Russia's invasion of Ukraine: Part 5

James Chavez91 said:It’s just sickness, honestly. It’s reached a point where it isn't even propaganda anymore, or funny, or even sad—it's just pure sickness.
I don't know what kind of sickness it is, or what's happening to these "people," but nobody there seems sane anymore, and I guess that's how they should be treated and perceived.

I really wish the West had gone all-in militarily from day one, whatever that might have entailed.
This kind of madness needs to be completely uprooted, locked away, and then the key thrown away forever.
In comparison, an ISIS supporter sounds like the voice of reason against these lunatics.

That would mean WW3
So, you're calling it sickness and madness?

Actually, I think it’s perfectly sane to wish that WW3 had started already.🤦

placidtiger142 said:Look, this isn't some joke. You can't just laugh off how insane the Russians have gone, or all the absolute garbage they spout on their national news networks.

It’s exactly how you prep a population to be obedient.

It's blatant brainwashing—just endless, mindless babble—and most people are just gonna soak it up until it becomes their reality.

The education level there is pathetic. They're struggling. For a lot of them, even having decent internet was a luxury, and now even that’s being censored.

All they get is pure propaganda. When a system like that starts screaming that NATO is the enemy, that America is attacking Russia, that they're trying to wipe them out, or that they could sink the UK with a single missile... you repeat that for months and months, and eventually, people start believing it.

They wouldn't have been able to pull off a mass mobilization at the start of the war, but this disgusting brainwashing creates this collective agreement with total bullshit.

There just aren't enough smart, educated, or well-informed people to push back when they're such a tiny minority.

Honestly, this feels like 1930s Germany, maybe even worse, but the playbook is identical.

Relentless lying eventually becomes "truth" once it hits the masses.

Bottom line: I don't think anyone pulls stunts like this just to cover up losses. I'd say they go this extreme because there's a much bigger endgame in play.

I'm terrified that if this war drags on, after two years of this nonstop bombardment, these naive people will actually start looking for rifles themselves. It won't be their fault, obviously, but these guys will keep washing their brains until it sticks, and that takes time.

The Germans ran what was probably the most effective propaganda in history, and even then, it took them a decade to totally wreck their nation.

With the Russians, because of the education gap and everything else, it might happen even faster, but still, you can't flip a switch overnight.

Sure, plenty of people doubt it at first, but given enough time, enough people will kneel just to stay on the winning side. At least the unified ones.

If even 30% end up supporting a total war, that's basically a majority, because everyone else will be split into tiny little factions of 4%, 12%, 16%, and so on.

Anyway, this kind of attitude toward their own people is seriously alarming.

Putin doesn't give a damn if 50k of them die or 20 million...

That's why I'm hoping the Ukrainians can really hammer them home in the next few months once things get serious. If they can win fast enough before the Russians finish brainwashing everyone, the regime will turn inward on itself. Even if I don't personally think a full-scale mobilization will actually happen, it would trigger the biggest chaos imaginable. A nasty WW3 scenario where we all get screwed, and many of us end up on the front lines through no fault of our own...

You've got it wrong. Mobilization would have been much easier at the start of the war; today, it would just look like a sign of weakness—like they can't beat Ukraine with a regular army, so they have to resort to a bunch of untrained mobs with AKs.

Besides, all that Russian military propaganda isn't even really about tricking locals into charging at the front lines; it’s more about drilling that "we're invincible" mindset into people while they mock and belittle the opposition to make themselves feel superior. I mean, let's be real—I haven't seen any massive waves of volunteers flooding in from places like Moscow or Saint Petersburg to head over to Ukraine.

So, I could basically say we were steamrolling through Ukraine, grabbing territory left and right, until suddenly the West decides to jump in—you know, the US, the UK, all of them. And now, because they couldn't just sit on their hands while we were doing our thing, we have to deal with the fallout since they meddled in our war... it's wild, man...

