Russian invasion of Ukraine

[Gorsameth]

Scholtz promised continuity on being like Merkel and is living up to it when it comes to Russia. He is acting just like she did.

Bit rich to give him grief (which he does deserve) by framing him against Merkel (who deserves alot more grief)

I don't blame Merkel for being pro-Russia when basically everyone was. The whole point was to get Russia to behave by increasing economic ties.

I'm fairly confident she would not be dithering now like Scholtz is after Russia made it so abundantly clear that it cannot be reasoned with.

[Iphie]

I don't blame Merkel for being pro-Russia when basically everyone was. The whole point was to get Russia to behave by increasing economic ties.

I'm fairly confident she would not be dithering now like Scholtz is after Russia made it so abundantly clear that it cannot be reasoned with.

Rumour has it that one of the reasons for the timing was that Merkel left office and that putin felt confident no europeans would oppose him. As said rumour, and I don't know how much stock to put in it but I do agree that Merkel probably would not have dithered as much as Scholtz does.

[KrayZ33]

I don't blame Merkel for being pro-Russia when basically everyone was. The whole point was to get Russia to behave by increasing economic ties.

I'm fairly confident she would not be dithering now like Scholtz is after Russia made it so abundantly clear that it cannot be reasoned with.

Well, I don't 100% agree, but at the very least she would understand that the reason the US doesn't send tanks is not because the US doesn't want to "escalate" this or doesn't want to "invest" as much into it. And I doubt she would have blocked or be so "quiet" about EU-allies wanting to send Leopards.
Generally speaking, she has an easier time hitting the correct tone when she talks about stuff like this and can at the very least, make her position clear on this.
I'm getting "nothing" from Scholz, I have no idea what he is thinking or about to do or why he does the things he does.
I also feel like Merkel would have more capable people sitting next to her - bullshit like Lambrechts "5000 helmets"-scandal would never have been a thing.

[Santti]

Germany seems to refuse to send tanks, are they afraid to become a target?

I don't know how Germany has it now, but I'm guessing it's the same story it has been from the beginning. Germany is too dependent on gas, specifically, from Russia.

Beyond that, I doubt Germany is all that afraid. What is Russia going to do, send an angry letter?

[Iphie]

I don't know how Germany has it now, but I'm guessing it's the same story it has been from the beginning. Germany is too dependent on gas, specifically, from Russia.

Beyond that, I doubt Germany is all that afraid. What is Russia going to do, send an angry letter?

After the destruction of Nord Stream 1 and the cancellation of Nord stream 2 I sincerely doubt Germany is still on russia's teat. I *can* muster some sympathy for the scary optics of German tanks rolling towards russia, but that shouldn't be the deciding factor.

[Gabriel]

After the destruction of Nord Stream 1 and the cancellation of Nord stream 2 I sincerely doubt Germany is still on russia's teat. I *can* muster some sympathy for the scary optics of German tanks rolling towards russia, but that shouldn't be the deciding factor.

Third time's the charm!

[Iphie]

Third time's the charm!

As I said to a friend of min last Thursday: "I'm glad WWII went the way it did, but if it had gone otherwise we'd not have this headache right now. (and I'm not even talking about Germany winning, Operation Unthinkable would also work.)

[Kralljin]

I also feel like Merkel would have more capable people sitting next to her - bullshit like Lambrechts "5000 helmets"-scandal would never have been a thing.

You overestimate Merkel then.

A tongue in cheek joke about is that if she's learned anything from Kohl (the blob that governed germany for 16 years during the 80's and 90's) then it was how to sit out a political crisis.
And the defense ministry job in germany was largely seen as a job that no one wanted because no one cared about the Bundeswehr.
With military expertise also not being a big selling point for politicians in the last decades in germany, you can imagine that this position rarely went to a competent person.

Beyond that, I doubt Germany is all that afraid. What is Russia going to do, send an angry letter?

No idea whether it's just one reason but possibly a reason:

This and next year, there will be 3 state elections in Saxiona, Brandenburg and Thuringia (all three were part of East Germany) where the established political parties are frankly facing a slaughter.
AFD is damn strong and polls currently as the strongest party in 2 of the 3, which obviously drives a very pro Russia course.
Weapon deliveries are also pretty unpopular in east germany, only like 30% are supporting deliveries to Ukraine.

[Corvus]

I don't know how Germany has it now, but I'm guessing it's the same story it has been from the beginning. Germany is too dependent on gas, specifically, from Russia.

Germany is fully off russian gas now i believe.

