Russian invasion of Ukraine | Fewer tweets, more discussion

TMDaines said:
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I am afraid that things for Ukraine are going to get a lot worse before it is under full occupation by the Russian Invaders.

I just hope that Russia will not decide to use the Thermobaric bombs. Because that is pretty much unthinkable.

The thing is that those of us watching this barbaric action by Russia are feeling somewhat helpless because we are not able to do anything meaningful.
And it is my firm view the at some point, NATO is going to have to get off the fence and do something more than it is now.
 
2cents said:
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If Russia takes Ukraine/Kiev I definitely can see them beating the people to the submission by taking out all locals/community leaders over time and instilling brutality and fear in the rest once the have the full control of the country. The plan is to go down the Belarus route over next few years. It’s all or nothing for Ukrainians right now.
 
Rajma said:
If Russia takes Ukraine/Kiev I definitely can see them beating the people to the submission by taking out all locals/community leaders over time and instilling brutality and fear in the rest once the have the full control of the country. The plan is to go down the Belarus route over next few years. It’s all or nothing for Ukrainians right now.
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It's been reported that Western intel fears the Russians have prepared something like a kill list.
 
Oly Francis said:


I find it very interesting that Abramovich uses the word "war" to describe the conlifct in Ukraine when we know it's forbidden by Russian propaganda.
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This decision and BP‘s announcement that it is dumping its 25bn Russian interest are symbolically drawing to a close the period of engagement between Russia and the West. Abramovich bought Chelsea in 2003, the same year BP made its huge investment in TNK. Hopefully there are other parallels with the late 90s/early 00s as a war and a debt crisis leads to a change of regime in Moscow.
 
Seems to be breaking on Twitter that a bomb may have gone off near the central station in Kyiv. Will delete if not true.


 
bosnian_red said:
If you read that link it's only a "suggestion" while they admit you can't do a hard rule. And I'm fairly certain that only applies to official sources and not just random people sharing videos like that. And generally the purpose of it is to not parade prisoners down the street and subject them to humiliation. That doesn't really apply here.
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Videoing a POW upset on the phone to their parent I'm almost certain is not deemed as acceptable under it.

The problem with these videos is there is often no source or background. It's something that's very clearly in the Ukrainian tool kit as is seen by the petrified Russian soldiers being made to spout whatever they are requested to in some of these videos. So trying to figure out what is an oblivious civilian recording a legitimate moment and what is staged to encourage further Russian surrender by the state is very hard to tell. What concerns me about that specific one is why the other woman seems so keen to offer food when he's very clearly only halfway through what he's currently eating. You can also see Ukrainian military in the background.
 
Feck me Blinken is really bad at this.
 
IWat said:
What concerns me about that specific one is why the other woman seems so keen to offer food when he's very clearly only halfway through what he's currently eating.
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Where I grew up there are loads of people of Ukrainian decent, they're just like that. Eat, eat, eat.
 
Blinken looks like he's taking an eye test.

More importantly, he's dropping more sanctions on Putin now, including Belarus as well.
 
Varun said:
Disgusted but not surprised by us abstaining. Very dependant on Russia + we're now working with the Russia to evacuate the students via the Russia Ukraine border.
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Voting against Russia is not in our interest. Most of the countries vote according to their interest and with China and Pakistan already aligned, we wouldn’t want one country which actually supports us and is a member of UNSC to join them. We cant just lift our geography location and put it next to Canada.

Most of the NATO ( would argue all) power are not reliable partner and thats the truth. Engage them all and avoid voting against any is best way forward.
 
Oly Francis said:


I find it very interesting that Abramovich uses the word "war" to describe the conlifct in Ukraine when we know it's forbidden by Russian propaganda.
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I mean, we have to talk about the numbers numbers in this play by Abramovich.

Moreover, I have instructed my team to set up a charitable foundation where all net proceeds from the sale will be donated be donated. The foundation will be for the benefit of all victims of the war in Ukraine
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That's what - 3,5 billion pounds or so? What did he pay for Chelsea when he bought them?

Also, all debts, loans etc. will be erased, personally financed by him. What's the total for him here? 10 billion?!
The end of an era in world football. So far the unprecedented king of "big enough personal wallet = trophies". He started this. Good fecking riddance! ..

