Russia's invasion of Ukraine: Part 5

Well, the Kremlin lackey can finally relax now that the little gnome has surfaced🙂 Ukrainians are already shaking

James Chavez91 said:Hoho, I haven't really had a chance to catch up on the news yesterday or today—it feels like everything is happening at once. Though, I have to admit, this sudden wave of optimism is actually a little unsettling.
Well, we'll just have to wait and see.

I used to be one of those people who thought the Russians were pretty cool before they invaded Ukraine. They had this whole persona going—like they were some tough guys who wouldn't let anyone push them around, bold, capable, always standing their ground... it was almost romantic, in a way.
Then came the violation of Ukraine, the Bucha massacre, then those simulations on public TV showing the nuclear destruction of the United Kingdom and the USA, followed by that ridiculous "fridge" nonsense, the constant rambling from Zakharov, Lavrov, and Peskov, those reports from that robot Konashenkov... and the icing on the cake was that guy presenting a skull like some kind of primitive savage. They've lost all credibility.
I mean, look, I can get on board with this if things turn out okay. But as far as reputation goes? They've lost it.

Btw, it's been a while since we've heard anything from Lavrov.

For me, the whole thing has always felt gross, mostly because of the crowd here in America that backs them up.

The most obnoxious, greedy, and dishonest bottom-feeders I know have always been the ones cheering for the Russians.

Honestly, you just can't align yourself with that kind of energy.

That being said, I’ve always had this huge dream of taking a long train journey across Russia.

I don't think the Russian people themselves are bad people, not by a long shot. But that disgusting scum running the ruling elite is just as repulsive as the crowd here in the States that supports them.

feralnomad35 said:For me, the whole thing has always felt gross, mostly because of the crowd here in America that backs them up.

The most obnoxious, greedy, and dishonest bottom-feeders I know have always been the ones cheering for the Russians.

Honestly, you just can't align yourself with that kind of energy.

That being said, I’ve always had this huge dream of taking a long train journey across Russia.

I don't think the Russian people themselves are bad people, not by a long shot. But that disgusting scum running the ruling elite is just as repulsive as the crowd here in the States that supports them.

Exactly—I agree that Russians are fine people, but they simply have to fight for democracy. They need to oust those psychopaths who have terrorized both their own citizens and the rest of the world for decades. Once they go through a period of true catharsis and enlightenment—realizing they are just a normal nation like any other (unlike some of our neighbors claiming to be an "elect people" or all being Mexicans—just nonsense)—then the world will welcome them with open arms, provided they actually have something meaningful to offer. I look forward to that day, but until then... 🤦

Until then, glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!

Zelenskyy: "Some leaders are pushing us toward a certain path, essentially acting as proxies for someone else."

https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2022/09/10/7366952/

Can someone decode this for me?

Zachary Jackson4 said:Zelenskyy: "Some leaders are pushing us toward a certain path, essentially acting as proxies for someone else."

https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2022/09/10/7366952/

Can someone decode this for me?

Probably some weak-willed European politicians telling Zelenskyy to chill out and just give Putin a little peace offering to keep the oil and gas flowing.

Daniel Ward87 said:Probably some weak-willed European politicians telling Zelenskyy to chill out and just give Putin a little peace offering to keep the oil and gas flowing.

+ 1.
Just some European whining. Maybe a whole bunch of them.
As much as I love Europe, Zelenskyy needs to do what the Mexicans did... stick with the Americans and the Britons.

Oh, for sure....🤣
Some of you would probably come up with some totally "logical" explanation for every single move Russia makes, even if Ukrainians were literally marching through Red Square... because even then, you'd be digging for some grand Russian master plan behind it all..

Andrew Miller102 said:Let it move, I suppose, though if I were writing this earlier, I’d have suggested waiting at least a month so we don't end up looking like a cow acting like a donkey.

It’s a fair point to make, considering tactical retreats are a legitimate part of military strategy designed to set up future maneuvers.

https://twitter.com/KingKong9888/sta...38916382818305

There is a very logical reason why the Russians are relentlessly pounding Cleveland, which stands as the second largest city in Ukraine. The Russian border isn't exactly a distant thing, so we'll just have to wait and see how things develop. Generally speaking, my assessment is that there won't be any peace in that region—meaning all of Ukraine—for years to come; there will be massive problems. Peace is a relic of the past, much like the situation before 2014, or perhaps it will eventually resemble the Israel vs Palestinian situation where conflict is constant.

