Posts by Kate Cook27

Nothing new coming out of Russia—not on their state TV, either. They’re still running the same old scripts about what happens once they finish annexing territory, and they've finally landed on what they think is the "perfect" next step: targeting the kids. They've started parading children through the streets in occupied zones, and now they're moving toward sending them to military academies and training them to handle weapons. Apparently, the goal is to prep them to defend the country one day—or more likely, to protect "Mother Russia."

Joshua Myers432 said:There is no such thing as North or South Korea, just like there isn't really a West or East Ukraine. These divisions were forced by circumstance; they are one people. That said, Koreans are far more homogeneous than Ukrainians. In Korea, you're looking at maybe 99% ethnic Koreans, whereas in Ukraine, there is a massive Russian presence, or at least a huge number of Russian speakers.

I think things are going to shift, though—they already are. I'm expecting a massive drop in the number of Russian speakers in Ukraine very soon.

Alfa Romeo said:It’s pretty obvious you're obsessed with minor local conflicts that have nothing to do with this.

So, what does "Phase 3" actually look like? We won't know until it happens. Maybe it's a massive offensive once enough troops are worn down and the lines just snap entirely. If that happens, the soldiers might finally turn on their own command—I mean, losing people like this for nothing is just too much for any soldier to stomach.

What kind of losses are we talking about here—territory, lives? At this point, Ukrainians aren't seeing those massive casualty spikes anymore, and territory-wise, it’s just a slow grind where one side gains a bit and then the other takes it back. It feels like it's settling into a long-term war. Sure, leadership can change. But let's be real: no soldier is out there fighting for Zelenskyy, the generals, or the Evil West... they're fighting for their families and their homes. As long as they have one bullet left, they'll fight. I don't get why everyone keeps expecting the Ukrainian military to suddenly revolt against their commanders. These guys on the front lines have kids to go home to. If they were going to turn on the brass, they would have done it at the very beginning.

Matthew Young35 said:I was just getting into the rhythm of following the Ukrainians and the Orcs... So what on earth is this Separi stuff all about now?

Separi means separatists😁.

I was watching an interview with an American military analyst—or maybe he was Ukrainian, I can't quite remember. Anyway, here’s what he had to say:

The Americans thought the Russians would focus solely on the Donbas; they didn't believe there was any chance of a push toward Kyiv with about 200,000 troops. They weren't expecting attacks from the south or north at all—they just figured it would be a border crossing into the Donbas, which is where they prepared for combat. On the flip side, according to him, the Russians surged toward Kyiv, attacking from the north, south, and east (through the Donbas), operating under the assumption that the Ukrainians wouldn't even want to fight.

He mentioned the Russians didn't expect to launch before April—just a complete breakdown in communication. Meanwhile, the Americans only had enough ammo for about 28 days of fighting 😲. That was the biggest shock to me—I knew things were tight, and I know they still are, but 28 days? 😲 That’s why, he says, the Americans had to be incredibly selective with their targets—like having 100 options but only being able to hit 10.

He also criticized how, since 2014, the Americans hadn't really focused on opening factories or ramping up ammunition and weapons production. Even the Territorial Defense organization was basically just a paper tiger. It was total chaos—no communication, no intel, nothing. People were operating in small groups, but there was zero coordination with anyone else; they had no clue where other units were, where the Russians were, or even their own numbers. They had commanders from the regular military trying to direct them, but mostly, they were left to fend for themselves. Things have changed now, obviously, but back then, the Territorial Defense was basically operating in a total fog of war. The first two months were the worst—that's when they saw the heaviest casualties. The situation is different now; the military has evolved a lot over these last five-plus months, though there's still a massive amount of work to do. Ammo supplies are better too, but they're still nowhere near the artillery choices the Russians have available.

Zachary Jackson4 said:Amnesty International

Ukrainian forces are reportedly using schools and hospitals as military bases

https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-rel...tial-areas-new

The Russian propaganda machine will have a field day with this, obviously.

