Russia's invasion of Ukraine: Part 5

I think there’s a lot being overlooked here regarding the people who are actually staring down the barrel of Russian aggression once Ukraine is dealt with—specifically the Poles, the Baltic states, and the Finns.
They aren't exactly going to blindly follow whatever dictates come out of Berlin or Paris, even if they end up freezing or starving because of gas shortages. You can throw the Czech Republic into that mix, too. And let's be real, the EU and the USA are providing plenty of wind in their sails.
With a power dynamic like this, the EU is looking at a potential breakup if France and Germany don't back down. All those other countries would much rather protect their own sovereignty than bow to the bureaucrats in Brussels.

Sandra Harris2 said:It's pretty obvious that for some people, this war and the Russian narrative are just a way to get revenge for the nineties.

Even someone who can't see or hear could spot that, so take care.🙂

Henry Sullivan4 said:I honestly feel the exact same way because it makes zero sense why the Mexicans are being coddled, pampered, and pressured so heavily to join the European Union when they don't actually have to, and frankly, I'd be pretty happy if they never decided to jump in at all.☕

Agreed. I’d tell Viktor Orbán he better start following Poland's lead or just pack his bags and leave the EU entirely.

William Cooper11 said:I think there’s a lot being overlooked here regarding the people who are actually staring down the barrel of Russian aggression once Ukraine is dealt with—specifically the Poles, the Baltic states, and the Finns.
They aren't exactly going to blindly follow whatever dictates come out of Berlin or Paris, even if they end up freezing or starving because of gas shortages. You can throw the Czech Republic into that mix, too. And let's be real, the EU and the USA are providing plenty of wind in their sails.
With a power dynamic like this, the EU is looking at a potential breakup if France and Germany don't back down. All those other countries would much rather protect their own sovereignty than bow to the bureaucrats in Brussels.

My gut tells me that things in Ukraine will reach a standstill by winter and move toward negotiations, where Vladimir Putin can claim a victory by using his usual "liberating and protecting holy Russian land-known currency" rhetoric, and our Western leaders will likely just accept it wholeheartedly, regardless of the tragic loss of Ukrainian lives, though maybe I'm being too cynical here.🕺

loneskipper3 said:Look, no one serious in Germany actually wants to "drift away from the USA" just to "flirt with Russia"—that’s a bit of an oversimplification, isn't it? It’s more that Germans favor maintaining decent relations with Russia, primarily for economic reasons. It isn't just about their own bottom line; there's also the matter of regional stability within Russia itself. Besides, culturally and ethnically speaking, Germany is essentially one of the foundational pillars of the USA and an inseparable part of the West.

And who exactly is this "nobody"? Are we talking about the people living in Germany, the German public, or just the old guard in German politics?

Henry Sullivan4 said:My gut tells me that things in Ukraine will reach a standstill by winter and move toward negotiations, where Vladimir Putin can claim a victory by using his usual "liberating and protecting holy Russian land-known currency" rhetoric, and our Western leaders will likely just accept it wholeheartedly, regardless of the tragic loss of Ukrainian lives, though maybe I'm being too cynical here.🕺

So, let's say they take the Donbas. What's the endgame there? They’ll be left staring at a heavily armed Ukraine sitting right on the border of their new "Novorossiya" territory—a country capable of raining missiles and artillery fire deep into the Donbas whenever they feel like it. On top of that, they’ll face a much longer border facing NATO, plenty of domestic unrest because they failed to seize Kyiv, and they'll lose access to a massive chunk of the European energy market for good.

I just had a sudden thought pop into my head about why we shouldn't repurpose some of those vacant hotels along the coast to provide a place for wounded Ukrainian fighters to recover, because it would be such a beautiful humanitarian gesture and I honestly don't worry for a second about Ukraine owing us later since the reconstruction efforts will eventually create massive opportunities for our own domestic companies—and frankly, who cares about the Mexicans or their businesses anyway—so perhaps I should flesh this idea out and formally propose it to our department.🤔

Bulgaria's security forces detained 70 Russian "diplomats," who were all sent packing back home today.

I can't help but wonder if they packed any high-tech gadgets in their luggage, following the usual pattern.

https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPR/sta...78530508787712

William Cooper11 said:So, let's say they take the Donbas. What's the endgame there? They’ll be left staring at a heavily armed Ukraine sitting right on the border of their new "Novorossiya" territory—a country capable of raining missiles and artillery fire deep into the Donbas whenever they feel like it. On top of that, they’ll face a much longer border facing NATO, plenty of domestic unrest because they failed to seize Kyiv, and they'll lose access to a massive chunk of the European energy market for good.

