Posts by electricsurfer47

John Ramos45 said:It’s unlikely we’ll see a mass mobilization in Russia anytime soon. Instead, they’ll probably just pull from the occupied territories under the guise of holding local referendums, which won't do much to improve Russia's long-term standing.

Who even are these people from the occupied territories???
Are those Ukrainians being forced into it?
Can they actually force Ukrainians to fight their battles for them?

Do you think we'll actually get to that point? Where they all just turn around at once and say, "Enough is enough"? Like, enough fighting for Russia and from now on, we're only standing up for Ukraine?

Quick question for you guys. If the Russians actually pull the trigger on a full-scale mobilization,

Do you think Western nations should start their own mobilization efforts just to mess with their heads? Like, purely as a psychological move? I'm thinking it might scare them enough to make them back off instead of actually committing to a real draft.

By "Western nations," I mean everyone—every single country in the EU, the US, all of us.

Michelle Young50 said:That’s why the FBI has armed units right there on the ground—guys in full spec-ops uniforms. And they have Kadyrov backing them up. Honestly, I don't see the point of having military police at all if this is how things work.

If I were comparing different wars,
would you say the FBI functions for the Russians the same way the SS did for the Germans?

gentlestag15 said:It looks like Russia is clearing the decks for mobilization, and honestly, it feels like a done deal at this point.

They’ve already announced referendums for Zaporizhzhia, Donbas, and Kherson.
View on twitter
View on twitter

Over in the Russian Duma, they're already pushing to officially annex those territories once the votes wrap up.
View on twitter

Medvedev is out there claiming that once these areas become part of Russia, the country will have every right to call up a mobilization, since they supposedly act as a buffer protecting Russia from attacks.
https://twitter.com/StratcomCentre/s...86256100003840

Meanwhile, the Duma is even floating a new law to crack down on anyone who fails to show up when called for mobilization.
https://twitter.com/wartranslated/st...046082/photo/1

I mean, how can you just annex territory where Ukrainians actually live? It really seems like these Russians just don't get it at all.

Brenda Murphy3 said:Come on, people, get real for a second.

The only way Ukraine is ever touching nuclear weapons is if the West literally hand-delivers them as a gift wrapped in a bow.

The idea that Ukraine could develop its own nuclear arsenal—especially given how things are going right now—is pure science fiction. It’s not like you can just bake a loaf of bread in your kitchen, for crying out loud... plus, they wouldn't get a shred of support from the West, let alone the USA.
It’s honestly just a hollow talking point that makes zero sense.

I heard the ship from Moscow was carrying two nukes? Just send some divers down to go grab them.

Michelle Young50 said:If the Russians feel threatened by NATO expansion and are desperate for some kind of buffer zone, I think the most elegant solution would be to establish an "independent" people's republic covering everything from New York City, Cleveland, Indianapolis, and Memphis all the way down to the Appalachians. Both Ukrainians and NATO would likely get on board with that idea

They’d call it Novorusija.

Timothy Nelson5 said:Lent????
Where on earth would they get "lent" weapons from?
Ukraine used to be a nuclear power; they actually manufactured nuclear warheads back in the day.
It’s not like they wouldn't know how to put one together if they really had to.
They have nuclear power plants, access to plutonium, and all that stuff.
I guess they're probably preparing for that possibility; I don't think they're quite that naive.

Right now, they aren't assembling warheads because, well, it isn't exactly the right move at this moment.

But if Russia makes a serious threat—or worse, actually drops a tactical one—Ukraine would likely get the green light immediately to build their own warheads. They'd have the political cover to demand nuclear successor status following the collapse of the USSR, citing the violations of the Budapest Memorandum.
Then let's see if Putin keeps making those threats.

can I pull those two from Moscow?

Donna Harris11 said:So, I saw this today... the gay pride march here in the States was absolutely covered in Ukrainian flags everywhere.

So here is what I'm wondering...

Are those actually even gay people, or just folks who want us all to go to war?

Just imagine if this is being done on purpose by certain groups—using hatred toward the LGBTQ community as a way to stir up resentment against Ukraine at the same time.