Look, in any war, both sides end up doing this—it’s just reality. Wars aren't fought in empty deserts, though that would certainly make things simpler. If Russia would just pull back and finally admit that Ukrainians are a real people with their own independent nation—regardless of the massive struggles they face—then nobody else has to die. No more civilian casualties on the Ukrainian side, no more soldiers lost on either side. At the end of the day, it feels like Putin is just obsessed with fixing some old Bolshevik mistake, and that hunger for power has clearly clouded his judgment.

They showed up full of hate, claiming they were there to "liberate" the people of Donbas and Mariupol from some "anti-international Kyiv Nazi regime"—as if one neighbor just deciding to hit another is somehow justified. It was heartbreaking—people were literally on their knees, begging Russian soldiers for help, only to have them laugh right in their faces.
With what they called "minimal capacity," they blocked all access to Mariupol for essential aid—food, water, medicine... things you can't live without. People were actually forced to drink water from radiators. Then, they started arresting anyone trying to help, including humanitarian workers bringing in supplies. They wiped out the local Water utility company and targeted people just standing in line for water. They’d toss bombs into basements and tell people to come out or be killed. They even staged "humanitarian aid distributions" for the cameras—you can see it in those videos from Russian propaganda journalists who claim to be showing the "real truth."

The true death toll will probably never be known—some perished in fires, others were tossed into that mobile crematorium that was patrolling the streets of Mariupol. They won't even allow people the dignity of a proper burial. There were so many suicides, too. My brother told me that on March 21st alone, in just one hour, 23 people took their own lives because the attacks were simply too much to bear. The absolute worst part? When a child grabs your hand and says, "I don't want to die."
I won't even get into how they label everyone as militants—claiming 14 people died at the Theater. It's total dehumanization.

Robin Fisher53 said:Based on the terms they laid out back when they were in Turkey...
No matter what kind of nonsense people try to feed you—it’s all just noise. They have barely any capacity left, and they can keep pushing this agenda as far as they want. Honestly, those EU sanctions haven't even made a dent; it’s like they’ve completely lost sight of that dream of theirs.
In the end, they’re going to get exactly what they set out to achieve in Ukraine, one way or another...

By using "minimum capacity," they leveled Mariupol. It makes me wonder what would have been left if they had actually used "medium" or "full" capacity? Probably nothing but rubble—with people buried underneath it. With that "minimum" effort, they still managed to wipe out beautiful Mariupol. If that was their goal, the evidence is right there. They hit the city from the air—sometimes hitting it with 200 airstrikes in a single go—plus attacks from the ground and the sea (honestly, that sound coming from the sea before an attack is terrifying; you just feel like everything around you is about to collapse). My brother mentioned his impression was that there were roughly 15,000 Russian soldiers and about 7,000 Ukrainian troops facing off. Now, we're talking about nearly 500,000 residents. In those conditions, the Russians just leveled everything in their path. It’s clear they were targeting buildings and civilian sites—if there are 7, 9, or 12 buildings, they just move down the line, building by building. Then, two hours later, they strike those same buildings again, usually starting fires. Their goal wasn't just destruction; it was death. They killed people inside the buildings, and when they hit them a second time to start fires, anyone left inside would be trapped.

Robin Fisher53 said:Based on the terms they laid out back when they were in Turkey...
No matter what kind of nonsense people try to feed you—it’s all just noise. They have barely any capacity left, and they can keep pushing this agenda as far as they want. Honestly, those EU sanctions haven't even made a dent; it’s like they’ve completely lost sight of that dream of theirs.
In the end, they’re going to get exactly what they set out to achieve in Ukraine, one way or another...

In what sense? Soldiers, artillery? In my estimation, there are roughly 200,000 troops on both sides. Given current conditions, you don't really need more than that since artillery is king—plus drones, satellites, everything is being tracked constanty.
I guess "minimum capacity" means something like 4,500 strikes at a single point on a frontline. On the Ukrainian side, let's say it's around 500. Even with those numbers, the lines haven't moved. If you consider the Russian army's "minimum capacity" includes their endless supply of "cannon fodder," then it's a different story. They’ll send 10 soldiers without any cover—sometimes the Ukrainian side actually feels bad and lets them slip behind the lines just to trap them. But even when those 10 are taken out, the Russians just send another 10, and another, and another—it never ends. Their only real strategy is using artillery to just level everything in their path; they don't care what they hit.

