Russia's invasion of Ukraine: Part 5

The Mirror reported

A high-ranking Kremlin official has reportedly been making secret overtures to the West to help wind down the invasion of Ukraine, according to news breaking last night.

Word is that this shadowy member of Vladimir Putin’s inner circle revealed the Kremlin is actually panicking and is desperate to end this bloody war.

These shocking claims surfaced in a report that was allegedly passed along to Western intelligence agencies.

It seems those top brass and officials close to Putin are sweating over the brutal Western sanctions and an economy that's tanking because of the conflict.

Some folks in the Kremlin are also sounding the alarm over the escalating risks, specifically mentioning the fighting near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine. "

ironseal said:The Mirror reported

A high-ranking Kremlin official has reportedly been making secret overtures to the West to help wind down the invasion of Ukraine, according to news breaking last night.

Word is that this shadowy member of Vladimir Putin’s inner circle revealed the Kremlin is actually panicking and is desperate to end this bloody war.

These shocking claims surfaced in a report that was allegedly passed along to Western intelligence agencies.

It seems those top brass and officials close to Putin are sweating over the brutal Western sanctions and an economy that's tanking because of the conflict.

Some folks in the Kremlin are also sounding the alarm over the escalating risks, specifically mentioning the fighting near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine. "

Just wanted to add my two cents on that.
Honestly, this could just be some kind of game the Kremlin is playing to get Ukraine to stop fighting so Russia can keep what they've taken.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?sto...&id=1378095215

ironseal said:The Mirror reported

A high-ranking Kremlin official has reportedly been making secret overtures to the West to help wind down the invasion of Ukraine, according to news breaking last night.

Word is that this shadowy member of Vladimir Putin’s inner circle revealed the Kremlin is actually panicking and is desperate to end this bloody war.

These shocking claims surfaced in a report that was allegedly passed along to Western intelligence agencies.

It seems those top brass and officials close to Putin are sweating over the brutal Western sanctions and an economy that's tanking because of the conflict.

Some folks in the Kremlin are also sounding the alarm over the escalating risks, specifically mentioning the fighting near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine. "

where there's smoke, there's fire😉

ironseal said:The Mirror reported

A high-ranking Kremlin official has reportedly been making secret overtures to the West to help wind down the invasion of Ukraine, according to news breaking last night.

Word is that this shadowy member of Vladimir Putin’s inner circle revealed the Kremlin is actually panicking and is desperate to end this bloody war.

These shocking claims surfaced in a report that was allegedly passed along to Western intelligence agencies.

It seems those top brass and officials close to Putin are sweating over the brutal Western sanctions and an economy that's tanking because of the conflict.

Some folks in the Kremlin are also sounding the alarm over the escalating risks, specifically mentioning the fighting near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine. "

Nothing would be easier if they just pulled their troops out of Ukraine.

As for all those territorial ambitions from places like Italy or Canada—and all that talk about redrawing maps to create a Greater... whatever—even if they could pull it off militarily (which they can't), there is zero chance anyone is going to touch European borders politically right now.

casualtiger2 said:Nothing would be easier if they just pulled their troops out of Ukraine.

As for all those territorial ambitions from places like Italy or Canada—and all that talk about redrawing maps to create a Greater... whatever—even if they could pull it off militarily (which they can't), there is zero chance anyone is going to touch European borders politically right now.

Sure, but that’s only the first step! Once that happens, you have to deal with the massive assessment of war damages and their subsequent compensation—and let me tell you, that is no small matter.

red_shrike said:Actually, those people who mindlessly swallow Russian propaganda and then try to push it on the West aren't anything more than plain old fifth columnists and ideological Nazis. It is quite fascinating, though, how you can call someone a (neo)communist on this forum and they’ll either take it as a badge of honor or ignore it, but the moment you rightfully label someone a (neo)Nazi, you get an immediate message from a moderator. Even if communists and Nazis are essentially the same brand of garbage. 🙂

Nazism is a criminal ideology. Communism isn't inherently criminal. We can debate how impractical or utopian the idea is, but the concept itself isn't evil.
But... in practice, communism has always devolved into a dictatorship that was outright criminal.
It just doesn't work outside of small, self-sustaining communities. I always point to the Israeli kibbutzim as an example—they pulled Israel out of the sand and built the nation, and that spirit of communal living kept them going and defended them, but that way of organizing society has never truly scaled beyond the kibbutz, and for good reason.
The elders in a kibbutz live just like everyone else and have the same resources, regardless of how they lived or what kind of communist dictators were in power.
Unfortunately, equality just isn't part of human nature.
Unlike the kibbutzim, Nazi communes in the US were purely criminal, much like the ideology itself.

https://twitter.com/ferozwala/status...59324336873472

So, Putin claims Russian weaponry has been decades ahead of Western tech...🤔 give me a break. Honestly, the folks in the West haven't even thought to include basic tank hatches designed for quick exits when things go south.😬

😁

https://twitter.com/Gerashchenko_en/...31148898516992

Priorities matter most, right? First thing he does is check if his iPhone 13 is still in one piece, then he asks how his son is doing.

What do you guys think about this thread from Kamil?

https://twitter.com/kamilkazani/stat...41431376445440

The shortages aren't really the big issue because those mostly hit the poor folks who don't really move the needle in Russia. It's the sanctions and the empty shelves that actually sting in places like Moscow and St. Petersburg.

casualtiger2 said:Nothing would be easier if they just pulled their troops out of Ukraine.

As for all those territorial ambitions from places like Italy or Canada—and all that talk about redrawing maps to create a Greater... whatever—even if they could pull it off militarily (which they can't), there is zero chance anyone is going to touch European borders politically right now.