Look, I’m not homophobic, and I don't have anything against them. But I keep seeing these Putin supporters on Facebook using this exact argument—claiming that the Nazi government in Ukraine is basically creating "fags" to push an agenda. Sorry for the language, I know those guys are just backwards idiots, but lately, it feels like this stuff is popping up so often it almost seems organized.

hiddeneagle98 said:

I honestly don't see why everyone is making such a massive deal out of this particular situation, because if you actually sit down and look at the underlying mechanics of how these things work, it becomes pretty obvious that we're just spinning our wheels. It reminds me of when you're trying to fix a leaky faucet in an old house in Chicago—you think you've tightened the main valve, but then you realize the entire pipe system is corroded from the inside out, and no amount of surface-level tinkering is going to solve the fundamental issue. We keep applying these superficial patches to complex problems, expecting a different result every single time, which is the literal definition of insanity if you ask me. People love to jump on the bandwagon and shout about their opinions without ever bothering to dig into the actual data or understand the historical context that brought us to this point. It’s all noise, really, just endless, deafening noise designed to distract us from the fact that the foundation is crumbling right under our feet while we argue over the color of the curtains. hiddeneagle98 says:
I’m just not convinced that the impact of China sanctions would ever hit China the same way it hit Russia. It’s a completely different beast.

Look, you really need to start looking at the bigger picture here.

Look, let’s be honest about the reality we’re living in: both Europeans and Americans have become incredibly dependent on Chinese manufacturing. It’s everywhere. We’ve essentially handed over the keys to our supply chains because China has spent decades building out this massive, specialized industrial infrastructure. They don't just make things; they own the entire ecosystem of machinery and tools required to churn out goods at a scale and speed that's hard to wrap your head around. And because they've optimized every single step of that process, they can slap a price tag on everything that makes it look like a total steal compared to anything we could produce domestically. It's a cycle that's become deeply baked into how our economy functions.
Look, if we actually went through with slapping heavy China sanctions on the table, we’d be walking straight into a massive economic trap. We like to talk big about independence, but the reality is much messier. If you cut off that supply chain, the tiny amount of stuff currently being manufactured here in the States or over in Europe would skyrocket in price almost instantly. It's basic math: you take away the massive volume of goods coming from China, and suddenly everyone is fighting over a much smaller pile of products. Demand would hit the ceiling, and the average American consumer would be the one stuck footing the bill for those inflated prices.

Look at what countries like Mexico, Canada, India, and China have done—they didn't jump headfirst into those sanctions, and instead, they grabbed the opportunity to secure cheap gas while the door was still open. They’re just doing what any rational player would do when given the chance to prioritize their own interests.

It’s one of those things that seems like a bargain on paper, but once you start looking at the actual cost of doing business, it turns into a total nightmare. Financially speaking, it’s dirt cheap—we’re talking pennies on the dollar. But when you factor in the political fallout and the massive amount of capital you have to burn just to keep the peace or stay in favor, the price tag skyrockets. It’s a classic trap where the upfront investment looks negligible, but the legislative headache and the constant maneuvering required to make it stick will bleed you dry in the long run.

I'm looking at this situation and honestly, I can't wrap my head around how we got here. It’s like watching a slow-motion train wreck where everyone involved is arguing about the color of the conductor's hat instead of pulling the emergency brake. You see it all the time in these big debates—people getting so caught up in their own little bubbles that they completely miss the massive, glaring reality staring them right in the face. It reminds me of those old movies where the hero spends half the runtime debating philosophy while the villain is literally walking out the front door with the loot. We’re doing the exact same thing here, just with much higher stakes and far less cinematic lighting. If we don't stop spinning our wheels and actually address the core issue, we’re just going to be sitting in the wreckage wondering why nobody thought to look at the map.

What if we actually went through with China sanctions? I can't help but wonder if that move wouldn't end up being a massive win for the developing world. You have to look at the big picture here—wouldn't such a step effectively empower those struggling nations that are currently getting squeezed by the global giants? The whole situation with China sanctions could actually end up backfiring and making Russia even stronger. It’s all about pure spite, really. If you look at how things are playing out, China might just pivot toward the Russian market out of sheer stubbornness, and we’re seeing that same pattern emerge with North Korea and any other nations that don't exactly see eye-to-eye with the West. It's like watching a group of people double down on a bad decision just because they were told they couldn't, which only serves to tighten the bonds between them. -------------- Look, I’m not some pro-Russia shill, nor am I some pretentious cinephile obsessed with foreign films, but I feel like I need to say this: there is such a thing as going too far when it comes to sanctions. There’s a limit to how much you can squeeze a system before you just end up breaking everything for everyone else.

