Russian invasion of Ukraine

[Shalcker]

Sanctions is to punish and discourage unprovoked attack, not for dissension. Stop playing the victim. You chose not to pursue an alternative system because knowingly being screwed was preferable to a hassle.

That doesn't make any sense.

Does your excuses come from a government handbook? Who coerced you into buying your western goods like your phone?

*checks* My non-smart phone is clearly made in China. As does my tablet (it is made by US-sanctioned Huawei).

What do you eat? McDonald's? Starbucks?

I buy food in nearest Russian Pyaterochka; i don't eat in fast food.

[dextersmith]

Having "free press" didn't help; liberals wanted "strongman" to avoid communist comeback, so they went with Putin.

Getting the news censored, arrested for speaking out, running out of basic groceries, billionaires have to live like millionaires. How's Putin working out?

[DingDongKing]

That doesn't make any sense.

*checks* My non-smart phone is clearly made in China. As does my tablet (it is made by US-sanctioned Huawei).

I buy food in nearest Russian Pyaterochka; i don't eat in fast food.

Cool, so you’ll do okay behind the iron curtain. Hopefully Russia pulls a North Korea on the internet front so that we don’t have to hear from you ever again.

[Shalcker]

So... paranoid delusions?
Right.

If commander of world-second army has paranoid delusions not attempting to dispel them should be a crime.

That's because there's little point in trying too strenuously to disprove an obviously bunk conspiracy theory, because people prone to believing them don't generally listen to the truth, regardless.

Millions of people who suffer as result aren't going to like "it was hopeless anyway so we didn't even bother trying".

Outside of forum threads in real world there are plenty of ways - and US even offered many of them immediately after invasion.

Like allowing Russians to visit and check ABM sites in Poland and Romania.

Somehow before Russia invaded it was completely off the table.

[Barzotti]

*checks* My non-smart phone is clearly made in China. As does my tablet (it is made by US-sanctioned Huawei).

I buy food in nearest Russian Pyaterochka; i don't eat in fast food.

So you don't need Western companies or Western technology, good to know. Western countries don't need Russia either. Bye! Enjoy the USSR era.

[Kronik85]

Imagine Putin seriously, not as "propaganda", thinking "NATO has bases in Ukraine in all but the name - they just renamed them 'missions'; they develop biological weapons with American help; Ukrainian authorities nurture and arm Nazis there, and America clearly want to use them to attack Russia; Zelensky openly declares he might ignore Budapest Memorandum and drop Ukrainian non-nuclear status... what can i do to stop them???"

His own intelligence apparatus clearly confirmed his fears.

And even if he was wrong in those assumptions EU or US made no real effort to dispel them - "you're wrong, we aren't planning anything, honest!" didn't cut it.

And neither did Ukraine.

*Crying laughing emoji*

What else can be said really? Your game is so weak these days Shillker, it's almost sad.

[Gabriel]

If commander of world-second army...

Right after Ukrainian farmers lmao.

[Mekh]

If commander of world-second army has paranoid delusions not attempting to dispel them should be a crime.

You're part of the troll army. You should know that you can't get people out of the rabbit hole anymore, once they have fallen. That's the whole point of your operation.

Putin choking on his own poison is a nice idea though.

[Bakis]

Wonder what timezone payedKremlinTroll lives in.
30 mins until he/she is allowed to punch out from todays work at the troll factory?

[Slant]

Well, it didn't happen for quite a long time.

West was offered to give some room to allay Russian fears - and refused to do it even in smallest steps (even simply getting "No Ukraine in NATO" in writing).

And so long-nurtured fear prevailed.

Just to make things clear. Regional third-rate countries like Russia do not get to dictate terms to anyone outside their country. They do not get to decide who joins NATO or not. They do not get to have a say in who joins the EU or not. Russia is not a super power, they have zero soft power and apparently even less clout with their military. We do not give any room to their paranoia. It's their problem and they should deal with it.

And people like you are just comically misunderstanding everything. The power balance, ethics, practicality... everything. EVERYTHING. :P

Also, just to be clear, if things continue the way they are, this might be the beginning of the end of Russia as you know it. You know, the Soviet loving almost-not-commie Empire Russia ran by oligarchs and criminals. It's not very probable just yet, but the window of opportunity for actual change is slowly opening up. And with actual change I mean a hard reset of the Russian understanding of what Russia is.

And that means commie loving Soviet dreamers like you are on the way out. This is a new Russia. The Soviet Union is dead and dead it shall be forever. It HAS to be this way, otherwise this bullshit will never stop. In the long run, this might play out in two ways: Russia accepts that it's not the Soviet Union anymore and actually turns into a normal country, or Russia gets deleted in a bloody civil war.

And never will NATO set foot inside Russia. You'll all do it yourselves.

