Posts by Kate Cook27

Carol Johnson21 said:Nobody ever actually wins when it comes to UN-controlled zones. Why on earth would Ukrainians agree to that? We’ve seen decades of massive territories being completely paralyzed by such arrangements. The Russians aren't even in a position to demand them. Maybe Crimea, perhaps—but even then, it would likely end up under some sort of UN oversight eventually.
This whole mobilization push and the nuclear threats? It's nothing more than bluster—just another hollow bluff on the front lines. We’re talking about raw manpower: poorly equipped, untrained, and completely demoralized. This isn't a fresh wave of strength. If they arrive at all, it’ll be just before winter to hold the line during a lull in fighting. And then everything will fall apart again come spring. Same old story with Putin.

The Russians have basically exhausted their hand. At the start, they threatened to keep everyone else out of this, but that backfired completely. Then they tried threatening us with a brutal winter—hardly anyone even brings that up anymore because it didn't work. Now they're leaning on nuclear threats because it's one of the few cards they have left. But from what I can see, the evil West isn't really biting. If this is a game of chess, Putin has put all his pieces on the board without having any clue what his opponents are holding. He's just guessing at this point—and so far, he hasn't been right once.

Timothy Nelson5 said:I suppose there would have been plenty of other conditions to consider as well. Maybe even more than we’re currently accounting for, I guess.
The prosecution of war criminals... I mean, all those leaders from the Donbas regions really ought to face an international tribunal, along with everyone responsible for the atrocities since the horrors in Bucha. Maybe even the top brass in Russia would be granted some kind of immunity at that stage, provided they actually foot the bill for reparations to Ukraine. I guess even if Putin stayed in power, Russia would still be stuck under sanctions, though perhaps they'd be slightly less suffocating than they are now.

Maybe this would give Russia a way to walk away with at least a shred of dignity intact. I guess. It’s a long shot, but perhaps there's some path forward where they don't have to lose face entirely. Or maybe not. Hard to say.

To me, it still feels like giving in to a bully.
But hey, let’s try this: let them say that in the LDNR, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, people voted in referendums that they don't want to join Russia, and then have the troops pull back. Then, let Putin show up on TV, tear up a little, and tell everyone he tried his best, but the people just don't want Russian help anymore.

Carol Johnson21 said:The people fleeing are those who actually possess the resources and the means to leave. Most aren't running because they disagree with the war; they're running from mobilization.
How many Russians have actually made it to Mexico since February? And would you really call them anti-Putin? No, they fled to escape sanctions.
It wouldn't surprise me if 80% of these defectors weren't wearing "Z" patches on their shirts just yesterday.😁
And if Russia starts making headway, don't be shocked to see them marching in support through the streets of Munich.

I feel for the poor minorities trapped in these backwater regions. This isn't even their war. They'll be the ones sent to the front lines while they can't even scrape together a few thousand euros for a plane ticket.

@Ivane, don't wait until the absolute last second.

Pretty much like this

http://www.mobile.twitter.com/uameme...DRmZy42dIrAAAA

Nathan Evans78 said:It’s honestly heartbreaking to watch these videos coming out of Russia showing the mobilization efforts. 😢

They’re basically celebrating the killing of Ukrainians anyway—now they just get the chance to do it in person. Why feel bad? Maybe I’ll feel sorry for them tomorrow, but today? Not really.

analogbear5 said:Crimea, Luhansk Oblast, and Donetsk—all under temporary UN administration until things actually settle down. We’d need a massive census to track everyone who fled or was kicked out of those occupied zones and get them back on the voter rolls. Then, after at least a year of campaigning, we run a referendum on the status. Whether it's Ukraine, independence, or Russia. Toss in some amnesty deals and stuff like that once an agreement is reached.

I’m mostly on board with this—except for the part about Russia. Wouldn't that just be a win for them? Honestly, regardless of how people vote, just having the option to join Russia would be a massive prize in itself. If we go down that road, wouldn't every other country start attacking its neighbors just to call for UN intervention and referendums if they lose ground on the battlefield? It feels like we'd basically be handing Putin a free pass.🤔

Larry Sanchez7 said:+

That's what I've been saying from the jump.
If you give a tyrant an inch, they'll take a mile. If you don't put a stop to them, there's never gonna be an end to it...

