Russia-Ukraine war and related tensions Megathread

[DINGO Joe]

Can someone explain to me how Starbucks or McDonald's "pulling out" of Russia works? Their stores in Russia are owned by franchisees who could very easily just keep their businesses open, using the same brand and menu items without the company's permission, right? It might be difficult for them to source the same products now due to the sanctions, but it's not like American corporations have ever had much legal recourse against Russian companies stealing their brands.

Russians know.  At least the ones that have money are very label/status conscious.  In their hearts they know it's a fraud.  And given it's Russians, I'm sure the product sucks too.

I'm actually serious about this.

[Storr]

lol

https://twitter.com/ukraine_world/status/1535895123212509184?s=20&t=ZRJBu6Mk...

[Person Man]

lol

https://twitter.com/ukraine_world/status/1535895123212509184?s=20&t=ZRJBu6Mk...

What a circus.

[DINGO Joe]

So, anyway I usually have sigs turned off, so I miss out out on much of the drama, but I recently turned it on briefly and randomly saw SirWoodbury's sig



So, I was curious and Google searched it and it a screen shot from an obscure (to me at least) Russian gangster movie from 20 years called Brother 2 or Brat 2.  So a quick a quick internet search sez that it was controversial for it's racism and dialogue promoting killing of Americans and Ukrainians.  It's also supposedly one of Putin's favorite movies and he quotes it frequently as do Russian fascists in general.

Is he trolling?  Is it part of his belief system?  Or maybe he's just some film auteur.  But a the very least the Mods and everyone should know the kind of person they are dealing with.

[Woody]

So, anyway I usually have sigs turned off, so I miss out out on much of the drama, but I recently turned it on briefly and randomly saw SirWoodbury's sig



So, I was curious and Google searched it and it a screen shot from an obscure (to me at least) Russian gangster movie from 20 years called Brother 2 or Brat 2.  So a quick a quick internet search sez that it was controversial for it's racism and dialogue promoting killing of Americans and Ukrainians.  It's also supposedly one of Putin's favorite movies and he quotes it frequently as do Russian fascists in general.

Is he trolling?  Is it part of his belief system?  Or maybe he's just some film auteur.  But a the very least the Mods and everyone should know the kind of person they are dealing with.

"Obscure" bro, you really need to do more than just google searches, literally any Russian on the street knows about the Brat franchise, and it's about as racist as the Sopranos is... this is the same energy as the Masha and the Bear thread lol.

And I think's it's f**ed up that many psychos quote it to use it on today's conflict.

[jaichind]

I saw the original Brat and Bart 2 in 2004.  Both are great movies.  I related better to Brat 2's message of patriotism and nationalism.

[DINGO Joe]

So, anyway I usually have sigs turned off, so I miss out out on much of the drama, but I recently turned it on briefly and randomly saw SirWoodbury's sig



So, I was curious and Google searched it and it a screen shot from an obscure (to me at least) Russian gangster movie from 20 years called Brother 2 or Brat 2.  So a quick a quick internet search sez that it was controversial for it's racism and dialogue promoting killing of Americans and Ukrainians.  It's also supposedly one of Putin's favorite movies and he quotes it frequently as do Russian fascists in general.

Is he trolling?  Is it part of his belief system?  Or maybe he's just some film auteur.  But a the very least the Mods and everyone should know the kind of person they are dealing with.

"Obscure" bro, you really need to do more than just google searches, literally any Russian on the street knows about the Brat franchise, and it's about as racist as the Sopranos is... this is the same energy as the Masha and the Bear thread lol.

And I think's it's f**ed up that many psychos quote it to use it on today's conflict.

OK it's not obscure to Russians, what's your point?

[DINGO Joe]

I saw the original Brat and Bart 2 in 2004.  Both are great movies.  I related better to Brat 2's message of patriotism and nationalism.

As  noted, it is very popular with Rascists.

[Mopsus]

So, anyway I usually have sigs turned off, so I miss out out on much of the drama, but I recently turned it on briefly and randomly saw SirWoodbury's sig



So, I was curious and Google searched it and it a screen shot from an obscure (to me at least) Russian gangster movie from 20 years called Brother 2 or Brat 2.  So a quick a quick internet search sez that it was controversial for it's racism and dialogue promoting killing of Americans and Ukrainians.  It's also supposedly one of Putin's favorite movies and he quotes it frequently as do Russian fascists in general.

Is he trolling?  Is it part of his belief system?  Or maybe he's just some film auteur.  But a the very least the Mods and everyone should know the kind of person they are dealing with.

I always assumed that was Elliot Rodger.

[Woody]

It's supposed to portray your typical Russian gangster who has ignorant/simpleton views on the world. Like Chase's portrayal of Tony Soprano and Italian-Americans machoism, the point isn't to glorify both of them.

Edit: I only like this sig because I think with him holding the cig with the Chicago skyline in the background is badass lol.. tbh I actually think both movies are overrated.

[Storr]

Big if true:

https://twitter.com/WarMonitor3/status/1536054047874113542?s=20&t=1RWjBMmTsz...

[DINGO Joe]

https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1536101470717845504

This is the Russian mobilization.  Old cannon-fodder equip with WW1 helmets.


And they post it.  Isn't this a war crime?

[Storr]

https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1536101470717845504

This is the Russian mobilization.  Old cannon-fodder equip with WW1 helmets.


And they post it.  Isn't this a war crime?

Relevant:


"Russia seems to be looking to Donetsk and Luhansk conscripts to make up for some of its own personnel limitations, given it has not mobilised its own population..."

"“Everybody is getting called up, we’re going to be left without a future,” somebody wrote under the memorial post for a former karate teacher killed last week. “Teachers are dying, sports coaches, tractor drivers,” wrote another. “What will our future look like? Rest in peace.”"


https://twitter.com/maxseddon/status/1535994457929170948?s=20&t=P-npXw1rd9l0...

