Russia's invasion of Ukraine: Part 5

feralpilot0 said:Nah, but you've got viruses that jump from animals to humans, letting things play out naturally because of how close they live—think Mad Cow, bird flu, or those nasty SARS variations we’ve all been dealing with for the last couple of years.

There are massive reasons why no country ever goes after someone with biological warfare. It's simple: there isn't some magic universal cure or vaccine to protect your own troops once you let that genie out of the bottle. This whole nonsense about biolabs threatening Russia is just pure, unadulterated stupidity.

El Toro said:Good grief, especially regarding the bolded part...
🤦

I don't get how you think you can negotiate with someone who doesn't even recognize you as a nation or a sovereign state. I don't know if you're living under a rock or just slept through the last few decades, but even if Russia took half of Ukraine and the entire Black Sea coast, there wouldn't be much left to talk about.
Have we learned absolutely nothing from history, or are we really doomed to repeat this cycle forever?

Looks like we are, unfortunately.

Christian Torres3 said:There are massive reasons why no country ever goes after someone with biological warfare. It's simple: there isn't some magic universal cure or vaccine to protect your own troops once you let that genie out of the bottle. This whole nonsense about biolabs threatening Russia is just pure, unadulterated stupidity.

Even during WWII, even Hitler didn't mess with toxins since you always have to worry about retaliation.
The idea of Ukraine using toxins is nothing but Russian propaganda, plain and simple.

dustyfalcon122 said:None of that is even remotely possible. First off, it never occurs to the Russians to actually stick to any agreements. Then there's the fact that these kinds of headlines are just pure propaganda meant to demonize Ukrainians, who have absolutely no intention of sitting down for negotiations with fascists who have zero intention of keeping their word. Plus, it implies giving up territory, which is something no Ukrainian wants to accept—nor do they have any reason to.
And even if it did work, it would just mean pausing the conflict for a few years before it starts up again.

The only real way to get peace is to push the Russians back into Russia. They can live however they want in their own version of North Korea and export their apples for all I care.

That’s just how you’re choosing to see it. 😉

The Cuban Missile Crisis was actually resolved in a very similar fashion, starting with a dialogue facilitated by a trusted intermediary close to Khrushchev.
You might want to check out one of those Hollywood films that gives a fairly detailed and accurate account of how that first "nuclear crisis" was actually settled.

Besides, I'm not quite sure where you're seeing a "loss of territory" in this proposal.

As for your "solution" of just kicking the Russians back to Russia—well, that requires a bit more backbone than what we've seen from NATO or Zelenskyy lately.
Especially considering how Nancy Pelosi has essentially pushed China even closer into a tighter "Russian embrace."

James Phillips92 said:Losa, the Switzerland comparison is a stretch. Remember when people said Canada would be organized like Switzerland? It’d probably be better if they compared them to Canada—though even that is being too kind, considering their neighbors are Russians.

You might have a point there, but I suspect Gerhard Schröder probably doesn't even realize the complexities involved in Canada. It isn't just about creating some sort of decentralized regional solution; it’s really about ensuring true equality among the three distinct groups living there.

H&M pulls out of Russia

In Pittsburgh, people are lining up to grab whatever H&M gear they can before the retailer officially exits the Russian market. You have to wonder if they just have a sudden passion for Russian fashion, or if they’d rather be spending their time waiting in line at a recruitment office instead.

Residents in Pittsburgh were seen forming massive lines outside H&M stores today, as the brand begins its final sales push before making its permanent exit from the Russian market. Video via SOTA.

https://twitter.com/XSovietNews/stat...AWCay3TjpAsY2g
(video)

5tg

feralpilot0 said:The Ukrainians would need to start thinking for themselves if they wanted to take it—but they’re essentially hostages to the US agenda now, caught in a trap of hostility that stretches far beyond their own borders.

The US isn't about to just hand over its golden goose to some neutral party, is it?

Wasn't Ukraine neutral to begin with, only for Russia to invade just to ensure they stayed "neutral"?
What premise are you operating on here—that someone should ask Russia what they ought to do with their own sovereign nation? And do you honestly believe a society that has been undermined for decades by Russian intelligence and various pro-Russian agents would suddenly emerge as a threat to Russia?
The single colossal failure committed by Ukraine was giving up its nuclear arsenal based on guarantees from Europe. So, you choose to trust the Russians as "good neighbors."

And does anyone truly believe that a nation undergoing genocide should be fed on someone else's antagonism? The Ukrainians will never forgive the Russians for this, and there will never be peace again. It isn't because of Americans; the Americans aren't the ones holding the knives, nor are they the ones raping Ukrainian women in conquest, nor are they denying their nationhood or threatening them with Great Russia.
Spare me the foolish tales about "incited" Ukrainians. The only one who can be incited is the aggressor, not the victim.

The Russian actress Maria Shukshina has issued a call to action for citizens to report anyone caught listening to Ukrainian music to the authorities.
That would essentially mean targeting millions of ethnic Ukrainians living within Russia itself...