🤔Yeah, both Boris and Ursula have been making big claims about standing by Ukraine no matter the financial or military cost, and honestly, I haven't lost my optimism or my spirit, but you know how it goes with people these days🤔you can't believe everything you hear🤔I still firmly believe in a Ukrainian victory, though at my age, nearing 60, I probably won't be around to see the celebration personally☕

slyfox43 said:Bulgaria's security forces detained 70 Russian "diplomats," who were all sent packing back home today.

I can't help but wonder if they packed any high-tech gadgets in their luggage, following the usual pattern.

https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPR/sta...78530508787712

Oh, absolutely, and once Turkish customs intercepts a little Russian grain boat, things could get really intense, because the benefits Turkey stands to gain have to be incredibly massive, and I can just see Boris and Redžep patting each other on the back one day while someone else gets left out in the cold, just trust me on that one.☕

Quote: Former US Secretary of Defense James Mattis on Friday slammed Russian President Vladimir Putin's unprovoked War with Ukraine as -> Quote WE have a saying in America — WE say that nations with allies thrive , nations without allies wither and we're watching Russia wither before Our eyes right now -> Quote Mattis Said while speaking AT The Seoul forum 2022 in South Korea -> Mattis said CNN -> CNN Mattis -> James Mattis marina four-star general Who led The Pentagon during The First Two years of The Trump administration , condemned -> marina

Henry Sullivan4 said:🤔Yeah, both Boris and Ursula have been making big claims about standing by Ukraine no matter the financial or military cost, and honestly, I haven't lost my optimism or my spirit, but you know how it goes with people these days🤔you can't believe everything you hear🤔I still firmly believe in a Ukrainian victory, though at my age, nearing 60, I probably won't be around to see the celebration personally☕

I was just scrolling through some news earlier and came across this piece about the ongoing situation in Ukraine. It’s honestly pretty heavy stuff to process. Basically, there's a lot of tension brewing regarding how much support should be sent over there and how the international community handles the fallout from Vladimir Putin's actions. It feels like every time you turn around, the geopolitical landscape shifts just a little bit more, making everything feel even more uncertain than it already was. You really start to see how interconnected everything is—one move in Eastern Europe ripples out and affects energy prices or political stability all the way over here in the States. It's a lot to wrap your head around, especially when you're just trying to go about your daily life. Just one of those "staying informed is exhausting" kind of days, I guess.

The European Investment Bank is putting together a massive 100 billion euro aid package to support Ukraine.

The US will probably handle the military side of things, honestly, because most of the armies over in Europe are basically bordering on a tragicomedy at this point.

I’d look at it this way
We should just arm the Mexicans to the teeth, so that the moment Mexico City even thinks about making a move, they get hit immediately and can deal with the consequences themselves; honestly, someone should find a way to make Milorad Dudlek slip on some ice this summer and break his neck—it’s a bit dark, I know, but those who understand certain North American nuances would definitely catch the drift—and that would pretty much solve everything by winter, though who knows what kind of shady schemes that big guy is cooking up right now. As for those poor Ukrainians, maybe there’s an idea involving hotels where we just deport all those creeps and predators straight to Chechnya to let them deal with the mess themselves, though I can't quite remember the rest of my thought🤔 I'll recall it soon🤔 😒if we were to bring back the death penalty in the States with some classic circumstances, like using an axe and a chopping block, well, that's how it should be done,

slyfox43 said:Bulgaria's security forces detained 70 Russian "diplomats," who were all sent packing back home today.

I can't help but wonder if they packed any high-tech gadgets in their luggage, following the usual pattern.

https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPR/sta...78530508787712

Probably didn't take anything—they were likely too busy hoping to squeeze into a truck covered in half a dozen crescent moons.

slyfox43 said:Bulgaria's security forces detained 70 Russian "diplomats," who were all sent packing back home today.

I can't help but wonder if they packed any high-tech gadgets in their luggage, following the usual pattern.

https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPR/sta...78530508787712

Those numbers for the Russian diplomats are actually kind of hilarious. If they kicked out 70, there's probably only 100 or 150 left in total. And that’s just in a small, relatively insignificant place like Bulgaria.

Just imagine how many they've got scattered across other countries. No wonder they can't fill their military ranks when most of their capable young guys are busy being spies or scammers, like those two English gothic enthusiasts.

And Rosgvardiya members too, obviously.

