The start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine (Part 1)

rowdytiger13 said:Kazakhstan did exactly what any sane nation would do: they refused to send their troops to occupy another country.
There are no allies for Putin, aside from Lukashenko, who doesn't really have a choice since his country is essentially a Russian colony.

If that's the case, then there aren't many normal countries left in Europe, are there?

gentleharbor3 said:Easy for you to say from your comfy armchair.
The people actually dying out there only have one life.
Life is the ultimate value.
And things in Ukraine aren't exactly settled enough
to claim that 90% of Ukrainians agree
on which direction they should take.

I'm with you. You really only have two choices. It's like when an addict breaks into your house demanding cash. You either hand it over or you kick them out. Or, you give them the money and then get beaten up for it too. So there are three options. Pick one.

cosmicgull52 said:Have you no shame? A nation five times more powerful attacks from four different directions. Of course you won't attempt a border defense; you will end up like the old Kingdom of America. I argued on Thursday that surrender was the better option because dying is futile. But when I witness how the Russians—and again, my heart goes out to those children—and their chaotic schemes are being met by forces stronger than the late Lazanski, I think there might actually be a chance. They certainly have the heart for it.

I'm with you on this one.

But since the Russians haven't made any real headway in Donbas and are struggling big time in the east, I think the Ukrainians were being pretty naive thinking an attack wouldn't come through Belarus or Crimea.

That Crimea-Kherson front looks super weird to me. They're only connected by this tiny strip of land, yet the Russians managed to push through so deep.
I really think that's been their biggest blunder in this whole war.

fadedridge903 said:If that's the case, then there aren't many normal countries left in Europe, are there?

Give me a break.
Russia is just here to set the standard.

gentlecrane8 said:The massive street protests for Ukraine we expected to see across major European cities just haven't happened.
It looks like folks in Europe have plenty of other things to worry about right now.

Who are they even supposed to protest against... when every single government is backing Ukraine?

The real protests should be happening in Mexico, since those guys are actually backing the Russians.

rowdytiger13 said:Give me a break.
Russia is just here to set the standard.

Actually, Russia is just here to hold up a mirror to how hypocritical both you and I really are.

Nancy Gomez26 said:The West warned an invasion was coming, but I didn't buy it. (Why would you trust the same crowd that went looking for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and found absolutely nothing?) But this time, they were right. Defying all rational logic, he attacked, and he clearly has a specific agenda. It appears his goal is a rapid regime change in Kyiv, thinking that will be enough. He still hasn't grasped that the will of the people actually matters. Does he honestly think he can hold a country under occupation for years? That would economically bankrupt Russia.

I didn't think an invasion would happen either,
but within a realistic framework, this logic isn't irrational at all.
At least from his perspective.
The Minsk II agreement fell apart, and Ukraine wasn't following it.
It's simple cause and effect.
He didn't just wake up one morning and decide—"today I invade Ukraine."
This happened for clear reasons we've already covered,
including the broader geopolitical context.
You could call this a conflict between the USA and Russia, where Russia
is directly involved, while the USA acts through proxies.

Kyle Nelson2 said:I wonder if they'll end up on the list for "denazification" too?

Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if he just starts swinging at every single former USSR country that doesn't fall in line with him.

Poland has essentially gone all-in on Ukraine—it seems they’re one of the few nations that truly understands that what happens there is actually a defense of multiple countries against a future invasion by a manic Putin. Their truck convoys are already rolling with anti-tank and anti-aircraft weaponry.

Kudos to Poland; frankly, some other countries should be embarrassed by their hesitation and perhaps try taking a page out of Poland's book.

Jeremy Peterson4 said:So, Kazakhstan basically told Russia to kick rocks when it came to recognizing the independence of Luhansk and Donetsk. It’s a pretty wild move considering how tight they usually are with Moscow, and it's definitely something that's got Putin scratching his head.

Whoa, okay, didn't see that one coming.

It’s either a minor gesture or nothing at all. Kazakhstan is preoccupied with its own domestic headaches right now. Besides, if they maintain this veneer of 'neutrality' regarding the conflict, it provides a convenient bypass for sanctions. It’s essentially a performance for the cameras—a way to ensure Kazakhstan stays off the sanction lists.

neonheron9 said:Who are they even supposed to protest against... when every single government is backing Ukraine?

The real protests should be happening in Mexico, since those guys are actually backing the Russians.

