Russia-Ukraine war and related tensions Megathread

[Logical]

Reminder: Putin has never stepped foot in any of the newly annexed territories of Russia (and he never will because he is too craven to ever do that).

[jaichind]

https://www.the-sun.com/news/7439022/kyiv-security-chief-vows-ukraine-tanks-moscow/

"FIGHTING TALK Ukraine vows to end war with Russia by parking its tanks in Moscow’s Red Square"

Pretty ambitious talk.  I do admire his spunk in wanting to take the war to the enemy even if for now not realistic.

[Woody]

Brandon has left Kyiv.

Maybe now he can spend his time to visit East Palestine.

[Hindsight was 2020]

https://mobile.twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1627623132528779264
Sound like Wagner is on the outs with the Russian military

[Sir Mohamed]

Biden again showing strong leadership with this visit. You almost can't repeat often enough how good it is that he's prez now and not the orange buffoon anymore.

[jaichind]

Russia 2022 GDP fell 2.1%.   The level of all is a lot smaller than expected months ago and a good deal less than even the most recent Western financial house estimates.

[Sir Mohamed]

https://mobile.twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1627515748112384001
Disgusting

This despicable stuff is happening in pretty much every war, but has been a "Russian tradition" for very long dating back the WWII in particular and before. I just hope as many as possible can be put on trial and sentenced to prison.

[Hindsight was 2020]

https://mobile.twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1627686340279115777
Japan getting in now 😗

[2952-0-0]

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/russia-china-stranglehold-world-food-000026443.html

"Russia and China Have a Stranglehold on the World’s Food Security"

Bloomberg article points out that Russia and Belorus's key role in providing fertilizers to the Global South is a significant tool in their toolbox to win the battle in support within the Global South.  This was pointed out last year as well but it seems the position of most Global South states in the Russia-Ukraine conflict seems to confirm this assertion.

Yes, and? Their position as the dominant exporter of potash doesn't translate into actual support or affection towards them. If that were the case, the entire world should be speaking Arabic due to the Arabs' dominance of global oil markets. Using commodities as a political tool can only be used once, before alternative sources are developed, as the Arabs learned in 1973, the Chinese learned in 2010, and the Russians learned in 2022.

[jaichind]

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/us-president-biden-visits-war-time-kyiv-ahead-invasion-anniversary-2023-02-20/

Air raid sirens blared as Biden, 80, walked with Zelenskiy through central Kyiv but there were no reports of Russian missile or air strikes

So I assume the point of the air raid sirens is to reduce the number of people outside to make it easier for Biden's and Zelensky's security detail?

[Hindsight was 2020]

https://mobile.twitter.com/NewVoiceUkraine/status/1627699851017289728

[Person Man]

https://mobile.twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1627515748112384001
Disgusting

This despicable stuff is happening in pretty much every war, but has been a "Russian tradition" for very long dating back the WWII in particular and before. I just hope as many as possible can be put on trial and sentenced to prison.

The world would be better place if the Russian state was wiped off the face of the Earth. Literally an army of rabid dogs.

[BG-NY]

What will it take for Putin to give up? His quick war has lasted a year and from my understanding they’re losing more territory every day and have not one a major battle in months.

[jaichind]

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/less-than-quarter-leopard-2-challenger-2-abrams-tanks-arrive-ukraine-spring-offensive-2023-6sfzb5h3r

"Less than quarter of pledged tanks to arrive for Ukraine spring offensive"

Kyiv is expecting its supporters to send up to 320 western tanks in total but estimates suggest barely 50 will reach the front lines by the start of April

I noticed that Sunak used the phrase "double down" which is interesting.  Usually "double down" is the language used by someone that is losing and not winning.

[jaichind]

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/us-president-biden-visits-war-time-kyiv-ahead-invasion-anniversary-2023-02-20/

Air raid sirens blared as Biden, 80, walked with Zelenskiy through central Kyiv but there were no reports of Russian missile or air strikes

So I assume the point of the air raid sirens is to reduce the number of people outside to make it easier for Biden's and Zelensky's security detail?

