Is Russia about to invade Ukraine? (1 Viewer)

[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

 

[bird]

I think Zeihan is a little doomer pilled, but his overall point about demographics and geography are hard to argue against.

FYI: China is in the same boat as Russia. If they are going to take Taiwan it has to happen in the next decade.

Yeah, he mentions China. They are already in a demographic crisis and have been for 20 years according to Zeihan.

 

[zztop]

Zelensky: Situation in Kharkiv Oblast is 'difficult' as Russian troops advance

His statement comes as Russia launched a new offensive operation targeting Kharkiv Oblast on May 10.

kyivindependent.com

 

[GrandAdmiral]

Zelensky: Situation in Kharkiv Oblast is 'difficult' as Russian troops advance

His statement comes as Russia launched a new offensive operation targeting Kharkiv Oblast on May 10.

kyivindependent.com

Thanks Congress...

 

[MT15]

Thanks Congress...

Infuriating boot-licking of Putin. Unforgivable and disqualifying for anyone who went along with it. Which is practically all GOP members of Congress.

 

[efil4]

 

[LA - L.A.]

Zelensky: Situation in Kharkiv Oblast is 'difficult' as Russian troops advance

His statement comes as Russia launched a new offensive operation targeting Kharkiv Oblast on May 10.

kyivindependent.com

Thanks Congress...

Infuriating boot-licking of Putin. Unforgivable and disqualifying for anyone who went along with it. Which is practically all GOP members of Congress.

If Ukraine falls to Russia, there will be an insurgency in Ukraine (there's probably some preparing and training going on already) and Russia will escalate the conflict into a multinational war.

 

[SaintForLife]

Thanks Congress...

What does Congress have to do with their lack of soldiers?

 

[SaintForLife]

Infuriating boot-licking of Putin. Unforgivable and disqualifying for anyone who went along with it. Which is practically all GOP members of Congress.

That single mom who can barely pay her bills and who thinks we should use that money here instead of Ukraine is a boot-licking Putin lover!

 

[DaveXA]

That single mom who can barely pay her bills and who thinks we should use that money here instead of Ukraine is a boot-licking Putin lover!

Speak for yourself, unless...

 

[bird]

That single mom who can barely pay her bills and who thinks we should use that money here instead of Ukraine is a boot-licking Putin lover!

So, what policies should be put in place to help said hypothetical single mom? And how many Republicans in the House or Senate would support those policies by initiating or supporting such legislation?

 

[LA - L.A.]

That single mom who can barely pay her bills and who thinks we should use that money here instead of Ukraine is a boot-licking Putin lover!

Sincerely, it's too bad that alleged "single mom" doesn't get to cast a vote in Congress.

The same people in Congress who delayed sending aid to Ukraine are the very same people who block every attempt in Congress to help single moms with paying their bills.

I mean really, how far down the absurdity of the rabbit hole are some folks willing to go?

 

[MT15]

That single mom who can barely pay her bills and who thinks we should use that money here instead of Ukraine is a boot-licking Putin lover!

Good grief, you don’t have a single clue do you? You oppose helping that mom just like all the other Putin boot-lickers. Nobody here buys that garbage you are peddling. Never did.

 

[brandon]

What does Congress have to do with their lack of soldiers?

*weapons

 

[MT15]

At least McConnell is being honest about this.

 

[DaveXA]

At least McConnell is being honest about this.

Kinda late for this.

 

[RebSaint]

I didn't know where to post this bit of content, so it's going in this thread.

I often wondered beyond just cyber attacks and Russian troll farms sowing disinformation to divide the right and left in this country, how the hell did the Republican Party and right wing in general become so enmeshed with Russia under Putin?

Well, this documentary is worth a watch, because the "family" was a creature of the Cold War, ironically to fight Communism, but it eventually became a front for conservative Republicans to spread their culture war message overseas, specifically Russia. And it was not just Republicans, but it regularly featured and included members of both parties.

The Family (TV Mini Series 2019) ⭐ 6.4 | Documentary, Mystery

50m | TV-14

www.imdb.com

Again, nothing happens in a vacuum and everything can be explained through historical analysis.

https://www.amazon.com/Street-Fundamentalist-Threat-American-Democracy/dp/0316091073?tag=associatessrp-20

Of course, the irony here (again) is that the same people who decry globalism are participating in it.

 

[efil4]

I didn't know where to post this bit of content, so it's going in this thread.

I often wondered beyond just cyber attacks and Russian troll farms sowing disinformation to divide the right and left in this country, how the hell did the Republican Party and right wing in general become so enmeshed with Russia under Putin?

Well, this documentary is worth a watch, because the "family" was a creature of the Cold War, ironically to fight Communism, but it eventually became a front for conservative Republicans to spread their culture war message overseas, specifically Russia. And it was not just Republicans, but it regularly featured and included members of both parties.

The Family (TV Mini Series 2019) ⭐ 6.4 | Documentary, Mystery

50m | TV-14

www.imdb.com

Again, nothing happens in a vacuum and everything can be explained through historical analysis.

https://www.amazon.com/Street-Fundamentalist-Threat-American-Democracy/dp/0316091073?tag=associatessrp-20

Of course, the irony here (again) is that the same people who decry globalism are participating in it.

ive come across, but never watched because i thought it was going to be more about "evangelicals" and government, but ill give it a watch

 

[RebSaint]

ive come across, but never watched because i thought it was going to be more about "evangelicals" and government, but ill give it a watch

This organization certainly explains why the American right forged a much closer connection to Russia after the Cold War. It really doesn't get into this issue, but my sense is that Putin leveraged this new connection to ramp up the cyber wars of disinformation to sow division in American society.

Say what you wan about Putin, dude has been playing the long game, something our presidents have not been able to do very well regardless of party.

What's vile is that these people don't pay any attention to scripture or the life and beliefs of Jesus; it's just devolved to whatever their secular vision is "Christ's vision." It's brazenly Machiavellian.

And it underscores my conclusion that most organized religion will invariably connect itself to socio-economic elites and justify authoritarian, anti-democratic and oppressive forms of government regardless of the what it is.