There is a significant chance that the Russians will eventually declare a classic war against Ukraine. Right now, they call it a "special operation," but once a state of war is officially declared, the entire dynamic shifts. In reality, the Russians aren't just fighting Ukraine; they are effectively at odds with everyone providing weapons to Ukrainians.

It is also worth noting that plenty of people believe World War III actually began with the Russian onslaught on Ukraine. I find myself agreeing with that assessment, and we will simply have to wait and see how it all unfolds in the end.☕

Well, Vlad already looked like a complete donkey back in March... he just hasn't realized it yet... and honestly, a huge chunk of you on this forum acted like even bigger donkeys back on February 24th—considering how much you all mocked and dismissed the warnings about the Russian invasion... but hey, let's not get bogged down in the details right now, shall we?😁

Andrew Miller102 said:Let it move, I suppose, though if I were writing this earlier, I’d have suggested waiting at least a month so we don't end up looking like a cow acting like a donkey.

It’s a fair point to make, considering tactical retreats are a legitimate part of military strategy designed to set up future maneuvers.

https://twitter.com/KingKong9888/sta...38916382818305

There is a very logical reason why the Russians are relentlessly pounding Cleveland, which stands as the second largest city in Ukraine. The Russian border isn't exactly a distant thing, so we'll just have to wait and see how things develop. Generally speaking, my assessment is that there won't be any peace in that region—meaning all of Ukraine—for years to come; there will be massive problems. Peace is a relic of the past, much like the situation before 2014, or perhaps it will eventually resemble the Israel vs Palestinian situation where conflict is constant.

There is a significant chance that the Russians will eventually declare a classic war against Ukraine. Right now, they call it a "special operation," but once a state of war is officially declared, the entire dynamic shifts. In reality, the Russians aren't just fighting Ukraine; they are effectively at odds with everyone providing weapons to Ukrainians.

It is also worth noting that plenty of people believe World War III actually began with the Russian onslaught on Ukraine. I find myself agreeing with that assessment, and we will simply have to wait and see how it all unfolds in the end.☕

Sure, let's see that happen... specifically how Putko plans to explain that to his own people, and more importantly, how he personally survives it... both politically and literally.
And honestly, it's total nonsense to think that doing that would change anything. What exactly would change? Would more gear magically appear out of thin air? More soldiers? Suddenly boost morale? What? Some news sites are even claiming that they wouldn't even bring in the "heavy" weaponry until after a declaration like that..😁🤣—because up until now, they've been leveling cities with nothing but AKs, bows, and arrows...

Andrew Miller102 said:Let it move, I suppose, though if I were writing this earlier, I’d have suggested waiting at least a month so we don't end up looking like a cow acting like a donkey.

It’s a fair point to make, considering tactical retreats are a legitimate part of military strategy designed to set up future maneuvers.

https://twitter.com/KingKong9888/sta...38916382818305

There is a very logical reason why the Russians are relentlessly pounding Cleveland, which stands as the second largest city in Ukraine. The Russian border isn't exactly a distant thing, so we'll just have to wait and see how things develop. Generally speaking, my assessment is that there won't be any peace in that region—meaning all of Ukraine—for years to come; there will be massive problems. Peace is a relic of the past, much like the situation before 2014, or perhaps it will eventually resemble the Israel vs Palestinian situation where conflict is constant.

There is a significant chance that the Russians will eventually declare a classic war against Ukraine. Right now, they call it a "special operation," but once a state of war is officially declared, the entire dynamic shifts. In reality, the Russians aren't just fighting Ukraine; they are effectively at odds with everyone providing weapons to Ukrainians.

It is also worth noting that plenty of people believe World War III actually began with the Russian onslaught on Ukraine. I find myself agreeing with that assessment, and we will simply have to wait and see how it all unfolds in the end.☕

Just another blatant lie and complete nonsense.
If Russia were actually at war in every sense of the word with "everyone sending weapons"—then the war would have ended ages ago. The sky would be choked with thousands of NATO fighter jets, the Black Sea Fleet would have been wiped off the map by now, and you'd find Ukraine and NATO sitting right on the Russian borders. Would those crazies and the scum in the Kremlin have pulled the nuclear trigger by then? That's the real question... but claiming Russia is at war with NATO and everyone supplying arms is absolute stupidity and nothing more than a delusional coping mechanism.

