Can We Have Some Real Talk About Ukraine?

[carolina73]

Ooops. I got the Russian channel

*click*

[Peter1469]

Well, Russia seems to be giving up on capturing Kiev and will use that force to flank the Ukraine units in the Donbass. That should end the conflict with the break-away Republics "independent" and some of the coast in Russia's hands.

[Peter1469]

Evidence of War Crimes in Ukraine Mounts as Russians Retreat From Kyiv Area

The problem is there are war crimes on both sides. Yes, Russia has committed many many more. My point is that the "media" won't mention those committed by Ukrainians. (I am referring to killing of prisoners, which does seem to have been gotten under control now- some diplomat probably told them they had to cut that out or risk losing Western support.)

Nearly 300 civilians have been buried in mass graves by local authorities in this small suburb of Kyiv after Russian troops withdrew last week, one of several regions where Ukrainian officials and independent rights watchdogs say they are uncovering evidence of war crimes perpetrated by occupation forces.

[TheLiquidGuy]

"readily-identifiable baddie"


There are no readily identifiable badies in Ukraine. Virtually all Russian soldiers there are victims as much as the Ukrainian civilians. They didn't ask to go and a good portion of them didn't even know they were going.

Those Russian conscripts and regulars all had mothers. Most still have mothers who will shatter on the news of their child's death.

Putin is the only readily identifiable bad guy.



Tens of thousands are dead. Cities in ashes.

I've wondered if the better option would have been to just capitulate to Putin and let him take Ukraine.

But then what? What's next when he meets no resistance? Would he attack NATO countries? Or would he come to his senses?

[blackjack21]

As bad as the military campaign has gone for Russia, they seem to be beating the sanctions regimen. I wonder if they haven't realized that their cancel culture is failing geopolitically too. "A Paradigm Shift Western Media Hasn't Grasped Yet" - Russian Ruble Relaunched, Linked To Gold & Commodities

We can see this linkage in action since Friday 25 March when the Bank of Russia made the fixed price announcement. The ruble was trading at around 100 to the US dollar at that time, but has since strengthened and is nearing 80 to the US dollar. Why? Because gold has been trading on international markets at about US$ 62 per gram which is equivalent to (5000 / 62) = about 80.5, and markets and arbitrage traders have now taken note, driving the RUB / USD exchange rate higher.

I'm beginning to wonder if people who believe in cancel culture created this sanctions regime. It is basically going to end up punishing everyone else besides Russia.

[Peter1469]

An interesting thought. Did Russia act now because Ukraine said it may become a nuclear power again? They have everything they need to make their own weapons. Russia is trying to control Ukraine's nuclear plants, although they left Chernobyl.

[blackjack21]

Virtually all Russian soldiers there are victims as much as the Ukrainian civilians.

That's a lot of sympathy for people deliberately using artillery and rockets against civilian areas.

Those Russian conscripts and regulars all had mothers.

So now you know what a woman is?

Putin is the only readily identifiable bad guy.

Really? Do you think he's really responsible for fire control?

Tens of thousands are dead. Cities in ashes.

That doesn't happen by accident.

I've wondered if the better option would have been to just capitulate to Putin and let him take Ukraine.

Better option for whom?

Would he attack NATO countries?

He says more or less the same thing about Poland. The bottom line is the Russian military will want the Baltics, the Polish Gap and the Bessarabian Gap. So you should be looking for more war, not less.

Russia is trying to control Ukraine's nuclear plants, although they left Chernobyl.

You should really have anti-radiation suits if you're going to stay in the radioactive areas for extended periods of time. Apparently, they dug trenches and basically sat in the fallout and got sick. Militarily, I'd say this has been a fiasco for the Russian army. However, they have played their hand much better with respect to sanctions and pegging the Ruble to gold, and forcing purchases of Russian commodities with the Ruble or gold.

[carolina73]

As bad as the military campaign has gone for Russia, they seem to be beating the sanctions regimen. I wonder if they haven't realized that their cancel culture is failing geopolitically too. "A Paradigm Shift Western Media Hasn't Grasped Yet" - Russian Ruble Relaunched, Linked To Gold & Commodities

I'm beginning to wonder if people who believe in cancel culture created this sanctions regime. It is basically going to end up punishing everyone else besides Russia.

What sanctions?

We are shutting down Nordstream II. But it wasn't open
We are sanctioning Russian banks. Well some of them. Russia just reroutes the funds through the other ones.

So then the US decided to go to Russia's allies in Iran and Venezuela to fund more aggressive totalitarian countries. Biden says that we need more Russias!

[TheLiquidGuy]

Really? Do you think he's really responsible for fire control?

Do I think Putin is responsible for fire control? No.

Does this mean you do not blame Biden for the 13 servicemen who died during the withdrawal from Afghanistan? Biden wasn't responsible for the details of the withdrawal, right?

[Peter1469]

Do I think Putin is responsible for fire control? No.

Does this mean you do not blame Biden for the 13 servicemen who died during the withdrawal from Afghanistan? Biden wasn't responsible for the details of the withdrawal, right?

Commanders and the civilian leaders are indeed responsible for actions of troops if those actions are due to orders, a lack of discipline, or pattern of behavior. If Russian soldiers are systematically killing civilians in Ukraine, senior commanders and Putin could be theoretically charged with war crimes, although I am not sure who is silly enough to really believe that anything serious will come of it.

Perhaps trials in absentia which result in these people not being able to travel safety again.