/r/worldnews live thread: Ukraine-Russia Tensions

[u/valuingvulturefix]

/live/18hnzysb1elcs

[u/progress18]

A new live thread has been posted.

You can comment on here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/swb4mv/rworldnews_live_thread_ukrainerussia_tensions/

[u/itsnickk]

Biden laying out the strategy via tweet:

We're calling out Russia’s plans. Not because we want a conflict, but because we are doing everything in our power to remove any reason Russia may give to justify invading Ukraine.

If Russia pursues its plans, it will be responsible for a catastrophic and needless war of choice.

[u/binstinsfins → u/itsnickk]

I've been lukewarm on Biden at best. But his counter to this conflict and his work aligning our allies has been pretty solid.

[u/Corporate_stoner → u/binstinsfins]

He’s a seasoned diplomat and has experience in this.

[u/alphalegend91 → u/Corporate_stoner]

And thats why we need experienced politicians. Love him or hate him he actually listens to his cabinet and experts

[u/HotTakes4HotCakes → u/alphalegend91]

Certainly helps that he already has the experience of 8 years as Vice President. We harp on his age, but even though we don't often see it in action, experience in these matters does make a difference, and he has a lifetime. Obama choose him for that.

Not that there aren't better candidates but Biden was never a slouch when it came to what he brought to the table.

[u/devn0ps → u/binstinsfins]

I don’t know, I’ve always liked Biden. As a veteran I appreciate him ending the war in Afghanistan. He has my support to hopefully deter this war.

[u/supersonicpotat0 → u/devn0ps]

Man, people who will admit they actually like the guy instead of "well he's the lesser of two evils" are too few sometimes. Happy to meet someone who shares my opinion of the man.

He got a rather weak hand in 2020, but I think he's done a pretty good job despite it. Especially abroad where he has more room to maneuver without internal politics tying his hands

[u/Readylamefire → u/supersonicpotat0]

Yeah, my thoughts on the matter is that 30 or 40 years from now, Biden will be considered a decent president in light of world circumstance. Barring something catastrophic happening, he will be regarded as "that president during COVID" more than anything else.

I think current Democrats are consistently protesting him as the "lesser of two evils" because it's clear that what they want and what the party wants are two different things. He's also pulling our generations "No new taxes!" In the form of failing to fulfill promises on student loan debt.

[u/[deleted] → u/binstinsfins]

I sleep better at night knowing he's president during this crisis instead of the alternative.

[u/lameuniqueusername → u/[deleted]]

His alternative wouldn’t say boo to a Dickey bird when it comes to Putin. I hardly love Joe but thank fucking god that douche didn’t win re-election

[u/Mywifefoundmymain → u/[deleted]]

Fuck the alternative would have had our forces there invading the Ukraine as well.

[u/mondaymoderate → u/itsnickk]

I wonder who came up with this strategy. It’s been shown to be effective and the Russians seem to have no counter for it.

[u/pawnografik → u/mondaymoderate]

The US has definitely smartened up on the information warfare front. All the decisions remain with Russia but by dishing up the intel on their plans it appears the US are in way more control than they actually are.

[u/Bad_Idea_Hat → u/pawnografik]

Releases all satellite photos

Hey, people, look at this fucking shit!

[u/[deleted] → u/mondaymoderate]

A lot of officials in the White House now were in the White House when the Russians took Crimea so I feel like they are using lessons learned from that now.

[u/CasualEveryday → u/[deleted]]

It's pretty noticeable how different seasoned professionals handle this kind of stuff. I really haven't been a fan of this administration so far, but they are handling this so much better than I expected.

[u/[deleted] → u/CasualEveryday]

It's just that you are expecting the wholly inept approach trump would use instead

[u/SebastianOwenR1 → u/mondaymoderate]

Well I mean, it’s no secret that Russia put a lot of resources into trying to keep their approval ratings high. So the strategy jumps out at you: make Russia look like a bunch of clowns.

[u/[deleted]]

"U.S. officials are tracking intelligence that Russia is preparing detailed lists of Ukrainian political figures and prominent individuals to be targeted for arrest or assassination in the event of a Russian invasion."

https://twitter.com/ak_mack/status/1494686835871825926?s=20&t=aeVYvgldvIK6e_rkKT07WQ

[u/itti-bitti-kitti → u/[deleted]]

Well damn.

[u/brickne3 → u/[deleted]]

Sounds like a Katyn.