Biden's 2024 DNC speech

".... I arrived in Kyiv right in the middle of a cowardly Putin missile attack with air raid sirens all over the place.  But Zelensky and I were too brave to be intimidated by this criminal assault to go into the bunkers but instead stayed outdoors .... that is what it means to be a wartime President ...."

[NOVA Green]

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/us-president-biden-visits-war-time-kyiv-ahead-invasion-anniversary-2023-02-20/

Air raid sirens blared as Biden, 80, walked with Zelenskiy through central Kyiv but there were no reports of Russian missile or air strikes

So I assume the point of the air raid sirens is to reduce the number of people outside to make it easier for Biden's and Zelensky's security detail?

Looks like it had more to do with a Mig-31 with a hypersonic missile in Belarus...

The air raid alarm that sounded as Biden visited Kyiv was prompted by a Russian Mig-31 fighter jet that was detected taking off in Belarus, a Russian ally that borders Ukraine to the north, Yuriy Ihnat, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, told reporters. The jet was equipped with a Kinzhal hypersonic missile that Ukraine does not have the capacity to shoot down, he said.

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/02/20/world/russia-ukraine-war

[jaichind]

Reminder: Putin has never stepped foot in any of the newly annexed territories of Russia (and he never will because he is too craven to ever do that).

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/feb/20/how-biden-pulled-off-a-visit-to-an-active-ukrainian-war-zone

"US informed Russia of Joe Biden’s Kyiv visit hours before departure"

It seems Biden and Putin made a deal ahead of time to make sure Russia does not hurt Biden by accident while he is in Ukraine.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Reminder: Putin has never stepped foot in any of the newly annexed territories of Russia (and he never will because he is too craven to ever do that).

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/feb/20/how-biden-pulled-off-a-visit-to-an-active-ukrainian-war-zone

"US informed Russia of Joe Biden’s Kyiv visit hours before departure"

It seems Biden and Putin made a deal ahead of time to make sure Russia does not hurt Biden by accident while he is in Ukraine.

Wouldn't surprise me.

[2952-0-0]

What will it take for Putin to give up? His quick war has lasted a year and from my understanding they’re losing more territory every day and have not one a major battle in months.

My gut feeling is as long as Putin is in the Kremlin (even as a nominal figure), the Special Military Operation will continue in some form, because it's the only way for him to provide public legitimacy.

Even in the worst-case scenario where the Russians are pushed back to pre-2014 boundaries, Putin can simply spin it as a "successful denazifying of the Ukrainian regime", and pivot to the "next phase of the Special Military Operation", which would involve occasional skirmishes across the Russia-Ukraine border. An occasional bombing of apartment blocks within Russia, just like he did in 1999, would contribute to the sense of fear that he needs to create. As far as Putin is concerned, the SMO is fought as a perpetual war, and needs to continue in perpetuity.

Zelensky faces a different pressure. He's up for re-election in March 2024, with Biden following in November. Zelensky needs to deliver an actual victory before then in order to guarantee his re-election, so it's in his interest to wrap up the war on his terms as soon as possible. It could be that the Russia-Ukraine border resembles the Korean DMZ, where occasional skirmishes are conducted when Putin deems necessary, but both sides agree to end large-scale war.

[Storr]

https://mobile.twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1627623132528779264
Sound like Wagner is on the outs with the Russian military

https://twitter.com/DAlperovitch/status/1627704682838691840?s=20

[President Johnson]

Dark Brandon continues to impress.

https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1627703401940131847

https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1627680706909331460

[Storr]

On Russian state TV:

https://twitter.com/JuliaDavisNews/status/1627687088819691521?s=20

https://twitter.com/JuliaDavisNews/status/1627689535197806592?s=20

[jaichind]

In Moscow, they are also gearing up for the 1 year anniversary of the war.

“23rd February. For Victory, For Our People, For Truth”

[President Johnson]

Heck, I just read that Biden even went to Kyiv by train like previous heads of state. Apparently he spent 10 hours on the rails. That's really incredible.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Heck, I just read that Biden even went to Kyiv by train like previous heads of state. Apparently he spent 10 hours on the rails. That's really incredible.

Biden has experience travelling on rails. He took them to work for almost four decades.