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

 

[UriUT]

A segment of American society thinks he's newsworthy because he's been in the news they consume for years now. They think the world revolves around Hunter Biden and Hillary Clinton. It's a very strange and deluded worldview.

I know it all too well. I have family that consumes that media.

 

[superchuck500]

I think you are right. It fits with their nationalist agenda. I do remember I had to say the pledge in my public elementary school, but nothing after. Ironically, my nieces private school had everyone say the pledge for their grand parents day event.

Yeah I remember saying it too.

Of course no one "has" to say it. There's obvious social pressure but as a matter of law it cannot be compulsory. Again, I don't think that's something Moscow could wrap its head around.

 

[UriUT]

I think this war on Ukraine is a prime example of your point.

 

[UriUT]

Holy cow.

 

[MT15]

Are they really suppressing your views, Tulsi? Or did the majority of your views come from Russian bots and trolls? Lol

 

[brandon]

Holy cow.

The red line that will fire off WW3.

 

[UriUT]

Wow found a twitter of an American fighting in Ukraine. I’m just going through his feed. Quite insane.

This my fav so far.



This one made me laugh. “Welcome America”.

 

[UriUT]

There you go.

 

[UriUT]

I wasn't going post this article that I read earlier today. But since we're talking about Russian propaganda, we may as well discuss Russian's influences on the West's far right nutjobs.

Exclusive: Russia Backs Europe’s Far Right

Emails and documents show just how closely Italian, French, German and Austrian politicians coordinate with Moscow

newlinesmag.com

We've clearly witness it here in the US. For example the influence that Russia had on the NRA. I've been wondering that Putin's miscalculations may have been far more reaching than just Ukraine. He has had destructive influences in the West and the disturbance has been expanding. Recently, the AL AG cannot even confirm that Biden was elected properly properly.

Again, Tom Nichols brings that point up in this tweet.

 

[superchuck500]

I wasn't going post this article that I read earlier today. But since we're talking about Russian propaganda, we may as well discuss Russian's influences on the West's far right nutjobs.

No, you've got it wrong - Russia is carrying the mantle of ridding the world of Nazis and far-right extremists.

 

[UriUT]

No, you've got it wrong - Russia is carrying the mantle of ridding the world of Nazis and far-right extremists.

How could I be so wrong. I'm sorry.

 

[UriUT]

This needs to speed up through our Russia.

 

[zztop]

Honestly I don’t know how much longer the world can withstand this inhumanity.

grim news

Ukraine reports 300 dead in airstrike on Mariupol theater

Ukrainian authorities say about 300 people were killed in the Russian airstrike last week that blasted open a Mariupol theater.

apnews.com

 

[UriUT]

grim news

Ukraine reports 300 dead in airstrike on Mariupol theater

Ukrainian authorities say about 300 people were killed in the Russian airstrike last week that blasted open a Mariupol theater.

apnews.com

It s going to be much worse. NATO leaders will have a more and more difficult task to contain any escalation. Putin is inhuman. Lives will not matter to him.

 

[UriUT]

So I've seen this story circulate since yesterday? Supposedly, a commander of a tank brigade was injured; the story here says he is killed. What is different is that it was by one of his own. They were so upset that half of the brigade died that one of tanks ran him over. Of consequence is that this brigade won some tank exercise award...meaning they were well trained.

 

[zztop]

It s going to be much worse. NATO leaders will have a more and more difficult task to contain any escalation. Putin is inhuman. Lives will not matter to him.

I'm also wondering about those thousands(?) of civilians that have been forcibly taken to Russia. I have a bad feeling that most won't ever be seen again

edit: apparently there is a long history about Russia doing this. It happened in the 1500s, in the 1830s after a Polish uprising, in the 1930s-1950s an estimated 3.5 million "relocated" by Stalin

 

[MT15]

This is interesting:

 

[MT15]