Russian invasion of Ukraine

[Draco-Onis]

Nor should they. All that they are being given should simply be written off as a donation.

NATO exists to check Russian aggression and ensure the security of its members. Every penny spent aiding Ukraine goes towards the fulfillment of those strategic objectives through the erosion of Russian military capabilities.

The myth of Russian tanks overrunning Europe has been firmly put to rest, when all this is done, the only threat from Russia should be them constantly begging for food aid.

While this is ideal it's not the reality economic colonialism has been the default US policy it's so successful the Chinese have copied it so similar results. The complete lack of clamoring for erasing Ukraine's current debt is the biggest indicator. Ukraine is just too strategically and economically important for us to let them go Scott free. Don't get me wrong US domination is the lesser of two evils but the concept a lot of people have that Ukraine will be a free democratic country if they manage to win this isn't realistic.

[Kaleredar]

While this is ideal it's not the reality economic colonialism has been the default US policy it's so successful the Chinese have copied it so similar results. The complete lack of clamoring for erasing Ukraine's current debt is the biggest indicator. Ukraine is just too strategically and economically important for us to let them go Scott free. Don't get me wrong US domination is the lesser of two evils but the concept a lot of people have that Ukraine will be a free democratic country if they manage to win this isn't realistic.

I think most people (certainly Ukraine) would be content to have things simply return to more or less how they were before this whole fiasco.

I’m sure closer ties between Ukraine and NATO/the EU/the US are inevitable after this affair is ended, but that’s not “manipulation”on the part of the latter so much as “these are the guys that helped us stop the genocidal invaders on our border, perhaps being closer friends with them is in our best interest.” It certainly was this time around.

[Breccia]

So the reports are increasing that Putin has cancer. To date, I haven't seen them from a source I'd consider ironclad, but the fact that the number is increasing is telling. Not that Putin is necessarily dying of cancer right now, but there's enough smoke to understand why people are yelling "Fire!" Or, maybe it's being done to troll Putin.

Something to keep an eye on, but not something I 100% believe...yet.

Meanwhile, Germany is saying Russia's economy is collapsing and Putin responds by firing more generals.

German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck made the remarks the same day Russian officials revealed that five more generals had been fired.

Since invading Ukraine more than three months ago, Russia has secured modest gains in its battle for control of the eastern Donbas region. Income from energy sales to Europe has played a major role in funding Russia's war, and Habeck acknowledged that Russia has been aided by historically high energy prices and Europe's inability to completely halt purchases.

"We can only be ashamed that we haven’t yet managed to reduce this dependence more significantly,” said Habeck, who is also Germany's economy minister. But he added that "Putin is still getting money, but he can hardly spend it” because of Western sanctions.

"Time is not working for Russia. It is working against Russia, it is working against the Russian economy," he said. "No one wants to invest in Russia any more.”

And

Russian President Vladimir Putin has fired five generals and a police colonel in what state-run media outlet Pravda described as "a standard employee reshuffle procedure."

/eyeroll

All six had been assigned to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which is responsible for law enforcement across the nation of 145 million people.

[Gaidax]

Btw, what happen to all that equipment once the war is over ? They did not pay for any of it ?

That bridge will be crossed when we actually get there.

It will just stay in Ukraine to reinforce it, because Russia will always be a threat, even if they put some happy Mr Charm Offensive cupcake as their head and do almost miraculous 180 degrees.

Besides, what West pays now is a bargain in context of geopolitical benefits it will reap from it. West would wish things turn out so good with the inevitable confrontation with China.

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*snip*

Putin's cancer is just a wildcard that can go either way.

Him kicking the bucked and the system deciding that this is a great ladder to get off the tree they climbed on would be a good outcome, but I don't think this is something that can be counted on.

[Iphie]

Putin's cancer is just a wildcard that can go either way.

Him kicking the bucked and the system deciding that this is a great ladder to get off the tree they climbed on would be a good outcome, but I don't think this is something that can be counted on.

Correct, but things that ARE likely to happen in that case are:
1. a power struggle if there's no clear successor, even Patrushev is not guaranteed,
2. The constitution kicks in in order to stabilise the situation,
3. russia sues for, at least, a serious cease fire as long as the leadership question is not resolved.

Everything after that depends on who wins the power struggle.

[Deus Mortis]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/russia-go...115851410.html
Russia Goes After British MP’s Son for Killing of Chechen Commander in Ukraine

Russia’s National Guard has confirmed that a Chechen commander was killed in a bloody firefight with foreign volunteers in Ukraine—and they singled out the son of a British lawmaker as one of those responsible.

Ben Grant, a 30-year-old former Royal Marine and the son of Helen Grant, a Conservative MP and Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s special envoy on girls’ education, joined British and U.S. servicemen fighting Russian forces in Ukraine back in March, telling British media at the time that he felt compelled to act after seeing footage of Russian troops bombing a home as a child screamed.

“I just want to make that clear, completely off my own back, I decided to do this. I didn’t even tell my mum, but it is what it is,” he said.

Viral footage of fighting in the Kharkiv region published by The Daily Telegraph last week captured Grant and other Western volunteers, part of a Ukrainian counteroffensive to force Russian troops out of the region, under heavy Russian fire as they rescued a wounded fellow volunteer.

“We’ve got to move now or we’re gonna die!” Grant can be heard shouting.

The harrowing video, filmed by a helmet-mounted camera, then shows as they turned the tables to ambush a Russian armored vehicle, striking it with a shoulder-mounted rocket launcher.

“Shoot it now!” a man identified as Grant yells as the weapon is fired.

Russia’s National Guard says Sgt. Adam Bisultanov, the commander of a separate operational brigade of the North Caucasus District of the National Guard, was killed in the “attack” on Russian forces by the “group of mercenaries from Great Britain and the U.S.”

