Ukraine Invasion - Please do not post videos showing attacks/similar

[Allnamestaken]

Absolutely. They know that NATO is too powerful military wise..any war results in everyone dying or them losing.

Dividing the west up with misinformation etc is the one effective thing they can do though. I mean, they've done an absolute number on the USA especially. They've succeeded in getting almost half the country to go completely nuts, and devoted to an objectively awful con man who is MORE friendly with Russia than the rest of the western alliance.

When you have American maga types praising Putin sometimes directly sometimes indirectly, it really stands out.

But according to people like orange this kind of social media brainwashing doesn’t happen, Russia don’t do it lmao.

 

[M1k3H]

Divide and conquer, oldest and most effective strategy.

 

[jigger]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1732276683762450461

You know what is amazing is how much kit Russia has lost in Ukraine, but everyday those stats keep increasing. If there was a major war, how long would it take for western europe to run out of equipment and ammunition, probably a week or two, a month at best?

Ouch, over 1200 troops lost. That is one hell of a price for a couple of hundred square metres of land. Nice to see the artillery numbers increasing. Must have better weather.

Seeing our special comrades post must mean Vladolf is unhappy and taking another tanning. His makes me happy.

 

[Rroff]

Absolutely. They know that NATO is too powerful military wise..any war results in everyone dying or them losing.

Dividing the west up with misinformation etc is the one effective thing they can do though. I mean, they've done an absolute number on the USA especially. They've succeeded in getting almost half the country to go completely nuts, and devoted to an objectively awful con man who is MORE friendly with Russia than the rest of the western alliance.

Hybrid warfare is the way I see them going at it, well it is the way they've been going at it - the evidence of it crops up here and there all the time.

That said it is possible those higher up in Russia's military and/or government are out of touch enough, even now, they think if they do something like position S-400 installations in the Baltics it would deter NATO from getting involved if they took direct military action against the likes of Estonia, etc. I think it is the risk of an escalation like that we are poorly prepared for.

 

[jigger]

Hybrid warfare is the way I see them going at it, well it is the way they've been going at it - the evidence of it crops up here and there all the time.

That said it is possible those higher up in Russia's military and/or government are out of touch enough, even now, they think if they do something like position S-400 installations in the Baltics it would deter NATO from getting involved if they took direct military action against the likes of Estonia, etc. I think it is the risk of an escalation like that we are poorly prepared for.

China have openly discussed they are involved and actively committing skullduggery.

 

[Maple Leaf]

The West could have done more early on after the collapse of the Soviet Union to try and integrate better with a post soviet Russia. However we continued to hold them at arms length. Quite rightfully so at the time. However with 30+ years of hindsight, we could have possibly had a much friendlier neighbor if we had done things differently.

I'm not sure what more we could have done to help Russia really. We held out the hand of friendship to them and we were rebuffed. I was personally involved in a NATO/Royal Society scheme to try to create links between Russian and British scientists back then. Boris Yeltsin was a very weak leader and one cannot forget how he was too drunk to get off his plane in Dublin during that state visit he made there.

The Chicago School Economists tried to reorganise the Russian economy and governmental structure into a free market western style democratic system, but their approach was rather naive and the entrenched systemic corruption in Russia meant that their reforms were cynically exploited by ex-KGB gangsters (now Putin supporting oligarchs) to enrich themselves while impoverishing the average Russian. It was no surprise that with the collapse of the average Russian's standard of living in the mid-1990s and after their humiliation in the first Chechen War they would turn to their traditional strong-man anti-Western leader type (Putin).

The problem with Russians, in my experience, is they have always thought (and still think) that a leader/government must be ruthless and brutal. They still believe that everything is a win/lose game in business, politics and foreign policy, whereas we Westerners believe that they can be win/win. They only respect strength and if you show any unwillingness to give ultimatums when pushed they will take that as a sign of weakness and seek to victimise you further. I was once warned by a young Russian woman (PhD student) that speaking quietly and politely to a Russian stranger will not be successful if you need their cooperation, she said that you have to appear strong and entitled in those sorts of situations. (Of course, in this country, or the USA, if you behaved like that towards a stranger when asking for a favour they would probably tell you to **** off!)

