Mastodawn

Blinken says Ukraine has taken back 50% of territory that Russia seized

https://lemmy.world/post/2037484

Blinken says Ukraine has taken back 50% of territory that Russia seized - Lemmy.world

WASHINGTON, July 23 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that while Ukraine has reconquered half the territory that Russia initially seized in its invasion, Kyiv faced a “a very hard fight” to win back more. “It’s already taken back about 50% of what was initially seized,” Blinken said in an interview to CNN on Sunday. “These are still relatively early days of the counteroffensive. It is tough,” he said, adding: “It will not play out over the next week or two. We’re still looking I think at several months.” Hopes that Ukraine could quickly clear Moscow’s forces from its territory following the launch of a summer counteroffensive are fading as Kyiv’s troops struggle to breach heavily entrenched Russian positions in the country’s south and east. Late last month President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was quoted as saying that progress against Russian forces was “slower than desired” but that Kyiv would not be pressured into speeding it up.

chardiemacdennis Jul 23, 2023

Well it’s a start!

xc2215x Jul 23, 2023

Good for Ukraine.

Darkhoof Jul 23, 2023

Nice. They need to keep going.

becool Jul 23, 2023

https://vicharacterdaily.tumblr.com/image/160194386538

TWeaK Jul 23, 2023

Lmfao I knew I recognised that name from somewhere…

However your link is weird for me, had to copy the text and paste it to view. Otherwise it just comes up as https://<myinstance>/post/url. Maybe because your original federated post was deleted or something?

Kbin is weird and janky with its federation to lemmy.

Ignacio Jul 23, 2023

50% is half of the territory, but looking at the maps, it looks like it's less than 50%. Am I missing something?

Paws Jul 23, 2023

Russia took quite a bit of territory in the northern parts early on, which Ukraine have since taken back. They’ve also taken some ground back that was lost a few years ago from the east.

ghariksforge Jul 23, 2023

No, they assumed that you won’t actually check it.

Carighan Maconar Jul 23, 2023

And since you didn’t check it, you can just go say it’s wrong? 😛

ghariksforge Jul 24, 2023

liveuamap.com/en

you can follow it here.

Ukraine Interactive map - Ukraine Latest news on live map - liveuamap.com

Live Universal Awareness Map Liveuamap is a leading independent global news and information site dedicated to factual reporting of a variety of important topics including conflicts, human rights issues, protests, terrorism, weapons deployment, health matters, natural disasters, and weather related stories, among others, from a vast array of sources.

Ukraine Interactive map - Ukraine Latest news on live map - liveuamap.com

Arotrios Jul 23, 2023

I love boosting good news, especially given the enormous amount of Russian disinformation surrounding the "failure" and "slow going" of the offensive.

It was never going to be quick, or easy, and I think that the extraordinary successes of earlier Ukrainian counter-offensives set expectations higher than the reality on the ground.

But in the balance, Ukraine went from having half its territory captured by the 2nd strongest army in the world to knocking them back on their knees and retaking half of what was lost in the space of less than two years. That's an incredible success in the face of overwhelming odds, even with NATO and EU support. One only has to look at the Russian takeovers in Eastern Europe after WWII to get a sense of how unique it is that Ukraine was able to not only resist, but drive back the invaders.

From California and all Americans who support freedom, Слава Україні!

oatscoop Jul 24, 2023

It also ignores war aren’t always won by taking and holding territory: many are won by simply outlasting the enemy’s willingness or ability to maintain the conflict.

Move to lemm.ee Jul 23, 2023

This uhh. This is just nonsense right? I’m not aware of Ukraine having broken any of the defensive first lines let alone past any of the dragon’s teeth lines. There’s 2 more lines beyond those. Getting past these lines is necessary before getting even 10%, let alone 50%.

chowder Jul 23, 2023

Kiyv, Kherson, & Kharkiv.

Move to lemm.ee Jul 23, 2023

Aight so like 15-20% and he’s referring to something that happened ages ago then. I thought it was kinda weird, I guess they’re not happy about how the current counteroffensive is going either and this kind of statement helps generate headlines that stop people’s support dropping whether it’s actually true or not.