Unless that silly minister is right and Russia is going to attack the Baltics and/or Poland. In which case you should probably buckle up and prepare for the biggest smackdown in the history of military warfare. The kind where Iraqis sit on their sofas munching popcorn going "See, ain't so funny when it's happening to you is it, dipshits?"

[Huehuecoyotl]

Imagine Putin seriously, not as "propaganda", thinking "NATO has bases in Ukraine in all but the name - they just renamed them 'missions'; they develop biological weapons with American help; Ukrainian authorities nurture and arm Nazis there, and America clearly want to use them to attack Russia; Zelensky openly declares he might ignore Budapest Memorandum and drop Ukrainian non-nuclear status... what can i do to stop them???"

His own intelligence apparatus clearly confirmed his fears.

And even if he was wrong in those assumptions EU or US made no real effort to dispel them - "you're wrong, we aren't planning anything, honest!" didn't cut it.

And neither did Ukraine.

All of this bullshit you've just spewed over this page are rationalisations. That aren't reasons for doing anything, not for a sane person. They're the pathetic excuses certain types of people come up with so that in their mind it justifies the evil things they've done.

"Why do you behave like that? You know it makes me angry. This is YOUR fault I've hit you."

There are a ton of people under Putin that are allowing him to behave like this. The average person can't do much now Russia isn't a democracy. But Putin can't do a damn thing without a whole raft of people under him that are going along with his insanity. This mess is as much on them as it is Putin.

[PhaelixWW]

If commander of world-second army has paranoid delusions not attempting to dispel them should be a crime.

Millions of people who suffer as result aren't going to like "it was hopeless anyway so we didn't even bother trying".

Nobody said that "we didn't even bother trying". But if someone points to the sky and says "the sky is green!" there's not much else you can do, but say "Nah, it isn't."

Regardless, none of that is an excuse for invasion and war crimes.

[Slant]

Millions of people who suffer as result aren't going to like "it was hopeless anyway so we didn't even bother trying".

Millions of people are suffering because Russia attacked. End of the story.

[PC2]

You're part of the troll army.

No Shalcker isn't a troll because that implies that he's not sincere in regards to his stated positions, values, and arguments on the topic. There is a real disagreement in regards to moral/political philosophy as well as economics.

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

I'm more interested in economic aspects of upcoming changes; exchanging "your source lies" - "no, your source lies" ad infinitum is very boring, and fog of war Special Operation is very much in effect.

Fixed that for you.

[Rasulis]

For LNG there isn't quite as much spare tanker, pipeline, or LNG terminal capacity for EU - you have to actually build them the slow way.

There are plenty of LNG transport vessels. The global fleet size has been increasing annually since 2010 to meet the US increased production and China's increasing demand. At just under 700 vessels, it is now double what it was in 2010. It is still increasing at around 5% per year. Including loading/unloading, transatlantic transport between the Gulf facilities and EU countries is about 10 – 15 days. Accounting for maintenance down time, a single vessel could easily make 10 round trips in a year.

Floating transfer terminals could be a short-term solution until EU countries have a chance to build permanent jetty-based terminals. They cost a fraction of land-based terminals. Without the need for large civil works, they can be operational in a short amount of time. The system is assembled using inter-connected floating barges using cryogenic floating hoses to transfer the LNG to the shore. Germany already ordered 3, France 1 and Italy 2. They are expected to be operational in around 12 months. Much shorter timeline than 3 – 5 years for a standard terminal.

Pipelines and compressor stations are the biggest obstacle. Moreso for the landlocked power generating and manufacturing facilities. Engineers are creative. They'll figure something out.

[Kaleredar]

Bullshit. Europe wasn’t moving with any urgency toward being energy independent from Russia. Until you decided Ukraine was yours.

And even if they were…. Why the fuck would Russia have a say in what the EU or any other country decides to do with their energy?

[Shalcker]

Nobody said that "we didn't even bother trying". But if someone points to the sky and says "the sky is green!" there's not much else you can do, but say "Nah, it isn't."

In military matters you can do a lot more then "point out and say".

USSR and USA managed to reach agreements despite being bitter rivals.

With Russia US left every treaty that allowed for checks and balances.

[Slant]

In military matters you can do a lot more then "point out and say".

USSR and USA managed to reach agreements despite being bitter rivals.

With Russia US left every treaty that allowed for checks and balances.

Russia is not the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union died in 1990. Get that into your skull.

[Kaleredar]

In military matters you can do a lot more then "point out and say".

USSR and USA managed to reach agreements despite being bitter rivals.

With Russia US left every treaty that allowed for checks and balances.

Speaking of breaking agreements, how’s that “we will respect Ukraine’s borders as long as they nuclear disarm” agreement going?

Cuz that seems a lot more relevant than whatever vague US nonsense you’re prattling on about.