Russia-Ukraine war and related tensions Megathread

[Mopsus]

Unfortunately this is just delaying the inevitable as mobilization continues. Ukrainians has exhausted so much of their offensive capabilities despite it being in wartime on flatland close to the border which makes it prone to future incursions by Russia, instead of going for Kherson or the populated areas of Donetsk. And with winter coming up Russians have serious time to at least make their troops combat ready, during the end of winter/start of spring Russia will have solved the manpower problems.

A war of attrition is going to be in favor of Russia.

Because wars of attrition typically benefit the invading army, right?

[Kahane's Grave Is A Gender-Neutral Bathroom]

Seemed relevant.

[Splash]

Meanwhile, the United States announced another $1.1 billion weapons transfer to Ukraine, including 18 additional HIMARS, which will more than double Ukraine's current capacity.

Pentagon announces an additional $1.1 billion in security assistance to Ukraine - CNN

The US Department of Defense announced an additional $1.1 billion in security assistance for Ukraine under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, meaning the money will be spent to manufacture and provide new weapons to Ukraine. These weapons will not come directly from pre-existing US stocks of weapons.

Eighteen High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and “associated ammunitions,” are included in the package, the release states.

The package also includes 150 Armored High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles, 40 trucks and 80 trailers to “transport heavy equipment,” additional radars for Unmanned Aerial Systems, among other items.

[Splash]

Also, here is a useful summary of the Pentagon's recent budget realignment, which shows that they are spending considerable sums to replenish munition stocks and increase production capacity.

https://twitter.com/noclador/status/1574606905363898387

[Sestak]

Why not just rig it with like 60% in favor and then being able to at least pretend it's legitimate numbers?

That would imply that 40% of the population wants to remain with Ukraine. Russians ambivalent about the war would be like "What, so it's almost split 50/50? Why did my nephew have to die for this?". Russia is not a democratic culture.

If I were Putin I'd have set the numbers at 85-90%. 98% is enough to make Saddam blush, and 60% is problematic for the reasons you said.

*Price is Right fail sound*

[Storr]

https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1575197790401007616?s=20&t=oKGvUu...

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1575197790401007616?s=20&t=oKGvUu...

EPIC FAIL

[Storr]

https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1575197790401007616?s=20&t=oKGvUu...

EPIC FAIL

Meanwhile on RT:

https://twitter.com/EliotHiggins/status/1575116174660177920?s=20&t=D_36a5-If...

[NOVA Green]

From the Defense Editor at The Economist from a story posted in The Times:

https://twitter.com/shashj/status/1575199686658433024?s=20&t=oebB4lWitE7IwpZ...

https://twitter.com/shashj/status/1575199790962384896?s=20&t=oebB4lWitE7IwpZ...

[Person Man]

https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1575197790401007616?s=20&t=oKGvUu...

The blood is in the water.

[Middle-aged Europe]

https://twitter.com/Jerusalem_Post/status/1575152961612877828


https://twitter.com/MailOnline/status/1575111492575305729


Okay, I think I'm inclined to call the pipleline bombing as a Russian false-flag operation. It's probably Putin's Gleiwitz incident.

A German Navy captain who was interviewed today basically implied that this was the third element in a three-fold Russian strategy consisting of the mass mobilization, the Donbas referendums, and the Nord Stream sabotage.

[NOVA Green]

A few more precision strikes in the Kherson Region:

https://twitter.com/GeoConfirmed/status/1575091621456388096?s=20&t=oebB4lWit...

https://twitter.com/GeoConfirmed/status/1575091634198392832?s=20&t=oebB4lWit...

https://twitter.com/GeoConfirmed/status/1575091640640802816?s=20&t=oebB4lWit...

[Hindsight was 2020]

Seemed relevant.

Tbf every time Woodbury posts some variation of “Ukraine defeat is coming!” Something horrible happens to Russia so I say keep up the jinxing Woodbury

[Kahane's Grave Is A Gender-Neutral Bathroom]

Seemed relevant.

Tbf every time Woodbury posts some variation of “Ukraine defeat is coming!” Something horrible happens to Russia so I say keep up the jinxing Woodbury

I mean with the quality of the Russian Armed Forces would we really be able to tell the difference?

[John Dule]

Final results of the referendums are in.

https://twitter.com/jacksonhinklle/status/1574866062125895680

[Middle-aged Europe]

https://twitter.com/OPylypovych/status/1575237621411782656

[jaichind]

I do not know who blew up the NS pipelines.  But I think everyone can agree that the side that did it is the side that is getting desperate.

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

Meanwhile, the United States announced another $1.1 billion weapons transfer to Ukraine, including 18 additional HIMARS, which will more than double Ukraine's current capacity.

Pentagon announces an additional $1.1 billion in security assistance to Ukraine - CNN

The US Department of Defense announced an additional $1.1 billion in security assistance for Ukraine under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, meaning the money will be spent to manufacture and provide new weapons to Ukraine. These weapons will not come directly from pre-existing US stocks of weapons.

Eighteen High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and “associated ammunitions,” are included in the package, the release states.

The package also includes 150 Armored High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles, 40 trucks and 80 trailers to “transport heavy equipment,” additional radars for Unmanned Aerial Systems, among other items.

Good news, but this time it's all coming from industry stocks - which means it's months or years away.

[Person Man]

I do not know who blew up the NS pipelines.  But I think everyone can agree that the side that did it is the side that is getting desperate.

God destroyed the pipeline.

[Middle-aged Europe]

I do not know who blew up the NS pipelines.  But I think everyone can agree that the side that did it is the side that is getting desperate.

And only non-desperate leaders are launching a "partial" mobilization against their own population's will after losing a good chunk of previously held Ukrainian territory, of course.

[jaichind]

I do not know who blew up the NS pipelines.  But I think everyone can agree that the side that did it is the side that is getting desperate.

And only non-desperate leaders are launching a "partial" mobilization against their own population's will after losing a good chunk of previously held Ukrainian territory, of course.

I said the side that did it is desperate, not that the side that did it is the only side that is desperate.

[Middle-aged Europe]

I do not know who blew up the NS pipelines.  But I think everyone can agree that the side that did it is the side that is getting desperate.

And only non-desperate leaders are launching a "partial" mobilization against their own population's will after losing a good chunk of previously held Ukrainian territory, of course.

I said the side that did it is desperate, not that the side that did it is the only side that is desperate.

BOTH SIDES DO IT ARE DESPERATE!

[HillGoose]

https://twitter.com/OPylypovych/status/1575237621411782656

tucker carlson is a commie basterd

he hates america so much idk why he even lives here

[Middle-aged Europe]

This must be about the 30th article I've seen on German media trying to explain "who did it":

https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/sabotage-an-nord-stream-leitungen-was-fur-eine-false-flag-aktion-russlands-spricht--und-was-dagegen-8693029.html

It starts out with "it was either Russia, Ukraine, or an ally of Ukraine" (no sh**t), but then the bulk of the remaining article tries to come up with motives for Russia blowing up the pipelines.

Motive #1: Nord Stream 1 had been out of operation for same time now, Russia explained that with "maintenance works". However, since you can't make that claim forever, they eventually needed to blow up the pipeline for good if they wanted to continue to withhold their gas deliveries.
(A continued interruption of the gas flow by the "maintenance work" would have created a legitimate reason for Germany to terminate their Gazprom contracts without having to pay a penalty. But now Russia can say that America did it.)

Motive #2: Blowing up the pipeline creates a need for the West (if they want to receive gas) to supply Russia with spare parts, hence undermining the sanctions and possibly creating a situation where sanctioned Gazprom assets are at least temporarily unfrozen. Interestingly, Russia had decided to shut down their land pipelines through Ukraine around the same time the Nord Streams blew up in the Baltic.

[Omega21]

I do not know who blew up the NS pipelines.  But I think everyone can agree that the side that did it is the side that is getting desperate.

And only non-desperate leaders are launching a "partial" mobilization against their own population's will after losing a good chunk of previously held Ukrainian territory, of course.

I said the side that did it is desperate, not that the side that did it is the only side that is desperate.

BOTH SIDES DO IT ARE DESPERATE!

Short and sweet:

USA - neutral to net positive impact of the war (EUR/GBP > USD transfer, EU industry moving to the US, American industry outcompeting EU etc.) 💸

The EU - f*d lol

Russia - Double f*d

India - Cashing in on neutrality 💸💸💸