Russia invades Ukraine *** READ RULES IN POST 6 BEFORE POSTING ***

[Reality]

 

[ShortRound]

 

[dsturgeon]

Something doesn't seem right there. A very low approximation on the troop losses. Are they capturing the armored personnel carriers without killing the soldiers or destroying them?

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

He won’t do that, just posturing. He has two viable options here:

1. New negotiations that will let him crawfish back to Russia saving some face.
2. Carpet bomb Ukraine

I think option 1 happens by Monday night

I expect that. He's already in enough trouble with his own people as it is. If he were to carpet bomb Ukraine, he'd be in much more trouble with his own people than I think he wants. And using nuclear arms would have him out of power really quickly imo. This attack isn't even popular with the Russian people.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I think those are interesting numbers and if true they are large.

But if there's anything I've learned after studying military history for decades–There's no greater area of fabrication than casualty lists.

 

[dsturgeon]

I think those are interesting numbers and if true they are large.

But if there's anything I've learned after studying military history for decades–There's no greater area of fabrication than casualty lists.

This one will be a good addition to study on military history. The first social media and news driven war. They should label it as the reality tv show war. The war you get to follow on your couch. Tune in for tonights episode

There are fabrication outside the normal fabrications of war in this one. Where will the president of ukraine be for tonights show, here is a model with a gun, here are the list of celebrities joining the war, watch as peaceful civilians walk down a russian tank and disable it with kind words

Russia is having difficulty, look at these pictures of putin looking sad, all brought to you here on the reality tv show war

 

[Montanalo]

My wife and I have spent a fascinating week visiting with her cousin (Russian) and her cousin's husband (Moldovan). They've lived in the Transnistria region of Eastern Moldova, Romania and now, Belgian. Obviously, what's happening in Ukraine dominated evening conversation. Here are a few of their takes on the current situation:

Ukraine, despite is long-term ties to Russia, has it's own culture, history and language. Claiming otherwise is simply an excuse by Putin to unlawfully annex a portion of Ukraine. Interestingly enough, there is still a lot of mistrust and bias with regard to Russian within the Ukraine community. Some of it, it seems, still stems at from the Stalinist days in which 1,000's of Ukrainians starved to death as a result of Stalin's "central planning".

While there have been claims by ethnic Russians living in Ukraine that they have been marginalized or even tortured by the Ukrainians, is generally unproven. Again, Putin has used these vague claims as a foundation for annexation.

Our cousin's husband was the mayor in a small town in Moldova. During the mid-90's there was a similar uprising by Russians in the Transnistria area which led to Russian military being stationed in Transnistria. Some Russian military units continue to be stationed there. Similar to what is seen today in Ukraine, every man, woman and child took up arms against the Russians. Short of direct, international intervention, our cousin's don't believe the Russian military will ever fully withdraw from Eastern Ukraine.

 

[dsturgeon]

Short of direct, international intervention, our cousin's don't believe the Russian military will ever fully withdraw from Eastern Ukraine.

By the way the Russians went in and have fought, do you know if they think this was the plan all along? Get in, don't do anything too destructive, make a deal

 

[JJHLH1]

President Zelensky is a hero for the courage and leadership he is showing under extreme duress.

 

[ShortRound]

He’s ruining the Russian economy

 

[Flamma]

Oh no. This is very bad. I really hope Putin doesn't do that. The use of those weapons likely means the end of civilisation as we know it as that will result in retaliation from other nuclear powers.

It's a threat in case NATO tries to challenge him in the Ukraine. He won't use it otherwise. Do we risk it by challenging him? Finland needs to join NATO. This is just my opinion. But NATO needs to move in and stop Russia. Let the cards fall where they may. As a world we can't just sit by and watch.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

This is just my opinion. But NATO needs to move in and stop Russia. Let the cards fall where they may. As a world we can't just sit by and watch.

Big, big risk.

Not only do you risk a nuclear exchange, you alienating the average Russian citizen against NATO (and the countries making up NATO) and could influence China to even more so support Putin's war.

I don't think NATO troops marching into Ukraine is the answer.

Also I do not think NATO is ready from an infrastructure standpoint to do that... Just as it took Russia several weeks to deploy nearly 200,000, you're looking at the same for NATO to do that same– Probably even much longer because each country would have to mobilize resources in order to do this.

 

[Flamma]

Big, big risk.

Not only do you risk a nuclear exchange, you alienating the average Russian citizen against NATO (and the countries making up NATO) and could influence China to even more so support Putin's war.

I don't think NATO troops marching into Ukraine is the answer.

Also I do not think NATO is ready from an infrastructure standpoint to do that... Just as it took Russia several weeks to deploy nearly 200,000, you're looking at the same for NATO to do that same– Probably even much longer because each country would have to mobilize resources in order to do this.

I can do nothing but agree with you here. You make sense. My suggestion was a longshot. No one has of yet tested or bluffed the nuclear option. I don't expect them to do it now. We'll just cower and watch.

 

[Bigdog]

Exactly, I just hope all of NATO increases their defence spending. The US and UK can't be the only ones carrying NATO. It simply won't work if they don't. Perhaps this should be a warning to the rest of NATO to build their defences, especially in case Putin does breach NATO with this attack he's on.

Exactly and this is why one particular individual who I should not name wanted to pull out but that would have been a big mistake. As history has shown us being isolated is not a good idea.

 

[Bigdog]

He won’t do that, just posturing. He has two viable options here:

1. New negotiations that will let him crawfish back to Russia saving some face.
2. Carpet bomb Ukraine

I think option 1 happens by Monday night

Hope you are right about 1 but I just read that the Ukraine’s President just pulled out of peace talks because Russia’s wasn’t even neutral or compromising.

 

[Reality]

Reminder .. this is a serious thread!

It is not the place for humor or making light of the situation.


*** NOTE: Before anyone comments, several posts have been deleted since this thread was created and that is why you may have not seen any.

 

[Roadtrip635]

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I can do nothing but agree with you here. You make sense. My suggestion was a longshot. No one has of yet tested or bluffed the nuclear option. I don't expect them to do it now. We'll just cower and watch.

I think Putin intended to "Get In, Get Control, Get Out" before crap started hitting HIS fan.

But that timeframe is shot... Thanks to the intestinal fortitude of the citizenry and leadership of Ukraine.

War isn't all about the guns, tanks and casualties.

There's a nuance to it.

Here's hoping Ukraine can hold on because I think what's going on behind the scenes has the potential to end this with Putin failing in reaching his goals.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

If true... This is a BIG deal. Not just the amount of missiles being sent but who's sending them.

 

[CouchCoach]

Putin knew exactly what NATO would do with the economic sanctions. When has that ever worked? Iran? N. Korea?

This is a move by a very small rich and powerful group and sanctions cannot touch them. Those at the very top are impervious to punishment. The people might suffer and if this drags out, we might feel the pinch in our wallets but those at the top will not feel a thing.

Even our own leaders are admitting this will have little effect on Putin and his gang. They're criminals, they know how to hide money. And they had a head start.