Here we go again-Ukraine once again

[Skybird]

Sperbank is still fully operational, so is the Inernaqtion Investement Bank'S involvment with Russia. Only every fourth Russian bank actually is exlcuded from SWIFT.


I wonder also where all the money from the püraised military modenruaztion of the Russian forces went to? Has realyl mthis much moeny gone amiss in cporruption and dark channels as it seems, becasue certainbyl cannot say we see a huge improvmeent in their tatcics, logiostics, combat leadership, communicaiton networks, technical reliability of gera and platforms. So much invetsment wa scliamed to be done, and then we see no huige diference to how they perfomred 30, 40 years ago? That is weired. Comnpeltely unexpected for me, I expected them to perform much more efficient and modern. Possible that the greed and corruption of their leaders and militaries have weakened these reforms to a degree where all te modernisation programs were rendered almost non-efficient.


In germany meanwhile some govenrment politcians still struggle with a realistic assessment of the fallout of this war. The Green economy and climate minister Habeck:


Consumers should save energy so that it will hurt Putin a little bit, says Economics Minister Habeck. That will not be enough. The question is when he will admit that he has to abandon his own plans.

Times of crisis are times of astonishing insights - especially in politics. Old certainties are abandoned more quickly under the impact of war and threats than anyone could have imagined before.

The ban on supplying weapons to war zones is one example. The willingness to better equip the Bundeswehr with 100 billion euros is another.

Today's Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) would have opposed such plans during his time as Federal Finance Minister and Vice Chancellor. Some insight - regrettable as it is - requires a certain urgency. The war that Russian President Vladimir Putin has instigated in Ukraine has led the chancellor to rethink his position.

Robert Habeck (Greens), on the other hand, has not yet reached that point: "If you want to hurt Putin a little bit, then save energy," the German Economics Minister announced on Thursday.

A sentence that sounds as if the minister wants to shift responsibility for his policy area onto consumers. More correct would be the statement as follows: If you want to hurt Putin, then the entire national economy must become independent of Russian natural gas.

This means that the early exit from coal can no longer be maintained - at least not if security of supply has to be guaranteed at the same time.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine shows us how much our energy supply is dependent on a despot who cannot be trusted. A little saving is not enough; other energy sources are needed.

"Freedom energy" at any price - that is a brute planned economy.

And sure: wind turbines and solar panels are part of it. That's why German Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) even pathetically calls them "freedom energies." But they will not be enough to compensate for the renunciation of coal and Russian gas within a relatively short period of time.

Habeck should come to the realization: In the end, coalition agreements are often worth no more than the paper they are written on, as long as crises dictate political events as strongly as they do now.



Die Welt.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

[Red Devil]

People like Merz spouting off remionds me of the generals in WW1. They sat in comfortable top class hotels in Paris issueing orders to the front after looking at a map. Some did not even leave London. All too familiar.

[Skybird]

But he has a point with those nuclear clouds moving westwards.

[Skybird]

Russia makes it an offence to spread "fake news" and cracks down on Russian broadcaster broadcasting BBC World.

I wonder whether Trump considers to sue Putin for copyright infringement over using "fake news(tm)" as a label.

[sh3rules]

I hope that Ukraine will at least give Putin a black eye.

[mapuc]

It will get a lot worse the next three days says NATO leader Stoltenberg to the press.

When I read this I came to think what some of you have written in this thread-Putin use mass destruction weapons like Thermobaric weapons and God forgive nukes.

Markus

[Catfish]

Originally Posted by tmccarthy

[...] The 64km Convoy: Maybe? That's what it looks like, maybe that's what it is.
However, after 8 or so days it took this story to finally compel me to revisit another possibility [...] "Maskirovka" -

Possible. But even then, why not obliterate the convoy, i do not think they are made of deceptive rubber material. Some drones would suffice.


re Skybird "©Putin fake news", the new hip brand

[mapuc]

Originally Posted by Catfish

Possible. But even then, why not obliterate the convoy, i do not think they are made of deceptive rubber material. Some drones would suffice.


re Skybird "©Putin fake news", the new hip brand

I've read and heard a lot of different causes to why this huge column of tanks and other military vehicle is not moving.