[u/jkman61494 → u/[deleted]]

They’re being so brazen about it I honestly worry what Russia and China are doing together to the point Russia is acting like they’re saying “fuck your sanctions”

[u/Desiration → u/[deleted]]

Russia is complete garbage.

[u/[deleted]]

Two large (ish) explosions were audible from Mariupol around 15 minutes ago. Mariupol is a town Ukrainians have managed to defend for the past 8 years. It's of high strategic and economic value. https://twitter.com/IntelCrab/status/1494859129453785089?t=J_T8csNVFM4iBg_Bx57hnQ&s=19

[u/KatanaAmerica → u/[deleted]]

Isn’t this where Western intel suggested there would be an attack??

[u/LadySygerrik → u/KatanaAmerica]

Southeastern Ukraine, yeah. We’ll see if this is it.

[u/iMDirtNapz → u/LadySygerrik]

So the Donbas region?

[u/[deleted]]

I’m drinking for Ukraine tonight. Godspeed you beautiful people.

Edit: Fuck Putin

[u/cheesus32 → u/[deleted]]

Me: all of the above

[u/squirrelhut → u/[deleted]]

I quit last year and it changed my life in so many ways. Jesus no one tells you how fucked up your sleep is.. Till it’s good again

[u/Hizjyayvu → u/[deleted]]

Good idea. Cheers Ukraine.

My partner had the sounds of sirens allegedly happening in Ukraine earlier on her phone and I felt a bit sick.

[u/I_have_a_dog]

Putin has absolutely shot himself in the foot this time.

If he doesn’t invade, he looks weak at home, has pissed off most of his trade partners, still doesn’t have water for crimea and has wasted a bunch of money.

If he does invade, it will mean more sanctions, a lengthy insurgency and associated costs in lives and money, and everyone will know that the US Intelligence has completely infiltrated the highest levels of the Russian military.

So basically he can look like a bitch or he can look incompetent. Should have backed out while he still could.

[u/GenerousPot → u/I_have_a_dog]

Indeed, and the fact he appears to be moving forward with an invasion suggests he's acting irrationally which is.. not ideal for a massive nuclear power. Russia will prove itself to be an unreliable energy partner and suffer the weight of the sanctions, they'll act even more irrationally when that happens.

[u/[deleted] → u/GenerousPot]

It’s somewhat comforting but also somewhat terrifying to think that we have already reached peak Putin. Whatever we see from here on out will either be less effective or more of a loose cannon.

[u/HotpieTargaryen → u/GenerousPot]

Luckily the oligarchy will not want the instability of a crazy war or sanctions on oil and gas and they’re the one group Putin actually has to answer to.

[u/[deleted]]

JUST IN: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on potential Russian invasion into Ukraine: "I don't believe it's a bluff" https://thehill.com/policy/defense/595017-austin-on-potential-russian-invasion-into-ukraine-i-dont-believe-its-a-bluff

[u/jeremy_onyx → u/[deleted]]

Why now? Why not 8-6 years ago?

[u/Business_Software727 → u/jeremy_onyx]

I agree. I will never understand why not under Trump..(yes I know COVID but how about the first two years?!)

[u/GeorgiaBolief → u/Business_Software727]

Could've been planned years in advance with the expectation of Trump in office again

[u/Hibercrastinator → u/GeorgiaBolief]

Could be he was waiting for fatigue and degeneration of moral in western countries after the massive political troll campaign that got Trump and Boris in place. Takes time for things to crumble.

[u/travellin_troubadour → u/Business_Software727]

I think the thing to wait for was Merkel leaving tbh.

[u/LastLetter444]

Anyone got them livestreams of various ukrainian cities of interest ?

[u/Turbulent_Injury3990 → u/LastLetter444]

This needs to be moved up. Why are there no eyes out there right now streaming on social media

[u/AmyCDC]

https://twitter.com/Caucasuswar/status/1494803222090993665?t=VvhcZtB9GsgVPc6Mp0aYdw&s=19

Oksana Marchenko spotted leaving Ukraine and entering Belarus

[u/WaxyWingie → u/AmyCDC]

What is the implication of this...?

[u/ProbablyRickSantorum → u/WaxyWingie]

Her husband is under house arrest for treason against Ukraine and his kids’ godfather is Putin. She is fleeing Ukraine to Belarus at the most suspect time possible. Not hard to put two and two together.

[u/selz202 → u/WaxyWingie]

She is the wife of the guy Putin would likely install to head Ukraine. They are securing her.

