Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-23 and Invasion

[Syt]

FWIW my funds have recovered the losses they incurred in the run up to the invasion (mostly emerging markets, green technologies, climate change related tech etc.).

[HVC]

Meanwhile, ex-chancellor Schüssel is still on the board of Lukoil. His reasoning, last I heard, was that Lukoil wasn't a state controlled company, and so there's no reason to resign.

Is Russian money the official German political pension plan. Was merkel  lucky enough to get some cash before the sanctions?

[DGuller]

Russia is not messing around, won't tolerate falsehoods about their peacekeeping operation from anyone:

[Admiral Yi]

Is Russian money the official German political pension plan. Was merkel  lucky enough to get some cash before the sanctions?

I believe Schussel is Austrian.

[Jacob]

Are those children arrested for protesting?

... if you don't mind sharing sources, it would make it easier to share as well.

[Jacob]

Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council chief Oleksiy Danilov announced during a briefing Tuesday that Ukrainian forces had foiled an assassination plot against President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to a Telegram post from Ukrainian authorities.

Why it matters: Zelensky has said since the start of Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine that he would be a prime target for assassination. Last Thursday, he warned that Russian "sabotage groups" had entered Kyiv and were hunting for him and his family.

The big picture: According to the Telegram message, Danilov said that a unit of elite Chechen special forces, known as Kadyrovites, had been behind the plot and had subsequently been "eliminated."

"We are well aware of the special operation that was to take place directly by the Kadyrovites to eliminate our president," Danilov said, per the post.

Ukrainian authorities had been tipped off about the plot by members of Russia's Federal Security Service who do not support the war, he added.

Danilov elaborated that the Kadyrovite group had been divided into two, with one being destroyed in Gostomel and the other "under fire."

https://www.axios.com/zelensky-assassination-plot-foiled-7bea049b-2308-4801-b75a-93104c17b82b.html

[DGuller]

Are those children arrested for protesting?

Yes.  You can see a "NO TO WAR" sign in the hands of one of them.

EDIT:  https://www.reddit.com/r/ukraine/comments/t4khtg/russian_kids_being_arrested_for_protesting/

[Syt]

Meanwhile, ex-chancellor Schüssel is still on the board of Lukoil. His reasoning, last I heard, was that Lukoil wasn't a state controlled company, and so there's no reason to resign.

Is Russian money the official German political pension plan. Was merkel  lucky enough to get some cash before the sanctions?

He's Austrian Another former Austrian chancellor, Christian Kern (he was an Austrian railway exec before becoming chancellor) had resigned from his position on the board of Russian state railroads immediately after the invasion. Bit late, but something, I guess.

Here's Schüssel with FPÖ star Jörg Haider - they formed a coalition in 2000 which led to Austria being ostracized within the EU for a few years. (Schüssel's duplicity during his time in government and cooperation with FPÖ take up too much space here)



Here he is with his friend Vladimir Putin:



And this is him these days.

[Jacob]

Are those children arrested for protesting?

Yes.  You can see a "NO TO WAR" sign in the hands of one of them.

EDIT:  https://www.reddit.com/r/ukraine/comments/t4khtg/russian_kids_being_arrested_for_protesting/

Thanks!

[The Brain]

I also feel sorry for the Russian soldiers who are forced to fight a war they were not prepared for.  Conscripts thrown into the meat grinder are victims too.

They have guns. If they don't agree with the war they can shoot their officers and surrender to the Ukrainians.

They are perpetrators.

[Threviel]

https://twitter.com/jenmarie410/status/1498874621541691397

Someone has made a (good) pop song on Bayraktar.

[celedhring]

https://twitter.com/jenmarie410/status/1498874621541691397

Someone has made a (good) pop song on Bayraktar.

Damn, it is catchy    Bayraktar!

Incidentally, after this war and Armenia's, Turkey is going to sell thousands of these things.

[The Brain]

IKEA and H&M are still open in Russia. Not a great look...

[Syt]

IKEA and H&M are still open in Russia. Not a great look...

I don't think any Austrian companies have said they'd stop working with Russia or pull out their assets. Well, the quasi-state owned OMV have said they will not continue working towards co-ownership of a Siberian oil field. But seems to be about it, looking at business news in Austria.

[The Brain]

Saw an interview with the Swedish former defence minister who resigned in disgust in 2007 over budget cuts. He didn't say I told you so, but he didn't have to...

It's very heartening to see the way Sweden seems to be waking up now. There has been important stuff done since 2014, but still a long ways to go back to the nation in arms of the 1980s.