Putin is Running Out of Time and Money, part II

Link to Part I

And yet on all fronts he's winning.

^ Only if you watch Sputnik Channel and Tucker Carlson on Fox News, Svetlana.

Why do trolls like R2 exist?

If by "winning" you mean his planned "72 Hour Special Operation" turning into a "365 Day + Land War" which showed Russia's military to be suffering from both micropeen and erectile dysfunction, then ok. "Winning", it is.

I asked this on the other thread: what's the motivation behind cheering on a genocidal dictator? It's completely like cheering on Hitler. If you're a Russian troll why be on DL? You're found out right away and you're mercilessly dragged. If you're a MAGAt I guess it makes sense to cheer on Pootin because your dear leader and Fox like him as they approve of autocrats, or at least they approve of the autocratic tendencies of Dump. It's still odd to me, though.

"If you're a Russian troll why be on DL? "

It's the carpet bomb approach to propaganda. Posting here is part of a larger strategy to just cover as many surfaces as possible with idiotic, pro-Russia blather. The thinking is that a few people here and there will be peeled away and radicalize from this thorough, incessant drumbeat of authoritarian ass-licking slop. It's a glacial slow long game with the intention of influencing how and who people vote for here in the US.

I know. Sounds utterly stupid. That's because it is. But there you have it.

I guess, R7. But boy is it ever stupid--to troll over this on Datalounge??? No wonder Russia is losing, if their trolls are any evidence of their long game.

You fools, Putin is winning in glorious People's Republic of Transnistria! Soon, all of Moldova will be his, and in brilliant pincer move he will encircle Ukraine with tanks and armored vehicles that will not stall out, catch fire, or unexpectedly flip over on relentless path to Gates of Kiev!

"Winning"

[quote]Under Putin’s invasion plan, Russia’s troops were to seize Kyiv within a matter of days in a brilliant, comparatively bloodless blitzkrieg. Instead, the war has proved to be a quagmire of historic proportions for Russia. A year on, Putin’s invasion has claimed well over 200,000 dead and injured among Russia’s armed forces, according to US and European officials; depleted its stock of tanks, artillery and cruise missiles; and cut the country off from global financial markets and western supply chains. Nor has the fighting in Ukraine brought Putin any closer to his vaguely defined goals of “demilitarising” and “de-Nazifying” Kyiv. Though Russia now controls 17 per cent of Ukraine’s internationally recognised territory, it has abandoned half of the land it seized in the war’s early weeks — including a humiliating retreat from Kherson, the only provincial capital under its control, just weeks after Putin attempted to annex it.

...

[quote]Prewar predictions that Ukraine’s army would collapse had largely been based on the assumption Russia’s air force would quickly establish control of Ukraine’s skies. Instead, amid widespread disarray among the invaders, Russia’s army shot down a number of its own aircraft in the early days of the invasion. As a result, it ran out of pilots with experience of combat operations involving ground forces who were also prepared to fly, according to two western officials and a Ukrainian official.

[quote]“It may not have been double digits, but it’s more than one or two” Russian aircraft shot down by friendly fire, says the former senior US official. “There was a lot of fratricide.” He adds: “They may not have had pilots with combat experience who were willing to fly over Ukraine and risk their necks in that crazy environment.” Vadym Skibitsky, deputy head of Ukrainian military intelligence, adds: “It happened. From artillery units, from tanks, and we even saw it from our intercepts of their conversations. They shot down their own helicopters and they shot down their own planes.”

[quote]On the ground, Russia’s advances came at the price of huge casualties and did not help it capture any major cities apart from Kherson. By the end of March, the invading forces were in such a poor state that they withdrew from most of central and north-eastern Ukraine, which it portrayed as a “gesture of goodwill”. The brilliant plan had proved a failure. “Russia screwed up,” says Skibitsky. “Gerasimov initially didn’t want to go in from all sides like he did. But the FSB and everyone else convinced him everyone was waiting for him to show up and there wouldn’t be any resistance.”

Must be like Dump. We’ve gotten so tired of Putin winning r2.

Seriously he must be losing his mind at the fact that it’s been a YEAR.

Poootin's so desperate he's now force-drafting Russia's college students. THAT ought to win him that war--a bunch of terrified, 20-year-old untrained cannon fodder.

Older Americans can tell him how well The Draft worked out for it's leaders. Or, maybe he can ask his good pal, Cadet Bone Spurs. Oh, wait...

The so-called "Developing World" LOVES Putin, because he isn't a Western European colonialist-imperialist.

And MAGAts here at home love him too.

Of course, they're all too stupid to realize how he is manipulating them.

[quote]The so-called "Developing World" LOVES Putin, because he isn't a Western European colonialist-imperialist.

Meh, not that much.

Note the 32 abstentions, however.

I don't think abstentions are a sign of love, R16.

They're a sign of fear, as well as an FU to Western Europe and America.

As such, they're meaningless.

LOL, no. Putin is clearly not persuasive/threatening enough to even get an empty gesture of support. Those countries all knew this resolution would pass and yes still abstained instead of giving any credence to Putin's claim that he had no choice but to invade.

^ "yet"

An unexpected positive from this heinous invasion is that Poootin showed his hand and revealed Russia to be unprepared, unmotivated, and very unthreatening to the West. He's revealed that the world has a lot less to fear from Russia than it might have previously thought. His big ally is Iran. Talk about unimpressive.

[quote]The so-called "Developing World" LOVES Putin, because he isn't a Western European colonialist-imperialist.

No, he's a Eurasian kleptocrat bent on extractive imperialism over every country his tanks don't break down in. There's a reason the countries supporting him are far from his borders (except for ever-loyal Belarus). Even Iran only gave a "meh."

Saddam Hussein was very well-liked by many! And so was Slobodan Milošević, I'll have you gays know. Don't even get me started on Muammar Gaddafi, what a MAN!

Brezhnev got more support in the vote condemning the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan: 104-18-18.

And we all know how well the invasion of Afghanistan worked out for Russia.

There’s a lot of countries enjoying the discounted oil amongst the abstentions. (Hey Pakistan!) They aren’t so much supporting Russia as supporting picking Russia’s bones clean.

Good to see you on this thread, ElderLez. Just want to remind everyone that 15 minutes ago the sun set on a free Kyiv on the 366th day of the invasion.

Yes, always good to see the sane and knowledgeable ElderLez on any thread.

Slava Ukraini

May the sun continue to set on a free Kyiv

Slava Ukraini!

“ He's revealed that the world has a lot less to fear from Russia than it might have previously thought. ”

But he has way more meat for the meat grinder of war. That’s his strategy. Wear down the west’s resolve via years of unyielding conflict (sacrificing the younger generation in the process).

How is he wearing down anyone's "resolve"? NATO has little to lose here; in fact, weapons orders only entice the western military-industrial complex, and energy needs are increasingly being met without Russian gas and oil. The "years of unyielding conflict" are just impoverishing Russia and depleting its population via casualties and brain drain. We were saying it last March and we're still saying it: what Putin unwittingly did was recommit western and east Asian democracies to their alliances and expose Russia as a paper tiger, soon to become a client state of China.

[quote] Wear down the west’s resolve via years of unyielding conflict (sacrificing the younger generation in the process)

He's not wearing down the west's resolve at all, R32. This is a myth. Poootin and Russia have everything to lose and the're losing it steadily, day by day.

R32, Putin’s willingness to sacrifice his own people means nothing to “the West.” The Ukrainians HAVE to fight—Russia has nothing to offer them but oppression and death if they surrender. Our investment in the war is investment in our own military production, something that has always helped the U.S. economy.

There's a poster who keeps bleating on about manpower but it's not just manpower - it's also about tanks, equipment, planes, ammo, etc.

