Russian invasion of Ukraine

[Gabriel]

Also, when I said "hurry their asses off" there was no hyperbole.

Off the topic of the battles themselves for a moment and observing their commander for a moment: Zelenksy rarely, if ever, cracks a smile nowadays. He always has a grim and very stern expression, and his tone is one that is never jovial. He still cracks jokes now and then, but it's very dry sarcasm. Most of the time he's pretty pissed and curt even with his allies and benefactors.

Yes, and?..

[Twdft]

Zelenksy rarely, if ever, cracks a smile nowadays. He always has a grim and very stern expression, and his tone is one that is never jovial. He still cracks jokes now and then, but it's very dry sarcasm. Most of the time he's pretty pissed and curt even with his allies and benefactors.

Imagine that... a man tasked with organizing the defense of his country which is under attack for almost a year now, his people dying every day... doesn't crack a smile. What is he thinking.

[zealo]

Also, when I said "hurry their asses off" there was no hyperbole.

Off the topic of the battles themselves for a moment and observing their commander for a moment: Zelenksy rarely, if ever, cracks a smile nowadays. He always has a grim and very stern expression, and his tone is one that is never jovial. He still cracks jokes now and then, but it's very dry sarcasm. Most of the time he's pretty pissed and curt even with his allies and benefactors.

Why do you care whether Zelensky cracks smiles?

Do you think he's enjoying having to lead his country through a genocidal invasion by Russia? Do you seriously not understand the sort of pressure he's under having to deal with this shit for this long?

[YUPPIE]

Yes, and?..

It was just to clarify this guy is more of a battle-hardened warrior than a politician now. I wonder what kind of position he'll take up once the war ends.

You can definitely talk about figures in this war besides Putin, and people rarely talk about Zelenksy himself nowadays compared to what's happening out there on the field.

But diplomatically, do you think that stern take-shit-from-no-one attitude is going to pan out? Aside from always asking for more, he pretty much made a fool of Schol with his response when the guy was already being pressured and criticized from every which angle.

[Elder Millennial]

It was just to clarify this guy is more of a battle-hardened warrior than a politician now. I wonder what kind of position he'll take up once the war ends.

You can definitely talk about figures in this war besides Putin, and people rarely talk about Zelenksy himself nowadays compared to what's happening out there on the field.

But diplomatically, do you think that stern take-shit-from-no-one attitude is going to pan out? Aside from always asking for more, he pretty much made a fool of Schol with his response when the guy was already being pressured and criticized from every which angle.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_von_Bismarck
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreig...administration (Speak softly, but carry a big stick.)

Some of history's most well known politicians when it comes to international affairs were known for a stern take no shit attitude.

But that's your projection onto Zelensky.

Zelensky has demonstrated a keen talent for communication, for telling every audience what that specific audience needs to hear to act in favor of Ukraine.

He praises when needed, expresses gratitude when that's needed, talks about investment rather then aid when talking to the US Congress, understanding that that is something that likely resonates better with a US audience, talks about friendship and brother when talking to Poles etc.

Kind words, asking nicely, begging etc didn't work with Germany, they had to be bullied into it. It seems that's what Schol responds to. It is what it is.

[YUPPIE]

they had to be bullied into it.

Like I know Nazism and the shame that comes with it, but why does Germany not maintain the enmity it has towards Russia and act so meek? Japan, even being worse than the Nazis then, still has a war hawk stance and is pretty hardcore. This war for instance: they don't take shit from Russia when it comes to political interactions.

[Bakis]

Japans policies show wark hawk stance? ..

[YUPPIE]

Japans policies show wark hawk stance? ..

Under Abe? definitely. And the SDF is said to be scary as fuck, and people will vouch for its strength, but I don't know how it would fare against Russians in practice. They've had some tensions over Russia recently over their disputed isles.

[Bakis]

Under Abe? definitely. And the SDF is said to be scary as fuck, and people will vouch for its strength, but I don't know how it would fare against Russians in practice. They've had some tensions over Russia recently over their disputed isles.

Dood, they been fiercly reluctant to become entangled in any conflict, they had a tiny army and been content with the ancestral worshiping of including their WW2 war criminals as most "agressive" act.
Japan has since WW2 been anything but hawk, no idea where you get that shit from. Cos they suddenly started to spend a bit on their army given China and Russians posturing as of late? Who wouldnt.

[YUPPIE]

Dood, they been fiercly reluctant to become entangled in any conflict, they had a tiny army and been content with the ancestral worshiping of including their WW2 war criminals as most "agressive" act.
Japan has since WW2 been anything but hawk, no idea where you get that shit from. Cos they suddenly started to spend a bit on their army given China and Russians posturing as of late? Who wouldnt.

Well, this isn't a topic dedicated to discussing Japan due to their lack of involvement, so we can talk about it in PMs or just close it.

On topic for today's headline: Ukraine formally admits to losing Soledar to Russia in a crushing defeat

Ukraine has officially admitted to withdrawing troops from the eastern town of Soledar on Wednesday, after a months-long bloody battle. But Ukrainian army spokesman Sergui Tcherevaty did not specify when it took place.

"After months of difficult fighting... the Ukrainian armed forces left [Soledar]," he said.

"[To] retreat to prepared positions."

Recent weeks have seen vicious fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces in the salt mining town, which sits in the hotly-contested Donbas region.

[ghotihook]

Well, this isn't a topic dedicated to discussing Japan due to their lack of involvement, so we can talk about it in PMs or just close it.

On topic for today's headline: Ukraine formally admits to losing Soledar to Russia in a crushing defeat

Ukraine has officially admitted to withdrawing troops from the eastern town of Soledar on Wednesday, after a months-long bloody battle. But Ukrainian army spokesman Sergui Tcherevaty did not specify when it took place.

"After months of difficult fighting... the Ukrainian armed forces left [Soledar]," he said.

"[To] retreat to prepared positions."

Recent weeks have seen vicious fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces in the salt mining town, which sits in the hotly-contested Donbas region.

Dude just stop. Losing Soledar is not a crushing defeat. it's a tiny insignificant town with no military value. And the reason it was taken is because they couldn't take bakmut (sp?).

[Edge-]

Under Abe? definitely. And the SDF is said to be scary as fuck

Who says that?

[Saradain]

Well, this isn't a topic dedicated to discussing Japan due to their lack of involvement, so we can talk about it in PMs or just close it.

On topic for today's headline: Ukraine formally admits to losing Soledar to Russia in a crushing defeat

Ukraine has officially admitted to withdrawing troops from the eastern town of Soledar on Wednesday, after a months-long bloody battle. But Ukrainian army spokesman Sergui Tcherevaty did not specify when it took place.

"After months of difficult fighting... the Ukrainian armed forces left [Soledar]," he said.

"[To] retreat to prepared positions."

Recent weeks have seen vicious fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces in the salt mining town, which sits in the hotly-contested Donbas region.

Stop lying, again and again.

Crushing defeat my ass, your own source doesn't even use the words, only you always will, to shill for russians.

Tcherevaty said the retreat was "controlled" with "no encirclement or massive capture of our soldiers", and denied that soldiers had leaked information about its fate.

He claimed Ukrainian troops "inflicted incredible losses" on the Russians, and emphasised that Kyiv's strategy was to "wear out the enemy".

A long-ass fight over a town of what, 10k people? I guess the Abrams and Leopards have more russians to kill soon

[zealo]

This thread isn't really about east Asian geopolitics directly, but Japan having a constitution that explicitly outlaws wars of aggression shouldn't alone be used to make any judgments on what their military is capable of under that fig leaf of a legal fiction.

[AntiFascistVoter]

OMG i want to hug the person that did this.

[YUPPIE]

Even though people are confident Ukraine will regain it, Soledar was indeed a huge loss for Ukraine and it shouldn't be downplayed how much they lost there to go on the backfoot - not to mention their sheer reluctance to admit it even now quite a while after the fact. I'm not even shilling for Russia at all, but one of the things that people shouldn't be elusive over is when Ukraine loses time and now. And they do lose.

This war has been awful for Ukraine and is very difficult. It's not the one-sided Uganda vs Tanzania-like stomp people desperately try to make it out to be on media.

When they lose battles, we must know.

[jonnysensible]

Soledar was indeed a huge loss for Ukraine and it shouldn't be downplayed how much they lost there to go on the backfoot. I'm not even shilling for Russia at all, but one of the things that people shouldn't be elusive over is when Ukraine loses time and now. And they do lose.

This war has been awful for Ukraine and is very difficult. It's not the one-sided Uganda vs Tanzania-like stomp people desperately try to make it out to be on media

if ukraine loses Bakhmut and soledar they have literally lost 5km of land in what 3 months? In an area that isn't greatly important. The idea its a huge loss is insane.

Its also a controlled withdrawal not a rout. To the next defensive line. Nobody actually knows the state of the forces on the Russian or Ukranian side outside of their commanders.

[Elder Millennial]

OMG i want to hug the person that did this.

Complete tangent.

That looks like bran new ammo, in a Russian caliber, with English factory labeling. That's some of that ammo Romania/Bulgaria/Slovakia etc have been churning out for Ukraine.

[KrayZ33]

Nah. Germany would like nothing better than to keep the status quo and keep buying cheap gas, and Russia falling apart may lead to huge issues with the supply chains of Russian resources. Obviously they can't buy the resources with the war going on, but they may not be able to buy them ever again if Russia falls and turns into Africa 2.0. So the best case scenario for Germany (or at least it seems that's what they are thinking) is ending the war ASAP with a change in Russian leadership, but also letting them save some face.

For USA, it's because of China. China already has huge influence over Russia that will only grow as the West continues to isolate it, but actually breaking Russia's back means it will fall right into China's grasp. If Russia even survived, it would be a glorified vassal to China as opposed to being a player in its own rights (though we already know Russia isn't a first rate player, but it sees itself as such). If it doesn't survive, Siberia will basically be up for grabs and you can be certain China will be there first. They are already there, actually. So if Russia falls apart, you're counting on a small possibility that USA and EU can actually get the new states into their own sphere of influence rather than letting them fall to China.

So there's a lot to lose for the West if Ukraine wins. Obviously from moral standpoint Ukraine has to be supported as much as possible and Russia has to be punished hard, but that's not what politics is about. Just beating Russia isn't hard, either, we all knew it has 0 chance against NATO before the war. The issue is whether Russia can be beat without benefitting China too much, or if there's even a realistic scenario in which China isn't the biggest winner. Point being, at this point Russia isn't really a subject in the eyes of either USA or China, but it's one of the most important objects and possibly one that will decide the power struggle between them in the long run.

I find it weird to assume that Germany wouldn't be able to buy gas then?
Wouldn't it just get even cheaper and easier if Russia is falling apart? You could easily spread your influence then as well as a very important buyer in a weak goverment. It's not like warbands will be roaming around just because the russian federation falls apart.
On top of that, the infrastructure is already there as well.

[YUPPIE]

Nobody actually knows the state of the forces on the Russian or Ukranian side outside of their commanders.

Ukraine sure, but we have some definitive proof Russia has it down bad. There's so much different gore VODs of Russian soldiers being destroyed all over the internet that does lend credibility to the claim they're down 100k+ at least