Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-23 and Invasion

[The Larch]

The International Judo Federation has suspended Putin as its President of Honour and international ambassador.

[Solmyr]

Its quite fascinating that Poland is being particularly great at this considering their usual anti-refugee stance.

I think this is very much a case of Poland seeing themselves in Ukraine's position.

And also of the refugees being white.

[Syt]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/feb/27/donald-trump-defends-calling-putin-smart-hints-at-2024-presidential-bid

Donald Trump defends calling Putin 'smart', hints at 2024 presidential bid

Ex-president tells CPAC he could have stopped 'appalling' Russian invasion of Ukraine before giving strongest indication he will run again

Donald Trump, the former US president, has defended his description of Russia's Vladimir Putin as "smart" while seeking to blunt accusations that he admires the invasion of Ukraine.

Trump reiterated his false claim that the 2020 election was stolen by voter fraud as he argued that the invasion of Ukraine would never have happened if he was still in the White House.

"The Russian attack on Ukraine is appalling," he told the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida, on Saturday night. "It's an outrage and an atrocity that should never have been allowed to occur.

"We are praying for the proud people of Ukraine. God bless them all. As everyone understands, this horrific disaster would never have happened if our election was not rigged and if I was the president."

Election officials, numerous judges and Trump's own attorney general found no evidence that the election was rigged. Having retold "the big lie", he went on to compare himself favourably with other presidents' handling of Putin.

"Under Bush, Russia invaded Georgia. Under Obama, Russia took Crimea. Under Biden, Russia invaded Ukraine. I stand as the only president of the 21st century on whose watch Russia did not invade another country."

Democrats dismissed the speech and condemned Trump for still cosying up to Putin. Adonna Biel, a spokesperson for the Democratic National Committee, said: "After spending four years selling out Ukraine, the defeated former president took the stage at CPAC to double down on his shameless praise for Putin as innocent Ukrainians shelter from bombs and missiles at the hands of Russia.

"This has been the theme of the Republican party all week, making clear that their party is beholden to a defeated former president who lost them the White House, House, and Senate."

An audience of about 5,000 people at CPAC, the biggest annual gathering of grassroots conservatives, roared and whistled their approval. Some chanted: "USA! USA!"

Trump, whose "America first" approach rattled Nato allies, claimed that Russia and other countries respected the US when he was president and blamed Joe Biden for displaying weakness on the global stage.

"I have no doubt that President Putin made his decision to ruthlessly attack Ukraine only after watching the pathetic withdrawal from Afghanistan, where the military was taken out first, our soldiers were killed and American hostages, plus $85bn worth of the finest equipment anywhere in the world were left behind," he said.

Trump, who notoriously deferred to autocrats, also responded to criticism over his description this week of Putin's invasion of separatist areas of Ukraine as "genius", "savvy" and "smart".

He asserted that Putin has suffered no repercussions beyond sanctions, which he has shrugged off for 25 years. "The problem is not that Putin is smart – which of course, he's smart – but the real problem is that our leaders are dumb. They've so far allowed him to get away with this travesty and an assault on humanity."

He added: "So sad. Putin is playing Biden like a drum and it's not a pretty thing as somebody that loves our country to watch."

Trump's 2016 presidential campaign had more than 100 contacts with Russia, prompting a special counsel investigation that stopped short of alleging direct collusion. As president, Trump was notoriously reluctant to condemn Putin and, at a summit in Helsinki, took the Russian leader's word over that of his own intelligence agencies. His administration did impose some sanctions on Moscow, however.

Trump recalled on Saturday: "I was with Putin a lot. I spent a lot of time with him. I got along with him ... I did a lot of things that were very tough on Russia. No president was ever as tough on Russia as I was.

"But with respect to what's going on now, it would have been so easy for me to stop this travesty from happening. He understood me and he understood that I didn't play games. This would not have happened. Someday, I'll tell you exactly what we talked about. And he did have an affinity, there's no question about it, for Ukraine. I said, never let it happen, better not let it happen."

He added: "I also warned Nato about the danger of Russia and look at the consequences. On foreign policy, the world rightly had a healthy fear that as president I would stand strong for Americans' priorities."

During an 85-minute speech to a packed ballroom at CPAC, Trump, who contested the 2016 and 2020 elections, also gave his strongest hint yet that he will run for president in 2024. "We did it twice, and we'll do it again," he said. "We're going to be doing it again a third time."

There were loud cheers from the crowd, many of whom wore "Make America great again" caps and "Trump 2024" regalia. There were shouts of "Four more years!" and "We want Trump!"

The former president went on to rail against "leftwing tyranny" and "crackdowns, censorship and cancel culture", praise protesting Canadian truckers and brand Biden's supreme court nominee, Ketanji Brown Jackson, "a radical left zealot". He claimed that the court's existing justices, including conservative Brett Kavanaugh, are "terrified of the radical left" and "afraid to do the right thing".