“During protective fire, the armored personnel carrier in which [Bisultanov] was located took three hits from a grenade launcher and was wrecked,” the National Guard said in a statement Tuesday.

“The GoPro camera captured footage of the attack and one of the fighters of the mercenary group, the son of British MP Ben Grant,” the statement said, adding that the video will be provided to military investigators. Russia’s Investigative Committee announced this week that it was investigating Grant for his role “leading” the ambush.

Bisultanov had taken part in the war in Ukraine since Vladimir Putin launched an all-out invasion on Feb. 24. In light of his death and news of Grant’s alleged role in it, some Russian media reports floated the idea of him facing the “death penalty” in Russian-occupied Donetsk.

“He will have to run for the rest of his life,” Komsomolskaya Pravda wrote of Grant, noting that Bisultanov had been born in Chechnya, “where the principle of blood feud or vendetta is not empty words.”

[PhaelixWW]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/russia-go...115851410.html
Russia Goes After British MP’s Son for Killing of Chechen Commander in Ukraine

TL;DR... "How dare you fight back against our peaceful genocide across Ukraine, you murderer!"

[Deus Mortis]

TL;DR... "How dare you fight back against our peaceful genocide across Ukraine, you murderer!"

The tears from them is glorious. I hope Mr. Grant kills more of the rapist TikTok squad.

[Draco-Onis]

I think most people (certainly Ukraine) would be content to have things simply return to more or less how they were before this whole fiasco.

I’m sure closer ties between Ukraine and NATO/the EU/the US are inevitable after this affair is ended, but that’s not “manipulation”on the part of the latter so much as “these are the guys that helped us stop the genocidal invaders on our border, perhaps being closer friends with them is in our best interest.” It certainly was this time around.

That's not how it work or has ever worked from political decision to reconstruction project we will be calling the shots. Again lesser of two evils, however if a certain Kremlin friendly person were to win the 2024 election he will have tremendous leverage to force Ukraine to do what he wants.

[Kallisto]

Btw, what happen to all that equipment once the war is over ? They did not pay for any of it ?

Likely never will. The influence the US will have over eastern Europe now is worth more than what ever dollars are funnelling into Ukraine in the form of weapons.

[Corvus]

I think something must be lost in translation in that article - sergeants aren't important commanders in Russia and they certainly don't lead brigades.

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As expected, sanctions were said to take a while to kick in, but the crunch seems to have started for Russian technology companies.

https://www.ft.com/content/caf2cd3c-...b-c0ed803a6245

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The US has been having a baby formula crisis due to contamination at a plant where it is made, but there are problems worldwide as well, and that is due to the war. A common ingredient in baby formula is sunflower oil, and guess who the largest manufacturer of sunflower oil is? Yup, Ukraine.

Russia isn't content with dead babies just in Ukraine. China went through a major baby formula crisis a decade back - hope they are going to enjoy another one courtesy of their 'friends'.

[Lahis]

I think most people (certainly Ukraine) would be content to have things simply return to more or less how they were before this whole fiasco.

I’m sure closer ties between Ukraine and NATO/the EU/the US are inevitable after this affair is ended, but that’s not “manipulation”on the part of the latter so much as “these are the guys that helped us stop the genocidal invaders on our border, perhaps being closer friends with them is in our best interest.” It certainly was this time around.

But that is the Reptilian Lord galaxy brain masterplan. Manipulate Russia to attack Ukraine so that US can come to help, win a proxy war and colonize Ukraine.

/s

[Corvus]

Day 100 (of a 3 day campaign) and Russia media is being told not to mention the number. Very much shades of Basil 'Don't mention the war' Fawlty.

[Shrouded]

Day 100 (of a 3 day campaign) and Russia media is being told not to mention the number. Very much shades of Basil 'Don't mention the war' Fawlty.

Haha, that is pretty amazing. Even more signs everything is going to plan, censor the passing of time!

[Corvus]

Haha, that is pretty amazing. Even more signs everything is going to plan, censor the passing of time!

Russia is very good at that. After all they believe WW2 only started in 1941.

[Iphie]

Russia is very good at that. After all they believe WW2 only started in 1941.

Convenient...

[Shrouded]

Kyiv’s ambassador to Ankara has said Turkey is among the countries that is buying grain that Russia stole from Ukraine

To the surprise of absolutely no one. The food crisis is yet another monstrous atrocity caused by Russia and it is extremely disheartening to see enablers participating in Russian profiteering.

[Iphie]

The nerve of Germany! russia should take measures!

Seriously though, it's a bit stupid to go on a whine when you are the reason for this. (to make it absolutely clear: russia shouldn't whine here.)

[ldev]

Russian Federation was never a great power, Soviet Union was.

In the beginning - yea, it's crazy how powerful ussr was and how technologically advanced it was. Also crazy how soon it crumbled due to corruption. Like 1970s. Everything was fake and overblown and only for show from that time.

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The nerve of Germany! russia should take measures!

Seriously though, it's a bit stupid to go on a whine when you are the reason for this. (to make it absolutely clear: russia shouldn't whine here.)

Well all the weaponry making nazis went to US after WWII, germany can't rearm for shit today. And their populace is a bunch of spineless putin dick enjoyers, the fuck germany is going to do? Bend over and take another couple of million of rapes from russia? Lucky for them they're in NATO.

[Poopymonster]

Well all the weaponry making nazis went to US after WWII, germany can't rearm for shit today. And their populace is a bunch of spineless putin dick enjoyers, the fuck germany is going to do? Bend over and take another couple of million of rapes from russia? Lucky for them they're in NATO.

Some of the Docs went further south. "That's impossible. How can I have German ancestors when my great grandparents were from Brazil?"