 

[Rroff]

The problem with Russians, in my experience, is they have always thought (and still think) that a leader/government must be ruthless and brutal. They still believe that everything is a win/lose game in business, politics and foreign policy, whereas we Westerners believe that they can be win/win. They only respect strength and if you show any unwillingness to give ultimatums when pushed they will take that as a sign of weakness and seek to victimise you further. I was once warned by a young Russian woman (PhD student) that speaking quietly and politely to a Russian stranger will not be successful if you need their cooperation, she said that you have to appear strong and entitled in those sorts of situations. (Of course, in this country, or the USA, if you behaved like that towards a stranger when asking for a favour they would probably tell you to **** off!)

A gross generalisation - but in this vein things like the West's reluctance to ramp up industrial production of things like artillery shells to substantial levels to supply Ukraine, etc. will only encourage the Russian leadership that they can keep pushing on.

 

[Uther]

Republicans playing games in America...
Sky news:
Republicans in the US Senate have blocked an aid bill for Israel and Ukraine after failing to secure compromises on border and immigration reforms.

The £87.3bn package included around £8bn for Israel and aid for Gaza.

Republicans are insisting that any aid for Ukraine be linked to immigration and asylum reforms in the US

Senators voted 51 to 49 against advancing the bill, with 60 votes needed.

Every single Republican senator voted against the measure, along with independent Senator Bernie Sanders, who had earlier expressed reservations over the legislation including military aid for Israel.

"I do not believe we should be appropriating over $10bn for the right-wing extremist Netanyahu government to continue its current military approach," Mr Sanders said.

Earlier on Wednesday, US President Joe Biden said he was "willing to make significant compromises on the border" in order to get the aid bill passed.

"This cannot wait," he said, adding that "Republicans in Congress are willing to give Putin the greatest gift he could hope for".

 

[potatolord]

Funnily enough:

The problem with Russians, in my experience, is they have always thought (and still think) that a leader/government must be ruthless and brutal. They still believe that everything is a win/lose game in business, politics and foreign policy, whereas we Westerners believe that they can be win/win.
They only respect strength and if you show any unwillingness to give ultimatums when pushed they will take that as a sign of weakness and seek to victimise you further. I was once warned by a young Russian woman (PhD student) that speaking quietly and politely to a Russian stranger will not be successful if you need their cooperation, she said that you have to appear strong and entitled in those sorts of situations. (Of course, in this country, or the USA, if you behaved like that towards a stranger when asking for a favour they would probably tell you to **** off!)

And

Republicans in the US Senate have blocked an aid bill for Israel and Ukraine after failing to secure compromises on border and immigration reforms....Republicans are insisting that any aid for Ukraine be linked to immigration and asylum reforms in the US...
Every single Republican senator voted against the measure, along with independent Senator Bernie Sanders...

Yeah. Luckily the people are different in the west.

Jesus.

 

[Grim5]

Russian passenger plane bursts in flames just after takeoff

But it's ok guys the sanctions aren't doing anything. The fact that Russia has at least one massive safety failure a week that would ground fleets in other countries just means Russian airlines fly with world class planes

https://twitter.com/x/status/1732659061689094241

 

[Stretch]

Republicans playing games in America...
Sky news:
Republicans in the US Senate have blocked an aid bill for Israel and Ukraine after failing to secure compromises on border and immigration reforms.

The £87.3bn package included around £8bn for Israel and aid for Gaza.

Republicans are insisting that any aid for Ukraine be linked to immigration and asylum reforms in the US

Senators voted 51 to 49 against advancing the bill, with 60 votes needed.

Every single Republican senator voted against the measure, along with independent Senator Bernie Sanders, who had earlier expressed reservations over the legislation including military aid for Israel.

"I do not believe we should be appropriating over $10bn for the right-wing extremist Netanyahu government to continue its current military approach," Mr Sanders said.

Earlier on Wednesday, US President Joe Biden said he was "willing to make significant compromises on the border" in order to get the aid bill passed.

