Russian invasion of Ukraine

[Voidism]

McConnell gets win on Trump in NATO vote

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) clinched a victory on Wednesday when the Senate — including 48 of the chamber’s 50 Republicans — voted overwhelmingly to admit Finland and Sweden to NATO.

The resolution, which cleared the chamber in a bipartisan 95-1 vote, was a top priority for the Republican leader, who wanted to send a signal about the direction of a GOP that had drifted toward isolationism under former President Trump.

The GOP leader definitely won the battle, even if he lost Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), the only member of either party in the Senate to vote “no.”

Most strikingly, Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) both shifted in their votes. The two were the only senators to vote against resolutions in 2017 and 2019 adding Montenegro and North Macedonia, respectively, to NATO.

On Finland and Sweden, the two libertarian-leaning lawmakers took a different stance: Lee voted for the resolution, and Paul voted present.

Well, sounds good that they are moving away from Trumpitis but... I hope America can heal from the division that plagues it. That includes "both sides" btw. There's a need for unity against China and Russia.

[Milchshake]

Fuck it, we should trade Caleb Maupin and his merry band of fuckheads for Brittney.



CPI Opening Ceremony in Chicago on Saturday.

[Gorsameth]

Well, sounds good that they are moving away from Trumpitis but... I hope America can heal from the division that plagues it. That includes "both sides" btw. There's a need for unity against China and Russia.

a vote over the least controversial thing ever is hardly indicative of anything. The GOP is still very much the part of Trump. Because their voters are Trump voters.

[Kaleredar]

a vote over the least controversial thing ever is hardly indicative of anything. The GOP is still very much the part of Trump. Because their voters are Trump voters.

While your ultimate assessment is correct, I imagine that the GOP as a whole aren't keen on ceding any of their power to Russian influence, nor do I think the sort of red-scare mcarthyism have completely vanished from the party. Say what you will of such sentiments, but they're certainly anti-Russian. Of course I'm sure some of it is quite reactionary as well; American support for Ukraine is extremely high, and pushing a pro-Russia sentiment at this point would be a terrible move, politically.

Additionally, consider that American popular culture has been vilifying Russia for almost a century at this point. A few paid-off Russian lackeys like Trump weren't going to change that in a few years. And the whole war in Ukraine and the display of Russia's utter incompetency has basically completely sank the whole myth of "Russia is strong, manly country" 4chan-type meme that Trump was trying to straddle the erstwhile popularity of to help try and play off Russia's fairly obvious support of him.

[DarkTZeratul]

Fuck it, we should trade Caleb Maupin and his merry band of fuckheads for Brittney.



CPI Opening Ceremony in Chicago on Saturday.

I have absolutely no idea what's going on here.

[Edge-]

I have absolutely no idea what's going on here.

https://twitter.com/CPIUSA/status/1556011835844956161

It's apparently a very small crowd of losers in a rented, mostly empty hotel event room.

[Corvus]

An interesting tweet popped up from the Ukrainian MoD to celebrate Air Force Day, showing an image of an F-16 in Ukrainian camo. They don't have them - yet. But it looks a solid hint they are coming. Or maybe something else is going on.

It has been claimed Ukraine has been using AGM-88 HARM missiles against Russian SAM/Radar sites. These are air-launched missiles designed for Western planes, not Soviet era ones. They might have been jury-rigged to work on Ukrainian planes, or they might have been adapted to be ground launched. Or it might be Russian misinformation (but that one makes little sense.)

And the Kherson bridge was hit. Again. The Russians had deployed barges with weird radar spoofing devices. Except HIMARs doesn't use radar so they were useless. And the Russians had moved heavy equipment to the bridge to make repairs, laying large concrete slabs over the holes. Anyway, after last nights strikes, something was left burning on the bridge. Most likely the repair equipment. Crazy that the Ruscists would even attempt it knowing that they were in HIMARS range.

[Iphie]

An interesting tweet popped up from the Ukrainian MoD to celebrate Air Force Day, showing an image of an F-16 in Ukrainian camo. They don't have them - yet. But it looks a solid hint they are coming. Or maybe something else is going on.