They worry about their own soldiers so much that there aren't any Chechen prisoners—without them, there wouldn't even be prisoner exchanges. Honestly, I'm almost 100% sure there are no Chechen prisoners; if there were, they'd probably move all the Ukrainian prisoners to one spot and a "random" fire would just happen to break out.

Anthony Perez9 said:The whole idea that the USA is stirring up trouble is just as fake as the claim that we Americans were all itching to tear America apart, when really, we just wanted to stay on good terms with them. 😵

Who actually falls for that crap? Aside from the thugs—you know, those Putin stans—who use it to justify their actions to a public they basically incited themselves.

Mexicans were just protecting Mexicans.

Or maybe we can go with this theory: Russians are simply protecting the Russians in Donbas from those evil Ukrainians who are preying on Russian children. While the nationalists were in charge, people were living in basements, terrified to step outside; people were disappearing—women, children—nationalists were burning houses, hanging people, gouging eyes out... now everyone is just thrilled that the Liberators have arrived, and they're all going to live in
peace, happy and joyful, just waiting to become part of Russia, to get their Russian papers, and for the Russians to rebuild the homes the Ukrainians destroyed. Pretty soon, the Liberators will liberate them from that anti-national Kiev regime, as Sergey Lavrov puts it. Nowadays, people in the occupied territories eagerly await daily updates from Igor Konashenkov, Dmitry Peskov, and Mikhail Zaharov—though they love Dmitry Medvedev the most. It's impossible to describe the sheer joy they feel when they hear how many tanks, HIMARS, and other weapons have been wiped out, let alone the liquidations of the Ukrainians. They especially love watching the Liberators destroy schools, daycare centers, and clinics, since those serve as bases for the Ukrainians. They practically sprint from occupied areas toward the "People's Court Justice" in Donetsk to personally testify against the Ukrainians. The liberated are furious—absolutely livid at the Ukrainians and showing no mercy. In their view, the Ukrainians deserve the death penalty, and they're hoping every single one gets it. They're even mad at the Liberators for being too kind to the Ukrainians. Some suggest that if the captured Ukrainians can't be shot immediately, they should first be forced to rebuild what they destroyed before facing punishment. The liberated are also feeling a bit blue about the lack of murals dedicated to the Liberator Putin, so they're demanding that every building feature at least one mural of the great Vladimir Putin. Some are even quietly suggesting that the Russian Orthodox Church create an icon of his face and declare him a saint while he's still alive—I mean, why miss such an opportunity? The liberated are saddened that the main liberator, Vladimir Putin, hasn't visited Donbas himself, though they're glad that Sergei Shoigu, one of the leaders of the Committee for the Liberation of Donbas, was there. And man, do they love watching Russian TV. There was one segment that truly deserved an Oscar, where a certain gentleman explained how Ukrainian children won't have homes because they'll be leveled, won't have fathers because they'll be killed, and won't even have a country left. The liberated will probably write a petition for that one. Right now, they're busy filming promotional videos to prep the public for the upcoming trials of the Ukrainians—it's still unclear if they'll be public trials or not. But Denis Pushilin said justice will be served, and Eduard Basarin confirmed it.

gentlestag15 said:A lot of our local pro-Russian crowd just completely ignores how the Maidan actually started.
They try to boil the whole Maidan situation down to a few Americans showing up out of nowhere and tricking naive Ukrainians into a coup to topple a "good" president like Yanukovych.
People need to stop forgetting that Yanukovych got into power specifically by campaigning on bringing Ukraine into the European Union, not by cozying up to Putin.

Russian propaganda claims Nuland was walking through Maidan giving orders. It’s the same story they tell about Odessa, too. Back in Odessa, you had both pro-Russians and pro-Ukrainians clashing—the police just stood there, then some people moved behind the lines and started shooting at the pro-Ukrainians. I think four people died right then. Things spiraled into total chaos—fighting, fires, maybe 50 people lost their lives in the end. Some Russians entered buildings, others fled, and then it turned into a free-for-all between groups, with snipers reportedly targeting the pro-Ukrainians again. When the fires broke out, people were actually trying to help. But then these guys in masks showed up and started beating people. And it wasn't just those jumping from buildings—they always show a tiny slice of the truth. They claim masked individuals were Nazis, while over in Russia, they protect anyone identified as the first shooter. Just like they protect so many others.

