Russia-Ukraine war and related tensions Megathread

[Hope For A New Era]

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.

[Person Man]

Agree. You cannot overstate the morale boost he is providing.

I commend Zelensky's personal courage. He may have done a poor job preparing his nation for war, but there's no doubt he is now raising the morale of his nation and boosting their will to fight. Looks like it was enough for the Ukrainians to hold Kiev for now, but he is still under threat and if he were captured it would crush Ukrainian morale. He either has a highly secret (and likely highly dangerous) plan to evacuate when he is under imminent threat, or it is his intention to become a martyr. Nothing of the former has leaked so I think the latter is a real possibility.

Agree with you here totally!

He definitely needs a survivor.

[Storr]

Might be a ridiculous question, though it just crossed my mind whether there's any possibility that Mr. Putin will be indicted before the Den Haag International Criminal Court? Or whether it's somehow possible that an international arrest warrant for war crimes is issued? So he couldn't leave Russia or enter any country that would enforce such?

I could only see that happening if there are significant human rights violations occurring (like those in Yugoslavia, aka actual genocide or organized attacks on civilians). So far, not much of the campaign seems any worse when it comes to war crimes than the US invasion of Iraq. And Bush was never charged by the Hauge. Putin has an objective and is using his military to achieve it. From videos coming out of places overtaken by Russian forces, they seem to be trying to go out of their way not to retaliate against civilians (the video of the Ukrainian babushka berating what looked to be Russian Spetsnaz north of Crimea and the soldiers simply not reacting at all, comes to mind).

[Silent Hunter]

Wars of aggression are covered by the Rome Statute now. Not the case in 2003.

[Sir Mohamed]

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

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

Yup, never underestimate such determination. It's pretty much how we failed in 'Nam and how 2 superpowers got stuck in Afghanistan. Even if Putler ends up with occupying Ukraine and installs a puppet govt, I'm relatively optimistic the people of Ukraine won't take it in their desire for freedom and independence. America and its European allies should do all we can to support them.

[KaiserDave]

https://twitter.com/Karmabash/status/1497572272298680327

Note the hair style

[Omega21]

Been thinking about the fact that Russia is holding so much of their army back for no apparent reason.  The only thing that makes sense to me is that logistically they wouldn't be able to handle it.  We've seen reports of their issues in Belarus, and reports of Russian soldiers raiding homes for food and clothing.

See also, this:
https://twitter.com/Liveuamap/status/1497485623225200640

Soldiers say they are out of gas. Driver offers to tow them back to russia. Everyone laughs. Russian soldiers ask for news on how they are doing in war. Driver tell them that Ukraine is winning, russians are surrendering and impliest that they should too.

This is friendlier than some traffic stops in the US. They obviously don't want to be there, this isn't their war.

[Boobs]

https://twitter.com/Karmabash/status/1497572272298680327

Note the hair style

A soft symbol of Ukrainian nationalism and independence.

[ilikeverin]

https://twitter.com/Karmabash/status/1497572272298680327

Note the hair style

As if the Ukrainian freedom fighters couldn't get any more based, the braids are back!!!

[It’s so Joever]

Been thinking about the fact that Russia is holding so much of their army back for no apparent reason.  The only thing that makes sense to me is that logistically they wouldn't be able to handle it.  We've seen reports of their issues in Belarus, and reports of Russian soldiers raiding homes for food and clothing.

See also, this:
https://twitter.com/Liveuamap/status/1497485623225200640

Soldiers say they are out of gas. Driver offers to tow them back to russia. Everyone laughs. Russian soldiers ask for news on how they are doing in war. Driver tell them that Ukraine is winning, russians are surrendering and impliest that they should too.

This is friendlier than some traffic stops in the US. They obviously don't want to be there, this isn't their war.

This morale is shockingly low. Like this is infinitely worse than Vietnam.

[Velasco]

Agree. You cannot overstate the morale boost he is providing.

I commend Zelensky's personal courage. He may have done a poor job preparing his nation for war, but there's no doubt he is now raising the morale of his nation and boosting their will to fight. Looks like it was enough for the Ukrainians to hold Kiev for now, but he is still under threat and if he were captured it would crush Ukrainian morale. He either has a highly secret (and likely highly dangerous) plan to evacuate when he is under imminent threat, or it is his intention to become a martyr. Nothing of the former has leaked so I think the latter is a real possibility.

Right now Zelensky is revealing himself as a living example of courage and dignity.  Regardless of his previous record as president or his personal skills, he is performing quite well under these tragic circumstances. Kudos to him and to all the people that is trying to resist the attack of an overwhelmingly superior army

Worth mentioning too the heroic and anonymous Russians that defy repression to demonstrate against this imperialist aggression

[Buffalo Mayor Young Kim]

The ROC media is talking about, ironically, going through a PRC payment messaging system, for trade with Russia in case SWIFT takes Russia offline.

ROC gets that they are China’s Ukraine right?

[Buffalo Mayor Young Kim]

Been thinking about the fact that Russia is holding so much of their army back for no apparent reason.  The only thing that makes sense to me is that logistically they wouldn't be able to handle it.  We've seen reports of their issues in Belarus, and reports of Russian soldiers raiding homes for food and clothing.

