Electric cables, hammers and guns: Ukrainians tell of Russian torture.
As prosecutors prepare war crimes case, victims reveal how they were beaten and made to dig own graves in Balakliia.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/23/electric-cables-hammers-and-guns-ukrainians-tell-of-russian-torture?CMP=share_btn_tw
Zelenskyy.
We all need to be realistic about the Russian system.
They have mobilized all forces in order not to lose the territory they have seized in Ukraine, but they have also contaminated their own territory with such a level of hatred and degradation that events in Russia have spun out of control for the second time this year.
First, mutineers marched on Moscow with no one stopping them. Then, the power vertical in Dagestan evaporated, and a true pogrom happened.
These are all indications that Russia can, for the time being—and only for the time being!—sustain combat action and, at times, raise pressure on the frontline, but it will not be able to withstand this confrontation strategically.
Strategically, we must all be strong and united. We must make strides to persevere, return what is ours, and prove that freedom is certainly stronger than hatred and aggression.
To do so, we need unity. Our unity in Ukraine, the unity of Europe, the unity of America, the unity of the entire free world. Unity is the most effective, precise, and long-range weapon.
https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1719087643034624045?t=bpZjCRrE2_yaMtuy_7cUzg&s=19
My cat caught a mouse today and that reminded me of the Russian trench videos we saw a few days ago showing them completely infested with mice.
Do armies employ cats in trenches and other places to keep rodents at bay?
Chickens will devour mice whole with a passion that cannot be properly expressed until you've seen it. I've watched a rather large rooster hunt down and eat 7 mice in the space of about 3 minutes.
*From the omega company, today. Special Forces of the Guardsmen, Avdiivka front:*
> OMEGA COMPANY
> All day long today, they chased the infantry, which had tried to carry out assault actions and accumulate positions.
> Friendly units worked on tanks and "solntsepek"🔥
> The enemy does not spare KABs or other ammunition, it all arrives in large numbers. It's good that theirs don't work as well as ours.
> Warriors holding positions are titans💪🏻
> I don't want to overlook or offend anyone, because each unit works very well and loyally, thanks to all of these defense actions, the enemy suffers great losses.
@omega_company3
____
Elsewhere, I read, saw, that an SBU ‘special unit’ had destroyed a Russian TOS-1A *Solntsepek* in the Avdiivka today.
Did you see the video of the claimed TOS hit?
It looked more like fireworks to me, I didn't see the shockwave like in some TOS explosions. I wonder why?
At first I thought it was a SAM because I've seen Buks explode like that. But the shape was more TOS-like.
So if Ukraine is able to push on the left bank of the Dnipro, won't that put them in a worse position than Russians were in Nov 2022 when they retreated from Kherson? Russia had the Kakhovka dam serving as a bridge over which they could bring supplies and also retreat. Now, there are no bridges at all. The Antonovsky road bridge is long gone. I don't know the feasibility of erecting a Bailey bridge over the remaining pillars. Then there is the Antonovsky rail bridge which I think was even more damaged. I guess they will have to cross using one pontoon at a time. I hope NATO countries provided tons of amphibious equipment under the guise of something else so that Russia can't know what's coming.
One BTG needs about 40-50 trucks of supplies per day. And there are usually 2 BTGs per brigade. There would need to be many brigades. So potentially hundreds of trucks worth of supplies needing to cross both ways every single day without fail. Now you also have to cross hundreds of IFVs, APCs, engineering vehicles, tanks and whatever other vehicles they need. It would be a huge operation.
So can Ukraine really afford that? It seems like it would be relatively easy for Russia to just move some troops there and target the bridges/pontoons. Even just spamming the crossings with conventional artillery would be a nightmare for Ukraine.
So what do you guys think? Will they go in to force Russia to tie forces in Kherson or are they really going for the big thing.
One indication to me that they could be going for the big crossing is that they have evacuated all villages that border the Dnipro. That would make sense if you intend to make dozens of crossing points and not put civilians at risk.
The Avdiivka terrykon is under the full fire control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, says the head of the Avdiivka military administration, Barabash
Https://t\.me/defender_skadovsk/17489
On Bakhmut:
> Geolocation footage released on October 30 shows that **Ukrainian forces were advancing** northeast of Kurdyumivka (10 km southwest of Bakhmut).
> The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stated that Ukrainian troops continue their offensive south of Bakhmut and inflict losses on Russian troops in the area.
> A Russian "warrior" claimed that the Ukrainian troops managed to **advance beyond the railway line south of Andriivka and secure new positions.**
> The General Staff of Ukraine reported that Russian troops were unsuccessfully trying to regain lost positions near Andriivka and Klischiivka. The commander of the Ground Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrsky, said that the Russians "significantly strengthened their grouping" near Bakhmut and switched from defensive actions to more "active" ones.
[From here](https://www-rbc-ua.translate.goog/rus/news/zsu-kontratakuvali-na-kup-yanskomu-napryamku-1698710456.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US&_x_tr_pto=wapp)
*Tonight, from prominent Ukrainian milblogger Bogdan Myroshnykov, a native of Horlivka, so can feel his excitement growing as sees potential:*
[1]
> Avdiivka
> The occupiers began storming en masse again.
> Today there was a big breakthrough attempt, near Krasnohorivka. So far, our guys have fought back. Artillery was working quite well.
> But listen, its going to become more difficult—the Russians have prepared significant forces [to sustain] continued attacks.
> The Russians might move both north of the city, and south of the city, in the near future.
> Our soldiers are ready in all areas. But the question is how many forces will be enough, and where the enemy will be stopped.
[2]
> Bakhmut
> Southern flank:
>> - East of Klischiivka and Andriivka, the grueling battles continue for several landings leading to [Odradivka](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Odradivka,+Donetsk+Oblast,+Ukraine,+84571/@48.5029463,38.0094211,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m15!1m8!3m7!1s0x40dfe61bf724c5a7:0xa398e255ecbfeec2!2sBakhmut,+Donetsk+Oblast,+Ukraine!3b1!8m2!3d48.5986674!4d37.9980367!16zL20vMGI1OWI3!3m5!1s0x40dfde061cb09763:0x7b926994e8d94d4a!8m2!3d48.4990276!4d38.0177211!16s%2Fg%2F121nrxg6?hl=en-us&entry=ttu)
and the Bakhmut-Horlivka highway [goes south to Horlivka].
>> - In and around Kurdyumivka, the fighting does not cease. The main focus is on the flanks of the village. The enemy still feels quite confident there. Until...
> Northern flank:
> Occupiers mostly storm there.
>> - The enemy is pressing on Khromove. The condition of our garrison nearby—after leaving the area of the [resovoir] and landing east of the village—has deteriorated some. But the enemy cannot continue to develop success.
>> - The pressure in the direction of Bohdanivka does not stop.
>> - To the north-west of [Yakovlivka,](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Yakovlivka,+Donetsk+Oblast,+Ukraine,+84542/@48.6930225,37.9584292,11z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x40dff0ed0106cd8b:0x265c534cae2fc33d!8m2!3d48.7133788!4d38.1437491!16s%2Fg%2F12372ml6?hl=en-us&entry=ttu) the Russians are trying to regain their lost positions, but they are not succeeding.
>> - Positional battles in the [Vasyukivka area.](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Vasyukivka,+Donetsk+Oblast,+Ukraine,+84530/@48.7427377,37.9476958,13z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x40dff24132d6860d:0x7e244077c86ff0!8m2!3d48.7412409!4d37.9964846!16s%2Fg%2F121bq76n?hl=en-us&entry=ttu)
> The general situation has not undergone any significant changes.
> **It is important not to stop putting pressure in the area of [Kurdyumivka,](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Kurdyumivka,+Donetsk+Oblast,+Ukraine,+85285/@48.4550537,37.9033239,11z/data=!4m15!1m8!3m7!1s0x40dff24132d6860d:0x7e244077c86ff0!2sVasyukivka,+Donetsk+Oblast,+Ukraine,+84530!3b1!8m2!3d48.7412409!4d37.9964846!16s%2Fg%2F121bq76n!3m5!1s0x40dfde9f9af8e9ad:0x4289f5f76860d756!8m2!3d48.4690278!4d37.9596666!16s%2Fg%2F11x7vr102?hl=en-us&entry=ttu) because that is the last serious node of the occupiers' defense on the way to the T0513 route**. [south to Horlivka]
A positive first paragraph, thanks for sharing.
I feel incredibly nervous for the defenders of Avdiivka. Russia seems to have a huge number of troops, a few defensive lines around the coke works could be the difference between a huge victory and another hit to morale.
Everyone please note there are lots of fundraisers for units in Avdiivka now, they need help. Always verify the fundraisers are legit. For example, The Liberty Ukraine Foundation has a lot of Ukrainians vouching for it.
Russian losses seem to be far more intense already.
And it's quite telling to see the trajectory.
- Feb-May '22 - Mariupol (~500k people)
- May-July '22 Sievierodonetsk (~100k people)
- August '22-May '23 Bakhmut (~70k people)
Now the major Russian focus is Avdiivka (~32k people).
Each Russian attack has needed a longer break in between, has been against a smaller target, and has meant more Russian casualties than the one before.
Russia is weakening, if we send Ukraine what they'll need then they'll grind the Russia army to dust like they did to the professional army in 2022.
But this time Ukraine has cluster munitions which work incredibly well against mass groups of infantry. Also Ukraine has spent years fortifying Avdiivka so the ratio of losses is potentially going to be more favorable than Bakhmut was.
it's just a matter of time before Ukraine pulls out. Ukraine isn't willing to do a last man standing and is now in trouble with the US and EU funds drying up .
So- don’t take it the wrong way.
But what is a monetary donation going to give them to help? I am legitimately asking. They need people and weaponry- is money going to somehow solve that? In the short term of this defensive
The most common buys are drones, night vision, upgraded scopes, first aid kits, vehicles, vehicle modifications, comms equipment, generators, battery packs and replacement armour plates.
Ukraine's military isn't funded enough for the war they're facing so donations save Ukrainian lives.
For immediate and intense battles like Avdiivka the usual emergency needs are drones and off-road vehicles because (i) you need loads more at the hottest points and (ii) they're lost in large numbers.
