Superb thread that chimes with my experience of Ukraine since I regularly started visiting in 2010.
Russian invasion of Ukraine | Fewer tweets, more discussion
- Thread starter Wednesday at Stoke
- Start date
This is even better with translation:
That’s insane. For those who didn’t understand their (surprisingly friendly) exchange:
Ukrainian Driver: Did you (meaning the vehicle) broke down, guys?
Russian Soldier: *something that I can’t hear well*
UD: do you need a lift? Back to Russia, perhaps?
RS: *laughs*
UD: do you even know where you’re going to?
RS: where?
UD: to Kyiv, feckers
RS: what do they say about this on the news?
UD: everything’s going our way. Your guys turn themselves in, as they also don’t know where they’re going to. I’ve talked with the entire column before you and no one knows where they’re going
*drives away*
That's pretty crazy.
I’d err on the side of caution before taking official casualties statementfrom both sides.
This is huge for the Ukrainian army. It will basically provide them with real time data of Russian troop movements.
Sorry yes!
Interestingly they are currently playing archive documentaries in the UK. I wonder if staff availability is beginning to take a toll?
They are still bumping out batshit about oppressed people in Donbas right now on UK TV. I don’t doubt life has been terrible there, by the way, but the montage and narration renders the whole reports ridiculous.
Ha I meant UN. It would be super cool if the irony was that Russia was in NATOthat would be cool
Just as I’ve said, most of those sanctions are quite stupid as they only make Putin’s regime stronger by isolating Russia from foreign influence (and then the government can point fingers at the West as it’s not something that Putin wanted to do, but it’s something that the West had imposed on us). And we already know that Putin doesn’t care about Russian economy for it to affect his decisions on foreign politics.
Although I really don’t know what could make Putin change his mind at this point — military intervention by NATO? And that’s not going to happen as the risk of it literally escalating to a WW3 is too real.
Think it's the Quakers who were off that thinking.
I know a girl that works there without sharing their ideology, I’d imagine that a lot of people compromise with their conscience for a good pay (and the pay is very good there). But the war with Ukraine can be a step too far even for those who have learnt to ignore the true nature of their employer.
Just as I’ve said, most of those sanctions are quite stupid as they only make Putin’s regime stronger by isolating Russia from foreign influence (and then the government can point fingers at the West as it’s not something that Putin wanted to do, but it’s something that the West had imposed on us). And we already know that Putin doesn’t care about Russian economy for it to affect his decisions on foreign politics.
Although I really don’t know what could make Putin change his mind at this point — military intervention by NATO? And that’s not going to happen as the risk of it literally escalating to a WW3 is too real.
Intervention will have to come from Russia.
I think you’re giving too much respect to Christianity. Modern wars have been fought with religious undertones. Other wars have been fought because people are literally defending themselves. You’re from Derry, urban war has literally been fought in derry. Don’t you think that most of them went to chapel too?
ANOTHER Russia convoy destroyed in Kyiv.
Mindgames with the enemy, love it!
It won’t happen. Last nights protests were brutally stamped out and even though the anti-war sentiment is pretty popular it’s mostly petitions, open letters etc. As is the nature of any anti-war protest, it’s not very well comparable with violence while Putin & his goons are not afraid (or, rather, are happy to) inflict violence on anyone who puts their head up.
Were the Ukrainians doing well in the conflict is encouraging, you have to think Russia will start sending in missiles if this humiliation continues, which would be horrible for civilian casualties.
Yep, Russia so far has been really humiliated.
I think we will know soon if Putin is bluffing or not. Another few days of this and he either needs to go extreme, or he should get an opening for a non-humiliating withdrawal.
That civilian offering a ride back to Russia. I really wonder what goes through the minds of these Russian troops.
I really wonder what goes through the minds of these Russian troops.I'm not entirely convinced of this. Afghanistan was occupied by a foreign power trying to impose a foreign political culture on it. The coalition were saying here's your democracy, be nice to women and the gays. This was a completely alien culture to the people of Afghanistan. They were just saying 'sure boss, can we have some more cash and guns?'. They were never invested in the political system that the coalition was trying to sell them so it was of no surprise that it all fell apart so quickly.
Ukraine is completely different. It's a country resisting a former brutal colonial ruler. There is a consensus in the majority Ukrainian parts of the country as to the political and economic future it wants, which is the opposite of the future Russia wants to impose on it by force.
If Putin is really poorly advised and a bit dim then perhaps he is drawing parallels but I suspect all that he took from the Afghanistan situation is how weak the West is currently when it comes to geopolitics.
I fear he will see any kind of withdrawal as humiliating, therefore rendering this option unattractive for him. Pride seems to play a great role for him
Is there any reliable place people can send donations to either help Ukraine or the refugees? And i know it won't help as much as a donation but i'm seriously considering ordering a Ukraine jersey online so i can wear it in public to show my support for Ukraine. And please no one call me a full kit you know what.
You can defend yourself against the oppressor if there is no other choice, we can’t compensate for evil doers, but in the situation of a conscientious objector I think they have a point. I’d just looking at it from an ideal Christian view that I know isn’t 100% possible.
I said the other day, Russia just aren’t as credible militarily as they think they are. The last 3 days should have really weakened peoples view of russia as a major threat (I know they got nukes…)
That’s why probably he should get something in return, to at least be able to sell this as a victory.
The other options is trusting his cronies to stop him from going nuclear (if the worst happens).
However, I still think that we are nowhere there. And still think that Kyiv will eventually fall.
Could anybody explain to me like I'm five years old why Russia has been humiliated military wise so far? My understanding is that after a few days they've taken the fight to the capital of the invaded country, which doesn't seem embarrassing.
At some point it will have to be (tested). The notion that we must all live in fear of doing anything to upset the mighty Putin, is one I reject.
Not talking about invading Russia, just defending Ukrainian airspace. This should be fine since Vlad has been saying that it’s a “special operation” not an invasion, and to my knowledge has denied attacking Kyiv anyway.
Does he imply that it’s a misdirected Ukrainian missile? Or a Russian mobile air-defense missile of sorts? I’m shit at a military side of the stuff.
I don't like this either, but playing with armageddon isn't something to be taken lightly. Open NATO intel and involvement is, well, another step towards escalation, right.
by this point their objectives would have been to be control of at least 5 major cities and have the capital wrapped up.
Just ignore the "Russia is humiliated" narrative. We as outsiders do not know the facts yet and Russians have been bypassing areas to advance quickly. And with that being said, Ukraine is not exactly a pushover either so casualties are to be expected.
The capital is very near their border though. So far, Kyiv has been a total disaster for them, and while I expect Ukraine’s numbers to be exaggerated, it is quite possible that the Russian casualties has reach a thousand.
I think that Russia will win, but as expected by the West, there will be a high price.
From Putin’s speech, it seemed that he expected this to end immediately. Which does not seem to be the case.