Good Morning,
Ukrainian President Zelensky took to the airwaves last night, in his Sunday war update, to repel rumours Russia has managed to take the hotly contested Cities of Bakhmut and Soledar after months of fighting.
“Bakhmut is holding on despite everything” he said adding “And even though most of the town has been destroyed by Russian strikes, our soldiers are repelling constant Russian attempts to advance.”
Social media posts show fighting in and around Bakhmut and Soledar indicting the situation is far from stable, and Russia continued to press the assault.
In fact Russian forces are in the mines in Soledar, and fighting from inside that area are similar to the long Ukrainian struggle to hold the steel plant in Mariupol this summer, where fighters were able to attack from tunnels in and around that complex, but eventually lost the fight.
Notable this weekend an editorial written by former U.S. Sec. of Defence Robert Gates and Sec. of State Condoleeza Rice where the two say;
“Both of us have dealt with Putin on a number of occasions, and we are convinced he believes time is on his side: that he can wear down the Ukrainians and that U.S. and European unity and support for Ukraine will eventually erode and fracture. To be sure, the Russian economy and people will suffer as the war continues, but Russians have endured far worse”.
The poignant points of the article;
-Putin wants all of Ukraine under Russian control and considers it his messianic mission
-Putin can’t now afford to lose the war
-Count on Putin to be patient to achieve his destiny (Regardless of how delusional - my comment)
-Ukraine has suffered huge economic and infrastructure losses and is dependent on the U.S. for arms
-Any ceasefire will allow Russia to regroup and renew a larger war to take all of Ukraine
Gates and Rice then call on the U.S. and it’s allies to dramatically increase arms to Ukraine including tanks from Germany and longer range missiles. The U.S. should avoid direct confrontation with Putin’s Russia they say but -
“However, an emboldened Putin might not give us that choice. The way to avoid confrontation with Russia in the future is to help Ukraine push back the invader now. That is the lesson of history that should guide us, and it lends urgency to the actions that must be taken — before it is too late”.
Well said, by two people who know Putin better than most, and understand the stakes of the struggle against Russia’s invading forces in Europe.
Pass on this newsletter please, if you believe in speaking and understanding truth.
Dana