Ukraine

From what I have understood, Russia has generally stolen a lot of Ukraine’s history and culture and passed it off as theirs. The word Rus refers to the vikings who actually founded Kyiv and whom many Ukrainians descend from. Even their names are Slavic versions of Norse names, which I didn’t know until relatively recently.

Soviets did make a habit of crediting any achievements of any people within the USSR to the generalized "soviet" people, which, by default, meant russians. Not that there weren't smart scientists and resilient warriors that were actually russian (gotta acknowledge the truth), but a lot of positive things people usually associate with Soviets were achieved by what was ethnic minorities at the time.

If there's one thing I know, it's never to mess with mother nature, mother in-laws and, mother freaking Ukrainians.

- Skinny Pete

One can only hope that Putler is forced to stop somehow.

Also potentially no more air interceptors for Ukraine however...

Aren't they able to produce shaed-like drones in Russia in the meantime? Of course hoping they indeed do lose lots of territory

Yes, it pisses me off endlessly my country has repeatedly refused to actually move the needle on this war, it has subjected Ukraine to a general human rights crisis this winter and yet my government still condescends Ukraine.

I want to emphasize something though, this was the hardest winter by far in large part because russia has begun to resort more and more to straight up unambiguous terrorism against the Ukrainian civilian population.

You HAVE to remember to ask why they are doing so, and the answer as it always is with those who resort to acts of terrorism is because they are too weak to fight a traditional war. Russia is using guerilla warfare tactics (in an utterly unethical way) while still trying to convince everyone it is capable of fighting a traditional war.

This isn't to minimize anything here, I am pointing out why the dynamic has changed and what that indicates, not minimizing how incredibly difficult this all is.

Being warmer makes a lot of difference when most of our power generation had to be used just to not freeze to death.

What are you talking about? Russia fought clear through the winter, exhausting their forces, destroying their morale and grinding down the last few veterans the russian military had to indicate to all the sorry lot with barely any supplies or even weapons how to fight a war.... No, the spring is approaching like a tidal wave for russia, they must reach some kind of ceasefire or temporary peace deal before summer opens up the possibility for decisive Ukrainian counter attack.

Spring coming is BAD NEWS for russia, I don't care if the russians don't even believe that yet, that is the reality. Ukraine has more armor, more veteran healthy troops, better more solid morale, more cohesion, less brutal fatigue on its servicemembers from not forcing them on a grinding offensive straight through winter...

Ukraine has PILES of artillery now, which it never has going into spring in this war, that ALONE makes an astronomically large difference in terms of holding the bulwark against russian assaults and decisively counter attacking. Ukraine will also be getting the KF41 as well as other armored vehicles and 99% of russia's armor is nearly obsolete compared to those vehicles.

No, I don't agree with you at all, this is VERY different, this is a turning point in the war and there is no debating it if you actually look at the raw supplies/logistics inputs and macro indicators of this conflict.

Throughout the war, there's been a lull in combat operations in both sides during the roughest winter months. There has also been a major offensive operation every spring, by one side or the other.

Currently the circumstances favor Ukraine taking the initiative this spring.

Not quite an improvement.

You've apparently never had to defend a frontline in freezing temperatures, using metal equipment...