Russian invasion of Ukraine

[Breccia]

We're setting up schemes for Europe to pay for our gas and oil in rubles right now.

And yet, the ruble falls, even while you're doing that. Looks like you need Western trade after all -- imagine the damage without that, huh?

Oh wait, I don't have to, you opened the markets.

In offshore markets, the rouble was trading at about 99 to the dollar, weaker than in Moscow, where cash purchases of foreign currency are restricted.

Oh that's right, you said something about MOEX using different exchange rates. Course, those rates don't matter if nobody can use them. But yeah, if your money is being used for international trade, its international value is the one that matters. Despite your claims otherwise.

STOCKS TURN SOUTH

Airline Aeroflot lost more than a quarter of its value over two days to plunge to its lowest since 2009 as securities slid lower across the board on Friday after many blue chips posted double-digit gains on Thursday.

Shares in Aeroflot (AFLT.MM) dropped 18.2% to its weakest point since early 2009, adding to Thursday's 16% loss.

The benchmark MOEX stock index closed 3.7% lower at 2,484.13 points (.IMOEX). It had closed 4.4% higher on Thursday.

The dollar-denominated RTS index (.IRTS) fell 2.7% to 829.6 points.

Looks like yesterday's artificially-controlled gains are basically gone. We can wait for next week, see what happens when the government/bank can't keep buying stocks to prevent the value from dropping. I mean, I think we saw it today, but we can look long-term, too.

Well if you really will be fine without Western trade, I guess we should look at the ruble vs. yuan?

(does 30 seconds of research)

Huh. Same long-term trend as ruble vs. dollar, nearly to the percent. Oh, and the ruble dropped vs. the yuan today, too.

[Okacz]

I love their choice of words. "Scheme" not a plan, not an idea "scheme."

Let's hope if their "scheme" fails, they have a "ruse" as a backup! After that, we don't want them to emply any "shenanigans".

[Elenos]

You'd think that, if Russia would be fine without Western trade, and it would cause damage to EUrope, they'd just stop selling EUrope oil and gas. Like, right now. They'd just do it, instead of begging for ruble price fixing instead, which is what they're doing.

Europe wouldn't be fine without Russian oil and gas and gasoline prices have doubled in my country.

But it's worse then that, yes a LOT worse then that and things can and are going to get much worse.

How? Food.

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/0...ussia-00020293

A growing global food crisis is forcing the Biden administration to balance its crushing economic campaign against Russia with a gentler approach to major U.S. food and agribusiness companies still operating there — and contributing tax dollars to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime.

While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly called for all foreign companies to pull out of Russia as punishment for Putin’s bloody invasion of Ukraine, calling out some individual conglomerates by name, President Joe Biden has been extremely careful not to pressure any specific company to leave Russia or allow U.S. sanctions against Russia to affect food flowing in or out of the country. In a prominent example, neither the administration nor Democratic lawmakers have critiqued agriculture shipping giant Cargill Inc., the country’s largest privately held company, which is still operating what it says are “essential food and feed facilities” in Russia. The White House even hosted Cargill CEO David MacLennan earlier this week as part of a meeting with corporate leaders to discuss the conflict with Ukraine and its effect on already-strained global supply chains.

Well Zelensky I'll call you to shove right off on this. Ukraine had a habit of using water of a war tool, now they want to use food.

God help us all. We might see millions dead here. The article I quote may not talk about this but we're going to see entire countries starve due to this war. If food companies withdraw from Russia then Russian food exports will plummet and many countries will starve to death.

[Shalcker]

So you DO need western markets… try to stay consistent.

No, West needs Russian oil and gas.

But if it refuses to sell anything Russia actually needs then Russia has no need for as many dollars or euros as this trade actually brings (and we already had trade surplus the entire time).

This means West can buy roubles elsewhere and prop up our remaining trade partners that still trade with both; or it can sell us something we need for roubles and then use that to pay for our gas and oil.

[Breccia]

The tractor meme might not have been just a meme after all.