Trump pushed the baseless conspiracy theory that his 2016 election rival, "Crooked" Hillary Clinton, spied on him, prompting chants of "Lock her up!" And he accused Democrats of caring more about Ukraine's borders than America's own.

He declared: "You could take the five worst presidents in American history and put them together and they would not do the damage that Joe Biden's administration has done in just a very short period."

[Solmyr]

Yesterday Kadyrov adressed Chechen security forces expected to be deployed in Ukraine. Apparently the boots he's wearing are not military issue, but Prada ones, with a retail price upwards of 1,000 €.



Devil wears Prada indeed.

Incidentally, that guy next to Kadyrov is Magomed Tushayev, one of his closest warlords, who has been reported killed last night near Kiev.

[Maladict]

Incidentally, that guy next to Kadyrov is Magomed Tushayev, one of his closest warlords, who has been reported killed last night near Kiev.

Let's hope so.

[Sheilbh]

Yeah - can't think many will mourn Kadyrov's gang.

Thread from BBC journalist of the response in one Polish town to Ukrainian refugees - the response of local people everywhere (from Kent to Lesbos to Lampedusa) is normally kindness, but still it's very striking and reminds of the footage of Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries. Of course, sadly, it's important to note that there's footage of Ukrainian police blocking Africans from crossing the border/boarding the train:
https://twitter.com/lewis_goodall/status/1497875566460121091?s=20&t=0w948FMOxIpCoZwAqZ888Q

[The Larch]

Is that really Tushayev? The pictures I saw of him he looked younger, bulkier, and with a fairer beard.

[garbon]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/feb/27/donald-trump-defends-calling-putin-smart-hints-at-2024-presidential-bid

Donald Trump defends calling Putin 'smart', hints at 2024 presidential bid

Ex-president tells CPAC he could have stopped 'appalling' Russian invasion of Ukraine before giving strongest indication he will run again

Donald Trump, the former US president, has defended his description of Russia's Vladimir Putin as "smart" while seeking to blunt accusations that he admires the invasion of Ukraine.

Trump reiterated his false claim that the 2020 election was stolen by voter fraud as he argued that the invasion of Ukraine would never have happened if he was still in the White House.

"The Russian attack on Ukraine is appalling," he told the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida, on Saturday night. "It's an outrage and an atrocity that should never have been allowed to occur.

"We are praying for the proud people of Ukraine. God bless them all. As everyone understands, this horrific disaster would never have happened if our election was not rigged and if I was the president."

Election officials, numerous judges and Trump's own attorney general found no evidence that the election was rigged. Having retold "the big lie", he went on to compare himself favourably with other presidents' handling of Putin.

"Under Bush, Russia invaded Georgia. Under Obama, Russia took Crimea. Under Biden, Russia invaded Ukraine. I stand as the only president of the 21st century on whose watch Russia did not invade another country."

Democrats dismissed the speech and condemned Trump for still cosying up to Putin. Adonna Biel, a spokesperson for the Democratic National Committee, said: "After spending four years selling out Ukraine, the defeated former president took the stage at CPAC to double down on his shameless praise for Putin as innocent Ukrainians shelter from bombs and missiles at the hands of Russia.

"This has been the theme of the Republican party all week, making clear that their party is beholden to a defeated former president who lost them the White House, House, and Senate."

An audience of about 5,000 people at CPAC, the biggest annual gathering of grassroots conservatives, roared and whistled their approval. Some chanted: "USA! USA!"

Trump, whose "America first" approach rattled Nato allies, claimed that Russia and other countries respected the US when he was president and blamed Joe Biden for displaying weakness on the global stage.

"I have no doubt that President Putin made his decision to ruthlessly attack Ukraine only after watching the pathetic withdrawal from Afghanistan, where the military was taken out first, our soldiers were killed and American hostages, plus $85bn worth of the finest equipment anywhere in the world were left behind," he said.

Trump, who notoriously deferred to autocrats, also responded to criticism over his description this week of Putin's invasion of separatist areas of Ukraine as "genius", "savvy" and "smart".

He asserted that Putin has suffered no repercussions beyond sanctions, which he has shrugged off for 25 years. "The problem is not that Putin is smart – which of course, he's smart – but the real problem is that our leaders are dumb. They've so far allowed him to get away with this travesty and an assault on humanity."

He added: "So sad. Putin is playing Biden like a drum and it's not a pretty thing as somebody that loves our country to watch."

Trump's 2016 presidential campaign had more than 100 contacts with Russia, prompting a special counsel investigation that stopped short of alleging direct collusion. As president, Trump was notoriously reluctant to condemn Putin and, at a summit in Helsinki, took the Russian leader's word over that of his own intelligence agencies. His administration did impose some sanctions on Moscow, however.

