Russia-Ukraine war and related tensions Megathread

[Woody]

Once again Russia has escalated the war they illegally started, and done so by inflicting massive damage on civilians.  But when Ukraine defends himself, a bunch of idiots will say that Ukraine is the warmongering country keeping the war going.  And when Putin once again saber-rattles with nuclear weapons, they'll say it's America and Ukraine's fault for not surrendering (a.k.a. "accepting Putin's peace terms").

Well, when you're going for the high road deploying suicide bombers isn't probably the brightest idea to court public opinion.

The Ukrainians don't need to court public opinion because every thinking person is already on their side.

Maybe in the latte-sipping west. But don't forget that vast majority of the third world still supports Russia or has a neutral stance, unfortunately.

Never been pro-Russia on this, just call out what I see.

[Woody]

Russia starts the day with another wave of air-attacks on energy, civilian, strategic targets.

https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1579819817825361920
https://twitter.com/Wegedadey/status/1579825750689349633
https://twitter.com/the4thkindanon/status/1579821258476134400

[2952-0-0]

Just to be clear.  The official ROC position is that Tannu Tuva which we call 唐努烏梁海 is part of Outer Mongolia which is a part of ROC.

Sure. Should the ROC government in Taipei prosecute Sergei Shoigu, who is Tuvan and therefore an ROC citizen, for collusion with the Beijing authorities?

Maybe in the latte-sipping west. But don't forget that vast majority of the third world still supports Russia or has a neutral stance, unfortunately.

Most of the third world has an attitude of "it's a European problem, it doesn't matter to us". The only countries actually supporting Russia with more than lip service are Iran and North Korea. Hardly a match for all the first-world supporters of Ukraine.

[John Dule]

Once again Russia has escalated the war they illegally started, and done so by inflicting massive damage on civilians.  But when Ukraine defends himself, a bunch of idiots will say that Ukraine is the warmongering country keeping the war going.  And when Putin once again saber-rattles with nuclear weapons, they'll say it's America and Ukraine's fault for not surrendering (a.k.a. "accepting Putin's peace terms").

Well, when you're going for the high road deploying suicide bombers isn't probably the brightest idea to court public opinion.

The Ukrainians don't need to court public opinion because every thinking person is already on their side.

Maybe in the latte-sipping west. But don't forget that vast majority of the third world still supports Russia or has a neutral stance, unfortunately.

Somewhat true, but this is largely due to a lack of adequate information. My friends in China often parrot Putinist talking points about this war; they have told me that they believe Ukraine is a "Nazi country" and that Russia deserves to have its "sphere of influence." This is because the only news they receive about the war is from CCP-approved outlets.

I have been trying to steer them away from this "logic" by saying that the "sphere of influence" argument (which they clearly subscribe to because of Taiwan) was the same reasoning Japan used in WWII. We'll see if this works.

[The Dowager Mod]

https://twitter.com/Politics1com/status/1579826236440088578

[Person Man]

https://twitter.com/Politics1com/status/1579826236440088578

You think rockers are bad now? This is what faces them if they lose. Holodomor v2.0.

[Hindsight was 2020]

https://twitter.com/Politics1com/status/1579826236440088578

This guy better book it to Russia after Ukraine wins because he probably has a date with the gallows if he gets caught

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I saw the words "a leader" and not "the leader" and I was left unsure what this man's position was.
He was the founder of the Donetsk People's Republic and left his position before the year was up. It does not seem like he is favored by Russia - in 2018, he was barred from running from the DPR presidency.

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

Once again Russia has escalated the war they illegally started, and done so by inflicting massive damage on civilians.  But when Ukraine defends himself, a bunch of idiots will say that Ukraine is the warmongering country keeping the war going.  And when Putin once again saber-rattles with nuclear weapons, they'll say it's America and Ukraine's fault for not surrendering (a.k.a. "accepting Putin's peace terms").

Well, when you're going for the high road deploying suicide bombers isn't probably the brightest idea to court public opinion.

The Ukrainians don't need to court public opinion because every thinking person is already on their side.

Maybe in the latte-sipping west. But don't forget that vast majority of the third world still supports Russia or has a neutral stance, unfortunately.

Never been pro-Russia on this, just call out what I see.

I just spit out my latte.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

https://twitter.com/Politics1com/status/1579826236440088578

This guy better book it to Russia after Ukraine wins because he probably has a date with the gallows if he gets caught

Yep. Russia isn't even willing to give him any real responsibility, but at least they find him useful alive. Ukraine, on the other hand...

