Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-23 and Invasion

[Syt]

From the other side (RT):

Russia has 'no plans' to take over whole of Ukraine – Putin

Moscow said it does not intend to capture all of Ukraine, but would seek its "de-Nazification" and "demilitarization"

Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed that Russia had "no plans to occupy the Ukrainian territories" after announcing that a special operation was launched to defend the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics from "Ukrainian aggression."

The operation's ultimate goal is "to protect the people who have been subjected for 8 years to genocide by the Kiev regime," Putin said in an adress on Thursday morning, adding that Moscow would "embark on a demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine, and handing over to justice those who committed numerous atrocities against civilians."

The Russian president noted, however, that Moscow harbors no far-reaching plans to take over the whole territory of Ukraine.

"We do not have plans to occupy Ukrainian territories. We are not going to impose anything on anyone by force," he said.

Ukraine has been accusing Russia of illegally occupying Crimea, which was reabsorbed by Russia following a referendum in March 2014, following the US-backed coup that overthrew the elected government in Kiev.

Kiev has also repeatedly accused Russia of having a military presence in Donbass, although Moscow consistently denied this claim.

[jimmy olsen]

Ukraine has 44 million people. The Russians are rolling in with 200k. That's less than one Russian soldier for every 200 Ukrainian.

I don't think Russia plans to garrison Ukraine with combat units.

Also, is it really that much different from US rolling in with 200k troops into a country of 25 million?  Clearly in that case 200k troops were more than enough to win the war.

But if he runs over the country, installs a puppet and then leaves, wouldn't that create a power vacuum with potential for the West to gain more influence?

Zelensky won 73% of the vote. How stable could a puppet possibly be if the Russians leave?

[HVC]

Remind me of what came after? Did the occupation go smoothly?

The west has certain qualms in regards to the treatment of civilians that Russia doesn't share

[OttoVonBismarck]

This is the cost of 40 years of Western engagement with Russia. Russians are not a people and Russia is not a country—they are an enemy to the West and have never and will never be a part of it. We need a new Cold War if complete severed economic relations that is permanent and intended to be so. Russia can never and should never be trusted.

[Syt]

This is the cost of 40 years of Western engagement with Russia. Russians are not a people and Russia is not a country—they are an enemy to the West and have never and will never be a part of it. We need a new Cold War if complete severed economic relations that is permanent and intended to be so. Russia can never and should never be trusted.

Thanks, Captain Kirk, very constructive. I think there was a window of opportunity to positively engage with Russia in the 90s that wasn't fully made use of during those heady post-Cold War days.

[mongers]

Well those Western sanction did F. All, I wonder if the weak response has helped to embolden Putin's actions?

[Jacob]

Well those Western sanction did F. All, I wonder if the weak response has helped to embolden Putin's actions?

As someone said, the sanctions have already been priced in by the Russians.

[DGuller]

By the way, did the talking heads talking about the 200,000 troops count the Belorussians?  Apparently Belarus didn't just provide military access, they're invading with the Russians.  Looks like they're not sitting on their asses either, they'll probably be in Kiev in time to bring the airborne troops in the airport hot dinner.

[Jacob]

By the way, did the talking heads talking about the 200,000 troops count the Belorussians?  Apparently Belarus didn't just provide military access, they're invading with the Russians.  Looks like they're not sitting on their asses either, they'll probably be in Kiev in time to bring the airborne troops in the airport hot dinner.

No they didn't... where are you seeing reports that the Belorussians are involved? And what are their forces like? Do we know?

[DGuller]

By the way, did the talking heads talking about the 200,000 troops count the Belorussians?  Apparently Belarus didn't just provide military access, they're invading with the Russians.  Looks like they're not sitting on their asses either, they'll probably be in Kiev in time to bring the airborne troops in the airport hot dinner.

No they didn't... where are you seeing reports that the Belorussians are involved? And what are their forces like? Do we know?

Widely reported on CNN and Twitter: https://twitter.com/NatashaBertrand/status/1496717859107618820.

[Admiral Yi]

Russia killed about half a dozen Chechen presidents in exile or so, until eventually the Chechen exiles ran out of candidates.  At some point recognition comes at the barrel of a gun, if the owners of said guns walk around the areas they claim to control long enough.

Chechnya is part of Russia.  The comparison doesn't work.

[Jacob]

Widely reported on CNN and Twitter: https://twitter.com/NatashaBertrand/status/1496717859107618820.

Thanks.

[Jacob]

I saw someone tweet "a dictator is invading a democratic nation and half the American polity is cheering him on." Is that accurate?

[Sophie Scholl]

I saw someone tweet "a dictator is invading a democratic nation and half the American polity is cheering him on." Is that accurate?

Between the Right and the far Left, yeah, I would say it is close.

[Jacob]

I saw someone tweet "a dictator is invading a democratic nation and half the American polity is cheering him on." Is that accurate?

Between the Right and the far Left, yeah, I would say it is close.

Is the GOP fully and visibly in the tank for Russia? Are they hemming and hawing a bit? Are they split? Or... are they all in with Tucker Carlson et. al.?