"He's not wearing down the west's resolve at all"

Right, at the moment he is not. I just said that that was his strategy. He is just getting started (notice I said "years of unyielding conflict" - it's only been a year). Russia has a fuck ton of college-age kids to sacrifice too, to prolong everything. And the Russian people are too stupid and brainwashed to protest. They will be most proud that their kids are dying for the cause.

Also, watch how quickly we turn tail should Republicans get back in office. They will lift Russian sanctions and speak glowingly of Putin (some already are).

And interesting point r35 re war production. I didnt even think of that re war production.

Everything was fine and dandy as long as Pootz was throwing the hayseeds from remote backwater villages into Ukraine.

But he’s managed to get all of them killed or wounded and is forced to start conscripting men from the more “civilized” parts of Russia to soothe his busted ego.

Once a few thousand of them hit that meat grinder and never return or return permanently maimed, he’s going to have 99 problems and Ukraine will be the LEAST of his concerns.

R37, what exactly do you think western nations are going to get so fatigued over in the long run that they'll stop supporting Ukraine? Republicans like Matt Gaetz talk this way, but they really just support autocracy over democracy and so favor Putin—resolve has nothing to do with it. The long-term strategy you ascribe to Putin can only hurt Russia and him; he doesn't have the vast reserves manpower you think he does, especially trained manpower.

The last year isn't "just the beginning"; it's been symptomatic of Russian weakness, and it's hard to see how they make up for that. We're hearing intelligence that Putin wants to take over Belarus and Moldova—he'll really have his hands full then, not to mention the various problems within Russia he still needs to keep a lid on.

Not to mention, R37, the vast majority of the GOP very much support Ukraine in the war. You're talking about fringe MAGAt freaks. They don't make up the majority of Republicans. That said, I do have concerns about the U.S.'s financial commitment to the war should Republicans retake the WH.

Take over Belarus? Is Putin really so stupid he wants to depose his most loyal ally??? Who told him that was a good idea?

ElderLez, that plan was indicated by some leaked documents. Doesn't seem very doable, especially given current exigencies, but Putin isn't the most realistic thinker.

He’s also been agitating to attack Moldova.

Their new PM announced that Putin’s goon squad trolls and bots have been flooding their media accounts trying to foment a coup.

Moldova has had some issues and Putin believes that if he can take over Moldova, he can encircle Ukraine. The Moldovan government seems to be trying to get out front of this shit by alerting its citizens of what’s going on, who’s behind it and why.

Seems like the entire world is getting wise to Putin’s bullshit troll army except the idiot MAGAts.

Unfortunately there are convoys heading into Russia from China, supplying them with vehicles and who knows what else?

If you need a friend - or at least a "neutral" - China and Iran are good ones to have. India abstained as well.

Link for these Chinese convoys headed to Russia, R44? Bonus points if they're filled with cut-rate tires.

Moldova, Romania. Poootin wants a return of the Warsaw Pact. She's nothing if not ambitious.

R45, anal retentive as I am I took these notes yesterday

FEB 23 NBC nightly news: Russians paying $170,000 each for Ram trucks (bought in Abu Dabi legally, then routed thru Georgia to Moscow to the buyer) – there were 2 and the guy said cars came thru every day. (at the end of the segment, the reporter said there were long convoys coming across the Russo-Chinese border as well -- for the China convoy part, see Minute 17.40 at the link)

[quote]That’s his strategy. Wear down the west’s resolve via years of unyielding conflict

So he abandoned all that territory, withdrew from Kherson, and has held back taking Kyiv *on purpose*?

Interesting strategy.

Miserable Russians, has there ever been a time when the world hasn't HATED Russia and the Russians people? And it's the miserable Russian people not the fucking government either, call it what it is. Pray for a rain of Tunguska comets again!

The Complete W&W of R2 on THIS account:

Putin is Running Out of Time and Money, part II And yet on all fronts he's winning.

Which Famous People Have Songs Written About Them? Or in Bette Davis's case about her body parts

Sheryl Lee Ralph takes a jab at two of the Designing Women They should have kept Jackee on instead of having Julia "I can't win an Emmy if my life depended on it" Duffy

Sheryl Lee Ralph takes a jab at two of the Designing Women Remember when Tootie yelled at Jean Smart on the "Facts of Life."

[quote]If you can't properly look after your kid, keep your sugar walls shut

Sheryl Lee Ralph takes a jab at two of the Designing Women She's probably confusing Designing Women with It's A Living. We gave up Ann Jillian for THAT?

Did You Know Gerri Louis liked His Son Gary until one of Gary's fans came up to him and said, "aren't you Gary's dad?"

And they became estranged.

Raquel Welch is DEAD to me! [quote]Wasn't she just the subject of a thread here? She didn't look unhealthy

She was old, old people die.

Her best acting was in Seinfeld when she beat up Elaine.

"Gerri Louis"?

Has Roseanne Rosannadanna found our thread?

I wish Putin would crawl back into the hole he came out of.

It would be a miracle if Putin decided to withdraw and say ooopsie. He won't, but he should. His fellow Russians will end up paying the price for his destructive miscalculation. The Russian people must really live in fear of him to continually put up with his idiocy. It would be fantastic if they would rise up and free themselves from this piece of shit. The entire world would probably help them get him out....even China would probably help them.

Agree R54 but apparently the ones in any position to do what needs to be done are either too weak or too drunk. Or, both.

What sort of leadership would arise in Russia if Putin died or got coup'd? Is there anyone who could hold the government together without warring factions splitting the country up? Would there be a power vacuum? These are the kind of things that constitutional democracies don't have to worry about.

Whoever can command the army, private guard and secret services I would assume.

But is there currently any such person in all of the Russias?

R58 I'd guess it depends on who wants it but someone like Patrushev although he's quite old too.

“ So he abandoned all that territory, withdrew from Kherson, and has held back taking Kyiv *on purpose*?

Interesting strategy.”

Awww. You don’t know what a war of attrition is. How cute.

[quote]Awww. You don’t know what a war of attrition is. How cute.

That wasn't 'attrition', that was plain and naked failure to take Kyiv. The Russians even took ceremonial uniforms along with them for the parade and *booked restaurants* to celebrate when Kyiv had fallen within days and welcomed them. Didn't happen and they were forced to retreat.

Stop with your straw man arguments. I said his strategy was effectively a war of attrition, a wearing down of resolve, irrespective of what battles Russia wins or loses.

Attrition may be the only viable plan that isn’t defeat now, but it was clearly plan B.

Again with this "wearing down the resolve" argument! If that's Russia's strategy, it's not working so far (retreating from occupied territory is the opposite of "attrition"), and as for the long run, Russia is running out of resources.

R62, that would correct if that were his plan but guess what? It wasn’t his plan! His plan was to perform a massive invasion that would be of short duration. Why do you think he sent 35 miles of tanks and trucks, that stupidly caused a traffic jam? This is plan W, he’s run through all the other ones.

Geez you Putin apologist need to find another job.

[quote] Why do trolls like [R2] exist?

Because she has no friends, and Pittsburgh is boring.

[quote] Stop with your straw man arguments. I said his strategy was effectively a war of attrition, a wearing down of resolve, irrespective of what battles Russia wins or loses.

That wasn’t his plan. Russia’s military is not designed to fight that war.

“That wasn’t his plan. Russia’s military is not designed to fight that war.”

Then what is his strategy?

His strategy is 'I can't win this but I will die than admit it. I would rather ruin Russia diplomatically, socially and economically rather than admit failure'. Like Hitler at the end. Just demented.

Sunk cost fallacy.

Wars of attrition are typically fought by defenders, not invaders. An invader fighting a war of attrition has to commit weapons and an army indefinitely to a country where it is, by definition, outnumbered by the local population. It’s a recipe for serious economic and political trouble.

For what it’s worth, a military analyst thinks that Russia had been retreating into a defensive shell, preparing for a Ukrainian offense, but, under political pressure, prematurely began to attack again before its reserves of soldiers and ammunition had been rebuilt. He calls the current offensive “feckless.”

