Russia's Invasion of Ukraine (Official Thread)

[MoneyTron]

What's really crazy to me is that Putin is doing all of this out of the belief that the fall of the USSR and America becoming the sole superpower was the worst thing to happen in 20th century geopolitics. He believes that the US should have a balance on the world stage.

Where he made his mistake was thinking that Russia would/should be that balance. It was a foolish and arrogant calculation at best. Who is their right mind would think Russia instead of China would become the next potential superpower?

 

[mr heyzel]

Not sure if this was posted already, but the younger generation of Russians have been more inclined to protest and reject the State narrative. Unfortunately, the older populace relies heavily on state media and they make up a very large portion of the country.- I think the ratio is over 2/3 in support. That's why Ukrainians let captured Russian soldiers call their mothers. Back when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan, the Committee of Soldiers' Mothers was established to protest the death and maiming of their children. You don't want to be put on that Summer Jam Screen beating down protesting mothers.

former nato commander just said this 18:07 this was a good interview Hodges: Ukraine needs to get as much military assistance from the West as possible | Conflict Zone - YouTube

 

[Hood Critic]

Madness, think this is call of duty brehs....

All because they were clout chasing online.

 

[newarkhiphop]

 

[Ozymandeas]

i highly doubt it ends like this.
Putin put too many chips on the table and has taken too many L's to walk away from the table with nothing but neutrality.
my prediction is that Putin won't stop the offensive on Kyiv until he at least has secured Odessa and the Black Sea shore with all it's ports.
that's a gem he can go back to show the people and claim a win.

anything short of that is

I gotta agree here. If he goes home with just that, then he just threw all those soldiers into the meat grinder for nothing. Not that he cares. But it’s a bad look for him power wise. He’s taking something of major importance.

 

[Able Archer 83]

Unhinged rant from Putin in this thread, blaming the west, and really shytting on the Oligarchs. "Anger" is the second stage of grief; hopefully this is merely a short burst before the "bargaining" phase.

Can you imagine, though? He attained power after watching the West (and the US in particular) dismember the USSR without firing a shot itself. Now thirty years later, Russia is being owned again and watching its economy, prestige, power circle the drain--without the US having to fire a shot itself. That's why his speech sounds like this:

 

[Ozymandeas]

During the Egyptian revolution, Logan and the news crew she was with, were beaten and sexually assaulted. It seems she was never the same after because she became a right-wing nut soon after.

Ill give her a pass

 

[Lord Beasley]

Just have me on record as 100 percent in support of Russia

 

[Matt504]

Unhinged rant from Putin in this thread, blaming the west, and really shytting on the Oligarchs.

"Anger" is the second stage of grief; hopefully this is merely a short burst before the "bargaining" phase

If you don't mind, would you like to share what you find to be unhinged about what he's saying?

Seems like he's describing exactly what the sanctions are intended to achieve in targeting oligarchs.

 

[Able Archer 83]

If you don't mind, would you like to share what you find to be unhinged about what he's saying?

Seems like he's describing exactly what the sanctions are intended to achieve in targeting oligarchs.

It was mainly the rest of the speech, particularly:



and:

 

[Ozymandeas]

What's really crazy to me is that Putin is doing all of this out of the belief that the fall of the USSR and America becoming the sole superpower was the worst thing to happen in 20th century geopolitics. He believes that the US should have a balance on the world stage.

Where he made his mistake was thinking that Russia would/should be that balance. It was a foolish and arrogant calculation at best. Who is their right mind would think Russia instead of China would become the next potential superpower?

China is just as delusional. The U.S. actually has support in the West. They accept us as top dog, look to us for guidance and depend on us to be their military. And by “they” I mean the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Australia, etc. Who in Asia looks to China for that? Taiwan, Tibet, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan and South Korea can’t stand them. Their only devoted party in that neck of the woods is North Korea and that speaks for itself.

 

[thatrapsfan]

More details from the Financial Times on potential peace deal.

TLDR Ukraine would declare neutrality and would promise not to host foreign military bases in exchange they would get protection guarantees from allies and be allowed to keep their military. Main disagreement now on what happens to Eastern separatist territories.

Spoiler: Article

Ukraine and Russia have made significant progress on a tentative 15-point peace plan including a ceasefire and Russian withdrawal if Kyiv declares neutrality and accepts limits on its armed forces, according to three people involved in the talks.

The proposed deal, which Ukrainian and Russian negotiators discussed in full for the first time on Monday, would involve Kyiv renouncing its ambitions to join Nato and promising not to host foreign military bases or weaponry in exchange for protection from allies such as the US, UK and Turkey, the people said.

