Russia-Ukraine war and related tensions Megathread

[Woody]

The only thing I can find so far is that Russian Telegram channels are saying the AFU is attacking south of Orikhiv/Orekhov, towards Rabotyne (Zaporizhzhia).

[oldtimer]

What? Is he saying that the counter-offensive has begun??:

https://twitter.com/DefMon3/status/1653774726999801858?cxt=HHwWhIC81cTWsfMtAAAA

It probably began many days ago when they crossed the Dnieper.

They are just gradually expanding the attacks on the front in order to not wake sleeping beauty in the kremlin.

[Woody]

What? Is he saying that the counter-offensive has begun??:

https://twitter.com/DefMon3/status/1653774726999801858?cxt=HHwWhIC81cTWsfMtAAAA

It probably began many days ago when they crossed the Dnieper.

They are just gradually expanding the attacks on the front in order to not wake sleeping beauty in the kremlin.

My man, the Dnieper crossings have been happening for 6 months now. It's a tug of war where each side has been landing on swamps and doing recon, then proceed to go back.

[Hindsight was 2020]

https://twitter.com/thedeaddistrict/status/1653815540102709248?s=46
Interesting 🧐

Tweet already deleted. What did it say?

It’s not deleted for some reason the twitter links aren’t working right now but it was showing Russian on telegram saying 100 Russian soldiers have been surrounded in the town of Bilohorivka

[MasterJedi]

Oh Putin, if the West or Ukraine wanted you dead, you would be. No need to stage fake attacks when a sniper can easily do the job. The difference is the west no longer assasinates heads of state, they're not you.

[Virginiá]

US aid announcements getting stingier with specifics (for good reason, but still)

https://twitter.com/bayraktar_1love/status/1653826844884443138

[Woody]

https://twitter.com/WarMonitors/status/1653830292774199320?cxt=HHwWsICx-fH4yvMtA...

[Woody]

Russian MLRS (supposedly near Polohy, east of Orikhiv/Orekhov)

https://twitter.com/squatsons/status/1653833788907192320?cxt=HHwWgIDQlbLEzPMtAAA...

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

https://twitter.com/thedeaddistrict/status/1653815540102709248?s=46
Interesting 🧐

Tweet already deleted. What did it say?

It’s not deleted for some reason the twitter links aren’t working right now but it was showing Russian on telegram saying 100 Russian soldiers have been surrounded in the town of Bilohorivka

Ah.

[Storr]

https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1653839397458944009?s=20

They shelled a supermarket:

https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1653690106857807873?s=20

[Hindsight was 2020]

https://twitter.com/warmonitor3/status/1653850714936836098?s=12

[Storr]

My thoughts on the drone attack on the Kremlin is basically summed up in these tweets:

https://twitter.com/albats/status/1653828708803780609?s=20

https://twitter.com/NeilPHauer/status/1653853433529614340?s=20

[lfromnj]

Not too different from the Mathias Rust failure .

[Storr]

Bonus DarkPutinKGB tweet. I swear this is one of the best twitter accounts:

https://twitter.com/DarthPutinKGB/status/1653739650865852416?s=20

[AndyHogan14]

https://twitter.com/thedeaddistrict/status/1653815540102709248?s=46
Interesting 🧐

Tweet already deleted. What did it say?

It’s not deleted for some reason the twitter links aren’t working right now but it was showing Russian on telegram saying 100 Russian soldiers have been surrounded in the town of Bilohorivka

Ah.

Bilohorivka actually was recaptured by Russia? I know Ukraine took it back as a result of the September counteroffensive and Russia claimed to have taken it back in February, but I thought that that was supposedly false. Good ol' fashioned fog of war I suppose...

[Hindsight was 2020]

https://twitter.com/thedeaddistrict/status/1653815540102709248?s=46
Interesting 🧐

Tweet already deleted. What did it say?

It’s not deleted for some reason the twitter links aren’t working right now but it was showing Russian on telegram saying 100 Russian soldiers have been surrounded in the town of Bilohorivka

Ah.

Bilohorivka actually was recaptured by Russia? I know Ukraine took it back as a result of the September counteroffensive and Russia claimed to have taken it back in February, but I thought that that was supposedly false. Good ol' fashioned fog of war I suppose...

https://twitter.com/andrewperpetua/status/1653847907475267586?s=12

[Woody]

https://twitter.com/thedeaddistrict/status/1653815540102709248?s=46
Interesting 🧐

Tweet already deleted. What did it say?

It’s not deleted for some reason the twitter links aren’t working right now but it was showing Russian on telegram saying 100 Russian soldiers have been surrounded in the town of Bilohorivka

Ah.