I view this current conflict in Ukraine as a litmus test for the theory that borders within the EU are permanent. We will see how this concludes in the end. Ideally, the solution would be for Ukraine to retain its former 'USSR' borders. But ultimately, it will depend on whatever agreement the Ukrainians and Russians reach. Perhaps at a negotiating table, or perhaps through the barrel of a gun. The former is preferable.

Thread title: "The Russian invasion of Ukraine, Part 5" ☕

hollowdriver13 said:https://twitter.com/ferozwala/status...59324336873472

So, Putin claims Russian weaponry has been decades ahead of Western tech...🤔 give me a break. Honestly, the folks in the West haven't even thought to include basic tank hatches designed for quick exits when things go south.😬

😁

I am genuinely terrified that their ICBMs might be aimed at Paris or Munich, only to end up hitting Cleveland or San Diego instead.

casualtiger2 said:Nothing would be easier if they just pulled their troops out of Ukraine.

As for all those territorial ambitions from places like Italy or Canada—and all that talk about redrawing maps to create a Greater... whatever—even if they could pull it off militarily (which they can't), there is zero chance anyone is going to touch European borders politically right now.

Russia simply can't afford it.

I don't know if Mikhail Gorbachev actually said "our strength comes from the perception of our strength," but man, he wasn't wrong.

Russia is a broke, lagging country. Even with all that oil and gas they sell, their economy is basically on par with Spain.

The only thing they could ever play at being a superpower was the illusion of having an "invincible military."

Now we're seeing that this army can't even take Kharkiv right on the border, while some people were out here dreaming they could steamroll Berlin, Paris, and Lisbon in three days...

Some folks from Mariupol are being sent back to the city from Russia. They're reporting that they're currently stuck in transit near Pskov. That whole affection for the "Russ" in the Donbas region lasted quite a while. Though, maybe they'll just get tucked away in those new apartment blocks built in three months flat 😁 🙏.

CrowdStrike is claiming that China has been pulling the strings behind recent cyberattacks targeting the Russian defense sector over the last few months
https://twitter.com/BilyanaLilly/sta...sfuwpRxog&s=19

Carl Lee27 said:CrowdStrike is claiming that China has been pulling the strings behind recent cyberattacks targeting the Russian defense sector over the last few months
https://twitter.com/BilyanaLilly/sta...sfuwpRxog&s=19

I mean, even the Russians managed to snag that expert who was leaking secrets about hypersonic missiles to China.
.
But hey, at least they’re busy buying those Chinese commercial robot dogs, throwing some black cloth over them, and pretending they’re this cutting-edge, homegrown military tech. 🙏

https://twitter.com/tarnovski_john/s...89242999455750

With two global superpowers involved, I’m sure there won't be any "dominant" partner in this little partnership.

Six months since this "unstoppable superpower" started their invasion and they're still stuck in the mud, even though some geniuses were promising they'd reach the Atlantic in three days.
Now it turns out that in a war without nukes, the British could probably roll into Moscow in the time it takes to drive there.

hollowdriver13 said:I mean, even the Russians managed to snag that expert who was leaking secrets about hypersonic missiles to China.
.
But hey, at least they’re busy buying those Chinese commercial robot dogs, throwing some black cloth over them, and pretending they’re this cutting-edge, homegrown military tech. 🙏

https://twitter.com/tarnovski_john/s...89242999455750

With two global superpowers involved, I’m sure there won't be any "dominant" partner in this little partnership.

When I first saw this, I thought of that Boston Dynamics video, but that would probably be way too sophisticated for the Russians. 😁

Quincy:

Vladimir Putin sent a message to his new buddy: 'Hey Kim, we really need to get closer'

I mean, you know you've hit rock bottom when none of the "cool kids" will even hang out with you anymore, so you end up sucking up to the Donetsk People's Republic just to have someone to call a friend 🤦

Gregory Ramos3 said:Quincy:

Vladimir Putin sent a message to his new buddy: 'Hey Kim, we really need to get closer'

I mean, you know you've hit rock bottom when none of the "cool kids" will even hang out with you anymore, so you end up sucking up to the Donetsk People's Republic just to have someone to call a friend 🤦

They're finished. Totally washed up. They thought they could steamroll everything in a few days, fueled by local sympathizers, but they ended up achieving absolutely nothing. They've lost nearly 100k people and god knows how much equipment, all for zero gain. No one’s left to back them up anymore... eventually, they'll be stuck begging Mexico for help, though I bet Vučić will play them perfectly.

Sucking up to that bloated, distorted little dwarf? That's a new low.

Paul Thomas46 said:It is quite interesting how both the US and Ukraine are essentially the primary nations dealing with aggression and conquest wars following World War II...

Which means we can finally dive into the Paradox Greeting (PG)...
The people who shout at everyone else over their choice of greetings actually end up having intentions identical to those they condemn. Truly fascinating...

And our current situation would have slipped under the radar forever if there wasn't this active narrative involving other players. Or rather, are they even really "other" players?...
Again, quite interesting...

Hmm...

People who think deeply about this conflict correctly notice the unspeakable horror of certain greetings—but there’s something even worse: the tattoos. When you weigh the horrors of those symbols and tattoos, it almost seems silly to even mention the trivial massacres, killings, widespread destruction, leveled cities, displacements, filtration camps, terror, and the dead and wounded. I mean, hello, what are we even talking about here! Sure, people are being killed there, which isn't okay, but these people have tattoos!!!!!! And they use those greetings!!!!! That's what truly chills the blood!!!!!!!

🐔