"This cannot wait," he said, adding that "Republicans in Congress are willing to give Putin the greatest gift he could hope for".

So it’s not a moral objection over loss of life or cost to the tax payer… or any of the other nonsense we hear from the Putin puppets and their online cheerleaders.

Apparently it’s all about US immigration policy.

 

[SpellowHouse]

Republicans playing games in America...
Sky news:
Republicans in the US Senate have blocked an aid bill for Israel and Ukraine after failing to secure compromises on border and immigration reforms.

The £87.3bn package included around £8bn for Israel and aid for Gaza.

Republicans are insisting that any aid for Ukraine be linked to immigration and asylum reforms in the US

Senators voted 51 to 49 against advancing the bill, with 60 votes needed.

Every single Republican senator voted against the measure, along with independent Senator Bernie Sanders, who had earlier expressed reservations over the legislation including military aid for Israel.

"I do not believe we should be appropriating over $10bn for the right-wing extremist Netanyahu government to continue its current military approach," Mr Sanders said.

Earlier on Wednesday, US President Joe Biden said he was "willing to make significant compromises on the border" in order to get the aid bill passed.

"This cannot wait," he said, adding that "Republicans in Congress are willing to give Putin the greatest gift he could hope for".

I don't understand what is going on in the US at the moment. The republicans seem more interested in playing games than sticking to their core beliefs. But then I think the Conservatives over here see what's going on over there and play mini-me. They all disgust me.

 

[Sankari]

Good guy Japan, making good use of those deep pockets.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1732665576311373966

 

[bingham67]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1732672949897875749

Quite the list

 

[Orangeade]

I don't understand what is going on in the US at the moment. The republicans seem more interested in playing games than sticking to their core beliefs. But then I think the Conservatives over here see what's going on over there and play mini-me. They all disgust me.

Their core beliefs (right or wrong) consist of protecting their border which they included in the bill and which is not accepted by the other side so surely not just a republican fault? They were elected by American people after all to protect their interests.

 

[Werewolf]

Russian passenger plane bursts in flames just after takeoff

But it's ok guys the sanctions aren't doing anything. The fact that Russia has at least one massive safety failure a week that would ground fleets in other countries just means Russian airlines fly with world class planes

https://twitter.com/x/status/1732659061689094241

I'm not sure, but that looks like a flame out after a bird strike, as it doesn't look like the fire is continuing/spreading at the end of the clip (although the picture quality is poor).

Not great, and something they won't be able to get spare parts to fix, but not a maintenance problem if it was a bird strike as they can look very dramatic and take out even a new engine, but for the pilots it's both a known potential problem and something they'll have practiced for a lot.

 

[potatolord]

I don't understand what is going on in the US at the moment. The republicans seem more interested in playing games than sticking to their core beliefs. But then I think the Conservatives over here see what's going on over there and play mini-me. They all disgust me.

The Republicans are sticking to their beliefs, which is that their electoral prospects are improved from going hard on immigration/ border issues.

The Democrats are refusing to compromise on that, as they believe their electoral base is more liberal on immigration.

The result is an impasse, as neither side will compromise due to domestic electoral issues, and Ukraine loses as a consequence.

Not great, but perfectly rational if all you care about is your own job.

Edit: I am not orangeade's alt!

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

Their core beliefs (right or wrong) consist of protecting their border which they included in the bill and which is not accepted by the other side so surely not just a republican fault? They were elected by American people after all to protect their interests.

Its some wierd thing in US politics they add a completely irrelevant thing into a bill knowing it will cause issues.
Its not just a republican thing btw to want to secure the borders, Obama and Biden have also done so. In fact I think just about every American president in living memory has also done so.

 

[Orangeade]

Its some wierd thing in US politics they add a completely irrelevant thing into a bill knowing it will cause issues.
Its not just a republican thing btw to want to secure the borders, Obama and Biden have also done so. In fact I think just about every American president in living memory has also done so.

I think it is fair to say that Biden has done a particularly poor job of it.

 

[SPG]

I think its fair to say republicans would have done worse and Russia would now supply, own and corner the market in Grain & Oil huge border lost and rampant Putin.

Biden has done OK.