Ukraine updates
- Thread starter OUBubba
- Start date
New article on the infamous Kadyrov:
Kadyrov is trying to bolster his bloodthirsty image with this war (a bloodthirsty image he seems to relish), but Ukrainian resistance is thwarting his plans and may have him concerned. He needs to keep his loyalist army mostly intact so he can roll back into Chechnya after this war and still hold power with an iron fist.
“Kadyrov seems to have been shocked by the scope of Ukrainian resistance, and it seems that dozens if not hundreds of his people have been killed. He has a lot of people, around 12,000, but to stay in power he needs those fighters,”
"Bloodthirsty murderer? Who, me??? Ha, Ha Ha...!!!
Chechnya’s losses in Ukraine may be leader Ramzan Kadyrov’s undoing
Kadyrov is trying to bolster his bloodthirsty image with this war (a bloodthirsty image he seems to relish), but Ukrainian resistance is thwarting his plans and may have him concerned. He needs to keep his loyalist army mostly intact so he can roll back into Chechnya after this war and still hold power with an iron fist.
“Kadyrov seems to have been shocked by the scope of Ukrainian resistance, and it seems that dozens if not hundreds of his people have been killed. He has a lot of people, around 12,000, but to stay in power he needs those fighters,”
"Bloodthirsty murderer? Who, me??? Ha, Ha Ha...!!!
Chechnya’s losses in Ukraine may be leader Ramzan Kadyrov’s undoing
Monahorns
10,000+ Posts
If you want to get a peek into how Eastern Europeans are viewing the war. Subscribe to this podcast. He does a short daily episode with what he is hearing over there.
Much of his information comes from Russian news. He is Latvian but fluent in Russia. That means he is super against Putin. He does believe that Putin is trying to expand Russian boundaries to near Soviet era extent. I don't think that will happen, but as a Latvian, their history has sensitized him and the country about any threat from Russian, very understandably.
Much of his information comes from Russian news. He is Latvian but fluent in Russia. That means he is super against Putin. He does believe that Putin is trying to expand Russian boundaries to near Soviet era extent. I don't think that will happen, but as a Latvian, their history has sensitized him and the country about any threat from Russian, very understandably.
Musburger1
2,500+ Posts
Russia Is Systematically Destroying NATO Sites in the Ukraine
NATO sites? Apparently so. Well, maybe not now.
NATO sites? Apparently so. Well, maybe not now.
This is what the left looks like—at its core.Yep, as anticipated, the Red Army has their Political Commissars back in action again:
Political officers return in Russia’s military - Romeo Squared
Zelensky making a push for a negotiated cease fire and final settlement to this war and peace treaty. He appears ready to “guarantee” Ukraine will never join NATO. It is unclear how much of the conquered land Russia would get to keep—that would be negotiated out. After getting bogged down, and obviously unprepared and ill-supplied, Russia may be eager now to get out—and on such terms Putin could declare victory.
Zelensky may have his own hard core never-surrender faction to deal with. And Ukraine has out-performed most projections thus far.
Zelensky may have his own hard core never-surrender faction to deal with. And Ukraine has out-performed most projections thus far.
Monahorns
10,000+ Posts
This is a good scenario. Ending the war with an agreement between Ukraine and Russia is the most stable situation that I can think of. The question is does Russia want some part of what is Ukraine today. If not, then the idea that Russia just wanted strategic space for defense purposes was real. If they want Donbas then their geographic designs were there but minimal. The situation doesn't sound like Putin wants all of Ukraine, which would be a difficult situation to negotiate.
OUBubba
5,000+ Posts
I'm afraid he wants to see kiev in rubble.
TaylorTRoom
1,000+ Posts
That would be the least worst deal, which is the same as the best deal. Roll back state sanctions on Russia’s central bank and energy sales. Let alone private companies to make their own decisions as to whether they want to continue to do business with and in Russia.(some will and some won’t).
Musburger1
2,500+ Posts
I would agree with that assessment, but I'm not optimistic it will happen. A good thing would be to see de-escalation both militarily and economically. But too many politicians have backed themselves into a corner to the point where they lose face doing this.
As much as I despise Biden (and his team), if he accepts a negotiated compromise, Republicans will slay him politically for showing weakness and capitulation. Another problem is Zelensky. Even if he wants a negotiated compromise, there are strong factions (yes, Nazis) that will never accept giving away anything.
If the current trend isn't reversed, I really believe we'll have mutually assured economic destruction (everyone loses), and even possibly nuclear war. I don't know what it will take to buck the trend. I just don't see the leadership.