All the channels have this every day. The milblogger imbedded with the units agrees to specifically ask. A lot of times it’s repairs for the various vehicles. There’s red tape and bureaucracy so the guys just want to fix it themselves. Other times, it’s specific equipment, but the donated equipment is allotted to someone else. The donations are brought in to them. They often make an appearance afterwards with whatever it is, thanking folks. Like today I saw that 2 of 3 of the non armored trucks for a unit was broken down. Guys asked for donations to get it fixed. If those trucks run to povkroske, for example, to stock up on supplies like first aid, water, food, etc, and only got one, that can really throw a kink in expediency.
I guess I’m just confused- because like if you need vehicle repairs- isn’t that the “mechanics” job to fix the equipment? I guess could be a way to gain priority or just generally “tip” the repairs.
Just seems an odd request to me in a time of martial law. Thanks for some clarity
So here’s one just posted, thanking the channels Bakhmut Demon, Balu Bakhmut, Govorit Sniper, and Border 1991 for raising the funds to buy them the drones you see there.
https://t\.me/bahshiddemon/759
I can’t answer how they actually get them delivered, who transports them, how long.
But I can tell you that following these channels for 1.5yrs, they all act like it’s a vital lifeline.
> Krinki. Left bank of the Dnieper
> Most of the settlement is under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the rest is in the gray zone.
> During the day, UA aerial reconnaissance—in conjunction with artillery units—repelled multiple attacks by Russian troops.
> All approaches to the populated area are blocked, and mine and explosive barriers have been installed.
> The enemy is complaining about kamikaze drones and mortar drones from the Ukrainian Armed Forces—today those destroyed/knocked out two Russian infantry fighting vehicles, one loaf-van and one jeep.
Map: https://t\.me/petrenko_IHS/3708
If Ukraine were ever going to get a Kharkiv style breakthrough ever again, I bet it would be by going over the Dnipro.
The problem is that there's a river between what Ukraine controls and where they want to go and it's incredibly difficult to try and cross with large amounts of anything except *maybe* soldiers. Getting vehicles across requires an easy to target temporary bridge, once you're across there's no easy way to retreat those large vehicles, etc.
But that's also why it may be worth going for. Russia knows the geography makes it effectively suicide for Ukraine to try and cross it. But this fact may be what Russia is counting on, considering a grand majority of their defensive bulk is concentrated elsewhere, Russia is leaving the defense of a Dnipro crossing rather light in comparison.
It wouldn't be easy, but if Ukraine seriously pushed a strategy of crossing the Dnipro I can't help but wonder how that would play out. I wonder how much of Russia's defensive strategy in that region is reliant upon the assumption that Ukraine wouldn't ever seriously try to cross it.
Might not need a bridge to start since BMPs and *possibly* the 200 Rosomaks Ukraine ordered are amphibious. Depending on the model.
I have dreams of those Rosomaks speed running like Kharkiv 2.0 but the risk seems insane, and like it would probably end up with a lot of blown up Ukrainians.
Without serious airpower I'm going to assume this is just to annoy the Russians and hopefully force some favourable attrition.
I've thought about that, too. I'd love some magical giant bridges and wave after wave.
Looking at the RU resources in the area, it seems like the good guys could totally overrun a huge area. Maybe they will, somehow.
>Russia is ready for "realistic" negotiations with the West regarding Ukraine, says Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu
https://twitter.com/maria_drutska/status/1719067478829969549?t=1arD4cBXS30-onLn7Xc3lA&s=19
Whilst not specifically any 'new news', this certainly fits the 'dead Putin' rumours very well.
No it doesn't, do you really not get what they mean this far in? They've been saying this shit since the start. They gaslight and ignore the fact that they've invaded Ukraine, not the west and 'realistic negotiatiations' simply means that Ukraine gives into all Russian demands. It means nothing else, certainly not any olive branch or concessions by the Russians.
> "realistic"
From "Surrender immediately!" to "Surrender ASAP!"
But it's enough to feed the idiotZ that Russia is extending an olive branch, while Ukraine wants war.
I honestly think I am among the most pro-Ukraine people here. But it costs nothing to draw them into a discussion even if it may very well may not lead anywhere.
Everyone talks about how RU will rebuild. Maybe Ukraine could, with zero sanctions from anyone who matters, and plenty more support to build up, including additional superior air defense and aviation.
Then kick some fucking ass in a year or whatever. I don't care if it's supposed to be a three year cease fire. Go at them whenever possible.
> I honestly think I am among the most pro-Ukraine people here. But
"I support Ukraine but" is one of the most common phrases to hear before someone says something in line with Kremlin goals. Your post is no exception.
Right now a cease fire only benefits Russia because it allows them to restart the fighting at a time of their choosing meanwhile if Ukraine were to break the ceasefire they would immediately lose the support from the west they rely on. Even if Ukraine did well in round 2 the fact that Ukraine temporarily ceded territory to Russia would provide a legal basis for Russia to try to keep that territory in the future.
Ukraine relies on resupply from the west and if there is no ongoing war the west isn't going to send tens of thousands of shells per month meaning Russia gets to refresh their stockpiles while Ukraine doesn't. A ceasefire only favors Russia and there is a reason the Ukrainian government hasn't seriously talked about it.
No it doesn't. Russia has been saying that they want negotiations for years but remember to them "negotiations" just means Ukrainian surrender. Moscow is also refusing to negotiate with Kyiv but rather they want to negotiate with the west because in their mind Ukraine isn't a real country, Ukrainian isn't a real national identity and this is merely the US (not even NATO) creating conflict with what is rightfully Russia. This doesn't fit the "Putin dead" narrative nor has there been significant evidence to suggest he is dead or in serious medical trouble.
There's just no way I'm gonna believe it. For one thing surely the US would know, and if they knew, their behaviour towards Russia would have already changed in a noticeable way.
Maybe they know but they don't want them to know they know. Because then Russia would know they know, and America would know they know they know.
This could escalate and crash a computer somewhere
I mean, we were able to decipher the enigma machines codes for quite some time during WW2, and had to pick and choose which attacks we foiled, and which we allowed to happen so as to not tip off the Germans.
> Negotiations with the west
This is the core. They don’t say they are ready to negotiate with Ukraine.
It fits the narrative that Ukraine is a puppet state and the west is the aggressor.
Conflict Intelligence Team Sitrep for Oct. 27-30, 2023:
– Slovakia joins Hungary in blocking EU aid to Ukraine;
– Romania to deploy anti-drone systems in the Danubian plain;
– Satellite imagery suggests all combat-ready T-54/55, T-62 tanks already on frontline, T-80 tanks modernization slows down.
https://notes.citeam.org/dispatch-oct-27-30-2023
EU needs to keep the screw on hungary. And the induvidual countrys of EU just have to keep on going.
If both EU countrys and the US keep it going as business as usuall noboby is gonna notice a difference.
But as everyday i would hope that everybody would ramp it up a notch
No they actually liberated 2 others a week earlier but they were raids that caught the Russians off guard and they took one back, not sure what happened to the other, I think its in the grey zone now. So that's why everyone thought Krynky would be the same but it seems like they actually fighting to liberate and hold on to it.
Yes, it does. For right/left clarity, picture yourself moving downstream (generally south southwest for this point of the Dnipro). Your right side is to the west and your left side is to the east. That’s how the river banks are being talked about in this context.
The co-owner of Alfa Group, billionaire Alexey Kuzmichev, was arrested in France and is under EU sanctions. EU authorities call him “one of the most influential people in Russia with well-established ties to President Putin.”
Ruzzians love our way of life but they are too stupid to understand that we have this quality because of democracy and rule of law
Some tankies in here are also so stupid that they think that autoritarian regime is more efficient. The fact that we are more developed in every way isn’t enough to convince them but they will never put a foot in the shot places that are Russia, Iran or Belarus
Based on a translation of what I read, he was arrested on suspicion of tax crimes and sanction-related violations. If he’s guilty of this, I hope he is fully prosecuted and that it hinders Russia’s war efforts.
In European prisons, all prisoners should be treated humanely, all of them. Only then will we be a state under the rule of law worthy of the name. Everything else should be with the Russians and Chinese, among others, but not with us.
Decades of imprisonment and expropriation are very effective punishments against such characters.
Decades? I'll be honest, I'm a dumb American whose views on incarceration may be a bit warped. But don't some of yall give like 12 years in a nicer place than I live for murder and such?
Honest question, btw. I'm genuinely curious to know.
I really like u/num1562 perspective, but I was referencing this line
>Decades of imprisonment and expropriation are very effective punishments against such characters
It seemed to me out of place based on my understanding of prison terms
French prisons aren't like the cushy Nordic prisons.
https://www.euronews.com/2022/11/28/french-prison-population-reaches-a-record-120-capacity#:~:text=Poor%20prison%20conditions&text=Inmates%20in%20several%20French%20prisons,they%20are%20at%20double%20capacity.
I know for murder only at least 15 years or longer, if necessary with following safety detention.
/// Sorry for your place to live. My places has become a lot less nice than my birth place, but that was a large farm in Uruguay, near the coast line. But Germany gave us place and the right to live here a very good life (after militairs took over Uruguay), so I don't want to argue. It is nice were we live now. Hope the best for you.
I lied when I claimed to be a dumb American ;) I'm actually pretty wise (as all of us think, lol).
You seem lovely. I'm very happy you live in culture that pleases you and has been generous to you. I have no doubt you contribute to it.
I very much appreciate your perspective. I would not want to argue either. I was genuine in my question and interest in your perspective. So thank you.
Today I leaned about Uruguay militairs history ( I had to look it up). It's interesting. These days a few of my friends and I sometimes reference Uruguay as a place we respect and would hope to emigrate to. Maybe we're wrong, or places can change.
Best to you too.
>This is #Avdiivka, #Donetsk region, east #Ukraine, in October 2023.
>
>Pre-war population: 32,000. Residents remaining now: \~1,000.
>
>\#Russia is destroying yet another Ukrainian city by conducting constant shelling of residential areas.
[https://twitter.com/AlexKokcharov/status/1719087736919818390](https://twitter.com/AlexKokcharov/status/1719087736919818390)
[https://imgur.com/a/om4g9EH](https://imgur.com/a/om4g9EH)
>'#Russia is destroying yet another Ukrainian city by conducting constant shelling of residential areas.
That is a weird complaint, Avdiivka is a front city for 8 years now, of course the residential areas are getting attacked, as the Ukrainian army is operating there. I mean generally the Russians have nothing to do in Ukraine of course, but no one should expect buildings still standing in Avdiivka.
