Comments by "Tim Trewyn" (@timtrewyn453) on "Robin Horsfall - The Spring Offensive has Begun - Can Ukraine Surprise with Bold and Decisive Gains?" video.

  1. It is not the case that every person, or even most persons, in Ukraine who speak Russian is loyal to Russia. I personally know several who want nothing to do with Russia. The Russian language is widespread in Ukraine and many grew up there with it as their primary language because of Soviet influence. And now my Ukrainian friends are learning a great deal of English, which certainly will not endear them to Russian leadership but will strengthen the bond between Ukraine and the West. In Kherson, Ukraine will need to innovate with multiple shore installations on both banks for not only boats but eventually larger barges for bulk supply of forces on the left bank. Once these forces push the more common and prolific types of Russian artillery out of range of the selected portions of the river, then pontoon bridges and even artificial islands can be used to form a web of repairable crossings to increase the flow heavy equipment southward. No doubt the system will be attacked, but like the electric utility system, it is possible to offset losses with timely repairs. The long distance to Kherson is an advantage for Ukraine, increasing the difficulty of Russian eastern and southern forces reinforcing each other. Russia may very well decide it needs to cede more of Kherson oblast to maintain control of its land bridge to Crimea. Ukraine needs to be developing a potent, permanent riverine engineering capability to maintain sovereignty. They might as well get started on it now. It will force Russia to increase its logistical effort over a longer distance and thwart much of its investment in the defense of Zaporizhya. One wonders if decommissioned American littoral combat ships would be of any use to Ukraine.
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  2.  @mkhbell  Without verifiable numbers it is not clear. It's a big problem Russia has with the world. It really doesn't want to be transparent at all at a time like this. So the discerning have no confidence in statements sympathetic to the Russian cause. I actually know some Ukrainians because they are not in Russia. If some want to be there, that is their choice of course. I hope Russia continues to repatriate any Ukrainian children it relocated to their rightful parents.
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