Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-25

[viper37]

What is to stop the US from giving Ukraine a bunch of drones armed with Hellfires?

I mean, of course they are being controlled from Ukraine, and most definitely and absolutely not from Minot, ND....

Probably because the US regards its drones as military secrets that it won't share with anyone just yet.

To specifically control these drones, they need to give access to the platform.  I don't know how it works exactly at this level, but I'm guessing that's it.

[Jacob]

This is kind of interesting, especially if true:

[viper37]

Yes, He Would': Fiona Hill on Putin and Nukes]

Putin is trying to take down the entire world order, the veteran Russia watcher said in an interview. But there are ways even ordinary Americans can fight back.

For many people, watching the Russian invasion of Ukraine has felt like a series of "He can't be doing this" moments. Russia's Vladimir Putin has launched the largest ground war in Europe since the Second World War. It is, quite literally, mind-boggling.
That's why I reached out to Fiona Hill, one of America's most clear-eyed Russia experts, someone who has studied Putin for decades, worked in both Republican and Democratic administrations and has a reputation for truth-telling, earned when she testified during impeachment hearings for her former boss, President Donald Trump.
I wanted to know what she's been thinking as she's watched the extraordinary footage of Russian tanks rolling across international borders, what she thinks Putin has in mind and what insights she can offer into his motivations and objectives.


Hill spent many years studying history, and in our conversation, she repeatedly traced how long arcs and trends of European history are converging on Ukraine right now. We are already, she said, in the middle of a third World War, whether we've fully grasped it or not.
"Sadly, we are treading back through old historical patterns that we said that we would never permit to happen again," Hill told me.
Those old historical patterns include Western businesses who fail to see how they help build a tyrant's war chest, admirers enamored of an autocrat's "strength" and politicians' tendency to point fingers inward for political gain instead of working together for their nation's security.
But at the same time, Hill says it's not too late to turn Putin back, and it's a job not just for the Ukrainians or for NATO — it's a job that ordinary Westerners and companies can assist in important ways once they grasp what's at stake.
"Ukraine has become the front line in a struggle, not just between democracies and autocracies but in a struggle for maintaining a rules-based system in which the things that countries want are not taken by force," Hill said. "Every country in the world should be paying close attention to this."

There's lots of danger ahead, she warned. Putin is increasingly operating emotionally and likely to use all the weapons at his disposal, including nuclear ones. It's important not to have any illusions — but equally important not to lose hope.
"Every time you think, 'No, he wouldn't, would he?' Well, yes, he would," Hill said. "And he wants us to know that, of course. It's not that we should be intimidated and scared.... We have to prepare for those contingencies and figure out what is it that we're going to do to head them off." 

[...]

[The Larch]

Germans Seize Russian Billionaire Alisher Usmanov's Mega-Yacht

Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov was sanctioned by the European Union on Monday. Two days later, Forbes has learned from three sources in the yacht industry that one of his prized possessions—the 512-foot yacht Dilbar, valued at nearly $600 million—has been seized by German authorities in the northern city of Hamburg.

The ship has been in the Hamburg shipyards of German shipbuilding firm Blohm+Voss since late October for a refitting job. Sources who spoke to Forbes said that the German government froze the asset and that, likely as a result, Blohm+Voss employees who had been working on the yacht didn't show up to work on Wednesday. Representatives for Blohm+Voss and Usmanov didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Usmanov purchased Dilbar in 2016 for a reported $600 million from German shipbuilder Lürssen, which custom-built it for him over 52 months. The firm calls it "one of the most complex and challenging yachts ever built, in terms of both dimensions and technology." At 15,917 tons, it's the world's largest motor yacht by gross tonnage, and is typically manned by a crew of 96 people. Dilbar boasts the largest swimming pool ever installed on a yacht as well as two helicopter pads, a sauna, a beauty salon, and a gym. Its plush interiors have more than 1,000 sofa cushions and it can host up to 24 people in 12 suites.