Carighan Maconar Jul 23, 2023

I mean looking at this video - which is 4 months old now, too - I am eyeballing it but kinda seems like yeah, it could be 40%+? So now it’s 50% maybe, sure.

Map shows territorial shifts in Ukraine since war began one year ago

YouTube

Move to lemm.ee Jul 23, 2023

Huh I guess you can get kinda close to 40% ? I suppose most of us aren’t including the north east withdrawal because it’s largely seen as a distraction and not really a “front” that actually happened, and Kyiv feels like it happened 10 years ago now. It makes sense that Blinken would include the stuff most people wouldn’t think of as having been Ukraine “taking it back” because the bigger number looks good in media.

chowder Jul 24, 2023

Lmfao " Kyiv was a feint" do you really believe that? Dude they lost so many VDV the BBC did a piece on it. To say it was just a distraction is bullshit Russian propaganda. They attacked, failed, then retreated and reinforced the areas they were more successful.

Move to lemm.ee Jul 24, 2023

Nah I’m not talking about Kyiv. The north east was hardly any troops, no supply, just empty roads that were taken with no resistance. And then they withdrew with no resistance too after the Kyiv attack failed. My point being that it’s hardly worth considering it as having been “taken” in the first place, and most don’t. The Kyiv part itself is fair to bring up, just easy to forget given how long ago it was.

Anyway people should be more concerned about the new russian offensive getting hyped up. A lot of rumours stirring around that look similar to Bahkmut right now.

chowder Jul 24, 2023

No resistance? They sieged Chernihiv from February 25-March 31.

You count Bakhmut as a Russian victory? Nobody won Bakhmut, Russian expended a massive ammout of manpower and resources for nothing. The front didn’t change in any meaningful way, hell the fact they are struggled so much to reclaim a town they captured in 2014 should tell you how bad things are for Russia. Seriously dude they drafted 300,000 and still the only way they made progress was by throwing prisoners at it.

Also spoiler alert they have been on the offensive this entire time. The only competent people have been removed from power. The one to order defensive lines made and mines laid backed Pringlez. Pringlez is also gone now so yeah I don’t really see this offensive playing out any way.

zap branningan explains his genius strategy for defeating killbots futurama

YouTube

Move to lemm.ee Jul 24, 2023

I didn’t say anything about victories. I couldn’t give a shit about who is winning or losing I would prefer the fighting to stop immediately it’s all a waste of lives and the destruction of families.

I don’t think we should be counting Pringlez as gone, Wagner are training Belarus troops I’m not convinced that he isn’t involved in that given that he moved to Belarus.~

What I’m talking about is the 100k troops and 1k tanks that have been built up for the new Russian push. We might see a big arrow offensive again instead of this attrition stuff that has been going on. It’s all speculation obviously but the telegrams feel a lot like they did before Bahkmut when the rumours were circling that it was going to be next, this makes me think that this is actually going to happen fairly soon. But hey I’ve been wrong before so ehhh

SCB Jul 24, 2023

I downvoted you because you’re saying false/insane things. That’s the point of downvotes.

Move to lemm.ee Jul 24, 2023

What false things have I said?

SCB Jul 24, 2023

There is a 0% chance Russia has “thousands of functioning tanks” that mysteriously weren’t deemed necessary during their worldwide embarrassment of logistics last year.

Move to lemm.ee Jul 24, 2023

I didn’t say thousands. I said a thousand. It’s actually estimated closer to 900 in this buildup along with the 100k troops but that’s neither here nor there really. Maybe if you actually bothered to read or watch anything I send you then you would know this? The issue here is that you’re unwilling to take onboard any information unless it comes from your little circle of neoliberal media sources, which are always late, and always doing an incredibly repetitive narrative that really doesn’t serve to learn or understand much at all. This leaves you completely unaware of what is actually happening.

SCB Jul 24, 2023

It’s less that I don’t believe you (or can’t click links) and more that I doubt, severely, Russia’s ability to employ said armor to any degree of effectiveness.

Move to lemm.ee Jul 24, 2023

The effectiveness of the armour entirely depends on how many Javelins Ukraine have left in my opinion. These were causing the bulk of Russian losses. The way this has been dragged on and delayed and delayed and delayed could imply that the Russians have been aiming to deplete the supplies and munitions that the Ukrainians have in order to make an offensive viable. The west doesn’t really have much left of this shit to give them either without taking it literally out of the hands of active units. Western manufacturing is not keeping up with the rate at which things are getting used.