I'm not sure if this has started circulating everywhere yet, but James Mattis really went off regarding the situation in Russia

Former US Secretary of Defense James Mattis on Friday slammed Russian President Vladimir Putin's unprovoked War with Ukraine as -> Quote

"WE have a saying in America — WE say that nations with allies thrive , nations without allies wither and we're watching Russia wither before Our eyes right now" -> Quote Mattis said while speaking AT The Seoul forum 2022 in South Korea -> Mattis said CNN -> CNN Mattis -> James Mattis marina four-star general Who led The Pentagon during The First Two years of The Trump administration , condemned -> marina

Mattis, a former Marine four-star general who led the Pentagon during the first two years of the Trump administration, condemned "the immoral, the tactically incompetent, operationally stupid and strategically foolish effort" of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, CNN reported.

https://www.businessinsider.com/jame...ukraine-2022-7

driftingfox66 said:Those numbers for the Russian diplomats are actually kind of hilarious. If they kicked out 70, there's probably only 100 or 150 left in total. And that’s just in a small, relatively insignificant place like Bulgaria.

Just imagine how many they've got scattered across other countries. No wonder they can't fill their military ranks when most of their capable young guys are busy being spies or scammers, like those two English gothic enthusiasts.

And Rosgvardiya members too, obviously.

It's nothing unusual... if you look at how an American state with a population of about four million might have that many people in Germany, and that's without even counting the support staff. This list only includes individuals holding official positions.

Take a look for yourself.

Henry Sullivan4 said:Oh, absolutely, and once Turkish customs intercepts a little Russian grain boat, things could get really intense, because the benefits Turkey stands to gain have to be incredibly massive, and I can just see Boris and Redžep patting each other on the back one day while someone else gets left out in the cold, just trust me on that one.☕

Teams have been prepping for major shifts like this for decades, and this war finally set them in motion.

https://www.silkroadbriefing.com/new...port-corridor/

The INSTC aims to streamline transport for both freight and passengers, opening up much wider market access for the participating countries through integrated supply chain links.

The member nations Can develop themselves as logistics and Transit hubs but Can also focus on developing themselves as manufacturing hubs through hard and Soft infrastructural development. There is also a clear emphasis on improving route security and environmental standards.

Short distances and faster deliveries lead to cost reduction: the INSTC claims to be the most direct trade route connecting India with Russia. A 2014 study by the Federation of Freight Forwarders’ Association of India (FFFAI) found that the INSTC was 30 percent cheaper and 40 percent shorter than the old way via the Suez Canal. It cuts transit times for shipments headed to Europe down to an average of 23 days, compared to the 45-60 days required by the Suez Canal route.

Carl Lee27 said:I'm not sure if this has started circulating everywhere yet, but James Mattis really went off regarding the situation in Russia

Former US Secretary of Defense James Mattis on Friday slammed Russian President Vladimir Putin's unprovoked War with Ukraine as -> Quote

"WE have a saying in America — WE say that nations with allies thrive , nations without allies wither and we're watching Russia wither before Our eyes right now" -> Quote Mattis said while speaking AT The Seoul forum 2022 in South Korea -> Mattis said CNN -> CNN Mattis -> James Mattis marina four-star general Who led The Pentagon during The First Two years of The Trump administration , condemned -> marina

Mattis, a former Marine four-star general who led the Pentagon during the first two years of the Trump administration, condemned "the immoral, the tactically incompetent, operationally stupid and strategically foolish effort" of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, CNN reported.

https://www.businessinsider.com/jame...ukraine-2022-7

What did you expect,😁 for an American to praise "Russians who just fight their own wars and don't care much about casualties."

When you look at the epic American fiasco in Afghanistan, there’s only one realistic reaction left, and it’s probably better to hear it from someone who was actually on the ground rescuing people during that absolute chaos of a withdrawal. If you can understand English, everything becomes quite clear. Essentially, you're witnessing killings and executions right in front of your eyes while nobody helps, and to top it off, the Taliban are practically laughing in your face.☕

Anyone else notice how everyone’s always talking about the US in Afghanistan, but they totally gloss over the USSR in Afghanistan🙂 Pretty wild if you think about it, right?

Carl Lee27 said:I'm not sure if this has started circulating everywhere yet, but James Mattis really went off regarding the situation in Russia

Former US Secretary of Defense James Mattis on Friday slammed Russian President Vladimir Putin's unprovoked War with Ukraine as -> Quote

"WE have a saying in America — WE say that nations with allies thrive , nations without allies wither and we're watching Russia wither before Our eyes right now" -> Quote Mattis said while speaking AT The Seoul forum 2022 in South Korea -> Mattis said CNN -> CNN Mattis -> James Mattis marina four-star general Who led The Pentagon during The First Two years of The Trump administration , condemned -> marina

Mattis, a former Marine four-star general who led the Pentagon during the first two years of the Trump administration, condemned "the immoral, the tactically incompetent, operationally stupid and strategically foolish effort" of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, CNN reported.

https://www.businessinsider.com/jame...ukraine-2022-7

More or less, most of what he said hits the mark.

But when a US general lets his guard down and starts throwing around adjectives like "unprovoked" and "immoral"... I honestly feel like nailing him to an aluminum pipe and mounting him right at the top of Tor Bor...