It has been claimed Ukraine has been using AGM-88 HARM missiles against Russian SAM/Radar sites. These are air-launched missiles designed for Western planes, not Soviet era ones. They might have been jury-rigged to work on Ukrainian planes, or they might have been adapted to be ground launched. Or it might be Russian misinformation (but that one makes little sense.)

And the Kherson bridge was hit. Again. The Russians had deployed barges with weird radar spoofing devices. Except HIMARs doesn't use radar so they were useless. And the Russians had moved heavy equipment to the bridge to make repairs, laying large concrete slabs over the holes. Anyway, after last nights strikes, something was left burning on the bridge. Most likely the repair equipment. Crazy that the Ruscists would even attempt it knowing that they were in HIMARS range.

It seems very clear to me that russia wants to hold on to Kherson, and is willing to risk a lot for that. Including, apparently, risking the Donbas campaign as they're pulling units from there to reinforce the Kherson region. I'm not sure if that's the best plan.

The dam at Nova Kharkova can't be destroyed as that's a war crime if I'm correctly informed, however there is a small canal next to it to allow ships to pass it, there is a bridge there that could be destroyed, it is very close to the hydroelectric power plant though.

As for the F-16, I read yesterday that training wouldn't begin before 2023 or, at the earliest, late 2022, as the funds wouldn't be made available before then and they still needed to decide which planes the Ukrainians would be trained on.

[Kaleredar]

It seems very clear to me that russia wants to hold on to Kherson, and is willing to risk a lot for that. Including, apparently, risking the Donbas campaign as they're pulling units from there to reinforce the Kherson region. I'm not sure if that's the best plan.

As for the F-16, I read yesterday that training wouldn't begin before 2023 or, at the earliest, late 2022, as the funds wouldn't be made available before then and they still needed to decide which planes the Ukrainians would be trained on.

Are the Russians hoping they can rebuild the bridge more times than the Ukrainians can blow it up...?

Because frankly it seems to me that the days of labor required to rebuild a bridge are quite offset by the half a second it takes an explosive to blow it to hell.

[Corvus]

Are the Russians hoping they can rebuild the bridge more times than the Ukrainians can blow it up...?

Because frankly it seems to me that the days of labor required to rebuild a bridge are quite offset by the half a second it takes an explosive to blow it to hell.

Plus having the bridge repairing equipment destroyed slows it down even more. First you have to remove it, and then you have to ship in even more equipment to replace that which has just been destroyed.

What is happening in Kherson is interesting. Ukraine has been rather vocal about the upcoming counterattack there. They weren't trying to hide it - they were announcing it. And they were active in striking targets to facilitate it. And Russia has reacted accordingly, stripping large numbers of troops from the Donbas to reinforce Kherson, at least 15,000 by most estimates, despite the supply issues they are having with the bridges having been hit, the supply dumps taken out and trains being blown up.

Ukraine has sucked in a lot of Russians, so much so that Ukraine have been making gains around Izyum were the Russian troops have come from. Kherson may be a giant trap that Russia walked into willingly - or it could be a massive ruse on Ukraine's part to deceive Russia from where they are actually going to attack.

[Iphie]

Ukraine has sucked in a lot of Russians, so much so that Ukraine have been making gains around Izyum were the Russian troops have come from. Kherson may be a giant trap that Russia walked into willingly - or it could be a massive ruse on Ukraine's part to deceive Russia from where they are actually going to attack.

I really wouldn't put it beyond the Ukrainians, by spreading the russians thin they would have an easier time. I still think Kherson is the primary objective but I can see Izyum being a secondary objective as that would relieve the northern flank of the Donetsk defenders.

Meanwhile there's more reports of partisan activity coming in as well, as well as the usual speculations on putin's health (recently he was shown to be unable to use his right arm), russians defecting, deserting and refusing to fight. Most is probably wishful thinking but not all.

[Zaydin]

It seems very clear to me that russia wants to hold on to Kherson, and is willing to risk a lot for that. Including, apparently, risking the Donbas campaign as they're pulling units from there to reinforce the Kherson region. I'm not sure if that's the best plan.

