Russia's invasion of Ukraine: Part 5

Jessica Peterson2 said:Putin's media outlets are constantly churning out these ecstatic little prophecies claiming Europeans are going to be shivering in frozen apartments next winter because they've lost access to Russian gas. It’s quite a spectacle, really. Yet, curiously enough, they don't seem to give a single damn about the fact that 40% of rural households and 30% of urban homes across the entirety of Russia have absolutely no access to gas pipelines —if they ever did at all. 🤷

Actually, it feels kind of paradoxical. Most of those people without any connection to a gas grid, whether they are in Russia or the EU, don't really sweat the heating situation that much... most of them just rely on wood. And I suppose decent heads of households buy up their firewood in the spring so they have enough stashed away for the winter.

dustyfalcon122 said:Man, you really cracked me up.
Seriously, this whole thing has turned into one of those trashy Hollywood movies.

In the next scene, explosions are going off everywhere while some crazy dictator screams at his last two generals in a bunker, jumping around a big red button.🙂 😵🙂

Sometimes reality actually beats fiction. 🙄

End credits: that red button is flipped at the last second, saving the Ukrainian fighter (Bruce Willis), who didn't actually die but managed to escape the hell of Azovstal.🙂

dustyfalcon122 said:Man, you really cracked me up.
Seriously, this whole thing has turned into one of those trashy Hollywood movies.

I was watching some Monty Python sketches the other day, and I couldn't help but think... reality has basically just overtaken most of their comedy at this point.

Jessica Peterson2 said:So, apparently, the chairman of the board for ExxonMobil—which, let’s be honest, is basically the largest private oil giant in Russia—just took a sudden, fatal plunge from a fifth-story window at a central clinical hospital in Moscow. Interestingly enough, that facility actually falls under the jurisdiction of the Office of the President of the Russian Federation. ☕
https://www.rbc.ru/society/01/09/20...dium=messenger

I’m waiting for the inevitable report. You know how it goes: an old friend drops by for a visit, they have a quick chat, and suddenly he’s being shoved out a window. During the scramble to escape, he accidentally drops his ID from the Ukrainian FBI. Then he flees to Lithuania or Poland. "We seek vengeance."

Jessica Peterson2 said:So, apparently, the chairman of the board for ExxonMobil—which, let’s be honest, is basically the largest private oil giant in Russia—just took a sudden, fatal plunge from a fifth-story window at a central clinical hospital in Moscow. Interestingly enough, that facility actually falls under the jurisdiction of the Office of the President of the Russian Federation. ☕
https://www.rbc.ru/society/01/09/20...dium=messenger

I guess we Americans don't have anyone quite ready to take a dive out a window just yet.
The VP over at Chevron is Jerry Rice

Check this out too—how they tried to force refugees from Mariupol to just become Russians while living in Russia.

casualcrane20 said:A reactor doesn't actually produce electricity; it produces steam to spin turbines. So, technically, stopping power production isn't the issue—you could just disconnect the windings, letting the turbines and generators spin idle. Then again, that's just my layman's take; an actual engineer could probably explain it better.

That’s why it’s right by the river for cooling. Half the energy produced ends up dumped back into the water anyway.
The real headache would be the heat exchanger—specifically the pumps.
And if the containment dome goes? Total nightmare.
Luckily, there'll probably be an international commission staying on-site.
Maybe the UN.

How the US Armed Forces tried to grab the #ZNPP—the breakdown

Once the Pentagon report on the sinking of two barges with landing troops in the Kakhovka reservoir came out, the whole scheme to seize the Zaporizhzhia NPP finally made sense.

Here’s the play: while the IAEA mission was pulling up to #Energodar, US Special Operations Command—working with other units and backed by artillery fire from the northern coast—was supposed to seize the plant. The idea was for the mission to then "witness" the takeover.

Context matters here. When the IAEA first mentioned they weren't just visiting but staying as permanent observers, I thought it was a total giveaway to Russia—like a way to stop the shelling. Turns out, it wasn't a gift for Moscow, but a setup for Kyiv.

