re: Latest Updates: Russia-Ukraine Conflict

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Again what’s more likely: India attacking a nation encroaching on their rights, or their sister nation going to war with the other of only by proxy?

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The latter every day.

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By 1844 we were the only country to establish a “Most Favored Nation” policy with them.

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Literally means nothing, given that was during the era of colonization. India started the Non-Aligned Movement despite buying weapons from the USSR. If buying weapons wasn't enough to move India directly into the USSR's camp, what makes you think they would suddenly be in the US's where there has been only the beginnings of discussions between the US and India about defense operations?

Again, the Indian approach to geopolitics in the last quarter-century matters. It is directly relevant. You imagining an insane scenario doesn't affect the real world. This is not a video game or a movie. You can't just smoothed away the political aspects of geopolitics because you don't want to deal with them.

India is sticking it to Russia at $40 off per barrel. That's a friend for you.

China is also doing the same to Russia. Thus, another "friend"

They are both doing a favor to Russia though by keeping pipelines and the wells which feed them flowing and the need to rework sanded up idle wells, or at least a lot of wells.

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ISW Update

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Ukraine is likely seizing the strategic initiative and forcing Russia to reallocate forces and reprioritize efforts in response to Ukrainian counteroffensive operations.

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The seriousness of the dilemma facing the Russian high command likely depends on Ukraine’s ability to sustain significant counteroffensive operations on multiple axes simultaneously.

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Russian forces are likely operating in five to seven strike groups of unclear size around Bakhmut, based on the Ukrainian General Staff descriptions of Russian assaults in the area.

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Explosions occurred near the Donetsk Drama Theater and Penal Colony #124 in occupied Donetsk City on August 4.[2] Russian media widely publicized the explosions and blamed Ukrainian artillery, but the Ukrainian Office of the President denied any shelling of Donetsk City on August 4

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Key Takeaways

Ukraine is likely seizing the strategic initiative and forcing Russia to reallocate forces and reprioritize efforts in response to Ukrainian counteroffensive operations.

Russian forces attempted to advance northwest of Izyum.

Ukrainian forces conducted a series of localized counterattacks between Izyum and Slovyansk and regained positions in a number of settlements.

Russian forces continued ground attacks northeast and south of Bakhmut.

Russian troops continued attempts to advance on Pisky and conducted a limited ground attack southwest of Donetsk City.

Russian forces continued to transfer equipment and personnel to northeastern Kherson and western Zaporizhia Oblasts.

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British Defence Intelligence
UPDATE ON UKRAINE 5 August 2022
INTELLIGENCE UPDATE

Following five months of occupation, Russia's intentions regarding the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant remain unclear. However, the actions they have undertaken at the facility have likely undermined the security and safety of the plant's normal operations.

Russian forces are probably operating in the regions adjacent to the power station and have used artillery units based in these areas to target Ukrainian territory on the western bank of the Dnipro river.

Russian forces have probably used the wider facility area, in particular the adjacent city of Enerhodar, to rest their forces, utilising the protected status of the nuclear power plant to reduce the risk to their equipment and personnel from overnight Ukrainian attacks.

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But Amnesty International turned its sights on Ukraine on Thursday, releasing a report that accused Ukrainian forces of putting civilian lives at risk. The report quickly drew fierce condemnation from Ukrainian officials. The report said that Ukrainian soldiers had set up military bases in schools and hospitals and had launched strikes from residential areas, drawing retaliatory Russian fire that put civilians at risk. Amnesty said that it had documented a pattern of Ukraine violating the laws of war when its forces operated in populated areas. The residential areas where Ukrainian soldiers based themselves were usually not the only option available to them, according to the report, which said that there were “military bases or densely wooded areas nearby” that they could have used instead.

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This is a NY Times report based on Amnesty International’s findings so take it FWIW.

Now I’m not saying that Ukrainians shouldn’t be using civilian and residential areas as military positions. It’s likely they’re only real option. I’d be doing the same. I also don’t take blame away from Russia because without the invasion none of this would be an issue in the first place. What I will say is that the VAST majority of reports about Russians shelling civilian areas for the sole purpose of killing unarmed civilians are false and just blatant propaganda to get childish people to say things like “orcs.” The Russians are trying to kill Ukrainian soldiers who happen to be positioned in civilian areas the vast vast majority of the time.

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This doesn’t explain the Russian tactic of using artillery and tanks to completely level every building in towns just because they can

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I mean, that’s exactly what it does

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The Russians are trying to kill Ukrainian soldiers who happen to be positioned in civilian areas the vast vast majority of the time.

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So exactly what are the Ukranians to do? Abandon cities, towns and villages and let the Russians walk in?

It’s all out war. People are going to die. Tell Russia to go hone. If they do the shelling will stop.

The shelling and rocket attacks in civilian targets miles behind the front is what should be criticized. Attacks like the one at the train station and like the one in Odessa.