Russian invasion of Ukraine | Fewer tweets, more discussion

Work is ongoing in Mariupol Philharmonic to build the cages for Azov's PoW to hold the sham trials as some kind of sick show, predicted to happen on 24th of August, Independence day of Ukraine. I don't know how such backward countries can be part of UN but here we are.



How many azov fighters do they have?
 
Work is ongoing in Mariupol Philharmonic to build the cages for Azov's PoW to hold the sham trials as some kind of sick show, predicted to happen on 24th of August, Independence day of Ukraine. I don't know how such backward countries can be part of UN but here we are.


The grotesque "trial" that will unfold will only harm Russia PR wise but also these satellites that nobody gives a shit about anyway.
 
It’s telling that not a single sanction has caused so much backlash from Kremlin affiliated parties as suggested blanket visa ban. What’s the point all that cash in the ruling circles and elites if their families can’t spend it in Europe. That alone tells this is a right initiative and the door should be left open for asylum seekers that are legitimately running away from the being prosecuted by the regime. I don’t like it because there will be a small minority that shouldn’t be impacted by it given but think it’s a necessary measure at this point to change the mood in the largest cities. Basically, while the whole army is in the Ukraine there might not be a better time for protests to begin. Let them know it’s a temporary measure until Putin is removed and soldiers have left the Ukraine.
Is it? The rhetoric of Russian officials hasn't changed, they've been accusing the west of rusophobia, nazism, cancel culture etc. in response to pretty much every sanction.

There have been a bigger backlash than usual because this is probably the first sanction that threatens tens if not hundreds of thousands of Russian that have fled the country during the past few months (especially with Zelensky saying that every Russian needs to be sent back to Russia, which is a bit weird since he asked Russians to leave Russia if they can just in March, I believe). The original banking sanctions have affected them but the intent was clear and people understood that it's obviously a hit on the Russian economy with people being a collateral damage. This visa ban doesn't serve any purpose if we're talking about ending the war — it makes the lives of those who try to leave Russia even more difficult and it helps to boost the ratings of European politicians, that's about it.

edit: just glanced through the article on the previous page and it repeats my argument almost word for word!
The collective punishment element is collateral damage, not the main point. A ban on tourist visas, on the other hand, does nothing to undermine the Putin’s war economy but directly and explicitly punishes Russians for the crime of being Russian
 
Is it? The rhetoric of Russian officials hasn't changed, they've been accusing the west of rusophobia, nazism, cancel culture etc. in response to pretty much every sanction.

There have been a bigger backlash than usual because this is probably the first sanction that threatens tens if not hundreds of thousands of Russian that have fled the country during the past few months (especially with Zelensky saying that every Russian needs to be sent back to Russia, which is a bit weird since he asked Russians to leave Russia if they can just in March, I believe). The original banking sanctions have affected them but the intent was clear and people understood that it's obviously a hit on the Russian economy with people being a collateral damage. This visa ban doesn't serve any purpose if we're talking about ending the war — it makes the lives of those who try to leave Russia even more difficult and it helps to boost the ratings of European politicians, that's about it.

edit: just glanced through the article on the previous page and it repeats my argument almost word for word!
Probably wouldn't be that hard to just ban everyone who is a wealthy corporate insider, let's do that. I think it's a good point that denying them access to Europe and the US would be appropriate as they're at war with democracy, allied to empire.
 
Finally! So we have someone saying dead russian civilians is ok. Thanks for proving my point.
I was replying to your part about orcs.

I don't consider civilians to be orcs, just the Russian/sof/occupied militias as so.

You need to try reading what the reply was to, not what you wanted it to be.
 
I think it's a bit weird that when a poster straight out comes out saying that it's ok to celebrate dead civilians as long as they're Russians (or evil corrupted monsters, which is what orcs canonically are), the reaction is to make fun of another poster who doesn't like the fact that a deadly war is serving as entertainment competing with Netflix and cat videos.

From quite a few posters I expect this, so it's maybe not weird in that sense, but from other posters it's very surprising.
There was a poster who confirmed it was okay to celebrate dead Russia civilians briefly before his post
If you mean me, no I wasn't.

read and learn.
 
Lots of reports of Nova Kakhovka dam bridge being no longer usable for crossing, still awaiting a visual confirmation though. Would be quite significant if true because Russian troops would effectively be cut off North of the Dnipro river. It wasn't an easy task too because the bridge is essentially a dam and the only target to hit without destroying it and causing massive floods is the small canal used for the boats to pass so the strikes had to be very precise.

 
If you mean me, no I wasn't.

read and learn.

Could you explain then what you were saying yes to in post 34,206?

Edit; Ah I see you only considered "orcs" to be soldiers, but it's fairly unclear when the post you were responding to was about future civilian casualties.
 
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Interesting thread:


If they actually believe:

In the minds of most Russians this war is not about Ukraine It is a conflict with NATO and the USA. But it is not even about defeating or conquering USA. "In this clash, America needs to feel and recognise that Russia is its equal. Equal in military strength, but, most importantly, equal in its status as a major world power" 6/14

Can we send NATO in already and wipe them all out.
 
If they actually believe:

In the minds of most Russians this war is not about Ukraine It is a conflict with NATO and the USA. But it is not even about defeating or conquering USA. "In this clash, America needs to feel and recognise that Russia is its equal. Equal in military strength, but, most importantly, equal in its status as a major world power" 6/14

Can we send NATO in already and wipe them all out.

I mean without being too serious I kind of agree with you. If Russians already believe they are fighting the US and NATO why not give them the real deal?
 
I was replying to your part about orcs.

I don't consider civilians to be orcs, just the Russian/sof/occupied militias as so.

You need to try reading what the reply was to, not what you wanted it to be.

Then you misread my post before replying.
 
Russia warns US over diplomatic 'point of no return'
Russia has warned the US that potentially placing Russia on the US State Department’s list of state sponsors of terrorism could be a diplomatic “point of no return”, and trigger a total breakdown of relations between the two countries.

Alexander Darchiev, director of the Russian foreign ministry’s North American Department, was asked in an interview with Russian news agency TASS whether the possibility of lowering diplomatic relations between Moscow and Washington was being considered.

The diplomat said:

I would not like to go into hypothetical speculation about what is possible and what is not possible in the current turbulent situation, when westerners led by the United States have trampled on international law and absolute taboos in diplomatic practice

In this context, I would like to mention the legislative initiative currently being discussed in Congress to declare Russia a ‘country sponsor of terrorism’. If passed, it would mean that Washington would have to cross the point of no return, with the most serious collateral damage to bilateral diplomatic relations, up to their lowering or even breaking them off. The US side has been warned.
Any possible seizure of Russian assets by the US would completely destroy Moscow’s bilateral relations with Washington, Darchiev added.

We warn the Americans of the detrimental consequences of such actions that will permanently damage bilateral relations, which is neither in their nor in our interests.
Darchiev also said: “Americans are increasingly becoming more and more a direct party in the conflict.”

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"Westerners led by the United States have trampled on international law and absolute taboos in diplomatic practice"
 
All the talk about the US already being involved directly is coming across a bit desperate now. Looks like sanctions and weapon deliveries are starting to bite.
 


I always find these things frustratingly long- it seems like months ago we were talking this scenario. Though I guess they have to find workable and immediate alternatives which is a complex task.

I have to say, throughout this conflict it’s been the Eastern European countries (like Estonia, Slovakia, Poland and Romania to name the first that come primarily to mind) that have impressed me the most with their bravery in standing up to Putin. It’s relatively easy if you’re Boris, Macron or Biden, you know that there’s no real risk of a sustained attack. Poland borders Belarus, Slovakia borders Ukraine, and both have ethnic Russians within their populations. If Putin is hellbent (and I don’t THINK he is) of pushing as far west as he can then they could be next. It’s brave conduct, no doubt.
Although the alternative view is that by the systematic degradation of Russian fighting potential in Ukraine, they are insulating themselves from any future possibility of an attack.
 
I always find these things frustratingly long- it seems like months ago we were talking this scenario. Though I guess they have to find workable and immediate alternatives which is a complex task.

I have to say, throughout this conflict it’s been the Eastern European countries (like Estonia, Slovakia, Poland and Romania to name the first that come primarily to mind) that have impressed me the most with their bravery in standing up to Putin. It’s relatively easy if you’re Boris, Macron or Biden, you know that there’s no real risk of a sustained attack. Poland borders Belarus, Slovakia borders Ukraine, and both have ethnic Russians within their populations. If Putin is hellbent (and I don’t THINK he is) of pushing as far west as he can then they could be next. It’s brave conduct, no doubt.
Although the alternative view is that by the systematic degradation of Russian fighting potential in Ukraine, they are insulating themselves from any future possibility of an attack.

I think he is hellbent on all sorts of asymmetrical warfare including blackmailing countries through cutting off energy. In that context it is very brave.
 
I always find these things frustratingly long- it seems like months ago we were talking this scenario. Though I guess they have to find workable and immediate alternatives which is a complex task.

I have to say, throughout this conflict it’s been the Eastern European countries (like Estonia, Slovakia, Poland and Romania to name the first that come primarily to mind) that have impressed me the most with their bravery in standing up to Putin. It’s relatively easy if you’re Boris, Macron or Biden, you know that there’s no real risk of a sustained attack. Poland borders Belarus, Slovakia borders Ukraine, and both have ethnic Russians within their populations. If Putin is hellbent (and I don’t THINK he is) of pushing as far west as he can then they could be next. It’s brave conduct, no doubt.
Although the alternative view is that by the systematic degradation of Russian fighting potential in Ukraine, they are insulating themselves from any future possibility of an attack.

Yeh this has been in the works for a while now, I guess it has been more complicated than we know to agree and arrange the substitute security cover from Poland/Czech. Perhaps they've had to appease some objections from the US too.

Agree about the eastern euro countries. If ever a situation arises where NATO intervenes, I expect it will be after Poland has already gone in of their own accord.
 
Yeh this has been in the works for a while now, I guess it has been more complicated than we know to agree and arrange the substitute security cover from Poland/Czech. Perhaps they've had to appease some objections from the US too.

Agree about the eastern euro countries. If ever a situation arises where NATO intervenes, I expect it will be after Poland has already gone in of their own accord.
Would be interesting to know whether the internal Russia calculus has changed with regard to specifically Poland. Notwithstanding the nato membership which is clearly critical, Polands military budget is approximately triple Ukraine’s (pre-war) budget. If Russia can’t subjugate Ukraine then it’s very unlikely they could do so against a more modern military.
 
Could you explain then what you were saying yes to in post 34,206?

Edit; Ah I see you only considered "orcs" to be soldiers, but it's fairly unclear when the post you were responding to was about future civilian casualties.
I highlighted the bit about orcs, I didn't mention civilians at all.

It was just a poster hoping I'd done what they said, not what I'd actually done.
 
Gotta note the accuracy again, they continue to hit the exact same spot of the bridge.

 
It probably requires a separate thread and I think if it continues I'll make one as it's certainly a consequence of the invasion but not something that is directly connected to it. But since we've been discussing it here — this is the next step after denying Russians schengen visas, a move that was supposed to target pro-Putin tourists and punish them for their views.

Lithuanian's foreign minister in his interview to Deutsche Welle says that it's important to deny those Russians who oppose Putin entry to European countries to keep that 5-10% (his estimation) of population inside the country to instigate the regime change.

edit: even I seem to get under the influence of questionable quotations and watching the interview closely he hasn't said this phrase directly. Yet he did said that the humanitarian visa system that they've implicated works well and compensates for the tourist visa ban (it doesn't) and that his preference is to keep them in Russia.
 
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It probably requires a separate thread and I think if it continues I'll make one as it's certainly a consequence of the invasion but not something that is directly connected to it. But since we've been discussing it here — this is the next step after denying Russians schengen visas, a move that was supposed to target pro-Putin tourists and punish them for their views.

Lithuanian's foreign minister in his interview to Deutsche Welle says that it's important to deny those Russians who oppose Putin entry to European countries to keep that 5-10% (his estimation) of population inside the country to instigate the regime change.
That's a very cruel suggestion. If people live oppressed and want a better live they should be allowed to move.
 
It probably requires a separate thread and I think if it continues I'll make one as it's certainly a consequence of the invasion but not something that is directly connected to it. But since we've been discussing it here — this is the next step after denying Russians schengen visas, a move that was supposed to target pro-Putin tourists and punish them for their views.

Lithuanian's foreign minister in his interview to Deutsche Welle says that it's important to deny those Russians who oppose Putin entry to European countries to keep that 5-10% (his estimation) of population inside the country to instigate the regime change.
And what are your views on this?
 
And what are your views on this?
I've said this already, the visa thing doesn't bring us closer to ending the war (if anything, it'll probably end up doing the opposite, at least in terms of Putin's internal support). It's the same right-wing ideas that have been on the rise over the past decade (probably culminating with Trump) finding a great way to materialise into existence. That said, the trigger is still the Russian invasion, obviously, and the very fact of its existing gives a lot of ammunition to right-wing politician in Europe. But this doesn't mean that it's a good thing.
 
That's a very cruel suggestion. If people live oppressed and want a better live they should be allowed to move.
Yeah it’s absolutely ridiculous suggestion. There should as much separation between politics and actual people.

The whole idea that Russians should be punished is exactly what makes Russia more united. Carnegie University in Moscow is already pretty much incensed with what the collective west is doing.

If you cut Russians from Europe, Russians will take it by force.

This is a very bizarre situation where non entities can blocked transportation routes.
 
Yeah it’s absolutely ridiculous suggestion. There should as much separation between politics and actual people.

The whole idea that Russians should be punished is exactly what makes Russia more united. Carnegie University in Moscow is already pretty much incensed with what the collective west is doing.

If you cut Russians from Europe, Russians will take it by force.

This is a very bizarre situation where non entities can blocked transportation routes.

Let me be clear, those who support the regime should definitely be stopped from enjoying the west or use it for personal gain. I was referring to people who oppose putin and want to leave because of that.
 
I've said this already, the visa thing doesn't bring us closer to ending the war (if anything, it'll probably end up doing the opposite, at least in terms of Putin's internal support). It's the same right-wing ideas that have been on the rise over the past decade (probably culminating with Trump) finding a great way to materialise into existence. That said, the trigger is still the Russian invasion, obviously, and the very fact of its existing gives a lot of ammunition to right-wing politician in Europe. But this doesn't mean that it's a good thing.
As eloquent as you are you did not answer the question. I’ll answer it for you. Restrictions on UN travel charter is violation on human right. To be more precise - to have a right to a private life - which entails freedom of movement. The fact that anyone is considering this - this is enough to start a war. It’s absolutely wrong. Reprehensible.

Just an afterthought; all those Russians, in Russia or outside?