International Russia/Ukraine Megathread V15

[Ruthless Ryan]

...believing the CIA .

The same CIA that said Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. They didn't.

Nice spin, but many intelligence from different country's have shown this was an easy lie...childish really., Russia should think a little bit more ahead of their simpleton lies.

 

[San Marino]

Nice spin, but many intelligence from different country's have shown this was an easy lie....

I know.
Everything coming out of Russia is a lie. Everything coming out of Ukraine (and those that support it) is the absolute truth.

 

[Ruthless Ryan]

Ukrainian forces under 'intense' pressure in south, as troop shortage bites

MSN, 1 January 2026

Ukrainian forces are under growing pressure in the south of the country, where less well-equipped units are vastly outnumbered by Russian brigades that have taken hundreds of square kilometers of territory in recent weeks.

The Russians have advanced across open countryside in several areas of the southern region of Zaporizhzhia. One Ukrainian officer with the country’s security service (SBU) told CNN on Wednesday that the situation in the region was “intense.”

The lack of a coherent command among Ukrainian forces in the south and the decision to prioritize defending other areas such as Pokrovsk and Kupiansk is also likely to have contributed to the worsening situation in the south.

Yes Russians are advancing, Denys said today they have captured less then 1% in 2025 ...I'll let you tell us if that is true or not.

 

[Devil's_Advocate]

Russians have employed a strategy of spreading their forces with the understanding their main targets are in the Donbas area. This is why they were seemingly taking areas in other regions/oblasts but all along they were after Pokrovsk. After nearly 1.5 years Russia is on the precipice of capturing Pokrovsk. However as many pro Ukrainian channels pointed out by now, Russia is spread very thin. In order to almost capture Pokrovsk Russia had to pull out or low ball troop numbers in Kupyansk and elsewhere which resulted in them losing the city and villages there. Despite all the impressive sounding forces Russia has assembled for 2026 they are merely replacements for the horrific losses they have sustained so far. Oh you think that 400-500k troops is amazing? That's what they essentially lost this year. Putin has only one real choice to turn the tide and that's to declare a draft and assemble 2-3 million more soldiers because that's what it will take to maybe capture the rest of Donbas in the next year or two.

Russia is paying a heavy toll with its meat assaults. The new defense lines will allow the use of drones and terrestrial robots to effectively guard the border which will allow Ukraine to significantly reduce the need for infantry. Russia can of course play tit for tat with their attacks on the civilian infrastructure but if Ukraine can continue to attack Moscow's(and maybe St. Petersburg's) energy grid, Putin will not be able to sustain this war much longer. It was all fun and games when the Ukrainians were the only ones sitting by the candleside during their winters.

My prediction is this war will continue because Putin has no other choice and he has no political capital to order a general draft. Ukraine will not abandon the newly built 1-2 billion dollar defensive lines in the Donbas. Eventually Russia will run out of steam and the borders will be drawn accordingly in any negotiated peace deal.

 

[Cid]

 

[Devil's_Advocate]

 

[San Marino]

Yes Russians are advancing, Denys said today they have captured less then 1% in 2025 ...I'll let you tell us if that is true or not.

Depending on the source, no, not true.
Russia took roughly 5,000 to 6,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory in 2025. At a faster pace than in 2024. That is roughly 1% more than what they had in 2024.

How much territory did Ukraine recover in 2025?
How many new Divisions did Ukraine add to the fight in 2025?

 

[Bagatur]

Not happening, putin will just install another.

Independence movement is dead, unless another dudaev comes along.

Pretty much this. Kadyrov Sr, and then his offspring, did a very good job getting rid of opposition. Anyone against them is either wiped out or fled Russia. There are more chances of civil unrest in Russia, however little, than in Chechnya.

 

[Bagatur]

It's not good when your ATM's say "NYET!"

Slaves dont need money.

 

[lsa]

Ukraine warns Putin plans false flag attack inside Russia to derail peace talks

Ukraine’s secret service warns of a staged high-casualty attack, potentially targeting a church in the run-up to Russian Orthodox Christmas.

www.politico.eu

 

[Strychnine]

Budanov is playing the Russians brilliantly.

Speaking of playing the Russians...

Ukraine fakes top commander's death for $500k Russian bounty - then uses the cash for war effort​

Denis Kapustin | Source: TELEGRAM/GRU


"Ukraine has revealed that the "death" of top commander Denis Kapustin was in fact an elaborate hoax.

The operation was designed to thwart a genuine assassination attempt ordered by Moscow.

Mr Kapustin, who also goes by "Denis Nikitin" and "White Rex", leads the Russian Volunteer Corps, a hard-right group made up of pro-Ukraine Russian volunteers.

He was declared dead last week following an apparent FPV drone strike in the Zaporizhzhia region.

His own fighters posted tributes to their "fallen" boss on Telegram, vowing revenge against Vladimir Putin's men.

However, Ukraine's Defence Intelligence agency confirmed the death was fabricated as part of a special operation.

The ruse allowed Ukrainian authorities to identify those behind the deadly plot while securing the $500,000 bounty Russia had allegedly placed on Mr Kapustin's head.

In footage released on the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine Telegram channel, the commander appeared very much alive, smirking as he sat alongside intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov.

MSN

 

[Devil's_Advocate]

Ukraine’s Zelensky Names Kyrylo Budanov as New Chief of Staff

Kyrylo Budanov, who has served as Ukraine’s military intelligence chief, is seen as a potential rival to Mr. Zelensky if elections are held.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Strychnine]

These MAGA grifting scum have no bottom.

 

[Devil's_Advocate]

These MAGA grifting scum have no bottom.

Well Nick Shirley is consistent if nothing else.

He saw the grift and he said to himself I could be the next Tim Pool or Candace Owens or countless other pundits on the right. Don't get me wrong there are morons and loons on the left too but they are crazy in a different way.

 

[San Marino]

 

[San Marino]

These MAGA grifting scum have no bottom.

...but Uncle Joe (democrat) allowed a small Russian incursion into Ukraine.
Obama (democrat) allowed Russia to take Crimea.
It seems to me democrats have no issue with Russia being in Ukraine.
Why didn't Ukraine have an issue with Russia taking Crimea in 2014? Why didn't the Ukrainian Army push the Russians out?

 

[SandisLL]

Test

 

[SandisLL]

After some " updates " sometimes it isn't possible to post in dog.
I don't post links or memes....

 

[SandisLL]

Ukr financial situation is awful.
After ukr PM had been forced to admit that ~70 % of ukr budget is loans and grants mainly from european contries etc institutions Zelensky had replaced him.
While in the same time told EC that he without financial assistance will not be able to continue pay pensions and salaries.
All foreign currency reserves NBU currently does have are provided by " bad EU ".

Zelensky administration is using these to conduct interventions in forex market in order to prevent national currency to turn into toilet paper peace.

There are a lot of very good news for ukr and also some really bad things for ukr from europe.

 

[Strychnine]

...but Uncle Joe (democrat) allowed a small Russian incursion into Ukraine.
Obama (democrat) allowed Russia to take Crimea.
It seems to me democrats have no issue with Russia being in Ukraine.
Why didn't Ukraine have an issue with Russia taking Crimea in 2014? Why didn't the Ukrainian Army push the Russians out?

This has been asked and answered ad-nauseum in this thread.