If China decides to pivot toward the Russian market just out of pure, unadulterated spite, we might as well start packing our bags because it’s game over for the West.

There really is no limit to how far people will go with their obsession with Russia or how much pure copium they can swallow before it becomes a sickness. Every single day, I watch people stumble into this new level of absolute nonsense, where the term "delusional" feels like an understatement because they just keep finding new ways to redefine what it means to be completely out of touch with reality.

Western teenagers with bottom-of-the-barrel IQs are currently going through that classic hormonal phase where they just want to rebel against everything, and honestly, it’s pathetic how easy it is to manipulate them. They stumble upon these anti-Western propaganda narratives coming out of Russia, and because they lack even an ounce of critical thinking, they swallow those talking points whole like they're some kind of profound, revolutionary truth. It’s like watching someone walk straight into a trap because they think being contrarian makes them look edgy.

Look, I'm not a fan of Russia, and I'm not a fan of China either,

But here's what I'm wondering: if we actually slapped heavy sanctions on China, what would happen to Europe?
Who on earth could actually step up and manufacture all the stuff China makes right now?

darkrider55 said:So, Putin claims they pulled back from Cleveland just to regroup their forces for the Rust Belt. But if I’m seeing things correctly—and I’m pretty sure I am—we’re seeing Ukrainian flags flying in Shurley and Dry Creek, which are right in the heart of the Rust Belt. ☕

If people actually looked at a map (before vs. now)
People don't just take everything at face value, you know?

Timothy Nelson5 said:I suppose leadership in China should probably be asking themselves how much their economy could actually take if they decided to pick a fight with the rest of the world.
They really ought to realize, just like Russia is finding out, that they’re acting like the neighborhood bully who terrorizes the block. Everyone might tolerate him or act like they respect him for now, but if things truly go sideways, everyone tends to turn on him... especially if someone from the next neighborhood over shows up to knock that local tough guy down a peg.

The whole dynamic has shifted entirely. In that part of the world, China is going to be the one calling the shots. Russia has exposed its military weaknesses, and with an economy that's only getting more crippled, they won't be in any position to push back against China, which managed to avoid the trap by not rushing into an adventure in Taiwan.

If China decides to move on Taiwan, they could find themselves in a much worse spot than Russia is right now.
Sanctions would hit them five times harder; we could be looking at domestic famine or civil unrest within three or four months.
And you could see the countries surrounding China forming a massive military alliance, something akin to NATO (including Japan, North Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Australia, and the USA)...

With Russia left defeated and weakened, Central Asia is basically sitting there wide open for China. It might be better for them to take that opening while they can...

I don't know, I'm just not convinced that sanctions would hit China the same way they hit Russia.

You have to look at the bigger picture here.

We in Europe and America are incredibly dependent on Chinese products. So much of everything is made there. They already have all the manufacturing infrastructure set up, and they can produce stuff so cheaply.
If we slapped major sanctions on China, the little bit of production we have left in Europe and the US would skyrocket in price because the demand would be through the roof.

Look at places like Mexico, Canada, or India—they didn't jump in with sanctions, and instead, they seized the opportunity to get cheap gas because they were actually in a position to do that.

And what happens if we actually sanction China? Aren't we just making poorer countries stronger in the process?
Sanctions against China might just end up empowering Russia, because out of pure obstinacy, China will just pivot back to the Russian market. The same goes for North Korea and any other countries that aren't exactly on good terms with the West.
--------------
I'm not a Russophile, nor am I some kind of China enthusiast, I just want to point out that there’s a limit to how far you can push sanctions before they backfire.

wiredseal7 said:Pretty much.
The West would rather push Ukraine into a catastrophic war—total destruction of cities and infrastructure, bankruptcy with debts they can't actually pay back, and massive depopulation—than just sit down and negotiate with Putin back in February to prevent this.

Regarding Kazakhstan, you only have to look at a map to see the mess they could cause just by blocking shipping and flights over the Caspian Sea if they get angry enough. There's no sustainable corridor there like there is for a NATO member like Ukraine. I expect Kazakhstan to keep playing both sides to turn a profit, but don't hold your breath waiting for them to join the Western bloc.

