[Treefence]

It's one thing for the Executive Branch to release intel saying Putin has been misled and doesn't trust his military. It's quite another to actually know specifics of what he has been told that isn't true and what he believes that isn't true.

I find it curious that Russian forces are shelling and bombing civilian infrastructure while being pushed back by Ukrainian forces. Wouldn't it make more sense to use those munitions on Ukrainian military? I mean it's almost like Putin was told that if they bomb Ukraine into smithereens and otherwise terrorize its people that they would ask the government to stand down.

Another curious thing is Russia has not destroyed or even to my knowledge attacked Ukrainian government buildings. It has razed local government buildings, but not the capital city's government. I see Ukraine parliament has not stopped meeting. Why would Russia not level the parliament building?  Just kind of baffles me. Is there some modest chivalry going on, like you don't bomb the government headquarters for the country?

I don't believe Ukraine's military is planning to stop pushing Russia back until it is out of Ukraine completely, including Donbas and Luhansk, maybe even Crimea. There was fighting between Ukraine forces and Russian separatists before the invasion in East Ukraine, but it's not like Ukraine's military was making a big commitment, or do anything to Russia in Crimea. Now, it seems they have the motivated manpower and resolve to keep on pushing Russia out until it is gone, especially given the damage already done. 

So maybe the "bomb civilians" strategy wasn't the right one?

Be careful about the whole "bomb civilians" narrative.

The Russians are likely focusing on military objectives.  But they are using dumb bombs and artillery.  They are going to hit some other things.  The Ukrainians are also pushing this story.  Remember the mall that was bombed in Kiev?  Turns out it housed anti aircraft batteries and the Russians had videos to prove it.

That is not to say that the Russians aren't hitting civilians.  It also seems like in Mariupol they are just flattening the place.  OTOH the UKR is fighting house to house in Mariupol so what exactly is civilian versus military can get kind of confusing.

Once again, the Russians are clearly capable of war crimes.  OTOH, the UKR are pushing this narrative and in the west we only really here the UKR side.

My guess is that reality is somewhere in the middle.....

I think you are off on this, Russians are somewhat targeting military structures, but they have a long history of shelling cities, indiscriminately, in an effort to cause maximum damage and fear to civilians and military alike.  In Mariupol alone they are proven to have bombed an opera house that was being used as a bomb shelter for civilians, which had the text "children" written in Russian outside.  There was also a building with the Red Cross symbol on it that Russia bombed.  While Ukraine might be emphasizing the loss of civilian lives, it is Russian propaganda that is trying to state they are only targeting military positions.  Like Aleppo and Grozny, in Mariupol and many other places, Russia is going for complete destruction, and we should never give them the benefit of the doubt...

[Treefence]

It's one thing for the Executive Branch to release intel saying Putin has been misled and doesn't trust his military. It's quite another to actually know specifics of what he has been told that isn't true and what he believes that isn't true.

I find it curious that Russian forces are shelling and bombing civilian infrastructure while being pushed back by Ukrainian forces. Wouldn't it make more sense to use those munitions on Ukrainian military? I mean it's almost like Putin was told that if they bomb Ukraine into smithereens and otherwise terrorize its people that they would ask the government to stand down.

Another curious thing is Russia has not destroyed or even to my knowledge attacked Ukrainian government buildings. It has razed local government buildings, but not the capital city's government. I see Ukraine parliament has not stopped meeting. Why would Russia not level the parliament building?  Just kind of baffles me. Is there some modest chivalry going on, like you don't bomb the government headquarters for the country?

I don't believe Ukraine's military is planning to stop pushing Russia back until it is out of Ukraine completely, including Donbas and Luhansk, maybe even Crimea. There was fighting between Ukraine forces and Russian separatists before the invasion in East Ukraine, but it's not like Ukraine's military was making a big commitment, or do anything to Russia in Crimea. Now, it seems they have the motivated manpower and resolve to keep on pushing Russia out until it is gone, especially given the damage already done. 

So maybe the "bomb civilians" strategy wasn't the right one?

Be careful about the whole "bomb civilians" narrative.

The Russians are likely focusing on military objectives.  But they are using dumb bombs and artillery.  They are going to hit some other things.  The Ukrainians are also pushing this story.  Remember the mall that was bombed in Kiev?  Turns out it housed anti aircraft batteries and the Russians had videos to prove it.

That is not to say that the Russians aren't hitting civilians.  It also seems like in Mariupol they are just flattening the place.  OTOH the UKR is fighting house to house in Mariupol so what exactly is civilian versus military can get kind of confusing.

Once again, the Russians are clearly capable of war crimes.  OTOH, the UKR are pushing this narrative and in the west we only really here the UKR side.

My guess is that reality is somewhere in the middle.....

I think you are off on this, Russians are somewhat targeting military structures, but they have a long history of shelling cities, indiscriminately, in an effort to cause maximum damage and fear to civilians and military alike.  In Mariupol alone they are proven to have bombed an opera house that was being used as a bomb shelter for civilians, which had the text "children" written in Russian outside.  There was also a building with the Red Cross symbol on it that Russia bombed.  While Ukraine might be emphasizing the loss of civilian lives, it is Russian propaganda that is trying to state they are only targeting military positions.  Like Aleppo and Grozny, in Mariupol and many other places, Russia is going for complete destruction, and we should never give them the benefit of the doubt...