Russian invasion of Ukraine

[Shadowferal]

Sweden and Finland is too good of message to Russia to pass up.

[Lynarii]

that's lying then. To be honest with you, off the topic of Putler for a moment, I've been very eyeful of this Zelenksy character.

He's won the favor of the entire world and was even named person of the year. If/when this war ends favorably for him, I just really want to believe he goes down the road of a real champion than suddenly betraying everyone's trust and/or going bad.

He's had plenty of faults before Ukraine that people are overlooking at the moment.

Yes, Zelensky has faults. It's called being a human being, which surprisingly enough most humans are. They're not black and white either insane psychopaths or angels, like you seem to believe. Just like Putin isn't looking to destroy the world on top of himself, Zelensky is not a paragon of goodness that can do no wrong. When the war is over there WILL be things he stands for and does that we don't much like. Same as EVERY OTHER LEADER ON EARTH. Don't be surprised by this, none of us will be.


Edit: And Trump is a moron and a piece of shit. Zelensky's opinions on Biden and Trump are his opinions on two US leaders, neither of them really define his opinion of 'the US'. I am lukewarm on Biden and despised Trump. I despair for a lot of the things that are happening in the US right now. But I still care deeply for the country I was born and raised in, and want to see it prosper, because like most reasonable people I'm capable of being critical of something I love.

[YUPPIE]

Yes, Zelensky has faults. It's called being a human being, which surprisingly enough most humans are. They're not black and white either insane psychopaths or angels, like you seem to believe. Just like Putin isn't looking to destroy the world on top of himself, Zelensky is not a paragon of goodness that can do no wrong. When the war is over there WILL be things he stands for and does that we don't much like. Same as EVERY OTHER LEADER ON EARTH. Don't be surprised by this, none of us will be.

i think comparing zelenksy to putin is kind of an ill comparison because one is just a "nominal hero" kind of guy and the other is absolute evil, black as pitch.

[Ivanstone]

i think comparing zelenksy to putin is kind of an ill comparison because one is just a "nominal hero" kind of guy and the other is absolute evil, black as pitch.

And yet, one is your ideal leader and the other played the piano with his dick.

[Kallisto]

that's lying then. To be honest with you, off the topic of Putler for a moment, I've been very eyeful of this Zelenksy character.

It's a rallying call. Every nation under the sun does it when they're at war. Propaganda is a tool where if you're not using it then you're not fighting hard enough. Russia, Ukraine, hell even NATO countries are doing it.

You know those leaked calls where we hear the worst of the Russians? That's propaganda, but they are also true. Propaganda isn't always lying. Hell, most of the time it isn't. It is selective truths. How many calls are not being leaked where both sides of the call are "GTFO of there." or just ordinary soldiers calling home?

Or when we are shown the craziest of Russian tv talking about doing the worst? That's also propaganda to Russia and also to us.

When it comes to Zelensky you have to ask when he is speaking "What's his audience?" when it is a rallying call it's to the people of Ukraine, when it is more neutral tone it is towards the community unless he's after something then he might make a more intense speech and rhetoric.

He wants Ukraine back, but if you read what he says outside of rallying calls he's always talking about taking Ukraine in a peace deal, not in a pitched battle. Because the latter is suicide. It took the Germans half a year to take Servastepol. Those forts are still there and the place even at the best of times was one of the few parts of Ukraine that leaned to Russia. Now it's fully within Russian sphere as those who didn't want to be part of Russia fled. It would be the meat grinder and well within black sea fleet firing range.

[Skulltaker]

that's lying then. To be honest with you, off the topic of Putler for a moment, I've been very eyeful of this Zelenksy character.

He's won the favor of the entire world and was even named person of the year. If/when this war ends favorably for him, I just really want to believe he goes down the road of a real champion than suddenly betraying everyone's trust and/or going bad.

He's had plenty of faults before Ukraine that people are overlooking at the moment.

No, it's not. It's politics. If you don't understand that, that's 100% a 'you' problem.

[YUPPIE]

Today Zelenksy made an outlandish PR statement claiming the West *should have* aided Ukraine in 2014 and it's been rebuked and received poorly considering what the government was like then. In fact, what I don't particularly like is despite the amount of aid he's receiving (like as much as humanly possible), he's always demanding more or something else.

[Edge-]

In fact, what I don't particularly like is despite the amount of aid he's receiving, he's always demanding more.

Yeah, what an entitled bitch. It's not like his country remains under siege from a hostile foreign power committing war crimes and massacring civilians or anything. He just needs to be happy he's getting anything, the little bitch. He's not even a real politician, he's an actor!

[Gaidax]

One of the biggest mistakes West made back in 2014 was the flaccid response to Russia taking a chunk the size of European country from Ukraine. There were some "sanctions" that people totally huffed copium/hopium about thinking slap on the wrist was enough.

I always said those token sanctions were a joke, especially given the event magnitude. But people here love their excessive hopium.