[quote]Wars of attrition are typically fought by defenders, not invaders.

THANK you, R71!

Many academics, political wonks, former military and journalists are indeed calling this a war of attrition. It really shouldn’t be a controversial assertion at this point.

Of course that's what it is in real terms now but it was never what Putin intended and he still harbors delusions of making advances.

R73, no one is saying that letting his invasion become a war of attrition was a viable strategy—or even a strategy rather than a default necessity—on Putin's part.

Should have added "except for one DL poster."

Yeah, who is this poster? Why are they pushing this stupid talking point that anyone with common sense can see through?

R60, if you understood what a war of attrition is you’d know that if either side has pursued that strategy, it was Ukraine. Their first major move was to cut off starve the Russian supply line. Classic attrition move.

As Ederlez pointed out if—IF—Russia is now pursuing an attrition strategy, it’s a plan b. And a shaky haphazard one at that. A year in and they are already trying to trick/force conscription. The initial strategy was a blitzkrig style, and it failed. Putin has been desperate for a decisive battle and he hasn’t gotten one.

Kyiv in 3 days—failed, not even close.

Kherson, temporarily taken, had to be abandoned.

Attrition is not simply failed attempts at decisive battles. No idea why you’re trying to pretend Putin isn’t trying to Pee Wee his way through this, but it’s not working for you or him.

Looking at the apartment building rubble at r73's preview is so chilling. I've seen plenty of pictures of the destruction and carnage, so you'd think I'd be somewhat inured by now. I can't begin to imagine living next to two hostile countries with psychopath leaders and the constant mortal threat. The generations of psychologically damaged people to come.

Remember the stories that came out months ago from Russian soldiers who claimed they weren't told what it is they were supposed to be doing in Ukraine? Some were dropped off in a field without food or shelter and told to wait for further instructions. Putin is a joke.

I remember, r80.

I also remember how many of the Russian “soldiers” did nothing but loot, pillage and drink stolen liquor as they retreated because they have NO discipline and NO toilets/washing machines/TVs/tablets and couldn’t believe how well the average Ukrainian was living compared to their shithole squalor.

Russia will ALWAYS be a shithole of squalor because they believe that’s their fate. Instead of storming the proverbial Bastille and publicly offing the raping oligarchy, they accept they can’t do better and gratefully accept any crumbs Putin and his gang of thugs care to toss them.

Hey, I tried my best, but you can't fix stupid!

Every country has the government it deserves.

The biggest thing the Russians are hoping for is for China to end their sort-of neutrality and supply Russia with components and weapons. Here's a video of Girkin saying that it's necessary.

We have got to hope that diplomacy and e.g. the threat of sanctions deters China from doing this. The U.S. has released intelligence saying that China is considering it.

R84, China has its own own colonial misadventure with Taiwan coming up; it can only give so much weaponry to Russia without undermining itself.

China = another nation state filled with uppity peasants.

It's believed that the Russians may have run out of the Iranian Shahed drones since none have been seen since February 15th. However, they will probably try to get resupplied since while the drones don't have a good success rate they are useful to divert air defenses from more effective cruise missiles.

R81 You clearly don’t know much about the region. While there is a huge difference between the regions and Moscow or Petersburg, Russia’s GDP per capita is almost 3 times Ukraine. Same when looked at as PPP. Don’t know about the looting and doesn’t surprise me but stop talking nonsense. Russia is no paradise but it is a relatively developed country. Its size has held it back as it just doesn’t have the population to develop and defend so much land. Ukraine is a poor country with even bigger systemic problems. I doubt the Russians are stunned by the opulence.

R88 You haven't taken into account the gap between the rich and the poor. Billionaires, Moscow and St Petersburg take most of the wealth in Russia while a much bigger % of Russian regions remain underdeveloped compared to Ukraine.

The percentage of the population that is middle class is the true barometer of a country’s wealth.

Oil and gas revenue comprises about 10% of Russia’s PPP, r89. Moreover, even that is not spread evenly across the country. Without oil and gas, Russia is exactly where Ukraine is.

If there's any doubt that Putin plans on continuing his conquest of other countries, he's just cancelled the decree underpinning Moldova's sovereignty.

I'm sure Moldova--or the US--did, umm... something to deserve it.

Moldova says it's already foiled a Russian coup attempt.

"Moldova's president accused Russia on Monday of planning to use foreign saboteurs to bring down her tiny country's leadership, stop it joining the European Union and use it in the war against Ukraine.

"President Maia Sandu made her comments after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said last week his country had uncovered a Russian intelligence plan "for the destruction of Moldova", and days later the country's government resigned."

Good interview with Jeffery Sonnenfeld of the Yale School of Management. A couple of juicy excerpts:

[quote][bold][2:30] Is Russia weathering the sanctions?[/bold]

[quote]No. [...] You're repeating credible sources, but they've been completely duped. [...] Since the last time we spoke, Rosstat has had a change of leadership three times, until they found apparatchiks who will do Putin's bidding. [...] The reason Putin has survived economically are lies: He wakes up in the morning, picks a GDP number, puts it out there, then the IMF and World Bank canonize it.

[quote][bold][10:32] Is the ruble going up in value against the dollar?[/bold]

[quote]No, it's another fake number. There is no one you could put on your show who could tell you they've traded the ruble. It's not an exchange-traded currency. [...] There's not even a black market in rubles.

[quote][bold][25:48] On human capital flight:[/bold]

[quote]It's a conservative estimate that 3 million highly sophisticated Russians have fled the country. [...] I just had a meeting with the ambassador from Uzbekistan, and they have almost half a million people from Russia, sophisticated IT professionals [...] so we've not just seen no capital going into Russia, but there's nothing that Russia sells on the world marketplace other than raw materials.

Why didn't Moldova just merge with Romania thirty years ago? I understand nationalist pride and so forth, but the languages and cultures are basically the same on both sides of the border, and unification would have given Moldova protection at this point (they could have left the People's Republic of Transnistria to its own devices).

R97, Romania is also in the Kremlin's (i.e., Putin's) crosshairs. It was never Molodova's responsibility to give up its identity and sovereignty and merge with Romania. It was always the responsibility of Russia to respect Moldova's (and Ukraine's, and Romania's) sovereignty, which we all know isn't going to happen. If Molodova and Romania had merged, that would have just given Putin one country for future invasion as opposed to two.

Why blame Moldova for the fascistic thirst of Russia?

Sorry, I mistyped Moldova a couple times there.

Isn't the previous Moldovan president the man Trump shoved aside at a NATO meeting in his rush to get front and center stage?

I believe that was Montenegro, r101.

Thanks, r102. I was wondering if that shove might have been symbolic re Moldova's future or Trump just being himself.

It was Fat Donnie being the epic prick he is, r103.

Malignant narcissist who wasn’t getting enough attention so he had to shove his way past the “new kid” and make everything about HIM.

IIRC, Montenegro had either just joined the G20 or NATO and this was the first summit that Montenegro was joining as a member country. So their President/PM was getting a lot of attention from the other members chatting him up before the formal meetings started.

Fatty got mad and shoved him aside to make it all about HIM. Such a fucking embarrassment.

Here we go...

""We're confident that the Chinese leadership is considering the provision of lethal equipment," Burns told "Face the Nation" moderator Margaret Brennan on Friday. "

Forget the Montenegro guy -- Trump bulldozed his way in front of 92 year old Queen Elizabeth II, brushing her aside, when they were walking together.

The guy has the manners, grace and sophistocation of a gorilla in the wild. Me see banana, me knock down anybody to get it (or in his case, the limelight), while gleefully mimicking a disabled photographer en route to the banana, and grabbing at the pussy of the female zookeeper.

* sophistication

I man not be much better, but few are worse. Remember him trying to pull world leaders off their feet when he shook their hands?

What was up with the hand yanking? So stupid.

And poor Shinzo Abe? He even did something gross to Vladimir Putin.