What does "reaching an agreement" even look like to you? Back in February, Putin thought he still had a shot, so an agreement back then would have meant

Demilitarizing Ukraine—where Russia just sweeps up all the weapons
Ukraine being absorbed into the Russian Federation like Chechnya
Putting someone like Kadyrov in charge to control Ukraine
And after that, it’s basically what Stalin used to do: erasing Ukraine entirely—the history, the roots, the very name—just turning everyone into Russians.

hollowdriver13 said:So, Russia is basically asking the UN🤣 to get the EU to back off on those sanctions against them. Their "peace offering"? They’re supposedly willing to hand over 300,000 tons of fertilizer to developing nations to help ease the global food crisis—even though there aren't even any sanctions on fertilizer to begin with. Just a move to soften the blow, I guess.

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacifi...states/2686720

Call Putin a humanitarian if you want, but clearly, those sanctions just aren't doing much.

I’ve got an idea for this "great Humanitarian"... why doesn't he just stop the War and pull his troops out?? That’s the whole reason the sanctions exist in the first place. They didn't happen because he wants to sell fertilizer.

wiredseal7 said:The A-10 is slow—Russian interceptors and air defenses would turn it into sitting duck territory—even if it is basically a flying tank and tough to take down.

The Su-25 is just better suited for this kind of mess:
https://theaviationgeekclub.com/su-2...rthog-for-cas/

If they get enough of them, sure, that's great—better than the dwindling number of Su-25s they're working with. But the real issue is the lack of trained pilots. What we're seeing here is just someone trying to train people on simulators, hoping they might actually get their hands on an A-10 one day...

I doubt it works perfectly. You need mechanics too, not just pilots. Plus, the US can afford to fix things fast when they come back looking like Swiss cheese.

At that point, you might as well just turn the entire fleet into an artificial reef

sent from my iPhone

Nathan Thomas12 said:Yeah, looks like Crimea can only be handed back through negotiations, not on a battlefield.
The sanctions will probably stick around until that actually happens, too.

The Crimean Tatars aren't looking to live under Russian rule. You can bet there's going to be guerrilla activity working right alongside the Ukrainians.

View on facebook

coastalbison6 said:The next move is likely Mariupol (or Melitopol), mostly heading toward the Black Sea.

The next move has to be right where they least expect it.

Can someone drop a link here?

The one saying Ukrainians could be supplying gas to Europe as soon as next month? Honestly, that sounds totally surreal.

I was chatting with this Ukrainian woman about it, and she basically thinks the big deposits are sitting right there near Donbas and Crimea.

Nancy Gomez26 said:These are the inevitable consequences of sanctions. You just have to wait for the lag time to pass before they fully hit. Theoretically, Russia could dodge this if they could still manufacture goods using Soviet Union-era infrastructure, but those days are long gone—Russia isn't the Soviet Union anymore. First, they’ve lost the industrial capacity once found in the "Ukrainian SSR," and soon enough, they'll feel the absence of all the other republics—with the possible exception of Belarus. If they weren't so deeply embedded in the global economic order, these sanctions wouldn't bite, but then they'd basically be living like North Korea. No matter how you slice it, time is working heavily against The Kremlin. It isn't too late for The Kremlin to pull out of Ukraine and end this farce where lives are being needlessly wasted. They should show some goodwill—the greatest display of it yet.

Don't get me wrong, manufacturing requires tech that the Russians just don't have right now. They can try to buy it abroad or try to build their own from scratch, but building tech from the ground up takes a massive amount of time.

We're long past the days when most stuff was made by hand, back when there was less high-tech involved and more manual labor.

Bryan Booth82 said:The news anchors are out there claiming that Putin has issued another scathing condemnation of the Western sanctions.🤔
But seriously, how🤔can anyone
take this at face value? For months now, I have been sitting here listening to people drone on about how these sanctions aren't actually having any impact. 🤔Is that really what we're going to believe?
The Democratic Party

Honestly, I think Putin is just desperate. It feels like he's playing a high-stakes poker game where he's hiding the real numbers regarding what's happening inside Russia while trying to bully and intimidate everyone else.

If he just calls an end to the war, those sanctions would be gone in a heartbeat.

Sent from my iPhone 9 Pro using Reddit