Russian Ops in Ukraine: Donbas Cauldron(s) Closing, US-NATO Options Running Out

Update on Russian military operations in Ukraine

– Russian forces continue encirclement and elimination of Ukrainian forces in the Severodonetsk-Lysychansk cauldron;
– During encirclements in Syria, similar “offensives” were attempted as acts of desperation;
– Claims of Ukrainian “counter-offensives” are a distraction from the overall, imminent strategic defeat these forces face in the cauldron;
– Other “offensives” near Kherson and outside of Kharkov have failed to make any strategic gains and represent political distractions for Ukraine’s strategic defeat;
– HIMARS, additional artillery systems, drones, and other heavy weapons will not change the tide of the conflict
– Russia is winning because of air power, air defenses, logistics, advantages in correlation of forces;
– Western media continues to pivot from “Ukrainian victory” to a more sober realization of Ukrainian losses and its bleak outlook for the future.

References:

Guardian – Ukraine forces ‘recapture 20% of territory lost in Sievierodonetsk’ – as it happened:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/liv…

Reuters – First cargo ship leaves Mariupol since Russia took the city – separatist leader:
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/…

Alexander Mercouris (The Duran) – Russia Repulses Ukraine Counterattacks, West Reporters Speak of Crisis for Kiev in Donbass:
https://youtu.be/CCX0xRyX_QI

Alex Christoforou – EU happy to buy India’s oil. Severodonetsk fog of war. Putin ‘crunching them like nuts.’ Update 1:
https://youtu.be/UhlE4Z1szSc

Institute for the Study of War (ISW) – RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, JUNE 4:
https://www.understandingwar.org/back…

TASS – Fuss over arms deliveries to Kiev aims to stretch out conflict in Ukraine, Putin says:
https://tass.com/politics/1460781

Guardian – Himars: what are the advanced rockets US is sending Ukraine?:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/202…

Yahoo News – Spain ready to give Ukraine 40 Leopard tanks, anti-aircraft systems, El Pais writes:
https://news.yahoo.com/spain-ready-uk…

The National Interest – Turkey’s Leopard 2 Tanks Are Getting Crushed in Syria:
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buz…

TASS – Russia says it struck artillery training center with foreign staff outside Sumy:
https://tass.com/military-operation-i…

US Department of Defense – Dr. Colin Kahl, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Holds a Press Briefing (June 1):
https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcri…

BBC – ‘I watched from afar Russia’s latest merciless assault on Severodonetsk’:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe…

Guardian – Russia is winning the economic war – and Putin is no closer to withdrawing troops:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentis…