Is Russia about to invade Ukraine? (2 Viewers)

[superchuck500]

Russia continues to mass assets within range of Ukraine - though the official explanations are that they are for various exercises. United States intelligence has noted that Russian operatives in Ukraine could launch 'false flag' operations as a predicate to invasion. The West has pressed for negotiations and on Friday in Geneva, the US Sec. State Blinken will meet with the Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov.

Certainly the Russian movements evidence some plan - but what is it? Some analysts believe that Putin's grand scheme involves securing Western commitments that NATO would never expand beyond its current composition. Whether that means action in Ukraine or merely the movement of pieces on the chess board remains to be seen.

VIENNA — No one expected much progress from this past week’s diplomatic marathon to defuse the security crisis Russia has ignited in Eastern Europe by surrounding Ukraine on three sides with 100,000 troops and then, by the White House’s accounting, sending in saboteurs to create a pretext for invasion.

But as the Biden administration and NATO conduct tabletop simulations about how the next few months could unfold, they are increasingly wary of another set of options for President Vladimir V. Putin, steps that are more far-reaching than simply rolling his troops and armor over Ukraine’s border.

Mr. Putin wants to extend Russia’s sphere of influence to Eastern Europe and secure written commitments that NATO will never again enlarge. If he is frustrated in reaching that goal, some of his aides suggested on the sidelines of the negotiations last week, then he would pursue Russia’s security interests with results that would be felt acutely in Europe and the United States.

There were hints, never quite spelled out, that nuclear weapons could be shifted to places — perhaps not far from the United States coastline — that would reduce warning times after a launch to as little as five minutes, potentially igniting a confrontation with echoes of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

Russia Issues Subtle Threats More Far-Reaching Than a Ukraine Invasion

If the West fails to meet its security demands, Moscow could take measures like placing nuclear missiles close to the U.S. coastline, Russian officials have hinted.

www.nytimes.com

Blinken Will Meet With Russia as U.S. Pushes for More Diplomacy

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will meet with Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov of Russia in Geneva on Friday as the United States warns that Russia could soon attack Ukraine.

www.nytimes.com

How to think about war in Ukraine

Start with the Ukrainians

snyder.substack.com

 

[MT15]

Good news!

 

[brandon]

I love the community notes on this NYTs tweet

I never said it was overrun with Nazis as you claim I did and also someone said that I said the majority of Ukraine are Nazis which I also didn't say.

I’m sorry, then what was the point of the previous post?

Why post about Ukrainian nazis, which Putin expressly used as a justification for his invasion, if not attempting to provide a justification for the invasion?

And again, we have nazis here. So unless you were just pointing out nazis for fun, your post doesn’t make sense unless you are implying that there is a large proportion of them in the country.

 

[SaintForLife]

I’m sorry, then what was the point of the previous post?

Why post about Ukrainian nazis, which Putin expressly used as a justification for his invasion, if not attempting to provide a justification for the invasion?

And again, we have nazis here. So unless you were just pointing out nazis for fun, your post doesn’t make sense unless you are implying that there is a large proportion of them in the country.

I've explained this multiple times in this thread. I'm not repeating it again. Go back and read it if you want the answer.

 

[brandon]

I never said that, so weak strawman. Someone asked why we shouldn't be paying for fertilizer for farmers in Ukraine, all of Ukraine’s 1st responders or subsidizing small businesses in Ukraine. I listed things that show it's not a democracy and also mentioned the literal Nazis in Ukraine.

I brought up Ukraines Nazi's when someone asked why I didn't think the US should be subsidizing Ukraines farmers, small businesses or 1st responders.

Are these your explanations? You brought up nazis because you didn’t like us paying to help farmers whose country was attacked by Russia and whose output is instrumental in maintaining the stability of the global food supply?

If that’s your reasoning, that’s fine I guess, but it’s forking stupid.

I guess I’ll bring up American nazis every time I don’t agree with something stupid your side does.

 

[MT15]

Are these your explanations? You brought up nazis because you didn’t like us paying to help farmers whose country was attacked by Russia and whose output is instrumental in maintaining the stability of the global food supply?

If that’s your reasoning, that’s fine I guess, but it’s forking stupid.

I guess I’ll bring up American nazis every time I don’t agree with something stupid your side does.

Actually he brought up Nazis because Putin did, and his Russian cut-outs that he worships told him that was a real and valid reason for the invasion. He’s just trying to wiggle out of it now with some nonsense about farmers.

 

[Bigdaddysaints]

I just hope he doesn't try to invade the USA because of all the Nazi's here. I mean, if he did, i guess we shouldn't fight back because well, we all want to get rid of Nazi;s right? Hell, i have bno doudt we have plenty in Gov't ( as Nazi sympathizers at least)

 

[SaintForLife]

Actually he brought up Nazis because Putin did, and his Russian cut-outs that he worships told him that was a real and valid reason for the invasion. He’s just trying to wiggle out of it now with some nonsense about farmers.

It's hard to explain how much Putin is living rent free in your brain.

 

[efil4]

It's hard to explain how much Putin is living rent free in your brain.

For you? we know. ( well unless its in the form of a tweet - then you have no problem "explaining" - just post the tweets and wait for another batch to appear )

 

[brandon]

It's hard to explain how much Putin is living rent free in your brain.

Default response when you don’t have a response.

 

[Bigdaddysaints]

It's hard to explain how much Putin is living rent free in your brain.

try because i don't get it

 

[MT15]

This is what people are arguing about: a tiny, tiny portion of our GDP. Oh, and I included the comment because I’m really worried about the math skills of the population at large. He read “one tenth of a cent out of every dollar”, and came up with 10%? OMG. I’m not naturally good at math, but my goodness, he’s ridiculous.

 

[DaveXA]

This is what people are arguing about: a tiny, tiny portion of our GDP. Oh, and I included the comment because I’m really worried about the math skills of the population at large. He read “one tenth of a cent out of every dollar”, and came up with 10%? OMG. I’m not naturally good at math, but my goodness, he’s ridiculous.

To be fair, GDP and budget are two wildly different numbers.

GDP was around $25 trillion in 2022 and US budget spending was around $6 trillion.

That said, 10% of $6 trillion is $600 billion.

We've sent Ukraine somewhere between $100b and $125b with about 30% of that going to weapons and equipment.

 

[UriUT]

Sweden says telecom cable with Estonia damaged but operating

A Baltic Sea telecom cable connecting Sweden and Estonia was damaged at roughly the same time as a Finnish-Estonian pipeline and cable were earlier this month, but remains operational, Sweden's civil defence minister said on Tuesday.

www.reuters.com

So remember the Hersh theory about the pipelines? Well Russia was well known to have trained divisions to cut sea floor communication lines. Yea...things are happening to NATO countries' communication lines.

 

[J-DONK]

It's hard to explain how much Putin is living rent free in your brain.

Dude, this thread about a Russia(Putin) invading Ukraine.

What wasn't true was the pee document.

That doesn't mean Trump, and the GOP don't have some very cozy ties to Russia.

For a conspiracy brained guy, do you think that group of GOP senators in 2018 really went to Moscow to chide Russia over the election interference that helped their guy get elected in 2016?

It's weird to hear conservatives so concerned about Nazi's abroad, but not in their own ranks. Do you know which party white supremacist support? Have you for a second thought you might be the bad guys if you try to villainize a group called ANTI-FAcist?

Why do you expect a moral purity from a foreign country when you don't from your own party?

 

[MT15]

 

[SaintForLife]

Time Magazine reports that Ukraine struggles to rally financial support after its failed counteroffensive and amid allegations of widespread corruption.

• A top Ukrainian presidential advisor warns that "people are stealing like there's no tomorrow" when asked about bribes and corruption.

• 59% of Americans don't want Congress to provide more weapons to Kyiv, up from 35% in June.

• The southeastern fifth of Ukraine, where the population is predominantly Russian speakers, remains under Russian control.

• Zelensky's close advisor warns that “He deludes himself. We’re out of options. We’re not winning. But try telling him that.”

• Ukraine's shortage of soldiers is more dire than its deficit in arms and ammunition. Draft officers pull men off trains and buses and send them to the front.

• The death toll has long surpassed 100,000 on each side of the war, forcing the draft of the elderly, raising the average age of a Ukrainian soldier to around 43 years.

• Corruption remains widespread despite Zelensky firing numerous officers and the Defense Minister.

• Zelensky is worried that the focus of Ukraine’s allies in the U.S. and Europe and of the global media has already shifted to Israel, Palestine, and the Gaza Strip.


Article:

Inside Volodymyr Zelensky’s Struggle to Keep Ukraine in the Fight

“Nobody believes in our victory like I do. Nobody,” Zelensky told TIME in an interview after his trip to Washington, D.C.

time.com

 

[bird]

Time Magazine reports that Ukraine struggles to rally financial support after its failed counteroffensive and amid allegations of widespread corruption.

• A top Ukrainian presidential advisor warns that "people are stealing like there's no tomorrow" when asked about bribes and corruption.

• 59% of Americans don't want Congress to provide more weapons to Kyiv, up from 35% in June.

• The southeastern fifth of Ukraine, where the population is predominantly Russian speakers, remains under Russian control.

• Zelensky's close advisor warns that “He deludes himself. We’re out of options. We’re not winning. But try telling him that.”

• Ukraine's shortage of soldiers is more dire than its deficit in arms and ammunition. Draft officers pull men off trains and buses and send them to the front.

• The death toll has long surpassed 100,000 on each side of the war, forcing the draft of the elderly, raising the average age of a Ukrainian soldier to around 43 years.

• Corruption remains widespread despite Zelensky firing numerous officers and the Defense Minister.

• Zelensky is worried that the focus of Ukraine’s allies in the U.S. and Europe and of the global media has already shifted to Israel, Palestine, and the Gaza Strip.


Article:

Inside Volodymyr Zelensky’s Struggle to Keep Ukraine in the Fight

“Nobody believes in our victory like I do. Nobody,” Zelensky told TIME in an interview after his trip to Washington, D.C.

time.com

And?

 

[efil4]

Time Magazine reports that Ukraine struggles to rally financial support after its failed counteroffensive and amid allegations of widespread corruption.

• A top Ukrainian presidential advisor warns that "people are stealing like there's no tomorrow" when asked about bribes and corruption.

• 59% of Americans don't want Congress to provide more weapons to Kyiv, up from 35% in June.

• The southeastern fifth of Ukraine, where the population is predominantly Russian speakers, remains under Russian control.

• Zelensky's close advisor warns that “He deludes himself. We’re out of options. We’re not winning. But try telling him that.”

• Ukraine's shortage of soldiers is more dire than its deficit in arms and ammunition. Draft officers pull men off trains and buses and send them to the front.

• The death toll has long surpassed 100,000 on each side of the war, forcing the draft of the elderly, raising the average age of a Ukrainian soldier to around 43 years.

• Corruption remains widespread despite Zelensky firing numerous officers and the Defense Minister.

• Zelensky is worried that the focus of Ukraine’s allies in the U.S. and Europe and of the global media has already shifted to Israel, Palestine, and the Gaza Strip.


Article:

Inside Volodymyr Zelensky’s Struggle to Keep Ukraine in the Fight

“Nobody believes in our victory like I do. Nobody,” Zelensky told TIME in an interview after his trip to Washington, D.C.

time.com

close aid? no name?

so let me get this right...a "source" that aligns with your beliefs, is ok.

A source that DOESNT align with your beliefs, not ok. A fraud. A liar.

LOL. you are quite the propagandist, ill give you that. What i find truly amazing is none, and i mean none of it is your own words. Its ALWAYS someone elses words and you just drop it in as if its some "gotcha" moment.

All the while, Putin had based the entire conflict on this very facet of US/West sentiment....time was ALWAYS on his side. He doesnt care if he loses 600,000 men, if it means that the US/West will ultimately tire, waver and leave Ukraine to its own devices at which point Putin has won. The beauty of being a dictator is knowing you can do anything and no one will check you.

Congrats on feeding that machine.