Extended edition: Episode 3-29-23

Good morning, my friends!

Here’s today’s brief round-up of news and some daily motivation.

If you just happened to stumble by, here’s what I’m doing with The View from the Front extended edition.

My name is Stan R. Mitchell and I’m a prior Marine, journalist, and man who loves this country with all of my heart. I also like to focus on covering our military and looming hot spots, while also trying to unite the country as best I can.

I truly do appreciate all my supporters and listeners, and The View from the Front extended edition is just a small way I want to add value and repay those who have signed up as paid subscribers. (And it also is another step forward toward the long-term dream and vision I currently have.)

I will also continue to do my weekly podcast each Thursday.

If you’d like to upgrade and go from free to paid, here’s the link:

But no pressure. I’ve already got a nice contingent of awesome, paying supporters.

---

Russia and Ukraine news:

The AP had a great story about Zelenskyy, which involved a series of interviews they had with him as he toured various parts of the country — including the frontline — by train.

Obviously, the trip was secret and the interviews weren’t published until after the trip ended.

But the story is remarkable and absolutely worth the read.

The Associated Press @AP

@AP traveled with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for two days on a train across the country. Here’s what he shared.

apnews.comUkraine’s Zelenskyy: Any Russian victory could be perilousON A TRAIN FROM SUMY TO KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned Tuesday that unless his nation wins a drawn-out battle in a key eastern city, Russia could begin building international support for a deal that could require Ukraine to make unacceptable compromises.

Here are just a few nuggets from it:

On why Bakhmut had to be defended…

If Bakhmut fell to Russian forces, their president, Vladimir Putin, would “sell this victory to the West, to his society, to China, to Iran,” Zelenskyy said in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press.

“If he will feel some blood — smell that we are weak — he will push, push, push,” Zelenskyy said in English, which he used for virtually all of the interview.

On what might happen in the spring and in the future of the war…

The president makes few predictions about the biggest question hanging over the war: how it will end. He expressed confidence, however, that his nation will prevail through a series of “small victories” and “small steps” against a “very big country, big enemy, big army” — but an army, he said, with “small hearts.”

On what has happened to Ukraine as a country since it was invaded more than a year ago…

While Zelenskyy acknowledged that the war has “changed us,” he said that in the end, it has made his society stronger.

“It could’ve gone one way, to divide the country, or another way — to unite us,” he said. “I’m so thankful. I’m thankful to everybody — every single partner, our people, thank God, everybody — that we found this way in this critical moment for the nation. Finding this way was the thing that saved our nation, and we saved our land. We are together.”

---

Russia definitely appears to be on its back foot, anticipating a brutal Ukrainian attack in the coming weeks and months.

Here’s an example of the defensive positions being dug in Crimea, the southern part of Ukraine.

Brady Africk @bradyafr

Russian forces in occupied Crimea are digging new trenches along the roads leading into the peninsula. This interactive map shows many of Russia's field fortifications in Ukraine and links each point to satellite imagery: google.com/maps/d/edit?mi…

And here’s how that peninsula might be attacked, since this is the current reality of the place:

Esra Kayır @ppitm

@general_ben @DefMon3 @Andreas_Hopf @SecretNofun @camicroq @BarackO56350307 @AndrewPerpetua @konrad_muzyka @OAlexanderDK @J_JHelin @emilkastehelmi @The_Lookout_N @CovertShores @oryxspioenkop @Rebel44CZ @COUPSURE @GeoConfirmed @tom_bullock_ @Mortis_Banned @RuslanLeviev @CITeam_ru @AricToler @wartranslated @bayraktar_1love How would you attack Crimea? It's a narrow swampy isthmus with one road. Most of which is already covered in Ukraine's own mines, nevermind whatever Russia builds there.

The answer:

Ben Hodges @general_ben

Make it untenable...isolate it by severing the two 'bridges' that connect it to Russia. Then, with long-range precision fires, hit Sevastopol and Dzankoy and Saky and the other sites where Russia has assets, facilities, or hq's.

Esra Kayır @ppitm

@general_ben @DefMon3 @Andreas_Hopf @SecretNofun @camicroq @BarackO56350307 @AndrewPerpetua @konrad_muzyka @OAlexanderDK @J_JHelin @emilkastehelmi @The_Lookout_N @CovertShores @oryxspioenkop @Rebel44CZ @COUPSURE @GeoConfirmed @tom_bullock_ @Mortis_Banned @RuslanLeviev @CITeam_ru @AricToler @wartranslated @bayraktar_1love How would you attack Crimea? It's a narrow swampy isthmus with one road. Most of which is already covered in Ukraine's own mines, nevermind whatever Russia builds there.