This is sale is many things:

1) Absolutely the right thing to do
2) A man desperate to get the feck out as clean as possible
3) A man washing the blood off his hands with money
4) A man who smells sanctions in the near distance

I hope Bojo sanctions his ass and freeze all his accounts, assets, property in the UK. Still donating the net proceeds (after due process not involving Roman) to a multi billion pound, legit charity. For the victims of the moneys origin and history in the first place.

Edit: Also, the "war" part. This is a man who's not moving back to Russia after this is over. He's desperate to not cut all ties with the west.
 
pratyush_utd said:
Voting against Russia is not in our interest. Most of the countries vote according to their interest and with China and Pakistan already aligned, we wouldn’t want one country which actually supports us and is a member of UNSC to join them. We cant just lift our geography location and put it next to Canada.

Most of the NATO ( would argue all) power are not reliable partner and thats the truth. Engage them all and avoid voting against any is best way forward.
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Yes, which is why I said not surprised. It's understandable why we've abstained.
 
2cents said:
Feck me Blinken is really bad at this.
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Sometimes, I wonder if Biden would have been better off employing Susan Rice for the job. Blinken looks way too stiff regardless to be the United States' chief diplomat. Gotta remember that Rice was once tipped to replace Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State too.
 
Spark said:
Egypt is on the wrong side of Russia in Libya I think?

Actually surprised at Iran abstaining. One of the big ironies is that they may see their own sanctions lifted in return for a shit load of their oil and gas flooding the market. Now would be the time to push a deal through with them in the US (who knows though).
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Incorrect, Egypt and the Gulf states are on the right side of Russia in the Libyan conflict.

To make things even more confusing Algeria is on side of the West in the Libyan conflict and against the Russians/Gulf/Egypt yet voted to abstain although tbf they abstain from everything except when it comes to Israel.
 
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MTF said:
Bolsonaro aside, Brazil has fairly consistent foreign policy positions that go back decades. It is not neutrality in the Swiss sense, but very pro multilateral organizations and international law.
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It’s election year too. I guess there will be some political moves. I haven’t followed their foreign policy that closely, but usually they have consistent economy so not surprising.
 
Smithy89 said:
They must have gotten sick of getting absolutely battered by Ukrainian warriors, so are going after children and civilians.
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Its part of their ROE to pound civilian areas into submission, then swoop in with troops and light armor to take the city.
 
IWat said:
Sigh. I've kind of run out of words.
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Foreign countries may accept Ukrainian deaths as part of war. It will be hard for countries to not intervene further when their own civilians get killed.
 
TMDaines said:
Foreign countries may accept Ukrainian deaths as part of war. It will be hard for countries to not intervene further when their own civilians get killed.
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Yeah, this is a big feck up by them. I just don't know what else there is left outside of some form of military intervention? More sanctions?
 
Only saving grace is that there’s a curfew right now, so there shouldn’t be too many in the station. But damaging the station will obviously be catastrophic for supplies and evacuation.
 
RedDevilQuebecois said:
Sometimes, I wonder if Biden would have been better off employing Susan Rice for the job. Blinken looks way too stiff regardless to be the United States' chief diplomat. Gotta remember that Rice was once tipped to replace Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State too.
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I would consider that doubly positive as it would also get her away from her domestic advisor role, where I don't think she's been helpful. I think the challenge with her is that she became a bit of a political figure when she was National Security Advisor iirc, and was sent to do the sunday morning TV shows after the Benghazi incident, and was pushing the government narrative. I'm not remembering the details right now but the republicans hate her, so her confirmation might have been contested and it seems Biden preferred to keep her in a job that didn't need senate confirmation.

Also funny that Blinken is stiff, isn't he in a rock or jazz band?
 
VorZakone said:
It's been reported that Western intel fears the Russians have prepared something like a kill list.
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The only real positivity I can take from all this if that happens is that I’m 100% sure that Ukraine will get back on track very quickly once Putin’s era is over. They have breathed the real freedom for three decades now as opposed to someone like Belarus maybe, where people don’t really know this feeling, and it will be impossible to shake this off from younger population and the right moment will come again to get it back.
 
TMDaines said:
This India? Would add fuel to the rumours of heavy attacks on Kharkiv tonight if so, as India was telling students to move to neighbouring towns by 18:00 tonight.
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The embassy has asked the students to move at any cost even by foot if no vehicle can be arranged. So, probably some heavy attack expected.
 
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