Russian invasion of Ukraine | Fewer tweets, more discussion

The US are doing their best to provoke a war
this is going to last years
Is this going to last years?
So nearly a year of this and the sanctions are having no effect.
I am not sure there is any benefit to answering these one liners. Either you are not reading the answers or not understanding them. Maybe just try not to follow the war at all would be better for you?
 
So US pressured poor Russians to bomb a building in Dnipro although they didnt want to. I guess UAF was holding HAMARS in the basement or something.

Just using the lines 'Its all America's fault' folks would use mind you.
 
So US pressured poor Russians to bomb a building in Dnipro although they didnt want to. I guess UAF was holding HAMARS in the basement or something.

Just using the lines 'Its all America's fault' folks would use mind you.
I also saw a wonderfully reasonable explanation that the Ukrainian air defense specifically shot down a Russian rocket in a point where the debris would fall onto this house — all to ask for more money and support. It’s incredible that someone actually believes in those stories… incredible and horribly disgusting.
 
I also saw a wonderfully reasonable explanation that the Ukrainian air defense specifically shot down a Russian rocket in a point where the debris would fall onto this house — all to ask for more money and support. It’s incredible that someone actually believes in those stories… incredible and horribly disgusting.
That's the "smart" thing about using S-300 in ground attack mode. Russia can always claim that it's actually Ukrainian air defense that did the damage
 
I do hope that's true. But I also do fear who might succeed her. Due to the internal logic one could expect another SPD woman, and there seems to be no one qualified for the job, so again someone stupid will get the job... Sadly the only good alternatives are members of FDP or Green party.
And now it's official, Lambrecht is resigning as minister of defence. Now it's up to Scholz to decide who will replace her.

And curiously on the same day Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann announces that she is going to leave the city council of Düsseldorf. I really do hope that this means she doesn't have enough time for that in the future because she takes over, but I massively doubt that. But if this happens it should be excellent news for Ukraine, as she has been one of the most vocal supporters of Ukraine in the German government coalition during the last year
 
I also saw a wonderfully reasonable explanation that the Ukrainian air defense specifically shot down a Russian rocket in a point where the debris would fall onto this house — all to ask for more money and support. It’s incredible that someone actually believes in those stories… incredible and horribly disgusting.
Oh yes, its not Russians fault they're firing rockets, its Ukrainians they're destroying it above civilians.
Also its Ukrainian fault Mariupol got razed to the ground cause they refused to evacuate the population.

And I love when Putin, Lavrov and co say giving Ukrainians weapons will only escalate the war. As if it hasnt escalated and they're waging the war on a normal scale I guess.
 
Tell me how they are working in Russia?
All I can read is slight drop in GDP and a spike in inflation that seems to have dipped again.

We literally have posters from Russia in this thread telling us that they're working.

Sanctions were never going to have a devastating effect straight away, as most countries have ways to make up for it in the short term (especially when their exports are on the rise). Even Venezuela didn't collapse a year after the beginning of the sanctions, and Russia isn't Venezuela.
 
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Burma was under serious Western sanctions for decades and the regime didn't collapse.

But the country's economy was in the drain with devastating effects on the general population while the leaders got so rich that there were rumors of buying Manchester United for a grandson of the head of the government at some point.

My point is the sanctions will restrict some of the country's abilities but I really doubt it would be too much visible from outside for a country like Russia. It remains to be seen though that how much it stricts their combat capability against the Ukrainians.
 
There is something about the latest Dnipro attack that makes me believe that soon we might see a more direct involvement from the west and NATO. It is such a blatant attack on civilians on level that can not be ignored anymore.
 
There is something about the latest Dnipro attack that makes me believe that soon we might see a more direct involvement from the west and NATO. It is such a blatant attack on civilians on level that can not be ignored anymore.
Totally agree, it’s getting closer to that point.
 
There is something about the latest Dnipro attack that makes me believe that soon we might see a more direct involvement from the west and NATO. It is such a blatant attack on civilians on level that can not be ignored anymore.
I keep thinking like this too. Then they do it again and not much new happens.
 
I keep thinking like this too. Then they do it again and not much new happens.

There has to be the political will from politicians in these countries to do so, which is usually informed by overwhelming public support. In the absence of this, they will continue to arm Ukraine since its the cheapest way to fight the Russians without spilling actual European or American blood and/or risk getting pulled into a direct conflict with Russia.
 
Yes, I get that, to a degree - it's hardly as though governments go to the people and ask permission. They'll do what brings them the best result though, I agree. At what point though will they have some balls and take real action? How despicable must the crimes be, or perhaps, better said, how many victims are needed after one attack before the world decides to step in? That the UK has finally agreed to send the tanks is probably more to do with the fact that the Tories haven't a hope in hell at the next election. It's so pathetic. Arm them properly and let them expel the rapists and murderers from their lands.
 
There is something about the latest Dnipro attack that makes me believe that soon we might see a more direct involvement from the west and NATO. It is such a blatant attack on civilians on level that can not be ignored anymore.
The next Ramstein meeting is this Friday hopefully we will get some good news then.
 
The next Ramstein meeting is this Friday hopefully we will get some good news then.

Not sure how much more it will decide given that the latest tranche of money for Ukraine has already been decided and appropriated ($16b or so). There needs to be a change in political will among all the relevant politicians in the most powerful nato countries.
 
Wagner member seeks asylum in Norway.

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A Russian man who reportedly is a former high-ranking member of the Russian private military contractor Wagner Group, has sought asylum in Norway, authorities said Monday.

The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration, also known by its Norwegian acronym UDI, confirmed to The Associated Press that Andrey Medvedev has sought shelter in Norway.

“For reasons of security and privacy, the UDI cannot comment further on this matter,” UDI said in an email to the AP.
https://apnews.com/article/russia-government-norway-asylum-6a427312ad96ad5398c8a4a03fd7b128
 
Don't count on too much mutiny or desertion. This kind of mentality (patriotic duty) will still make Russian men go to the front and risk their life.

 
Analysts and former Russian energy officials and executives say Russia will remain a major oil-and-gas producer with the ability to swing global prices. But they say Moscow will struggle to maintain output at prewar levels and sell it at international market prices, cutting into its biggest source of tax revenue and capacity to wield commodity exports as a tool of influence.
 
Yes, I get that, to a degree - it's hardly as though governments go to the people and ask permission. They'll do what brings them the best result though, I agree. At what point though will they have some balls and take real action? How despicable must the crimes be, or perhaps, better said, how many victims are needed after one attack before the world decides to step in? That the UK has finally agreed to send the tanks is probably more to do with the fact that the Tories haven't a hope in hell at the next election. It's so pathetic. Arm them properly and let them expel the rapists and murderers from their lands.

Well he agrees with me.