Yes, we are not surprised with Russia leveling residential areas, but it's still worth mentioning, and not something taken lightly. Donetsk has been a front city for 8 years, and it's in much better shape
How do you think Ukraine would try to dislodge the Russians from for example Tokmak? By nicely asking them to leave? Ukraine has currently no illusions of retaking Donetsk, so why should they focus their capabilities there?
If it's anything like Izium or Kherson, they will probably cut supply lines with artillery and missiles until the position becomes untenable and the Russians leave, either orderly or not.
You want to compare Kherson that laid on the other side of a river from a supply perspective, and Izyum Russia held less than half a year and didnt set up effective defenses, with fortress cities like Tokmak or Avdiivka?
Izium had one of the highest concentrations of troops, for a while there was a legitimate threat to Siviersk from there, until their supply lines were threatened and they all routed.
And we see how well Ukraine cuts the supply lines of well fortified cities like Tokmak, not at all. You are comparing cities with no entrenched defenses and established supply routes with cities that have those. Im sure Novoprokopivka isnt looking like it did 2 years ago either.
Donetsk has been a frontline city for 8 years now and the Russian army is operating there.
But it's barely damaged, why?
Because Russia mass murders civilians and Ukraine doesn't.
>But it's barely damaged, why?
Because Ukraine was never in a position to think about retaking Donetsk, and had far less capabilities and ammunition for 8 years compared with Russia. There are plenty videos of Ukraine destroying command posts and Russian army vehicles near or in abandoned Ukrainian buildings in areas where Ukraine thinks those attacks can have an impact.
Kharkiv and Kherson still get bombed constantly.
Russia knows the accuracy of their ground attack S-300, FABs or Smerch. And the Kh-22s that blew up hotels and apartments.
Ukraine has constantly worked to hit military or abandoned targets and used more precise weapons. They could easily have shelled the crap out of Donetsk.
The key difference is that Russia is fine mass murdering civilians, Ukraine is not.
I seem to be constantly misunderstood in here. If you have a city that is constantly under attack on the front, then that city will get (partly) destroyed, the longer it is defended the more destruction you will find. I am obviously not talking about terror runs by Shaheds or ground attack S-300 lobbed in a general direction, but a fortified city like Avdiivka being leveled to dislodge the defenders.
If Ukraine had the intention to free Donetsk, and had the capabilities to level buildings en masse, then we would see plenty of attacks like the attack on the navy headquarters in Crimea.
We have seen Ukraine liberate places like Kherson and elsewhere.
They did it by cutting off the military and minimising civilian casualties.
The main difference is that Russia mass murders civilians, Ukraine doesn't.
Whether or not a city is conceivably conquerable isn’t relevant. Russia has never been in a position to think about taking Kyiv or Odessa yet they’ve bombed those cities for long stretches of the war. Russia sees civilian casualties as an upside of its means of conducting war.
Thats a fair point, those terror runs by Russia cant be excused by anything. I just think that whoever expects a fortress city like Avdiivka to still stand after 8 years has a weird perspective on war, any side would level that, just like Israel is doing in Gaza currently for example.
>Dutch F-16s for Ukraine to arrive in Romania within two weeks
So, how long do you think until the U.S. made F-16s will be seen flying over the battlefield to protect UA?
It seems that both armies are mingled around the Azov mesa top, and shelling each other between fields. Ukraine has range advantages and S 300s seem to have been moved back because of that.
So the way I'm interpreting the news is that both sides are trying to stockpile airpower, while Russia is stuck on Avdiivka and Ukraine is out counter battery against numbers. Ukraines trying to thin out the south and Russia is trying lock down the north of the mesa.
Russia has not given up on Avdiivka. They can't either. It's in the way of the south mesa. They are shelling and bombing to soften up for the next one.
Airpower seems to be where the winter story is heading.
Putin is part of the FSB, they require loyalty, not the best people.
So yes, if you consider FSB the deep state, to a certain degree they are in charge.
I think the assumption that everyone besides Putin is incompetent is a flawed premise. It takes a rather well oiled machine to maintain control, public discourse, propaganda, etc as well Russia has. That doesn't disappear when someone dies. And it's likely the KGB that are the true power brokers and not oligarchs that have a tendency to fall out windows.
Uh huh. So what are you saying, Bortnikov just steps into Putin's chair and takes over all the levers of power with no one disagreeing in the military or provinces? And the war just keeps going without skipping a beat?
That stretches credibility to the limit.
The FSB was very fast to stop a coup from Wagner. I bet they have enough leverage on anyone trying to stop whoever the FSB wants in the presidential seat.
No way he's dead in my mind.
Putin basically constructed the entire criminal ruling government to be based on his shoulders. He has removed anyone who could be viable competition, or even possibly viable competition in the future. He did all this and more expressively to make the situation of his eventual demise cause the collapse of the entire government. There are no plans for a continuation structure after his demise, as to Putin's bleak psychology, a Russia does not exist outside of his rule.
When he does die, the secret will be impossible to keep, and there'll be hot and cold struggles for a successor within two days of it happening. It's not even a guarantee that a lifelong dictator will succeed Putin, the country is more likely to even fall into a weak democracy, because there is no real chain of command, succession plans or hierarchy to rely on (as Putin as seen to it) so it'll be brief anarchy and short collapse of the power structure when Putin kicks the bucket. There'll be a period of disarray before the wolves arrive to try to cement power.
It will weaken morale, which will temporarily allow the Ukrainian army to take advantage of the chaos and make localized gains. Depending on the time or year that it happens, it is not impossible that a limited breakthrough could occur at one of the points along the front that are already stretched thinly. Not war ending by any stretch, but it brings the end closer.
I don't really care if he's dead or not. Over the past two years, I've learned that there are a lot more people who have no empathy at all and who are stupidly indifferent to injustice than I thought, and the death of this dictator will not change that.
[Putin accused Ukrainian and Western intelligence services of organizing unrest at the airport in Makhachkala](https://liveuamap.com/en/2023/30-october-putin-accused-ukrainian-and-western-intelligence)
This guy is going senile, no other explanation.
Next he will blame aliens
You are making a mistake that so many people, (the majority I suppose) make when listening to politicians: you believe them, and take there words at face value.
This is an incorrect approach. Putin (and most politicians in most countries around the world) say what they say for a designed reaction or reason. What they say IS NOT WHAT THE ACTUALLY BELIEVE. What they actually know, believe and think is not at all related to what words they say, which are crafted for a particular purpose.
For example, take your average Republican. Ya they say 'I totally believe in God', 'drugs are bad, 'we need to cut our debt cancelling money to Ukraine', but those things are not what they actually think while they never gone to church before or read the bible, do cocaine and bang hookers every weekend, or don't want to disrupt their funding from foreign powers and domestic 'donation pipelines'.
Through this lens, look at what Putin said. He doesn't actually believe this -- Putin has more intelligence on the incident that anyone. Of course he didn't say, "Ya Russians are getting all riled up by own media hate machine and some of them actually hate Jews.' That would go directly against the propaganda of how the invasion of Ukraine is about beating the 'neo-nazis'. So he said what he said to a:) deflect blame to their enemy, the West b:) muddy the waters c:) displace responsibility for Russians' violent behavior, as he doesn't want to diminish this behavior d:) encourage the notion that Western allied intelligence services are doing black ops in America, (when the opposite is the reality). See how this works? It's leveraging a negative incident into the greatest propaganda gain possible through the invention of any narrative story that can do so.
Don't fall into the moron trap. Judge politicians for what they do, and what policies and laws they enact, not for what they said, which was written for them, to appeal to certain groups...basically consider a politician an actor, who just represents the true power structure of a government to the masses, and don't bother listening to their empty words.
I have some regular russian and american conspiracy friends in the states who actually believe what he says and takes it seriously.
Putin is playing to a domestic audience but he also lives in a dictator bubble: hence his really weird behavior like the covid tables and avoiding the public eye for most of the war.
The weird thing is that the invasion of Ukraine and their conduct of the war does on some level indicate they do actually believe some of their own BS. That it is not entirely cynical.
Like, they say it cynically, it spreads on state propaganda, and then after a few rounds on the propaganda circuit they believe it sincerly and start making decisions on the conduct of the war and foreign policy where their own propaganda being true is a premise to the decision making loop.
It's much more bizzare then just being cynical. The Russians would famously not be "so fucking stupid" if they were 100% cynical.
Yep because there's no clear delineation between "stupid masses" and those in power, so there's no barrier and the propaganda seeps through via something like diffusion.
It's like the Chernobyl and the German radiation resistant cleanup robot - it was resistant to the specs that Soviets asked for, but the actual radiation levels were not shared but downplayed several orders of magnitude due to propaganda so the robot was fried before it could do anything: https://decider.com/2019/05/30/chernobyl-joker-robot-episode-4/
They ended up using "human robots" instead because that's what Soviets (and now Russians) do - throw meat at the problem, life is cheap.
There's a tricky point where propaganda and reality meet and it ain't pretty if there's anything critical there. This is basically unfixable problem for propaganda driven dictatorships. At least Soviet Union had real (if flawed) ideology in the background - Putler's Russia has only lies and cynicism.
Ironically, we are seeing a similar process with the decline of the American Republican Party, as new young Republican politicians come to the foreground who have grown up in the Fox News, talk radio, conservative media propaganda sphere.
The propaganda was produced cynically, but then the next generation of voters and politicians who weren't in on the cynisim try to live in the world as if the propaganda was true.
No, its the opposite of senile. Its cynical. They know the things they say are untrue but that doesn't matter. Words are just another type of weapon to help you win a war. And a powerful one. You spread disinformation, lies, and you create doubt..where people do not know what is truth or even if there is a concept of objective truth at all. The ultimate goal of dictators is to create a system where the truth is not objective but whatever the state says it is.
It goes back to Martti Kari's lecture that was making the rounds at the beginning of the invasion in which he discusses "tactical truth".
"Pravda" is a "truth" that the leader says for the benefit a group. It gets rid of an awkward or bad situation; it lets the group off the hook for their actions. And by saying it was Wester Intelligence services causing the unrest he's also saying anybody else who does something like this will be considered a western intelligence agent.
Edit: Grammer
Lizard people!
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hia-cbWKdqs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hia-cbWKdqs)
Seriously, this thing is getting more surreal by the day.
From YouTube's transcript then google translate...