It’s way easier for them to just push mobilization through to keep the gears turning and keep the West more deeply involved. They're all in on this.

placidtiger142 said:So, I could basically say we were steamrolling through Ukraine, grabbing territory left and right, until suddenly the West decides to jump in—you know, the US, the UK, all of them. And now, because they couldn't just sit on their hands while we were doing our thing, we have to deal with the fallout since they meddled in our war... it's wild, man...

It’s way easier for them to just push mobilization through to keep the gears turning and keep the West more deeply involved. They're all in on this.

If you listen to what some Russians themselves are saying—and yeah, their own media outlets back this up too—the whole reason there isn't a massive mobilization right now isn't actually about what the West is doing or how long this conflict has been dragging on. No, it’s deeper than that. It's because there's this unwritten social contract between Putin and the American people over there; basically, Putin gets to stay in power and run the show however he wants for as long as he damn well pleases, provided the average Russian citizen still feels like they have some semblance of social security, steady jobs, and enough vodka to forget it all. Sending those people off to war would totally blow up that deal, wouldn't it? And honestly, Putin can't exactly bet his life on the loyalty of "soldiers" who feel like their stability was traded away for a frontline seat.

And honestly, it doesn't even make sense to think they'll trigger a mass mobilization just by announcing a formal war against the NATO alliance; I mean, let's be real here—if Russia can't even wrap their arms around Ukraine despite them being decked out with all that NATO hardware, what kind of suicide mission is it to take on the full weight of NATO? There's zero chance. At that point, you're just looking at the nuclear option, which is basically just total annihilation where nobody actually wins.

hollowdriver13 said:https://mobile.twitter.com/Goncharen...C-jcn29corAAAA 🍿

Vladimir Solovyov is having another absolute epic meltdown 😂

He seems to have developed this weirdly intense obsession with the German language lately

"what the fuck is her name?" 🤣

Today, a prosecutor and a few Russian administrators from the occupied territories finally met their Maker..
On another note—does anyone have an update on what happened at the Beginning?
There were rumors flying around about a trial, with talk that he’d either face a firing squad or nothing at all..
As for Denis Pushilin, word on the street is he really pulled through for Russia after that last operation—though nothing is official yet..

I honestly thought this level of pure idiocy was reserved strictly for some low-rent cable news networks back east

analogbear5 said:General mobilization in Russia boils down to this:

- Any employee drafted has to keep getting paid—which means companies are basically choosing between mass layoffs or just going bankrupt.
- The mobilized troops are missing two huge things: motivation and actual experience.
- Americans who aren't directly feeling the heat from the war right now? They’ll change their tune once they or their families start getting hauled off to the front lines.

Russian TV propaganda is really just a mirror of how the current regime operates. Honestly, I’m pretty sure a large chunk of the Russian public thinks something completely different in private than what they let on under the thumb of the repressive state apparatus.

On top of that, their demographics are a mess. They're losing kids in the war while all the educated people are fleeing across the border.

bluemason3 said:On top of that, their demographics are a mess. They're losing kids in the war while all the educated people are fleeing across the border.

Honestly, it’s entirely possible that Russia's biggest win so far is just their propaganda machine, which somehow still manages to land perfectly—not just back in Russia itself, but across the whole "Global South" (think India, Africa, Latin America), even in the North America, and let's not forget those fringe parties over in the West and all those uneducated types everywhere else.

In my opinion, a general mobilization in Russia is about as likely as them actually using nuclear weapons.

Vladimir Putin and the Russian elite survive on propaganda, lies, and strictly controlling the narrative. They still insist on calling this a "special military operation." Honestly, just bringing up the idea of mobilization is the biggest admission they could make—that things aren't going according to plan. I won't even get started on the massive logistical and financial headaches such a move would trigger (someone else already covered that part).

Besides, it makes them look like they're acting like North Koreans. But they aren't. About 70% of the population lives in major cities that were basically Westernized in terms of lifestyle before the invasion. You can only imagine how much those millennials in Moscow are actually willing to volunteer for a war or go out of their way to support the destruction of Ukraine.