I’m not ruling out that their offensive will go as badly as the Ukrainian one. It really depends on what they have left, how many weapons supply dumps the Russians have been managing to destroy with those regular missile attacks, etc etc.

chowder Jul 25, 2023

These were causing the bulk of Russian losses.

No, it’s mines and artillery.

deplete the supplies and munitions that the Ukrainians have in order to make an offensive

Dude this started out with Ukrainians making molotovs. Now they are getting shipments of Bradleys and multiple types of tanks. The west is capable of sustaining Ukraines ammo needs for a while. The US has already went from producing 14k shells a month to 24 with the goal of 85k a month by 2028. That’s just the US, now factor in all the European countries doing the same.

You need to stop listening to whatever sources you are reading.

Move to lemm.ee Jul 25, 2023

Another

youtu.be/OAoYZ850cg0

Fair warning Mercouris is a tory fuckhead. However I suspect that will appeal to a neoliberal like yourself. He’s also a london barrister working in constitutional law and human rights.

Russia Breaks Through Ukr Defences Kremennaya, Advances to Oskol River; Prepares Future Offensive

YouTube

SCB Jul 25, 2023

I’m much more of a libdem than a Tory , and wavering battle lines do not an offensive make. Can’t hold territory if you can’t resupply.

Move to lemm.ee Jul 25, 2023

I’m much more of a libdem than a Tory

Biden is to the right of the tories lmao.

With that said, you do seem like a Nick Clegg kinda person. He runs meta as Zuckerberg’s equal these days lmao. Lib dems.

and wavering battle lines do not an offensive make. Can’t hold territory if you can’t resupply.

Yeah that’s fair. But what’s happening is the biggest movement we’ve seen in months, and the numbers flying around (build has been since february) are fine. Like I’ve said elsewhere though I also think it’s possible this offensive will get bogged down in cluster bombs. We shall see.

At least we’re not in the “you’re talking bullshit” headspace now. You at least understand I’m not just making shit up.

SCB Jul 25, 2023

I’ve never thought you were making shit up (except “Biden is right of Tories” lmao). I said your conclusions were wrong.

Move to lemm.ee Jul 25, 2023

He’s a bigger warmonger, a bigger strikebreaker, doesn’t want universal free at point of service healthcare, starts more wars, and keeps more children in cages. Although with our new prison boat they’re certainly trying to catch up.

I’m fairly confident Biden would be fine if I was shot for climbing on a weapons factory roof and smashing the building up, that or guantanamo’d. We do it on the regular and far from getting shot we don’t even get prosecuted. Been doing it to Elbit factories that make weapons for Israel for over a year and a half now without a single prosecution.

I think a fairly good litmus test for “who is further right” is to check which one of them would disappear me to a blacksite for being an effective leftist, and that isn’t the tories I’m afraid mate. America has marched incredibly far right. It has no left, not electorally anyway, local wins excluded.

Palestine Action on Twitter

“Activists strike Elbit’s computers, equipment, roof, windows and walls — Israel’s weapons factory in #Shenstone is crumbling and so is Elbit’s presence in Britain #ShutElbitDown”

Twitter

SCB Jul 25, 2023

Lmao well at least you admitted you’re crazy so we can stop talking

Move to lemm.ee Jul 25, 2023

Is it crazy if we’ve permanently shut down 3 factories and an office? It’s been working.

Smashing shit gets the goods mate.

jackal Aug 10, 2023

Will you remove your downvote now that Kupyansk is almost taken by the Russians?

SCB Aug 10, 2023

Nah

jackal Aug 10, 2023

Ok champ

kaonashi Jul 24, 2023

Yea, 100% pure copium.

Worstdriver Jul 24, 2023

This is since the invasion began, counting from Russia’s deepest gains into Ukrainian territory. So, this is everything that Ukraine has managed to do against the world’s second largest military. While currently there haven’t been any spectacular gains, the Ukraine has been steadily grinding the land back from the invaders and combined the amount now adds up to 50% retaken.

