Russia Invades Ukraine

[neeneko]

I'm sorry she isn't wearing high heels and tight pants with a gun strapped to her lower leg. This is totally unrealistic and is obvious Mazi propaganda. She isn't even showing an American Flag over her boobs for goodness sake.

On the other hand, look at the size of those rockets!

[raison de arizona]

[Slim Cognito]

This video.....

[Phoenix520]

If you have a moment, go listen to Greg Olear’s Prevail podcast from today, entitled Putin’s War, with his guest Zerlina Zabrisky. She’s one of his go-to Russian experts (the other is Moscow Never Sleeps, who’s on right after her.) She has some very interesting things to say. She grew up in the same village as Putin, went to university at the same time as Putin’s wife. She knows a lot about the culture of both Ukraine and Russia.

She made me cry with her answer, near the end, to “Knowing so much about Putin, Russia and Ukraine, what has surprised you so far about this war?” She began listing everything she had expected. When she got to the part about what she hadn’t expected, she could barely speak.

If someone could show me how to link to Apple podcasts I would appreciate it forever and a day.

[p0rtia]

If you have a moment, go listen to Greg Olear’s Prevail podcast from today, entitled Putin’s War, with his guest Zerlina Zabrisky. She’s one of his go-to Russian experts (the other is Moscow Never Sleeps, who’s on right after her.) She has some very interesting things to say. She grew up in the same village as Putin, went to university at the same time as Putin’s wife. She knows a lot about the culture of both Ukraine and Russia.

She made me cry with her answer, near the end, to “Knowing so much about Putin, Russia and Ukraine, what has surprised you so far about this war?” She began listing everything she had expected. When she got to the part about what she hadn’t expected, she could barely speak.

If someone could show me how to link to Apple podcasts I would appreciate it forever and a day.

I don't think you can link directly to the Apple podcast, which as far as I know is only opened in iTunes. But there is a share icon that gives you the option to copy the link to the webpage. You probably know this, but here is the link to the webpage for podcast you reference:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/p ... 0554460193

Gonna go listen now! Just what I was looking for, so thanks!

[Patagoniagirl]

If you have a moment, go listen to Greg Olear’s Prevail podcast from today, entitled Putin’s War, with his guest Zerlina Zabrisky. She’s one of his go-to Russian experts (the other is Moscow Never Sleeps, who’s on right after her.) She has some very interesting things to say. She grew up in the same village as Putin, went to university at the same time as Putin’s wife. She knows a lot about the culture of both Ukraine and Russia.

She made me cry with her answer, near the end, to “Knowing so much about Putin, Russia and Ukraine, what has surprised you so far about this war?” She began listing everything she had expected. When she got to the part about what she hadn’t expected, she could barely speak.

If someone could show me how to link to Apple podcasts I would appreciate it forever and a day.

I don't think you can link directly to the Apple podcast, which as far as I know is only opened in iTunes. But there is a share icon that gives you the option to copy the link to the webpage. You probably know this, but here is the link to the webpage for podcast you reference:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/p ... 0554460193

Gonna go listen now! Just what I was looking for, so thanks!

I found it here; you can listen on your browser.

https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cH ... 15623&ep=6

[RVInit]

I listened to quite a bit of that podcast this week as I was packing things up. It's over two hours and I don't think I ever finished the whole thing, but I may listen again as I'm working in another room. There is nothing I hate more than moving. YUCK!!!!

[Phoenix520]

Thanks, frens. I’ll save your links to forget about next time I need them.

Sucks getting old.

[raison de arizona]

[Gregg]

I am gonna be pretty adamant that Russia pays Reparations to Ukraine for this war, and that X amount of their oil revenue should go towards rebuilding that which has been destroyed.

Not that anyone listens to me, but its the bare minimum I'd accept as terms for Russia's surrender.

[pipistrelle]

I am gonna be pretty adamant that Russia pays Reparations to Ukraine for this war, and that X amount of their oil revenue should go towards rebuilding that which has been destroyed.

Not that anyone listens to me, but its the bare minimum I'd accept as terms for Russia's surrender.

