Russian invasion of Ukraine

[YUPPIE]

I wouldn't be surprised if Xi in a way to improve China's image isn't thinking about ways to get the war over with and get Putin to agree to a settlement with Ukraine. It would be much more in their interest than picking a side right now. Be the one that did what no one else could, end the war.

No. This is a fantasy. That would make Putin look like a pussy bitch cowing to daddy, especially after all his evil rhetoric and boasting over Ukraine. You HAVE to understand how much this guy values and has cultivated his image of gross masculinity and strength to maintain his power. Even if he can gun down any civilian who objects to him afterward, this image keeps his subordinates in line.

When "Bad Vlad" looks like a wimp, he won't have much left long to live before he gets necked by someone in his own circle.

[Shadowferal]

Had Putin gotten this whole thing over in the few days that everybody thought, Xi would congratulate his good friend in a job well done. However that didn't happen. And since Putin hasn't shown any competence, intelligence, or even common sense, Xi is going to keep a bit of distance from the whole affair.

[YUPPIE]

since Putin hasn't shown any competence, intelligence, or even common sense, Xi is going to keep a bit of distance from the whole affair.

are you suggesting xi jinping has competence and common sense in mind?

[dextersmith]

If true, how not to improve morale.

https://www.reddit.com/r/UkrainianCo...m_source=share

Under Order No. 31, Russian PoWs are traitors to the motherland and will retroactively be decomissioned to prior to the war starting.

Financially reducing equipment losses by docking soldiers' pay huh? Their economy must be making him piss kidney stones.

[PhaelixWW]

You HAVE to understand...

Nobody here is going to take your word for what Putin is thinking, sorry.

Your live entirely too much in fantasy-land to have an accurate perspective. The number of conspiracy theory posts is proof enough of that.

[dextersmith]

Something I saw someone point out, that with visa and MasterCard gone, Russia will have to print out 120 million new credit cards. Except with Taiwan joining the embargo they won't have the chips to do so. Domestic microchip would take years to produce enough. The other option is going back to magnetic strips, which organised crime will just love.

Who would provide the credit for transactions?

[Mihalik]

For the first time in years.........Republicans in the US actually propose a cool law.

https://www.federaltimes.com/off-dut...ssian-vessels/

On Monday, Rep. Lance Gooden, R-Texas, introduced to Congress a bill which, if passed, would authorize the president of the United States to issue letters of marque and reprisal to seize Russian property.

Formerly, letters of marque and reprisal allowed privately owned and operated seafaring vessels to carry out acts of war, which became known as privateering — not quite piracy, but pretty darn close.

HOIST THE COLOURS MATES!

[Saradain]

For the first time in years.........Republicans in the US actually propose a cool law.

https://www.federaltimes.com/off-dut...ssian-vessels/





HOIST THE COLOURS MATES!

Well the russians are planning the same, aren't they? Seizing the property of the companies that abandoned Russia. Russians tend not to learn a damn thing unless they get treated exactly same. They will, obviously, cry about this new law proposal, pretending to be victims

[Mihalik]

Well the russians are planning the same, aren't they? Seizing the property of the companies that abandoned Russia. Russians tend not to learn a damn thing unless they get treated exactly same. They will, obviously, cry about this new law proposal, pretending to be victims

The thing is....if there's one country where if privateering was legalized someone would be, let's say, "nutty enough" to equip a pirate ship, recruit a crew and go privateering...that would be US of A.

I hear there's quite a bit of specialized and experienced, and affordable labor available for such projects in Somalia.

[Kallisto]

For the first time in years.........Republicans in the US actually propose a cool law.

https://www.federaltimes.com/off-dut...ssian-vessels/





HOIST THE COLOURS MATES!

Was just watching this actually and was about to post it.

[PhaelixWW]

For the first time in years.........Republicans in the US actually propose a cool law.

Yeah, I brought this up a week ago.

Oh, man, I didn't think letters of marque and reprisal were still a thing...

MilitaryTimes: Calling all pirates: This US lawmaker wants you to seize Russian vessels

There's been no movement on in the two weeks since it was brought to the floor, though, so it's unlikely to go anywhere.

Well the russians are planning the same, aren't they? Seizing the property of the companies that abandoned Russia.

No, this is different from the government going after assets directly.

[Celista]

That's nice.

Winnie the Pooh is also a Chinese nationalist first and foremost, and is not above exploiting the situation to profit from Russia's folly if it benefits China. Which is why Beijing has taken a hands off approach to this affair rather than outright siding with Russia, along with the fact China is kinda dependent on Western markets.

You don't know what you're talking about.

Putin met with Xi Jinping at the Olympics and attacked Ukraine shortly afterwards. At the UN Security Council meeting, China spun a bullshit narrative about wanting peace and blaming the US for the conflict. Chinese media narrative on the conflict is mostly propaganda along these lines.

China and Russia are 100% in cahoots with one another, which is probably why we are having this weird hands-off approach with a military intervention with Ukraine. India and UAE abstaining from voting was also telling, but relatively less concerning.

[Kallisto]

Putin met with Xi Jinping at the Olympics and attacked Ukraine shortly afterwards. At the UN Security Council meeting, China spun a bullshit narrative about wanting peace and blaming the US for the conflict. Chinese media narrative on the conflict is mostly propaganda along these lines.

