Russian invasion of Ukraine

[Draco-Onis]

Zero evidence that Russia assisted Trump in his 2016 election?
Zero evidence that Trump was more friendly to Russia than any president before or after?
Zero evidence that Russia views Trump as their friend?

You know there is this thing called current polling and past elections we can look at that debunk your theory right? Domestic agenda drives votes, people may care about Russia because of what they are doing in Ukraine but it's not going to make a republican vote democrat or vice versa.

[PhaelixWW]

CNN: Russian diplomat says many untrue things, da

Russia's Ambassador to the European Union said Moscow's invasion of Ukraine is on track but not proceeding at the speed certain people in the country wanted.

Calling the invasion a "special military operation," Ambassador Vladimir Chizhov told Sky News Russia could have "steamrolled" Ukraine by now if it had wanted.

"It is continuing at a certain speed, having in mind the various aspects of the situation in Ukraine, including the need to protect the troops — the Russian troops and the allies of the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics — as well as the civilian population," Chizhov said.

"Had the Russian army followed the pattern of the United States and other Western countries, we would have steamrolled Ukraine several times by now. But that was never the intention. Actually, I should repeat that it was not the intention of Russia to capture territory in Ukraine."

When asked by YUPPIE about the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine Chizhov said:

"You mean whether NATO will deploy nuclear weapons in Ukraine? I hope not." He added, "As distinctly different from the United States, Russia does not deploy nuclear weapons anywhere beyond its own territory..."

"...we just take over the territory first, then we just deploy weapons to our own territory. We don't have any real friends, after all," he didn't say, but I imagine him saying.

Chizhov said he is "deeply disappointed and saddened" by Finland and Sweden making moves to join NATO.

"Why the current Finish government has chosen to turn the country into a backwater periphery of NATO, I cannot understand," he said.

If Finland joins, Russia will take "certain military technical measures," he said.

"Like improving or raising the degree of defense preparations along the Finish border...not necessarily troops and tanks but certain preparations like radars, perhaps, but I'm not a military expert."

"Maybe we'll just randomly violate their airspace, instead. More than we already do, that is," he also didn't say, but I also imagine him saying.

[Corvus]

CNN: Russian diplomat says many untrue things, da

Just imagine their casualties if they weren't protecting their troops...

Oh, wait, they aren't. They are dumping them in pits in an effort to conceal the numbers and having to pay out the families.

[Mihalik]

https://thehill.com/news/senate/3486...d-package/amp/

Rand Paul holding up the $40B aid bill because he wants to insert language and is worried his proposed amendment might be voted down.

Isn't this like...not the first time he's delayed, or attempted to delay, legislation for aid to Ukraine?

I genuinely hope Rand Paul's neighbor beats his ass again.

It must be done, he's the hero we need, but do not deserve.

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sip.

How do you know that a Russian official is lying?

His mouth is moving.

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Just imagine their casualties if they weren't protecting their troops...

Oh, wait, they aren't. They are dumping them in pits in an effort to conceal the numbers and having to pay out the families.

I mean technically they could have called up every reservist age 16 to 50, regardless of fitness or ability to read or not, hand them some trusty old Mosins from the WW2 stocks and human wave attack Ukraine.

I'm sure they would have taken the country by now with that, would probably take them 5 -8 million casualties. But a) Putin doesn't care, b) the Russians themselves clearly don't care either as they seem to have not yet mastered the civilizational skill of "valuing human life".

[Yunru]

Ukrain worker on nuclear power plant told russans to dig deeper. What a troll

[Corvus]

I mean technically they could have called up every reservist age 16 to 50, regardless of fitness or ability to read or not, hand them some trusty old Mosins from the WW2 stocks and human wave attack Ukraine.

I'm sure they would have taken the country by now with that, would probably take them 5 -8 million casualties. But a) Putin doesn't care, b) the Russians themselves clearly don't care either as they seem to have not yet mastered the civilizational skill of "valuing human life".

I'm not sure even that would have helped much. Maybe they could have taken a bit more land, but they are having a hard time enough supplying the troops tehy already have just over the border. Supplying millions of troops deep into Ukraine? The whole thing would have collapsed long before now if they tried that.

[zorkuus]

I'm not sure even that would have helped much. Maybe they could have taken a bit more land, but they are having a hard time enough supplying the troops tehy already have just over the border. Supplying millions of troops deep into Ukraine? The whole thing would have collapsed long before now if they tried that.

They could just eat the corpses of their fallen comrades. That sounds perfectly aligned with their barbaric ways to me. Plus that gets rid of the evidence of there being fallen russian troops. A win/win scenario.

[Azadina]

I mean technically they could have called up every reservist age 16 to 50, regardless of fitness or ability to read or not, hand them some trusty old Mosins from the WW2 stocks and human wave attack Ukraine.

I'm sure they would have taken the country by now with that, would probably take them 5 -8 million casualties. But a) Putin doesn't care, b) the Russians themselves clearly don't care either as they seem to have not yet mastered the civilizational skill of "valuing human life".

I'd imagine that even if they drafted half the country for a massive suicide charge, they'd still get chewed up by modern artillery and heavy weapons.

[Masark]

How do you know that a Russian official is lying?

His mouth is moving.

That's hardly a reliable indicator.

I'm reasonably sure they're perfectly capable of lying in writing or when using sign language. They could probably lie via interpretive dance too.