The Ukrainian Army Has More Tanks Now Than When The War Began—Because It Keeps Capturing Them From Russia

Ukraine has lost at least 74 tanks—destroyed or captured—since Russia widened its war on the country starting the night of Feb. 23.

But Ukraine has captured at least 117 Russian tanks, according to open-source-intelligence analysts who scrutinize photos and videos on social media.

In other words, the Ukrainian army might actually have more tanks now than a month ago—all without building a single brand-new tank or pulling some older vehicle out of storage.

The Russians meanwhile have captured at least 37 Ukrainian tanks—a sum inadequate to compensate for the roughly 274 tanks it is believed to have lost to all causes.

The disparity in captured tanks speaks to Russia’s lack of preparation for a high-intensity war against a determined foe. But it also speaks to the advantages any defender possesses over any attacker.

Russia must project forces into Ukraine scores or hundreds of miles, extending poorly-protected supply lines and risking front-line units running out of ammunition and fuel. Many of those tanks the Ukrainians have seized were just sitting there, out of gas, their crews having fled.

The Ukrainian army meanwhile enjoys the advantage of “interior lines.” That is, its forces fight close to major cities and their bases. The Ukrainians’ supply lines are contained inside their own defensive perimeter rather than strung out along unguarded highways.

[Fuiking]

No, West needs Russian oil and gas.

But if it refuses to sell anything Russia actually needs then Russia has no need for as many dollars or euros as this trade actually brings (and we already had trade surplus the entire time).

This means West can buy roubles elsewhere and prop up our remaining trade partners that still trade with both; or it can sell us something we need for roubles and then use that to pay for our gas and oil.

We dont need russian oil and gas, we will find it somewhere else, but remain such a deluded troll bot.

[Breccia]

God help us all. We might see millions dead here.

Indeed, if only Putin hadn't waged this war and caused those millions to risk death. I get your ire at Zelensky for using a weapon in self-defense, but...it is self-defense. Let's keep the blame where it belongs. If Russia hadn't invaded Ukraine, you would be posting this.

[Elenos]

Indeed, if only Putin hadn't waged this war and caused those millions to risk death. I get your ire at Zelensky for using a weapon in self-defense, but...it is self-defense. Let's keep the blame where it belongs. If Russia hadn't invaded Ukraine, you would be posting this.

If your "self-defense" weapon results in potentially millions of people starving to death around the world then quite frankly I have nothing but contempt for you. Putin closed the Ukrainian ports, so yeah he gets more of the blame, but I am not going to sit here and accept what Ukraine is doing.

So no, fuck this logic right now. This is nazi/stalin level massacre, but what to expect from Ukraine a country which used water a war weapon against Crimeans, you know the very people that Ukraine claims at their own.

[Barzotti]

According the the french newspaper Le Monde, "Russian army claims they will now focus on "liberating" Donbass and the east of Ukraine". All planned!

If your "self-defense" weapon results in potentially millions of people starving to death around the world then quite frankly I have nothing but contempt for you.

So no, fuck this logic right now. This is nazi/stalin level massacre.

Ah, you're showing your true colors. Not like it was surprising coming from you anyway. Nice sneaky edit!

[Breccia]

yeah you can say the same about Russia too which have closed Ukrainian ports and are preventing food shipment from going out of Ukraine.

Wait a minute. If Russia has a blockade, does it matter what Zelensky does? Sounds like the food wouldn't be going anywhere.

Also, um, didn't you just quote that the US isn't blockading food? Maybe you're upset with Zelensky's attitude but it doesn't sound like his policy is being enforced. Putin's? Is.

This is nazi/stalin level massacre

I agree, and Putin shouldn't be doing it.

[Elenos]

Ah, you're showing your true colors. Not like it was surprising coming from you anyway.

Ah yeah cheering for the deaths and suffering of millions in Africa and the Middle East! clearly a true moral high ground.

But hey fuck Russia right?