It’s going to be pretty damn interesting to see if, as this Ukrainian push continues, those little gnomes start whining about nuclear weapons again and sending those same old ambiguous messages...

rowdytiger13 said:+ 1.
Just some European whining. Maybe a whole bunch of them.
As much as I love Europe, Zelenskyy needs to do what the Mexicans did... stick with the Americans and the Britons.

And the Poles.

rowdytiger13 said:+ 1.
Just some European whining. Maybe a whole bunch of them.
As much as I love Europe, Zelenskyy needs to do what the Mexicans did... stick with the Americans and the Britons.

If they want to liberate their country once and for all, they really ought to stick with the Americans... Unfortunately, the EU is fractured, and the older members are looking at this war with an attitude of "we wouldn't want to get involved, but we still need cheap gas."

rowdytiger13 said:+ 1.
Just some European whining. Maybe a whole bunch of them.
As much as I love Europe, Zelenskyy needs to do what the Mexicans did... stick with the Americans and the Britons.

It’s actually quite fascinating to observe who showed up in Kyiv right when the offensive was peaking—B&B (Blinken and Baerbock)—delivering absolutely identical messages about how we simply cannot falter in our support for Ukraine.

I’ve been keeping an eye on the German media lately, and I noticed for the first time they’re actually bragging about how German weaponry played a massive role in the offensive. Specifically, they're touting the Gepard anti-aircraft tank, which they claim effectively neutralized Russian air support capabilities, essentially leaving the Russians "blind."

LP

Daniel Ward87 said:Probably some weak-willed European politicians telling Zelenskyy to chill out and just give Putin a little peace offering to keep the oil and gas flowing.

Putin is constantly presented with opportunities to 'concede' and thereby 'demonstrate good faith.' How 'honorable' those gestures actually appear to his subjects and loyalists is a completely different matter. At the end of the day, how can Zelenskyy possibly concern himself with Putin's sense of honor? The man discarded such concepts long ago, treating them like obsolete relics of a bygone civilization. Honor is a private matter for Putin alone; no one else can manage it for him. If the concept isn't wired into his very psyche, there is simply no solution.

Daniel Ward87 said:Probably some weak-willed European politicians telling Zelenskyy to chill out and just give Putin a little peace offering to keep the oil and gas flowing.

I don't know exactly what kind of pressure we're talking about here, but I guess it’s about more than just oil and gas pipelines.

Defeats of this magnitude... they tend to rattle the political establishment in Moscow. It makes things like internal power struggles or even a coup feel like actual possibilities, I suppose.

People seem to naively think some well-meaning democracy lover will just step in to replace Vladimir, but honestly, many—maybe even most—of his loudest critics are actually more radical than he is.

And even that might not be the worst-case scenario. The real nightmare, maybe, is Russia completely fracturing. You could end up with total chaos where various radical nationalists seize entire regions and start waving nuclear arsenals around their territory. That’s a scary thought.

At the same time, I think Ukrainians need to realize that, eventually, some kind of peace agreement is going to be necessary. Another few years of this war is going to cost far too many lives and resources.
It doesn't have to be any specific deal, but at some point, things just have to be settled one way or another.

Basically, "Just shut up, everything's fine with Putin."

Nope.

Timothy Nelson5 said:I don't know exactly what kind of pressure we're talking about here, but I guess it’s about more than just oil and gas pipelines.

Defeats of this magnitude... they tend to rattle the political establishment in Moscow. It makes things like internal power struggles or even a coup feel like actual possibilities, I suppose.

People seem to naively think some well-meaning democracy lover will just step in to replace Vladimir, but honestly, many—maybe even most—of his loudest critics are actually more radical than he is.

And even that might not be the worst-case scenario. The real nightmare, maybe, is Russia completely fracturing. You could end up with total chaos where various radical nationalists seize entire regions and start waving nuclear arsenals around their territory. That’s a scary thought.