I myself don't know why..
Doesn't Ukraine have these SU25 ??
Why haven't they tried to attack this column ?
Maybe they have who knows.

Markus

[Armistead]

For those knowledgeable, when or should Ukraine pull its forces to the west? It seems Russia's goal is to split the nation and encircle Kiev. If Putin is able to get the convoy moving up north and troops coming from the south, the danger it seems is a bulk of Ukraine's professional army getting trapped in the east. If they wait too long to leave their dug in positions they will be so exposed if they plan to retreat. If they get caught in a siege in major cities God help the civilians. Seems feasible to get west closer to NATO supply support and leave Kiev.

[mapuc]

Which country is next after Ukraine.

Read a comment on twitter, where this person wrote:

No doubt Putin want the old Soviet back it is therefore he has invaded Ukraine and Moldova will be next...then it will be the Baltic states or is Putin mad enough to invade these three smaller NATO countries ?

I say he will invade or try to invade those countries who aren't a NATO member.

Like Finland-They have an NATO-option if the heat goes op they can become a member directly...but if they are attacked while not being a member...I doubt NATO would agree on Finland becoming a member.
Same with Sweden-Gotland.

Markus

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Armistead

For those knowledgeable, when or should Ukraine pull its forces to the west? It seems Russia's goal is to split the nation and encircle Kiev. If Putin is able to get the convoy moving up north and troops coming from the south, the danger it seems is a bulk of Ukraine's professional army getting trapped in the east.

Putin clearly stated that in his twisted view the Ukraine is part of Russian identity and that he denies its right to exist as a separate state entity. He clearly and explicitly denied that the Ukrainians have a right to exist as a separate people, separte from the Russians. He ruled that out, completely. I speculated myself in the past he wants to split it, but no more I do that. I now think he wants it all - and if he cannot get it he wants to wipe it out in retaliation for not getting it.

We thouight about the West's role in triggering the events of today. I thought about that a lot in past days. But I now think:

it did not m,matter what we have done, or have not done, or culd have done difefrently in the past. He probbaly always was competely disconnected forkm all we thogutn and did and said, but always would heva einevtoably come to the point wher eh now is: to see NAOTR as an aggressor, and wnating to reivive the Warsaw Pact state of things, and if we would have been more appeasing or mroe aggressive, he nevertheless always would have gotten to the point where he now is. I now think we were completely without influence on the final outcome, could only have delayed or accelerated events a bit - not more. The outcome would always have been the same.

Scandianvian countries, namely Finland, report the traffic from Russia has dramatically incresed, and many Russians are coming. They do not come for temporary stays and travelling - they come to stay forever, they flee from Russia as long as they still could. I exopect, aftwer susaia alreadsy has stareted ti crack down on cpaitla fleeing the coujtnry and comaony investments being kept in Russia, that they will crack down on the fleeing people and will drop a new iron curtain to stop Russians fleeing for Russia. Many of those fleeing are middole cklassd peope with academical and specialised professions, since these are the ones who can financially still afford it. This sort of brain drain Russia cannot afford. They will drop the iron curtain.

And media. Nice. Say "Ukraine" and "war" in one sentence, and you now go to prison for 15 years. "Say "Ukraine" and "invasion" in one sentence, and now you get jailed for 15 years. You said "Ukraine" and "attack"? Well, enjoy a relaxing prison stay for 15 years. They now really make you think in the right way. The only way that is still allowed - theirs.

[Skybird]

Its reported that after BBC World earlier, Moscow now also has completely locked Deutsche Welle, Radio Liberty Free Europe, Meduza (Letland), Facebook, Twitter, Youtube.