Wait a minute. If Russia has a blockade, does it matter what Zelensky does? Sounds like the food wouldn't be going anywhere.

Also, um, didn't you just quote that the US isn't blockading food? Maybe you're upset with Zelensky's attitude but it doesn't sound like his policy is being enforced. Putin's? Is.

Because thankfully Joe Biden isn't a genocidal maniac, and yes it does matter what Zelensky does when he engages in a pressure campaign for food companies to leave Russia, because those same companies export food around the entire globe.

I can't say the same about Zelensky, and certainly not about Putin. It's horrible enough losing Ukrainian shipments of food around the world, if we lose Russia's food shipments the world's bluntly fucked.

[Azadina]

No, West needs Russian oil and gas.

But if it refuses to sell anything Russia actually needs then Russia has no need for as many dollars or euros as this trade actually brings (and we already had trade surplus the entire time).

This means West can buy roubles elsewhere and prop up our remaining trade partners that still trade with both; or it can sell us something we need for roubles and then use that to pay for our gas and oil.

Here's a trade idea: Since stack of roubles are worth small pile of dogshit, why don't we trade dogshit for roubles, and then those roubles back to you for some of that crap oil and gas?

[Breccia]

Ah yeah cheering for the deaths and suffering of millions in Africa and the Middle East!

Putin seems to be doing exactly that, yes. Considering it's his war that's leading directly to this as a predicted outcome.

[Barzotti]

Ah yeah cheering for the deaths and suffering of millions in Africa and the Middle East! clearly a true moral high ground.

But hey fuck Russia right?

You should blame Russia because the current situation is 100% their doing, you know. Threre wouldn't be a potential starvation if, you know, Russia didn't invade a sovereign and democratic country. Don't blame the bullied guy for refusing to die.

[dextersmith]

Unlike US, we're actually responsible for countries we conquer.

Cities captured by Russia get Russian humanitarian aid.

Russia can't even feed their soldiers or replenish tank fuel. Their economy is in the gutter. What aid can they offer and how?

[Saradain]

https://prnt.sc/hCnA7HQ8xhUp
@CostinR This you?

Rich coming from someone who defends a genocidal invasion war.

[Breccia]

I can't say the same about Zelensky, and certainly not about Putin.

Again, maybe you don't care for Zelensky's attitude, but it doesn't look like he's the one running the show here. There is a difference between me saying "you should punch that guy" and me punching that guy. Putin is the one punching that guy.

[Elenos]

You should blame Russia because the current situation is 100% their doing, you know. Threre wouldn't be a potential starvation if, you know, Russia didn't invade a sovereign and democratic country. Don't blame the bullied guy for refusing to die.

I blame Russia for sealing off Ukrainian ports and for their war denying the ability of farmers to plant crops.

I'll just as easily blame Zelensky for his actions if food companies are forced to leave Russia because that is what he wants, and I really hope Biden and other sane leaders don't give him that.

I need to calm down, waking up and getting hit in face that we will see a starvation crisis is not the best way to start the day.

[Gabriel]

Ah yeah cheering for the deaths and suffering of millions in Africa and the Middle East! clearly a true moral high ground.

But hey fuck Russia right?



Because thankfully Joe Biden isn't a genocidal maniac, and yes it does matter what Zelensky does when he engages in a pressure campaign for food companies to leave Russia, because those same companies export food around the entire globe.

I can't say the same about Zelensky, and certainly not about Putin. It's horrible enough losing Ukrainian shipments of food around the world, if we lose Russia's food shipments the world's bluntly fucked.

Yes let's give in to every russian demand because they are holding someone a hostage.


Ooooor, maybe we should blow every single Russian soldier in Ukraine to hell and be over with this conflict?

[Breccia]

What aid can they offer and how?

I'll be honest, I actually looked around for any even Russian sources that backed that claim. I found nothing, which I expected just like you did. Russia sent in like 150,000 troops and Mariupol alone has three times that. Claiming there's international aid into Ukraine from Russia is impossible to defend.