Fast forward to the action. That night, US Special Operations Command landed near some summer houses northeast of the ZNPP and quietly moved into position by 5 a.m.—the Russian Ministry of Defense says it was later, but who cares? Their job was to punch through the plant perimeter and clear a path for the main landing force.

By 5:20 a.m., US Armed Forces artillery started hammering Russian Armed Forces posts on the station grounds, and around 6 a.m., the first wave of paratroopers went in.

A bit more detail on the Ukrainian attempt to pull a surprise landing to seize the Energodar nuclear plant.
At first glance, it looks like a suicide mission since they’d be cut off from reinforcements. But it’s a nuclear plant—the Russians couldn't exactly drop heavy ordnance on it without causing a disaster.

The guy might not be wrong about tying this to the IAEA visit; it would have forced the Russians to conduct "clearing operations" right in front of international eyes. If the visit had gone through, it could have acted as a shield against further combat. Plus, the Russians would look like fools for losing a nuclear site right under their noses.

High risk, high reward. Except the bravado was spotted too early, and the whole thing fell apart miserably. The IAEA mission probably stayed intact, though.
RIP to the commandos who didn't make it.

wiredseal7 said:

How the US Armed Forces tried to grab the #ZNPP—the breakdown

Once the Pentagon report on the sinking of two barges with landing troops in the Kakhovka reservoir came out, the whole scheme to seize the Zaporizhzhia NPP finally made sense.

Here’s the play: while the IAEA mission was pulling up to #Energodar, US Special Operations Command—working with other units and backed by artillery fire from the northern coast—was supposed to seize the plant. The idea was for the mission to then "witness" the takeover.

Context matters here. When the IAEA first mentioned they weren't just visiting but staying as permanent observers, I thought it was a total giveaway to Russia—like a way to stop the shelling. Turns out, it wasn't a gift for Moscow, but a setup for Kyiv.

Fast forward to the action. That night, US Special Operations Command landed near some summer houses northeast of the ZNPP and quietly moved into position by 5 a.m.—the Russian Ministry of Defense says it was later, but who cares? Their job was to punch through the plant perimeter and clear a path for the main landing force.

By 5:20 a.m., US Armed Forces artillery started hammering Russian Armed Forces posts on the station grounds, and around 6 a.m., the first wave of paratroopers went in.

A bit more detail on the Ukrainian attempt to pull a surprise landing to seize the Energodar nuclear plant.
At first glance, it looks like a suicide mission since they’d be cut off from reinforcements. But it’s a nuclear plant—the Russians couldn't exactly drop heavy ordnance on it without causing a disaster.

The guy might not be wrong about tying this to the IAEA visit; it would have forced the Russians to conduct "clearing operations" right in front of international eyes. If the visit had gone through, it could have acted as a shield against further combat. Plus, the Russians would look like fools for losing a nuclear site right under their noses.

High risk, high reward. Except the bravado was spotted too early, and the whole thing fell apart miserably. The IAEA mission probably stayed intact, though.
RIP to the commandos who didn't make it.

How many Russians are actually guarding the plant, and what kind of perimeter are we talking about?
Probably just some reservists or guys who aren't even paying attention—just coasting through the shift, chilling, you know how it goes.
Akcić b production

Once again, those relentless critics of Vladimir Putin and the war are being tossed out of hospital windows. I suppose this marks the 1,001st time we've witnessed such a convenient disappearance, wouldn't you agree?

https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-l...#liveblog-body

Jessica Peterson2 said:So, apparently, the chairman of the board for ExxonMobil—which, let’s be honest, is basically the largest private oil giant in Russia—just took a sudden, fatal plunge from a fifth-story window at a central clinical hospital in Moscow. Interestingly enough, that facility actually falls under the jurisdiction of the Office of the President of the Russian Federation. ☕
https://www.rbc.ru/society/01/09/20...dium=messenger

Given the sheer volume of "accidental" mishaps occurring to Russians since this special operation kicked off—whether on the front lines or just happening in high-rise offices—I suspect we might see "having the luck of a Russian" become a common idiom for incredible misfortune quite soon. 😲🙏

Resurrected said:It is honestly mind-boggling how much confusion there is in this group.