I agree. They are pure aggressor and need to pay. But balance that with not making the average person suffer egregiously for decisions made a thousand levels above their pay grade so to speak.

[humblescribe]

I am gonna be pretty adamant that Russia pays Reparations to Ukraine for this war, and that X amount of their oil revenue should go towards rebuilding that which has been destroyed.

Not that anyone listens to me, but its the bare minimum I'd accept as terms for Russia's surrender.

I agree. They are pure aggressor and need to pay. But balance that with not making the average person suffer egregiously for decisions made a thousand levels above their pay grade so to speak.

No argument. But what makes us think that suddenly Russia and its kleptocracy will suddenly start playing nice? There is too much money involved for the proper amount of funds to make their way to the Ukraine. They not only lie, they fucking lie all the time.

Then, with all due respect to our Ukrainian friends, do we think for an instant that all the money that is earmarked for reparations will actually wind up being used for said reparations? How much money did the Army uncover when they invaded Baghdad and looked into Hussein's various residences?

There is not going to be a disbursements division with 100% transparency to ensure that these putative funds are spent properly.

[Gregg]

I am gonna be pretty adamant that Russia pays Reparations to Ukraine for this war, and that X amount of their oil revenue should go towards rebuilding that which has been destroyed.

Not that anyone listens to me, but its the bare minimum I'd accept as terms for Russia's surrender.

I agree. They are pure aggressor and need to pay. But balance that with not making the average person suffer egregiously for decisions made a thousand levels above their pay grade so to speak.

No argument. But what makes us think that suddenly Russia and its kleptocracy will suddenly start playing nice? There is too much money involved for the proper amount of funds to make their way to the Ukraine. They not only lie, they fucking lie all the time.

Then, with all due respect to our Ukrainian friends, do we think for an instant that all the money that is earmarked for reparations will actually wind up being used for said reparations? How much money did the Army uncover when they invaded Baghdad and looked into Hussein's various residences?

There is not going to be a disbursements division with 100% transparency to ensure that these putative funds are spent properly.

There could be, overseen by the UN or NATO, whom I am convinced are going to get drawn into this war one way or another. Putin is in bet even bigger to recover what we lost on the last hand mode and will get all bent about us helping and bomb a supply mission in Poland or something like. He might make something try to look like the Polish fired first or something, and it might be Estonia or who knows where but he's gonna need a bigger conspiracy to justify what he's lost to the people at home. How's it gonna look when Ukraine sinks one of those boats shelling Mariupol? He'll find a way, and play FAFO with someone he shouldn't have. It's straight from the Dictator's playbook.

[neeneko]

I could actually see disbursements going either way. Ukraine has its own problems with corruption, it isn't one of the poorest countries in europe for nothing. BUT, the leadership now have an even bigger incentive to align with the EU than ever before, which means a modern economy, and that means using that money to rebuild and invest rather than palaces and foreign bank accounts. Granted it also matters who is holding power when the dust settles and what kind of ruling coalition forms.

[Gregg]

Its important that Russia and Putin lose the war. No negotiations that leave one inch of Ukraine soil controlled by Russia, including Crimea. They have to leave, the have to leave behind every piece of military equipment they brought, they need to pay for every shed or building they destroyed and they need to agree to whatever security measures are needed to ensure Ukraine's borders, including NATO membership if that's what they want.

I want terms that cause Putin's government to fall, and I wouldn't be mad if whatever replaces him learns the lesson he hasn't. Russia can be an important part of Europe but a big part of that is they need to abandon the delusions of grandeur that they are still a superpower. Perhaps the only way to do that is to make them surrender their nuclear weapons, I dunno. But just letting them say "I'm sorry, and we are keeping Crimea, but we'll go home" ain't gonna cut it. And Ukraine likely won't be able to accomplish that without help thus my belief that NATO needs to intervene, for their own good as much as for Ukraine's.

[Dave from down under]

China could just annex Siberia..

That would be more likely and less nuclear than direct NATO engagement with Russia.

[neeneko]

Its important that Russia and Putin lose the war. No negotiations that leave one inch of Ukraine soil controlled by Russia, including Crimea.