Trump recalled on Saturday: "I was with Putin a lot. I spent a lot of time with him. I got along with him ... I did a lot of things that were very tough on Russia. No president was ever as tough on Russia as I was.

"But with respect to what's going on now, it would have been so easy for me to stop this travesty from happening. He understood me and he understood that I didn't play games. This would not have happened. Someday, I'll tell you exactly what we talked about. And he did have an affinity, there's no question about it, for Ukraine. I said, never let it happen, better not let it happen."

He added: "I also warned Nato about the danger of Russia and look at the consequences. On foreign policy, the world rightly had a healthy fear that as president I would stand strong for Americans' priorities."

During an 85-minute speech to a packed ballroom at CPAC, Trump, who contested the 2016 and 2020 elections, also gave his strongest hint yet that he will run for president in 2024. "We did it twice, and we'll do it again," he said. "We're going to be doing it again a third time."

There were loud cheers from the crowd, many of whom wore "Make America great again" caps and "Trump 2024" regalia. There were shouts of "Four more years!" and "We want Trump!"

The former president went on to rail against "leftwing tyranny" and "crackdowns, censorship and cancel culture", praise protesting Canadian truckers and brand Biden's supreme court nominee, Ketanji Brown Jackson, "a radical left zealot". He claimed that the court's existing justices, including conservative Brett Kavanaugh, are "terrified of the radical left" and "afraid to do the right thing".

Trump pushed the baseless conspiracy theory that his 2016 election rival, "Crooked" Hillary Clinton, spied on him, prompting chants of "Lock her up!" And he accused Democrats of caring more about Ukraine's borders than America's own.

He declared: "You could take the five worst presidents in American history and put them together and they would not do the damage that Joe Biden's administration has done in just a very short period."

I'm glad the guardian adds in lines throughout refuting his lies. I believe the independent's article with no critical commentary so just repeating his lies.

[Duque de Bragança]

Its quite fascinating that Poland is being particularly great at this considering their usual anti-refugee stance.

I think this is very much a case of Poland seeing themselves in Ukraine's position.

And also of the refugees being white.

Not to mention being real refugees, not illegal migrants trying to pass as refugees on the way for a land with free social money à la Sweden or Germany.

[Duque de Bragança]

Incidentally, that guy next to Kadyrov is Magomed Tushayev, one of his closest warlords, who has been reported killed last night near Kiev.

Let's hope so.

Insh'Allah.

[Iormlund]

The best way to put a dent in it is to sanction and isolate Swiss banks. But I don't know how feasible that is.

I think it depends on the Russian behavior.  The more atrocities they commit, the more it's going to become a "you're either with us or you're against us" situation.  If US managed to get Cyprus onboard, which basically a money laundering enterprise with a country, then ultimately only hostile countries like China couldn't be brought onboard.

I think it is critical that we start clamping up on anyone harboring Russian money. Whether those banks are in Switzerland, Cyprus, or in the different UK colonies/dependencies etc.

Not only for Ukraine, but also looking at future wars. Would the Chinese leaders attack Taiwan if they understood that aggression will basically bankrupt them and their countries?

Of course, the trouble is our own leaders are using those banks and loopholes to launder and store their ill-gotten gains.

[Duque de Bragança]

I think it is critical that we start clamping up on anyone harboring Russian money. Whether those banks are in Switzerland, Cyprus, or in the different UK colonies/dependencies etc.

Not only for Ukraine, but also looking at future wars. Would the Chinese leaders attack Taiwan if they understood that aggression will basically bankrupt them and their countries?

Of course, the trouble is our own leaders are using those banks and loopholes to launder and store their ill-gotten gains.

So basically no chance in hell of happening.

[Solmyr]

Its quite fascinating that Poland is being particularly great at this considering their usual anti-refugee stance.

I think this is very much a case of Poland seeing themselves in Ukraine's position.

And also of the refugees being white.

Not to mention being real refugees, not illegal migrants trying to pass as refugees on the way for a land with free social money à la Sweden or Germany.

Fuck off.

[Duque de Bragança]

Its quite fascinating that Poland is being particularly great at this considering their usual anti-refugee stance.

I think this is very much a case of Poland seeing themselves in Ukraine's position.

And also of the refugees being white.

Not to mention being real refugees, not illegal migrants trying to pass as refugees on the way for a land with free social money à la Sweden or Germany.

Fuck off.

Não.


Lukashenko's way of using illegal migrants as a pawn was forgotten sooner than I thought.

[Duque de Bragança]

So Portugal is going to send weapons to Ukraine soon.

Hold your breath, we are talking here about sturdy but venerable G3 rifles (H&K built under license), ammo and equipement (infrared/night optics), bulletproof vests and grenades.  I am afraid this is only a symbolic gesture, again.

https://www.jornaldenegocios.pt/economia/europa/invasao-da-ucrania/detalhe/portugal-fornece-equipamento-militar-a-ucrania