It’s... more logical to believe that 60 Ukrainian special forces ninjas are tasked with seizing a nuclear power plant under Russian military control...
while the Russians just won't fire their weapons because they don't want to hit anything... just like how they carefully avoid crushing crops with their tanks.......
I'm telling you..... pure delusion.....

Resurrected said:The level of confusion in this thread is honestly mind-blowing.

Why the surprise? It’s clearly in Russia's best interest to keep everyone at bay right now.

My girlfriend near the area just messaged me—she says Russian jets are circling the power plant and opening fire. Sounds like they're firing from the planes, though they aren't dropping bombs yet. Apparently, there's still a delegation stuck at a checkpoint because the Russians won't let them through. I'm really hoping this gets sorted out fast—someone needs to step up, take control, and get those soldiers and all that gear out of there.

gentlestag15 said:I guess we Americans don't have anyone quite ready to take a dive out a window just yet.
The VP over at Chevron is Jerry Rice

Check this out too—how they tried to force refugees from Mariupol to just become Russians while living in Russia.

😢. Such a heartbreaking story—that little girl is incredibly sharp. I'm just glad they're safe now.

Angela Flores4 said:Given the sheer volume of "accidental" mishaps occurring to Russians since this special operation kicked off—whether on the front lines or just happening in high-rise offices—I suspect we might see "having the luck of a Russian" become a common idiom for incredible misfortune quite soon. 😲🙏

Maybe those first three days were just a fluke...

Thomas Nelson25 said:It's... totally logical...
just like that random incident where a Lukoil executive fell out of a hospital window...
since you aren't supposed to smoke in hospitals, he just leaned out the window and... well...
yet another death linked to Russian smoking habits... along with the chef in Moscow and all those warehouse workers and airport staff over in Crimea...
Russians will smoke just about anything they're served... though I see some "patriots" here doing the same thing...

Personally, I'd bet a Ukrainian woman from the next room pushed him. I'm half expecting a report saying she forgot her Azov Regiment ID while she was making her escape. Hopefully, she made it safely to Finland or Estonia... 😁

Thomas Walker84 said:In the next scene, explosions are going off everywhere while some crazy dictator screams at his last two generals in a bunker, jumping around a big red button.🙂 😵🙂

Sometimes reality actually beats fiction. 🙄

End credits: that red button is flipped at the last second, saving the Ukrainian fighter (Bruce Willis), who didn't actually die but managed to escape the hell of Azovstal.🙂

No, absolutely not.

The dictator opens a "nuclear briefcase" sporting a label that says "made in USA by NASA"...
Then comes the close-up... the briefcase is completely empty!!!

The final shot:
- A close-up of a hand slowly flipping a red switch... BLINDING WHITE LIGHT!!!
- An establishing shot of a lavish mountain cabin where Ragozin turns on the lights.

The end credits roll: The dictator failed to destroy the country, thanks to the fact that Ragozin and a few billionaires stripped the entire nuclear launch system years ago! Even that "nuclear briefcase" wasn't authentic—just some cheap knockoff...

The End

Kate Cook27 said:Why the surprise? It’s clearly in Russia's best interest to keep everyone at bay right now.

My girlfriend near the area just messaged me—she says Russian jets are circling the power plant and opening fire. Sounds like they're firing from the planes, though they aren't dropping bombs yet. Apparently, there's still a delegation stuck at a checkpoint because the Russians won't let them through. I'm really hoping this gets sorted out fast—someone needs to step up, take control, and get those soldiers and all that gear out of there.