- - - Updated - - -

So there is a video out there of a female russian tiktok propagandist who was filming herself somewhere in Ukraine when she copped a stray round. Lets just say she found out and was not happy about it. The general opinion seems to be it may even have been a friendly fire incident to top it off.

[Iphie]

Germany is fully off russian gas now i believe.

- - - Updated - - -

So there is a video out there of a female russian tiktok propagandist who was filming herself somewhere in Ukraine when she copped a stray round. Lets just say she found out and was not happy about it. The general opinion seems to be it may even have been a friendly fire incident to top it off.

So...did she get brained or just grazed?

[Corvus]

Just grazed, but was squealing like a stuck pig.

[jonnysensible]

So...did she get brained or just grazed?

looks like a ricochet

never right to say 'she was looking for it' because of what she was wearing to a woman...but in this case....full combat camo, vest and helmet...

[Corvus]

looks like a ricochet

never right to say 'she was looking for it' because of what she was wearing to a woman...but in this case....full combat camo, vest and helmet...

She was with the Wankers as well. Official story is shrapnel from a mortar hit her in the knee and she was flown to Moscow for treatment. However everyone is saying it sounds like a gunshot and if you freeze just right you can see something headed towards her neck/shoulder.

[YUPPIE]

Has anyone noticed Zelenksy is vocally becoming more entitled lately? Like he keeps demanding more and scrutinizes his benefactors when they aren't fast enough or are indecisive.

This has come to a head with the German issue talked about from the last page to now, where he blasts Scholz and makes sweeping statements about how such indecisiveness is killing innocents, threatening democracy, and so on.

[KrayZ33]

He has always been like that.

And I don't see anything wrong with that. He/they don't have the luxury to wait. It just shows how real the situation for Ukraine is.

[Gorsameth]

Has anyone noticed Zelenksy is vocally becoming more entitled lately? Like he keeps demanding more and scrutinizes his benefactors when they aren't fast enough or are indecisive.

This has come to a head with the German issue talked about from the last page to now, where he blasts Scholz and makes sweeping statements about how such indecisiveness is killing innocents, threatening democracy, and so on.

Try and imagine how you would feel in his position. Ukraine needs support to keep fighting and more support to win sooner rather then maybe eventually later.
Scholtz sitting far away from the fighting in complete safety wondering how much he can stall further weapons to Ukraine has to leave a bad taste when other allies are willing to send aid, but can't because of him.

[Gabriel]

Has anyone noticed Zelenksy is vocally becoming more entitled lately? Like he keeps demanding more and scrutinizes his benefactors when they aren't fast enough or are indecisive.

This has come to a head with the German issue talked about from the last page to now, where he blasts Scholz and makes sweeping statements about how such indecisiveness is killing innocents, threatening democracy, and so on.

He has every right to blasts politicians that are dragging their feet.

[Nymrohd]

makes sweeping statements about how such indecisiveness is killing innocents, threatening democracy, and so on.

Where is the lie?

[YUPPIE]

He has every right to blasts politicians that are dragging their feet.

here's the two-edged sword dilemma. His motive with these speeches is to make said politicians feel guilty, right? And for the most part, it works, given the support Ukraine has received.

But what if it backfires and makes someone mad and cut off support, altogether? Like if this was Trump, for instance. Scholz hasn't felt guilty or bad over this, and he has responded: he has stated to be irritated at being pressured from all sides.

[Deus Mortis]

You're implying if US marines came into armed conflict with Wagner, it'd be a walk in the park with no casualties.

Here you go: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/24/w...ies-syria.html
How a 4-Hour Battle Between Russian Mercenaries and U.S. Commandos Unfolded in Syria

In the end, 200 to 300 of the attacking fighters were killed. The others retreated under merciless airstrikes from the United States, returning later to retrieve their battlefield dead. None of the Americans at the small outpost in eastern Syria — about 40 by the end of the firefight — were harmed.

Has anyone noticed Zelenksy is vocally becoming more entitled lately? Like he keeps demanding more and scrutinizes his benefactors when they aren't fast enough or are indecisive.


This has come to a head with the German issue talked about from the last page to now, where he blasts Scholz and makes sweeping statements about how such indecisiveness is killing innocents, threatening democracy, and so on.

Yeah I don't blame him. Even though he has been given a ton of stuff look at it from his point of view. He sees the west rich in recourses and rich in combat equipment, yet he only get the hand-me-down stuff that was eventually going to be tossed. He also sees thousands of his countrymen die every single month, while his towns and cities are vaporized off the face of the planet.