*Granted, I have only thought this since last night. This has been the official American view for some time. Putin didn't "declare war" in his speech commemorating Soviet victory over their Nazi partners, he announced nothing new. What does Putin do? American intel has predicted every damn move by Putin in the lead up to Feb. 24. They're doing it now. "We want Russia's military degraded so that they can't do this again," and Putin does not have the ability to prevent it. He's just going to keep doing what he's been doing. It is appalling. Economically, diplomatically, and now militarily, Russia can't do anything again. To Putin the most humiliating blow to the Russian psyche was the the Soviet loss of empire. But at least they were still a military superpower. This...What is Russia number one in now, white people?
Ukraine Launches Counteroffensive to Disrupt Russian Supply Lines
KYIV, Ukraine—Ukraine began a counteroffensive toward the eastern city of Izyum aimed at disrupting Russian supply lines into the Donbas region, officials said, as Ukrainian forces continued clearing villages north of Kharkiv...
(WSJ)
May 13, 7:00 pm ET
The Russian military has likely decided to withdraw fully from its positions around Kharkiv City in the face of Ukrainian counteroffensives and the limited availability of reinforcements. Russian units have generally not attempted to hold ground against counterattacking Ukrainian forces over the past several days...
Ukraine thus appears to have won the Battle of Kharkiv. Ukrainian forces prevented Russian troops from encircling, let alone seizing Kharkiv, and then expelled them from around the city, as they did to Russian forces attempting to seize Kyiv.
- Ukraine has likely won the Battle of Kharkiv. Russian forces continued to withdraw from the northern settlements around Kharkiv City. Ukrainian forces will likely attempt to disrupt Russian ground lines of communication to Izyum.
- Ukrainian forces have likely disrupted the Russian attempt to cross the Siverskyi Donets River in force, undermining Russian efforts to mass troops in northern Donbas and complete the encirclement of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk.
- Russian forces have likely secured the highway near the
western entrance to the Azovstal Steel Plant but fighting for the
facility continues. They still don't have that goddamned steel mill, can you believe that?
- Russian forces in Zaporizhia Oblast are likely attempting to reach artillery range outside Zaporizhia City.
- Ukrainian forces are reportedly attempting to regain control of Snake Island off the Romanian coast or at least disrupt Russia’s ability to use it.