All is coming down to what "data" or data are allowed to be presented to Putin. After 20+ years of yes men gathering around him we may doubt his ability to take rational decisions, hence the "three days SMO". We simply don't know and anything is on the table. We may expect, based on history, that such dictators usually go all in, total war, regardless of casualties and costs. For me, the most frightening part will be at the very end.

Given the slow progress and high cost of the SMO, is it likely Russia would want, or be able, to broaden the conflict?

only if they start to LOSE the war as a result of NATO superior weapons given to Ukraine?

I see it as justification propaganda for internal consumption in advance of announcing the next round of conscript mobilisation only. i.e. The next tranche of mobilisation is imminent.

A third of a million to be mobilised by June? (as per the recent supposed correspondence from Shoigu)
Yeah, right - training, equipment, barracks, weapons, transport, food - it`s sideline popcorn time.
Maybe all notified of a mobilisation requirement by June...

In an ideal world you don’t want them dead but wounded as it takes on average three people IIRC to look after a wounded casualty, however Russia isn’t normal as they just leave them to die.

So you could say ending their suffering by multiple strikes Ukraine is actually being humane.

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Our politicians are never up to it (Chamberlain, peace in our time and all that) but they end up in a position where their hand is called for them and they have no choice but to step up to the mark.
This war will drag on until it's inevitable and then the West will up the ante and do what they should have done at the start.
It's called democracy.

Sevastopol under multiple Ukrainian missile attack tonight.

Some sources claiming at-least two SCALP-EG/Storm Shadow cruise missiles launched by a Su-24M/MR hit a high value Russian Navy target(s).

https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1771645130266563034?s=20

The fact Russia launched such a massive attack against Ukraine the other night in my opinion simply re-emphasised that the strikes on their oil capabilities was winning.

The USA needs to be told we will cease attacking the oil facilities as soon as you start providing the weaponry requested in amounts required to defeat Russia in a short timeframe and until you do that we will carry out whatever we deem necessary to survive.

Even the US Media (who, with the exception of FOX, are pretty kind to the Biden administration), are questioning the wisdom of asking Ukraine to stop doing something that is obviously having an impact on Russia.

BTW, it's also being reported that the US warned the Kremlin a couple weeks ago that they had solid intelligence that "religious fundamentalists" were planning a big terror attack in Russia and Putin blew it off as scaremongering from the west

Finally

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No confirmation as to the target(s)…

BREAKING:

Several Ukrainian Storm Shadow cruise missiles just absolutely OBLITERATED Russian targets in central Sevastopol in occupied Crimea

​​​​​​​❗️BREAKING❗️

There is information that 🇷🇺Russian ships were struck with 🇺🇦Ukrainian missiles strikes in Sevastopol, Crimea

​​​​​​​BREAKING:

Ukraine has unleashed a massive wave of Storm Shadow cruise missiles against Crimea.

Targets are being hit across peninsula.

The explosions seen in this video are taking place at the Belbek airfield.

Here are the losses I could identify for yesterday.


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Latest claims are that the Ukrainian cruise missiles were targeting the Russian Black Sea Fleet (Sevastopol) communications centre.

Twitter

I've said it here many times, but it's entirely possible that Chamberlain knew exactly what he was doing and sacrificed his career and reputation to buy us (just enough) time to rearm. You can make up your own mind about that, but we certainly weren't ready to fight Hitler in September 1938 ... we were barely able to do it a year later

Just think what it must have taken if that was actually the case

I suggest that you read "Fighting Churchill, Appeasing Hitler: How a British Civil Servant Helped Cause the Second World War" by Adrian Phillips.

This provides a rather different perspective on Chamberlain, showing him as a vain, credulous, naive, weak, arrogant and self-serving PM who, with his over-promoted civil servant sidekick Horace Wilson, ignored his cabinet and bypassed the Foreign Office to pursue a disastrous policy for his own personal glory.

Another massive attack on Ukraine tonight.

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I wish you would use text quotes, the text at the top “Here are the losses I could identify for yesterday” infers it is your work, when in fact you have simply lifted it, text and all and do a discredit the original author.

Reports of an oil depot having been struck in Crimea burning.

Unconfirmed reports that a ship in Sevastopol was destroyed.

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