Russia-Ukraine war and related tensions Megathread

[Storr]

Why are there no machine guns mounted on the vehicle turrets?? And they left them without a sentry and the doors still open...on what looks to be a busy city street? This push into Kharkiv is really weird. https://twitter.com/IntelDoge/status/1497825213584658432?s=20&t=j1zRpRV5D8v-...

[Storr]

Let us hope their operation in Kharkiv continues to go poorly. 

https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1497827508036669440?s=20&t=j1zRpRV5D...

[Meclazine for Israel]

Sanctions just got real for the Russians.

[Storr]

Please continue to waste your ammo on soviet era static displays:

https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1497831574116651008?s=20&t=pF4iPS7...

[soundchaser]

Jesus, that’s Keystone Cops level incompetence. I’m impressed they managed to knock out the street light at all.

[Badger]

Please continue to waste your ammo on soviet era static displays:

https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1497831574116651008?s=20&t=pF4iPS7...

 These videos should have yakkity sax (aka the Benny Hill theme) playing as a soundtrack.

[Storr]

Let us hope their operation in Kharkiv continues to go poorly. 

<tweet snip>

Who could have seen this coming?

https://twitter.com/worldonalert/status/1497830721960001536?s=20&t=j1zRpRV5D...

[Aurelius]

The ever strong Ukraine-New Jersey alliance: https://twitter.com/Ukraine/status/1497712275402235907?s=20&t=8ZMsliRwDI1vig...

We need to hear bronz's thoughts on this

It's only natural that people want to live with people who are like themselves. Russians should get a place to live with other Russians, Ukrainians should get a place to live with other Ukrainians, and they should leave each other alone and live in peace. What's so wrong with that?

[Aurelius]

https://twitter.com/fatimatlis/status/1497797874771451905
Hopefully true

VOA, so I'm skeptical. Hoping that it's true though. Would love to see further confirmation.

[Splash]

https://twitter.com/IAPonomarenko/status/1497838123518156803

[Omega21]

PLEASE remain sceptical of all Info until verified

This account has been debunking Russian and Ukrainian propaganda

https://twitter.com/RussiaUSA/status/1497573608213913602

https://twitter.com/RussiaUSA/status/1497573614404739074

[Gass3268]

Some twitter reports that there has been a run on banks in Russia this morning. Long lines of folks wanting to get their money out.

https://twitter.com/OlgaNYC1211/status/1497814400551559170?s=20&t=B5nhRuhiBn...

[Aurelius]

Sumy is a major victory for Ukraine. Kyiv surviving last night also was stunning.

On the flip side, Russia’s taking of Gostomel airbase may doom Kyiv tonight and of course all those troops near Brest are going for an attack on the West where there aren’t so many troops.

I fear that all the people who fled west to Lviv and didn't continue into Poland or Slovakia or Hungary will be in for a nasty surprise soon.

If I were in charge of Ukraine's military strategy, I'd be massing troops and equipment behind the mountains around Uzhhorod to prepare for a last stand in Ukraine's one true natural citadel, as a fallback for if/when Kyiv and other major cities fall.

The terrain of Ukraine is as flat as the American Midwest (North European Plain, remember), and that allows for an army built like the Russians to advance pretty quickly...if they want to. At least, the terrain is permitting for that sort of thing.

Mostly yes. The eastern 2/3 is very flat. The western 1/3 has scattered hills, valleys, and ravines. And the far western 2-3% of the territory is tucked behind 6,000 ft high mountains, creating a nice natural fortress.

That's partly what I'm getting at actually. Ukraine has its own version of the Driftless (quite hilly terrain and all), but it's mostly flat.
The only really major thing that it has that the Midwest really doesn't an equivalent of, is the Carpathians.

You're right. Ukraine is a midwestern state: South Dakota. And South Dakota is a European nation: Ukraine.

Very flat eastern half? Check. Moderately more rugged western half? Check. Mountain range in the far west? Black Hills :: Carpathians. Elevation of highest mountain? 7,244 ft :: 6,762 feet. Big river running down the middle splitting it in half? Missouri :: Dnieper. A series of big reservoirs along that river? Check. Capital city on that river? Check. Eastern half is richer than western half? Check. Western half is one of the poorest places in its country :: continent? Check. Eastern half is more socially conservative? Check. Western half is more economically conservative? Check. Well known for corn and wheat agriculture? Check. Ethnic minorities in concentrated parts of the western half? Lakota, Dakota :: Hungarians, Bulgarians.

Mind. Blown.

[Omega21]

Some twitter reports that there has been a run on banks in Russia this morning. Long lines of folks wanting to get their money out.

https://twitter.com/OlgaNYC1211/status/1497814400551559170?s=20&t=B5nhRuhiBn...