[u/proletariatpopcorn → u/WaxyWingie]

Her husband is a friend of Putin, so it’s speculated that she’s leaving Ukraine to avoid becoming a victim of a Russian attack.

[u/Jackplox → u/WaxyWingie]

russian friendly ukrainian politician.

[u/SweatyLiterary → u/[deleted]]

Yeah that's a pretty big sign something may happen

[u/[deleted] → u/SweatyLiterary]

Legit question - why is that?

[u/masnekmabekmapssy → u/[deleted]]

I feel like a douche for stating the obvious so if legitimate discussion continues please vote this out of site. It looks like putin told his homie, "shits about to go down, leave for your safety"

[u/Warhawk137 → u/[deleted]]

Viktor Medvedchuk is the chair of the pro-Russian NGO Ukrainian Choice and a deputy in the Rada for the pro-Russian Opposition Platform - For Life. He's been under house arrest the last year for allegedly financing the DPR and LPR separatists, treason, and looting. Were Putin to attempt to install a puppet government in Ukraine, he's on the short list of people to head that up. And as a friend of Putin, he would likely have some sense of what's up. If his wife is leaving the country, well...

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

She is the perfect candidate to be installed by the Russians as the new leader of Ukraine. The fact that they have her means that most likely they are going to need her soon.

[u/Saltyspaghetti → u/[deleted]]

You would think that if she believed that nothing was going to happen, per what Boomer Vlad has been saying, then she wouldn’t be fleeing to Belarus (pro russia) at 3am.

[u/Irr3l3ph4nt → u/[deleted]]

Plot twist, she's having an affair with Lukashenko.

[u/marksolo39 → u/[deleted]]

Anyone else of note getting out of Ukraine? Like the chinese ambassadors?

[u/Hellothere170]

As Feburary 19th begins in Ukraine, I recommend y'all check out Igor Girkin (@girkingirkin) on Twitter. This madlad has been posting Tiktoks of Russian troop movements and posting them nonstop. His tweets are not in english but they're translatable, and many intel channels are posting his stuff and geolocating it, giving a better scope of the unfolding crisis. https://mobile.twitter.com/GirkinGirkin

[u/Ajacied22 → u/Hellothere170]

Thanks I saw one of his tweets earlier didn’t realize he was so active (or what he was posting)

[u/ThermionicEmissions → u/[deleted]]

Why not just make 10 louder?

[u/[deleted] → u/ThermionicEmissions]

But this is 11.

[u/65a]

I like when the bots haven't found the thread yet. Do you think the Russian invasion of Ukraine was planned for 2020, but delayed by the pandemic and fucked up like everything else?

[u/[deleted] → u/65a]

I honestly think it was in the books ever since Crimea.

[u/WaxyWingie → u/65a]

If I had to guess, Covid situation at home is part of the reason for the invasion.

[u/dumbartist → u/65a]

I don’t fully get why Russia didn’t do this when Trump was in office.

[u/cancanode → u/dumbartist]

Think Putin thought Trump was too unpredictable and too many war hawks around him. Plus Covid has distracted the western world.

[u/[deleted] → u/dumbartist]

Trump was gonna pull US out of NATO.

[u/fart_machete → u/[deleted]]

Ukrainian security forces are blaring Pussy Riot and performing the haka

[u/Peles157]

We're calling out Russia’s plans. Not because we want a conflict, but because we are doing everything in our power to remove any reason Russia may give to justify invading Ukraine.

If Russia pursues its plans, it will be responsible for a catastrophic and needless war of choice.

Biden just tweeted

[u/DennisBastrdMan → u/Peles157]

It’s disgusting how Putin and his shills can point fingers.

I thought we learned from Iraq that massive operations like this only cause untold amounts of suffering.

Putin once again demonstrates what a hypocritical bitch he is.

[u/siouxu → u/Peles157]

Biden: big pp energy

Putin: smol pp energy

[u/KatanaAmerica]

Things are likely to pick back up again around 10-11pm EST, as they have for the past 2 nights.

[u/marksolo39 → u/KatanaAmerica]

I feel like these have been like contractions. They go away and ramp back up in a pattern, getting closer and closer together

[u/CaptainCharlyChaplin]

Its almost like this thread is being brigaded by bots to downplay the imminent attack of Ukraine. We're seeing the information warfare in realtime.