Zachary Jackson4 said:How did things escalate so rapidly since 2014 regarding the European Union and the awakening of Eastern Ukraine?

It happened fast—like a slap in the face. It’s what happens when someone rolls into your home with a tank claiming they're there to "protect" you, only to turn around and call you a fascist, a Nazi, or a traitor... When they invade your country and snatch your flag from your hands while screaming that you're some kind of subhuman, a gravedigger, or just someone who isn't allowed to speak their own language. They hit you with a Molotov, throw eggs, shoot at you, and then stand in front of the cameras accusing *you* of being the aggressor. Maybe you hadn't really thought about your identity before, but that's the wake-up call. You suddenly realize how much it means just to walk down the street wrapped in your own flag. It’s incredibly hard living in your own homeland when you aren't allowed to wear your colors or show anything that reminds people of your country. I was already feeling this after what happened to Stepan Chubenko—killed just because he had a tiny ribbon on his backpack representing the Ukrainian flag. You can't even speak your native tongue without being branded a traitor, a spy, or a foreign agent—people actually report each other for it. Some have lost their lives because of this—because someone reported them simply for speaking Ukrainian. It was more of an internal Ukrainian awakening, honestly; the EU part is secondary. It hits you out of nowhere—one day you feel fine, and the next Tuesday you find out you're sick. Life just shifts. That's why all those areas that used to be pro-Russian are so far from that now. It was the same in Donbas, though many had to flee—about 1.5 million people 😢. Now so many are in Kyiv, and the war has come back from the very same people. There are still Ukrainians in the occupied territories, holding onto the idea that you can't drive everyone out or kill everyone off. Though things are tough right now—since mobilization started. Since 2014, it was mostly volunteers, but now it’s different; people are being pulled straight from their jobs, and that's that. Between the missing, the dead, and the wounded—plus they're taking the sick too—there's a lot going on. Of course, the "luckiest" ones were those waiting for their Russian "liberators," though even they seem confused about certain things. I suppose they'll head off toward Mother Russia alongside the Russians. Aside from Denis Pushilin, though—he really needs to face justice. They could try him under the laws from 1941. Since those carry the death penalty, maybe he should enjoy the "cleansing of society from those who cause unrest" that those old laws allowed.

Gregory Ramos3 said:People calling this a proxy war are basically saying the United States tricked Ukraine into taking on Russia.

Either that, or they honestly think the Ukrainians would have just thrown in the towel if it weren't for the Americans egging them on to fight, which makes the whole idea of a proxy 🤦
war seem pretty silly to me.

No war is truly "proxy"—I mean, how can you call it that while people are actually dying? If we go by that logic, every single war in history is a proxy, because there’s always some third party in the background pulling strings. While two sides are fighting, a third side is usually smiling. I guess this follows the same line of thinking used to claim the US orchestrated everything in the nineties to break up America. It’s all about shifting blame, right? To make Russia look less guilty, people claim this is just an American proxy war—adding it to their checklist. In that narrative, Russia is innocent, just defending itself against NATO, the evil West, a weak and divided Europe, and the European Union (which luckily hasn't collapsed yet), along with all those supposed cultists, atheists, and witches searching for bio-labs developing viruses to wipe out Russians...

A bit long-winded.

