Russian invasion of Ukraine

[jonnysensible]

then why can he ever say "no" to Putin? Multiple times even. Putin isn't afraid to sentence people to death for far less.

i feel like you know the answer and that you are trolling. you know the world doesn't work like this but pretend you dont.

Lukashenko is a survivor and will not become a vassal. The entire country is built around him and his networks, Russia dismantling that would be unthinkable.

[Gabriel]

then why can he ever say "no" to Putin? Multiple times even. Putin isn't afraid to sentence people to death for far less.

Why do you think Putin doesn't order the death of the head of another country? Go ahead, take your time. You can do this.

[Iphie]

i feel like you know the answer and that you are trolling. you know the world doesn't work like this but pretend you dont.

Lukashenko is a survivor and will not become a vassal. The entire country is built around him and his networks, Russia dismantling that would be unthinkable.

Well...short of completely annexing it, and somehow I don't think that'll fly in the west as much as we dislike Luka.

[Masark]

And Russia continues it's efforts towards a 100% war crimes speed run by bombing the Red Cross.

https://global.ilmanifesto.it/russia...d-distribution

[Elder Millennial]

Fox is claiming Zelenskyy will be addressing a joint meeting of Congress tomorrow, in person.

[Edge-]

They're far from the only ones, because it is a thing that appears to be happening.

[TACOshake]

Very cool last gesture by Nancy.



In Bakhmut, soldiers gave Zelensky a Ukrainian flag and asked him to hand it over it to the US Congress as a sign of gratitude for military support. Looks like the flag is going to travel to the US too.

[YUPPIE]

Breaking news:

Despite Russia warning and even threatening the US over Patriot missiles, they are in the next shipment of weapons to Ukraine, as well as smart bombs.

The US is expected to send Ukraine precision bomb kits that will turn existing unguided munitions, or “dumb” bombs, into precision-guided “smart” bombs known as Joint Direct Attack Munitions, or JDAMs, according to multiple US officials.

The kits add fins and a precision guidance system to the “dumb” munitions. They are expected to be included in the next security aid package to Ukraine as soon as this week, the sources said, though officials did not say how many JDAMs would be provided, or what specific type.

The precision bombs could help Ukraine attack fixed Russian defensive lines or other large targets. But they need to be dropped from fighter jets, which remains a significant challenge because of Russia’s own air defenses.

The Ukrainian military would also need to find a way to target and launch JDAMs from Soviet-era aircraft, much as they did with US-made HARM anti-radar missiles earlier this year. The Ukrainian Air Force adapted MiG-29 fighter jets to be able to fire the HARM missile. They will have to do the same for JDAMs.

The kits can be connected to bombs of different weights and sizes, ranging from a 500-pound bomb to one that is 2,000 pounds. The munitions then use a combination of GPS and an inertial guidance system to strike a target with precision. An additional system can also give the bomb laser guidance to strike a moving target.

The US used JDAMs extensively in Iraq and Afghanistan. The kits have been exported to more than two dozen other countries, according to Boeing, the manufacturer of the kits. To date, more than 400,000 kits have been produced at a cost of approximately $22,000 per kit.

The kits, first reported by The Washington Post, give the bombs a range of approximately 15 miles, according to Boeing.

The next aid package to Ukraine is also expected to include Patriot air defense systems, as CNN first reported last week.

The US has provided billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s invasion in February, and sees it as effective in helping the Ukrainians fight back. While Ukraine has asked for certain weapon systems, like the Patriot missile defense system, the Biden administration has had a careful approach to what is provided to Ukraine and when.

The JDAMs do not carry a serious risk of escalation, one official said, because of their relatively short range, similar to other weapons the US has provided. The kits would not allow Ukraine to strike deep into Russian territory. The precision Excalibur rounds fired from Ukrainian artillery have approximately the same range, while the Guided Multiple Rocket Launch System missiles launched from High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) have a significantly longer range than JDAMs.

[Corvus]

The putin supporting degenerates in the GQP are going to be seething at Zelensky's visit. Getting from Bakhmut to Washington in a day through an active war zone is pretty impressive.

