The Ukraine war thread

[Mik]

Interesting piece on Russia's economic strategies.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/putin-has-launched-the-first-economic-world-war-and-the-eu-and-the-west-are-his-targets/ar-AAWmtq8?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=438e5e232e3942a4b9f581ee2e5224a7

[George K]

@Mik wasn't one of the justifications Japan used in 1941 the imposition of economic sanctions, import restrictions, etc?

[Mik]

Yep.

https://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/the-embargoes-that-blocked-japanese-expansion-and-led-to-war/

[George K]

@Mik and you can bet that table-gripper will use that as an excuse.

[Aqua Letifer]

@George-K said in The Ukraine war thread:

@Mik and you can bet that table-gripper will use that as an excuse.

Here's my question: his country is so (1) resource-fucked, and (2) so obviously and profoundly inept militarily. How in the fuck does he expect to win a war against the rest of the world when this is the best he can do with Ukraine? There's no way they don't know this.

Maybe all this bullshit is just for show and really it's about nickel and dime power grabs.

[George K]

@Aqua-Letifer said in The Ukraine war thread:

There's no way they don't know this.

Maybe all this bullshit is just for show and really it's about nickel and dime power grabs.

If you look at what @Renauda has said, propaganda in Russia is strong, and a significant percentage of the population believe this bullshit.

Hence the "psy-ops" from Ukraine, viz. Ukrainians sending photos of dead Russian soldiers to their mothers in Russia.

[Aqua Letifer]

@George-K said in The Ukraine war thread:

@Aqua-Letifer said in The Ukraine war thread:

There's no way they don't know this.

Maybe all this bullshit is just for show and really it's about nickel and dime power grabs.

If you look at what @Renauda has said, propaganda in Russia is strong, and a significant percentage of the population believe this bullshit.

Hence the "psy-ops" from Ukraine, viz. Ukrainians sending photos of dead Russian soldiers to their mothers in Russia.

Right, and they can believe it all they want, but I doubt the Kremlin believes it can win a war against the world. And if they attack NATO, they know that's what they're getting.

[Renauda]

Long read but worth the time and effort:

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/report/managing-escalation-in-ukraine/?mkt_tok=NjU5LVdaWC0wNzUAAAGD9jxlb208WZ5I8w01BxdLLFHf7N7EXqARYZloeDePUltFdpdJV0PTUqm0jfM1PXrG6vUqCrI2l2aRZQO8hF4ZDGlVzHQBLj7C4B4AtDMwgg

[George K]

@Renauda

Excellent read. In a nutshell:

"These measures suggest an indifference to international public opinion that may become even more pronounced in the weeks and months to come."

I found the dive into non-military options interesting: cyber, financial, etc.

[Jolly]

And meanwhile, the folks over in Poland are arming up, best they can.

It's not like they haven't been invaded a time or two...

[George K]

@Jolly said in The Ukraine war thread:

And meanwhile, the folks over in Poland are arming up, best they can.

In the article:

Though it presents incredibly high risk, escalating the conflict beyond Ukraine’s borders in the near term is an option Putin could consider if his survival is at stake. A direct attack on NATO territory—perhaps through Lithuania to obtain a land corridor to the Kaliningrad exclave and cut off the Baltic States, should Russian forces find more success in Ukraine—is possible.

[Jolly]

Would Putin really open up that can of worms?

[George K]

@Jolly said in The Ukraine war thread:

Would Putin really open up that can of worms?

I think dipping his toe into the Ukrainian waters is precisely a test of how NATO would respond.

[Aqua Letifer]

@George-K said in The Ukraine war thread:

@Jolly said in The Ukraine war thread:

Would Putin really open up that can of worms?

I think dipping his toe into the Ukrainian waters is precisely a test of how NATO would respond.

Which is fine, but by dipping his toe he's almost drowning.

[Renauda]

@George-K said in The Ukraine war thread:

@Jolly said in The Ukraine war thread:

Would Putin really open up that can of worms?

I think dipping his toe into the Ukrainian waters is precisely a test of how NATO would respond.

True enough, I think deep down Putin understands that collectively NATO is a defensive alliance. His suspicions though are directed towards first the USA then the USA in alliance with the UK. His current war with Ukraine probably confirms his suspicions as the US and London tend to be taking the lead regarding sanctions, direct material defence aid and intelligence sharing in support of Ukraine.

And that’s a good thing, it may just lead him to the conclusion that he is far more vulnerable on all fronts than he was before he launched this war with the Western world.

[George K]

[jon-nyc]

[George K]

Read the thread...

[bachophile]

I’ve got some Crimean wine in my wine fridge. Gifted to me years ago.

I should open it one day to celebrate the fall of the red army.

[George K]

Russia turns off the gas to Poland and Bulgaria

Russia said it will stop natural gas flows to Poland and Bulgaria on Wednesday, making good on a threat to cut off buyers if they refuse Russian President Vladimir Putin’s demand to pay in rubles. European gas prices surged.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, seeking to revive diplomatic efforts to end the war more than two months after Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin hosted talks with officials from more than 40 countries at Ramstein Air Base in Germany to discuss ways of boosting weapons supplies to Ukraine. Violence flared in the nearby breakaway Transnistria region of Moldova.