Sanctions now, as well, are not nearly enough what should be and have more holes than a bloody cheese. But at least now there is something reasonable there.

[YUPPIE]

Yeah, what an entitled bitch. It's not like his country remains under siege from a hostile foreign power committing war crimes and massacring civilians or anything. He just needs to be happy he's getting anything, the little bitch. He's not even a real politician, he's an actor!

it's like, the US and its allies are doing *everything* it can and fast as well. It's metaphorically like getting a free meal from Gordon Ramsay and telling him to hurry the fuck up when he's cooking, you know?

[Lahis]

Now he's also forcing all men into conscription on the darker side, regardless of how they feel.

The country is in literal fucking war, being invaded by its bigger neighbor. You can bet your ass all men will be required to protect their country at that point.

And "country" doesn't even mean the literal borders right now. It means a democratic and civilized society. Ukraine, however corrupt it might be, is still leagues better than Russia on that front.

- - - Updated - - -

Today Zelenksy made an outlandish PR statement claiming the West *should have* aided Ukraine in 2014 and it's been rebuked and received poorly considering what the government was like then. In fact, what I don't particularly like is despite the amount of aid he's receiving (like as much as humanly possible), he's always demanding more or something else.

The West should have aided Ukraine in 2014, and Georgia in 2008. How many lives on both sides would have been saved if Putin was stopped 14 years ago?

[DarkTZeratul]

It's metaphorically like getting a free meal from Gordon Ramsay and telling him to hurry the fuck up when he's cooking, you know?

Yes, because getting military aid to save yourself from an active invasion force is just like getting a free meal from a celebrity chef. What complete and utter bullshit.

[Fugus]

Not sure if this has been mentioned but evidently Starbucks has announced they are pulling out of Russia as well.

[Ripster42]

Just going out on a limb here but I'm guessing Turkey doesn't want foot soldiers from Sweden.

Then they should get actual evidence, instead of just persecuting people who are critical of the turkish state and submit that to sweden, while guaranteeing that they'll get fair trials. Which turkey seems to be unable to do.

[Poopymonster]

Not sure if this has been mentioned but evidently Starbucks has announced they are pulling out of Russia as well.

Fuck em. Fuck $Bux.

[Verdugo]

Not sure if this has been mentioned but evidently Starbucks has announced they are pulling out of Russia as well.

Russia finaly getting some benefits out of this mess.

[Hansworst]

it's like, the US and its allies are doing *everything* it can and fast as well. It's metaphorically like getting a free meal from Gordon Ramsay and telling him to hurry the fuck up when he's cooking, you know?

No, it's like 20 people are starving because their neighbours steal all their food and Ramsay says: don't worry I got your backs, you won't be hungry for the next decade. And then he comes with one single burger

- - - Updated - - -

Russia finaly getting some benefits out of this mess.

No more Mickey D and no more Starbucks. So now they can enjoy decent burgers and actual coffee.

[Poopymonster]

No, it's like 20 people are starving because their neighbours steal all their food and Ramsay says: don't worry I got your backs, you won't be hungry for the next decade. And then he comes with one single burger

We'll send you bunches of thousands of burgers and fries. (congress happens), We're working on sending you a few thousand burgers and fries, while working with other restaurants to get more. (diplomacy happens between countries) We've got a couple of thousand burgers with a dozen fries, we're trying to get you more as they source more burgers and fries. (other countries government happen) We're getting you hundreds of burgers, but no fries. Some trained cooks to help you guys out with logistics of burgering. We're working on more.

[Rasulis]

This is interesting.

Kazakhstan Cuts Iron Supplies To Russian Steelworks

Kazakhstan’s largest iron ore-enricher has cut supplies to a major steelworks in Siberia as the repercussions of international sanctions against Russia disrupt economic ties between these two members of the Eurasian Economic Union, a free-trade zone. The Sokolov-Sarybai Mining Production Association in northern Kazakhstan was the main supplier of ore to the Magnitogorsk Iron and Steelworks until Russia invaded Ukraine.

Known by the acronym SSGPO, the Kazakhstani plant, based in Rudniy, was supplying 70 percent of the ore sourced by the steelworks in Magnitogorsk, which lies just 340 kilometers away. The Russian plant, often shortened to MMK, obtained the rest from suppliers in Russia.

Because of the halt in supplies from Kazakhstan, MMK has been forced to source ore from nearly 2,000 kilometers away, Russia’s Vedomosti newspaper reported on May 17, citing anonymous sources from both companies.

[Specialka]

Ukraine was corrupt as fuck even before this war, read into how much of an issue that was. And while no one gives a fuck now evidently, Zelensky made sure to repress any Russian affluence in Ukraine, which Putler claims was "genocide" so he could do his evil invasion.

Now he's also forcing all men into conscription on the darker side, regardless of how they feel.

Also, while he's all up in arms with Biden now, he blatantly thought Trump was a fucking moron and piece of shit. Who knows what he actually thinks of America and whether his loyalty will waver.

Any country would go forced conscription if invaded. Wake up.