Comments by "MarcosElMalo2" (@MarcosElMalo2) on "A vision of victory: What are Russia and Ukraine fighting for? — 14APR2022" video.

  1. With regard to your point 3., Russia seems to be operating on the ancient principal of looting the occupied. They’re foraging in grocery stores, they’re robbing ATMs, they’re stealing cars. Early in the war I remembered seeing Russian position that had been retaken by the Ukrainians territorial defense force. The Russian soldiers had been staying in a building basement, and the basement was littered with refrigerators. My initial thought was that they were using the refrigerators as improvised defensive bulwarks (in case the building got shelled). Then I realized, THEY WERE STEALING REFRIGERATORS!! The ones scattered about in the basement were the ones that didn’t get loaded onto trucks before the Russians withdrew. For the Russian military, stealing and looting (and of course, much worse, as we have learned) isn’t an unfortunate breakdown in discipline. It would seem to be official policy. I think when Russia is eventually forced to withdraw, we will discover that they’ve stolen everything that wasn’t nailed down. I would also bet that they will try to destroy anything they can’t steal.
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  2. Russian generals have said as much, indicating that Moldova could be their next target. But is this a realistic goal? Their thrusts toward Odessa has failed. Two ships crucial to an amphibious assault on the Odessa coast have been sunk or severely damaged. The big supply push trying to get conventional offensive weaponry to Ukraine indicates that Ukraine is preparing a counter-offensive. I think in the meantime they will allow a costly Russian advance to further deplete Russian forces before the counterstroke.
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  3.  @zxb995511  I’d throw in Crimea, too. Ukraine might not give up until Russia has been expelled completely. Zelensky has said Ukraine was willing to return to 2014 boundaries—and maybe he would if Russia ceased hostilities immediately and began withdrawing to those borders.
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  4. A war in search of a purpose? That just doesn’t sound rational.
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