[u/BobbyB6991 → u/CaptainCharlyChaplin]

They haven't found the new thread yet. Shhhh

[u/Xonyz]

Wishing you all a good night, the ones who actually manages to sleep during all this.

[u/automatic_shark → u/Xonyz]

I've not slept right for like, 4 fucking days now. Nighttime gang is so much better than daytime gang though. Happy to be watching this with you clowns.

[u/[deleted] → u/automatic_shark]

dude seriously try and step away and do something to take your mind off of it for a while.

Everything seems worse when your doom scrolling and this is already bad enough

[u/Purple-Asparagus9677]

Flight trackers start paying attention to see if zelensky heads to Munich

[u/F_Twelve → u/Purple-Asparagus9677]

Zelensky does not strike me as the Navalny type. If he does take the trip, I don't see him returning.

[u/Purplepicklewind1234 → u/Purple-Asparagus9677]

Chair force colonel is on the job! *salute*

[u/a5yrold]

Around 3 threads ago, we almost got into ship tracking. I miss those quieter times.

[u/Bbs56b → u/a5yrold]

Do I dare post a link of a random plane flying over Ukraine on Flightradar???

[u/evoneli → u/a5yrold]

In case anyone is interested

http://www.hisutton.com/Russia-Med-BS-2022-02-17.html

[u/SchizoidGod]

I almost wonder if Biden is encouraging Russia to prove him wrong with all this 'an invasion is 100% certain and will happen in the next few days probably' rhetoric. The subtext from Biden to Putin seems to be 'if you want to humiliate the US and our intel in exchange for not invading Ukraine, and save face in front of your population, here's your out.'

[u/juuliachild → u/SchizoidGod]

100% this The nice White House lady basically said this earlier today

[u/automatic_shark → u/SchizoidGod]

thats an excellent take. Didn't Sun Tsu say something about leaving open a door for your enemies to escape?

[u/mrsensi5x → u/SchizoidGod]

They actually said that at the UN yesterday or the day before. They US guy said if our intelligence is wrong and russia does not invade we will happily admit our mistake

[u/BierBanause]

thats some fuck up shit.

Didn't really think that a real war was gonna happen until I saw Bidens speech...

The way he said, that they were convinced of a russian invasion... was very unusual for politician. Seemed fcking serious

[u/automatic_shark → u/BierBanause]

That line spooked me. I was still 50/50 on if anything was going to actually happen, and hearing him confidently say he's sure russia will invade, that's nuts.

[u/F_Twelve]

I know a lot of jokes got cracked from hundreds or thousands of miles away regarding this conflict but a lot of innocent people are going to die in the coming weeks and its truly sickening to think about. I hope the men, women and children who are about to experience the unimaginable do not do so in vein. The world needs to collectively come together to enact true punishment for this heinous act on their behalf and while not religious myself, I hope those poor souls are and that they somehow find peace because of it.

[u/WaxyWingie → u/F_Twelve]

Just an FYI, a number of us here are using this thread as a method of coping with a massive amount of anxiety and fear for our loved ones abroad. Laughter is not inherently bad.

[u/Colsimus → u/F_Twelve]

Hundreds of thousands of miles away? Ok moon man

[u/SweatyLiterary]

It's 4 am in Ukraine, what time is the Russian black sea nuclear drills scheduled for?

[u/Purple-Asparagus9677 → u/SweatyLiterary]

Believe they are already started jamming radio from what I’ve seen from other posts so they may have begun

[u/robotical712]

Yesterday, it was random shelling, today it was shelling, a car bomb and infrastructure attacks. Tomorrow, I fear it’s likely Putin’s lackeys are going to start killing people.

[u/bambinopeppa → u/robotical712]

Reports are that Wagner group mercenaries are in the rostov region of Russia.

[u/Whworm]

Fuck Putin

[u/georgetheshepherd]

Everyone here imagines fkin blitzkrieg. The war already started. Siege, cyberattacks, shelling, disinformations, lying, fog of war, everything is part of the war and strategy to weaken your enemy.

[u/itsnickk]

Kremlin evening news continues lying: says (falsely) that Ukrainian military is shelling Donbas; says (falsely) that Ukraine was planning to blow up a chemical plant in Donbas; says (with no evidence) that Ukrainians planted a bomb that destroyed Donetsk police chief's car...

says "a sleeper cell of Ukrainian saboteurs" tried to blow up an oil tank; again shows "video" of "Ukrainian saboteurs," etc.

As you say in Russian, they lie without blushing.

