not rooting for the alternative narrative.
I’m just testing it for plausibility.

The alternative narrative I’ve heard:

Russia’s first phase involved engaging Ukrainian forces on many fronts to deny them the ability to maneuver.
During that time, fuel depots were targeted and a war of attrition was started to weaken Ukrainian forces and “prepare” the battlefield.

The second phase is currently being started to deal with the bulk of Ukrainian forces near the Donbas.
It’s starting with reconnaissance in force to find a path to encircle the bulk of Ukrainian forces near the Donbas.

It will conclude with a massive force moving through the areas east of the Dnieper, isolating and subsequently destroying the Ukrainian forces near the Donbas.
It may later move north towards Kyiv.

For all I know, this is complete propaganda.
Are the any members with some subject matter expertise who can say if this sounds plausible?

[Badger52]

There seem to be differing views of what is transpiring at the Azovstal steel works in Mariupol. Both accounts give some weight to the notion that consolidation in the Donbas is a main goal. One account (RT's) seems to be more timely than the morning Fox-feed (expected). Either way, Putin probably doesn't want to decimate a major piece of industry more than it already is. From his view, simply isolating that area in Mariupol will accomplish what he needs; time does the rest of the work.

Emphasis hasn't been seen on Odessa recently but their daily is still up & running. If Putin wants to land-lock Ukraine he's going to get back around to them eventually.

[Airbornelawyer]

Originally Posted by GratefulCitizen

The alternative narrative I’ve heard:

Russia’s first phase involved engaging Ukrainian forces on many fronts to deny them the ability to maneuver.
During that time, fuel depots were targeted and a war of attrition was started to weaken Ukrainian forces and “prepare” the battlefield.

The second phase is currently being started to deal with the bulk of Ukrainian forces near the Donbas.
It’s starting with reconnaissance in force to find a path to encircle the bulk of Ukrainian forces near the Donbas.

It will conclude with a massive force moving through the areas east of the Dnieper, isolating and subsequently destroying the Ukrainian forces near the Donbas.
It may later move north towards Kyiv.

The alternative narrative is premised on the notion, which Russian propaganda outfits have run with, that the withdrawal from the Kyiv area was all part of the plan, and not a defeat.

The main objective is, as it was from the beginning, twofold: (1) securing control of the eastern and southern provinces to guarantee land access to Crimea (and secure its fresh-water supply), control the economic resources of the Donbas, and unite the Russian-speaking regions of Ukraine with Mother Russia, and (2) dominating Ukraine with a friendly proxy government, if possible, or at least Finlandizing it, removing the threat of NATO membership.

The Russians miscalculated on how easy it would be to achieve those objectives. They thought the Ukrainian military would collapse easily and they underestimated popular resistance. They thought a lightning fast airborne and combined arms assault on the capital would lead to a quick military and political collapse, allowing them to consolidate gains and achieve their other objectives at their leisure.

With that failure, they are now going to plan B, which is securing control of the eastern and southern regions by grinding down the Ukrainians in a war of attrition, which they believe they can win since no matter how scrappily the Ukrainians have fought, they still outnumber the Ukrainians by a significant degree and can afford to take losses, in men and material, that the Ukrainians cannot afford to take and cannot replace, even with a steady pipeline of Western arms.

If they do prevail, it will be because they successfully adapted to conditions on the ground. It will be in spite of, not because of, their original plan.