Russian actress and TV host Maria Shukshina has urged the public to file formal complaints against those who listen to songs by Ukrainian artists, according to reports from the Russian media.
The movement reportedly gained momentum after certain "concerned citizens" complained about the loud playing of tracks by Verka Serduchka and Sofia Rotaru on boats cruising along the Moscow River.
Shukshina thanked them for their vigilance, characterizing the situation as an extraordinary moment in what she describes as a "war of cultural codes," and suggested that people contact the federal security services directly.

https://www.perild.com/2022/08/02/ma...rainian-music/

urbanotter said:That’s just how you’re choosing to see it. 😉

The Cuban Missile Crisis was actually resolved in a very similar fashion, starting with a dialogue facilitated by a trusted intermediary close to Khrushchev.
You might want to check out one of those Hollywood films that gives a fairly detailed and accurate account of how that first "nuclear crisis" was actually settled.

Besides, I'm not quite sure where you're seeing a "loss of territory" in this proposal.

As for your "solution" of just kicking the Russians back to Russia—well, that requires a bit more backbone than what we've seen from NATO or Zelenskyy lately.
Especially considering how Nancy Pelosi has essentially pushed China even closer into a tighter "Russian embrace."

What does the Cuban Missile Crisis have to do with this? Absolutely nothing. It's just classic whataboutism.

And I honestly don't see where you're seeing any "loss of territory" in the proposal.

In the proposal of all the pro-Russia crowd? The ones praying that peace talks will hand them territory because they can clearly see they're losing the war?--

As for your "solution"—just telling the Russians to get lost and go back to Russia... well, you need a lot more guts than NATO and Zelenskyy seem to have right now.

From where I'm sitting, it looks like the Russians are just digging their own graves. They're turning themselves into North Korea, where apples might become their biggest export once Westerners take over the oil industry—since they clearly don't have the engineers or the tech to run it themselves anymore, kind of like Venezuela. Once they hit that level of collapse, they'll be begging everyone in Ukraine to let them in.🙂

Especially since Nancy Pelosi pushed China even closer into that Russian embrace.

China is Russia's biggest rival. They're the only ones eyeing their territory, and the Russians know that perfectly well.

Ukrainian farmers racing against wildfires to salvage whatever they can from the harvest (video)
https://twitter.com/KyivPost/status/...AWCay3TjpAsY2g

The government in Ukraine has stepped in to offer the Lebanese authorities a way to buy back wheat flour and barley that was seized from occupied territories and subsequently shipped to Lebanon via a Syrian vessel.
The embassy has proposed purchasing this stock at rates significantly lower than current market values, offering flour at $350 per ton and barley at $180 per ton.
https://mind.ua/news/20245206-ukrayi...rayinske-zerno

feralpilot0 said:Well, an agreement only works if both sides actually bother to follow it—isn't that the whole point of mutual security?
You can't sign a non-aggression pact and then turn around and play host to an armory behind everyone's back—can you?
Or do you actually believe Russia launched an invasion just because they woke up on the wrong side of the bed one morning?

"Quote:"

gentlestag15 Asks: Just admit it—Putin completely miscalculated his gamble with the invasion of Ukraine, didn't he? He’s dragged both Russia and Ukraine into this endless spiral of war, sanctions, and sheer instability—is there even an exit strategy? Thousands are dying because some old fossil thinks he’s some kind of Napoleon—someone destined to restore Russia's glory—when in reality, if Putin had even a shred of common sense or a conscience, he’d jump from a fifth-story window... which would honestly be doing the rest of the world, and especially Russia, a massive favor.

Of course—all we’re missing now is a photo of Putin sporting that ridiculous Hitler mustache... wouldn't that just complete the look?

Right, so Ukraine was in NATO, and Russia just lost its cool.
Since those pro-Russian types start foaming at the mouth the second anyone mentions NATO, I guess we should expect an invasion of Finland and Sweden next since they want in. Or is that somehow not an issue?

Kate Lewis3 said:Not if they manage to reclaim every single inch of territory and finally join NATO.

Well, if you follow "distinguished military analyst" Goran Redžepović, he’s started cooling down those optimistic forecasts regarding chances of reclaiming territory—assuming that "IF" holds any weight at all.

Here is how Redžepović is putting it now:
"Mass mobilization has diluted the quality of command within the Ukrainian forces; liberating Kherson is looking increasingly unlikely."

Any peace deal involving Russia is nothing more than a temporary breather before the next inevitable assault. Even if Moscow were to suffer a military defeat or face crushing international sanctions, the underlying threat remains intact. You simply cannot occupy Russia, much like the anti-Hitler coalition couldn't occupy Germany. However, you also can't force denazification, demilitarization, or democratization upon them from the outside.
Nine theses on the decolonization of Russia

The only way to liberate the constituent subjects of the Russian Federation from their servitude—and to secure the world from the Russian threat—is through the total disintegration of this prison of nations. And the only engine capable of driving such a collapse would be the internal national and regional movements within the Russian Federation itself.
...