See also, this:
https://twitter.com/Liveuamap/status/1497485623225200640

Soldiers say they are out of gas. Driver offers to tow them back to russia. Everyone laughs. Russian soldiers ask for news on how they are doing in war. Driver tell them that Ukraine is winning, russians are surrendering and impliest that they should too.

This is friendlier than some traffic stops in the US. They obviously don't want to be there, this isn't their war.

This morale is shockingly low. Like this is infinitely worse than Vietnam.

Imagine if Vietnam had been in Canada instead of Southeast Asia. That’s probably how your average Russian conscript sees this.

[Sir Mohamed]

Been thinking about the fact that Russia is holding so much of their army back for no apparent reason.  The only thing that makes sense to me is that logistically they wouldn't be able to handle it.  We've seen reports of their issues in Belarus, and reports of Russian soldiers raiding homes for food and clothing.

See also, this:
https://twitter.com/Liveuamap/status/1497485623225200640

Soldiers say they are out of gas. Driver offers to tow them back to russia. Everyone laughs. Russian soldiers ask for news on how they are doing in war. Driver tell them that Ukraine is winning, russians are surrendering and impliest that they should too.

This is friendlier than some traffic stops in the US. They obviously don't want to be there, this isn't their war.

This is deeply moving. Ukraine pretty much shows their best in these difficult times. They're an awesome nation. God bless them.

[Middle-aged Europe]

Germany is always reliable in being the last to the game here, but my government has now authorized the Netherlands to deliver 400 rocket-propelled grenades of German production to Ukraine - a reversal of the previous stance which had led to one of the Baltics being banned from delivering weapons to Ukraine a couple of weeks ago.

https://m.dw.com/en/germany-reportedly-reverses-ban-on-weapon-sales-to-ukraine-live-updates/a-60924798

[Person Man]

https://twitter.com/antiputler_news/status/1497569648216322059

Yulia Tymoshenko, Yury Luzenko and other deputies of the Verkhovna Rada are armed as well.

They must be giants!

[OSR stands with Israel]

https://twitter.com/spectatorindex/status/1497547745997254661?t=FyWfMLgBNdemMJ3g...

[Storr]

He probably got lost or something but this is very embarrassing.
https://twitter.com/NotWoofers/status/1497603319526834183?t=ngKjVYRWIPcKWKPuived...

Tweet and documents say his name is Leonid Petrovich Shchetkin, born 1987. An analysis of Russian ground forces from March 2018 I found says the 35th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade is a "combat unit" based out of Aleisk, Altai Krai, part of the 41st Combined Arms Army of the Central Military District, Novosibirsk (so it makes sense it would be one of the first units sent into war).

https://www.understandingwar.org/sites/default/files/Russian%20Ground%20Forces%20OOB_ISW%20CTP_0.pdf

I also found a post on a website called informnapalm.com That has photos of the 35th reportedly stationed near Rostov (close to the Donetsk Oblast Ukrainian border) taken in September and October 2014.

https://informnapalm.org/en/btg-35th-motorized-rifle-brigade-russian-invasion-force/

[2016]

https://twitter.com/antiputler_news/status/1497569648216322059

Yulia Tymoshenko, Yury Luzenko and other deputies of the Verkhovna Rada are armed as well.

They must be giants!

I feel there are other Methods by Putin to capture those if he wants sadly like with undercover KGB Agents.

[Person Man]

https://twitter.com/spectatorindex/status/1497547745997254661?t=FyWfMLgBNdemMJ3g...

That’s pretty much it, then? Right?

[DavidB.]

Lol.

https://twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1497616981016690692?s=20&t=u2OUaMaAhKfG4...

[Middle-aged Europe]

Germany is always reliable in being the last to the game here, but my government has now authorized the Netherlands to deliver 400 rocket-propelled grenades of German production to Ukraine - a reversal of the previous stance which had led to one of the Baltics being banned from delivering weapons to Ukraine a couple of weeks ago.

https://m.dw.com/en/germany-reportedly-reverses-ban-on-weapon-sales-to-ukraine-live-updates/a-60924798

Update: German Ministry of Economy also confirms the delivery of 14 armored vehicles and 10,000 tons of fuel to Ukraine. Additional support is being discussed.

https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland-genehmigt-panzerfaust-lieferungen-an-die-ukraine-a-9e051204-4c43-4c42-a0e6-e00d484c716f

[Sir Mohamed]

https://twitter.com/spectatorindex/status/1497547745997254661?t=FyWfMLgBNdemMJ3g...

That’s pretty much it, then? Right?

Biden apparently hasn't made a decision yet:

https://twitter.com/CNN/status/1497617588372881414

[It’s so Joever]

https://twitter.com/spectatorindex/status/1497547745997254661?t=FyWfMLgBNdemMJ3g...

That’s pretty much it, then? Right?

Biden apparently hasn't made a decision yet:

https://twitter.com/CNN/status/1497617588372881414

…Disgusting. He really is a senile fool.

[Mike88]

Big rally against the war in Moscow right now. Watching in Portuguese TV.

Strike that. It seems that it's in Israel. RTP said it was Moscow.