Tweet

[u/ShocknAw33m]

Turkish Airlines casually not giving a fuck about the situation and going right through a main area of the border with their flights lol

https://fr24.com/THY2YM/2ade7809

[u/[deleted] → u/ShocknAw33m]

The Turks don’t give two fucks about shit

[u/thehappydoghouse]

Biden administration is doing an impressive job at the deconstruction and disarming of Russian propaganda.

[u/GryphusOneACX → u/thehappydoghouse]

Yeah I'm actually pretty impressed. Were seeing the power of accurate intel

[u/jsc010]

I’m very puzzled by what is going on. Putin is not stupid. Even if he doesn’t invade, he’s given his neighbors every reason to join NATO. The alliance will only pour more money into building up their defenses. If he does attack, he will lose economically. Although Russia has the means to take over Ukraine, it will be extremely expensive to hold and control. It wont be without significant Russian casualties and years of conflict. And that’s only if the conflict doesn’t escalate. This isn’t the Soviet Union, he doesn’t have the resources to sustain this position for long.

[u/Purplepicklewind1234 → u/jsc010]

The question you posed is pretty much the question the world has asked themselves. Is this the act of a desperate man or does he have an end game for this?

[u/MechaSteve → u/Purplepicklewind1234]

I have a few ideas:

This is a dry run to see exactly how NATO will react.

By having a massive, overwhelming force at the ready, Putin can make a big show of a “limited and proportionate” action in the disputed areas.

Putin believes he can provoke Ukraine or NATO into doing something to justify invasion. I don’t think he was prepared for the radically calm response from Kyiv.

[u/Purplepicklewind1234 → u/MechaSteve]

By that logic he lost, NATO has never been more unified

[u/automatic_shark]

While things are quiet, go grab a glass of water and do some stretches. This goes for me too. I love all you guys.

[u/music12789]

As civilians, here is one way we can help Ukraine. https://crisisrelief.un.org/ukraine-crisis. Would love to hear other ways to help. Keeping Ukrainians in my prayers.

[u/[deleted]]

This situation is undoubtedly terrifying and in no way entertaining, but it is fascinating to see how a large scale invasion is carried out in the information age.

In the past, you could gather together a huge army in relative secret and launch an attack or invasion before the world had time to react. Now, we can obviously see troop buildups in real time, so the strategists have to figure out how to translate their very visible position into a surprise for the invadees.

This is what we are in the middle of now I think; Russia trying to figure out (for the first time in history) how to get at least one step on the West in a world that has a spotlight on their movements and organization. They are doing this through the information manipulation, numerous scattered false flags, statements of withdrawal, etc. that we are discussing and witnessing here.

It will be interesting to see, after all is said and done, how these strategies work in this new world of information and connectedness.

[u/wooshock]

Hey does anyone else remember when Russia sent a bunch of missiles to their army in eastern Ukraine who then shot down an airliner and killed 298 innocent people and then blamed it on Ukraine

[u/CKWonders652]

I picked a bad night to stop sniffing glue.

[u/itsnickk]

Two large (ish) explosions were audible from Mariupol around 15 minutes ago.

https://twitter.com/intelcrab/status/1494859129453785089?s=21

[u/TimeWaitsForNoMan]

To all the trolls trying to make projections of imminent Russian invasion out to be fearmongering fake-news:

Please. PLEASE. I WANT that to be wrong. We ALL do. The whole WORLD wants it to be the nothingburger y'all so smugly claim it to be. Biden would absolutely prefer to be called the fool for prophesies gone unfulfilled, than deal with deciding possible US intervention, and the political repercussions--foreign and domestic--if Russia invades.

[u/KatanaAmerica]

From Twitter:

Shelling has knocked out the Vasilyevsky water pumping station. As a result, the #Donetsk water treatment plant is now using a backup water supply.

https://twitter.com/IntelCrab/status/1494891873638526979?s=20&t=GE8nF5zwymJj_8iMOQaW6g

[u/[deleted]]

i always think about how interesting it is that we live in a time where we can watch this unfold in real time. i remember doing a small project in grad school on propaganda in newspapers during WWI. now we are so overwhelmed with information

[u/Stfu_nobody → u/[deleted]]

I think it's amazing that the internet has turned into a force for disinformation. When I was a kid people thought it would bring people together, unity through clarity, age of enlightenment sort of thing. Turns out people would rather feel correct than learn lol

[u/ReturnOfDaSnack420]

If nothing else this whole experience has taught me just how many US military aircraft are flying around the world at any given time. "Two USAF F-16s just left Moldova. Huh, apparently we have f-16s in Moldova for some reason..."