Meaning the job is half done, but also half finished.

Move to lemm.ee Jul 24, 2023

This boundless optimism is so strange. Using something that was so long ago now for propaganda in the present is super misleading. Until we see a breakthrough of the defensive lines, literally just 1 layer of a line would be a good start let alone all 3 layers I can’t really agree with anyone that thinks much is going to happen from the ukrainian side. If/when that does happen I’d be happy to reassess.

Worstdriver Jul 24, 2023

Not really. It’s an overall view of the progress to date. The liberation of Ukrainian territory is an continuous and ongoing process and it’s half done. The only super misleading part has been thinking that Russia would give up on its latest bout of imperialism so quickly. America is going to keep supplying Ukraine with weapons because by doing so they are absolutely wrecking their #1 enemy on the cheap.

Russia is fucked. Even if they beat Ukraine their invasion has caused NATO to expand its direct contact with Russia from over 1000km. Russian threw away decades of goodwill and cause economic cooperation with the West to completely die out. Russia was on the verge of being Europe’s OPEC and all of that potential to make their nation better has been utterly lost.

No one is going to trust Russia for at least another full generation.

Move to lemm.ee Jul 24, 2023

Mate I don’t know why you’ve said half this shit. I talked about none of that.

hamid Jul 24, 2023

Propaganda bots have to get their propaganda out somehow

Move to lemm.ee Jul 24, 2023

Maybe. It’s a bizarre response that hardly has anything to do with what I was saying, I just assumed it was someone that really wanted to say all these things that we’ve heard from neoliberals and the media like a billion times already. Like, ok?

rambaroo Jul 25, 2023

Lol “so long ago”. Most of it wasn’t even a year ago dude, and the article is pretty clear about the timeline being discussed.

Move to lemm.ee Jul 25, 2023

Most of it wasn’t even a year ago

Yes it was? The withdrawal from the north was march30-april6.

I’m not a dude.

raresbears Jul 24, 2023

The job is not at all half finished. There is a massive difference between taking back territory Russia strategically chose to withdraw from following their failure to advance further and taking back territory they have claimed as an integral part of their nation and will fight tooth and nail to defend.

Agareth Jul 23, 2023

Give them fucking jets for fucks sake.

GiuseppeAndTheYeti Jul 24, 2023

They’re being trained on F-16s via Poland if I’m not mistaken. But those F-16s aren’t going to make things much easier either. They’d likely be targeted by S-400s behind the Russian lines, so their operational range while being in friendly airspace is probably pretty limited. The slow pace than hoped for is mostly affected by the mines that Russia laid and entrenched soldiers. The drone-dropped grenades are more effective at dealing with entrenched soldiers than an F-16 having to evade redar and SAMs.

d4rknusw1ld Jul 24, 2023

Still not a no fly zone over Ukraine. Cowards.

stappern Jul 24, 2023

Lol this shit again?

Aux Jul 24, 2023

Only Russia can establish a no flight zone at the moment. That’s not something anyone wants.

JebanuusPisusII Jul 24, 2023

If we want to declare war against the naZis, then why limiting ourselves to skies only? (no-fly zone means joining the war openly).

Grant_M Jul 24, 2023

#JetsForUkraine

Commiejones Aug 11, 2023

Why not just say #NukeTheWorld?

Also American jets need Pristine runways to take off. Ukraine couldn’t use F16s if they had them even if they had trained pilots.

CantSt0pPoppin Jul 24, 2023

This post is accurate here is a direct link to the qoute of 50 precent of Ukraine being taken back from Ruissia

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAjK1zJEnXI

Blinken says Ukraine has reclaimed about half of land Russia seized

Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks with CNN's Fareed Zakaria about the state of war in Ukraine and the weapons training the military needs to continue ...

YouTube

popemichael Jul 24, 2023

It’s funny that he works for the US government and his name is A. Blinken

It sounds like a joke from Robin Hood: Men in Tights

SCB Jul 24, 2023

Also he has a band called “Ablinken,” so you know he definitely leans into the joke.

They’re on Spotify, and surprisingly fun. Gen X dad-rock.

assassin_aragorn Jul 25, 2023

Oh my god. It’s real.