Russian invasion of Ukraine

[Finlandia WOAT]

If it's the security state that removes Putin, they'll just put another Putin on the thrown. Osechkin's letters- which are interesting- are talking about the brilliant plan to attack Poland(which will cause NATO to implode up it's own butthole, for some reason), which tells me not that they're going to attack Poland, but that Putin is stuck and desperately looking for a way out. You may find it similar to the other plan, send 100k poorly trained, poorly supported conscripts in the general direction of Kyiv and watch as Zelenskyy implodes up his own butthole before surrendering without a fight.

[Azadina]

What some of us are committed to is reality, not delusional views

Cool. How's Lord Putlers first weekend victory going?

Oh, it's not? Well damn, that must be embarrassing in the reality department. Or is it the latter?

[Corvus]

Satellite imagery appears to show that while Mariupol is being systematically wiped out, the port facilities there seem miraculously untouched by the Russians.

It almost like they are cleansing the city of its populace but don't want to damage what they can use later on.

[Joszef Kiprich]

Satellite imagery appears to show that while Mariupol is being systematically wiped out, the port facilities there seem miraculously untouched by the Russians.

It almost like they are cleansing the city of its populace but don't want to damage what they can use later on.

Civilians are military targets, ports are not. Or was it the other way around? The answer is whatever gives me most turnips.

[Zaydin]

Satellite imagery appears to show that while Mariupol is being systematically wiped out, the port facilities there seem miraculously untouched by the Russians.

It almost like they are cleansing the city of its populace but don't want to damage what they can use later on.

Sounds like the Ukrainians should start blowing up the port facilities to deny their use to the Russians. Go scorched earth.

[Kallisto]

Can they still reach the port at all though, even if it isn't in Russian hands it might not be accessible to blow up.

[Corvus]

Can they still reach the port at all though, even if it isn't in Russian hands it might not be accessible to blow up.

The map with the article seems to imply it is still in Ukrainian hands.

[PhaelixWW]

Civilians are military targets, ports are not. Or was it the other way around? The answer is whatever gives me most turnips.

As sad as it is, I'm guessing that this is actually probably close to the truth of their motive. Bombing the civilian infrastructure will empty the town. Bombing the port gains them nothing, really, unless there are things still stored at the port, which is unlikely. Why waste shells on a target that's not going to advance their interest?

In other words, the ports are just not war crime enough to bomb.

Then again, who the hell really knows what the Russian plan is, anymore?

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In other words, the ports are just not war crime enough to bomb.

<ahem>

Somewhat ironically...

[Breccia]

Russia continues to play the "don't make us use our nukes, we'll do it, we'll reeeeeeeeeeeeally do it, no really!" card.

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council who also previously served as the country's president and prime minister, wrote in a post on Russian social networking site VK.com that Russia has been "the target of the same mediocre and primitive game" since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

"This means that Russia must be humiliated, limited, shaken, divided and destroyed," Medvedev wrote, saying if Americans succeed in that objective, "here is the result: the largest nuclear power with an unstable political regime, weak leadership, a collapsed economy and the maximum number of nuclear warheads aimed at targets in the US and Europe."

Just a couple reminders:

1) Russia launching nukes kills every carbon-based life form in Russia. Yes, their launch would do massive damage to lots of other countries, but the return launch would be total damage to Russia. The only reason Russia will ever launch is if they're all going to die anyhow. These sanctions aren't going to do that. Putin or anyone else behind his desk saying "I don't like the ruble falling 20%" and hitting the big red button will immediately bring up chain-of-command issues, while non-Putin Russians in launch silos decide if ending the lives of everyone they've ever met is worth Putin's ego being slightly bruised.

2) "You better not stop criminal actions, because whoever replaces the criminal could be worse" is a stupid argument. Maybe if we 90%+ knew who would replace Putin and knew who they were, that argument might hold vodka, but the vague assertion of "unstable" and "weak leadership" is...hold on.

3) Ha ha, an ally of putin said their government was "unstable" and had "weak leadership".

2 again) But the vague assertion of "unstable" and "weak leadership" isn't enough to say "well I guess Putin just gets Ukraine free and clear and we stop doing anything about it".

4) Um, if the game is mediocre and primitive...what does it mean that Russia is still losing?