They should go big on foreign currencies or Crypto if foreign currencies are not available, the Rouble might literally become worthless if this draws out.

[Obama-Biden Democrat]

Infantry walking in utterly exposed with a few light vehicles in front, in broad daylight seems like not the best idea. https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1497823461510725632?s=20&t=6bRrpIGEe...

Putin and the Russian army are not the evil geniuses we had thought.

[Omega21]

Around 20 km from the Ukrainian defensive Line. Thermobaric likely being brought in to "soften" up the defenses.

https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1497839062132183042

[Storebought]

The Russian army is too small for its current task, which honestly I can't figure out. Did Putin at the last moment expand from a limited Donbas operation supporting the "insurgents" to an all-Ukraine regime-change operation that left his own army confused about its mission? There also seem to be rules of engagement issues.

But this is speculation on an invasion that isn't even a week old yet. Do people expect all modern wars to be like Israel's Six Day War?

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

The Russian army is too small for its current task, which honestly I can't figure out. Did Putin at the last moment expand from a limited Donbas operation supporting the "insurgents" to an all-Ukraine regime-change operation that left his own army confused about its mission? There also seem to be rules of engagement issues.

But this is speculation on an invasion that isn't even a week old yet. Do people expect all modern wars to be like Israel's Six Day War?

Certainly everything would be making more sense right now if Putin decided it was time to annex Donbas and leave it at that.

[Splash]

https://twitter.com/DmytroKuleba/status/1497840669066502145

If this war drags on long enough, could we see something similar to the 1936-39 Spanish Civil War, with foreign volunteers partaking in a non-negligible number? 

[Yoda]

I've been so impressed and humbled by the unity and strength of the Ukrainian people. I mean, the billionaire former president is still in the country and is fighting.

Imagine that happening here? It would never. America looks pretty pathetic at the moment.

I mean, yeh, you're not wrong. Their president is in the middle of a warzone where he will most likely, sooner or later, face certain death by Putin's die-hard death squad.

Here in the US, Ted Cruz flew to Cancun after some snow knocked out power in his state. I'm so embarrassed that republicans are seen by the rest of the world and we are judged by their actions.

[John Dule]

Robux are now officially worth more than Rubles.

[Yoda]

I don't know, is it just me or does it seem that all dams are breaking in recent hours? All the sanctions, a protest wave across the globe and the boycotts. I really wonder whether Putin expected this as well as the immense and brave resistance of Ukraine?

I'm glad the German government finally came along. Should have done so much earlier. We were delusional about Russia all too long, all political parties from left to right.

Stronger-than-expected Ukranian resistance/small victories, the international community coming to it's sense and getting serious with military aid and brutal sanctions, protests growing in Russia, Zelensky's bravery in not leaving and smart social media game, what seems to me like booming Ukranian national pride and identity.....

I'm just seriously praying it all adds up to something?

People I work with and friends who usually don't follow politics and international affairs are suddenly glued to news of this war. They're blown away by Zelensky and the Ukranians; I can't emphasize this enough. "That's the hardest sh**t I've ever seen", (re Zelensky's "I'm still here" video) "That dude is a f****** DAWG", "He's a f****** gangster" is what I am hearing constantly. He's winning hearts and minds like crazy. Again, I just hope it all adds up to something that is going to help actually save Ukraine from being conquered....

[Meclazine for Israel]

Anybody got any live webcams on Kharkov or Kiev?

Webcam from Kiev

https://youtu.be/telyOXdlTQM

That one is a bit narrow.

[Meclazine for Israel]

"Foreigners willing to defend Ukraine and world order as part of the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine, I invite you to contact foreign diplomatic missions of Ukraine in your respective countries. Together we defeated Hitler, and we will defeat Putin, too."

I would advise against it, although it would be the adventure of a lifetime.

Russia has not pulled out the big weapons yet.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

It's been a while since we've had an "Ignore western media & pro-Ukraine Twitter, a dominant & successful Russian victory is inevitable" post by the usual suspects.

Even if Kiev falls & Ukraine is conquered, this 'Russian victory' looks more Pyrrhic with each day this continues:

Perhaps the Russian flag will fly over Kyiv in a couple of weeks, but then what? Putin will have to devote vast amounts of resources to pacifying almost 40 million new subjects who had been using his name as a profanity, and who had humiliated him by putting up a much stronger than expected resistance. Meanwhile, Russia's domestic economy will be imploding, and no amount of Chinese aid could save Putin from the consequences of his own recklessness. The longer that goes on, the likelier the chance that Putin will fall from a window overlooking Red Square.

I dunno who you are talking about here. But I was the first person (that I know of) who posited the possibility of a Ukrainian victory.