I actually think he makes Kim Jong Un, Bolsosnaro, Duterte, hell, Putin, look like statesman.

I don't see how the US ever lives this down.

I did love how Trudeau came prepared, brace himself solidly, and put a lot of pressure with his other hand on top of Trump's forearm, as dumbo tried to throw him off balance and failed.

I'm sure Trudeau's youth, looks and height were a real affront to Trump and he would have loved to establish dominance -- and pitifully failed.

* I'm so upset about Trump I can't think straight: should have been Bolsonaro, "statesmen", "braced himself solidly" ...

Belarusian partisans from the "Pieramoha" (Victory) plan have confirmed a successful special operation to blow up a rare Russian plane at the airfield in Machulishchy near Minsk. It's a radar war plane that was used to fly with the Migs to check the location of Ukraine's air defense.

Zelensky has fired the commander of joint forces, Eduard Moskaliov. No reason given but I'd guess it may be that he wants a change in strategy.

Cute Austin Butler lookalike cries as he is captured by Ukrainian forces. Probably thinks he'll get sodomised six ways to Sunday like he was in the Russian army. He has no clue just how good he'll have it as a POW in Ukraine.

That’s a Ukrainian jacket (American issued) being put on Andrei (the kid).

Translation:

"Don't cry, bunny" ("Bunny" is how little children are addressed.)

Then they asked

- "What's your name?"

and he answers

- "Andreika" which is a diminutive of Andrei.

There is a famous Russian song "Battery" which includes the following lyrics:

I'm not your Andreika,

Our love has

A dead battery"

And they start joking around that his battery is dead.

"Saudi foreign minister meets Zelensky in Kyiv, signs $400 million aid agreements.

According to Ukrainian presidential office head Andriy Yermak, Saudi Arabia will provide Ukraine with $100 million in humanitarian aid and $300 million in oil products."

Well, the above has surprised me. I didn't think the Saudis would be friendly to Ukraine. They seem more like Russia's kind of people.

Maybe some oil rivalry?

Oh yeah, cutting off Russia's oil has had to be good for the Saudis, good point.

No, the Saudis hate Iran with a passion. Goes way back. They’re two different religious factions (not sure if “factions” is the right word here) who loathe each other.

The Saudis are doing this to poke Iran in the eye. Putin and HIS oil are a threat to their OWN OPEC monopoly and once Iran started supplying Russia with drones, they figured they could poke BOTH countries they don’t like in the eye at one time at little real cost (to them).

Well, knowing the Saudis, here's to hoping that Zelensky doesn't have to go to a Saudi Consulate to sign off some papers.

*Unconfirmed rumor*. A Kazakh journalist says that Kadyrov is very sick with kidney problems. He says that Kadyrov doesn't trust Russian doctors so has flown in a well-known nephrologist from the UAE. It may be why Kadyrov missed Putin's annual address a few days ago. There's 'he might have been poisoned' talk.

I wonder why the Russians haven't tried their poison tricks with Americans?

Perhaps they're scared?

[quote]Miserable Russians, has there ever been a time when the world hasn't HATED Russia and the Russians people?

To be COMPLETELY fair, the Red Army made a significant contribution towards defeating Hitler in '45 (employing the tactic that always worked for them, hurling as much human cannon fodder as possible at the enemy. Odd how that's not getting them anywhere in Ukraine at present).

That lasted until, say, '48? When Stalin tested his first nuclear weapons?

Kadyrov? Mr I hide in Chechnya and post videos on TicTok of me shooting abandoned buildings Kadyrov?

It’s no wonder Pootz poisoned him. He’s nothing but a swaggering braggart who hasn’t even gone to the front lines.

People aren't called a 'braggart' often enough around here. We need a word of the day thread...

[quote]He has no clue just how good he'll have it as a POW in Ukraine.

For all we know, those could’ve been tears of joy!

Re: R128: Uh-oh. And Modi was just becoming a MAGAt hero. Sad trombone noise!

Lavrov, that drooping, busted old leather shoe, gets confused when everyone laughs at his bullshit.

People should do it more often.

Ramzan Kadyrov Is Reportedly Gravely Ill With Kidney Problems.

According to Kazakh journalist Azamat Maytanov, the chief nephrologist of the UAE has already arrived in Grozny to treat the Head of Chechnya and key Kremlin ally.

Re: 131: couldn't happen to a "nicer" goat-fucker.

Shovels!

"Russian reservists are likely using "shovels" for "hand-to-hand" combat in Ukraine due to a shortage of ammunition, the UK's Ministry of Defence says.

In late February, reservists described being ordered to assault a Ukrainian position "armed with only 'firearms and shovels'", the ministry said in its latest intelligence update.

It mentioned a shovel known as MPL-50.

The tool was designed in 1869 and had changed little, the ministry said.

"The lethality of the standard-issue MPL-50 entrenching tool is particularly mythologised in Russia," the ministry said.

The continued use of the shovel "as a weapon highlights the brutal and low-tech fighting which has come to characterise much of the war", it said.

One of the reservists described being "neither physically nor psychologically" prepared for the action, the update added.

"Recent evidence suggests an increase in close combat in Ukraine," it said.

"This is probably a result of the Russian command continuing to insist on offensive action largely consisting of dismounted infantry, with less support from artillery fire because Russia is short of munitions.""

I hadn't quite realized the level of goat fuckery, R132.

Kadyrov’s Sad Last Days!

Womp fucking Womp!

[quote] Poootin's so desperate he's now force-drafting Russia's college students

And Ukraine isn't?

Both sides in this stupid, pointless war are struggling with a lack of training and shells:

"Yevgeny Prigozhin of the Wagner mercenary group has said ‘shell hunger’ among his forces could lead to a total collapse of the Russian frontline. "For now, we are trying to figure out: is it just ordinary bureaucracy or a betrayal” he said, referring to the lack of munitions."

"Ukrainian infantrymen told of unprepared, poorly-trained battalions being thrown into the front line to survive as best they could with little support from armored vehicles, mortars, artillery, drones and tactical information."

[quote] this stupid, pointless war

Tell that to Pootin, R137. He started it by invading a sovereign country.

Do you really think it's "stupid" and "pointless" for a people to fight against their invaders?

I was about to post, like R138, that the difference is that Russia is a huge, oil-rich country sending an unprepared, underequipped army into a war they'd supposedly been planning for years and actually began in 2014; the Ukrainians have much fewer resources and are literally fighting for their right to exist as a country against an avowedly colonialist invasion. R137 is (stupidly, pointlessly) comparing apples and oranges.

What's stupid and pointless is the post at R137.

So the only resources Putin has left are...methed-up zombies armed with shovels and methed-up internet trolls pushing both-sides talking points?

Sad.

R138, R140 I'm hugely pro-Ukraine and think Putin is the scum of the earth who is the cause of this stupid war.

Also, I got my second quote from the Kyiv Independent who are about as far as pro-Russian as you can get. The Ukrainians need a lot more support. I personally think that the West should just stop pussyfooting around and ambush Russia, kill Putin and end this. They could end this pretty soon. But they're so afraid of 'nuclear war'.

Russians need to take care of Putin themselves. It’s not the West’s place to do the Russian people’s work.

I personally think it's ridiculous and driven by a fear of politicians being afraid that they would be targeted. They prefer to sacrifice millions of cannon fodder than that. So in my opinion that's the real reason why Putin isn't killed. They will protect heads of state because of that. Pure self-interest.

R145, there may be more to it than that. We have a less than stellar history with assassinations and coups. You never know what kind of avalanche you’re going to trigger.

Meh, can't help but think of reading Remarque's 'All Quiet on the Western Front' and his observation that it would be so much better if the heads of state just got in a field and fought each other to decide the result of the war. But they will never do that. They'd prefer 100s of 1000s to die and catastrophic destruction before they take any real responsibility.

OP And yet, he doesn't seem to be losing. Still.