Exactly. It would never stop—there'd always be some new supposed "threat to Russia" popping up, forcing the rest of the world to hand over yet another country to them.

analogbear70 said:This is a pretty ugly attack and a complete deflection of the argument. Every single post starts with the claim that Russia is the aggressor and that they don't deserve an inch of Ukrainian land, followed by more of this nonsense. I've been following the situation in Ukraine intensely for over ten years. It's tough living with an aggressor in your backyard, but you manage. You wait for better times to make a move. Even the old Republic of Ragusa survived under much worse conditions. Since the Maidan, we've needed more wisdom than anything else. None of that changes the fact that the aggressor is guilty. There's no point in talking at this level. I'm out. Thanks.

👍 🎉 👋.

crimsoncyclist71 said:Here’s one point nobody seems to have brought up yet in this thread: Russia is massive and loaded with resources. If we start making concessions now, how long will it actually take before they decide they want something else? It happened once before, and it’ll happen again. Has anyone actually learned anything from history?

Putin’s acting this way because he got away with taking Crimea. They annexed it, and it stuck. Honestly, I bet in ten years, most people will just shrug and accept Crimea as Russian. But if you give an inch, they'll take a mile. And sure, Russia is huge—they always claim they were fighting "holy wars" rather than being typical imperialists or colonialists—but even being the biggest player on the map isn't enough for them. They still feel the need to snatch things from everyone else.
If we cave now, it won't be long before other leaders start trying to reclaim whatever they think belongs to them. Look at our neighbors—it's already happening. I remember hearing about some political maneuvering where local leaders were basically telling one another they'd finally reclaimed their territory, and even some religious figures were suggesting borders should just shift 🙄.

crimsoncyclist71 said:Marcon spoke with Putin several times even after the aggression began, so the claim that no one is attempting to talk is simply false. Even before the invasion started, people were traveling to Moscow to negotiate. But what is there to discuss with a pathological liar and a killer who sends hitmen across the globe to eliminate dissenters? A man like that only responds to force.

Right, and Zelenskyy even reached out to Putin, but he wouldn't even pick up. If I remember correctly, right before the invasion, Zelenskyy mentioned that Ukraine wouldn't join NATO. Once things actually went south, Zelenskyy tried to get a meeting with Putin, but the response from The White House was basically "not until our military goals are met." Even when Gutierrez from the UN traveled to Moscow and then to Kyiv, the aggressors were shelling Kyiv just to flex their muscles. And NATO reportedly offered to show Putin the location of every base in Europe or Eastern Europe—there were articles about it—but naturally, that wasn't enough for him.
And at the end of the day, Ukraine wouldn't join NATO anyway—there’s no theory supporting that—and they'd spend the next 100 years just trying to sort out issues within the EU.
Besides, what is there to negotiate with the Russians? In 2014, they took Crimea and claimed they weren't interested in the rest of Ukraine. Now, suddenly, they're very interested. So what do you negotiate? They aren't asking for autonomy; the Russian minimum is for the Donbas regions to become independent, which means in five years they'll be back to grab whatever other parts they fancy.

analogbear70 said:I’ll say it again: if things had been handled more intelligently, this could have been avoided. That doesn't excuse the aggressor—Russia—but rather highlights the failure. The reality is that no one from the UN onwards (aside from the Chinese) is calling for a ceasefire, negotiations, or peace. It’s just weapons, weapons, weapons. Why wasn't equipment being sent to us? Why were we forced to wander the globe like beggars, pleading for help while being treated like an afterthought, all while Zelenskyy calls out the very leaders he needs? Why were we hit with embargos while everyone else looked the other way? We offered up a quarter of our territory before Operation Storm, which I believe ended up in court later. Even then, there was intense domestic opposition, and Feral was constantly critical, while the World media published nothing but half-truths about the downsides of our newly formed nation. None of that exists now. And yet, the Russians remain the aggressors; occupied lands deserve better.