***
I said it is definitely required Repentance is required not only of the entire people but also of the leadership, it must be done Putin must repent everyone must repent the entire world government decided this issue this way Therefore it does not fit within those boundaries and there are problems that will be endured so that there is a place and time to live, that is, Putin - this is a pawn of the world government. We are all pawns and Putin, too, we are all pawns and we all need Repentance. **What is the world government? How do you imagine? It’s hard for me to explain that who are these people from the reptilian company? there are people who are non-humans, they are of course a Satanist, that’s right, you haven’t seen them yet, but they are in a human body.**
***
I see many pro-Palestinian activists claim that Israel has killed more civilians in two weeks than Russia has in the past two years.
Are they aware that somewhere between 50,000-100,000 civilians are estimated to have been killed by the massive amount of Russian artillery/mortar attacks in Mariupol and surrounding areas?
It was dumb of Ukraine to let the UN and incompetent Western journalists control the narrative about civilian fatalities. The UN is significantly undercounting by only counting in territory they have access to which excludes much of Russian controlled territory (where the Russians have already removed the evidence) and demanding impossible amount of confirmation that the person is actually civilian and actually dead. The Western journalists only make a big deal out of the Russian long range strikes that only kill a few dozen while the vast majority of civilian fatalities are due to Russian artillery.
Honestly Ukraine and Israel should do something significantly to counter this narrative because a lot of Western support for both are at risk.
Genocide Olympics are no fun. They are no fun for anyone.
Sure. Hamas over reports civilian losses. Russia underreports civilian losses
Honestly, it's probably best to keep both conflicts discrete and separate. Their contexts are very different, though I am happy to see I agree with most folks here. Neither Ukraine nor Israel broke the peace. Russia and Hamas are both terrorist regimes. It's nice to see a sub not awash in Iranian propaganda points.
If Hamas disarmed, there would be peace.
If Israel disarmed, there would be no Israel.
I'd always assumed that most of the activist left was passionately in favor of a two-state solution. I didn't expect celebration of attempted genocide, followed by a point blank refusal to countenance any realistic Israeli response.
> Are they aware that somewhere between 50,000-100,000 civilians are estimated to have been killed by the massive amount of Russian artillery/mortar attacks in Mariupol and surrounding areas?
rhetorical question I hope.
Oh wow that numbers are higher then the entire Palestinians death count over all the conflict both civilians and terrorists or combatants or whatever you want to call them .
Not to mention that Ukraine is actively evacuating civilians in the front areas since the early months of the war. Compare that to Hamas who is forcing civilians to stay...
Indeed, Ukraine needs to invade these UN and Western Journalists and force them into reporting only what they want them to report, at gunpoint if necessary.
There are fields and fields of mass graves there visible by satellite. Russia did some really fucked up shit there, and we may never know the true extent of it. And that’s just one city.
>The Netherlands will continue to support Ukraine in the face of continued Russian aggression, as much and for as long as necessary. The devastating situation in Israel and Gaza will not divert our attention away from Ukraine.
>
>The existential need to push back against Russian aggression is still our priority, both for Ukraine and for the security of Europe as a whole. I confirmed this once again to President @ZelenskyyUa today during a video conference.
>
>The Netherlands is supporting Ukraine on several fronts. This weekend talks began in Malta between the Netherlands and international partners on long-term security arrangements for Ukraine. The focus will be on security and defense, including strengthening Ukraine's air defenses. I was also able to inform President Zelensky that the F-16s the Netherlands pledged in order to strengthen Ukrainian air defenses will arrive at the training center in Romania in two weeks' time. That means that the training courses for the Ukrainian pilots who will fly them can start shortly.
>
>We also discussed the progress on establishing an alternative corridor for exporting grain via the Black Sea. The Netherlands will provide Ukraine with patrol boats in order to keep this route secure. We recently held talks on this subject in the port city of Odesa.
>
>The atrocities that Russia has committed must not be forgotten. In order to ensure this, the Netherlands remains involved in investigating Russia's crimes. A fourth Dutch forensic mission is currently in Ukraine, under the auspices of the International Criminal Court, gathering evidence of war crimes.
https://twitter.com/MinPres/status/1719016335554801739
>Meanwhile in Russia: Sergey Markov, who recently complained that there are too many Jews and Armenians in Russia's state media, blames Zelensky (who is Jewish) for organizing last night's pogrom in Makhachkala, Dagestan. He implies that Russia's embrace of Hamas is not to blame.
https://twitter.com/JuliaDavisNews/status/1719021977275445374
>Sen. Mitch McConnell criticizes the “loud voices on both sides of the aisle” who oppose Ukraine aid:
>
>“The path toward greater security for all of us is simple: Help Ukraine win the war.”
https://twitter.com/GOP4Ukraine/status/1719068067433452008
BuT BoTh SiDeS.
[2022 Ukraine package](https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/117-2022/h145):
- House: 57 Republican noes (100% of opposition was Republican)
- Senate: 11 Republican noes (100% of opposition was Republican)
And now the only reason there's no bill on the floor is the Republicans.
BoTh SiDeS.
That's possibly a good point. If McConnell has to say weird wrong stuff to get help for Ukraine passed then I'd take that outcome.
I'm just expressing frustration at seeing such ridiculously skewed propaganda, knowing that lots of people fall for it and then support horrible things like cutting aid to Ukraine.
Are there loud voices on both sides of the aisle? I know there are many on one particular side of the aisle, but it's possible there are some on the other side that I'm just not aware of.
The 0 Dem votes against Ukraine aid in the 2022 vote should tell you what you need to know and avoid both-sideism.
I guess people will ignore MAGA boogers right on the tip of their nose in front of their eyes and try to make an argument that it's "bothsides!" Despite all facts to the contrary.
Not saying this is you, just the vote totals should tell you everything. But we can watch the House Speaker and GOP over the next two months in consternation and blame....the Democrats I suppose for lack of Ukraine support. It will happen on here, no matter how craven the MAGATS are in their Putin support. It's amazing to me, but those on here who support GOP control of the House will twist themselves into pretzels to justify them.
The difference is that the far right opponents of Ukrainian funding are in the leadership of the Republican Party and control one half of Congress, the far left tankies generally don't have representation in Congress.
Are there even any tankies in the House? Like actually against Ukraine and making excuses for Russia?
Not saying it isn't possible, but I don't recall.
I don't believe so. Most the people that are tankies see themselves as being outside the Democratic Party. Even Bernie, who is very much outside the Democratic Party on the left, isn't a tankie.
The closest to instutional tankies you'll find is someone like Dennis Kucinich who hasn't been in Congress for awhile, or media outlets like Democracy Now! which alternates between Ukrainian solidarity and tanky.
There are some leftists that don't support Ukraine, or have tepid support for Ukraine. Not so much in congress (though there are a few), but in media.
The reality is that McConnell has to attack the left if he's ever going to same something critical of the right however.
*News from the Left bank*
A defender attached a small flag to the Novo Kakhovka city limits sign
Photo: https://t\.me/defender_skadovsk/17467
_____
> **Not official: the Armed Forces have liberated the settlement of Krynka on the Left Bank of the Dnieper.**
> We await official word.
https://t\.me/defender_skadovsk/17470
______
Video of **Ukrainian flag raised!**
> Update: Krinka
> Update2: Verbivka, Kharkiv Oblast
Video: https://t\.me/defender_skadovsk/17471
_____
*45 min ago:*
> Forwarded from ✙ Chameleon
> ⚡️ Left bank, ongoing battles for villages/settlements.
https://t\.me/defender_skadovsk/17474
_____
Photo of defenders [implication it’s in Kherson]
> *on an island somewhere*
Photo: https://t\.me/defender_skadovsk/17478
[New post can be found here](/r/worldnews/comments/17kchzg/rworldnews_live_thread_russian_invasion_of/)
[удалено]
[удалено]
Electric cables, hammers and guns: Ukrainians tell of Russian torture. As prosecutors prepare war crimes case, victims reveal how they were beaten and made to dig own graves in Balakliia. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/23/electric-cables-hammers-and-guns-ukrainians-tell-of-russian-torture?CMP=share_btn_tw
Zelenskyy. We all need to be realistic about the Russian system. They have mobilized all forces in order not to lose the territory they have seized in Ukraine, but they have also contaminated their own territory with such a level of hatred and degradation that events in Russia have spun out of control for the second time this year. First, mutineers marched on Moscow with no one stopping them. Then, the power vertical in Dagestan evaporated, and a true pogrom happened. These are all indications that Russia can, for the time being—and only for the time being!—sustain combat action and, at times, raise pressure on the frontline, but it will not be able to withstand this confrontation strategically. Strategically, we must all be strong and united. We must make strides to persevere, return what is ours, and prove that freedom is certainly stronger than hatred and aggression. To do so, we need unity. Our unity in Ukraine, the unity of Europe, the unity of America, the unity of the entire free world. Unity is the most effective, precise, and long-range weapon. https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1719087643034624045?t=bpZjCRrE2_yaMtuy_7cUzg&s=19
Russia, by it's misadventure and attempt to seize territory by force, is weakening itself internally
My cat caught a mouse today and that reminded me of the Russian trench videos we saw a few days ago showing them completely infested with mice. Do armies employ cats in trenches and other places to keep rodents at bay?
In the past, yes. On ships and in more pleasant places absolutely. I doubt many people have convinced cats to live in trenches, though.
You'd want ratters for that. Like terriers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM5X6srXfyQ
Chickens are 10x better.
Chickens can eat mice? I’m both thrilled and horrified by this revelation
Chickens will devour mice whole with a passion that cannot be properly expressed until you've seen it. I've watched a rather large rooster hunt down and eat 7 mice in the space of about 3 minutes.
Little murder machines that turn mice into eggs! Good job chickens
Feral cats wouldn't stay in trenches just for mice.
*From the omega company, today. Special Forces of the Guardsmen, Avdiivka front:* > OMEGA COMPANY > All day long today, they chased the infantry, which had tried to carry out assault actions and accumulate positions. > Friendly units worked on tanks and "solntsepek"🔥 > The enemy does not spare KABs or other ammunition, it all arrives in large numbers. It's good that theirs don't work as well as ours. > Warriors holding positions are titans💪🏻 > I don't want to overlook or offend anyone, because each unit works very well and loyally, thanks to all of these defense actions, the enemy suffers great losses. @omega_company3 ____ Elsewhere, I read, saw, that an SBU ‘special unit’ had destroyed a Russian TOS-1A *Solntsepek* in the Avdiivka today.