Aren't we supposed to be in the middle of the east Ukrainian push by the Russians?

R148 Putin has absolutely already lost. He's fucked Russia's demographics, economy, international standing. He may keep on with this dumb war but he won't be able to 'win' in any sense of the word.

R150 So, he isn't running out of time and money, he has just soiled his name in the West...

R151 Unfortunately Putin cares. He really, really, really cares.

And that's why he would rather effectively murder thousands of Russian men, drive thousands more to flee Russia and kill off development in Russia for the present. Until he's dead Russia will not progress, only go backwards.

“Russia advances in Bakhmut by sending waves of mercenaries to certain death”

From Putin to the USSR to the Czars, Russian commanders have always freely spent the lives of their soldiers.

CNN: NATO estimates Russia lost 5 times more soldiers in Bakhmut than Ukraine

"NATO intelligence estimates that for every Ukrainian soldier killed defending Bakhmut, Russian forces have lost at least five, a military official with the North Atlantic alliance told CNN on Monday.

The official cautioned the five to one ratio was an informed estimate based on intelligence.

The official spoke to CNN on the condition they remain anonymous because they are not allowed to discuss this intelligence. Despite the favorable ratio, they also said Ukraine was suffering significant losses defending the city. "

NYT: "Ukraine Signals It Will Keep Battling for Bakhmut to Drain Russia

Gradual Russian advances and high Ukrainian casualties have fueled talk of a retreat from the eastern city, but Ukrainians say Russian losses are worse, a reason to keep them fighting.

Ukraine’s top generals want to bolster the defenses of the embattled eastern city of Bakhmut, the government said Monday, signaling that rather than retreat from the city, they will pursue a strategy of bleeding the Russian army in a battle of attrition before a planned Ukrainian counterattack.

Ukraine has calculated that the brutal siege is weakening and tying down Russia’s military, even as Kyiv awaits a new arsenal of weaponry from the West, including tanks and long-range precision rockets to enable an expected drive to retake occupied territory elsewhere. This achievement, Ukrainian officials say, justifies their own high casualty toll, though soldiers in the field and some military analysts have questioned the wisdom of defending a mostly abandoned, ruined city."

Russia's 2nd Amendment: the right of the c̶a̶n̶n̶o̶n̶ ̶f̶o̶d̶d̶e̶r̶ citizens to keep and bear shovels to fight against 21st century weapons shall not be infringed. Da.

Is Twitter blocking pro-Ukraine videos now? Weird

[quote]Is Twitter blocking pro-Ukraine videos now? Weird

An engineer fucked up a code update on Twitter yesterday, and most links still won't post.

Gay rights in Ukraine get a boost.

How Russia’s War Against Ukraine Is Advancing Sugar Daddies Rights

𝐻𝑒𝑙𝑝! 𝐼'𝑚 𝐺𝑎𝑦 & 𝐹𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑈𝑘𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑒 - 𝑆𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑃𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑇𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑀𝑒 𝐼𝑛!

This week: Ukrainian pilots being trained on F16s fighter jets in Tucson

Russia’s biggest bank suffers 78% collapse in profit as sanctions bite.

And yet the Durham investigation showed nothing about the connection with Trump servers and Russia's Alpha Bank.

Maybe because John Durham is a rabid partisan hack and the purpose of his investigation was to disprove Donald's ties to Russia? Which it was unable to achieeve?

Just spitballing here.

Womp, fucking womp, r163.

Serves them right!

An aide to Zelenskyy has said that Ukraine will start a counteroffensive in 2 months' time so here's hoping it goes well. Fortunately the winter wasn't a harsh one at least.

Russia can fight in Ukraine for two more years at current intensity, Lithuania says

Lithuania has been one of the harshest critics of Russia in the European Union, and faced the ire of China after it allowed Taiwan to open a de facto embassy in 2021.

Chinese envoy's office in Vilnius did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Russia has repeatedly denied accusations in hacking activities abroad.

Lithuania's intelligence services said sanctions had not harmed Russia's ability to fund its military as it redirects resources to them from public welfare.

Russia uses "long chains of intermediaries" to procure sanctioned Western technologies, and its army is being adapted for long-term confrontation with the West and will prioritize efforts to rebuild its military presence in the Baltic Sea region, where it will remain "a threat and a source of instability".

"This will depend greatly on the duration and the outcome of the war in Ukraine – the longer and the costlier the war, the more time it will take," the report said.

I want to take the opportunity to just say how impressed and awed I am at the former Eastern Bloc countries for spitting fire at Putin.

The day that Putin attacked Ukraine, Estonia issued a statement that absolutely condemned Putin and his unprovoked attack.

While Western European NATO countries were all pearl clutching and hang wringing, this small country right on Putin’s doorstep stood up and said, “no, bitch!”

If you notice, it’s these countries that were under the boot of Moscow for decades that have been at the forefront of calling out Putin while some other countries (not naming names here) have dithered and shown only lukewarm interest in condemning this ongoing attack.

R169, I've seen a lot of commentary about how the Baltic states and Poland—who know what Putin threatens better than anyone in NATO and EU—have really taken the lead in giving Europe a political and moral backbone in all of this.

Concerns out of Italy:

"Italy is by large, it's the most skeptical country in Europe in supporting Ukraine on a military basis," says Stefano Feltri, editor of the daily newspaper Domani. "We are open to Ukrainian migrants and refugees but the military option is very unpopular." He says that's true across the political spectrum, "from left and right."

Italy has taken in more than 171,000 Ukrainians since the Russian invasion this year, according to United Nations figures. Polls show fewer than 40% of Italians approve of their country supplying weapons to Ukraine, a lower rate than other European Union countries surveyed.

Many Italian businesses, meanwhile, are teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, and closure, due to rising energy costs and interest rates. And inflation is at an eye-popping 11.9%.

Nomisma, a research institute, reports that 62% of Italian households currently live on less than $2,000 a month — and many blame the war in Ukraine for their economic woes....

Brave of Mongolia.

They sure are, r170, and I admire and appreciate it. They certainly don’t get the ink that the US and UK have been getting but those former Eastern Bloc countries as well as Finland and even Sweden have really made it a point to poke Putin in the eye at every opportunity.

I really admire their determination and grit. They very well know what comes next if Putin isn’t stopped now and they do NOT want to live under that bullshit again.

Once all this bullshit is over, I would certainly love to visit some of those countries. I have always been “Eastern Bloc curious” but now I’m even more intrigued and impressed.

THE SUN.- VLADIMIR Putin is presiding over a "mafia" state where murder is a tool used to defeat his enemies and to scare his uneasy allies into keeping in line.

Experts believe the deaths of at least 39 high profile figures - ranging from oligarchs to scientists and even generals - could show the shadowy and bloodstained hand of the Kremlin.

Dozens of high profile figures have died since Putin launched his bloody war in Ukraine over a year ago - with many in odd circumstances, such as sudden "suicides" and falls from windows.

Sergey Grishin - the so-called "Scarface" oligarch who sold Meghan and Harry their California mansion - died this week from sepsis after criticising Putin.

And meanwhile Russian scientist Andrey Botikov - who created the "Sputnik V" vaccine - was strangled with a belt in his apartment last week.

That's a savvy, CHRISTIAN genius right there at R174. Almost as much as my president Big T! Fine, CHRISTIAN men!

The Mongolian former PM at R172 makes the important point about Putin's targeting of ethnic minorities for cannon fodder, and generally the whole colonialist nature of the Russian state, both within and without.

[quote]Putin's so-called "partial" mobilisation has brought fear to Russia's most vulnerable, its ethnic minorities who have been disproportionately drafted and thrown to the frontline. The Buryats, Kalmycks, Tuvans and other marginalised minorities have been used as cannon fodder. By local accounts, the Kremlin is committing textbook ethnic cleansing under the umbrella of a "special operation".