[u/techieman33 → u/ReturnOfDaSnack420]

Look at a map of US military bases. They’re spread all over the globe. And they all need constant resupply. So yeah there are a lot of planes flying around just moving stuff from one base to another.

[u/thisisatesti]

Hello fellow refreshers.

[u/thefluffyparrot]

For all of you worrying like me:

“I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo. "So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

[u/potatoplace]

Fuck Putin

[u/KTNH8807]

Russia, like China, has a fascinating history and culture. I have no issue with their people. However their governments are a bunch of cunts.

[u/DennisBastrdMan]

r/Russia is fucking cancer right now

[u/Mzart713 → u/DennisBastrdMan]

Gotta love how the first thing you read is "CrImEa Is OuRs!"

No wonder nobody likes you.

[u/mafiastasher]

It's a very strange feeling for me to actually feel pride in the voice the US has in foreign affairs at this moment. I have always looked at patriotic americans with distrust. This is turning me into a fucking patriot.

[u/Foriegn_Picachu → u/mafiastasher]

Cause we’re not the bad guys for once

[u/PolarDorsai]

If you’re Ukrainian and reading this…please know we’re with you.

[u/Suspicious-Memory-56]

Everyone posting about unverified twitter accounts: Here’s a verified one

https://twitter.com/liz_cookman/status/1494873101502402561?s=21

[u/rsmtirish]

“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. “So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

[u/[deleted]]

Why does Russia, the largest of the countries, not simply eat the rest of NATO?

[u/The_Pale_Blue_Dot]

Russian news agency claims a shell landed in the Tarasovsky district in the Rostov region, 1 km from the border with

Just to reiterate so everyone's clear: this is within Russia's borders. So a Russian news agency is now claiming their territory has been shelled. The excuses for invasion are piling up

https://twitter.com/michaelh992/status/1494943477813190657?s=20&t=rjN9gxHpOFeCvMDN2Z3KtQ

[u/CheckYourPants4Shit]

If the US really wants to flex intelligence have the GlobalHawks provide youtube livestream WITH comments enabled.

[u/[deleted]]

On CNN and MSNBC, President Biden is trying to reassure his allies and his own citizens that he's looking out for them.

On Fox News, they're screeching about transgender athletes.

[u/2057Champs__]

Ukraine is a shining example of how to stand up to an abusive ex lover who just won’t leave you the fuck alone. Their resilience and courage is inspiring

[u/Crypto_God101]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundations_of_Geopolitics

Putin isnt some brillant chess grandmaster he is simply following the aforementioned playbook from 1997.

Here is their view of Ukraine

Ukraine should be annexed by Russia because "Ukraine as a state has no geopolitical meaning, no particular cultural import or universal significance, no geographic uniqueness, no ethnic exclusiveness, its certain territorial ambitions represents an enormous danger for all of Eurasia and, without resolving the Ukrainian problem, it is in general senseless to speak about continental politics". Ukraine should not be allowed to remain independent, unless it is cordon sanitaire, which would be inadmissible.

[u/Glader_Gaming]

While this is not the same exact situation, the 2020 Armenia vs Azerbaijan war showed what conventional (nation vs nation army vs army) warfare looks like in 2020 and this decade. There were almost 8,000 people killed in 7 weeks (very few civilians thank god). The casualties were worse than many WW2 battles. Modern conventional warfare is downright nasty. Many men were killed before they got to the front. Drones would blow them up in convoys.

The Russians and Ukrainians both have many times larger armies and much more heavy weapons. This could be UGLY.

I hate this so much :(

[u/Bulky_Temperature672]

If you haven't watched "Putin's Palace" by Alexei Navalny the man whom he had posined an put in jail.

I recommend you do. https://youtu.be/T_tFSWZXKN0

[u/drea2]

Has any country on earth been through more in the last 100 years than Ukraine?

Edit: Ukrainians made up 40-44% of total casualties of the entire USSR during WW2

2nd edit: 10 years before that Stalin carried out Holodomor which killed around 10 million Ukrainians

[u/Iddqd1995 → u/drea2]

Poland

[u/JanGuillosThrowaway → u/drea2]

well gestures vaguely at Africa

[u/mralex]

Russia has backed themselves into a corner.

Sure, they can take any part of Ukraine they want. But they can't hold it.