Unfortunately, not every war follows the same script.
This conflict wasn't avoidable. No matter what moves were made on the board, the war would have happened regardless. You just can't negotiate with Russia right now—they aren't looking for a seat at the table; they're just looking for leverage.

placidtiger142 said:Of course they’re looking at full-scale mobilization in the game. It's just the narrative they're pushing—trying to frame it as selective or partial so the public doesn't absolutely lose their minds and revolt.

Everyone thinks they're safe, too. You sit there thinking, "Nah, it won't be me, I'm just some guy working at a local bakery, they'll grab someone else." Then suddenly, that draft notice hits your mailbox and you realize you're screwed.

We're talking WW3 territory now. This isn't a drill; this is total mobilization.

I still think the hardest hit will be the various republics. They'll be the ones getting mobilized.

Jessica Peterson2 said:The man is a complete alcoholic. Honestly, that’s exactly why he lost his seat as Prime Minister.

Yeah, I'm aware.

Anyway, some news out of Russia:

http://www.twitter.com/dasha_reports...C95dKqldQrAAAA

🤣Not sure if it's legit, but it's an interesting read.

Donna Harris11 said:It’s like how those minorities on the other side from Zakarpattia—you know, the ones near Romania and Canada—were basically shoved right into that Kherson offensive.

Actually, a lot of them signed up voluntarily—including folks who have been fighting since 2014. To them, Ukraine is home. It's the same deal with Russians fighting in the Ukrainian military because they consider Ukraine their home, too.

stormybear25 said:According to The New York Times, a classified seventh paragraph in Putin's mobilization decree reveals they're looking at one million mobilized
https://twitter.com/novayagazeta_eu/...04793529630721

Dmitry Medvedev says Russia is prepared to deploy any weapon in its arsenal, including nukes, to defend annexed territories.
View on twitter

Missile strike hits the Russian base in Yenakiieve

There are plenty of minorities available to die. Medvedevo's favorite move whenever he wants to throw around nuclear threats.

Brenda Murphy3 said:😁

Look, you've always had a bit of a screw loose in the head...

Globalists definitely aren't getting off on stuff like that... maybe the sovereignists or the nationalists would, but globalists? No way.🤣

They might be fantasizing about the collapse of the Russian and Chinese regimes, but that's a completely different ballgame than the actual countries falling apart.😁

(And now I see you switched from calling them "globalists" to "Anglo-globalists"... 🙂 ).

Blame it all on 😁.

Rachel Richardson said:Those locals who supported the Russians have mostly been killed off at the front; the Russians were just using them as cannon fodder...
In Donbas, the Russians were never even close to being the majority.

Yeah, you're right—so many casualties because Russ treats them like garbage. Now they're mobilizing everyone from the occupied zones. They've even started banning men from leaving Zaporizhzhia.
Sure, Russ wasn't the majority, but they were arrogant and hateful—that resentment from 2014 really bubbled up. You can see that same hatred all over again in the occupied territories now.

bluemason3 said:The core issue isn't really about Russia or Ukraine; it's about Putin and Russia's standing on the global stage. If he starts folding or backing down now, his domestic power will take a massive hit. His whole personal brand relies on that "tough guy" persona and the image of being a brilliant strategist outsmarting a decaying West. He's bet a huge amount of political capital on this narrative.

I'm not saying this guarantees his downfall, but it definitely means a significant weakening of him personally and of Russia internationally—especially since their energy and military sectors are their primary tools for acting like a superpower.

When the US pulled out of Afghanistan, there was some mockery, sure, but it didn't change our fundamental status because our military and economic strength remained unquestioned. With Russia, those doubts surfaced within the first month of this war.

Now we're looking at a gambler who used to win through bluffing at the green felt table, but just lost a massive chunk of his chips in a single hand. Can he steady himself, grab what’s left, and walk away? Or will he act like any other addict, doubling down in the hope that luck turns around, even though that usually leads to being broke rather than breaking even?