Sadly, I suspect in any peace talks, Crimea will be one of the big bargaining chips that Ukraine will be most willing to give away, and if they do manage to push Russia out, will probably be a territory they will not bother trying to retake. Maybe they will be able to at least get Donetsk and Luhansk back since those are easier to retake.

China could just annex Siberia..

I would not be surprised if Russia ends up a vassel state of China after this. China has its own economic woes and while Russia is poor, its resources might be something to keep them afloat.

[AndyinPA]

Who or what comes after Putin could be worse.

[Slim Cognito]

The devil you know...?

[Volkonski]

China could just annex Siberia..

That would be more likely and less nuclear than direct NATO engagement with Russia.

You mean greater Alaska that we neglected to occupy in the 19th Century? Maybe time to get around to that.

[Lansdowne]

I agree. They are pure aggressor and need to pay. But balance that with not making the average person suffer egregiously for decisions made a thousand levels above their pay grade so to speak.

No argument. But what makes us think that suddenly Russia and its kleptocracy will suddenly start playing nice? There is too much money involved for the proper amount of funds to make their way to the Ukraine. They not only lie, they fucking lie all the time.

Then, with all due respect to our Ukrainian friends, do we think for an instant that all the money that is earmarked for reparations will actually wind up being used for said reparations? How much money did the Army uncover when they invaded Baghdad and looked into Hussein's various residences?

There is not going to be a disbursements division with 100% transparency to ensure that these putative funds are spent properly.

There could be, overseen by the UN or NATO, whom I am convinced are going to get drawn into this war one way or another. Putin is in bet even bigger to recover what we lost on the last hand mode and will get all bent about us helping and bomb a supply mission in Poland or something like. He might make something try to look like the Polish fired first or something, and it might be Estonia or who knows where but he's gonna need a bigger conspiracy to justify what he's lost to the people at home. How's it gonna look when Ukraine sinks one of those boats shelling Mariupol? He'll find a way, and play FAFO with someone he shouldn't have. It's straight from the Dictator's playbook.

In my regular browsing of sites which constantly invent new evidence that the Iraqi Dinar is about to rocket in value (despite having no government for the last 6 months etc) one of the very positive factors they alighted on was the completion of Iraq's final payment of reparation to Kuwait for the damage and destruction of the invasion in 1990. That last payment was apparently made a few months ago. The wiki article is rather poor and not updated https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Na ... Commission
but it seems an international commission considered applications for payments from the fund for material losses from individuals, commercial companies etc, and Iraq was required to contribute $x per barrel of oil ($4 I think) exported from the country.

I did consider starting a poll on here asking whether the chances of the Russian Federation being subjected to the same process are either

• zero
• nada
• zilch

but I don't like polls.

[Gregg]

Russia has caused much more physical damage, and I don't know how their oil revenue compared to Iraq is, though I suspect its somewhat less.

But I'm really hard line on this, and if the reparations bankrupt Russia and lead to a violent overthrow of their government, well, I know that's a dangerous thing but not something I would lament if they do it without blowing up the planet. Another reason why I'd like their loss to be so total as to be able to force them to give up their nuclear weapons. That is gonna take some pretty humiliating losses, though, and as much as I hope, I know better.

Unless NATO gets involved. NATO would, given the will to do it, grind them into little pieces. (and yeah, maybe provoke them into blowing up the planet, so some downside here)

[Suranis]

[AndyinPA]

https://abcnews.go.com/International/li ... 5#83624006

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday accused Russia's President Vladimir Putin of blocking hundreds of ships filled with wheat in the Black Sea.

"Our continent is being rocked by a tectonic shift not seen since the fall of the Berlin Wall. The consequences of this war on Europe's security architecture will be far-reaching. And I'm not just talking about security in military terms, but also energy security and even food security are at stake," she said in a speech to the European Commission.

[Kriselda Gray]

Damn. I already thought Putin was dangerously insane, but oh my Gods! He needs to be removed from power in whatever is the most expedient manner and we can only pray what follows isn't somehow worse.