The people who used to be pro-Russian just aren't anymore. Now, in occupied Kherson, they can't even find anyone willing to help set up an assembly—schools are basically on hold because teachers refuse to cooperate, and doctors won't work either, so everything has to be shipped in from Russia. In Melitopol, for instance, they asked for volunteers for the Russian military and got 200 sign-ups. If things had played out that way back in 2013, maybe 200 wouldn't have shown up, or others might have fled. Circumstances change, and people see things differently now. Even in Donbas, there were Maidan protests—thousands of people out on the streets in Donetsk. I think that caught them off guard, which is why they started sending snipers into those areas, like Donetsk and Luhansk, to target protesters. It was almost tragicomic—you had the pro-Russians (Anti-Maidan) throwing Molotov cocktails at the pro-Ukrainian crowds (Maidan), shooting at them, and then stepping in front of the cameras claiming, "We’re unarmed, and the fascists are shooting us!" They also attacked police stations, government buildings, and judicial offices to seize control. There was this sense of arrogance, like they were true separatists. Then the conflicts kicked off; some left, while others stayed put. You still find pro-Ukrainian sentiment in the occupied territories, but it's hard to say what anyone really thinks when you're constantly worried about being thrown "into a basement" just for supporting the Nazi regime in Kyiv. That deep division isn't quite as obvious as it once was. Ukrainians really need to focus on building a national identity, understanding what a state actually means, and tackling all the other stuff—fighting corruption, theft, nepotism, bribery... honestly, problems pretty similar to what we deal with here in the States. Of course, the main goal is ending the war, though it seems Zelenskyy has only just started making some dismissals. I just hope it doesn't turn into a Yulia Tymoshenko situation where everyone gets pardoned later. The last two elections seemed to move toward more democracy—first Poroshenko, then Zelenskyy. It gives me hope that if Zelenskyy doesn't deliver, people can actually elect someone else. That’s the goal: politicians needing to realize they aren't indispensable. In the West (Europe, USA), that's somewhat built into the system—we see people resigning all the time, which was unthinkable in Ukraine. I think it’s a similar vibe over in the North America, too. But you have to start somewhere, hoping that eventually, politicians will start resigning on their own when they mess up. Regarding the mindset, I’d say the East used to feel a bit more submissive, while Western Ukraine felt more combative. Though, that might just be my personal take—I always find Westerners to be louder and Easterners to be quieter. Interestingly, Kharkiv preserved so many Ukrainian folk songs and books; it’s where student clubs were founded specifically to foster and protect Ukrainian consciousness during Imperial Russia. So much is tied to Kharkiv, yet people claim it's Russian.

rowdypilot53 said:The US simply incited a coup in Ukraine. Does anyone actually believe this level of American involvement is driven by pure altruism or a love for the Ukrainian people?

Furthermore, the idea that all of Ukraine wants the West is questionable. Looking at the 2020 local elections, pro-Russian candidates won in the east and south. It seems to be quite a divided nation. Perhaps Kate Cook27 could clarify that, since she might know more about the situation on the ground...

And before the moderators come after me, none of this justifies aggression or war. Geopolitical maneuvering is one thing, but war is quite another...

The idea that Americans incited Ukrainians to revolt is a flawed premise and straight-up Russian propaganda. To put it simply: Yanukovych won by promising that Ukraine would head toward the EU, escape its financial crisis, and sign a new trade deal with the European Union. None of that happened, and that’s when people took to the Maidan to protest. This was a reaction to Yanukovych stating he was backing out of the EU deal just hours before signing it, turning instead toward Russia. At first, the protests were peaceful, and Yanukovych returned to negotiations, only to back out again and eventually order live ammunition to be used at the Maidan. Many were killed. After that, the demand shifted to his resignation, leading to mass protests across the country. Ultimately, it was a reaction to police brutality and the loss of life. During that time, Yanukovych passed a string of laws, promised to resign then retracted it, promised early elections then pulled back, and promised to return to talks only to flee. In the end, he ran off to Russia with billions 😁. You couldn't force millions of Ukrainians into the streets like that unless they truly felt pushed—it’s a similar mentality to what we have here. People don't usually protest here either, and standards are low. If everyone hit the streets tomorrow, people would assume they were paid off, but in reality, it would be because they simply reached a breaking point.
Of course, the US isn't helping out of pure altruism; they just saw an opportunity to counter the Russian threat. It wasn't Americans who sent Russian soldiers into Ukraine—that was Vladimir Putin. For the Ukrainians, it’s actually been a good thing that their interests align with the US, because honestly, things would be much harder without American support.