[NOVA Green]

https://[tweet]https://twitter.com/COUPSURE/status/1579830681626374144?s=20&...[/tweet]

[Woody]

Sergei Surovikin: the ‘General Armageddon’ now in charge of Russia’s war

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/10/sergei-surovikin-the-general-armageddon-now-in-charge-of-russias-war

On Monday morning, just two days after being appointed as the first overall commander for the war in Ukraine, Surovikin brought his violent Syria playbook closer to home, with a flurry of rocket attacks against civilian targets across Ukraine, which included a major road junction next to a university and a children’s playground in a park.

His colleagues have since given him the grim nickname “General Armageddon” for his hardline and unorthodox approach to waging war.

Surovikin’s main challenge in Ukraine, experts say, will be to solve the structural problems plaguing the Russian military as it faces a fierce Ukrainian counter-offensive.

Gleb Irisov, a former air force lieutenant who worked with Surovikin up to 2020, said the new general was one of the few people in the army who “knew how to oversee and streamline different army branches”.

From his time in Syria, he had developed a good working relationship with the Wagner private military company, said Irisov, and his appointment was welcomed by top critics of the war effort, including Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of the Chechen republic, and the Wagner head, Yevgeny Prigozhin.

[Woody]

https://twitter.com/Ukraine_War_Map/status/1579726137390862336?cxt=HHwWgMCo2aujq...

[Storr]

https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1579825491468746752?s=20&t=mRcVZH...

[HillGoose]

Once again Russia has escalated the war they illegally started, and done so by inflicting massive damage on civilians.  But when Ukraine defends himself, a bunch of idiots will say that Ukraine is the warmongering country keeping the war going.  And when Putin once again saber-rattles with nuclear weapons, they'll say it's America and Ukraine's fault for not surrendering (a.k.a. "accepting Putin's peace terms").

Well, when you're going for the high road deploying suicide bombers isn't probably the brightest idea to court public opinion.

The Ukrainians don't need to court public opinion because every thinking person is already on their side.

Maybe in the latte-sipping west. But don't forget that vast majority of the third world still supports Russia or has a neutral stance, unfortunately.

Never been pro-Russia on this, just call out what I see.

lmao yeah sure bro, one google search to find an Open Society Foundations poll conducted in July-August which showed 65% of respondents across the globe agreed that the russia is a threat to world security.

cope harder ruski

[Storr]

"Luhansk region, construction of the Maginot line named after Putin"

https://twitter.com/GirkinGirkin/status/1579848389948485632?s=20&t=VqHv89eDs...

[Storr]

https://twitter.com/Poutsup/status/1579569448641794048?s=20&t=VqHv89eDsseagv...

[Hindsight was 2020]

https://twitter.com/Ukraine_War_Map/status/1579726137390862336?cxt=HHwWgMCo2aujq...

Seems your source got bad information
https://mobile.twitter.com/GirkinGirkin/status/1579886984713351169

[Virginiá]

Meanwhile in Washington DC:

This thread is so busy that I literally spent (20) minutes going back to 10/01/22, since I could have sworn that Virginia posted about this topic somewhat recently.

Couldn't find it, but in context of Russian Terrorist assaults using missiles against defenseless Ukrainian Civilian Population and Infrastructure, wanted to reply to her latest post regarding these weapons systems.

For its part, Ukraine has long combined its profuse gratitude for Western weapons aid with demands for stepped up delivery of more, and more sophisticated, supplies. The counteroffensive on the ground brought calls for battle tanks to move into contested territory, which the United States and its allies have been reluctant to send. This week, Kyiv attached new urgency to sophisticated air defense systems.

A Ukrainian official, referring to a list provided by the senior military command, said Ukraine’s priority items include the Patriot surface to air missile system, MIM-23 Hawk missiles, attack drones and NASAMS (National Advance Surface-to-Air Missile Systems) as well as Israeli air defense systems.

Ukraine’s pleas found new resonance in some quarters of Washington after the Monday attacks, with senior Democrats, in particular, demanding that Biden move more quickly to supply Ukraine. “I am horrified by Russia’s depraved and desperate escalation against civilian infrastructure across Ukraine — including in Kyiv,” Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) said in a statement. “I pledge to use all means at my disposal to accelerate support for the people of Ukraine and to starve Russia’s war machine.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/10/10/russia-ukraine-war-turning-point/

Musical Interlude from Southern Oregon Folk Artist Alice Di Micele: (Saw her perform live a couple times and bought a couple of her cassettes way back in the dayz).

