Russia-Ukraine war and related tensions Megathread

[afleitch]

Plus 'Ucranium' is a based name.

[2952-0-0]

Buying into German and Polish equities late last year, when everyone was dooming about Europe freezing in the dark, was the best investment I've made. I'm sure our pro-Russian posters on this thread are kicking themselves.

https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/after-long-cold-year-investors-are-flocking-back-europe-2023-01-24/

[Middle-aged Europe]

SPIEGEL reports that a company (which would amount to 14 tanks) of Leopard 2A6 will be send to Ukraine by Germany, and that export requests from other countries will also be approved.

I suppose Scholz' arms are so twisted now that they have practically been pulled out of their sockets by the Greens, the FDP, the media, Poland, the Baltic states, and the U.S.

I never understood his caution here. Haven't we still not learned that appeasement politics doesn't work with Putin? He only understands strength and determination. It was definitely no unsolvable logistical problem.

Most importantly, this looks like a political defeat for Scholz now, when he could have been a leader instead.

How's public opinion on the question? I suppose there's a major divide between East (former East Germany) and West?

Infratest-dimap, Jan. 19:

46% in favour of sending Leopards, 43% against it.

You're correct about the regional split.

West: 50/38
East: 32/59

[Middle-aged Europe]

https://twitter.com/NBCNews/status/1618294718923739152?t=bFCurxV4vUMtba_D0sS_0w&...

[Tintrlvr]

Was “freedom fries” a “cultural revolution?”

For me, yes.  When I heard of it I thought it was one of the stupidest things I have ever heard.  If a political movement is reduced to renaming things and tearing down monuments/statues usually it is a sign that it's tapped out and is running out of meaningful progress that it can make.

And how is that analogous to a political movement that killed millions?

While I agree that this is stupid (just like Freedom Fries was), comparing the Cultural Revolution to renaming a synthetic element which was only discovered in 2003 and which only exists for less than a second when synthesized dangerously and disingenuously trivializes the former.

And comparing it to "Freedom Fries" when the most France did to the U.S. was hurt George W. Bush's fee-fees is trivializing the war in Ukraine (to be clear, this is ridiculing the criticism of this change).

[Antonio the Sixth]

https://twitter.com/NBCNews/status/1618294718923739152?t=bFCurxV4vUMtba_D0sS_0w&...

"It will take time" without any specifics on how much time is not a great sign.

[Isaak]

SPIEGEL reports that a company (which would amount to 14 tanks) of Leopard 2A6 will be send to Ukraine by Germany, and that export requests from other countries will also be approved.

I suppose Scholz' arms are so twisted now that they have practically been pulled out of their sockets by the Greens, the FDP, the media, Poland, the Baltic states, and the U.S.

I never understood his caution here. Haven't we still not learned that appeasement politics doesn't work with Putin? He only understands strength and determination. It was definitely no unsolvable logistical problem.

Most importantly, this looks like a political defeat for Scholz now, when he could have been a leader instead.

I disagree.

It is well known that leading figures within the SPD's parliamentary group are quite uncomfortable with the whole idea of delivering tanks to Ukraine. Just think about Rolf Mützenich (who attacked Scholz's critics today for their "premature judgment") and other influential 'anti-militarists' who have the power to cause a lot of intra-party trouble. Scholz cannot afford to ignore them just to please the Americans and his coalition partners. (Not even to speak about public opinion being divided on this matter.)

To be honest, it's amusing that people still think that Olaf Scholz doesn't get it. He absolutely does.

[Middle-aged Europe]

[John Dule]

I think the reference to the Chinese Cultural revolution flew over his head.

Where did I give any indication that I didn't get the reference?

And comparing it to "Freedom Fries" when the most France did to the U.S. was hurt George W. Bush's fee-fees is trivializing the war in Ukraine (to be clear, this is ridiculing the criticism of this change).

... The point is that whining about renaming stuff is itself trivial. Did you actually think I was comparing Russia's behavior today to France's behavior during the Iraq War?



Both of you guys need to work on your reading comprehension.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

This "rename Moscovium" thing is...muy estupido. Hilariously sad to see the narcissism of small differences here, though it's not surprising human pyschology.

[Storr]

https://twitter.com/michaeldweiss/status/1618005141365620738?s=20&t=CRUhR9c6...

Edit: Included a more recently updated list of Western tanks to be supplied to Ukraine.
https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1618291481453756416?s=20&t=CRUhR9...

[Storr]

Calling Boris Pistorius, Olaf Scholz, and Annalena Baerbock Nazis is so ridiculous, I can't help but find humor in it.

https://twitter.com/francis_scarr/status/1618010872995270657?s=20&t=B3kid9gs...

This guy is team Zelensky's wet dream.

More from Solovyov:

https://twitter.com/francis_scarr/status/1618163610144100354?s=20&t=CRUhR9c6...

https://twitter.com/francis_scarr/status/1618235796217278464?s=20&t=CRUhR9c6...

And this quote from some other dude on Russia 1 because......what?

https://twitter.com/francis_scarr/status/1618279046688944128?s=20&t=CRUhR9c6...

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Calling Boris Pistorius, Olaf Scholz, and Annalena Baerbock Nazis is so ridiculous, I can't help but find humor in it.

https://twitter.com/francis_scarr/status/1618010872995270657?s=20&t=B3kid9gs...