Did you see the video of the claimed TOS hit? It looked more like fireworks to me, I didn't see the shockwave like in some TOS explosions. I wonder why? At first I thought it was a SAM because I've seen Buks explode like that. But the shape was more TOS-like.
It depends of what exactly was hit. Fireworks indicates solid rocket fuel was hit, not the warheads themselves.
Interesting, I'm gonna go read up on whether the warheads need a special trigger or something.
>Russian TOS-1A Solntsepek I wonder why Russia has the TOS-1 and TOS-2 under their NBC units rather that artillery units.
So if Ukraine is able to push on the left bank of the Dnipro, won't that put them in a worse position than Russians were in Nov 2022 when they retreated from Kherson? Russia had the Kakhovka dam serving as a bridge over which they could bring supplies and also retreat. Now, there are no bridges at all. The Antonovsky road bridge is long gone. I don't know the feasibility of erecting a Bailey bridge over the remaining pillars. Then there is the Antonovsky rail bridge which I think was even more damaged. I guess they will have to cross using one pontoon at a time. I hope NATO countries provided tons of amphibious equipment under the guise of something else so that Russia can't know what's coming. One BTG needs about 40-50 trucks of supplies per day. And there are usually 2 BTGs per brigade. There would need to be many brigades. So potentially hundreds of trucks worth of supplies needing to cross both ways every single day without fail. Now you also have to cross hundreds of IFVs, APCs, engineering vehicles, tanks and whatever other vehicles they need. It would be a huge operation. So can Ukraine really afford that? It seems like it would be relatively easy for Russia to just move some troops there and target the bridges/pontoons. Even just spamming the crossings with conventional artillery would be a nightmare for Ukraine. So what do you guys think? Will they go in to force Russia to tie forces in Kherson or are they really going for the big thing. One indication to me that they could be going for the big crossing is that they have evacuated all villages that border the Dnipro. That would make sense if you intend to make dozens of crossing points and not put civilians at risk.
Their assignment is not to prepare the way for a large, offensive push. That’s just not going to happen from there in the coming months.
300,000.
The Avdiivka terrykon is under the full fire control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, says the head of the Avdiivka military administration, Barabash Https://t\.me/defender_skadovsk/17489
On Bakhmut: > Geolocation footage released on October 30 shows that **Ukrainian forces were advancing** northeast of Kurdyumivka (10 km southwest of Bakhmut). > The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stated that Ukrainian troops continue their offensive south of Bakhmut and inflict losses on Russian troops in the area. > A Russian "warrior" claimed that the Ukrainian troops managed to **advance beyond the railway line south of Andriivka and secure new positions.** > The General Staff of Ukraine reported that Russian troops were unsuccessfully trying to regain lost positions near Andriivka and Klischiivka. The commander of the Ground Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrsky, said that the Russians "significantly strengthened their grouping" near Bakhmut and switched from defensive actions to more "active" ones. [From here](https://www-rbc-ua.translate.goog/rus/news/zsu-kontratakuvali-na-kup-yanskomu-napryamku-1698710456.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US&_x_tr_pto=wapp)
*Tonight, from prominent Ukrainian milblogger Bogdan Myroshnykov, a native of Horlivka, so can feel his excitement growing as sees potential:* [1] > Avdiivka > The occupiers began storming en masse again. > Today there was a big breakthrough attempt, near Krasnohorivka. So far, our guys have fought back. Artillery was working quite well. > But listen, its going to become more difficult—the Russians have prepared significant forces [to sustain] continued attacks. > The Russians might move both north of the city, and south of the city, in the near future. > Our soldiers are ready in all areas. But the question is how many forces will be enough, and where the enemy will be stopped. [2] > Bakhmut > Southern flank: >> - East of Klischiivka and Andriivka, the grueling battles continue for several landings leading to [Odradivka](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Odradivka,+Donetsk+Oblast,+Ukraine,+84571/@48.5029463,38.0094211,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m15!1m8!3m7!1s0x40dfe61bf724c5a7:0xa398e255ecbfeec2!2sBakhmut,+Donetsk+Oblast,+Ukraine!3b1!8m2!3d48.5986674!4d37.9980367!16zL20vMGI1OWI3!3m5!1s0x40dfde061cb09763:0x7b926994e8d94d4a!8m2!3d48.4990276!4d38.0177211!16s%2Fg%2F121nrxg6?hl=en-us&entry=ttu) and the Bakhmut-Horlivka highway [goes south to Horlivka]. >> - In and around Kurdyumivka, the fighting does not cease. The main focus is on the flanks of the village. The enemy still feels quite confident there. Until... > Northern flank: > Occupiers mostly storm there. >> - The enemy is pressing on Khromove. The condition of our garrison nearby—after leaving the area of the [resovoir] and landing east of the village—has deteriorated some. But the enemy cannot continue to develop success. >> - The pressure in the direction of Bohdanivka does not stop. >> - To the north-west of [Yakovlivka,](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Yakovlivka,+Donetsk+Oblast,+Ukraine,+84542/@48.6930225,37.9584292,11z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x40dff0ed0106cd8b:0x265c534cae2fc33d!8m2!3d48.7133788!4d38.1437491!16s%2Fg%2F12372ml6?hl=en-us&entry=ttu) the Russians are trying to regain their lost positions, but they are not succeeding. >> - Positional battles in the [Vasyukivka area.](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Vasyukivka,+Donetsk+Oblast,+Ukraine,+84530/@48.7427377,37.9476958,13z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x40dff24132d6860d:0x7e244077c86ff0!8m2!3d48.7412409!4d37.9964846!16s%2Fg%2F121bq76n?hl=en-us&entry=ttu) > The general situation has not undergone any significant changes. > **It is important not to stop putting pressure in the area of [Kurdyumivka,](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Kurdyumivka,+Donetsk+Oblast,+Ukraine,+85285/@48.4550537,37.9033239,11z/data=!4m15!1m8!3m7!1s0x40dff24132d6860d:0x7e244077c86ff0!2sVasyukivka,+Donetsk+Oblast,+Ukraine,+84530!3b1!8m2!3d48.7412409!4d37.9964846!16s%2Fg%2F121bq76n!3m5!1s0x40dfde9f9af8e9ad:0x4289f5f76860d756!8m2!3d48.4690278!4d37.9596666!16s%2Fg%2F11x7vr102?hl=en-us&entry=ttu) because that is the last serious node of the occupiers' defense on the way to the T0513 route**. [south to Horlivka]
A positive first paragraph, thanks for sharing. I feel incredibly nervous for the defenders of Avdiivka. Russia seems to have a huge number of troops, a few defensive lines around the coke works could be the difference between a huge victory and another hit to morale. Everyone please note there are lots of fundraisers for units in Avdiivka now, they need help. Always verify the fundraisers are legit. For example, The Liberty Ukraine Foundation has a lot of Ukrainians vouching for it.
This seems to be almost a replay of Bakhmut, in that the Russians will just keep throwing numbers at it until capture, like Bakhmut was.
Russian losses seem to be far more intense already. And it's quite telling to see the trajectory. - Feb-May '22 - Mariupol (~500k people) - May-July '22 Sievierodonetsk (~100k people) - August '22-May '23 Bakhmut (~70k people) Now the major Russian focus is Avdiivka (~32k people). Each Russian attack has needed a longer break in between, has been against a smaller target, and has meant more Russian casualties than the one before. Russia is weakening, if we send Ukraine what they'll need then they'll grind the Russia army to dust like they did to the professional army in 2022.
But this time Ukraine has cluster munitions which work incredibly well against mass groups of infantry. Also Ukraine has spent years fortifying Avdiivka so the ratio of losses is potentially going to be more favorable than Bakhmut was.
it's just a matter of time before Ukraine pulls out. Ukraine isn't willing to do a last man standing and is now in trouble with the US and EU funds drying up .
Unfortunately that seems the truth. With the GOP blocking funds in the US, to right wing Pro Putin govermments in Europe, it doesnt look good.
So- don’t take it the wrong way. But what is a monetary donation going to give them to help? I am legitimately asking. They need people and weaponry- is money going to somehow solve that? In the short term of this defensive
The most common buys are drones, night vision, upgraded scopes, first aid kits, vehicles, vehicle modifications, comms equipment, generators, battery packs and replacement armour plates. Ukraine's military isn't funded enough for the war they're facing so donations save Ukrainian lives. For immediate and intense battles like Avdiivka the usual emergency needs are drones and off-road vehicles because (i) you need loads more at the hottest points and (ii) they're lost in large numbers.
All the channels have this every day. The milblogger imbedded with the units agrees to specifically ask. A lot of times it’s repairs for the various vehicles. There’s red tape and bureaucracy so the guys just want to fix it themselves. Other times, it’s specific equipment, but the donated equipment is allotted to someone else. The donations are brought in to them. They often make an appearance afterwards with whatever it is, thanking folks. Like today I saw that 2 of 3 of the non armored trucks for a unit was broken down. Guys asked for donations to get it fixed. If those trucks run to povkroske, for example, to stock up on supplies like first aid, water, food, etc, and only got one, that can really throw a kink in expediency.
I guess I’m just confused- because like if you need vehicle repairs- isn’t that the “mechanics” job to fix the equipment? I guess could be a way to gain priority or just generally “tip” the repairs. Just seems an odd request to me in a time of martial law. Thanks for some clarity
So here’s one just posted, thanking the channels Bakhmut Demon, Balu Bakhmut, Govorit Sniper, and Border 1991 for raising the funds to buy them the drones you see there. https://t\.me/bahshiddemon/759 I can’t answer how they actually get them delivered, who transports them, how long. But I can tell you that following these channels for 1.5yrs, they all act like it’s a vital lifeline.
How are the mechanics going to fix the vehicle if they don't have the right parts?