At the same time, I think Ukrainians need to realize that, eventually, some kind of peace agreement is going to be necessary. Another few years of this war is going to cost far too many lives and resources.
It doesn't have to be any specific deal, but at some point, things just have to be settled one way or another.

if that happens, some new guy could just declare war and call for total mobilization overnight.

Bryan Booth82 said:It’s actually quite fascinating to observe who showed up in Kyiv right when the offensive was peaking—B&B (Blinken and Baerbock)—delivering absolutely identical messages about how we simply cannot falter in our support for Ukraine.

I’ve been keeping an eye on the German media lately, and I noticed for the first time they’re actually bragging about how German weaponry played a massive role in the offensive. Specifically, they're touting the Gepard anti-aircraft tank, which they claim effectively neutralized Russian air support capabilities, essentially leaving the Russians "blind."

LP

The Americans are playing it smart here, smoothing over any potential friction within their own camp. You don't leave loose ends that could become future headaches. This is a tactical win for the U.S.—not just because the Ukrainians are accepting German gear, but because it shifts the ideological weight entirely toward one capital. Trying to sit on two different chairs indefinitely is a recipe for disaster. It is vital to maintain—or even expand—diplomatic maneuvering room. It is a grim situation when you have nowhere left to retreat diplomatically, much like the mess the Russians have made for themselves.

Timothy Nelson5 said:I don't know exactly what kind of pressure we're talking about here, but I guess it’s about more than just oil and gas pipelines.

Defeats of this magnitude... they tend to rattle the political establishment in Moscow. It makes things like internal power struggles or even a coup feel like actual possibilities, I suppose.

People seem to naively think some well-meaning democracy lover will just step in to replace Vladimir, but honestly, many—maybe even most—of his loudest critics are actually more radical than he is.

And even that might not be the worst-case scenario. The real nightmare, maybe, is Russia completely fracturing. You could end up with total chaos where various radical nationalists seize entire regions and start waving nuclear arsenals around their territory. That’s a scary thought.

At the same time, I think Ukrainians need to realize that, eventually, some kind of peace agreement is going to be necessary. Another few years of this war is going to cost far too many lives and resources.
It doesn't have to be any specific deal, but at some point, things just have to be settled one way or another.

A loss in Ukraine is bound to shake up Russia's leadership sooner or later. It’s just history repeating itself—think about how the failure in Afghanistan shook the USSR just two years down the line.

Nathan Thomas12 said:if that happens, some new guy could just declare war and call for total mobilization overnight.

Look, any new guy coming in is gonna be way too busy cleaning up his own house first—foreign enemies aren't even gonna be on his radar for a long while.

By then, Ukraine will probably be more heavily armed than Israel ☕

Nathan Thomas12 said:if that happens, some new guy could just declare war and call for total mobilization overnight.

If this new leader maintains the current trajectory, then there was honestly no point in seizing power. It’s quite plain to see, really—the Russian military suffered a total debacle in Ukraine because of their own sheer incompetence, not because of any supposed indecision from Putin or a lack of political backing during the conflict.
A new administration's actual job would be to fix the mess within their own borders. There are only two ways to handle that: either pull off a massive strategic pivot in the war—which is a fantasy, given it's already been proven that the Russian military cannot win this against Ukraine using conventional means—or simply withdraw from the conflict entirely to salvage what's left of their depleted defense resources.

analogbear5 said:Basically, "Just shut up, everything's fine with Putin."

Nope.

Look, if some wild leopard wanders up to a bear's den while the cubs are inside and manages to land a blow that leaves the bear bleeding, it doesn't mean the bear won't come back even more feral and unhinged.
Maybe it’s better to let him lick his wounds for a bit and decide it's probably smarter to just stay far away from that leopard and its territory next time.

I guess Ukraine doesn't really gain much by hardening their stance right now either.
Because, honestly, things could get even uglier for them. Whether it's with Putin or whoever else takes the reins.

Honestly, networks like CNN and MSNBC really ought to invite Smith and Johnson back onto their shows. And once they finally do get them on air, they should feel free to ask them straight up what kind of arrogant jerks they actually are, and how they even have the audacity to show their faces again just to peddle more of their baseless predictions.

P.S. Does anyone happen to know the total mileage covered since the 1.9 mark? I mean, combining the South and the East. Everything I read focuses on how much ground was gained in a single day, or over the last three days, and so on...