Shifting hatred away from Ukrainians and onto the Buryatians, Chechens, and other subjugated groups is a calculated part of the Russian strategy. From Moscow's perspective, the disproportionately high number of representatives from these ethnic groups serving in the Russian troops in Ukraine serves two purposes: it acts as a tool for their physical attrition and sows deep animosity between them and the Ukrainians. Both tactics serve to facilitate assimilation and make the eventual collapse of the empire significantly more difficult.

While it is entirely justified to demand justice for everyone who entered Ukraine with weapons in hand, one must recognize that regardless of their ethnic background, they are Russian criminals, not representatives of their respective nations.
The fact that many of these killers belong to the subjugated peoples of the Russian Federation does nothing to diminish the necessity of liberating those nations and dismantling the empire. Just as the crimes committed by Ukrainians serving within Soviet forces in Czechoslovakia or Afghanistan did not make the dissolution of the USSR or the independence of Ukraine any less vital.
...

https://novynarnia.com/2022/08/03/de...acziyu-rosiyi/

placidtiger142 said:Check this out—got a bit of a different, super interesting take on the war from Korado Korlevic:

Honestly, just listen to the first 10 minutes of the explore segment. It’s really fascinating stuff and totally flips the script compared to what all those other analysts and news outlets are peddling.

Edit: This was from yesterday's show, August 2nd.

👍

He’s been predicting the collapse of the decaying Russian Federation and millions of Russians becoming refugees for a long time now.

(Just skip over the usual rambling from Elvis—he's basically a conspiracy theorist who always heads in the wrong direction, so Korado usually has to set him straight. I actually messaged Explora once saying, "More Korado, less Elvis," and they just read it out loud with a dry smirk lol)

Explora regularly features Korado’s takes on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

During this morning's shelling of Mykolaiv, Russian forces leveled a local supermarket and struck the grounds of a cavalry school twice.
"The supermarket was completely destroyed, while residential buildings, a pharmacy, and several other shops sustained damage.

https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2022/08/3/7361674/

Canada and the UN are teaming up to drop $40 million on grain storage equipment for Ukraine

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), backed by funding from Canada, has launched a $52 million CAD ($40 million USD) project designed to tackle the critical shortage of grain storage facilities across Ukraine.

The Ministry of Agriculture issued the announcement.

According to the agency, this initiative aims to provide the capacity to store an additional 2.4 million tons of grain throughout the 2022-2023 period, supplemented by necessary technical support and hardware.

Global Affairs Canada will be footing the bill for the FAO to procure supplies for both temporary and permanent grain storage across 15 different regions in Ukraine. This package includes polyethylene grain wraps, loading and unloading machinery, and modular long-term storage solutions.

On top of that, the FAO plans to spend up to $2 million on laboratory equipment to bolster six strategic labs dedicated to testing animal diseases.

The ministry estimates that Ukraine is looking at a harvest of up to 51.1 million tons of grain this season. Out of the country's total storage capacity of 75 million tons, 14% of elevators have been damaged or destroyed, 10% are sitting in territory occupied by Russia, and roughly 30% remains filled with 22 million tons of last year's harvest waiting to be exported.

https://www.epravda.com.ua/news/2022/08/3/689953/

The US Congress remains skeptical of Putin’s supposed willingness to negotiate with Ukraine

Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmerman, the Chair of the House Armed Services Committee, has taken aim at former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder’s claims regarding Vladimir Putin’s alleged openness to talks with Ukraine.

"If he claims Putin is looking for a settlement, I can tell you exactly what that deal looks like from his perspective: Putin wants Eastern Ukraine," Strack-Zimmermann remarked.
“To be honest, I take what Mr. Lavrov says more seriously than anything coming from the former Chancellor,” she added.

https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2022/08/3/7361659/

Timothy Williams5 said:The US Congress remains skeptical of Putin’s supposed willingness to negotiate with Ukraine

Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmerman, the Chair of the House Armed Services Committee, has taken aim at former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder’s claims regarding Vladimir Putin’s alleged openness to talks with Ukraine.

"If he claims Putin is looking for a settlement, I can tell you exactly what that deal looks like from his perspective: Putin wants Eastern Ukraine," Strack-Zimmermann remarked.
“To be honest, I take what Mr. Lavrov says more seriously than anything coming from the former Chancellor,” she added.

https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2022/08/3/7361659/

Who even is this Schröder guy?
Instead of giving him a platform, we should be tossing his statements straight into the trash and charging him with treason and war profiteering.

Melissa Rivera5 said:The whole county-based model would basically be a massive win for Russia.

Come on, don't talk nonsense. What "trap" by the USA? Did the USA attack Ukraine or did Russia?

I mean, the solution to ending the war is just for Putin to pull his troops out. It's pretty simple, really.

This level of debate practically begs for a catchy little slogan, like:
"Same old story, same old song."

A "nostalgic" concert featuring a "USSR pop parade" is set to take place at the Church of Christ the Savior in Moscow.
(It’s worth noting that until 1988, atheism was actively promoted by both party and state institutions throughout the USSR.)

https://theins.ru/news/253786