Ukraine - somebody explain to me

[BlueK]

It's hard to know what would change if Putin were to die. I suspect Soviet-loving hardliners are next in line to usurp power after him. It would be an opportunity to change course, so who knows?

Now if Zelinski were to die, I think that would be a big blow. He's been awesome. Similarly, there would be a Ukraine-loving patriot behind him to take his place, but I think it would be difficult to replicate his leadership.

The big difference from the Soviet era is that back then the power was shared at the top by multiple guys close to the top and then by more layers below that. Putin has removed any and all potential power bearers. In the Soviet era under a war gone so badly he would have been chucked out already.

[Non Sequitur]

Hopefully he'll get the yips, like the surgeon who was supposed to operate on Larry David's father.

[Bo Diddley]

AP evidence points to 600 dead in Mariupol theater airstrike

Reading this makes me incredibly sad and angry at the same time.

[Katy Lied]

I've been reading about the utter atrocities of the Russian army, not only toward Ukrainians, but also to their own soldiers. I finally found a good Russian soldier, an officer who graduated from the Space Academy in St. Petersburg. He was the recon commander of a unit of 6 men, and was sent out without a map, very little food and water. Here is his interview:

I think that there is a young corps of educated officers that may be worth saving. All else are inhumane. And there is propaganda on both sides, but Russia can withdraw, and Ukraine cannot.

[Bo Diddley]

Reuters reports which units were in Bucha. I hope the people there can one day get justice.

[Bo Diddley]

Israel: Putin has apologised for Hitler comments

Bennett has now said that Putin apologised to him for remarks earlier this week by his Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claiming that Adolf Hitler was part-Jewish.

Didn't see that coming. Seems out of character for Putin.

[Bo Diddley]

Russian frigate hit by missile in Black Sea - Ukrainian report
This was circulating on Twitter earlier, but now that BBC is reporting it, it sounds more credible.

The Admiral Makarov is much smaller than the Russian flagship cruiser Moskva, which sank last month, but it is only five years old and one of the most powerful Russian warships in the Black Sea. It features a Kalibr cruise missile system and is designed to hit other ships or submarines as well as coastal targets within a range of 2,600km (1,610 miles).

1600 miles? Maybe you should go park next to Russia!

[BigFatMeanie]

Russian frigate hit by missile in Black Sea - Ukrainian report
This was circulating on Twitter earlier, but now that BBC is reporting it, it sounds more credible.



1600 miles? Maybe you should go park next to Russia!

I want this to be true, but BBC's report says it's still unconfirmed and their source is "a local website in Odessa", so I wouldn't put too much stock in it yet, but would be great if true.

[Bo Diddley]

I want this to be true, but BBC's report says it's still unconfirmed and their source is "a local website in Odessa", so I wouldn't put too much stock in it yet, but would be great if true.

Right. I saw that too. But the fact that they're running it means there's likely something to it.

[Bo Diddley]

I want this to be true, but BBC's report says it's still unconfirmed and their source is "a local website in Odessa", so I wouldn't put too much stock in it yet, but would be great if true.

Yeah, nothing else heard, I don't think this was true.

[Bo Diddley]

Thanks. Following him now.

Waiting to see how it goes over the next couple of weeks, but I am cautiously optimistic that Ukraine will continue to defeat the Russian Army. They are shockingly unimpressive.

Here we are a couple weeks later, and Ukraine continues to hold their own against the Russian Army in the East. Russia appears to be taking heavy losses, and Ukraine is getting close to cutting off their supply lines. This is going to get really interesting soon.

[myboynoah]

Here we are a couple weeks later, and Ukraine continues to hold their own against the Russian Army in the East. Russia appears to be taking heavy losses, and Ukraine is getting close to cutting off their supply lines. This is going to get really interesting soon.

Yeah, been waiting for the second, more concentrated offensive to start, and I guess it did. Lots and lots of artillery and rocket attacks to soften the Ukrainians, but they seem to have held strong. No significant Russian breakthrough or encirclement of Ukrainian forces. As you note, it is the Ukrainians that are making some progress in possibly cutting off the Russians. I worry about the losses the Ukrainians must be taking. Hoping the new equipment they are getting from the West will reduce those losse via technological advantages (in particular, counter battery artillery and lazer guided weapons).

Even then, the Russians occupy a lot of territory in the South. Gotta find a way to drive them out of there. Make it just too painful for them to be there.

[BigFatMeanie]

<SheldonCooper>Fun factoid: did you know the term "laser" is an acronym? It stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation</SheldonCooper>

[frank ryan]

This Ukrainian postage stamp is awesome.

[frank ryan]

Israel: Putin has apologised for Hitler comments



Didn't see that coming. Seems out of character for Putin.

He doesn’t want Israel helping Ukraine, which to this point they haven’t