Russia's invasion of Ukraine: Part 5

Apparently, those old-school KGB types used to keep their right hand hovering right over their holster at all times.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...raining-report

goldenowl73 said:So, Putin just touched down in Tehran, and let me tell you, he is looking pretty sharp and ready to go. https://twitter.com/tass_agency/stat...8PQRv00nUjjIbQ

So he shows up to beg for weapons... I mean, it’s honestly kind of embarrassing for Russia, isn't it? To think a country facing all those sanctions actually ended up developing drones and missile systems that outclass their own... just pathetic, really.🤦

Chloe Nguyen21 said:So he shows up to beg for weapons... I mean, it’s honestly kind of embarrassing for Russia, isn't it? To think a country facing all those sanctions actually ended up developing drones and missile systems that outclass their own... just pathetic, really.🤦

I can't see the image you're trying to share, but if you drop the context or the text from that link, I'll get right on it. Just let me know what we're working with.
So, did the Iranians actually give him a proper welcome? Like, was there some grand reception, or did they just leave him hanging in an empty room with nothing but a crappy rug to keep him company?
And let's not forget that Iran actually has a pretty legendary reputation when it comes to making carpets.

Anthony Hill5 said:Does anyone truly believe Azerbaijan needs to be demilitarized and denazified?

Absolutely,

how can we expect anything else to change while they continue to hand out pensions and benefits to those who are busy decapitating people all over the world?

Chloe Nguyen21 said:So he shows up to beg for weapons... I mean, it’s honestly kind of embarrassing for Russia, isn't it? To think a country facing all those sanctions actually ended up developing drones and missile systems that outclass their own... just pathetic, really.🤦

No. This was an official visit by someone—anyone, really—who needs to signal to the rest of the world that they haven't been completely abandoned. It’s a desperate attempt at optics. Since a trip to New York City is off the table—with Vučić having elegantly dodged that obligation—Tehran will serve as a perfectly acceptable substitute.

Russian World

Mariupol—In Mariupol, they’re basically cornering Ukrainian citizens into signing paperwork with the Russian authorities. The deal is simple: sign away your rights, or lose your property. If you sign, you get to keep what’s yours—Pushilin actually signed one himself. There’s zero compensation for lost homes, despite all those empty promises about payouts. Soon, aid will likely be limited to the elderly and the sick, leaving everyone else to fend for themselves. On top of that, there's this secret mobilization happening in town. Some people from Mariupol have already been moved to Russia, some to occupied areas, and others to Crimea 😠.

Kherson—They just released the "Kherson Alphabet" for kids to learn their letters, and it's all decked out in the Russian flag. It's blatant brainwashing from day one. They did the exact same thing in the Donbas with the "Donbas Alphabet," though back then they used the DNR flag
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goldenowl73 said:Honestly, what kind of person can actually swallow this level of nonsense without choking?

The Associated Press is reporting that local authorities are claiming the site in Mariupol was blown up from the inside. So, just another classic case of an American setting themselves up to look like a victim just so they can pin the blame on the Russians.

https://twitter.com/tass_agency/stat...UMJivOgTdk7mIw

Local officials stated that the drama theater in Mariupol was detonated from within:

First, the story was that the Ukrainian military bombed it. Now, the theory is that neo-Nazis blew it up from the inside. There’s even another theory floating around Russian channels—according to that one, the theater was actually a military base for neo-Nazis, and 14 of them blew it up while inspecting bombs. That would make those 14 casualties neo-Nazis. Now, people in Mariupol are supposedly living "happily, joyfully, and finally free from neo-Nazis"—though, interestingly, the Russians are commenting that it doesn't look quite the way they envisioned the "Russian World" looking. It's a bit confusing, but locals are playing along for the occupiers and pointing fingers at any remaining neo-Nazis left in the city.

Kate Lewis3 said:They haven't just lost it—they checked out of reality a long time ago. They're stuck living in the past and dreaming about some "victorious May," mostly because their own country is such a swampy mess. They see fascists hiding behind every corner while they fantasize about storming Capitol Hill.

Honestly, stories like this shouldn't be surprising. You have parents who moved to Russia, while the son stayed behind in Ukraine and signed up for the military once the invasion kicked off. Once the parents found out, they started constantly badgering him—calling him a militant, an extremist, a fascist, a traitor... And then comes the endless complaining about how Putin didn't deliver on his promises. Apparently, they aren't getting paid, they're stuck in some camp with hundreds of others instead of the apartments they were promised, and they don't even have enough food or decent clothes. They're basically surviving on help from volunteers—except now the Russian authorities are arresting those volunteers, kicking them out, publicly shaming them, and even kidnapping them. Now, the parents have told the son they’ll show up on Russian TV alongside that famous host (Margarita Simonyan) just to disown him as a "fascist."

