Here we go again-Ukraine once again

[mapuc]

< Your translation also made me wonder what will happen on 9th of May
I also wonder what happens if or when the military in Ukraine collapse as some expert say they will within some weeks from now.

As you said earlier May 9th will be an interesting day.

Markus

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Commander Wallace

Russia is basically running on it's stocks and will soon run out. In addition to the farm dealership thefts, many companies have also left. This includes the McDonalds hamburger chain.

I think this goes a long way toward establishing a " no fry " zone.

Originally Posted by Buddahaid

They did run out of happy meals.

Originally Posted by Commander Wallace

Attacking “ Ronald McDonald “ and his fries and “ happy meals “ is just the worst. Of course, I only eat McDonald fries and their food when I feel my cholesterol levels dipping dangerously low. I'm sure others feel the same way.

Well, it is a no " fries " zone.
* Disclaimer * This is not not to make light of the ugly situation in the Ukraine.

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

4 out 5 potential Russian conscripts recognize the MacDonalds logo at three years old.

I doubt there's happy anything or light in "the evil empire" these daze...

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Yulia Latynina

(CNN) -- Russian troops in the occupied city of Melitopol have stolen all the equipment from a farm equipment dealership -- and shipped it to Chechnya, according to a Ukrainian businessman in the area.
But after a journey of more than 700 miles, the thieves were unable to use any of the equipment -- because it had been locked remotely.
Over the past few weeks there's been a growing number of reports of Russian troops stealing farm equipment, grain and even building materials - beyond widespread looting of residences. But the removal of valuable agricultural equipment from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an increasingly organized operation, one that even uses Russian military transport as part of the heist.
CNN has learned that the equipment was removed from an Agrotek dealership in Melitopol, which has been occupied by Russian forces since early March. Altogether it's valued at nearly $5 million. The combine harvesters alone are worth $300,000 each. Why weren’t Russian troops using the Global Positioning System or its Russian counterpart, Glonass? It seems, among other things, that the Russian army fell victim to its own propaganda. Before the war, Mr. Putin had been fascinated with the acquisition of new weapons. Among the most important were electronic countermeasures, or ECM. They were supposed to be a game-changer that could be used to black out GPS, disrupt communications, and take over drones or deliberately crash them into the ground. ECM units were indeed marching with all Russian columns as they entered Ukraine. But they didn’t work as planned. Instead of knocking Turkish drones out of the skies, the ECM units blacked out all communications, including the Russian army’s. “This is the problem of ECM. It either isn’t working, or, when it’s working, it’s wrecking your side much more than the enemy’s,” says Victor Kevluk, a military expert with Ukrainian Center for Defense Strategies. The Russian army blinded itself on foreign land, while the Ukrainians knew their way in the dark. So instead of relying on new technology, the Russians turned to an old tactic: mass terror. Russian soldiers raped Ukrainian women and executed Ukrainian men. Mariupol is being razed to the ground. Former Ukrainian General Staff Col. Oleg Zhdanov vividly described to me in an interview how, in Berezovka, “the dug-in tanks made a shooting range with fleeing civilian cars as targets.”
The mass terror was the direct consequence of mass lying, for it is easier to expend ammunition on a bunch of fleeing civilians than to engage a real military target. Even the looting has become organized. Ruslan Leviev, founder of the open-source-based Conflict Intelligence Team, claimed in an interview that soldiers are driving stolen cars laden with loot to Russia to sell them on improvised markets, and they pay part of the proceeds to their officers.
This is truly amazing. A modern army doesn’t loot. It is doubtful that the same army that left Bucha toting trophy dishwashers will be able to regroup swiftly to fight in the Donbas.
How did Mr. Putin think he could win this war? The answer has to do with state delusion. It is easy to mistake Russia for a military state. It isn’t. It’s true that the Russian state is run by siloviki (roughly translated as “the enforcers”), but those strongmen are from the Federal Security Service, known as the FSB, not the army.
Mr. Putin, himself a former KGB officer, has long been highly suspicious of a possible army coup. The incompetence of the Russian military is at least partly intentional—designed to reinforce that the FSB, not the army, was in charge of running Russian society. The FSB and its political allies told Mr. Putin what he wanted to hear: namely, that Russia had an extensive network of sympathizers in Ukraine who would hand the country to him on a platter. A state with this level of incompetence and delusion simply wouldn’t have survived in the 19th century. Things are different today. Sanctions are much preferred to direct fighting. And while economic sanctions can isolate a rogue regime, they can’t crush it. Mr. Putin has gotten many things wrong in his current war, but he did get one thing right. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization won’t go to war over Ukraine. And this is perhaps the biggest reason why he must be crushed. If not, more Vladimir Putins will follow, including those with a much firmer grip on reality.

One thing that Russia possesses in common with post-WWI Germany, and China's present-day empire builders in common is an inferiority complex stemming from defeat: a Sino-19th century of shame etc. We have witnessed the collapse of the Soviet-blok evil empire, the retreat from Afghanistan etc. for which Putin has now overstepped his monkey's-fist reach to establish "his legacy"...possibly in anticipation of his own demise from lymphoma or parkensons disease. The Russian propaganda is now being recast as "the defense of the motherland against the threat of the West" and not "the denazification of Ukraine" With a 10 generals dead against some 1500 'official' casualties and 580 tanks destroyed https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/27/europ...-ml/index.html the "victory parade scheduled on May 9 (1 week)" is going to look a little slim both in the Red Square and in the viewing podium...Rule 1 of fighting the Soviet empire rejuvenation is to do it in a former Iron Curtain country and not the Fulda Gap, no imho about it! Holding the line by proxy; US advisors teaching Ukranains the use of javelin missiles in two days; heavy weapons deliveries; and ever tightening sanctions will also serve to keep China on hold over Taiwan as well in their Belt and Road global domination shenanigans, as recently demonstrated in the Solomon Islands-ie: it's a two front 21st century war just like 1939; and peace-in-our-time Chamberlain-style appeasement after Crimea(2014) and Tibet(1959) is no longer an option.

