In their defence it’s very useful trash outclassing, in general practice, what Russia is fielding (Bradleys are sturdy, practical, and their autocannons pack a punch), it’s just the accounting that’s straight out of Hollywood: The sums you’re seeing announced prices old stuff at the replacement value, that is, what new stuff costs, stuff that they would have bought anyway. It’s entirely imaginary dollars.

Your instincts are wrong, it’s pretty much all donations. Ukraine bought some stuff from German suppliers from their own money but the vast majority is refurbished stuff as well as Germany covering Ukrainian orders from German suppliers. 25 million Euro for 5100 anti-tank weapons from Dynamit Nobel, sounds about right for the PzF3.

Companies are certainly profiting from it, sure, but it’s overwhelmingly paid out of the German budget. And the companies then again pay taxes in Germany, hard to assess actual cost for the tax payer, also e.g. how much could those old Leos actually be sold for in the state they were in before refurbishment. Especially the US accounting is rather suspicious, there, as they would have scrapped the old stuff which costs money and shipping it over to Ukraine might actually be cheaper.

I’m not sure that made sense even in your mind.

Imagine thinking that retort makes sense.

Imagine comparing condoning self-defence to hating victims.

What an imperialistic swine to not do it.

So you neither support the rapist nor the victim. How enlightened centrist of you.

Are you Völkisch or something? I’m getting distinct Nazi vibes from your line of thinking.

But I do have a song for you.

Dude I’m two countries away. If Russia gets through Poland and half of Germany, sure, I’ll be in the trenches. Probably wouldn’t do much good but if I can’t be of more use somewhere else, that’s where I’ll be.

I’ll have to inform you that I’m a conscious objector (spent my time in catastrophe relief) and by now too old.

But yes there’s plenty of German reservists in Ukraine. Also what does that have to do with anything I said, I was glossing Ukrainian sentiment. Did you merely wanted to be right on the internet (in your own mind).

The front has not moved in most of a year, which includes the recent failed counteroffensive.

That’s not even close to a military analysis. What about artillery attrition? Logistics in the rear? What’s the average time between Russians setting up an ammo depot and it getting blown to bits? Conscription getting riskier and riskier for Putin?

How many reserves have the sides committed to the front? Hint: Russia committed everything quite some time ago while Ukraine didn’t and is rotating troops so they can get some well-deserved R&R.

Russia views this as an existential threat. NATO will pay the bills but not indefinitely. Ukraine at some point will tire of a train of body bags with nothing to show for them.

Putin does, certainly when it comes to regime stability. Russia? I very much doubt it because there’s also sane Russian. Europe will continue support indefinitely don’t confuse us for fickle yanks and you’re severely underestimating the morale boost incurred by fighting a defensive war. For Ukraine, this indeed is an existential war. Read Clausewitz.

Russia has much shorter supply lines than NATO.

No. Much of Russia’s production and stocks are in the east. Also that’s like such a non-issue.

NATO pulled out its economic Trump card at the beginning of the conflict and yet here we are.

…at a state where Russia, Russia, is importing metals from China. Metals. Russia. Do I need to need to use more italics. I don’t have any insight on the details but it’s well-known that Russia is lacking workers because tons are either a) dead, b) on the front, or c) in hiding to not end up a) or b), and that seems to be so bad that it affects mining and refining.

Now China might be happy propping Russia up, but internally the Z-patriots are going to scream bloody murder incurring debts with China. Long story short: Russia’s internal situation is becoming more and more volatile.

Would anything convince you?

Yes. It would involve military analysis.

It’s not a tangent. Even if Ukraine lost (and it didn’t, and you made no actual argument on why I should believe so) with the kind of atrocities Russia is committing in occupied territories tons of people would, and, well, do, fight against the occupiers.

Stuff you don’t want to hear so didn’t hear, apparently: Russian torture cellars. Other things you might not want to hear include Russians castrating POWs.

You know what would be even more senseless than dying in a trench? Dying in an FSB torture cellar while your family gets raped.

How, pray tell, would I know my neighbours are Ukrainian when I never talk to people?

Checkmate, projectionist.

Certainly not the vast, vast, majority of Ukrainians. Even among the Ukrainian far-right that’s a tiny minority.

There’s been plenty of court cases and firings over improperly handled conscriptions. Prison inmates IIRC weren’t conscripted but given a choice. Plenty of Ukrainians – also men – returned from other European countries to fight, left countries where they had a free welfare ride and working permits. Plenty of women fight in the army. It surely must be terrible over there /s.

Meanwhile Russia is force-conscripting pretty much any man they can get their hands on and sending them, without equipment, into meat grinders. Have a look at Storm Z units.

Ukraine has lost. They are not getting their separatist regions back.

[citation needed].

In any case Ukrainians disagree with you and keep on fighting. Heck even if Russia occupied all of Ukraine they’d keep on fighting. It’s not in your hands whether they fight or not, and their motive is just, so why not help them? Because you’re a defeatist? Come on.

People back then couldn’t flee like that. You’re taking it all well too literally.

And yes I have Ukrainian refugee neighbours. Soldiers knowing their families are safe with friends isn’t exactly bad for morale, either.