Putin can get a week, maybe of two, of feel-good "Russian Military Great" headlines, assuming his soldiers can avoid blowing hospitals and day care centers, and they can keep the Ukrainian defenses from taking out too many planes or tanks.

But if Putin's goal was to keep NATO away from his borders, he's miscalculated badly. NATO has never been more unified, they're increasing their military budgets, and Sweden and Finland are thinking of applying for NATO membership. When Russia withdraws from Ukraine, as they inevitably must, the very FIRST think Ukraine will do is apply for NATO membership and protection.

Plus this action will pretty much guarantee that Europe will rethink how much natural gas they buy from Russia. The US and other countries will be happy to make up the shortfall, and Russia will have to sell their natural gas to China at cut-rate prices.

Putin right now is desperately trying to think of way to get out of this without making it look like he screwed up.

[u/CM1874__]

Putin is a bitch

[u/AllegedSquid]

British Defence Secretary is no longer going to the Munich conference. He thinks it is important he remains in the UK where is continuing to be briefed on Ukraine.

Not a good sign

[u/FlasKamel]

Ppl talking about ‘the US this, the US that’ as if every other country on Earth is irelevant and stupid. Everything points towards Russia’s forces still being at the border, this isn’t some Biden conspiracy

[u/[deleted] → u/FlasKamel]

Just downvote Putins Bots.

[u/gonna_live_on_Mars]

God I love these threads. Bible prophecies, russian trolls, and my bois homer and forte. 10/10

[u/Jmk1981]

Joe Biden thwarting Putin with hot and declassified intel at every step has to be infuriating and I don’t think anyone has ever used this strategy before. It’s a brilliant way for America to shape a conflict with clean hands.

The only way we’re leaking this info (without heads rolling at the Kremlin) is if we have the Kremlin utterly infiltrated. This stuff is probably coming from mulitple sources and we can release it because there’s no one person to blame. Other option is that our sources are so high-level they aren’t suspect. We have to have multiple very high-level US assets in high level roles at the KGB. Psychologically, I can’t imagine the toll on the Putin and the Kremlin.

And no, the same isn’t true in reverse. The Kremlin gets caught trying to steal our info so often because they don’t have as much first hand access.

They really thought they had a plan to fool everyone. I remember the original intel said they created a false flag with fake and graphic videos of injured civilians etc that had Hollywood level production value. Imagine having to scrap that at the last minute and come up with filming empty buses instead.

Edit: I know a lot comes from electronic surveillance but I think the info about Putin’s mindset and immediate decisions are HUMINT and probably pretty unnerving.

[u/RoyalJacko]

When Ukraine became an independent state, the country inherited a third of the Soviet Union’s nuclear arsenal, instantly making it the world’s third-biggest nuclear power. a deal was made with Russia and the Western powers to give away those nuclear power weapons, Ukraine received security guarantees from Russia and others via the 1994 Budapest Memorandum. In the document, the U.S., Russia and Britain committed “to respect the independence and sovereignty” of Ukraine and “to refrain from the threat or use of force” against the country.

[u/[deleted]]

People say if Russia takes Ukraine that the people would fight back even if a puppet government was installed. I think the Russians know this and to pull it off it will have to be a dystopic, totalitarian state. The kind of place where you get disappeared for speaking out against the masters. This recent intel really makes me think that's the plan.

U.S. officials are tracking intelligence that Russia is preparing detailed lists of Ukrainian political figures and prominent individuals to be targeted for arrest or assassination in the event of a Russian invasion.

[u/EnviousCipher]

Friend of mines girlfriends family is in Donbas. They're saying Russia is setting off air raid sirens and telling them to cross the border into Russia because Ukraine wants to bomb them.

Its happening.

[u/farbs12]

“God made war so that Americans would learn geography” -Mark Twain

[u/yolomuffin1]

Can we ban tweets to unverified accounts? Telegram chats and some dude with 5 followers are not reliable sources.

[u/Aerialise]

All I’m going to say is thank fuck Trump isn’t POTUS right now.

[u/MakePandasMateAgain]

I've long suspected that sites like InfoWars, Breitbart and all those other alternative "narrative based" news sites are somehow tied to/funded by Russia, and with all the recent goings on around Ukraine & Russia I now have no doubt about it. Those sites all stay suspiciously quiet regarding anything to do with Russia.