China and Russia are 100% in cahoots with one another, which is probably why we are having this weird hands-off approach with a military intervention with Ukraine. India and UAE abstaining from voting was also telling, but relatively less concerning.

We are having the hands-off approach because we are making it plausibly deniable we are involved directly. This is a cold war play that has been done by NATO/USSR from the 50s until the Soviets left Afghanistan. Because the alternative is The Unthinkable that neither side wants. A war in which even after a few minutes hundreds of millions perhaps billions are dead because of nukes.

China is also pissed that Putin started this when the Olympics were still ongoing. India abstaining is because of their view of being the leader of non aligned nations (and they rely on Russia for some things) where they don't like to be seen as taking a side in squabbles between the west and Moscow.

[dextersmith]

Well the russians are planning the same, aren't they? Seizing the property of the companies that abandoned Russia. Russians tend not to learn a damn thing unless they get treated exactly same. They will, obviously, cry about this new law proposal, pretending to be victims

It's not the same if Russia did it too. I'm sure that'll make McDonald's and others want to come back! Is nobody there capable of thinking ahead?..... Oh, that's why their war and economy became a shit show.

[Celista]

We are having the hands-off approach because we are making it plausibly deniable we are involved directly. This is a cold war play that has been done by NATO/USSR from the 50s until the Soviets left Afghanistan. Because the alternative is The Unthinkable that neither side wants. A war in which even after a few minutes hundreds of millions perhaps billions are dead because of nukes.

China is also pissed that Putin started this when the Olympics were still ongoing. India abstaining is because of their view of being the leader of non aligned nations (and they rely on Russia for some things) where they don't like to be seen as taking a side in squabbles between the west and Moscow.

Yes I think UAE and India's abstaining vote is due to trade reasons.

[Zaydin]

If true, how not to improve morale.

https://www.reddit.com/r/UkrainianCo...m_source=share

Under Order No. 31, Russian PoWs are traitors to the motherland and will retroactively be decomissioned to prior to the war starting.

It smacks to me both that Russia can't afford to pay compensation to families and is well aware of how bad morale among their troops is and is wielding this as the Sword of Damocles to discourage them from surrendering to Ukraine at the first opportunity.

[Mihalik]

It smacks to me both that Russia can't afford to pay compensation to families and is well aware of how bad morale among their troops is and is wielding this as the Sword of Damocles to discourage them from surrendering to Ukraine at the first opportunity.

I was joking at the beginning that they might just bring back the good old WW2 NKDV commissars. Looking less and less like a joke.

[Ettan]

China will play neutral (as much as they can) .
We have seen that already they abstained in voting against resolutions against russia.

Simple reason why that is so; for as dependent the world economy is on china; china iself through its trade has made itself strongly dependent on the global economy.
Likely more so than we depend on them; short term a break would be a horrible disaster for both sides. But long term? We could always shift production elsewhere. There are plenty other "human resource rich" nations on this planet that could become massive production hubs.

But doubt it would be necceacy, compared to the rest of the world, the micro economy of russia is not exactly very attractive to the chinese.
Still long term they are politically partnered with russia to check american influence.
But that is something very different from them wanting to burn their own economy.
China's leaders looks after chinese intrests, supporting attacks on ua would directly hurt their intrests.

Also I dont think they knew quite how the russians planned to go ahead with this (not even the russian army did apparently lol).
I think they thought he would leverage/force a treaty pre invasion; or keep it limited to donbass. That would certainly be the calculating thing to do.

What putin did can only be described as a huge misstake.
As really with the UA population having such resolve in ressisting; It is already lost.
Russia is strong enough that they could brute force it and take the country eventually, but then what?
Any occupation or puppet goverment would face unbearable ressistance and insurgency.

They would have to either reinvade the nation biannually, or break it entierly and slaughter many millions.
And both of those alternatives would break Russia.
Theres just innsufficent support of russia in ukraine.

[PhaelixWW]

I was joking at the beginning that they might just bring back the good old WW2 NKDV commissars. Looking less and less like a joke.

I think most of us took it that way to begin with. I know I sure did.

[Kaleredar]

For the first time in years.........Republicans in the US actually propose a cool law.

https://www.federaltimes.com/off-dut...ssian-vessels/





HOIST THE COLOURS MATES!

As fun as that would seem, I really don't understand how that's not a fairly straightforward act of war.

"Sure we've allowed our citizens to steal your property at gunpoint and even incentivized them to do so, but heavens no we're not at war with you!"

What is nice to see, though, is that the GOP (or at least some of them) are coming down on the side of "we don't like Russia," against Trump and co.'s initial (and long-time standing) stance on the matter.

Maybe they hope the democrats will have to publicly stand against it (because they know passing it and actually using it would effectively be a proclamation of war) or would want to see it passed and then "criticize" how Biden never used it (again, knowing that would basically be a proclamation of war)

I really doubt that the GOP likes that Biden and the democrats can reap such ample political clout from being tough on Russia (as opposed to the GOP plan of saying they are and then doing nothing,) so it wouldn't surprise me if the GOP tried to force the democrat's hands on things that sound "tough on Russia" on paper but in reality are stupid, impractical, or dangerous, just to go "look, see? Look how Biden and the democrats aren't being tough on Russia!"