This guy is team Zelensky's wet dream.

More from Solovyov:

https://twitter.com/francis_scarr/status/1618163610144100354?s=20&t=CRUhR9c6...
https://twitter.com/francis_scarr/status/1618235796217278464?s=20&t=CRUhR9c6...
And this quote from some other dude on Russia 1 because......what?

https://twitter.com/francis_scarr/status/1618279046688944128?s=20&t=CRUhR9c6...

If Hitler was alive today, he might be bewildered at the extent to which the name of his movement still has enough paucity to be used as an insult in Russia more than eighty years after Barbarossa was launched.

[Tintrlvr]

I think the reference to the Chinese Cultural revolution flew over his head.

Where did I give any indication that I didn't get the reference?

And comparing it to "Freedom Fries" when the most France did to the U.S. was hurt George W. Bush's fee-fees is trivializing the war in Ukraine (to be clear, this is ridiculing the criticism of this change).

... The point is that whining about renaming stuff is itself trivial. Did you actually think I was comparing Russia's behavior today to France's behavior during the Iraq War?



Both of you guys need to work on your reading comprehension.

I was ridiculing him, not you.

[Storr]

[tweet snip]

Edit: Included a more recently updated list of Western tanks to be supplied to Ukraine.
https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1618291481453756416?s=20&t=CRUhR9...

Chad Netherlands:

https://twitter.com/oryxspioenkop/status/1618279887336505351?s=20&t=CRUhR9c6...

[President Johnson]

Calling Boris Pistorius, Olaf Scholz, and Annalena Baerbock Nazis is so ridiculous, I can't help but find humor in it.

https://twitter.com/francis_scarr/status/1618010872995270657?s=20&t=B3kid9gs...

I gotta say, he's actually good in spelling their names!

[Mopsus]

Can only imagine the Russian response to German tank news is a variation on the following:
https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/870/771/f1e.png

You could say in a way that Russia is demilitarizing NATO of it's stocks, along with Ukraine.

You could (and you would, since it’s been a pro-Russia talking point online for months). We’ll see who has an easier time replenishing their stocks.

[Torie]

Is "reviving the GDR," a way of saying that Russia will invade the former East Germany and take it back? What are its plans for West Berlin?

[AndyHogan14]

Is "reviving the GDR," a way of saying that Russia will invade the former East Germany and take it back? What are its plans for West Berlin?

I suppose they could recreate the old GDR in the former German territory of Königsberg and East Prussia.

[Torie]

Is "reviving the GDR," a way of saying that Russia will invade the former East Germany and take it back? What are its plans for West Berlin?

I suppose they could recreate the old GDR in the former German territory of Königsberg and East Prussia.

Poor Poland, erased from the map yet again.

[Woody]

RU has been escalating it's mini-offensives during these last few days in different parts of the front, most likely prepping up for spring. In under 24 hours they launched another "surprise" attack. This time towards Vuhledar, reaching it's outskirts for the first time.

https://twitter.com/Suriyakmaps/status/1618304975750463488
https://twitter.com/Ghost132607472/status/1618344196246769666
https://twitter.com/DefMon3/status/1618342248734937088

[Woody]

Air attacks/Shahed UAV wave happening right now:

https://twitter.com/MeridionaliAura/status/1618345786894614528
https://twitter.com/UkraineDiary/status/1618350807388426241
https://twitter.com/KarnaPetra/status/1618360153878974465
https://twitter.com/in20im/status/1618363661554446336

[Dereich]

RU has been escalating it's mini-offensives during these last few days in different parts of the front, most likely prepping up for spring. In under 24 hours they launched another "surprise" attack. This time towards Vuhledar, reaching it's outskirts for the first time.

So what is it going to be? Zaporozhye, Kharkiv, or Lviv/Kyiv through Belarus? You yourself have posted suggestions that Russia is planning some grand war-winning offensive on all of these routes this month. All during which Russia is STILL trying to advance towards Bakhmut, something you have been continuously posting about since May. Surely you must see that credulously posting literally anything that makes it look like Russia is about to achieve some success, virtually none of which appear to be accurate, erodes your credibility and discredits your judgment.

[Woody]

RU has been escalating it's mini-offensives during these last few days in different parts of the front, most likely prepping up for spring. In under 24 hours they launched another "surprise" attack. This time towards Vuhledar, reaching it's outskirts for the first time.

So what is it going to be? Zaporozhye, Kharkiv, or Lviv/Kyiv through Belarus?

IDK. Doesn't matter. Not a matter of if, but when.  

After Putin signed the mobilization order, it was over for Ukraine. It's only gonna get uglier from here on out on the battlefield map.

[Ashley Biden's Diary]

RU has been escalating it's mini-offensives during these last few days in different parts of the front, most likely prepping up for spring. In under 24 hours they launched another "surprise" attack. This time towards Vuhledar, reaching it's outskirts for the first time.

So what is it going to be? Zaporozhye, Kharkiv, or Lviv/Kyiv through Belarus?

IDK. Doesn't matter. Not a matter of if, but when.  


After Putin signed the mobilization order, it was over for Ukraine. It's only gonna get uglier from here on out on the battlefield map.

If you ignore the piss poor quality of Russian soldiers, I guess.