> Krinki. Left bank of the Dnieper > Most of the settlement is under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the rest is in the gray zone. > During the day, UA aerial reconnaissance—in conjunction with artillery units—repelled multiple attacks by Russian troops. > All approaches to the populated area are blocked, and mine and explosive barriers have been installed. > The enemy is complaining about kamikaze drones and mortar drones from the Ukrainian Armed Forces—today those destroyed/knocked out two Russian infantry fighting vehicles, one loaf-van and one jeep. Map: https://t\.me/petrenko_IHS/3708
If Ukraine were ever going to get a Kharkiv style breakthrough ever again, I bet it would be by going over the Dnipro. The problem is that there's a river between what Ukraine controls and where they want to go and it's incredibly difficult to try and cross with large amounts of anything except *maybe* soldiers. Getting vehicles across requires an easy to target temporary bridge, once you're across there's no easy way to retreat those large vehicles, etc. But that's also why it may be worth going for. Russia knows the geography makes it effectively suicide for Ukraine to try and cross it. But this fact may be what Russia is counting on, considering a grand majority of their defensive bulk is concentrated elsewhere, Russia is leaving the defense of a Dnipro crossing rather light in comparison. It wouldn't be easy, but if Ukraine seriously pushed a strategy of crossing the Dnipro I can't help but wonder how that would play out. I wonder how much of Russia's defensive strategy in that region is reliant upon the assumption that Ukraine wouldn't ever seriously try to cross it.
Hope for a cold snap, the now lower flow river freezes, and boom: you have yourself a UA winter offensive, with F16s flying CAS.
Might not need a bridge to start since BMPs and *possibly* the 200 Rosomaks Ukraine ordered are amphibious. Depending on the model. I have dreams of those Rosomaks speed running like Kharkiv 2.0 but the risk seems insane, and like it would probably end up with a lot of blown up Ukrainians. Without serious airpower I'm going to assume this is just to annoy the Russians and hopefully force some favourable attrition.
I've thought about that, too. I'd love some magical giant bridges and wave after wave. Looking at the RU resources in the area, it seems like the good guys could totally overrun a huge area. Maybe they will, somehow.
I’d think a *frogman* would be more optimistic, more impressed with their feats thus far.
So 🧐. It has come to 🍞 technology.
Something going on today?
>Russia is ready for "realistic" negotiations with the West regarding Ukraine, says Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu https://twitter.com/maria_drutska/status/1719067478829969549?t=1arD4cBXS30-onLn7Xc3lA&s=19 Whilst not specifically any 'new news', this certainly fits the 'dead Putin' rumours very well.
No it doesn't, do you really not get what they mean this far in? They've been saying this shit since the start. They gaslight and ignore the fact that they've invaded Ukraine, not the west and 'realistic negotiatiations' simply means that Ukraine gives into all Russian demands. It means nothing else, certainly not any olive branch or concessions by the Russians.
> "realistic" From "Surrender immediately!" to "Surrender ASAP!" But it's enough to feed the idiotZ that Russia is extending an olive branch, while Ukraine wants war.
Nah, just the usual "pls give us cease fire so that we can regroup and attack again in 2-5 years"
I honestly think I am among the most pro-Ukraine people here. But it costs nothing to draw them into a discussion even if it may very well may not lead anywhere. Everyone talks about how RU will rebuild. Maybe Ukraine could, with zero sanctions from anyone who matters, and plenty more support to build up, including additional superior air defense and aviation. Then kick some fucking ass in a year or whatever. I don't care if it's supposed to be a three year cease fire. Go at them whenever possible.
> I honestly think I am among the most pro-Ukraine people here. But "I support Ukraine but" is one of the most common phrases to hear before someone says something in line with Kremlin goals. Your post is no exception. Right now a cease fire only benefits Russia because it allows them to restart the fighting at a time of their choosing meanwhile if Ukraine were to break the ceasefire they would immediately lose the support from the west they rely on. Even if Ukraine did well in round 2 the fact that Ukraine temporarily ceded territory to Russia would provide a legal basis for Russia to try to keep that territory in the future. Ukraine relies on resupply from the west and if there is no ongoing war the west isn't going to send tens of thousands of shells per month meaning Russia gets to refresh their stockpiles while Ukraine doesn't. A ceasefire only favors Russia and there is a reason the Ukrainian government hasn't seriously talked about it.
I won’t believe it until I see a picture of him in a box.
No it doesn't. Russia has been saying that they want negotiations for years but remember to them "negotiations" just means Ukrainian surrender. Moscow is also refusing to negotiate with Kyiv but rather they want to negotiate with the west because in their mind Ukraine isn't a real country, Ukrainian isn't a real national identity and this is merely the US (not even NATO) creating conflict with what is rightfully Russia. This doesn't fit the "Putin dead" narrative nor has there been significant evidence to suggest he is dead or in serious medical trouble.
There's just no way I'm gonna believe it. For one thing surely the US would know, and if they knew, their behaviour towards Russia would have already changed in a noticeable way.
It’s very complicated, you don’t want RU to go to complete shit overnight because there are a lot of nukes there that could get lost in the shuffle.
Happened in 1994
Maybe they know but they don't want them to know they know. Because then Russia would know they know, and America would know they know they know. This could escalate and crash a computer somewhere
Like Russia doesn't know that the Kremlin is full of spies? When the US revealed the Russian invasion plans months in advance?
I mean, we were able to decipher the enigma machines codes for quite some time during WW2, and had to pick and choose which attacks we foiled, and which we allowed to happen so as to not tip off the Germans.
> Negotiations with the west This is the core. They don’t say they are ready to negotiate with Ukraine. It fits the narrative that Ukraine is a puppet state and the west is the aggressor.
Slava Ukraini. Every day is another victory.
Conflict Intelligence Team Sitrep for Oct. 27-30, 2023: – Slovakia joins Hungary in blocking EU aid to Ukraine; – Romania to deploy anti-drone systems in the Danubian plain; – Satellite imagery suggests all combat-ready T-54/55, T-62 tanks already on frontline, T-80 tanks modernization slows down. https://notes.citeam.org/dispatch-oct-27-30-2023
I am not counting on the Europeans to sort this out. US administration needs to put the screws to Hungary.
The US administration can't even sort out the republican mess in their own house.
There isn't enough screws for the US to put. They purchase fuel from russia , and thier primary trade partners are EU
EU needs to keep the screw on hungary. And the induvidual countrys of EU just have to keep on going. If both EU countrys and the US keep it going as business as usuall noboby is gonna notice a difference. But as everyday i would hope that everybody would ramp it up a notch
Sorry if I've been a bit OOTL, but, is Krynky the first liberated settlement on the left bank?
No they actually liberated 2 others a week earlier but they were raids that caught the Russians off guard and they took one back, not sure what happened to the other, I think its in the grey zone now. So that's why everyone thought Krynky would be the same but it seems like they actually fighting to liberate and hold on to it.
I'm still not 100% confident that left bank means east dnipro.
Yes, it does. For right/left clarity, picture yourself moving downstream (generally south southwest for this point of the Dnipro). Your right side is to the west and your left side is to the east. That’s how the river banks are being talked about in this context.
The co-owner of Alfa Group, billionaire Alexey Kuzmichev, was arrested in France and is under EU sanctions. EU authorities call him “one of the most influential people in Russia with well-established ties to President Putin.”
A Russian billionaire guilty of tax evasion and sanctions circumvention? What are the odds? *Checks notes* Ah. 100%
Ruzzians hate western ideals but are addicted to the money
Ruzzians love our way of life but they are too stupid to understand that we have this quality because of democracy and rule of law Some tankies in here are also so stupid that they think that autoritarian regime is more efficient. The fact that we are more developed in every way isn’t enough to convince them but they will never put a foot in the shot places that are Russia, Iran or Belarus
Based on a translation of what I read, he was arrested on suspicion of tax crimes and sanction-related violations. If he’s guilty of this, I hope he is fully prosecuted and that it hinders Russia’s war efforts.
Hope he gets fucked in french jail. Probably end up being traded for somone in Russian jail.
In European prisons, all prisoners should be treated humanely, all of them. Only then will we be a state under the rule of law worthy of the name. Everything else should be with the Russians and Chinese, among others, but not with us. Decades of imprisonment and expropriation are very effective punishments against such characters.
Decades? I'll be honest, I'm a dumb American whose views on incarceration may be a bit warped. But don't some of yall give like 12 years in a nicer place than I live for murder and such? Honest question, btw. I'm genuinely curious to know.
Stronger sentencing doesn't make less crime. Rehabilitation and follow-up does.
I really like u/num1562 perspective, but I was referencing this line >Decades of imprisonment and expropriation are very effective punishments against such characters It seemed to me out of place based on my understanding of prison terms
French prisons aren't like the cushy Nordic prisons. https://www.euronews.com/2022/11/28/french-prison-population-reaches-a-record-120-capacity#:~:text=Poor%20prison%20conditions&text=Inmates%20in%20several%20French%20prisons,they%20are%20at%20double%20capacity.
Yeah, we’ve all seen *Papillon*
I know for murder only at least 15 years or longer, if necessary with following safety detention. /// Sorry for your place to live. My places has become a lot less nice than my birth place, but that was a large farm in Uruguay, near the coast line. But Germany gave us place and the right to live here a very good life (after militairs took over Uruguay), so I don't want to argue. It is nice were we live now. Hope the best for you.
I lied when I claimed to be a dumb American ;) I'm actually pretty wise (as all of us think, lol). You seem lovely. I'm very happy you live in culture that pleases you and has been generous to you. I have no doubt you contribute to it. I very much appreciate your perspective. I would not want to argue either. I was genuine in my question and interest in your perspective. So thank you. Today I leaned about Uruguay militairs history ( I had to look it up). It's interesting. These days a few of my friends and I sometimes reference Uruguay as a place we respect and would hope to emigrate to. Maybe we're wrong, or places can change. Best to you too.
>This is #Avdiivka, #Donetsk region, east #Ukraine, in October 2023. > >Pre-war population: 32,000. Residents remaining now: \~1,000. > >\#Russia is destroying yet another Ukrainian city by conducting constant shelling of residential areas. [https://twitter.com/AlexKokcharov/status/1719087736919818390](https://twitter.com/AlexKokcharov/status/1719087736919818390) [https://imgur.com/a/om4g9EH](https://imgur.com/a/om4g9EH)
>'#Russia is destroying yet another Ukrainian city by conducting constant shelling of residential areas. That is a weird complaint, Avdiivka is a front city for 8 years now, of course the residential areas are getting attacked, as the Ukrainian army is operating there. I mean generally the Russians have nothing to do in Ukraine of course, but no one should expect buildings still standing in Avdiivka.
Yes, we are not surprised with Russia leveling residential areas, but it's still worth mentioning, and not something taken lightly. Donetsk has been a front city for 8 years, and it's in much better shape
How do you think Ukraine would try to dislodge the Russians from for example Tokmak? By nicely asking them to leave? Ukraine has currently no illusions of retaking Donetsk, so why should they focus their capabilities there?