Girkin/Strelkov says that the Russian winter campaign was unsuccessful and that the Ukrainians didn't suffer a strategic defeat. He sounds completely miserable. I'm honestly shocked that Putin hasn't had him assassinated or imprisoned by now.

Probably just poisoning him slowly, R177.

I think more like that Putin has a weakness of being loyal to certain, sometimes random, people. It's a character defect.

Da, R179, charakter defekt! Great leader must be strong and ruthless!

To be COMPLETELY fair...if you're gonna run a country as a dictator consistency is important, as slip-ups can be fatal.

R177, Girkin, besides being a murderer and terrorist, is a far-right military blogger--an influencer, I guess you could call him. The bloggers are the only real supporters of the war in Ukraine and perhaps for that reason seem to be important to Putin.

You mean, the RUSSIAN bloggers are the only real supporters of the war in Ukraine.

[QUOTE]Sergey Grishin - the so-called "Scarface" oligarch who sold Meghan and Harry their California mansion - died this week from sepsis after criticising Putin.

Their first thought "Are we off the hook for the mortgage?"

Putin forced to use 60 year old Russian tanks because he’s running low

All part of his genius plan, no doubt, R185! Like my President T, President Putin plays forth dimensional chess. You libs just wouldn't understand. You'll see. You'll ALL see!

Ukraine short of skilled troops and munitions as losses, pessimism grow

DNIPROPETROVSK REGION, Ukraine — The quality of Ukraine’s military force, once considered a substantial advantage over Russia, has been degraded by a year of casualties that have taken many of the most experienced fighters off the battlefield, leading some Ukrainian officials to question Kyiv’s readiness to mount a much-anticipated spring offensive.

U.S. and European officials have estimated that as many as 120,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed or wounded since the start of Russia’s invasion early last year, compared with about 200,000 on the Russian side, which has a much larger military and roughly triple the population from which to draw conscripts. Ukraine keeps its running casualty numbers secret, even from its staunchest Western supporters.

Statistics aside, an influx of inexperienced draftees, brought in to plug the losses, has changed the profile of the Ukrainian force, which is also suffering from basic shortages of ammunition, including artillery shells and mortar bombs, according to military personnel in the field.

“The most valuable thing in war is combat experience,” said a battalion commander in the 46th Air Assault Brigade, who is being identified only by his call sign, Kupol, in keeping with Ukrainian military protocol. “A soldier who has survived six months of combat and a soldier who came from a firing range are two different soldiers. It’s heaven and earth.”

“And there are only a few soldiers with combat experience,” Kupol added. “Unfortunately, they are all already dead or wounded.”

One senior Ukrainian government official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to be candid, called the number of tanks promised by the West a “symbolic” amount. Others privately voiced pessimism that promised supplies would even reach the battlefield in time.

“If you have more resources, you more actively attack,” the senior official said. “If you have fewer resources, you defend more. We’re going to defend. That’s why if you ask me personally, I don’t believe in a big counteroffensive for us. I’d like to believe in it, but I’m looking at the resources and asking, ‘With what?’ Maybe we’ll have some localized breakthroughs.”

“We don’t have the people or weapons,” the senior official added. “And you know the ratio: When you’re on the offensive, you lose twice or three times as many people. We can’t afford to lose that many people.”

After a year of war, Kupol, a lieutenant colonel, said his battalion is unrecognizable. Of about 500 soldiers, roughly 100 were killed in action and another 400 wounded, leading to complete turnover. Kupol said he was the sole military professional in the battalion, and he described the struggle of leading a unit composed entirely of inexperienced troops.

“I get 100 new soldiers,” Kupol said. “They don’t give me any time to prepare them. They say, ‘Take them into the battle.’ They just drop everything and run. That’s it. Do you understand why? Because the soldier doesn’t shoot. I ask him why, and he says, ‘I’m afraid of the sound of the shot.’ And for some reason, he has never thrown a grenade. … We need NATO instructors in all our training centers, and our instructors need to be sent over there into the trenches. Because they failed in their task.”

At the start of the invasion, Ukrainians rushed to volunteer for military duty, but now men across the country who did not sign up have begun to fear being handed draft slips on the street. Ukraine’s internal security service recently shut down Telegram accounts that were helping Ukrainians avoid locations where authorities were distributing summonses.

Asked at a recent congressional hearing how much more U.S. aid might be required, Pentagon policy chief Colin Kahl told House lawmakers that he did not know. “We don’t know the course or trajectory of the conflict,” Kahl said. “It could end six months from now, it could end two years from now, three years from now.”

R186 OPEN YOUR EYES, TODD!

Re: R187:

Those poor people. And Putin has caused it all. What a disgusting bastard he is, along with those who support him.

This is who the GQP stands with, when they stand with Russia. This is who they support, when they support Putin. This is what MAGAts are fine with, to own the Libs.

Laugh and make fun of him all you want, but never, ever underestimate this evil man.

International Court in the Hague just issued an arrest warrant for Uncle Vlad.

Ha ha.

R192 nothing will come of it

How many divisions has the International Court in the Hague

So there's now 123 countries Putin can't travel to without facing risk of arrest.

Truly a master strategist.

It's true that nothing will come of the arrest warrant--while he's in power. After that, it's a different story. If his own country doesn't string him up, he may have to defect to China for asylum. Or Iran, since they love him so much there.

Good! I hope he's only "safe" in the very scummiest of countries, including his own.

Putin demanding money from his rich oligarchs.

I hear that Pyongyang is lovely this time of year.

The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, over responsibility for war crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine during the war ongoing for over a year.

R182, I followed some links when the war started and ended up reading Girkin’s Twitter posts. I had NO idea who he was. He was absolutely scathing about the Russian generals and their ability to conduct the war. He frequently posted photos of the funerals of soldiers who were killed which seemed to have a sarcastic angle. This was using google translate and my ignorant assumption that he was living outside of Russia. I guess it proves that you hear what you want to hear. I was shocked when I found out who he actually was and that he was out of favor at the time but he really really wanted to be directing the war against Ukraine. The last I heard, Putin did send him to Crimea to run something. I guess he’s still alive?

[quote] nothing will come of it

Not true.

Major hit to his credibility. They can try him in absentia--Anonymous will hack it into the Russian television system.

Slobodan Milošević and his supporters/enablers also thought he would forever escape justice for what he did. They were wrong.

Unless someone in Russia finally stops drinking long enough to find the stones to be a global hero, they will get Putler, too.

Slobodan Milošević was once Valdimir Putin.

So now Putin really is in greater danger than before of being assassinated by his people? I would love to know what he is thinking and feeling right now. I hope it is pure terror and dread.

[quote]So now Putin really is in greater danger than before of being assassinated by his people?

People have been wishful thinking this from the start but it's still very unlikely to happen. He has a large private guard whose wages he pays. More likely he'll decide his own fate or die naturally in one of his palaces. The Russian people including the billionaires won't do shit as long as they have enough to eat. And frankly, most of them can't touch him anyway.

After killing so many of the oligarchs he made, with their agreements, he only has the Chinese and Iranians now. So funny the greatest racist now relies on other colored powers for his existence! Lol, lol, lol. 😆

^To the 😆 hating cunt everywhere

[quote] They can try him in absentia

No, the court specifically cannot do that. Empty political gesture.

The arrest warrant means nothing unless a force actually goes to Russia to arrest him.

No, they can motivate other countries to snatch him and wisk him off to the Hague. And this is the first charge. He has Genocide and Crimes against Humanity coming his way. It's like moving from misdemeanor to felony. Russia can negotiate a trade of Putin for relaxing sanctions.

[quote] No, the court specifically cannot do that.

You are correct.

I should have checked before posting. Putin cannot be tried in absentia by the ICC.

I wish

He's also losing people. The life expectancy of the average Russian male keeps falling and is now 64.2. (Males born in Bangladesh live six years longer). "Russia may be entering a doom loop of demographic decline."