TaylorTRoom
1,000+ Posts
There won’t be military de-escalation on the part of the west…because Russia invaded Ukraine. You keep talking about Nazis in Ukraine, where they are a small, non influential faction, and never mention the real threat- that Russia, a huge nuclear power, is a fascist state! That’s the problem and the world can’t ignore it anymore. Germany is doubling what it spends on defense and other NATO members will follow suit. Because Russia invaded Ukraine. That genie ain’t going back in the bottle.
'We all will be judged.' Russian prisoners of war voice disquiet, shame over war in Ukraine | CNN
The unnamed soldier, who said he was 22 years old and gave his unit's number, said it was soon obvious that "we are not here as peacekeepers, but to fight. We asked commanders what the f**k we are doing here. We couldn't turn around and leave. Behind were the echelons [units] that kill deserters."
Russia's Army Political Commissars are up to their old tricks.
The unnamed soldier, who said he was 22 years old and gave his unit's number, said it was soon obvious that "we are not here as peacekeepers, but to fight. We asked commanders what the f**k we are doing here. We couldn't turn around and leave. Behind were the echelons [units] that kill deserters."
Russia's Army Political Commissars are up to their old tricks.
Maybe a resident Russophile could weigh in. My sense is that the party members/politically connected/hard-core Putin loyalists serve as today's version of the Army's political commissars. In the past, each unit's political commissar was a hard-core Communist Party member--a true leftist. Rank and file soldiers generally weren't much into politics--they just wanted to keep out of trouble and survive.
OUBubba
5,000+ Posts
I think musberger is off the clock...
Current Local Time in Moscow, Russia
Current Local Time in Moscow, Russia
Musburger1
2,500+ Posts
The only thing I agree with is your opening, “There won’t be a military de-escalation on the part of the west”…
I’ll concede for now your arguments about Nazis and Fascists. In the scheme of things, what matters is what happens when the west escalates rather than de-escalates. It seems you believe some great victory lies ahead, eventually Russia capitulates, and the status quo returns. Here’s what we’re dealing with (view clip below). Russians are bombarded with and accept this view just as Americans watch and believe the same crap that you do. There isn’t going to be a Russian surrender. Just pray there won’t be nuclear war.
Monahorns
10,000+ Posts
Zelensky does? He has said as much. But maybe his calculation has changed. I hope so.
OUBubba
5,000+ Posts
Amen
TaylorTRoom
1,000+ Posts
And who would start it?
Musburger1
2,500+ Posts
What the hell difference does that make when you are dead? The question becomes totally irrelevant. Yeah, I'm dead, but it was their fault.
TaylorTRoom
1,000+ Posts
It makes a lot of difference. If there is only one side that would start it, the other side must consider him (Putin) a threat and make weakening him a policy. Why do you think North Korea is a pariah? Why does Israel kill Iranian nuclear scientists?
If Putin really would use nukes to get out of the mess he created, then theWest needs to organize to ostracize him and his nation until the threat is gone.
If Putin really would use nukes to get out of the mess he created, then theWest needs to organize to ostracize him and his nation until the threat is gone.
Musburger1
2,500+ Posts
Russian nuclear policy authorizes the initiation of nukes in two circumstances.
1. When a nuclear strike is initiated against Russia.
2. When the existence of the Russian state is threatened. For example, let's say NATO successfully storms St. Petersburg and is moving on toward Moscow. Then Russia would launch.
The US has pulled out of just about every proliferation agreement the past several years. NATO has flooded Russian neighboring states, particularly Ukraine, with billions of dollars of offensive weaponry. So you can say everything is all Putin's fault, but Russia doesn't see it that way (nor does China, Iran, India, and a significant portion of the world). So bottom line Taylor. You can die happily believing that you have been incinerated because of Putin, but that belief won't change the reality that the current path is mutually destructive, and continuing to escalate isn't going to bring about a desirable result. But hey, the majority of folks are in your bullpen. I'll admit my perspective represents a tiny minority.
Monahorns
10,000+ Posts
Zelensky said publicly every civilian in Kyiv would have to die before he would surrender.
I don't doubt Putin is willing to blow stuff up though.
Monahorns
10,000+ Posts
If only there weren't unintended consequences.
OUBubba
5,000+ Posts
They'll claim that the neo nazis did it with Biden and George Soros' money.Will the Russian defenders on this website still defend them if and when Russia uses chemical weapons in this war? On soldiers? On civilians? Flip a coin, we may see it.
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