Like someone else pointed out, once these neighbors of ours started trading gunfire, everything became pretty clear. And I'm betting their intelligence agencies know a hell of a lot more than we do.

gentlerider7 said:Honestly, it’s entirely possible that Russia's biggest win so far is just their propaganda machine, which somehow still manages to land perfectly—not just back in Russia itself, but across the whole "Global South" (think India, Africa, Latin America), even in the North America, and let's not forget those fringe parties over in the West and all those uneducated types everywhere else.

I don't know how accurate this is, but the "Global South" has its own massive headaches—while those Western "extremists"—who were probably just stuck dealing with the wave of Russian imperialism in the first place—now see them as being totally cornered and controlled by the West and some "globalist agenda"... so yeah, they're still missing the point. External prosthesis—seriously? What kind of nonsense is that even supposed to be?.
That’s exactly where the "secret sauce" of Russian propaganda lies—right there.

Rachel Barrett8 said:That would mean WW3
So, you're calling it sickness and madness?

Actually, I think it’s perfectly sane to wish that WW3 had started already.🤦

Look, I realize what I wrote was pretty harsh.
But I honestly think a swift, decisive response at the very beginning might have had a better shot at deterrence without leading to this massive escalation we're seeing now.
The thing people need to wrap their heads around is that right now, Putin doesn't really have many good options left—at least not for himself.
We’d all be thrilled if he just said, "Fine, I messed up, let's pull back," but that’s almost certainly not going to happen. Even the idea of his own people stepping in is unlikely, given how their whole system is built. All the key players are tied directly to him—including those famous oligarchs who wouldn't be anything without him.
What's left is a general mobilization, which is a massive double-edged sword for him—either as a tactical move in Ukraine or something else entirely—and I don't know how anyone is supposed to respond to that...?!
I'm just saying, maybe all of this could have been handled much differently at the start by actually showing some strength, rather than these endless, pointless meetings at mile-long conference tables.

"Look, I know we're living in times where war just doesn't make sense, and I actually mentioned that to you over the phone," Modi told Putin on the sidelines of the regional security summit held in Uzbekistan, while also pointing out how democracy, diplomacy, and actual dialogue are basically the only things keeping the whole world from falling apart.

Putin replied that he totally gets why Modi is so worried about the situation in Ukraine.

"I am fully aware of your stance regarding the conflict in Ukraine and I completely understand why you're concerned. Our goal is to see this all wrap up as quickly as possible."

So honestly, if everyone is on the same page, I don't even know what we're waiting for, let's just get this moving already ☕

Gregory Ramos3 said:

"Look, I know we're living in times where war just doesn't make sense, and I actually mentioned that to you over the phone," Modi told Putin on the sidelines of the regional security summit held in Uzbekistan, while also pointing out how democracy, diplomacy, and actual dialogue are basically the only things keeping the whole world from falling apart.

Putin replied that he totally gets why Modi is so worried about the situation in Ukraine.

"I am fully aware of your stance regarding the conflict in Ukraine and I completely understand why you're concerned. Our goal is to see this all wrap up as quickly as possible."

So honestly, if everyone is on the same page, I don't even know what we're waiting for, let's just get this moving already ☕

They’d wrap this whole thing up in a heartbeat if there was actually something left to gain from it, you know? But let's be real—from the moment the West decided to step up and back Ukraine with basically endless resources, the Russians have been stuck in the passenger seat watching everything go by. There isn't a winning scenario left on the table for them, and we all know how history treats the Russian elite when they lose wars or major strategic battles. They know exactly how those stories end.

Gregory Ramos3 said:

"Look, I know we're living in times where war just doesn't make sense, and I actually mentioned that to you over the phone," Modi told Putin on the sidelines of the regional security summit held in Uzbekistan, while also pointing out how democracy, diplomacy, and actual dialogue are basically the only things keeping the whole world from falling apart.

Putin replied that he totally gets why Modi is so worried about the situation in Ukraine.

"I am fully aware of your stance regarding the conflict in Ukraine and I completely understand why you're concerned. Our goal is to see this all wrap up as quickly as possible."

