Ukraine needs to keep that in western Ukraine and keep hammering Russian AD for now.

Soon I'll be having surgery, minor surgery all things considered, I may be in there for a week-ish. In that time, I hope BFR and others can handle the news responsibilities and everyone can help self-moderate this thread from any potential trouble makers! I don't actually know when but yeah I'll be dipped out for a week or so in case anyone asks where I am and if I've given up on the thread, I haven't, Lol.

Ryu, best of luck.

🫡

I'll be good, it's pretty minor surgery, especially compared to what I've had in the past, I'm not really bothered or worried but *insert generic line about how all surgery has risks* but I'm kind of relieved it's finally happening. Thanks though! I've dipped from this thread in the past, just cause it was slow at times and stuff and people sometimes commented like "where Ryuu!?" So just letting people know beforehand.

You will like the news that comes from Russian sources:

-In economics I have been saying for quite some time that the Russian GDP is not collapsing; that what does collapse is the Russian GDP destined for the well-being and prosperity of Russia; but not the Russian GDP itself.

Well, that has been true until just yesterday, May 29. The demise of Russia's real economy means bond buyers see runaway inflation coming. You have to offer them increasingly higher rates so that they agree to buy them. Until there comes a point where it is not profitable to sell bonds. Well, this month they have placed a third of the bonds that they placed in April, only one day there was a normal sale of bonds, and just yesterday they decided not to sell more. The official explanation they gave "stabilizing the market" is a lie. They don't sell because it doesn't pay for them. The Russian dictatorship needs a few trillion rubles, which will now come from raising taxes on the working class: that is, more destruction of the real Russian economy. Russia's economy is entering another spiral. And if they don't find a solution to this (and I don't know what rabbit they're going to pull out of the hat now), then they're headed straight for the perfect storm.

-In military production they reach their zenith this fall and after the winter the irreversible decline begins.

-Gentlemen, the campaign of drone attacks has not actually started yet. Ukraine has been testing configurations, models, blind spots and routes for a few months. In a few more months Ukraine will have the data and the campaign will begin. So far all they have done is hinder Russian critical infrastructure; When it really starts they are going to make it disappear. And it is a situation where all the cards are in favor of Ukraine.

Good luck!

The Biden administration has quietly given Ukraine permission to strike inside Russia — solely near the area of Kharkiv — using U.S.-provided weapons, a U.S. official and two other people familiar with the move said Thursday, a major reversal that will help Ukraine to better defend its second-largest city.

"The president recently directed his team to ensure that Ukraine is able to use U.S. weapons for counter-fire purposes in Kharkiv so Ukraine can hit back at Russian forces hitting them or preparing to hit them," a U.S. official confirmed, adding that the policy of allowing long-range strikes inside Russia "has not changed."

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It's better than nothing but restricting it to near Kharkiv is still very much nonsense, if Ukraine is allowed to strike Russia then what difference does it make whether it's near Kharkiv or somewhere else. You basically say to Russians they can instead build forces near Sumy and be safe. Still restricting long-range strikes is frustrating too considering that's where the airfields are.