Is Russia about to invade Ukraine? (5 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]

 

[SaulGoodmanEsq]

Indeed. Elon's legion of fans don't understand the man is only good at one thing: making money. He's actually pretty dumb when it comes to most everything else.

 

[SaulGoodmanEsq]

There's no way to guarantee being able to contain anything in war. What if he has nukes hidden in other areas or even near or in the US? What if other countries somehow get involved? What if Putin knows someone is about to capture or kill him and he's cornered?

If ifs and buts were candies and nuts, oh what a wonderful Christmas it would be.

 

[MT15]

Indeed. Elon's legion of fans don't understand the man is only good at one thing: making money. He's actually pretty dumb when it comes to most everything else.

Yes, exactly, I know my eyes have been opened by his Twitter feed. The man isn’t really very smart. Apparently he has an ego that just won’t quit either. Not a great combo, and exactly the combo we see in Trump.

 

[MT15]

This may explain a lot of the Putin fanboying:

 

[zztop]

russia decides to go after civilians once again

Russia strikes Kyiv, multiple Ukrainian cities; many dead

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia unleashed a lethal barrage of strikes against multiple Ukrainian cities Monday, smashing civilian targets including downtown Kyiv where at least eight people were killed.

apnews.com

 

[Optimus Prime]

Not sure what thread to put this in
=========================

As thousands of Russians continue to flee the country to avoid being conscripted to fight in Ukraine, a propaganda video warning of interactions with LGBTQ, Black, and vegetarian people in America has gone viral.

The video began circulating on pro-Kremlin telegram channels and has found its way onto Twitter. It features three skits in which a Russian couple find themselves confronted with supposed American values on a plane bound for the U.S.

In one scene, the couple are alarmed to discover that a woman seated in front of them is married to another woman.

In another, a flight attendant takes the husband’s meal away because a vegetarian passenger objects to him eating meat.

In the third scenario, a Black passenger attempts to jump the line to the bathroom. When the Russian husband objects, a flight attendant and several white passengers insist that the Black passenger be allowed to go ahead.

“His people have been oppressed by the white men for centuries,” one white passenger says according to a translation of the Russian dialogue. “We owe a debt to all African Americans.”............

MSN

www.msn.com

 

[coldseat]

Not sure what thread to put this in
=========================

As thousands of Russians continue to flee the country to avoid being conscripted to fight in Ukraine, a propaganda video warning of interactions with LGBTQ, Black, and vegetarian people in America has gone viral.

The video began circulating on pro-Kremlin telegram channels and has found its way onto Twitter. It features three skits in which a Russian couple find themselves confronted with supposed American values on a plane bound for the U.S.

In one scene, the couple are alarmed to discover that a woman seated in front of them is married to another woman.

In another, a flight attendant takes the husband’s meal away because a vegetarian passenger objects to him eating meat.

In the third scenario, a Black passenger attempts to jump the line to the bathroom. When the Russian husband objects, a flight attendant and several white passengers insist that the Black passenger be allowed to go ahead.

“His people have been oppressed by the white men for centuries,” one white passenger says according to a translation of the Russian dialogue. “We owe a debt to all African Americans.”............

MSN

www.msn.com

Just let that insecurity course through their fragile Russian bodies.

The most ridiculous thing in that series of tragic shorts what the guy savoring the aroma of dry, tasteless, undefinable, Russian airplane meat.

 

[MT15]

Not sure what thread to put this in
=========================

As thousands of Russians continue to flee the country to avoid being conscripted to fight in Ukraine, a propaganda video warning of interactions with LGBTQ, Black, and vegetarian people in America has gone viral.

The video began circulating on pro-Kremlin telegram channels and has found its way onto Twitter. It features three skits in which a Russian couple find themselves confronted with supposed American values on a plane bound for the U.S.

In one scene, the couple are alarmed to discover that a woman seated in front of them is married to another woman.

In another, a flight attendant takes the husband’s meal away because a vegetarian passenger objects to him eating meat.

In the third scenario, a Black passenger attempts to jump the line to the bathroom. When the Russian husband objects, a flight attendant and several white passengers insist that the Black passenger be allowed to go ahead.

“His people have been oppressed by the white men for centuries,” one white passenger says according to a translation of the Russian dialogue. “We owe a debt to all African Americans.”............

MSN

www.msn.com

What immediately occurs to me is that these are likely indistinguishable from right wing media in the US. They could have been done by any of a number of right wing outrage porn sites.

 

[BullSheetBuddha]

Not sure what thread to put this in
=========================

As thousands of Russians continue to flee the country to avoid being conscripted to fight in Ukraine, a propaganda video warning of interactions with LGBTQ, Black, and vegetarian people in America has gone viral.

