Ukraine?

You remember that conflict that dominated the news until it became a stalemate and then as if right on cue….GAZA!

The West has been pumping weapons and cash into Ukraine for a very long time…..and the long awaited counteroffensive has seemed to sink into the stalemate that many of us feared.

The reports coming out of the conflict are pointing to a stalemate that few want to admit.

The good news for Ukraine this year is that Russia has barely gained any new territory in nearly 10 months of fighting. The bad news for Ukraine is that its army hasn’t won much land back in that same span. A comprehensive assessment of the war’s front line by the New York Times reveals that it has barely moved since Jan. 1. Russia by now had hoped to have control over all of the Donbas region, while Ukraine hoped to have pushed Russian troops way back through a summer offensive. But the Times analysis reveals that less than 500 square miles of territory has changed hands this year—Russia gained 331 of them and Ukraine 143. Though a seeming stalemate might not seem to favor either side, the gist of the analysis is that it serves Russia better.

For one thing, Western allies might tire of providing aid to Ukraine in a prolonged conflict. For another, Russia has far more fighters and a much larger population to draw from for replenishments. “The whole strategy in Ukraine is for the Russians to let the Ukrainians run against those defenses, kill as many as possible, and destroy as much Western equipment as possible,” says Marina Miron of King’s College London. Russia, she adds, is “not losing anything by not moving forward.” See the full Times analysis for maps and details. An editor at Yahoo News, meanwhile, makes the case that the term “stalemate” is inaccurate because of positive developments for Ukraine, including an attack on Russia’s Black Sea fleet headquarters.

The report highlights that Russia forces have gained a small advantage…..

Russian forces have gained more territory in Ukraine this year than the Ukrainian side despite the Ukrainian counteroffensive that was launched in June, The New York Times reported on Thursday.

The report noted that despite nine months of heavy fighting in Ukraine, only about 500 square miles of territory have changed hands this year. Russia has gained 331 square miles while Ukraine has gained 143, a difference of 188, which amounts to Russia’s net gain in territory so far this year.

Most of the fighting in the first half of the year focused around the Donbas city of Bakhmut, which Russia fully captured in May after a brutal battle that started in August 2022. Ukraine’s counteroffensive has focused on the south, but fighting has continued near Bakhmut and across the entire eastern front.

The Times quoted Marina Miron, a postdoctoral researcher in war studies at King’s College London, who said Russia appears to be comfortable holding the territory it currently controls rather than seeking rapid gains.

Russia Has Gained More Territory This Year Than Ukraine

Neither side is achieving earth shaking results in this war.

There is another front that should be addressed….’war fatigue’.

That feeling that nations and people get when war rages on and control of lives seem to slip into obscurity.

‘War Fatigue’ Is a Big Problem for Ukraine Now – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday. The leader of the embattled nation called for Russia to be removed from the Security Council, while he criticized the group for failing to prevent the conflict. However, Zelensky may have also seriously damaged his standing with some of his staunchest allies after suggesting that some nations in Europe were engaged “in a political theater – making a thriller from grain.”

Two Words That Ukraine Should Fear More Than Anything Else

Time for someone to step forward and find a solution.

But that is just my thought.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”