Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-23 and Invasion

[Grey Fox]

Ugh, if I see one more idiot claiming that sucker Carlson engages in real, uncensored journalism...
Jeez, excluding the bots, trolls, collaborateurs and traitors, there are so many people incapable of recognizing propaganda.

So dumb. He reported from the roof of the Moscow Hotel! #2 of buildings controlled by the Kremlin.

[Josquius]

Today's winner of social media is the former president of Mongolia.

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[DGuller]

You have to be careful with such things.  Putin may claim that Russia is the successor state of the Mongol Empire, and that would be the one claim that would be difficult to argue against.

[Jacob]

You have to be careful with such things.  Putin may claim that Russia is the successor state of the Mongol Empire, and that would be the one claim that would be difficult to argue against.

Oh no! Russia might start behaving aggressively against China!

[crazy canuck]

You have to be careful with such things.  Putin may claim that Russia is the successor state of the Mongol Empire, and that would be the one claim that would be difficult to argue against.

Oh no! Russia might start behaving aggressively against China!

And Iran!

Terrible

[Syt]

One of the carts during the carnival parade yesterday in Düsseldorf showed Putin with the Russian Orthodox Church kneeling before him in what looks like a blowjob. They're dressed, but it's kinda clear. (The carnival parades in Cologne, Mainz, and Düsseldorf often feature political caricatures like that.)


Not entirely sure if this would be considered NSFW or not, so putting a link here. No nudity (except face/hands) or genitals to be seen.
https://i.imgur.com/BXsgmZH.png

[Jacob]

Okay what's going on with the Poles blocking Ukrainian trucks and border crossings?

How legitimate are their grievances vs how much are they useful idiots (or bad actors) doing Putin's dirty work?

And how impactful are their actions?

[Tamas]

Okay what's going on with the Poles blocking Ukrainian trucks and border crossings?

How legitimate are their grievances vs how much are they useful idiots (or bad actors) doing Putin's dirty work?

And how impactful are their actions?

I am fairly certain its legit grievances, can't see mass support in Poland for such a Russia-helping move without actual financial interests being hurt.

[Admiral Yi]

Is it the grain dumping thing or something new?

[Sheilbh]

Okay what's going on with the Poles blocking Ukrainian trucks and border crossings?

How legitimate are their grievances vs how much are they useful idiots (or bad actors) doing Putin's dirty work?

And how impactful are their actions?

I think there are legitimate reasons and it's fairly impactful - and it's not just Poland it's truckers across Europe. Slovakia and Romania have joined in for example.

Is it the grain dumping thing or something new?

It's similar but different.

Basically the EU normally requires permits for non -EU truckers. as part of the support for Ukraine by the EU, the EU waived those rules. In theory the goal was to basically enable extra exports from Ukraine which is important for their economy - and that bit has worked.

The problem EU truckers have, is that Ukrainian trucking companies - which are lower cost and from a regulatory perspective have Ukrainian regulation/standards - are now doing intra-EU routes that do not touch Ukraine. At the minute the CEE countries like Romania, Slovakia, Poland have been the big hubs of intra-European trucking because they are lower cost (but have to comply with EU standards) and basically say they are being undercut on cost and regulatory standards.

Poland have released statistics on Poland-Ukraine trade routes alone. In 2021 the trucking was about 40/60 Poland/Ukraine; it's now 8% Poland, 92% Ukraine. That might be over-egged but it strikes as probably indicating the direction of travel, if nothing else.

The EU position is that it's unacceptable for Europe to be "taken hostage" by protesters blocking external borders, "it's as simple as that" and that it is for the Polish authorities "to enforce the law at that border". The Commission has since slightly softened to suggest there could be technical measures.

But basically support for Ukraine is good and widely supported - nowhere more than Poland who have given a huge amount of weapons, are hosting more Ukrianian refugees than anyone else and, I'd add, also hosting a large number of Belarussian refugees. However there are sectoral quite big economic effects that are hitting particular areas of the European economy - not least because Ukraine is significantly poorer (about 20% GDP per capita of the EU average) and does not yet have EU regulatory standards (or enforcement). So I think that support and solidarity with Ukraine which is really important needs to be matched by support and solidarity for bits of European society that are impacted (it's not unlike the politics of energy transition).

[Jacob]

Ukrainian naval drones destroy another Russian ship: https://www.reddit.com/r/ukraine/comments/1aqivrp/footage_of_multiple_ukrainian_usvs_hitting_the/

[jimmy olsen]

So, seems like Russia might be planning to break the Outer Space Treaty of 1967

Not deployed yet, thankfully.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/14/us/politics/intelligence-russia-nuclear.html?campaign_id=190&emc=edit_ufn_20240214&instance_id=115184&nl=from-the-times&regi_id=61766558&segment_id=158208&te=1&user_id=46483dfd2e0439e08007edad90672d1b

[Josquius]

A troll surely?
I wouldn't worry too much. Russian high tech wizardry never really seems to get out of the prototype stage. It's a good thing they blow money on stuff like this rather than what they actually need in Ukraine.


Caught a bit on the news yesterday about Ukraine - it doesn't usually  get any mentions since Gaza kicked off.
Quite disturbed to see a graveyard full of military graves with an awful lot of red and black flags...
Hopefully a positive outcome of this war is killing off a lot of Ukraines fascists, as they are the ones liable to sign up first for the army.
Regardless Ukraine holding off on conscription is weird. They seem to be having big manpower issues (and ammo issues).
I read back when the commander sacking was brewing that Zelensky was looking at a semi conscription of bringing in new people for supporting roles so more willing soldiers could move to the front.
This could work though no signs of movement - certainly if I were Ukrainian I'd be dodging the front at all costs, though going into a support role would be something I could do willingly given how important the war is.

[Threviel]

Some discussion I heard is that it's due to there being far less 20ish-year olds than 40ish-year olds in Ukraine and them not wanting to kill all their youth off.

[Sheilbh]

So the videos of Tucker Carlson visiting Russian supermarkets and the Moscow Metro give very, very strong useful idiot/Walter Duranty vibes - not least because he is marvelling over literally the same Metro stations that 1930s useful idiots also visited.

Edit: It's very "all them cornfields, and ballet in the evening."