Bilohorivka actually was recaptured by Russia? I know Ukraine took it back as a result of the September counteroffensive and Russia claimed to have taken it back in February, but I thought that that was supposedly false. Good ol' fashioned fog of war I suppose...

Bilohorivka was never recaptured. It's been under Ukrainian control since September. They are talking about a recent industrial part that was recaptured by some Russians near the town, supposedly it's supply line there is under fire.

[AndyHogan14]

https://twitter.com/thedeaddistrict/status/1653815540102709248?s=46
Interesting 🧐

Tweet already deleted. What did it say?

It’s not deleted for some reason the twitter links aren’t working right now but it was showing Russian on telegram saying 100 Russian soldiers have been surrounded in the town of Bilohorivka

Ah.

Bilohorivka actually was recaptured by Russia? I know Ukraine took it back as a result of the September counteroffensive and Russia claimed to have taken it back in February, but I thought that that was supposedly false. Good ol' fashioned fog of war I suppose...

Bilohorivka was never recaptured. It's been under Ukrainian control since September. They are talking about a recent industrial part that was recaptured by some Russians near the town, supposedly it's supply line there is under fire.

Ah, that makes sense. Thanks.

[Storr]

https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1653839397458944009?s=20

They shelled a supermarket:

https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1653690106857807873?s=20

Terrorism:
https://twitter.com/AlexPanchenko2/status/1653811994489761803?s=20

https://twitter.com/Biz_Ukraine_Mag/status/1653871615845728256?s=20/tweet][tweet...

[Storr]

"Ukraine is required by the Americans only as an object of merciless exploitation of existing natural resources without a traditional population. Following such a neo-Nazi line, Washington has already turned it into a territory that millions of people are leaving en masse, seeking protection abroad from socio-economic problems and pro-fascist oppression. 30 years of upheavals organized by Washington in Ukraine have led to a halving of the population. And today the White House easily goes to continue the war with Russia to the last Ukrainian. At the same time, the preservation of Ukraine as a state is not included in the plans of the United States."

https://twitter.com/SamRamani2/status/1653838878858420255?s=20

https://twitter.com/SamRamani2/status/1653839371177435148?s=20

https://twitter.com/SamRamani2/status/1653839950536757249?s=20

https://twitter.com/SamRamani2/status/1653840994964590593?s=20

https://twitter.com/SamRamani2/status/1653841767463092224?s=20

https://twitter.com/SamRamani2/status/1653842577743912965?s=20

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

https://twitter.com/SamRamani2/status/1653838878858420255?s=20
*snip*

Most of the article reads like the result of the usual chauvinist brainworms, but I love how the ending suddenly pivots into "...and this is happening because America plans to evacuate to an occupied Russia when Yellowstone erupts."

[Torie]

This squib that popped up in the NYT caught my eye. If Putin thinks it a good idea to just bring it to NATO directly by blowing up its undersea infrastructure, then he truly has gone nutter.

"Moscow is actively mapping NATO’s critical infrastructure systems and could target the undersea cables that help provide Western nations with everything from internet service to gas supplies, NATO’s top intelligence official warned on Wednesday.

'There is “significant” risk that Russia could pursue such sabotage to “disrupt Western life and gain leverage against those nations that are providing support to Ukraine,” NATO’s assistant secretary general for intelligence and security, David Cattler, told reporters."

[John Dule]

I’m shocked Wagner isn’t a reliable source of information

You sure? Because not long ago you were quoting the same man like crazy when he was fearmongering.

Yes, I'm completely sure Wagner PMC is not a reliable source for a conflict that Wagner PMC is fighting in.

This logic is not inherently wrong, but it needs to be applied equally.

Ukraine is a democratic country, Wagner is a PMC staffed by convicts.

You think militaries in countries arbitrarily labelled as "democratic" are suddenly less likely to make things up or deny things?
You sweet, summer child...

Yes. Having a free press ensures less graft and corruption within the armed forces. Putin learned this last year when he discovered the truth of just how ineffective his military is.

Ukraine probably has a more transparent officer corp within the military but they absolutely do make up random propaganda for the media which are obvious lies. Nothing wrong but ots whats happening

Sure. The fact remains that they're less likely to make things up than Russia.

How would you know, you're a guy from California.

And I understand the incentive structures at play in authoritarian regimes. When you don't have a free press, it's much easier for your government to spread false narratives and lies. As if to prove my point, look at the false flag operation carried out at the Kremlin.

[Storr]

I'm surprised Russia's declining global press freedom index rating was even reported on. Interestingly Russia was placed #164, right above #165 Turkey:

https://twitter.com/BBCSteveR/status/1653678756819599360?s=20

[Storr]

Another Russian oil refinery on fire:

Location of refinery

https://twitter.com/IntelCrab/status/1653926131731509251?s=20