Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-23 and Invasion

[Sheilbh]

Russian news announced the separatists have officially requested Russian military help to repeal a "Ukrainian offensive" against them.

Economist's Russia editor:

Arkady Ostrovsky
@ArkadyOstrovsky
Russian television is in full military swing and frenzy .  Two minutes of fireworks followed by Putin's rant about defence, followed by news of Ukrainian attack on DNR LNR and saboteurs in Crimea.

Separately Kharkiv airport's been temporarily closed.

[DGuller]

From a limited sample it strikes me many people from the west of Ukraine would actually be quite happy with this.

I don't think people in the west of Ukraine were that happy to be under Poland the last time.  Lviv is not a Polish city, it's a pretty nationalist Ukrainian city that used to be under Poland for parts of its history.

[Josquius]

From a limited sample it strikes me many people from the west of Ukraine would actually be quite happy with this.

I don't think people in the west of Ukraine were that happy to be under Poland the last time.  Lviv is not a Polish city, it's a pretty nationalist Ukrainian city that used to be under Poland for parts of its history.

Less they'd be happy "under" Poland, and more they feel more affinity for Poland than they do the Eastern Russian speaking parts of their country.
How it'd actually be set up isn't something I've ever discussed but suffice to say it's not imagined as everyone having to be polish.

[Jacob]

Looks like the balloon has gone up, then. This likely marks clear new era of our collective history.

[The Brain]

If the nukes start flying it's been nice knowing you.

[The Larch]

Nucelar   

It's nicelar to have nucelar.

It's the Spanish version of the "It's pronounced nucular" joke from The Simpsons. 

[Sheilbh]

Less they'd be happy "under" Poland, and more they feel more affinity for Poland than they do the Eastern Russian speaking parts of their country.
How it'd actually be set up isn't something I've ever discussed but suffice to say it's not imagined as everyone having to be polish.

I think the opposite - Lviv is the heart of (at least traditional) Ukrainian-ness.

And I think Russian-speaking isn't necessarily short-hand for identifying as primarily Russian or pro-Russian. There are very fiercely Ukrainian Russian speakers. Ukrainian is far more alive but it's a bit like English speaking Irish people - it doesn't mean much beyond the fact that Russia/England's been a dominant power for a long time.

[Savonarola]

From Fox News:  The very deep thoughts of Cardi B

Cardi B weighs in on Russia-Ukraine crisis: 'If I don't say the right things, I might get killed'

Cardi B is weighing in on the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

The 29-year-old rapper doesn't think world leaders should be focused on war, sanction or invasions, according to tweets shared by Cardi B on Tuesday. 

She also revealed she's not on "NATO's side" or Russia's.

"I actually want to say a lot of things, but I'm just gonna mind my business because sometimes I feel like I have such a big platform that if I don't say the right things, I might get killed," Cardi B began a video shared to Twitter.

"I'm really not on NATO's side," she continued. "I'm really not [on] Russia's side. I'm actually in the citizens' side, because at the end of the day, the world is having a crisis right now."

Cardi B's video explaining her view on the Russia-Ukraine crisis comes after a social media user asked her what she thought about the situation.

"Wish these world leaders stop tripping about power and really think about whose really getting affected (citizens) besides the whole world is in a crisis," Cardi B originally responded. "War, sanctions, invasions should be the last thing these leaders should worry about."

The White House began calling Russian action in Ukraine an "invasion" on Tuesday, saying the "swift and severe" sanctions promised by the U.S. are on the way, Fox News has learned.

Russian troops arrived in eastern Ukraine hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that he would recognize the independence of two separatist regions, officials said.

This isn't the first time Cardi B has been vocal about politics.

Ahead of the 2020 presidential election, the "I Like It" rapper encouraged people to vote for Joe Biden and noted she was "tired of getting upset" every time Donald Trump spoke.

"I'm tired of this bulls--t. I'm tired of getting upset every single time I see this man talk. It's like, are you f--king serious?" she said.

"Your little one vote, your little one vote could change [things]. You could make a change, I could make a change. You don't gotta be special, you don't gotta be rich, you don't gotta be famous, you don't gotta be beautiful. You just gotta be you with your one vote ... so let's all go vote tomorrow, b---h."

