Boy, the Ukrainians seem to be kickin ass lately…

[mrbigstuff]

Ted King wrote:
[quote=mrbigstuff]
[quote=pdq]
[quote=mrbigstuff]
Remember, he wants to destroy the cities and infrastructure, he's not looking to dominate the people and occupy the country. Not yet, at any rate. But a decimated Ukraine would mean that he won't have to worry about that flank.

:S

Are you saying Russia faces an attack from Ukraine?
No
I took it that you were referring to Putin's view that Western Europe is trying to colonize Eastern Europe and especially the Soviet Union Russia and thus that decimating Eastern Ukraine would become a bulwark against Nazis Nato in Russia's southern flank. Was that in the ballpark?
Yes. But more to the point, he wants to destroy the systems that would make Ukraine a power in the future, one that could challenge Russia. Hey, let's face it, Putin could have really bombed the hell out of that country (and may still!), with no fear that any of that would occur in reverse. He's smart enough to know that occupation is a dead end.

Then again, it's been a long while since I've studied with poli-sci geopolitical experts at university!