The Onion: Russia, Where Russians Go To Die

R203 there are similarities, but Slobodan Milošević was small potato from small Serbia. A month of Nato bombing tranquillized him. While Putin is the president of one of the most politically powerful states which owns nuclear weapon, too.

All that may be true, but Putin now knows how his last chapter will be written.

Latest video of Putin in Crimea shows him limping.

Seriously, when he dies—and he's 70 now—what kind of transition will there be? Can there be any provision for an orderly succession in Russia's basically ad hoc Mafia state? Will there be a power vacuum with the country splitting up between warlords?

Oh, and can I have his stuff?

R216, this is the footage. The limping could be due to some kind of neurological damage.

I thought Russia had huge gold reserves.

A visibly limping Putin arrived in occupied Crimea.

Russian sources report Putin's visit to Sevastopol to «celebrate» the anniversary of the annexation of Crimea.

Which, by the way, will be one of the items on Putin's list of accusations at The Hague Court.

[quote] Latest video of Putin in Crimea shows him limping.

Being Xi's bottom bitch-boy is taking its physical toll on Pootey.

Doesn't Putin have doubles? I just don't trust that the public appearances are always him.

A year ago I stubbed a small toe hard and limped for a week. What would the media make out of that.

Putin is a huge liar and image means everything to him. His sawed off, leprechaun appearance really bothers him so he does absolutely everything to appear bigger and stronger (hence all the plastic surgery). If he's limping around others...it's serious.

I hope so, R224.

I hope so too, r225, but that video was underwhelming. The limp was barely noticeable. I don’t think I would have seen it if someone hadn’t pointed it out.

I hate him and wish him a very painful death. But like R226 I could barely see a limp.

I agree. Most 70 year olds have arthritis - though that time his arm was wonky was more noticeable.

Time is up 🤡

I hope so!

It would be too perfect for him to die at this precise time or become debilitated so that it would end war in Ukraine--or, it should be more accurately described, an invasion of a sovereign nation, in true Stalin or Hitler style, as a pure act of malevolent aggression. He is the most dangerous living despot and the second he's not breathing the world will be a safer place. But when that will be, I would not get my hopes up.

[quote] The limp was barely noticeable. I don’t think I would have seen it if someone hadn’t pointed it out.

Yet it was front page news on both sides of the Atlantic. That speaks more about the media than it does of Putin.

Strong Men, dictators, never show weakness.

And now we are seeing the reemergence of the Sino - Soviet Alliance.

I didn't see any limping either. He looks older and more sick though. Also his botoxed face is absolutely bizzare. I don't think it was a double, the people in Mariupol were staged though.

Doesn't Vlad have a dacha in Crimea? All Soviet Union leaders had dachas on the southern coast there.

If the Ukrainians take back the peninsula, it's even worse for Vlad than losing Donbas.

[quote] Also his botoxed face is absolutely bizzare. I don't think it was a double, the people in Mariupol were staged though.

The smarties on Twitter identified them already.

When he was sitting with Xi, today, it looked like he has some leg muscle atrophy.

Could be what some are calling a limp.

Putin looked seriously submissive to Xi.

Meanwhile Kishida and Modi had a meeting and Kishida is on his way to visiting Zelenskyy now.

r238, Putin is balancing between a new Russian Empire and Russia becoming a vassal state to China.

Choices, choices.

Intelligence: Explosion in Crimea destroys Russian Kalibr missiles.

An explosion in the Crimean city of Dzhankoi destroyed Russian Kalibr cruise missiles during their railway transportation late on March 20, according to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate.

Krym Realii media outlet previously reported sounds of explosions in Dzhankoi, which is located in the north of the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula.

"The mysterious 'bavovna' continues the process of Russia's demilitarization and prepares the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea for liberation," Ukraine's military intelligence wrote on Telegram.

[quote]continues the process of Russia's demilitarization and prepares the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea for liberation

YAAAA!

I watched yesterday's news footage of the Xi/Poopin' Putin signage and Poots has had so much plastic surgery and medication, his eyes look as Asiatic as Xi's. Also, his cheeks are bigger than Madonna's.

“ Putin is balancing between a new Russian Empire ”

No he isnt. There is no scenario where a new Russian empire is created. It’s impossible for Russia at this point to more territories in Ukraine, let alone the whole country.

I would agree that he’s already firmly in vassalage to Xi.

I agree. China owns him now.

After Putler dies, how will the Chinese run Russia? I wonder if any Russians are sober enough to realize what he's signed away to them. All two of them must be livid, da?

^^They'll do the same thing they do now: go to work everyday, keep their heads down, try not to be noticeable--and DRINK.

[quote]I can confirm this report myself. I’ve seen video as recent as yesterday showing a whole column of T-54/55’s on a train headed to the front. Absurd. Criminal. Desperate.

[quote]Russia Dusts Off Tanks From 1940s As Losses Mount in Ukraine: Monitor

Savvy genius move to Marie Kondo all of that pesky WWII stuff cluttering up the place! I'm sure it makes sense to someone, somewhere in a trailer park in Kentucky.

What do Russians think about Vlad selling Russia off to China?

I wonder who gets the money of all the oligarchs he’s had assassinated? Surely he has helped himself through threats of violence.

China is going to rip off as many American Trademarks as possible and open McDonald's, KFC, Pizza Hut and as many others in Russia under Chinese ownership.

"The founder of a pop group whose song became an anthem during anti-war protests in Russia has died by drowning aged 34 on Sunday.

Dima Nova—whose given name was Dmitry Svirgunov—founded the popular electronic group Cream Soda, and criticized Russian President Vladmir Putin's alleged $1.3 billion mansion in the song "Aqua Disco." The song was often sung at protests before and in the early days of Russia's military invasion of Ukraine and the protests quickly became known as "Aqua Disco Parties."

Nova fell through ice while crossing Russia's Volga river in the Yaroslavl region, north east of Moscow, according to Russian news website People Talk. He was with his brother Roma and two friends.

"In captivity of spring lips I will drown/I'm going down with you," are some of the song's lyrics."

[quote] I wonder who gets the money of all the oligarchs he’s had assassinated?

Maybe they leave all their stuff to Putin, the way Nero's victims left their stuff to him in their wills, so he wouldn't persecute their families. So maybe if Putin kills enough ologarchs he can buy new tanks?

Will there be any money for new tanks after he pays for his plastic surgery and super safe, big boy train?

Russia is transporting obsolete WWII tanks to the frontlines while the first Leopards are arriving in Ukraine.

I know making predictions is a bit tricky, but I think we're seeing the beginning of the end of Russian troops in Ukraine.

Putin has stopped paying his "soldiers".

It appears there is no sense to paying people who will not be around to cash the checks.

Did he make that decision or did his new boss Xi decide to stop paying the troops?

Xi models himself after Mao, the guy responsible for the biggest mass murder in history. The biggest achilles heel of dictatorships is that only one man and his sycophants make decisions driven by nationalism, pride, hurt feelings, sense of superiority. Most dictatorships self-destruct.

Xi is wasting no time exploiting his dominance over Russia.. He's going to pick apart the former Soviet Asian states to start with.

You mean the Stans?

Yes, to start with, R262. I'll bet he'll be happy to encourage current Russian oblasts who are rumbling about Russian rule as well.

If that is true, and Putin has admitted that Russia will absorb Belarus, if I were Lukashenko, I would attack Poland and SURRENDER. Let NATO take over Belarus.

Boris Nemtsov, Russian oppositioner, killed in Moscow, speaking about Chinese-Russian relations nine years ago, in 2014. His words still stand.

All of that bullshit talking from the MAGATs about Biden being owned by the Chinese and --wait for it-- here it's their Marmalade Jesus' BBF who went and signed his country away to Xi, instead.

Funny how they are always, always wrong.

I wonder how they will turn Xi into a good guy, now?