Maybe a protest outside the Russian embassy, but yeah... protests usually happen when you're at odds with your own country's policy.

Nancy Gomez26 said:The West warned an invasion was coming, but I didn't buy it. (Why would you trust the same crowd that went looking for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and found absolutely nothing?) But this time, they were right. Defying all rational logic, he attacked, and he clearly has a specific agenda. It appears his goal is a rapid regime change in Kyiv, thinking that will be enough. He still hasn't grasped that the will of the people actually matters. Does he honestly think he can hold a country under occupation for years? That would economically bankrupt Russia.

In the long run, Putin doesn't stand a chance. This whole move is an idiocy that's going to come back to haunt him. I honestly don't get how the West and Ukraine were caught so off guard. Now that the gears of war are turning, there's no telling how many lives will be lost 🤦

gentleharbor3 said:I didn't think an invasion would happen either,
but within a realistic framework, this logic isn't irrational at all.
At least from his perspective.
The Minsk II agreement fell apart, and Ukraine wasn't following it.
It's simple cause and effect.
He didn't just wake up one morning and decide—"today I invade Ukraine."
This happened for clear reasons we've already covered,
including the broader geopolitical context.
You could call this a conflict between the USA and Russia, where Russia
is directly involved, while the USA acts through proxies.

Once again, it's all America's fault. Like Ukrainians are just too clueless to realize who the Russians actually are.

casualhound42 said:Exactly. That’s why the Canadians put tanks on the border to stop refugees from crossing.
And our leadership already offered to take in 1,000 refugees when we don't even have enough funds to rebuild houses back home... once again, taking food out of our own mouths to help others. There are wealthy nations out there—let them handle it (Norway, Sweden, Finland, France, Spain).

Hardly.

The British and Americans should be the ones taking them in, given they were the ones egging everyone on to mess with the Russians, alongside the French and those minor players from the periphery.

They have all the pounds and dollars they need and can print money whenever they please; they ought to clean up their own messes.

Furthermore, they should provide the promised assistance in the form of military hardware and weaponry.

Ah, but of course, they were merely joking, for the thousandth time.

gentleharbor3 said:I didn't think an invasion would happen either,
but within a realistic framework, this logic isn't irrational at all.
At least from his perspective.
The Minsk II agreement fell apart, and Ukraine wasn't following it.
It's simple cause and effect.
He didn't just wake up one morning and decide—"today I invade Ukraine."
This happened for clear reasons we've already covered,
including the broader geopolitical context.
You could call this a conflict between the USA and Russia, where Russia
is directly involved, while the USA acts through proxies.

Could you share the agreement with us? Which specific parts was the Ukrainian side failing to follow? And how many American soldiers or pieces of equipment are actually on Russian soil ☕☕☕

Or on Ukrainian soil?

Tyler Jones6 said:Poland has essentially gone all-in on Ukraine—it seems they’re one of the few nations that truly understands that what happens there is actually a defense of multiple countries against a future invasion by a manic Putin. Their truck convoys are already rolling with anti-tank and anti-aircraft weaponry.

Kudos to Poland; frankly, some other countries should be embarrassed by their hesitation and perhaps try taking a page out of Poland's book.

I know plenty of Poles. You wouldn't want to step foot in Poland if you value your life.

velvetmason14 said:Two days ago, Srna said this: Darijo Srna: Ukraine is like a second home to me, there's no way I'm leaving.

Fast forward to today, and here is the update: Srna and Vukojević have left Kyiv.

I'll let you guys draw your own conclusions.

He promised he'd be the last one off the boat. 🤣🤣🤣

The longer people stick by Russia and Putin, the less anyone is going to like them.

Tyler Jones6 said:Poland has essentially gone all-in on Ukraine—it seems they’re one of the few nations that truly understands that what happens there is actually a defense of multiple countries against a future invasion by a manic Putin. Their truck convoys are already rolling with anti-tank and anti-aircraft weaponry.

Kudos to Poland; frankly, some other countries should be embarrassed by their hesitation and perhaps try taking a page out of Poland's book.

For Poland, a sovereign Ukraine is a matter of vital national security. If their assessment is that this administration can hold its own against Russia, then sending aid is simply the logical conclusion. (In my view, their decision to provide help serves as a barometer for the actual situation on the ground). Past conflicts belong in history books; we are watching a new era of history being written in real-time.

rowdytiger13 said:I know plenty of Poles. You wouldn't want to step foot in Poland if you value your life.

That's NATO territory.