This is from yesterday. For those who don't know Russian - it is a pretty popular song by Leningrad rock group - that starts with words: "Today I dreamed that Moscow burned down. Kremlin and Putin and all that" and continues with "Moscow, whom are your bells tolling for? Moscow, how much for your golden domes?" A celebration of Ukrainian advance I am sure. https://t.me/ASupersharij/11131
Russian military explains partial withdrawal: Russian units have left multiple settlements in the Kharkov region amid a Ukrainian offensive The troops stationed in the area have been "re-deployed" over the past three days into territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic, the ministry claimed. During the operation, the military has performed a “number of distracting and demonstration activities imitating the real action of troops,” it added, without providing any further detail on said maneuvers. In order to prevent “damage to Russian troops,” the military has been subjecting Ukrainian units in the area to “powerful” artillery, missile and aircraft attacks, the ministry said, claiming destruction of over 100 armor pieces and artillery, as well as elimination of “more than 2,000 Ukrainian and foreign fighters” in the past three days.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/09/07/world/xi-putin-meet-next-week/ Putin and Xi to meet in Uzbekistan on September 15-16. I would imagine there would be discussion of topics of interest to NATO and Ukraine. Putin will likely try to leverage recent events regarding Chinese Taipei into an expanded military doctrine and increased trade commitments. Xi will probably express concern that escalation in Ukraine by Russia could lead to economic fallout for China, although given Russia’s current situation, Xi might be tempted to negotiate a deal regarding Russia’s resources at firesafe prices. Thought for the meeting regarding diplomacy among nations: “Is it borders that we respect or is it military capability”?
Putin is in the dog house today. His most rabid buddy, Kadyrov, is asking him to do some 'splainin. As they say in American politics: "If you are explaining, you are losing." It is true that the Chechens shoot anyone who retreats and they are currently doing that in Ukraine as well. The ones watching the war on youtube in Moscow and St. Petersburg might want to think about that as they get closer to being mobilized. "If Russia wanted to, [leaders] could have ordered not a single step back. So, they need to explain why they did what they did." Chechen ruler criticizes Russian military for retreating from occupied cities in Ukraine. ‘Explain yourselves!’ 2:58 am, September 11, 2022 Source: Meduza As Ukraine’s counteroffensive drives back invading troops, the public panic among the war’s supporters is Russia has become louder. On Sunday, September 11, Chechnya’s Ramzan Kadyrov added his voice to this growing chorus, criticizing the Russian Defense Ministry for withdrawing occupation forces from the cities of Izyum, Kupiansk, and Balakliya in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region. In a video shared on his Telegram channel, Kadyrov warned that he would be “compelled” to contact Russia’s military and national leaders “in order to explain the situation,” if immediate changes aren’t made to the invasion’s strategy. The Chechen ruler also complained that Russia’s Defense Ministry hasn’t openly addressed the Ukrainian counteroffensive “even though they’ve been watching the whole thing”: If Russia wanted to, [leaders] could have ordered not a single step back. So, they need to explain why they did what they did. For what happened, I see that their people were unprepared. We always show how we’re firing, how we’re capturing, and how we’re destroying. We need to show the other side, too. At the same time, Kadyrov vowed that Russia would retake the liberated cities, and to this end he pledged the service of thousands of soldiers from Chechnya. “And we’ll reach Odesa in the near future,” he proclaimed. https://meduza.io/en/news/2022/09/11/chechen-ruler-criticizes-russian-military-for-retreating-from-occupied-cities-in-ukraine-explain-yourselves
This is the map of the Ukrainian gains in the last 5 days. Total area (I am not kidding) 8370 square kilometers. About 3000 square miles. In 5 days. Total collapse of the Russian front over there. All of Kharkov region is Ukrainian now, all the way to the Russian border. Also - Ukrainians are reporting capturing, intact, about 30 Russian tanks and about 40 BMPs. Which shows just how panicked the retreat was.
Just a reminder that no rational person believes that Russia is a world superpower -- in fact most of the world mocks Russia and their claims. Let's see one example... Ukrainian official mocks Russia’s “special military operation objectives” https://english.nv.ua/nation/ukraine-official-mocks-goals-for-russia-war-50269166.html t would seem that Russia’s war goals were to ensure its total international isolation, a NATO expansion, and Ukraine reclaiming Crimea, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said in a Twitter post on Sept. 10. Specifically, Podolyak mused that – despite what Russia insists on during UN Security Council sessions – Moscow’s true objectives seem to be: Dissolution of its puppet regimes in occupied Donbas; Ukraine liberating Crimea; A NATO expansion; Losing the European natural gas market; Russian economic collapse; International isolation by a new “iron curtain.” “Everything is going according to plan and ahead of schedule,” Podolyak said, taunting the Kremlin.
Look who is begging for negotiations... How about "No". Russian Foreign Minister says Russia not opposed to negotiations amidst Ukraine’s counteroffensive https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2022/09/11/7367012/