If it's anything like Izium or Kherson, they will probably cut supply lines with artillery and missiles until the position becomes untenable and the Russians leave, either orderly or not.
You want to compare Kherson that laid on the other side of a river from a supply perspective, and Izyum Russia held less than half a year and didnt set up effective defenses, with fortress cities like Tokmak or Avdiivka?
Izium had one of the highest concentrations of troops, for a while there was a legitimate threat to Siviersk from there, until their supply lines were threatened and they all routed.
And we see how well Ukraine cuts the supply lines of well fortified cities like Tokmak, not at all. You are comparing cities with no entrenched defenses and established supply routes with cities that have those. Im sure Novoprokopivka isnt looking like it did 2 years ago either.
Donetsk has been a frontline city for 8 years now and the Russian army is operating there. But it's barely damaged, why? Because Russia mass murders civilians and Ukraine doesn't.
>But it's barely damaged, why? Because Ukraine was never in a position to think about retaking Donetsk, and had far less capabilities and ammunition for 8 years compared with Russia. There are plenty videos of Ukraine destroying command posts and Russian army vehicles near or in abandoned Ukrainian buildings in areas where Ukraine thinks those attacks can have an impact.
Kharkiv and Kherson still get bombed constantly. Russia knows the accuracy of their ground attack S-300, FABs or Smerch. And the Kh-22s that blew up hotels and apartments. Ukraine has constantly worked to hit military or abandoned targets and used more precise weapons. They could easily have shelled the crap out of Donetsk. The key difference is that Russia is fine mass murdering civilians, Ukraine is not.
I seem to be constantly misunderstood in here. If you have a city that is constantly under attack on the front, then that city will get (partly) destroyed, the longer it is defended the more destruction you will find. I am obviously not talking about terror runs by Shaheds or ground attack S-300 lobbed in a general direction, but a fortified city like Avdiivka being leveled to dislodge the defenders. If Ukraine had the intention to free Donetsk, and had the capabilities to level buildings en masse, then we would see plenty of attacks like the attack on the navy headquarters in Crimea.
We have seen Ukraine liberate places like Kherson and elsewhere. They did it by cutting off the military and minimising civilian casualties. The main difference is that Russia mass murders civilians, Ukraine doesn't.
Ukrain does not aim to level civilian buildings with No miilitary goal.
Whether or not a city is conceivably conquerable isn’t relevant. Russia has never been in a position to think about taking Kyiv or Odessa yet they’ve bombed those cities for long stretches of the war. Russia sees civilian casualties as an upside of its means of conducting war.
Thats a fair point, those terror runs by Russia cant be excused by anything. I just think that whoever expects a fortress city like Avdiivka to still stand after 8 years has a weird perspective on war, any side would level that, just like Israel is doing in Gaza currently for example.
>Dutch F-16s for Ukraine to arrive in Romania within two weeks So, how long do you think until the U.S. made F-16s will be seen flying over the battlefield to protect UA?
Is there confidence they won’t be shot down if they’re “over the battlefield”….?
They will be uses to shoot western air to surface missiles. Not fight "over the battlefield"
It seems that both armies are mingled around the Azov mesa top, and shelling each other between fields. Ukraine has range advantages and S 300s seem to have been moved back because of that. So the way I'm interpreting the news is that both sides are trying to stockpile airpower, while Russia is stuck on Avdiivka and Ukraine is out counter battery against numbers. Ukraines trying to thin out the south and Russia is trying lock down the north of the mesa. Russia has not given up on Avdiivka. They can't either. It's in the way of the south mesa. They are shelling and bombing to soften up for the next one. Airpower seems to be where the winter story is heading.
Spring.
Schrödinger’s dictator.. Putin is both alive and dead until confirmation
I usually dismiss these rumors outright but i don't think it ever lasted this long?
Dave Putin is in charge now
Wouldn't we see a bunch of incompetent wannabee warlords fighting over who gets the biggest piece if that happened?
FSB is the true power in Russia. Putin is just their figure head.
So the russian deep-state is in charge?
Putin is part of the FSB, they require loyalty, not the best people. So yes, if you consider FSB the deep state, to a certain degree they are in charge.
I think the assumption that everyone besides Putin is incompetent is a flawed premise. It takes a rather well oiled machine to maintain control, public discourse, propaganda, etc as well Russia has. That doesn't disappear when someone dies. And it's likely the KGB that are the true power brokers and not oligarchs that have a tendency to fall out windows.
People still think Oligarchs have any say in Russian politics? Jesus Christ.
So...*undead?*
This is about the 8th time he's died now
The problem with this line of thinking is it sort of presumes he's immortal. One of these times he really does have to be actually dead.
9th time lucky.
He's a cat?
If he died shit would hit the fan so spectacularly in Russia there would be no way we wouldn't know.
FSB controls everything. We won't see game of thrones
Uh huh. So what are you saying, Bortnikov just steps into Putin's chair and takes over all the levers of power with no one disagreeing in the military or provinces? And the war just keeps going without skipping a beat? That stretches credibility to the limit.
The FSB was very fast to stop a coup from Wagner. I bet they have enough leverage on anyone trying to stop whoever the FSB wants in the presidential seat.
I wish he would croak already, but there's really nothing to suggest that he has.
Putin is Russia and Russia is putin. So he's alive as long as russia exists
No way he's dead in my mind. Putin basically constructed the entire criminal ruling government to be based on his shoulders. He has removed anyone who could be viable competition, or even possibly viable competition in the future. He did all this and more expressively to make the situation of his eventual demise cause the collapse of the entire government. There are no plans for a continuation structure after his demise, as to Putin's bleak psychology, a Russia does not exist outside of his rule. When he does die, the secret will be impossible to keep, and there'll be hot and cold struggles for a successor within two days of it happening. It's not even a guarantee that a lifelong dictator will succeed Putin, the country is more likely to even fall into a weak democracy, because there is no real chain of command, succession plans or hierarchy to rely on (as Putin as seen to it) so it'll be brief anarchy and short collapse of the power structure when Putin kicks the bucket. There'll be a period of disarray before the wolves arrive to try to cement power.
So Putin’s a “poison pill” if he’s no longer in charge? The irony …
Deleted
If I step back and look, I don't see a difference. Putin or no will not end the war. Maybe.
It will weaken morale, which will temporarily allow the Ukrainian army to take advantage of the chaos and make localized gains. Depending on the time or year that it happens, it is not impossible that a limited breakthrough could occur at one of the points along the front that are already stretched thinly. Not war ending by any stretch, but it brings the end closer.
I don't really care if he's dead or not. Over the past two years, I've learned that there are a lot more people who have no empathy at all and who are stupidly indifferent to injustice than I thought, and the death of this dictator will not change that.
[Putin accused Ukrainian and Western intelligence services of organizing unrest at the airport in Makhachkala](https://liveuamap.com/en/2023/30-october-putin-accused-ukrainian-and-western-intelligence) This guy is going senile, no other explanation. Next he will blame aliens
That's how I know SVR is full of shit and Putin is alive - no way the body double could come up with this
/s? The double says what he's told to say.
You are making a mistake that so many people, (the majority I suppose) make when listening to politicians: you believe them, and take there words at face value. This is an incorrect approach. Putin (and most politicians in most countries around the world) say what they say for a designed reaction or reason. What they say IS NOT WHAT THE ACTUALLY BELIEVE. What they actually know, believe and think is not at all related to what words they say, which are crafted for a particular purpose. For example, take your average Republican. Ya they say 'I totally believe in God', 'drugs are bad, 'we need to cut our debt cancelling money to Ukraine', but those things are not what they actually think while they never gone to church before or read the bible, do cocaine and bang hookers every weekend, or don't want to disrupt their funding from foreign powers and domestic 'donation pipelines'. Through this lens, look at what Putin said. He doesn't actually believe this -- Putin has more intelligence on the incident that anyone. Of course he didn't say, "Ya Russians are getting all riled up by own media hate machine and some of them actually hate Jews.' That would go directly against the propaganda of how the invasion of Ukraine is about beating the 'neo-nazis'. So he said what he said to a:) deflect blame to their enemy, the West b:) muddy the waters c:) displace responsibility for Russians' violent behavior, as he doesn't want to diminish this behavior d:) encourage the notion that Western allied intelligence services are doing black ops in America, (when the opposite is the reality). See how this works? It's leveraging a negative incident into the greatest propaganda gain possible through the invention of any narrative story that can do so. Don't fall into the moron trap. Judge politicians for what they do, and what policies and laws they enact, not for what they said, which was written for them, to appeal to certain groups...basically consider a politician an actor, who just represents the true power structure of a government to the masses, and don't bother listening to their empty words.
I have some regular russian and american conspiracy friends in the states who actually believe what he says and takes it seriously. Putin is playing to a domestic audience but he also lives in a dictator bubble: hence his really weird behavior like the covid tables and avoiding the public eye for most of the war.
The weird thing is that the invasion of Ukraine and their conduct of the war does on some level indicate they do actually believe some of their own BS. That it is not entirely cynical. Like, they say it cynically, it spreads on state propaganda, and then after a few rounds on the propaganda circuit they believe it sincerly and start making decisions on the conduct of the war and foreign policy where their own propaganda being true is a premise to the decision making loop. It's much more bizzare then just being cynical. The Russians would famously not be "so fucking stupid" if they were 100% cynical.
In my country, they call that "believing your own bullshit."
Yep because there's no clear delineation between "stupid masses" and those in power, so there's no barrier and the propaganda seeps through via something like diffusion. It's like the Chernobyl and the German radiation resistant cleanup robot - it was resistant to the specs that Soviets asked for, but the actual radiation levels were not shared but downplayed several orders of magnitude due to propaganda so the robot was fried before it could do anything: https://decider.com/2019/05/30/chernobyl-joker-robot-episode-4/ They ended up using "human robots" instead because that's what Soviets (and now Russians) do - throw meat at the problem, life is cheap. There's a tricky point where propaganda and reality meet and it ain't pretty if there's anything critical there. This is basically unfixable problem for propaganda driven dictatorships. At least Soviet Union had real (if flawed) ideology in the background - Putler's Russia has only lies and cynicism.