The dam at Nova Kharkova can't be destroyed as that's a war crime if I'm correctly informed, however there is a small canal next to it to allow ships to pass it, there is a bridge there that could be destroyed, it is very close to the hydroelectric power plant though.

As for the F-16, I read yesterday that training wouldn't begin before 2023 or, at the earliest, late 2022, as the funds wouldn't be made available before then and they still needed to decide which planes the Ukrainians would be trained on.

Isn't Kherson one of the few, if not the only major city Russia has captured since Putler started this war? Ukraine retaking Kherson would be a humiliating blow to Putler to lose the one big 'prize' he has. Furthermore, Kherson is key to controlling the water flow into Crimea, so if Ukraine retakes the city you know they are going to shut off the water to Crimea. Retaking Kherson also would put Ukraine in a position to start striking targets in Crimea and, if the frontline moves forward enough, Ukraine could theoretically start hitting Sevastopol and that would force Russia to pull the Black Sea Fleet out to keep the whole fleet from being sunk by HIMARS/cruise missiles.

[Iphie]

Isn't Kherson one of the few, if not the only major city Russia has captured since Putler started this war? Ukraine retaking Kherson would be a humiliating blow to Putler to lose the one big 'prize' he has. Furthermore, Kherson is key to controlling the water flow into Crimea, so if Ukraine retakes the city you know they are going to shut off the water to Crimea. Retaking Kherson also would put Ukraine in a position to start striking targets in Crimea and, if the frontline moves forward enough, Ukraine could theoretically start hitting Sevastopol and that would force Russia to pull the Black Sea Fleet out to keep the whole fleet from being sunk by HIMARS/cruise missiles.

Pretty much, yes, though I suspect that the US will nix any notion of hitting Crimea with HIMARS munitions. As justified as we think it is for Ukraine to liberate Crimea it's just not worth it to risk an unpredictable response by russia. That's also the reason why Ukraine, by mouth of Zelenskyy, has demanded the return to the pre February 24th situation. Which leaves Crimea occupied and the Donbas region in Ukrainian hands.

[Milchshake]

I have absolutely no idea what's going on here.

Some fashies created an uber-dorky think tank and that was the opening ceremony.

Though the world might be better off if bored rich kids stayed in wierd think tanks instead of flooding NGO's.

Amnesty is now complaining that Ukraine is building Nuclear Power plants to close to Russians explosives'.

[Okacz]

Russia never had their dicks totally stomped on once by a majority of the powers in the world, much less twice in a short period of time. They never had their "Let's make cars" moment.

They literally got written off as "saviors of Europe" by anyone that wasn't there after WWII. Not many could tell the tale of how "good" the Russian Army was in the west. And apprently it was easier to call them "friends" then to remind people that they were Hitlers ally before he, in his delusion, attacked them. They acted like savages, joining a delusional maniac to burn and pillage their neighbours, and got congratulated for it.

Let's just hope history won't repeat itself, like it tends to do pretty much 100% of the time.

[Iphie]

So, what to make of this?

Ok, I'm not sure I believe it, and if it is true what would the fall out be?

[Gabriel]

So, what to make of this?

Ok, I'm not sure I believe it, and if it is true what would the fall out be?

I have zero reasons not to believe it.

If they do blow up a nuclear powerplant on purpose, millions will die in the following decades.

[Gorsameth]

So, what to make of this?

Ok, I'm not sure I believe it, and if it is true what would the fall out be?

An act of war against NATO for starters probably.
Because you know, the entire continent being directly effected.

[Iphie]

An act of war against NATO for starters probably.
Because you know, the entire continent being directly effected.

Wouldn't that depend on the exact explosion? I mean Chornobyl was, from what I understand, still a relative edge case due a lot of things going wrong at the same time.

[Shrouded]

Wouldn't that depend on the exact explosion? I mean Chornobyl was, from what I understand, still a relative edge case due a lot of things going wrong at the same time.

It would. An explosion doesn't automatically mean a meltdown, but it's obviously still never a good thing. Of course, it wouldn't be good for the Russians either, and especially not good for the regions of Ukraine Russia claims to be "liberating".