Incredible how prophetic Nemtsov's words were given that interview was nine years ago. We can definitely see Russia becoming a resource-colony of China in real time. Nemtsov said that he thought Putin would stay in power for 10 years. Which is next year..... Hmm.

A year ago a lot of were saying here that Putin's invasion of Ukraine will have turned Russia into a Chinese client state. And it's happened.

Not as prescient as Nemtsov though.

Where are the tankies, to tell us what a savvy, genius move this is for Russia and Putin?

Russia hasn't paid kazakhstan for environmental fines from their lease at the Baikanur Cosmodrone, and property is being impounded. Imagine the psychological blow to Russian pride if the Chinese were to take over the lease.

[quote] Where are the tankies, to tell us what a savvy, genius move this is for Russia and Putin?

Glenn is too busy - the underage favela boys are not going to molest themselves.

Just like Stalin, he has all the smart people killed.

No wonder it's such a shithole.

Billionaire #Deripaska announced that Russia would turn into a country of baboons

In his telegram channel, billionaire Oleg Deripaska compared Russia to an "East African baboon country" that "barely makes ends meet."

He stated that in #Russia for 12 years there has been neither significant economic growth nor an increase in the income of the main groups of the population. “We live on oil and gas rents,” writes Deripaska.

With the fact that gas is record-low and there is no #NordStream, the #Chinese buy it at cost. Oil, on the other hand, must now be sold below the cost of production. #Russland

Vlad seems to have put all eggs in one basket and then decided to take a big dump on it.

What are the chances that China might decide to watch Russia flail and fail, then swoop onto the Asian parts of Russia?

I mean, this did happen recently...

“China’s Ministry of Natural Resources has just issued new regulations on map content, which require the addition of old Chinese names to the current Russian-pronounced geographical names of eight places along the Russian-Chinese border,” Radio France International in Chinese reported on Feb. 23.

The eight Russian place names, comprise six cities, including Vladivostok and Khabarovsk, one island and one mountain.

This led Akio Yaban, head of the Taipei branch of the Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun, to quip, “Are you going to recover the lost land?”

The Asia Times noted on Feb. 25 that it is ironic that while releasing a peace plan this week “which conspicuously fails to say clearly whether Moscow should withdraw its troops” from Ukraine’s Donbas region and Crimea,” China “this very month, made a politically sensitive change in its official wordview – a change that affects Russia.”

It elaborates that “Under Beijing’s new directive, Vladivostok once again is called Haishenwai (meaning Sea Cucumber Bay) while Sakhalin Island is called Kuyedao. The Stanovoy Range is back to being called the Outer Xing’an Range in Chinese.”

“China lost large expanses of land in its northern region due to the invasion of Russian,” the Asia Times explains, and now Beijing has directed a return to the use of Chinese names for them. It also notes that despite Beijing seemingly wanting to strengthen its ties with Russia, it has permitted Chinese columnists to publish articles from time to time about the vast territories lost to foreign powers, thereby in effect reminding “Chinese people of their wish to recover the lost territory.”

Wonder if Deripaska knows something about Putin’s health status that we don’t.

Interesting R276. I don’t think there’s a country on earth that would come to Russia’s aid if China decided to invade.

The UN Human Rights Office’s mission in Ukraine says abuses could amount to war crimes.

R277, I wonder too. It seems incredible to be so critical when his peers are being thrown out of windows daily.

I meant to add, r277, absolutely no one would help Russia—not a soul. And Putin knows this. He is so indebted to China right now. He’s made a number of strategic moves that are blowing up in his face.

And China would then have a nice stockpile of energy.

If China takes back Vladivostok and Ukraine takes back Crimea, Russia will entirely be without any warm water ports. Devastating.

[quote] If China takes back Vladivostok and Ukraine takes back Crimea...

Russia responds in a totally unpredictable way (not):

[quote] Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has warned of nuclear retaliation if Ukraine attempts to seize the Crimean peninsula. Mr. Medvedev, who is currently the deputy secretary of Russia’s Security Council, said Russia is prepared to use “absolutely any weapon” in the event of an attack on Crimea.

The miute they use nuclear weapons it's over for Russia and Putin.

*minute

[quote] Chinese columnists to publish articles from time to time about the vast territories lost to foreign powers, thereby in effect reminding “Chinese people of their wish to recover the lost territory.”

In essence not much has changed since the 1969 Russian-Chinese border war. Each is wary of a backstab by the other.

We have already told the Russians if they use any type of nuclear weapon, we will destroy their whole fleet of ships immediately.

(And their navy is a point of pride for them.)

точно, R286

Russia to store tactical nuclear arms in Belarus. The Russian leader said he struck a deal with his Belarusian counterpart to station tactical nuclear weapons on its territory.

You better believe China is salivating at the thought of parting out Russia once Pootz kicks the bucket. It sounds like they’re already starting.

From what I understand, this whole bullshit attack was because Putin didn’t have enough warm water ports and was unable to export all the oil and gas that he wanted. Instead of making a trade deal with Ukraine or Georgia, he just decided to annex them and do as he pleased. Why pay for port access when you can just slaughter the inhabitants and take what you want? You can see where the GQP has much in common with Putin.

Well, fuck him! Russia is already a backwater shithole of baboons! He’s going to lose everything now.

Russia has bits of a coastline in the black sea R281.

Instigating a fight between Russia and China would be strategically beneficial to the West.

The only thing they have in common is their white hot hatred for western style democracy.

"The only thing they have in common is their white hot hatred for western style democracy."

So they have that in common with republicans, then.

The "west" won't be instigating a fight between Russia and China. That would be totally on them. The west might laugh at that happening, but it'll be all Putin and Xi.

No one in the West has to instigate anything.

Russia and China are instigating fights all the time in the West. The anti vaxx conspiracy theories were pushed by them.

China being the cause of Covid, wasn't exactly a friendship ring to the west.

Like today's GQP, Putin and Xi will turn on one another. Shitheads of their caliber inevitably do, because they just can't help themselves. It's all they know

But Xi is pretty smart; Putin, aside from backstabbing and intrigues, is not.

Everything and everyone Trump coordinates with turns to shit. Unfortunately for Putin, he plotted with Trump. Sad.

Wagner Group's Prigozihn has been frozen out in Moscow for being the nail that sticks up taller than all the others, and is about to be pounded down. Don't these people read history? He's ready to pull his forces out of Ukraine after failing in Bahkmut and go back to causing mayhem in Africa. I frankly don't think he'll survive long enough.

Prighozin said that 5,000 criminals have been pardoned and released back into Russian society as a result of the war. I wonder that he thinks that's something to brag about.

So what's actually in it for Vlad if he is selling oil and gas to China at a or even under cost price?

I don't think Xi is smart. The CCP made several decisions that will come back and bite them in a very negative way.

To be completely fair the line between "Russian citizen" and "Russian criminal" was pretty fucking blurry to begin with.

Here's Girkin telling Putin to shut up. This man is v. unhappy. He's also using the informal 'you' form when telling Pootz to shut up. Speakers of Slavic languages can understand how disrespectful that is.

“Ty” is informal, not disrespectful. “Vy” is rarer now.

When I was a child, “vy” was for anyone older or unknown.

Still, this is disrespectful because he tells Putin to shut up.

r288, A new Cuban Missile crisis?

Husband, a native speaker, says “They don’t have a civilised language anymore.”

Volunteers build points of invincibility where thousands of locals can have hot food, warm up, wash laundry, watch movies, shower, kids can play, socialize and spend time in comfort for those who have not had such things for a year in Orikhiv, Bakhmut and soon Avdiivka.

R303, I think the consensus on Xi is that he’s a guy who has mastered the byzantine world of communist party politics but is not a genius.

The Confederate flag in r305 is certainly fancy

It's the Novorossiya ('New Russia') flag which the Russians use to represent their illegal Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics.

The flag itself is based on the Russian naval jack flag which you can see at the link.