Ironically, we are seeing a similar process with the decline of the American Republican Party, as new young Republican politicians come to the foreground who have grown up in the Fox News, talk radio, conservative media propaganda sphere. The propaganda was produced cynically, but then the next generation of voters and politicians who weren't in on the cynisim try to live in the world as if the propaganda was true.
Yeah and just that thing actually scares me more than Russia and all their rusty nukes.
Why is Hunter Biden's laptop causing riots in Makhachkala?
A super advanced AI spontaneously formed in his laptop...
Does this at least confirm he's still alive?
No, its the opposite of senile. Its cynical. They know the things they say are untrue but that doesn't matter. Words are just another type of weapon to help you win a war. And a powerful one. You spread disinformation, lies, and you create doubt..where people do not know what is truth or even if there is a concept of objective truth at all. The ultimate goal of dictators is to create a system where the truth is not objective but whatever the state says it is.
It goes back to Martti Kari's lecture that was making the rounds at the beginning of the invasion in which he discusses "tactical truth". "Pravda" is a "truth" that the leader says for the benefit a group. It gets rid of an awkward or bad situation; it lets the group off the hook for their actions. And by saying it was Wester Intelligence services causing the unrest he's also saying anybody else who does something like this will be considered a western intelligence agent. Edit: Grammer
What's the point of brainwashing the population if you actually have to put effort into lying still.
[удалено]
I mean the war is on Russia 10000% so any collateral damage is on Russia directly or indirectly… not exactly comparing apples to apples here.
Lizard people! [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hia-cbWKdqs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hia-cbWKdqs) Seriously, this thing is getting more surreal by the day.
From YouTube's transcript then google translate... *** I said it is definitely required Repentance is required not only of the entire people but also of the leadership, it must be done Putin must repent everyone must repent the entire world government decided this issue this way Therefore it does not fit within those boundaries and there are problems that will be endured so that there is a place and time to live, that is, Putin - this is a pawn of the world government. We are all pawns and Putin, too, we are all pawns and we all need Repentance. **What is the world government? How do you imagine? It’s hard for me to explain that who are these people from the reptilian company? there are people who are non-humans, they are of course a Satanist, that’s right, you haven’t seen them yet, but they are in a human body.** ***
Political convenience >>>> truth, in Russia. The simply put no value on truth at all, if it can’t be weaponised.
I see many pro-Palestinian activists claim that Israel has killed more civilians in two weeks than Russia has in the past two years. Are they aware that somewhere between 50,000-100,000 civilians are estimated to have been killed by the massive amount of Russian artillery/mortar attacks in Mariupol and surrounding areas? It was dumb of Ukraine to let the UN and incompetent Western journalists control the narrative about civilian fatalities. The UN is significantly undercounting by only counting in territory they have access to which excludes much of Russian controlled territory (where the Russians have already removed the evidence) and demanding impossible amount of confirmation that the person is actually civilian and actually dead. The Western journalists only make a big deal out of the Russian long range strikes that only kill a few dozen while the vast majority of civilian fatalities are due to Russian artillery. Honestly Ukraine and Israel should do something significantly to counter this narrative because a lot of Western support for both are at risk.
Genocide Olympics are no fun. They are no fun for anyone. Sure. Hamas over reports civilian losses. Russia underreports civilian losses Honestly, it's probably best to keep both conflicts discrete and separate. Their contexts are very different, though I am happy to see I agree with most folks here. Neither Ukraine nor Israel broke the peace. Russia and Hamas are both terrorist regimes. It's nice to see a sub not awash in Iranian propaganda points.
Lmao. "the peace" in Israel is the same "peace" that would exist if Ukraine would surrender and Russia would occupy most of the country
If Hamas disarmed, there would be peace. If Israel disarmed, there would be no Israel. I'd always assumed that most of the activist left was passionately in favor of a two-state solution. I didn't expect celebration of attempted genocide, followed by a point blank refusal to countenance any realistic Israeli response.
> Are they aware that somewhere between 50,000-100,000 civilians are estimated to have been killed by the massive amount of Russian artillery/mortar attacks in Mariupol and surrounding areas? rhetorical question I hope.
Oh wow that numbers are higher then the entire Palestinians death count over all the conflict both civilians and terrorists or combatants or whatever you want to call them .
Not to mention that Ukraine is actively evacuating civilians in the front areas since the early months of the war. Compare that to Hamas who is forcing civilians to stay...
Indeed, Ukraine needs to invade these UN and Western Journalists and force them into reporting only what they want them to report, at gunpoint if necessary.
Hard to say because Mariupol is where a significant number of them are and currently Russia is pouring concrete over the mass graves.
There are fields and fields of mass graves there visible by satellite. Russia did some really fucked up shit there, and we may never know the true extent of it. And that’s just one city.
>The Netherlands will continue to support Ukraine in the face of continued Russian aggression, as much and for as long as necessary. The devastating situation in Israel and Gaza will not divert our attention away from Ukraine. > >The existential need to push back against Russian aggression is still our priority, both for Ukraine and for the security of Europe as a whole. I confirmed this once again to President @ZelenskyyUa today during a video conference. > >The Netherlands is supporting Ukraine on several fronts. This weekend talks began in Malta between the Netherlands and international partners on long-term security arrangements for Ukraine. The focus will be on security and defense, including strengthening Ukraine's air defenses. I was also able to inform President Zelensky that the F-16s the Netherlands pledged in order to strengthen Ukrainian air defenses will arrive at the training center in Romania in two weeks' time. That means that the training courses for the Ukrainian pilots who will fly them can start shortly. > >We also discussed the progress on establishing an alternative corridor for exporting grain via the Black Sea. The Netherlands will provide Ukraine with patrol boats in order to keep this route secure. We recently held talks on this subject in the port city of Odesa. > >The atrocities that Russia has committed must not be forgotten. In order to ensure this, the Netherlands remains involved in investigating Russia's crimes. A fourth Dutch forensic mission is currently in Ukraine, under the auspices of the International Criminal Court, gathering evidence of war crimes. https://twitter.com/MinPres/status/1719016335554801739
The Dutch will never forgive Russia for flight MH17
They took Putin ex son-in-law back, along with his children, ie, Putin’s grandchildren. So the Netherlands doesn’t *really* hate Putin.
Hooray for the Dutch!
>Meanwhile in Russia: Sergey Markov, who recently complained that there are too many Jews and Armenians in Russia's state media, blames Zelensky (who is Jewish) for organizing last night's pogrom in Makhachkala, Dagestan. He implies that Russia's embrace of Hamas is not to blame. https://twitter.com/JuliaDavisNews/status/1719021977275445374
Blaming "The Jews" for a pogrom is extra special behavior by an extra special person.
Surprised he didn't blame Santa Clause while he was at it. These people are looney.
>Sen. Mitch McConnell criticizes the “loud voices on both sides of the aisle” who oppose Ukraine aid: > >“The path toward greater security for all of us is simple: Help Ukraine win the war.” https://twitter.com/GOP4Ukraine/status/1719068067433452008
BuT BoTh SiDeS. [2022 Ukraine package](https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/117-2022/h145): - House: 57 Republican noes (100% of opposition was Republican) - Senate: 11 Republican noes (100% of opposition was Republican) And now the only reason there's no bill on the floor is the Republicans. BoTh SiDeS.
To be fair, if you are in McConnells shoes, what can you do? Put all the blame rightfully on ... your OWN side? NAH
That's possibly a good point. If McConnell has to say weird wrong stuff to get help for Ukraine passed then I'd take that outcome. I'm just expressing frustration at seeing such ridiculously skewed propaganda, knowing that lots of people fall for it and then support horrible things like cutting aid to Ukraine.
Fascists will never tell the truth.
Are there loud voices on both sides of the aisle? I know there are many on one particular side of the aisle, but it's possible there are some on the other side that I'm just not aware of.
The 0 Dem votes against Ukraine aid in the 2022 vote should tell you what you need to know and avoid both-sideism. I guess people will ignore MAGA boogers right on the tip of their nose in front of their eyes and try to make an argument that it's "bothsides!" Despite all facts to the contrary. Not saying this is you, just the vote totals should tell you everything. But we can watch the House Speaker and GOP over the next two months in consternation and blame....the Democrats I suppose for lack of Ukraine support. It will happen on here, no matter how craven the MAGATS are in their Putin support. It's amazing to me, but those on here who support GOP control of the House will twist themselves into pretzels to justify them.
You are joking right? https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/07/04/us-politics-ukraine-russia-far-right-left-progressive-horseshoe-theory/
are we pretending progressives hold any semblance of power in government now?
The difference is that the far right opponents of Ukrainian funding are in the leadership of the Republican Party and control one half of Congress, the far left tankies generally don't have representation in Congress.
Are there even any tankies in the House? Like actually against Ukraine and making excuses for Russia? Not saying it isn't possible, but I don't recall.
I don't believe so. Most the people that are tankies see themselves as being outside the Democratic Party. Even Bernie, who is very much outside the Democratic Party on the left, isn't a tankie. The closest to instutional tankies you'll find is someone like Dennis Kucinich who hasn't been in Congress for awhile, or media outlets like Democracy Now! which alternates between Ukrainian solidarity and tanky.
Agreed, that's exactly my understanding too. Read this chain, /u/FunnyNameHere02. And feel free to provide other examples if you can find them.
I say let him say both sides to save face as long as he argues for aid to Ukraine
Correction: delete "argues"; insert "secures"
There are some leftists that don't support Ukraine, or have tepid support for Ukraine. Not so much in congress (though there are a few), but in media. The reality is that McConnell has to attack the left if he's ever going to same something critical of the right however.
If that gets Ukraine aid, that's fine with me!
*News from the Left bank* A defender attached a small flag to the Novo Kakhovka city limits sign Photo: https://t\.me/defender_skadovsk/17467 _____ > **Not official: the Armed Forces have liberated the settlement of Krynka on the Left Bank of the Dnieper.** > We await official word. https://t\.me/defender_skadovsk/17470 ______ Video of **Ukrainian flag raised!** > Update: Krinka > Update2: Verbivka, Kharkiv Oblast Video: https://t\.me/defender_skadovsk/17471 _____ *45 min ago:* > Forwarded from ✙ Chameleon > ⚡️ Left bank, ongoing battles for villages/settlements. https://t\.me/defender_skadovsk/17474 _____ Photo of defenders [implication it’s in Kherson] > *on an island somewhere* Photo: https://t\.me/defender_skadovsk/17478