Russian invasion of Ukraine | Fewer tweets, more discussion
- Thread starter Wednesday at Stoke
- Start date
Earlier today footage appeared from two sunken patrol boats near Snake Island, now we got even more footage of attacks on the Island itself:
Looks like Ukraine really wants that little island back.
Looks like Ukraine really wants that little island back.
It appers there is a hole in their Black Sea air defense since the Moskva sinking.
Sitting here waiting for the NATO weapons to be finally brought to the frontline to blow the Russians back to the East.
Let's see those howitzers in action.
Let's see those howitzers in action.
I really do have to laugh at the thought that Russia can claim it hasn't formally declared war here yet. The moment you send troops in and start attacking their army you have declared war. A lack of announcement isn't going to change that fact.
Europe, US and Asia should try to get 100% of their energy from renewable sources. This is extremely important for the environment. But it is also important because Russia and other dictators get their money (and their power) from oil.
It can be done. With a combination of solar, wind, hydro and nuclear energy.
This past Sunday, California produced 100% of their energy from clean sources. California is the 5th largest economy in the world.
https://electrek.co/2022/05/02/cali...rgy-for-the-first-time-with-solar-dominating/
It can be done. With a combination of solar, wind, hydro and nuclear energy.
This past Sunday, California produced 100% of their energy from clean sources. California is the 5th largest economy in the world.
https://electrek.co/2022/05/02/cali...rgy-for-the-first-time-with-solar-dominating/
Last edited:
From what I understand, a declaration of war would mostly be an internal matter. For the outside world, the war is already on, obviously. But the Russian population has been told that this is no war, so a major shift in messaging would be required. Russia would only go through that trouble if they figured that they really need the manpower that a declaration of war would bring, cause it would allow for the conscription of the general population - which they legally can't do now. This comes with risks (internal opposition, cost), so it's not an obvious step.
Someone else could probably explain this better, but that's the gist of it to my knowledge.
Quebec has being doing that permanently for a long time, and exports electricity on top of that, because they have gigantic hydro dams in the north. Not all jurisdictions have this option, but generally, the issue isn't whether it's possible, but how advanced countries are in this regard.
The mind boggles when I think California’s economy is bigger than Germany’s.
Regardless that is a massive achievement for energy.
so, Thousands of Ukranians are dead in an unjust invasion and Scholz doesn't want to visit Kyiv because German president who was pro Putin until recently was snubbed by Ukraine?
He can't, Ukraine created a massive protocol issue here. By denying Steinmeier's visit and requesting Scholz should travel instead, Ukraine created a situation where Germany's souvereignity would be questioned by giving in to that, which just isn't acceptable.
Germany can't be blackmailed this way by abusing dead Ukrainians as an argument. It was a huge diplomatic blunder by Ukraine, so we will not see a German chancellor visit Ukraine anytime soon.
But in the end this is just about symbols, it isn't important for the working relation and for giving support to Ukraine.
It didn't create anything, Germany need to take it to the cheek and just submit. They have created it to themselves both politically and diplomatically, by being slow and unsure of their actions before. They deserve this little slap to understand the severity of the situation and learn from it - hopefully.
I'm not surprised by Scholz's statement and I can understand the logic behind it. But you still have to wonder whether now is the time to put protocol first. Aren't great leaders the ones who know when to put formalities second, so they can act when it's really necessary?
Also: leave it to Melnyk to call him a "sulking liver sausage".
Last edited:
Russia's best propaganda asset in Germany? The Ukrainian ambassador.Also: leave it to Melnyk to call him a "sulking liver sausage".
I agree that the German politics during the last years didn't make Ukraine happy and that they have any right to complain about it.
But I have a huge problems with a statement that any country should "just submit" to anything.
We see a war were Ukraine fights to not to have to submit to something another country wants it to do. A fight for the right of souvereign countries to be free in their decision.
If Ukraine fights for this freedom for everyone as they claim, they can't demand that someone comes to visit them who is representing another free country.
I personally would also like to see less if these formalities, but it is a simple fact that the German public support for the Ukraine war effort is bigger than for their (in regard to Germany) questionable diplomacy. Sending weapons but not the chancellor makes sense from this point of view.