So honestly, if everyone is on the same page, I don't even know what we're waiting for, let's just get this moving already ☕

What does Putin actually gain by pulling out of all of Ukraine right now?

A State crippled by sanctions, stripped of Crimea, mourning 50,000 dead and at least twice as many wounded. Any talk of lifting those sanctions will inevitably be tied to massive reparations. NATO is positioned on his borders in ways never seen before, and Kazakhstan is steadily drifting out of the Russian sphere of influence. Weapon stockpiles have been gutted, conventional military capacity is severely depleted, and the military—the State itself—has suffered a massive blow to its prestige.
For him, this simply isn't a viable path. It either ends in a total battlefield defeat for the Rus, or a regime change at the White House. I don't see any other way this war stops.

Nancy Gomez26 said:What does Putin actually gain by pulling out of all of Ukraine right now?

A State crippled by sanctions, stripped of Crimea, mourning 50,000 dead and at least twice as many wounded. Any talk of lifting those sanctions will inevitably be tied to massive reparations. NATO is positioned on his borders in ways never seen before, and Kazakhstan is steadily drifting out of the Russian sphere of influence. Weapon stockpiles have been gutted, conventional military capacity is severely depleted, and the military—the State itself—has suffered a massive blow to its prestige.
For him, this simply isn't a viable path. It either ends in a total battlefield defeat for the Rus, or a regime change at the White House. I don't see any other way this war stops.

https://mobile.twitter.com/NeilPHaue...DQ8ZeKw8wrAAAA

And now Armenia has basically admitted that the CSTO—that famous "Russian NATO"—is a totally useless organization. The collapse of the Russian "sphere of influence" is seriously picking up steam.

Nancy Gomez26 said:What does Putin actually gain by pulling out of all of Ukraine right now?

A State crippled by sanctions, stripped of Crimea, mourning 50,000 dead and at least twice as many wounded. Any talk of lifting those sanctions will inevitably be tied to massive reparations. NATO is positioned on his borders in ways never seen before, and Kazakhstan is steadily drifting out of the Russian sphere of influence. Weapon stockpiles have been gutted, conventional military capacity is severely depleted, and the military—the State itself—has suffered a massive blow to its prestige.
For him, this simply isn't a viable path. It either ends in a total battlefield defeat for the Rus, or a regime change at the White House. I don't see any other way this war stops.

Look, Russia is going to keep spinning even after Putin is gone, since he's definitely not the first leader to act like the whole State revolves around him.

Honestly, I feel like Putin's story is pretty much written at this point, and there really isn't any scenario where he walks away with anything resembling a win.☕

The real headache is just figuring out how much of Russia and its people he's going to drag down with him, because every single day that passes just makes the fallout even harder to deal with down the road.🙂

If he were actually a Good sport, he'd just admit he lost, step down, and apologize to his people for all the hardship they're facing for years to come... but obviously, that's not happening, because he'd probably end up stuck somewhere in Siberia at best.

James Chavez91 said:Look, I realize what I wrote was pretty harsh.
But I honestly think a swift, decisive response at the very beginning might have had a better shot at deterrence without leading to this massive escalation we're seeing now.
The thing people need to wrap their heads around is that right now, Putin doesn't really have many good options left—at least not for himself.
We’d all be thrilled if he just said, "Fine, I messed up, let's pull back," but that’s almost certainly not going to happen. Even the idea of his own people stepping in is unlikely, given how their whole system is built. All the key players are tied directly to him—including those famous oligarchs who wouldn't be anything without him.
What's left is a general mobilization, which is a massive double-edged sword for him—either as a tactical move in Ukraine or something else entirely—and I don't know how anyone is supposed to respond to that...?!
I'm just saying, maybe all of this could have been handled much differently at the start by actually showing some strength, rather than these endless, pointless meetings at mile-long conference tables.

And honestly, since everyone keeps pointing to those Americans for leadership, let's look at the track record: just recently, the U.S. abruptly pulled out of several countries amidst a huge amount of drama, practically leaving former allies high and dry. If other nations want to follow their "brave" lead, they can just walk away from these expensive commitments too.