[DINGO Joe]

I mean, do they not even get ammo for their guns?  It seems like you could just frag whoever is sort of in charge and take off.

[Hindsight was 2020]

https://mobile.twitter.com/TheStudyofWar/status/1536122095754792961

[Storr]

Hmmmm...

https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1536089716822626307?s=20&t=_Vh2n9...

[DINGO Joe]

Big if true:

https://twitter.com/WarMonitor3/status/1536054047874113542?s=20&t=1RWjBMmTsz...

Yeah, the always barely decipherable Girkin has been posting the Firms maps of Izyium and doing the whole hmmm thing for awhile

[Storr]

Big if true:

https://twitter.com/WarMonitor3/status/1536054047874113542?s=20&t=1RWjBMmTsz...

Yeah, the always barely decipherable Girkin has been posting the Firms maps of Izyium and doing the whole hmmm thing for awhile

I stumbled upon a blog where an Estonian guy translates Russian military phone call intercepts released by Ukrainian intelligence and Russian blogs/accounts about the war, half of which are Girkin's doomposts. His most recent opinion posts is simply titled: Why is Igor Girkin still alive? He talks about why Girkin has been able to be so open in his criticism of the Russian high command and whether we can believe and should listen to what Girkin says.

[DINGO Joe]

Big if true:

https://twitter.com/WarMonitor3/status/1536054047874113542?s=20&t=1RWjBMmTsz...

Yeah, the always barely decipherable Girkin has been posting the Firms maps of Izyium and doing the whole hmmm thing for awhile

I stumbled upon a blog where an Estonian guy translates Russian military phone call intercepts released by Ukrainian intelligence and Russian blogs/accounts about the war, half of which are Girkin's doomposts. His most recent opinion posts is simply titled: Why is Igor Girkin still alive? He talks about why Girkin has been able to be so open in his criticism of the Russian high command and whether we can believe and should listen to what Girkin says.

Yeah, I see Dmitri on twitter too, but had never read that blog.  I can assure you I've never thought Girkin to be pro-Ukraine, whether it's personal bitterness that he thinks he could do better or his byzantine role within the FSB I certainly take his posts with a grain of salt.  Plus the fact that his posts almost always lose something in the translation, well there's many a WTF moment when perusing his tweets, and why I'd almost never be willing to post them here.

[Storr]

This video was taken from somewhere the western side of the Siverskyi Donets River, which is on higher ground than Severodonetsk.

https://twitter.com/serhey_hayday/status/1534634631517155328?s=20&t=mmE9imIO...

https://twitter.com/Nrg8000/status/1534552766831788032?s=20&t=_oa6wAZnzy74s5...

https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1536209114233290753?s=20&t=YL4KZXm74_a0uJ...

[Badger]

Can someone explain to me how Starbucks or McDonald's "pulling out" of Russia works? Their stores in Russia are owned by franchisees who could very easily just keep their businesses open, using the same brand and menu items without the company's permission, right? It might be difficult for them to source the same products now due to the sanctions, but it's not like American corporations have ever had much legal recourse against Russian companies stealing their brands.

That's basically exactly what happened.

With one very big impact. Not only will these two individual companies be very reluctant to reintegrate with Russia, at least barring some financial compensation for franchisees violating all their contracts with the parent Corporation, the bad effect and suspicion and reluctance to invest is going to go across the board to pretty much every other Western company out there.

Just like companies are not about to invest in a country where there is at a significant risk or history of the government simply nationalizing the company in season the Western company's assets, the same sort of unredeemed and unremitted breach of contract that effectively does the same thing is going to be just as unappetizing. Russia is really effing itself.

[jaichind]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-06-13/us-quietly-urges-russia-fertilizer-deals-to-unlock-grain-trade

"US Quietly Urges Russia Fertilizer Deals to Unlock Grain Trade"

[Storr]

"finally help from Japan"

https://twitter.com/reformovane_zsu/status/1536337592651751424?s=20&t=qDtoGU...

[NOVA Green]

Surprised nobody posted it yet, but appears that the last bridge to Severodonetsk has now been destroyed:

Severodonetsk, a besieged city central to the Kremlin’s goal of capturing eastern Ukraine, is effectively cut off after the last bridge was destroyed — making it impossible for humanitarian convoys to enter and refugees to get out, according to the regional governor.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/06/13/russia-ukraine-war-putin-news-live-updates/#link-5ZCH75COBFDA7NWKZ6F2JWFQLU

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

An update on tanks.

More footage has emerged of Russian T-80 B- and BV-mod tanks being pulled out of storage. These modifications are from the 1980s, but the tanks are viable - doubly so against Ukraine. Michael Kofman's analysis seems to imply that (for its remaining tank crews) Russia will not resort to frontline use of T-62s for some time, instead keeping them with reservists or sending them to the LDPR gangs. He thinks the degradation of Russian equipment (as opposed to personnel) will hit harder with infantry fighting vehicles.

For its part, Ukraine has also been managing to resurrect older tanks in storage. In addition to the replacement tanks it is getting from Eastern Europe (older/weaker modification tanks with a few essential upgrades), it has revived T-72 tanks with modifications from the 1970s. Up to a point, bad tanks are better than no tanks.

The most interesting development is this:

https://twitter.com/UAWeapons/status/1534945728035962886
The Bulgarian government is not sending arms to Ukraine - one of its government's parties objects to this. However, Bulgarian "repair" of Ukrainian equipment might be interpreted in the style of a ship of Theseus, and there is nothing stopping them from selling to other European countries which then give that equipment to Ukraine. There are rumours that, as a European manufacturer of Russian artillery ammunition, their defence industry is making a tidy sum.