Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-25

[11B4V]

It turns out that rather than improving the effectiveness of the armed forces to meet anticipated operational goals, the core objective of the Russian military modernization program was figuring the best ways to really impress Ted Cruz.

To be fair, impressing American politicians has historically been a highly effective and efficient way to accomplish geopolitical objectives for Russia.

DGuller, are you of Ukrainian or Russian descent?

I'm from Lviv.

Ah, thanks, I thought Ukrainian, but wasn't sure.

Has the performance of the Russian army surprised civilians such as yourself?

I hope any family or friends stay safe.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

If I was someone who wanted to make the Russian Army function better, I would be less concerned about funds being siphoned off by oligarchs, and more concerned about funds being siphoned away by local mafia gangs demanding that the Army pay them protection money.

I mean....how the fuck do people think the Russian Army is so great if it cannot protect itself from the fucking mafia?

(Apparently, the Russian mob has ties and controls back and forth with the Russian security services, whose job it is to keep the Russian Army under control. What better way to do that?)

There was a thread on the relation army-maffia in Russia by kamalkazani on twitter. It was... Revealing.

[DGuller]

[

Ah, thanks, I thought Ukrainian, but wasn't sure.

Has the performance of the Russian army surprised civilians such as yourself?

I hope any family or friends stay safe.

Thanks!  Thankfully all of my immediate family has immigrated long time ago.

I was definitely surprised at how utterly incompetent the Russian army turned out to be.  I was fairly certain since December that the invasion was the primary plan for Ukraine, and that this wasn't intended as a bluff.  This, coupled with the fact that Ukraine didn't seem to take the threat seriously, led me to expect that the first week of war would be a crushing military collapse for Ukraine as Russia would execute their plans, and that the real fighting would start with partisan warfare.

My posts here in the first couple of days reflected that deep pessimism, and every Ukrainian I know felt the same.  Surely if Russians could just go and land VDV at an airport next to Kyiv, then they have to have their shit together for a rapid victory.  It didn't occur to me that the Russians would just forget to support them after dropping them off.  No one expected American levels of competence, but that kind of utter incompetence seemed completely unfathomable in the beginning.

[celedhring]

Regarding China keeping Russia at an arm's length:

AFP News Agency
@AFP
#UPDATE An ambassador tells AFP that Moscow canceled the vote on its "humanitarian" resolution after it failed to secure co-sponsorship of the draft text from China and India

[celedhring]

And FoxNews got a glowing endorsement 

Joanna Szostek 🇺🇦
@Joanna_Szostek
Russian foreign minister Lavrov just discussed "information war" on RT in English.
He thinks USA uses TikTok to brainwash children, which is "not fair".
He thinks "only Fox News" in the US tries to present alternative views, rest is propaganda.
He has "lots of Ukrainian friends".

[Josephus]

Article in The Atlantic how putin has fallen into the dictatorship trap.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/03/putin-dictator-trap-russia-ukraine/627064/

[Legbiter]

On Thursday afternoon, President Vladimir Putin rang the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and told him what Russia's precise demands were for a peace deal with Ukraine.

Ukraine conflict: Putin lays out his demands in Turkish phone call

Not sure the Ukrainians should be entertaining these unserious talks. They just look like Russian propaganda to me, they're a way to put the ball in Ukraine's court. Oh, Zelensky could stop this awful war anytime but he doesn't want to, he keeps refusing. Then they move the goalposts every time he agrees.

[Maladict]

Not sure the Ukrainians should be entertaining these unserious talks. They just look like Russian propaganda to me, they're a way to put the ball in Ukraine's court. Oh, Zelensky could stop this awful war anytime but he doesn't want to, he keeps refusing. Then they move the goalposts every time he agrees.

I mean, I think this is a legit concern for Russia at this point:

Ukraine would have to undergo a disarmament process to ensure it wasn't a threat to Russia.

[Josephus]

Why would Ukraine agreee to a disarmament though? That's just asking to be invaded again. I wouldn't agree to that.

[Barrister]

Why would Ukraine agreee to a disarmament though? That's just asking to be invaded again. I wouldn't agree to that.

Absolutely.  That is a complete non-starter.

[Sheilbh]

Why would Ukraine agreee to a disarmament though? That's just asking to be invaded again. I wouldn't agree to that.

Agree to disarmament, just limit it to the Ukrainian armed forces and not Ukrainian farmers

[Jacob]

I think Ukraine should demand Russian disarmament.

[FunkMonk]

Russia just wants all their vehicles back from Ukrainian farmers.

JOHN DEERE BRIGADE YEEHAW

[The Larch]

So, Putin had a little get together to lift the spirits.

Putin praises Russian 'unity' at rally – but state TV broadcast is cut off
President's five-minute address to flag-waving crowd is re-aired from start after 'technical failure'

Vladimir Putin has praised Russian "unity" over what the Kremlin is calling its special operation in Ukraine during a rare public speech at the national stadium in Moscow.

"The country hasn't seen unity like this in a long time," Putin said, addressing a large flag-waving crowd on Friday from a stage decked out with slogans such as "For a world without Nazism" and "For our president".

As Putin was finishing his speech, the broadcast was suddenly cut off and state television showed patriotic songs performed earlier in the day by the popular Russian musician Oleg Gazmanov. Soon afterwards, Putin's speech, which lasted about five minutes, was re-aired from the start, with the Russian leader ending his speech and walking off stage.

The Kremlin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov blamed a "technical failure" for the cutoff. One concertgoer told Reuters that Putin left the stage after his speech, with no interruptions having taken place.

The event officially marked the eighth anniversary of Russia's annexation of Crimea, but many of the speeches were aimed at rallying the country behind the current invasion of Ukraine. Moscow police said more than 200,000 people were in and around the Luzhniki Stadium, which in 2018 hosted the men's football World Cup final.

Many were seen waving flags emblazoned with the letter Z, which has gone from a military marking to the main symbol of public support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

During his speech, Putin sought to justify his actions by repeating his unfounded claims that Ukraine was committing genocide in the Donbas region. "This really was genocide. Stopping that was the goal of the special operation," Putin said, adding – contrary to evidence – that Ukrainian civilians had welcomed Moscow's invading troops.

The Russian leader also hailed the actions of the military fighting in Ukraine by paraphrasing a Bible saying. "There is no greater love than giving up one's soul for one's friends," he said.

In the run-up to the rally, Reuters and a number of Russian outlets reported that state employees had been ordered to attend. Russia has a long history of state employees being coerced to attend pro-government rallies.

[Jacob]

I guess the sanctions meant they couldn't carry tiki-torches?