Ukraine - somebody explain to me

[dabrockster]

This is remarkable.

Ukraine seems to be making massive advances in drone technology. They might actually win this thing.

Embedded Tweet

I wonder if this is the path Trump would take to not out boots on the ground in Iran.

It is amazing what Ukraine has done militarily. Admiration for their creative methods and strength to stand up to Putin.

[Bo Diddley]

Russia is going to scale back their annual Victory Day parade in Moscow citing threats from Ukraine. Very interesting that Ukraine is becoming more dangerous to Russia.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Crazy how the tides seem to be turning in the Ukraine war.

Embedded Tweet

[frank ryan]

Crazy how the tides seem to be turning in the Ukraine war.

Embedded Tweet

I do not feel bad for the fsb.

[Bo Diddley]

This war of attrition is more and more a stalemate. Europe might be entering another cold war with Russia. The more Russia pays for the war in Ukraine the better. Both sides have surprised me with their resilience.

[Jeff Lebowski]

This war of attrition is more and more a stalemate. Europe might be entering another cold war with Russia. The more Russia pays for the war in Ukraine the better. Both sides have surprised me with their resilience.

Russia is running out of warm bodies and the Russian economy is collapsing. Ukraine has also destroyed 25% of their refineries with new attacks each day. It is still David vs Goliath, but Goliath is taking shots to the head.

[Bo Diddley]

Russia is running out of warm bodies and the Russian economy is collapsing. Ukraine has also destroyed 25% of their refineries with new attacks each day. It is still David vs Goliath, but Goliath is taking shots to the head.

I expected their economy to collapse long ago. They are definitely taking shots, but I just don't see an end. The free world needs to do a better job with sanctions and isolating Russia.

I think I read something about Russia's prison population being down about a third due to the war.

[Pelado]

Russia is running out of warm bodies and the Russian economy is collapsing. Ukraine has also destroyed 25% of their refineries with new attacks each day. It is still David vs Goliath, but Goliath is taking shots to the head.

Oil prices being up would seem to be a lifeline.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Oil prices being up would seem to be a lifeline.

Sure. But they haven't been able to fully take advantage due to the Ukrainian destruction of refineries.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I expected their economy to collapse long ago. They are definitely taking shots, but I just don't see an end. The free world needs to do a better job with sanctions and isolating Russia.

Be specific. What do you recommend?

[Jeff Lebowski]

Embedded Tweet

[BigPiney]

Embedded Tweet

That dude better stay away from any windows.

[wally]

I expected their economy to collapse long ago. They are definitely taking shots, but I just don't see an end. The free world needs to do a better job with sanctions and isolating Russia.

I think I read something about Russia's prison population being down about a third due to the war.

I don't think that it is in the interest of Europe to help Ukraine do anything more than maintain the stalemate that you described in your previous posts. I don't like that, but I think that is where things realistically are. Putin will rattle his nuclear saber if Russia starts losing significant ground, and while I don't think he would resort to that measure unless things were extremely dire for Russia, I also don't think that Russia has really dug into what could be a deeper reserve of very dirty tricks saved for 'moderately' desperate times, which could drag the EU deeper into the conflict. Also, the EU is still tied to Russia until the end of 2027 at the earliest for natural gas. (I still think it is so ironic that the EU is funding both sides of this conflict, albeit using different mechanisms.)

I think that in the game of foreign relations, we are now fully in a scenario where the nuclear superpowers will pick fights with the non-nuclear buddies of their geopolitical adversaries. Ukraine, Venezuela, Iran, and possibly Taiwan next. Any others? Sucks to be a non-nuclear country strategically important to one of the other superpowers right about now.

[frank ryan]

I don't think that it is in the interest of Europe to help Ukraine do anything more than maintain the stalemate that you described in your previous posts. I don't like that, but I think that is where things realistically are. Putin will rattle his nuclear saber if Russia starts losing significant ground, and while I don't think he would resort to that measure unless things were extremely dire for Russia, I also don't think that Russia has really dug into what could be a deeper reserve of very dirty tricks saved for 'moderately' desperate times, which could drag the EU deeper into the conflict. Also, the EU is still tied to Russia until the end of 2027 at the earliest for natural gas. (I still think it is so ironic that the EU is funding both sides of this conflict, albeit using different mechanisms.)

I think that in the game of foreign relations, we are now fully in a scenario where the nuclear superpowers will pick fights with the non-nuclear buddies of their geopolitical adversaries. Ukraine, Venezuela, Iran, and possibly Taiwan next. Any others? Sucks to be a non-nuclear country strategically important to one of the other superpowers right about now.

I'd argue that there is an extreme benefit to Europe supporting Ukraine. When that conflict wraps up, Putin will turn towards Europe.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I don't think that it is in the interest of Europe to help Ukraine do anything more than maintain the stalemate that you described in your previous posts. I don't like that, but I think that is where things realistically are. Putin will rattle his nuclear saber if Russia starts losing significant ground, and while I don't think he would resort to that measure unless things were extremely dire for Russia, I also don't think that Russia has really dug into what could be a deeper reserve of very dirty tricks saved for 'moderately' desperate times, which could drag the EU deeper into the conflict. Also, the EU is still tied to Russia until the end of 2027 at the earliest for natural gas. (I still think it is so ironic that the EU is funding both sides of this conflict, albeit using different mechanisms.)

I think that in the game of foreign relations, we are now fully in a scenario where the nuclear superpowers will pick fights with the non-nuclear buddies of their geopolitical adversaries. Ukraine, Venezuela, Iran, and possibly Taiwan next. Any others? Sucks to be a non-nuclear country strategically important to one of the other superpowers right about now.

Enlighten us on how Russia could fight dirtier than they already have.

And Europe has massively stepped up support for Ukraine after the US backed down.

The nukes are a non-issue. Dropping a nuke would make a country such a pariah on the international stage that it would set them back for generations. Otherwise, Putin would have used one by now. Hell, Ukraine is now successfully attacking sites in Moscow with long-range drones. They aren't worried about nukes.