I used to play it sometimes when I was a DJ in our Pirate Radio Station when I was in College in the Industrial Midwest in the early '90s.

South Korea just retired the last of their Hawk air defense missile systems, so they may actually have those on hand to sell to Ukraine. It was recently reported that South Korea took a 3 billion dollar arms deal, paid for by the US, and to be delivered to Czech Republic, which would then go to Ukraine. This is to skirt SK's commitment to not send weapons to a war zone (and avoid the PR of blatantly supporting Ukraine). Weapons included were presumably a large number of Chiron MANPAD systems, which is apparently the best, longest range portable system (better than the Stinger), and also artillery ammunition. I struggle to think of what else, but for 3 billion dollars and at the value those systems/ammo cost, that deal either includes a lot of other stuff, or is a truly massive number of artillery shells and MANPADs.

If Ukraine wants to get more air defense systems rapidly, the Hawk may be one of their better bets. Older system, but apparently still somewhat useful.

[AndyHogan14]

https://twitter.com/Ukraine_War_Map/status/1579726137390862336?cxt=HHwWgMCo2aujq...

Seems your source got bad information
https://mobile.twitter.com/GirkinGirkin/status/1579886984713351169

Also, that's the Wikipedia (SVG) map that can be easily edited if you have Illustrator or any other vector software. The current map posted on Wikipedia has no such bulge towards Lyman and does not consider Kreminna to be contested (yet). (Link). That looks like the October 1st map (link) just with Kreminna listed as contested.

[Person Man]

https://twitter.com/Ukraine_War_Map/status/1579726137390862336?cxt=HHwWgMCo2aujq...

Seems your source got bad information
https://mobile.twitter.com/GirkinGirkin/status/1579886984713351169

Also, that's the Wikipedia (SVG) map that can be easily edited if you have Illustrator or any other vector software. The current map posted on Wikipedia has no such bulge towards Lyman and does not consider Kreminna to be contested (yet). (Link). That looks like the October 1st map (link) just with Kreminna listed as contested.

That’s pretty extreme propaganda.

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

With images of more tanks, trucks and air defence vehicles being transported from Belarus to Russia today, I think it's worth mentioning that Belarus has Tochka and Scud missiles which could be used to bolster Russia's stocks if they are serviceable. If they are not, and assuming North Korea does not supply Russia despite the rumoured attempts to secure ammunition from it, another source could be Iran. This piece notes that Iranian state TV (probably incorrectly) speculated that Iranian missiles have already been used by Russia, and goes into some detail about the export of these missiles to various Iranian allies. It wouldn't be a huge leap from long-range kamikaze drones (basically cruise missiles) to proper cruise/ballistic missiles.

[Badger]

I don't agree with SirWoodbury's takes on this, but I'm giving him sympathy recommends anyway. Y'all can get very mindless about him. That is all.

He deserves none by any objective standard.

[Badger]

I don't agree with SirWoodbury's takes on this, but I'm giving him sympathy recommends anyway. Y'all can get very mindless about him. That is all.

Chamberlain says what

I see you are evoking the rather black-and-white view of Chamberlain vs Churchill that was in vogue in the decades after World War II but fails to do the former man justice. Thanks for enlivening my afternoon. Shalom.

Imagine distinguishing the parties in this case from WWII because Russia hasn't literally reopened Buchenwald.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I don't agree with SirWoodbury's takes on this, but I'm giving him sympathy recommends anyway. Y'all can get very mindless about him. That is all.

Chamberlain says what

I see you are evoking the rather black-and-white view of Chamberlain vs Churchill that was in vogue in the decades after World War II but fails to do the former man justice. Thanks for enlivening my afternoon. Shalom.

Imagine distinguishing the parties in this case from WWII because Russia hasn't literally reopened Buchenwald.

I was neither agreeing nor disagreeing with Hitler-Putin and/or Nazi Germany/2022 Russia comparisons in that post. It would be a waste of time to dissect them in a thorough manner. I was only addressing the question of Chamberlain and his legacy. This pop-culture image of the man does a level of a disservice to him.

That being said, I do firmly disagree, and have always disagreed, with the idea Hitler-Putin and Russia-Nazi Germany are synonymous in a general sense. Putin is a Tsarist, not a Slav-coated Nazi. Late-stage Putin is more comparable to Saddam than Hitler anyway, complete with delusions of glory and a dangerous-man image/persona, and increasingly obsessed with and strongly opposed to American hegemony.