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The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) appears to have deprioritized the Bakhmut offensive in favor of preparing to defend against an anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive, putting the Wagner Group and Wagner financier Yevgeny Prigozhin in a potentially difficult position. Prigozhin released a series of videos on May 4 and 5 announcing that Wagner will withdraw from Bakhmut on May 10 unless Wagner receives necessary supplies and launched particularly acerbic and emotional attacks against Chief of the Russian General Staff Army General Valery Gerasimov, Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu, and the Russian MoD establishment writ large. Prigozhin’s palpable desperation in the videos, one of which shows the corpses of recently deceased Wagner fighters, marks a significant rhetorical inflection in his continued pleas for increased Russian MoD support for Wagner in Bakhmut. His visible and visceral anger suggests that the Russian MoD has likely deprioritized Bakhmut and shifted operational focus elsewhere in the theater in ways that may seriously compromise Wagner’s ability to operate effectively. Wagner has not ceased efforts to completely capture Bakhmut despite reduced access to ammunition and other necessary supplies, however. Prigozhin has shown no willingness to switch to the defensive within the city.
Russia's Black Sea fleet is irreplaceable. Turkey won't let more warships in and once a Russian vessel is sunk, well.....
Without the fleet Crimea would be much more vulnerable. I don't know how Ukraine could possibly pull it off, but the major ships in that fleet should be sunk.
Should be? How about you go there, Rambo, and get it done. Lol.
Russia is getting very nervous! They are trying different tactics and probably making a story in case something doesn't work out during this offensive. Russia has moved a lot of ships from the Black sea to safety. Prigozhyn keeps staying he will pull back troops on May 10, right when talks of an offensive are happening? It's probably a trick to try to catch Ukraine off guard.
It's happening looks like! They are anxious about the counter offensive and trying to confuse with all this Prigozhyn talk and movement of forces.
Russian victory day is on May, 9th. This is a very important day for them.
Putin is desperate for some kind of victory by that day. Taking Bakhmut would qualify as a victory for his domestic audience.
If he can't show some victory, he can at least use the occasion to rally more support for the war. Creating a false flag event and blaming the USA or Ukraine for it would do the trick.
As I have said many times before, Russians can not be trusted. I would not trust the Wagner bossman.
I'm sure the East Germans fondly recall the Trabants they got to drive while their West German counterparts had to make do with Volkswagens and Audis. Ah, for those glorious days under Moscow's enlightened leadership.
"USSR welfare..." - Moscow was a parasite feeding on East Europe, and they have it in living memory.
I remember the story going around during the Solidarity movement in Poland.
Polish soldier has gone through his indoctrination training and his trainer asks him, "There are two soldiers in front of you, an American and a Russian. Which one do you shoot?" The soldier enthusiastically says, "The Russian!" Trainer sends him back for two more weeks of indoctrination training.
Soldier comes back and is asked the same question. Again, he enthusiastically says, "The Russian!"
Frustrated trainer sends him back for two more weeks of indoctrination training.
Soldier comes back a third time and is asked the same question. Again, "The Russian!" The frustrated trainer says, "No. No. No. Ask ME the question." The soldier asks him who he would shoot. The trainer says, "The American!" A light comes on in the soldier's eyes. "Ah! You are saving the Russian for me!!!"
I'm not sure if this has been posted yet, or not. This is reminiscent of the Russian evacuation of Kherson last year.
Quote:
Russia Orders Partial Evacuation Near Ukraine Front Line
Russia, on Friday, May 5, ordered the evacuation of families with children and of the elderly from Russian-held frontline areas in southern Ukraine because of an 'increase in shelling from the Ukrainian side'.
"In the past few days, the enemy has stepped up shelling of settlements close to the front line," the Russian-installed head of the Zaporizhzhia region, Yevgeny Balitsky, wrote on social media.
"I have therefore made a decision to evacuate first of all children and parents, elderly people, disabled people and hospital patients," he wrote.
"There will be a temporary evacuation" from 18 places, he said, including the town of Energodar where the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is located.
The plant -- Europe's biggest -- has been held by Russia since the first day of the conflict and is now near the front line, causing international concern.
Russia has been about saving men over holding what they consider unimportant territory at the moment. If Ukraine were to do this it would be considered a tactical retreat Russia does it they are running away with their hair on fire.
This also removes eyes and ears that can report on Russian positions.
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