As for the division within the country, it definitely existed long before 2014. There was a clear split between pro-Western and pro-Russian factions. The Russian-speaking areas in Eastern Ukraine, especially Donbas, leaned pro-Russian. A big reason for this was the proximity to Russia—many people worked there, had family ties, or maintained friendships across the border. There are plenty of families with members in both Ukraine and Russia, keeping those connections alive. Many of the wealthy elites came from Eastern Ukraine and maintained close ties with the Kremlin, using those connections to amass more wealth. These elites often owned companies where many locals worked, which influenced voting patterns—for instance, workers might be "advised" to vote for pro-Russian candidates. About a third of the population in Donbas is ethnic Russian, and while most are pro-Russian, not everyone is. The rest tended to stay more neutral, even among ethnic Ukrainians. Ultimately, many grew up in the Soviet era and were accustomed to being part of a collective with Russia and Belarus. It’s hard to say there wasn't patriotism; it just wasn't expressed in the same way. On the flip side, Western Ukraine is anti-Russian and pro-European. Their goal has always been to move toward Europe. Meanwhile, Eastern Ukraine feared losing its connection to Russia. Well, the West is near Poland, and they've seen how much Poland has changed since joining the EU—it's a different mindset. In the East, the mantra was often "as long as it's ours," so even when Yanukovych messed everything up, people stuck by him (he's from Donbas, after all). Everything started shifting in 2014. I'm talking about other regions too, like Kharkiv, Odesa, or Kherson, where Russians "expected flowers." Those are also Russian-speaking and pro-Russian leaning, but they remained mostly neutral, and then a surge of national identity began. I think that's the shift the Russians failed to recognize starting in 2014.

Forty-seven kids who were deported to Russia have finally been brought back home. We're still searching for thousands more.

In the meantime:
Over on the pro-Russ channels, people are celebrating because they think America is finally ditching Ukraine—which they view as some sort of neo-fascist construct—to focus on Taiwan and Japanese imperialism instead. 😁.

Meanwhile:
After dealing with "ukro-nazis," witchcraft, and finding voodoo dolls everywhere, it looks like the fight against atheists is next on the agenda. Now, every Ukrainian militant is being branded an atheist, and apparently, it’s become a duty for every true believer to fight against this perceived evil—this "Ukrainian satanism." Honestly, it goes without saying that every one of these militants deserves the most painful end possible here, followed by even harsher divine wrath in the afterlife.

Some new doctors have finally arrived in Pittsburgh 🎉. They’ve got a pediatrician on board now, and it looks like a radiologist is coming too. They won't be seeing patients at the clinic just yet, but locals are already lining up to sign up.
Regarding Medvedev—he recently mentioned how Pittsburgh is being rebuilt and that it’ll eventually house 500,000 people. Because of that, some folks in town actually painted a mural for him. Apparently, they're just dying for him to come visit in person 🙂. Talk about an honorary citizen, right?

The occupiers are even planning a concert over at the Steel Mill. What a great way for everyone to forget they don't have homes and are sleeping outdoors.

ironseal said:And don't forget that guy they built a monument around.

🤣 🤣 🤣. After I finished using it, I just chilled out in the living room. They probably used a crane to drop it in place.

Nathan Thomas12 said:Mexicans also spit on the West, while millions of people over there back them, compared to maybe 15,000 in Russia.

I'm trying to wrap my head around it, but it’s tough—really tough. It all comes down to policy. Politics "hates," but it’s a calculated kind of hate. Regular people? They're just reflections of those policies. When politics works this way, there isn't much room left for actual thought—just accepting whatever the leaders feed you.

I've mentioned this before—back when everything first kicked off in Donbas, certain pro-Russian groups emerged, a "leader" steps up to the crowd and screams, "These people are fascists!" and suddenly everyone is chanting "Fascists!" There’s zero explanation of what fascism actually is, no real knowledge involved. Then, that same "leader" claims, "We are defending the legitimate President Viktor Yanukovych." Fast forward a few minutes, and suddenly: "There were never any legal elections here; no president is legitimate." 🤔.

Then they pivot to, "America is to blame for this," and the crowd starts attacking Barack Obama—mostly just based on his skin color.
There’s simply no room for critical thinking; it gets stripped away. And the contradictions? People just don't see them.