The yacht is part of Usmanov's estimated multibillion dollar fortune, which spans stakes in iron ore and steel giant Metalloinvest and consumer electronics firm Xiaomi, as well as smaller holdings in telecom, mining and media. One of the earliest investors in Facebook along with fellow billionaire Yuri Milner, Usmanov also owns extensive real estate assets in the West, ranging from two estates in the UK—Beechwood House in London and Sutton Place in Surrey, valued at a combined $280 million—to luxury homes in Munich, Germany; Lausanne, Switzerland; Monaco; and Sardinia.

Usmanov sold his 30% stake in English soccer team Arsenal F.C. in 2018 for nearly $700 million in cash, but until this week had ties to soccer through his USM Holdings and MegaFon sponsorships of Everton F.C. The Premier League team said on Wednesday that it was suspending the arrangements in light of Russia's attack on Ukraine. Usmanov isn't the only Russian billionaire with a mega-yacht: Forbes and yacht valuation experts VesselsValue tracked down 32 of them.

On Tuesday, Usmanov commented on the EU sanctions imposed on him in a statement to the International Fencing Federation where he also announced he was stepping down as the organization's president. "I believe that such decision is unfair, and the reasons employed to justify the sanctions are a set of false and defamatory allegations damaging my honor, dignity, and business reputation," he wrote. "I will use all legal means to protect my honor and reputation."

[DGuller]

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad twitted in support of Zelensky and Ukraine. I can safely say that I did not see this development coming.  Does he know Zelensky is Jewish?

[Tamas]

Big respect to the old lady: https://twitter.com/AlexKokcharov/status/1499080826599919633?s=20&t=tUVRjzuYuTNUpEipytF7qA

Apparently she is a well known survivor of the siege of Leningrad.

[Tamas]

This early phase of the Russian attack (which by all probability has ended) was really extraordinarily bad. Here is an example of some Ukrainian civlians taking an abandoned tank for a joy ride: https://twitter.com/i/status/1499059588779368449

[Admiral Yi]

Big respect to the old lady: https://twitter.com/AlexKokcharov/status/1499080826599919633?s=20&t=tUVRjzuYuTNUpEipytF7qA

Apparently she is a well known survivor of the siege of Leningrad.

Totally awesome.

This may be a bit of sidetrack, and Brain will get butthurt, but in all these Russian videos I've noticed the pretty high percentage of people masked.  Not what I would have expected from a country that is only 20% (?) vaccinated.

[Tamas]

Big respect to the old lady: https://twitter.com/AlexKokcharov/status/1499080826599919633?s=20&t=tUVRjzuYuTNUpEipytF7qA

Apparently she is a well known survivor of the siege of Leningrad.

Totally awesome.

This may be a bit of sidetrack, and Brain will get butthurt, but in all these Russian videos I've noticed the pretty high percentage of people masked.  Not what I would have expected from a country that is only 20% (?) vaccinated.

I was just thinking watching that if I were to gon a protest like this, I'd definitely use the chance for a good excuse of hiding my face, regardless of what I think about my chances of catching something out in the open. Then again most of these people only cover their mouths which seem to largely defeat the purpose of avoiding identification.

[Josquius]

Big respect to the old lady: https://twitter.com/AlexKokcharov/status/1499080826599919633?s=20&t=tUVRjzuYuTNUpEipytF7qA

Apparently she is a well known survivor of the siege of Leningrad.

What must be going through those cops head there. They're clearly being careful, not wanting to hurt her. Some must be getting "are we the baddies" vibes.

[DGuller]

Big respect to the old lady: https://twitter.com/AlexKokcharov/status/1499080826599919633?s=20&t=tUVRjzuYuTNUpEipytF7qA

Apparently she is a well known survivor of the siege of Leningrad.

What must be going through those cops head there. They're clearly being careful, not wanting to hurt her. Some must be getting "are we the baddies" vibes.

I'm sure they're feeling bad for her, but it's more likely that they're feeling bad for her because she was brainwashed into betraying her country.

[crazy canuck]

They roughed up the younger woman pretty good.

[mongers]

Russia could really have done with general Lebed surviving that helicopter crash.

[DGuller]

Russia could really have done with general Lebed surviving that helicopter crash.

General Lebed who occupied Transnistria, did not consider Belarus and Ukraine separate countries, and an all-around buffoon?

[Razgovory]

An all-around buffoon is better than a person who can be flanked by buffoonery.