Youtube has blocked RT's channel earlier. Until the last moment RT called the invasion and war and attack just a "special operation" and insiosted on that it was running according to plan.

[Skybird]

Putin's oligarchs on the run

[Catfish]

^ Lol where is U-96?


Scholz-Putin telephone call today friday march 4th '22:

https://www-br-de.translate.goog/nac..._x_tr_pto=wapp

But maybe, just maybe Putin lies again ..
"Reports of ongoing airstrikes on Kyiv and other major cities are gross propaganda forgery, the Kremlin said in a statement"
Lmao. We saw the videos, by all love for Russia and Putin's honesty i do not think that the Ukrainians flatten their own apartment buildings with cluster bombs, or set fire to their own nuclear plant while shooting at it.

But the greatest joke is the russian propaganda, maybe some brainwashed do believe, for all else this is complete nonsense, so obvious fake, transparent and cheaply orchestrated.

And Putin seems to be a bit afraid, shutting down Facebook and Youtube and forbidding mentioning the Ukraine.
All straight from Hitler's text- and storybook.

[Armistead]

Originally Posted by Skybird

Putin clearly stated that in his twisted view the Ukraine is part of Russian identity and that he denies its right to exist as a separate state entity. He clearly and explicitly denied that the Ukrainians have a right to exist as a separate people, separte from the Russians. He ruled that out, completely. I speculated myself in the past he wants to split it, but no more I do that. I now think he wants it all - and if he cannot get it he wants to wipe it out in retaliation for not getting it.

We thouight about the West's role in triggering the events of today. I thought about that a lot in past days. But I now think:

it did not m,matter what we have done, or have not done, or culd have done difefrently in the past. He probbaly always was competely disconnected forkm all we thogutn and did and said, but always would heva einevtoably come to the point wher eh now is: to see NAOTR as an aggressor, and wnating to reivive the Warsaw Pact state of things, and if we would have been more appeasing or mroe aggressive, he nevertheless always would have gotten to the point where he now is. I now think we were completely without influence on the final outcome, could only have delayed or accelerated events a bit - not more. The outcome would always have been the same.

Scandianvian countries, namely Finland, report the traffic from Russia has dramatically incresed, and many Russians are coming. They do not come for temporary stays and travelling - they come to stay forever, they flee from Russia as long as they still could. I exopect, aftwer susaia alreadsy has stareted ti crack down on cpaitla fleeing the coujtnry and comaony investments being kept in Russia, that they will crack down on the fleeing people and will drop a new iron curtain to stop Russians fleeing for Russia. Many of those fleeing are middole cklassd peope with academical and specialised professions, since these are the ones who can financially still afford it. This sort of brain drain Russia cannot afford. They will drop the iron curtain.

And media. Nice. Say "Ukraine" and "war" in one sentence, and you now go to prison for 15 years. "Say "Ukraine" and "invasion" in one sentence, and now you get jailed for 15 years. You said "Ukraine" and "attack"? Well, enjoy a relaxing prison stay for 15 years. They now really make you think in the right way. The only way that is still allowed - theirs.

Regardless of your views on Trump, do you think this would've happened if he president or while he was in office? It's interesting Putin basically invaded under Bush, Obama and now Biden.
Just seems to me the West is willing to prolong the suffering of Ukraine as a pawn with some weapons and some sanction in hopes it will degrade Russia to a level easier to deal with, tho it's pretty clear Ukraine will be lost. It's why I wonder if Ukraine should at least split itself first and move more of it's politics and army west, closer supply line, safer power grid and much closer to Putin facing NATO. If the battles continue in the cities the citizens are gonna be a mass casualty, no power, food, water. I worry so many experts say Putin won't stop in Ukraine, so do we sit back the next nation and let him take it because he threatens the use of nukes.
Anyways, the West is getting ready to come to terms with it's selling out to two communist nations for cheap goods, but I guess global corporatist control that and they buy and sell our politicians.