Glory to Ukraine!

goldenowl73 said:So, get this—over in Balashikha, some folks apparently couldn't handle seeing a certain blue and yellow roof on a house, so they called the cops, and now the whole thing’s been torn down. I guess a bright yellow sun against a blue sky might just be too much for them to stomach in the Russian Federation anytime soon, huh?

In Balashikha, local residents actually reported the blue and yellow roof of the house where the ex-district officer lives according to Baza

Apparently, the authorities even brought in a crew of contractors to tear it apart because the guy who owns the house wouldn't just hire someone to fix it himself.

https://twitter.com/GazetaRu/status/...Wwt9C9CG1t8-kg

We shouldn't mock Americans regarding their symbols—when it comes to letters and colors, things aren't much better over here either.

View on twitter
A plane just went down near Kahova—looks like a burning wreck. Word on the street is it was a Russian Su-35.

gentlestag15 said:View on twitter
A plane just went down near Kahova—looks like a burning wreck. Word on the street is it was a Russian Su-35.

I haven't seen anyone questioning if it was actually a Russian aircraft. It was flying way too deep inside their airspace to be anything else.

They initially reported it was a drone, but it’s hard to explain why someone would be parachuting out of a drone.

The Ukrainians are claiming credit, but this looks like another case of friendly fire.

Sadly, the pilot ended up landing on the Russian side.

So, looks like Putin is getting a little taste of his own medicine—everyone he’s scheduled to meet with this time around is basically giving him the cold shoulder, just like how Erdogan handled things recently.

https://twitter.com/ragipsoylu/statu...JMismRyCg&s=19

I bet the families of fallen soldiers just get a beat-up old Chevy Blazer instead.
And don't even get me started on them claiming they'll build their own military tech because there's no Western 😁 available—as if they could actually manufacture anything beyond basic tools, let alone a laptop or a smartphone.

Chempres said:The Ukrainians are claiming the Russians are launching so many missiles—more than the guys over at the Buzina outpost could possibly have in stock—that they won't be able to shoot them all down.
Instead, people aren't really talking about the M777 Howitzer anymore—the very gear that was supposed to help the Ukrainians sweep through the Russian taiga all the way to Vladivostok before being overshadowed by the HIMARS narrative.
So, what’s the next big thing when even the HIMARS fail us?
Nimitz-class carriers or maybe some Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines?
It feels like everyone is starting to act a bit Swabian lately—just sitting around waiting for some miracle weapon to suddenly show up and flip the script on the battlefield.
Glory to the sanctions!

Look, the Ukrainians aren't trying to march all the way to Vladivostok; they just want the occupiers out of their territory.
As for the sanctions, Russia annexed Crimea eight years ago. Even Donald Trump warned about getting too hooked on Russian oil and gas. Plus, there was this whole idea in Europe that giving Putin Crimea would be enough to satisfy him.

That Russian guy, Risto Djogo, says on TV: when a vet treats a cat for parasites, it’s a special operation for him, but for the parasites, it’s total war. All the guests just laugh and nod along.

They have become too emboldened and crazed by bloodshed, much like a dog that gets a taste of human flesh. This won't end well for anyone, but they will suffer the most.

cosmicgull52 said:That Russian guy, Risto Djogo, says on TV: when a vet treats a cat for parasites, it’s a special operation for him, but for the parasites, it’s total war. All the guests just laugh and nod along.

They have become too emboldened and crazed by bloodshed, much like a dog that gets a taste of human flesh. This won't end well for anyone, but they will suffer the most.

Isn't that the same guy who can't seem to stop trying to dodge paying for his villa in Italy?
They're insane. They aren't going to stop anytime soon.

rowdytiger13 said:Isn't that the same guy who can't seem to stop trying to dodge paying for his villa in Italy?
They're insane. They aren't going to stop anytime soon.

That's him exactly!

cosmicgull52 said:That's him exactly!

Ah...
If someone snatched a gorgeous villa like yours right out from under you, I'm sure you'd be breathing fire too.🍿

Ukraine is gearing up to take a shot at the Russian-occupied Crimea peninsula

According to government officials, Ukraine is prepping a strike against the Crimean Peninsula—the spot Russia snatched up back in 2014 and where they’ve parked their Black Sea Fleet.

"We've got anti-ship capabilities ready, and sooner or later, we’re going after that fleet," Ukrainian Defense Minister Volodymyr Havrylov told The New York Times during his trip to New York City.

He didn't mince words, adding, "If Russia wants to exist as a real country, they’re going to have to pack up and leave Crimea."

Havrylov pointed out that retaking Snake Island, which Moscow grabbed right at the start of the invasion, was just step one in the playbook.

"If the opportunity presents itself, we're ready to set our sights on them all across the Black Sea," he said.

The Kremlin's spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, wasn't having it. He claimed Havrylov's comments basically prove why their "special military operation"—that's the official term they use over there for the war—is absolutely necessary.

"That’s the only way Ukraine can be freed from leadership like this," Peskov remarked, according to the Associated Press.

link.