Actually, it looks like Ukraine—not Russia—was the one holding up the delegation for about three hours today. That's what the spokesperson said, and it was reported right here:
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/01/russ...he-donbas.html

“The IAEA mission has been delayed on the Ukrainian-controlled side of the frontline for some three hours,” an IAEA spokesman told NBC News this morning.

“Director General Grossi Has personally negotiated with Ukrainian military authorities to be able to proceed and He remains determined that this important Mission reaches The ZNPP today.”

Maybe they were held up finishing some "special ops" move?

The headline is framed to hide that—blaming "shelling"—while the actual quote is buried deep in the text. And then you see people swallowing it whole, acting like Russia blocked them.
Just a textbook example of media manipulation.😵

wiredseal7 said:Actually, it looks like Ukraine—not Russia—was the one holding up the delegation for about three hours today. That's what the spokesperson said, and it was reported right here:
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/01/russ...he-donbas.html

“The IAEA mission has been delayed on the Ukrainian-controlled side of the frontline for some three hours,” an IAEA spokesman told NBC News this morning.

“Director General Grossi Has personally negotiated with Ukrainian military authorities to be able to proceed and He remains determined that this important Mission reaches The ZNPP today.”

Maybe they were held up finishing some "special ops" move?

The headline is framed to hide that—blaming "shelling"—while the actual quote is buried deep in the text. And then you see people swallowing it whole, acting like Russia blocked them.
Just a textbook example of media manipulation.😵

Well, looking at it, maybe it's a good thing they were delayed—given that Russia is shelling right around the power plant.

It’s highly likely the Russians cooked up this whole nuclear plant drama—deliberately flying helicopters and opening fire just to manufacture an excuse to block the IAEA. Of course, they’ll play the victim and claim they're just "concerned about safety." It’s a classic move: stir the pot, blame the Ukrainians, and throw in some convenient stories about commandos to make it all look legitimate.

wiredseal7 said:

How the US Armed Forces tried to grab the #ZNPP—the breakdown

Once the Pentagon report on the sinking of two barges with landing troops in the Kakhovka reservoir came out, the whole scheme to seize the Zaporizhzhia NPP finally made sense.

Here’s the play: while the IAEA mission was pulling up to #Energodar, US Special Operations Command—working with other units and backed by artillery fire from the northern coast—was supposed to seize the plant. The idea was for the mission to then "witness" the takeover.

Context matters here. When the IAEA first mentioned they weren't just visiting but staying as permanent observers, I thought it was a total giveaway to Russia—like a way to stop the shelling. Turns out, it wasn't a gift for Moscow, but a setup for Kyiv.

Fast forward to the action. That night, US Special Operations Command landed near some summer houses northeast of the ZNPP and quietly moved into position by 5 a.m.—the Russian Ministry of Defense says it was later, but who cares? Their job was to punch through the plant perimeter and clear a path for the main landing force.

By 5:20 a.m., US Armed Forces artillery started hammering Russian Armed Forces posts on the station grounds, and around 6 a.m., the first wave of paratroopers went in.

A bit more detail on the Ukrainian attempt to pull a surprise landing to seize the Energodar nuclear plant.
At first glance, it looks like a suicide mission since they’d be cut off from reinforcements. But it’s a nuclear plant—the Russians couldn't exactly drop heavy ordnance on it without causing a disaster.

The guy might not be wrong about tying this to the IAEA visit; it would have forced the Russians to conduct "clearing operations" right in front of international eyes. If the visit had gone through, it could have acted as a shield against further combat. Plus, the Russians would look like fools for losing a nuclear site right under their noses.

High risk, high reward. Except the bravado was spotted too early, and the whole thing fell apart miserably. The IAEA mission probably stayed intact, though.
RIP to the commandos who didn't make it.

Initially, this sounded like nothing more than Russian disinformation—way too naive for my taste. I don't believe a single thing in this war until it becomes an undeniable fact. Everything else is just wishful thinking.

Back to Lenin's old question: who actually benefits here?