Absolutely. Our government(s) has/have been embarrassing. For years and years they appeased Putin and financed his mafia state, while ignoring the warnings of our eastern neighbors. Steinmeier was one of the key people behind this policy first as Schröder's (Putin's rent-a-mouth) closest confidant and then as foreign minister. It's crazy to paint him/Germany as a victim, because he was denied a nice little photo op to salvage some of his image. He deserved that.
I think this is a nothing episode as I can't imagine the Ukrainians want Scholz to come to Kyiv anyways. Scholz has been against helping them significantly even after the invasion started, moving at a snail's pace. I think other coalition members in the GER government have put pressure on Scholz and his party to now increase the actions against Russia, starting with this supposed oil embargo. My hope is that this will all be rectified at a later date, post a UKR victory or favorable ceasefire.
I'm not surprised by Scholz's statement and I can understand the logic behind it. But you still have to wonder whether now is the time to put protocol first. Aren't great leaders the ones who know when to put formalities second, so they can act when it's really necessary?
Also: leave it to Melnyk to call him a "sulking liver sausage".
Agreed with the great leaders part, sometimes you have to put your ego aside and take the high road, it leads to better outcomes for the leader and the country in the long run. That's one of many reasons why Trump was such an awful president.
The wording was harsh for sure and unjust of usual European diplomacy, as it's been kind of a meme like https://twitter.com/ISEUConcerned Twitter account profiles us. Ukraine during the war has been a lot more strict and very brief and shockingly honest. Something the slow working European diplomacy hasn't been. So it was a shock, but it hopefully changed something, for the better.
There is nothing wrong with being strict, brief and honest. There is something wrong with expecting other countries to follow orders, that's where the line should be drawn, and Ukraine tried to do that by using the "Germany is helping Russia and therefore must now act as we say" argument, which wasn't received very well and is the reason for this diplomatic mess.
There have been reports that Ukraine wanted a visit from Scholz instead of Steinmeier because Scholz has the practical power to do something, while Steinmeier is mostly there for representation. Nonetheless the president is the protocollary highest ranking office, the chancellor only comes third (the head of parliament is second).
Anyway I don't want to derail this thread further, maybe we should move to Geopolitics, if there is more to discuss?
You can’t even legally send troops to Ukraine without their consent since there’s no war. They still do, of course, and they try to pressure those who refuse going, but they have no legal right to send them (and the few cases that we have that stood they ground until the end didn’t suffer any judicial consequences… yet, at least).
It isn't. $3.756 trillion annual GDP for Germany vs. $3.4 trillion for California
https://www.destatis.de/EN/Themes/Economy/National-Accounts-Domestic-Product/_node.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_California
If the smaller figures are the daily increase then that’s pretty abysmal for the Russians. There aren’t many armies in the world who can lose 400 men a day for any length of time. I’ve no doubt that Ukraine is inflating the figures, though I’ve no idea by how much.
Kremlin on high alert as coup rumours grow in Moscow: Disgruntled generals join FSB looking to oust Putin and end Ukraine war
https://www.cityam.com/kremlin-on-h...sb-looking-to-oust-putin-and-end-ukraine-war/
https://www.cityam.com/kremlin-on-h...sb-looking-to-oust-putin-and-end-ukraine-war/
Apparently Germany will send 7 PzH 2000 (self propelled and armoured howitzer) to Ukraine (additional to the 5 the Netherlands will send): https://www.welt.de/politik/deutsch...efern.html?cid=socialmedia.twitter.shared.web
To give context to the number: The Bundeswehr currently has 40 of these fully operational.
To give context to the number: The Bundeswehr currently has 40 of these fully operational.
Such a shame, it always hits the good guys
Bear in mind that this is 400 dead, plus an assumed 3 times that many wounded.
They can absolutely say “sure someone can come visit… No, no, not you. Him.”
Yep, I meant to post that but forgot. So even assuming Ukraine adds 60% to its figures that’s 1000 Russian soldiers a day being taken out of action. And I’d assume that doesn’t include the active attempts to avoid fighting that we keep hearing about.
Sure, but then they shouldn't be surprised or complain if no one comes. That was the whole point
My point is that it isn’t “questioning Germany’s sovereignty”.Sure, but then they shouldn't be surprised or complain if no one comes. That was the whole point