Quick history lesson: Dmitry Medvedev was the leader of Russia for about six seconds, after which he abidcated and let Putin take back over and change Russia's Constitution so Putin could be dictator for life. While I 100% expected him to follow lock-goose-step behind Putin, admitting the country has poor leadership is something I hadn't guessed.

[Corvus]

Something is definitely on fire in Berdyansk, though it is uncertain what and how yet, given it is Russian occupied. It ranges from a ship to fuel dump to warehouse filled with ammunition.

[Makabreska]

Renault closes shop in Russia.

[PhaelixWW]

Something is definitely on fire in Berdyansk, though it is uncertain what and how yet, given it is Russian occupied. It ranges from a ship to fuel dump to warehouse filled with ammunition.

Looks like it was a ship after all.

CNN: Russian ship destroyed in the occupied port of Berdyansk, Ukrainian Navy says

A large Russian ship has been destroyed in the Russian-occupied port of Berdyansk, in southeastern Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian Navy on Thursday.

CNN could not confirm the Navy's claim although social media videos appeared to show a very large fire with secondary explosions in the port.

Some context: Berdyansk sits on the Azov Sea and is roughly 45 miles (70 kilometers) southwest of Mariupol. The city has a small naval base and a population of about 100,000. Russian military troops first occupied Berdyansk government buildings on Feb. 27.

[Corvus]

I'd want to see some images of the ship first, but there is footage of one of Russia's LSTs getting the hell out of there as fast as it could. Given its location, how Ukraine could have hit it is a bit of a mystery. Its a long way from the front.

[Yunru]

I'd want to see some images of the ship first, but there is footage of one of Russia's LSTs getting the hell out of there as fast as it could. Given its location, how Ukraine could have hit it is a bit of a mystery. Its a long way from the front.

Sabotage probaly. You dont need rockets/airplanes/other things to blow up a ship. If its security is bad, even some civilians can get in and put down some recycled explosives from a left over russan tanks.

[Zaydin]

Looks like it was a ship after all.

CNN: Russian ship destroyed in the occupied port of Berdyansk, Ukrainian Navy says

Destroying an Alligator class would explain the secondary explosions given it's an LST. Lots of fuel and ammo for armor on board to cook off.

[PhaelixWW]

Destroying an Alligator class would explain the secondary explosions given it's an LST. Lots of fuel and ammo for armor on board to cook off.

Indeed.



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So the Moscow Exchange opened about an hour ago for select Russian st0nks, and they're... not crashing. At least not yet. So far, they're trading up 10-15%, though admittedly they were pretty much in the shitter before MoEx shut down a month ago, so that's not necessarily saying much.

We'll have to keep an eye on how this goes.

[Zaydin]

So the Moscow Exchange opened about an hour ago for select Russian st0nks, and they're... not crashing. At least not yet. So far, they're trading up 10-15%, though admittedly they were pretty much in the shitter before MoEx shut down a month ago, so that's not necessarily saying much.

We'll have to keep an eye on how this goes.

I imagine it's a question of just how much Putin tried to rig it so that it can't crash.

[Iphie]

Quick history lesson: Dmitry Medvedev was the leader of Russia for about six seconds, after which he abidcated and let Putin take back over and change Russia's Constitution so Putin could be dictator for life. While I 100% expected him to follow lock-goose-step behind Putin, admitting the country has poor leadership is something I hadn't guessed.

Ok...but you say he wrote this on vkontakte, the russian facebook type thing, right? So that's open to Russians and he called Putin's leadership weak, and the regime unstable. I know you say you expected him to follow Putin lockstep 100% but this is really odd to say the least. Could it be that he sees the writing on the wall? (by which I mean: removal of Putin.)

[Corvus]

Ok...but you say he wrote this on vkontakte, the russian facebook type thing, right? So that's open to Russians and he called Putin's leadership weak, and the regime unstable. I know you say you expected him to follow Putin lockstep 100% but this is really odd to say the least. Could it be that he sees the writing on the wall? (by which I mean: removal of Putin.)

From the reading of it, it sounds like he means a Russia without Putin would be weak and unstable.

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Okay, that kind of does look like an LST on fire. Dayum.

https://mobile.twitter.com/nexta_tv/...321395717?s=21

[Iphie]

From the reading of it, it sounds like he means a Russia without Putin would be weak and unstable.

Possibly...though if other rumours are true, then these statements can be seen as a not so subtle start of distancing. Of course, rumours are just that, rumours.