[Goose]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/russian-force...40378.html
If this report is correct, the 3rd army corps is going into the line in Donetsk. Since that was it's rumored destination, it makes sense. It appears to be going in as a defensive force, not one to continue the Russian offense in that Oblast.

I'm surprised they aren't going to the Northern Luhansk flank, but maybe this frees up troops to move from Donetsk to Luhansk.  General question, besides symbolic significance, what would happen if Ukraine took the city of Luhansk.  Would the so called "LPR" capitulate, or would they just admit they are a proxy to Russia, and not their own republic?

The movement you suggest makes sense to me, but Russia seems intent on capturing 100% of Donetsk, come what may. Maybe it is on Putin's bucket list. Keeping Luhansk maybe isn't :-). It would like to see the experiment attempted on the "LPR". I suspect their phone will just go off the hook forever.

[Goose]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/russian-force...40378.html
If this report is correct, the 3rd army corps is going into the line in Donetsk. Since that was it's rumored destination, it makes sense. It appears to be going in as a defensive force, not one to continue the Russian offense in that Oblast.

I'm surprised they aren't going to the Northern Luhansk flank, but maybe this frees up troops to move from Donetsk to Luhansk.  General question, besides symbolic significance, what would happen if Ukraine took the city of Luhansk.  Would the so called "LPR" capitulate, or would they just admit they are a proxy to Russia, and not their own republic?

The movement you suggest makes sense to me, but Russia seems intent on capturing 100% of Donetsk, come what may. Maybe it is on Putin's bucket list. Keeping Luhansk maybe isn't :-). It would like to see the experiment attempted on the "LPR". I suspect their phone will just go off the hook forever.