[Dargo]

Originally Posted by mapuc

Can't help wondering who is attacking Russia inside their country near the Ukrainian border.

Following is from liveuamap

10 hours ago - 50°40′N 36°13′E
Governor of Belgorod region confirms fire and explosions at military arsenal near Tomarovka village

11 hours ago - 50°41′N 36°17′E
Explosions at military arsenal in Tomarovka of Belgorod region

9 hours ago - 51°10′N 35°23′E
Railway bridge collapsed between Sudzha and Sosnovy Bor in Kursk region of Russia. Governor blames saboteurs

41 minutes ago - 51°34′N 34°41′E
Explosions in Rylsk area of Kursk region, air defense is active


Is it Russian who is doing it ? Sabotage
Or
Is it Ukrainian special forces ?

Markus

Installations near Ukraine, Russia border it will be Ukraine further inland could be SCADA hacking from the collective in the west (OpRussia) and also read Russians people doing sabotage acts and sh*te always going on in Russia failure is their normal.

[mapuc]

China: think again

China believes the US is making money by keeping the war in Ukraine going. Does the Russia-friendly country have a point?

- Two months into the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, the impact on the outside world is increasingly worrying.

- The war - and the sanctions - have, for example. led to energy price increases of 44% in the eurozone.

- Inflation is rising. And ordinary people's lives are affected.

- Meanwhile, US arms and grain dealers are raking in huge profits.

NATO vs Russia

So said Zhao Lijian, a spokesman for China's foreign ministry, at a press conference with Western journalists on Friday - the day after the US announced it would sharply increase aid to Ukraine.
And a little later in the press conference, the spokesman asked Europe's political leaders and peoples to think again:

- The EU should reflect on this conflict

- We have repeatedly pointed out that although on the surface the conflict is between Russia and Ukraine, in reality it is between the US-led NATO and Russia.

- The EU should think carefully about who benefits from this war, in which area it is currently transformed into a war zone - and who suffers most in this war," said Zhao

Markus

[Jeff-Groves]

Originally Posted by mapuc

China believes the US is making money by keeping the war in Ukraine going.

Yeah. And THEY are making money FROM the USA because of the War.

It's a case of "pissing on legs and saying it's raining."

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Jeff-Groves

It's a case of "pissing on legs and saying it's raining."

Either way, it's warm out!

[mapuc]

Here is what I think about my last comment.

If China should point fingers it should be at Russia-It's them who attacked an innocent country who wasn't any threat to them.

Yes of course USA arms and others are earning money on this and they will do so until Russia has left Ukraine or is thrown out.

That's how I see it

Markus

[mapuc]

Could this be what will happen on May 9th ?

Russia plans to annex two Ukrainian regions - US official
Russia is planning imminently to "annex" two eastern regions of Ukraine battered by its invasion, according to the US ambassador to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

Speaking to reporters in Washington, Michael Carpenter said: "According to the most recent reports, we believe that Russia will try to annex the Donetsk People's Republic and Lugansk People's Republic to Russia.

"The reports state that Russia plans to engineer referenda upon joining sometime in mid-May."

Earlier this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced he was recognising the independence of the two breakaway regions.

The self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic are in the east of Ukraine and could allow Russia to move troops into the country.

Markus

[Skybird]

^"... and could allow Russia to move troops into the country"...? The author has a sense of black humour.



If fascist Russia's appetit would be satisfied for the moment with this, Ukraine probably has no other choice than to accept this as a way for a temporary seize fire. Acceptable and legal it certainly would not be. It remains to be an illegal land grab, an assault and war crimes and genocide.



And there is no promise and guarantee that the Russians do not continue later on. Ukraine has so much damages to repair that it will find it hard to rearm in time.



To me this settlement would be temporary only, I take it for granted that this second assault on the Ukraine by Russia would not stay the last.



For the moment a better scenario than the inferno theory as described earlier, however.

[Jeff-Groves]

I want in!
Maybe Herr Putin will recognize the independence of the breakaway region of "Your Mama" that I live in. All we need is some monetary support!

[Buddahaid]

Originally Posted by Jeff-Groves

I want in!
Maybe Herr Putin will recognize the independence of the breakaway region of "Your Mama" that I live in. All we need is some monetary support!

Yeah, but "Yo' Mama" is so fat....

[August]

Originally Posted by Buddahaid

Yeah, but "Yo' Mama" is so fat....

The Russians don't have enough soldiers to surround it?

[Catfish]

From all we heard about Russia it would be highly improbable that it will stop its expansion with the Donbas region. Maybe for some time, to regain strength and fill up the losses, and then they will try again.
Ukraine either stops it now once and for all recapturing Donbas with or without western help, or we will only have a temporary (short-lived) ceasefire.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Buddahaid

They did run out of happy meals.