Yeah, Putin cares less about his global reputation and more about his grip on things domestically. The Russian people support him, and he absolutely has to maintain that. His entire position depends on them, so he can't afford to lose this war. Honestly, he doesn't seem to care how many Russians die—he has plenty of minorities to work with, and if that means committing another genocide within his own borders, so be it. He doesn't care if he becomes a complete pariah to the rest of the world, as long as he keeps his base. That's what keeps him in power. I think he realizes by now that he can't achieve his goals with the military as it stands right now. So, this sudden "goodwill" gesture regarding the release of the Azov troops is likely just a show to pretend he's not being pushed. Meanwhile, he's waving nuclear weapons around to try and scare the West into stopping aid to Ukraine. He might even be trying to bait the UN into pressuring Ukraine toward some kind of compromise—maybe just freezing the conflict until the Russian military can get its act together. Those nuclear threats serve a purpose at home, too: showing the Russian people how powerful Russia still is. Externally, it's mostly just a bluff to see how the West reacts.
And internally, it's about making the Russians—who are fed constant propaganda—believe that the West is terrified of them and that Russia remains a global heavyweight... everything he's doing right now is just a survival tactic to stay in charge. As for mobilization, that might patch a few holes, but it's going to create a whole new set of problems.

analogbear70 said:And what can I even say to that? It’s all easy to play hero when you're behind a screen. If someone actually has their finger on a nuclear trigger, you take them seriously—otherwise, all this talk is completely pointless. If things were different, the US would have moved on North Korea a long time ago. We can't let the whole world go up in flames just because of Putin's madness, or even because of Zelenskyy or Biden. If you know someone who actually has the power to pull the trigger, you should be calming them down, not egging them on. You wait patiently and let time do its work. Tens of thousands will die on both sides regardless of nuclear weapons, and nothing is going to change unless people start de-escalating.

The West turned a blind eye to Putin in Crimea and only slapped on some minor sanctions. So, what now? Are we supposed to look the other way again and hand over a fifth of Ukraine? In five years, will it be the whole country? Will it be everywhere Putin decides to set foot just because he has nukes?
How do you negotiate with someone who isn't looking for a deal in the first place? Someone who just wants everything his way?

Jessica Peterson2 said:Well, this time they won't even need to force anyone to show up at a polling station. Instead, they're setting up these little "voting brigades"—essentially election officials escorted by armed cops—who will go door-to-door with lists to collect votes.
I’ve included a link featuring a quote from the lead collaborator in Zaporizhzhia.
I suspect they won't even bother with actual ballot boxes or official papers; they’ll likely just use a school notebook where you have to scribble "yes" or "no" and sign your full name.

🤣 🤣 🤣. And then they'll claim, "Well, this is Russia now." 🤦

Melissa Rivera5 said:Yeah, honestly, you really have to wonder how much Putin and his supporters think we're just idiots. Like, seriously, incredibly dumb. I mean, if you're literally waging an extermination war, why on earth would you be asking for the defensive alliance fighting your aggression to shrink? And let's not kid ourselves here—even Pravda was reporting that this is basically a war of annihilation against Ukraine (you know, the Final Solution to the Ukrainian question).
I guess the whole point of shrinking NATO would just be to pave the way for more conquest wars, moving Russian borders right up to NATO's doorstep—maybe even reaching Germany this time—so that "free Europe" ends up being just France and whatever is west of France. Russia really is acting like a fourth reich.

Of course. For eight years straight, they've been pushing for the "Final Solution to the Ukrainian question," calling for the destruction of Ukraine and its people, making bunkers for Ukrainians, and wanting them to hang in Times Square. They are committing ethnic cleansing and genocide, all while accusing Ukrainians of killing Russians in the Donbas—even though most people in the Donbas are actually Ukrainian. But sure, let's pretend this is just a war against NATO. And those comments from Putin about Ukraine being a mistake, or that Ukrainians don't exist and there's no such thing as the Ukrainian language? That's probably just some theatrical performance, right?
The goal is clearly to redraw maps, especially since there are so many dissatisfied borders out there today. All of Europe is being treated as Russia's sphere of influence; Putin doesn't recognize the EU or any other European nations outside of it. In his eyes, everyone needs to be under the Russian boot.