The nature of western guarantees for Ukrainian security — and their acceptability to Moscow — could yet prove to be a big obstacle to any deal, as could the status of Ukrainian territories seized by Russia and its proxies in 2014. A 1994 agreement underpinning Ukrainian security failed to prevent Russian aggression against its neighbour.

 

[hashmander]

More details from the Financial Times on potential peace deal.

TLDR Ukraine would declare neutrality and would promise not to host foreign military bases in exchange they would get protection guarantees from allies and be allowed to keep their military. Main disagreement now on what happens to Eastern separatist territories.

Spoiler: Article

Ukraine and Russia have made significant progress on a tentative 15-point peace plan including a ceasefire and Russian withdrawal if Kyiv declares neutrality and accepts limits on its armed forces, according to three people involved in the talks.

The proposed deal, which Ukrainian and Russian negotiators discussed in full for the first time on Monday, would involve Kyiv renouncing its ambitions to join Nato and promising not to host foreign military bases or weaponry in exchange for protection from allies such as the US, UK and Turkey, the people said.

The nature of western guarantees for Ukrainian security — and their acceptability to Moscow — could yet prove to be a big obstacle to any deal, as could the status of Ukrainian territories seized by Russia and its proxies in 2014. A 1994 agreement underpinning Ukrainian security failed to prevent Russian aggression against its neighbour.

"The nature of western guarantees for Ukrainian security — and their acceptability to Moscow — could yet prove to be a big obstacle to any deal, as could the status of Ukrainian territories seized by Russia and its proxies in 2014. A 1994 agreement underpinning Ukrainian security failed to prevent Russian aggression against its neighbour."

that's the key part.

 

[Black Magisterialness]

More details from the Financial Times on potential peace deal.

TLDR Ukraine would declare neutrality and would promise not to host foreign military bases in exchange they would get protection guarantees from allies and be allowed to keep their military. Main disagreement now on what happens to Eastern separatist territories.

Spoiler: Article

Ukraine and Russia have made significant progress on a tentative 15-point peace plan including a ceasefire and Russian withdrawal if Kyiv declares neutrality and accepts limits on its armed forces, according to three people involved in the talks.

The proposed deal, which Ukrainian and Russian negotiators discussed in full for the first time on Monday, would involve Kyiv renouncing its ambitions to join Nato and promising not to host foreign military bases or weaponry in exchange for protection from allies such as the US, UK and Turkey, the people said.

The nature of western guarantees for Ukrainian security — and their acceptability to Moscow — could yet prove to be a big obstacle to any deal, as could the status of Ukrainian territories seized by Russia and its proxies in 2014. A 1994 agreement underpinning Ukrainian security failed to prevent Russian aggression against its neighbour.

It basically turns them into a pseudo-buffer zone. One that Putin holds the cards to.

But at this point he's got to get out. His army and the Russian economy CANNOT sustain another 4 weeks of this. The damage may have already been done to Putin politically. Many of those business dollars aren't coming back. Youth, who haven't been arrested, will probably leave. Inflation is still going to be nuts. In a month, he may have torpedoed decades of financial skullduggery and political posturing.

At this point anything less than the total destruction of Ukraine's political autonomy is a failure.

 

[Lord Beasley]

More details from the Financial Times on potential peace deal.

TLDR Ukraine would declare neutrality and would promise not to host foreign military bases in exchange they would get protection guarantees from allies and be allowed to keep their military. Main disagreement now on what happens to Eastern separatist territories.

Spoiler: Article

Ukraine and Russia have made significant progress on a tentative 15-point peace plan including a ceasefire and Russian withdrawal if Kyiv declares neutrality and accepts limits on its armed forces, according to three people involved in the talks.

The proposed deal, which Ukrainian and Russian negotiators discussed in full for the first time on Monday, would involve Kyiv renouncing its ambitions to join Nato and promising not to host foreign military bases or weaponry in exchange for protection from allies such as the US, UK and Turkey, the people said.

The nature of western guarantees for Ukrainian security — and their acceptability to Moscow — could yet prove to be a big obstacle to any deal, as could the status of Ukrainian territories seized by Russia and its proxies in 2014. A 1994 agreement underpinning Ukrainian security failed to prevent Russian aggression against its neighbour.

I wouldn't trust Russia as far as i could throw it.

Spoiler

putin trying a more diplomatic "invasion" could mean he'd still look to oust Zelenskyy in some way and install a proxy