[Lahis]

Actual declaration of war and mobilization of reserves is not something Russia can do.

They can keep throwing the poor people from rural backwaters into the grinder, but if they tried to do that to the well off thirtysomethings from Moscow and St. Petersburg, hell would break loose.

[Iphie]

Actual declaration of war and mobilization of reserves is not something Russia can do.

They can keep throwing the poor people from rural backwaters into the grinder, but if they tried to do that to the well off thirtysomethings from Moscow and St. Petersburg, hell would break loose.

Never underestimate the capacity of humans to be stupid. It may not be smart but that doesn't seem to stop the russian leadership. You're probably right that there would be more grumbling but unless and until the police and the army say 'nope' nothing will change significantly.

[Flarelaine]

WWII Poland is a strange example to use, because the invasion of Poland WAS the final straw that caused the rest of the European powers to declare war on Germany. Both the UK and France declared war on Germany within 72 hours of the invasion of Poland, they did not sit it out. Their ability to actually assist Poland was minimal due to geography, but they didn't ignore it. Canada and the rest of the commonwealth were also immediately drawn into the war as the result of Poland.

That last bit is not entirely correct. Since the Statute of Westminster in 1931, Commonwealth realms had conducted their own foreign policy. In practice, they still aligned with Britain, but the Canadian Parliament held a vote on it and then asked King George VI to declare war as King of Canada whereas in 1914 King George V's declaration of war automatically affected all the Empire.

[CostinR]

I mean, it's not just spending. Paul Ryan wakes up in a cold sweat whenever he has a nightmare that something he's done might have actually helped another human being. Luckily he can comfort himself by looking at his track record which proves, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that that has never happened.

Now that's a bit too far. Rand Paul does eye surgeries for free that people would spend thousands of dollars on otherwise. Of course you can argue he's only doing it for free because given Congressional rules he can't be paid for his work and he wants to keep his skills honed, so yeah it's still self-interest, but still he isn't on the level you are suggesting.

Actual declaration of war and mobilization of reserves is not something Russia can do.

They can keep throwing the poor people from rural backwaters into the grinder, but if they tried to do that to the well off thirtysomethings from Moscow and St. Petersburg, hell would break loose.

I could be very wrong on this but it isn't merely trying to mobilize the rich kids in Moscow that would blow up in Putin's face.

The Post WW2 rules have made it far harder for countries to declare war then before, and the economic and military consequences would be servere.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1rzd3eG7ps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIjBvtI8628

[Lahis]

I could be very wrong on this but it isn't merely trying to mobilize the rich kids in Moscow that would blow up in Putin's face.

The Post WW2 rules have made it far harder for countries to declare war then before, and the economic and military consequences would be servere.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1rzd3eG7ps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIjBvtI8628

It is not like there is any economic consequences left. West is already bringing down all trade with Russia, and their allies would keep things up even after official declaration.

And on military side nobody wants World War, so others will just keep supporting Ukraine with materials, but not with people.

[Yunru]

Ukraine drone droped a bomb on MLRS rocket storage:


Big boom after. Seems a pretty cheap way to get rid of enemy and not needing a how many milion worth american plane to do the same job.

[CostinR]

It is not like there is any economic consequences left. West is already bringing down all trade with Russia, and their allies would keep things up even after official declaration.

Perhaps or not really. Russia's allies don't want to get involved directly for the most part in the war. If Russia declares war they have to take a stand one way or another as per international law. For instance Armenia, which depends on Russian troops for their ceasefire with Azerbaijan, wouldn't want to intern Russian troops for obvious reasons but nor would they want to get involved.

Basically it's in Russia's interests not to formally declare war, just as it is in Ukraine' interests.

[Verdugo]

They could just eat the corpses of their fallen comrades. That sounds perfectly aligned with their barbaric ways to me. Plus that gets rid of the evidence of there being fallen russian troops. A win/win scenario.

Frank Reynolds, the quartermaster.

[Corvus]

Turkey reportedly offered to evacuate everyone from Azovstal and intern them for the duration of the war. Russia refused.

Seems they won't be happy to every last defender of Azovstal is dead.

[Iphie]

Turkey reportedly offered to evacuate everyone from Azovstal and intern them for the duration of the war. Russia refused.

Seems they won't be happy to every last defender of Azovstal is dead.

Given that those are Azov battalion, mostly, and that those can somewhat correctly be called of questionable ideology I can understand the russian reticence here: letting them go would be letting go of their reason to invade. However reading the rest of the thread Shoigu did apparently offer to guarantee the lives of the fighters but he could not allow an evacuation. (for all his guarantees are worth.) Also, Ukraine offered a 1000 PoW's for them? Sheesh, how many do they have?

[Mihalik]

I'm not sure even that would have helped much. Maybe they could have taken a bit more land, but they are having a hard time enough supplying the troops tehy already have just over the border. Supplying millions of troops deep into Ukraine? The whole thing would have collapsed long before now if they tried that.

Confiscate all the mules, horses and BMWs in private ownership to supply those troops. Use the mules and horses to supply the troops with bullets and buckwheat, sell the BMWs in China so all the officials can buy themselves homes in Dubai.

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That's hardly a reliable indicator.

I'm reasonably sure they're perfectly capable of lying in writing or when using sign language. They could probably lie via interpretive dance too.

You're right. I'll correct it.

How do you know that a Russian official is lying?

He is breathing.