The video began circulating on pro-Kremlin telegram channels and has found its way onto Twitter. It features three skits in which a Russian couple find themselves confronted with supposed American values on a plane bound for the U.S.

In one scene, the couple are alarmed to discover that a woman seated in front of them is married to another woman.

In another, a flight attendant takes the husband’s meal away because a vegetarian passenger objects to him eating meat.

In the third scenario, a Black passenger attempts to jump the line to the bathroom. When the Russian husband objects, a flight attendant and several white passengers insist that the Black passenger be allowed to go ahead.

“His people have been oppressed by the white men for centuries,” one white passenger says according to a translation of the Russian dialogue. “We owe a debt to all African Americans.”............

MSN

www.msn.com

How strange.

 

[MT15]

Idiot

 

[UriUT]

Vladimir Putin's 'gas blackmail' is failing as an LNG revolution allows Europe to end its dependence on Russia, says Yale professor

The European energy crisis will improve sooner than previously thought as gas evolves into a "buyers market," according to Yale's Jeffrey Sonnenfeld.

markets.businessinsider.com

Looks like Putin's weaponizing energy may backfire. Europe is finding alternatives to Russia's natural gas, unfortunately outbidding poorer nations. And mind you, a top Russian energy official boasted that the EU would freeze this winter.

 

[UriUT]

Idiot

After the Ukrainian twitter army bashed him for his comments on the war, Starlink was reported to have intermittently stopped working on the front. Now he forbids its use in Crimea. Such a child.

And oh yeah. The US government is paying for those hardware and service.

 

[Dragon]

Vladimir Putin's 'gas blackmail' is failing as an LNG revolution allows Europe to end its dependence on Russia, says Yale professor

The European energy crisis will improve sooner than previously thought as gas evolves into a "buyers market," according to Yale's Jeffrey Sonnenfeld.

markets.businessinsider.com

Looks like Putin's weaponizing energy may backfire. Europe is finding alternatives to Russia's natural gas, unfortunately outbidding poorer nations. And mind you, a top Russian energy official boasted that the EU would freeze this winter.

This should be ready within a year and will help alot

https://tyra2.dk/en/

And this

https://greenpowerdenmark.dk/about-green-power-denmark


Most of Europe is finding new ways of doing things and moving a lot of the environmental energy projects forward. Yes this winter may be a bit tough but every year from now we will depend less on fossile fuels. The war in Ukraine has just moved a lot of projects forward

 

[coldseat]

Surprise...not really. This dudes pettiness and ego are dangerous given how much he and his companies are into and control. He feels he has a right to offer an opinion on everything and that everybody it supposed to agree and say yes Sir. When he gets mocked, he turns to retribution.

Still, I have no problem with the federal government picking up the tab to keep it up if it's really helping Ukraine. Though I'd make him turn it back on in Crimea as a condition.

Exclusive: Musk's SpaceX says it can no longer pay for critical satellite services in Ukraine, asks Pentagon to pick up the tab | CNN Politics

Since they first started arriving in Ukraine last spring, the Starlink satellite internet terminals made by Elon Musk's SpaceX have been a vital source of communication for Ukraine's military, allowing it to fight and stay connected even as cellular phone and internet networks have been...

www.cnn.com

 

[samiam5211]

Surprise...not really. This dudes pettiness and ego are dangerous given how much he and his companies are into and control. He feel he has a right to offer an opinion on everything and that everybody it supposed to agree and say yes Sir. When he gets mocked, he turns to retribution.

Still, I have no problen with the federal picking up the tab to keep it up if it's really helping Ukraine. Though I'd make him turn it back on in Crimea as a condition.

Exclusive: Musk's SpaceX says it can no longer pay for critical satellite services in Ukraine, asks Pentagon to pick up the tab | CNN Politics

Since they first started arriving in Ukraine last spring, the Starlink satellite internet terminals made by Elon Musk's SpaceX have been a vital source of communication for Ukraine's military, allowing it to fight and stay connected even as cellular phone and internet networks have been...

www.cnn.com

If Elon can't afford to maintain his satellites, maybe the government should just assume ownership of Starlink.

Twitter is going to end up ruining Elon.

 

[SaulGoodmanEsq]

The man is a child. Utterly spoiled and petty.

 

[UriUT]

If Elon can't afford to maintain his satellites, maybe the government should just assume ownership of Starlink.

Twitter is going to end up ruining Elon.

The thing is this. He charges $100-150 in the US for the services. Now within the last month he demands the Pentagon pay on avg $4500 per unit for the service. That's extortion.

Another thing the US already paid for the equipment. And through other means the service were paid. This guy is a jackass. His response to a gov official saying to f off was is damn emoji.

The US needs to examine all their contracts with him.