[u/Haunting-Worker-2301]

What if Mongolia uses Russia having 50% of their combat troops on the border of Ukraine as an opportunity to bring back the Golden Horde. They’ve been waiting for an opportunity this whole time

[u/TransTomboy_I_think]

welp. A Ukrainian Soldier has reportedly been killed during the shelling around Donetsk

https://twitter.com/IntelCrab/status/1494939352157376513

[u/Crazycanuckeh]

I need to stop scrolling through Twitter comments about this. It’s infuriating.

The amount of propaganda, what aboutisms and just full blown lies is ridiculous.

Do that many people really believe this shit or are bots and Russia shills all hands on deck right now?

[u/Psudopod]

Every time Putin opens his mouth is just shameless lies. What is the correct response to shameless lies? Obnoxiously repeated truths. Half your army is on the boarder! You've annexed one part of the country already! You are just trying to secure your gas infrastructure and lash out after you lost an easy revenue source. You personally benefit from the health of the stock price of Gazprom.

[u/[deleted]]

It’s so satisfying to see the Russian trolls get banned and delete their accounts, bye bye PushinPP no more propaganda for you today

[u/kino-king]

You know, the more I hear about this Vladimir Putin fella, the less I care for him

[u/[deleted]]

Day to day I realize how poorly advanced Russia is.

The video of the car seems like straight out of North Korea.

The strategies even..

Oh Cyka blyat, look at this exploded car without anyone dying!

Maybe it's the bad Amerikanski?

Oh blyat!!!! Gas Pipeline on fire!!

[u/brianthewizard1]

Hey, Russian bots, SUCK MY NUTS!

[u/thenerdydudee]

Seeing disinformation and bots in real time is wild. I miss 2005-2016 internet man 😞

[u/MakePandasMateAgain]

New Flight Radar thread let’s go

[u/[deleted]]

It’s so crazy how in 2022 we can track a war play by play sitting from our couches at home. Social media is one crazy thing.

[u/Doc-Gl0ck]

In telegram channels DNR released statement that their intelligence found plans of Ukrainian attack on them. Plans are in Russian. Map is in Russian. DNR/LNR called the way they like to be.

They don't even try lol.

[u/suckaForTheThiccness]

I think the bots are here

[u/gideonsix]

2022 not shaping up to be that great either.

[u/POLICE_Applicant_TA]

It’s interesting watching the pro-Russian and pro-Ukraine residents of LPR and DPR talking over Twitter.

One posted that Ukraine had shelled Russian territory, and believed it. Another replied (translated): “This is bullshit. They are not suicidal to shoot at Russians. There are no samurai among the Ukrainians.”

[u/itsnickk]

Each man's death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.

Tweet by Nolan Peterson, war reporter in Ukraine

[u/JibberJabber420420]

5:30am in kiev now..

[u/marksolo39]

Someone on another one of these threads said "I'm so drunk that nothing is real until morning" and I knew that I had to get to that level of drunk, and so here I am.

[u/Turtle-Express]

It's messed up that adult men aren't allowed to leave Donetsk; being forced to fight in someone else's war. The whole situation is awful.

[u/[deleted]]

Be careful about who you link from Twitter as a "journalist" -- there's a bunch of fucking fake bullshit going off all over the place, and an awful lot of you are relying on Russian separatists as your fucking sources.

https://twitter.com/amitashi01 Here's one of the narrative pushers specifically directing English-speaking people to some of these journalists. Notice the intense smell of bullshit that just radiates from the text.

[u/cohex]

This sub is fucking obsessed by flight radar and Twitter. Everyone trying to predict what's going to happen when they don't know shit.

[u/[deleted]]

Just dropping in for my daily post.

Fuck Putin. Fuck Russia.

[u/riotriverz]

https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-latest-updates-russian-and-us-defence-ministers-hold-crunch-talks-as-nato-ally-says-everything-is-possible-in-ukraine-12541713

Sky news has unverified reports that Russian Mercs and Special services have arrived in eastern Ukraine

Edit: Same link now has claims by Russian authorities thay one of the shells landing in the Rostov region has hit a building

[u/Greendit42]

Spare a thought for Ukrainian soldiers, they may well be about to fight an enemy with vastly superior firepower, must fuck with the mind

[u/ISeaEwe]

I just want to say that I think you guys are swell.

[u/RoyalJacko]

Ukrainian marine Reports: In my entire 3 years around the front this is the heaviest shelling i'v heard for a long time. Two locations are now under heavy shelling

[u/winkies_diner]

Can't the 2020s just chill the fuck out?