[YUPPIE]

Zelensky is polarizing in America because Republicans and the far-right think he's stealing tax payer's money and incessantly begging.

[Edge-]

Zelensky is polarizing in America because Republicans and the far-right think he's stealing tax payer's money and incessantly begging.

He's really not polarizing.

[Cthulhu 2020]

Zelensky is polarizing in America because Republicans and the far-right think he's stealing tax payer's money and incessantly begging.

Of course they do. It's not really any secret that a lot of the right now gets financial backing from Russia, and are practically in their pockets. It was fortunate that we got Biden elected, otherwise Ukraine might not have been as fortunate with Trump at the head. Likely another reason Russia has had its fingers in US politics and pushing money into the hands of right wing politicians was the impending Ukraine invasion.

- - - Updated - - -

He's really not polarizing.

You and I both know that issues that shouldn't be political are often made political by the right.

[qwerty123456]

Also, he wanted to die in a war, and there's one with both sides accepting volunteers.

I don't think even Russia would except him considering as soon as he sees his first gun or corpse he's gonna whip it out and start fapping.

[Elder Millennial]

Zelensky is polarizing in America because Republicans and the far-right think he's stealing tax payer's money and incessantly begging.

Lord, have mercy on me and give me patience.

[Nymrohd]

The thing about "strongman" dictators is that they have no respect for other "strongmen" who show weakness. Putin's comically bad "three day invasion" is a major blow to him in the eyes of his fellow autocrats.

It doesn't help that Putin has always been extraordinarily disrespectful of his fellow autocrats. Most needed him before but he has far less to offer at this point and they gleefully retaliate by making him wait around and outright ignoring his requests. Belarus is the closest and has actual Russian troops in the country but it seems clear that Luka knows that joining Putin in this will destroy his hold in his country and his way of life (and will also inflict damage on the country itself which is probably a very tertiary concern for him). He is probably more prepared to fight Russia than to fight Ukraine at this point.

[Iphie]

It doesn't help that Putin has always been extraordinarily disrespectful of his fellow autocrats. Most needed him before but he has far less to offer at this point and they gleefully retaliate by making him wait around and outright ignoring his requests. Belarus is the closest and has actual Russian troops in the country but it seems clear that Luka knows that joining Putin in this will destroy his hold in his country and his way of life (and will also inflict damage on the country itself which is probably a very tertiary concern for him). He is probably more prepared to fight Russia than to fight Ukraine at this point.

As odd as it may sound I wouldn't be surprised if that's actually more of a priority for Luka than he lets on, think about it, he MUST be thinking about a post-putin era, and his role and position in it, if he can say: I kept us out of the war and we didn't get bombed to oblivion, he might be able to secure a peaceful old day in exile, therefore that damage to Belarus might actually be a concern to him.

[TACOshake]

Lord, have mercy on me and give me patience.

Everytime Zelensky gets a huge appaulse from congress tonight, this guys will slowly shrivel a bit more into a corn cob.


Zelensky can expect lots of applause lines tonight.


To really drag these contrarian a-holes, some person should post a live tracker of all the applause in a comic sans font.

[YUPPIE]

Key things to take away from Putin's long speech today:

- He boasted he has a 1.5 million strong reserve force, as stated before by a Ukrainian official, vowing to free(?) Ukraine.

- He stated that after Zelenksy visited Washington, he will make the US and him suffer. Peace talks are now completely off the table.

[YUPPIE]

is a red carpet the norm for a flight walk, because I got kind of pissed looking at that thinking they're treating this guy like a celebrity

[Iphie]

Key things to take away from Putin's long speech today:

- He boasted he has a 1.5 million strong reserve force, as stated before by a Ukrainian official, vowing to free(?) Ukraine.

- He stated that after Zelenksy visited Washington, he will make the US and him suffer. Peace talks are now completely off the table.

Got anyrespectabele links to back up those claims? Cause all I see is putin doing his usual whine.

is a red carpet the norm for a flight walk, because I got kind of pissed looking at that thinking they're treating this guy like a celebrity

Yes, it's not uncommon for foreign dignitaries to get a red carpet, complain more.