[garbon]

From Fox News:  The very deep thoughts of Cardi B

Cardi B weighs in on Russia-Ukraine crisis: 'If I don't say the right things, I might get killed'

Cardi B is weighing in on the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

The 29-year-old rapper doesn't think world leaders should be focused on war, sanction or invasions, according to tweets shared by Cardi B on Tuesday. 

She also revealed she's not on "NATO's side" or Russia's.

"I actually want to say a lot of things, but I'm just gonna mind my business because sometimes I feel like I have such a big platform that if I don't say the right things, I might get killed," Cardi B began a video shared to Twitter.

"I'm really not on NATO's side," she continued. "I'm really not [on] Russia's side. I'm actually in the citizens' side, because at the end of the day, the world is having a crisis right now."

Cardi B's video explaining her view on the Russia-Ukraine crisis comes after a social media user asked her what she thought about the situation.

"Wish these world leaders stop tripping about power and really think about whose really getting affected (citizens) besides the whole world is in a crisis," Cardi B originally responded. "War, sanctions, invasions should be the last thing these leaders should worry about."

The White House began calling Russian action in Ukraine an "invasion" on Tuesday, saying the "swift and severe" sanctions promised by the U.S. are on the way, Fox News has learned.

Russian troops arrived in eastern Ukraine hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that he would recognize the independence of two separatist regions, officials said.

This isn't the first time Cardi B has been vocal about politics.

Ahead of the 2020 presidential election, the "I Like It" rapper encouraged people to vote for Joe Biden and noted she was "tired of getting upset" every time Donald Trump spoke.

"I'm tired of this bulls--t. I'm tired of getting upset every single time I see this man talk. It's like, are you f--king serious?" she said.

"Your little one vote, your little one vote could change [things]. You could make a change, I could make a change. You don't gotta be special, you don't gotta be rich, you don't gotta be famous, you don't gotta be beautiful. You just gotta be you with your one vote ... so let's all go vote tomorrow, b---h."

And your point?

[The Brain]

Reports of advanced parties from the 82nd Airborne landing at airports around Kyiv.

Is this for real?

You don't trust Cardi B?

[Sheilbh]

And multiple reports that the mobile network's gone done in Donetsk and that region - so it does feel like something's goinng tonight

[garbon]

From Fox News:  The very deep thoughts of Cardi B

And your point?

No one should pay any attention to this cardigan person.

So we should post what fox News said about her Twitter post to then not consider what Cardi B thinks about it all?

[mongers]

And multiple reports that the mobile network's gone done in Donetsk and that region - so it does feel like something's goinng tonight

Both Al Jazeera and ITN news have reported from Ukrainian controlled central Luhansk towns over the last two days, the volume of incoming artillery explosions recorded on film was significant.

Unless that is they spent all day film and spliced together several dozen explosions they recorded, to make it more dramatic. 

[Josquius]

Less they'd be happy "under" Poland, and more they feel more affinity for Poland than they do the Eastern Russian speaking parts of their country.
How it'd actually be set up isn't something I've ever discussed but suffice to say it's not imagined as everyone having to be polish.

I think the opposite - Lviv is the heart of (at least traditional) Ukrainian-ness.

And I think Russian-speaking isn't necessarily short-hand for identifying as primarily Russian or pro-Russian. There are very fiercely Ukrainian Russian speakers. Ukrainian is far more alive but it's a bit like English speaking Irish people - it doesn't mean much beyond the fact that Russia/England's been a dominant power for a long time.

Sure. Lviv is "Ukraine". And Poland is seen as in many ways more "Ukraine" than the Eastern bits of the country are.
All totally elementary of course, history means the borders are where they are. But there's definitely a feeling in the west of extra affinity for Poland rather than Russia.

[Sheilbh]

Sure. Lviv is "Ukraine". And Poland is seen as in many ways more "Ukraine" than the Eastern bits of the country are.
All totally elementary of course, history means the borders are where they are. But there's definitely a feeling in the west of extra affinity for Poland rather than Russia.

I really don't think that's true. Ukraine is seen as Ukraine - including eastern Ukraine. Poland is seen as Poland which was historically another power that governed/occupied bits of Ukraine (in terms of benign/harshness I think the rating goes: Russians/Soviets, Poles, Austrians). Even during the post-WW1 collapse there was a war between Ukrainian forces and Poles to try and preserve Ukrainian independence/unity.

France has now advised all its citizens to leave Ukraine without delay - again striking given earlier French scepticism of the likelihood of an attack until the last few days.

Edit: The latest civilian no fly zone declared: