[Politics] Russia invades Ukraine (24/02/2022)

[raymondo]

Just sling the facist dictator and his minions out of the EU

Hopefully their next election, IF fair and not manipulated by Russia or MUSK (), will see Orban lose democratically.
I liked all Hungarians that I met and worked with...please turn out and do the right thing guys.

 

[raymondo]

Mrs sent me a few of these types of clips yesterday, theyre on instagram if you have it? (hopefully you can still view it).

Its started a viral craze in Ukraine of people post mock videos of getting dressed up in suits etc to go to shelters when sirens sound. This is one such video.

Ukrainians have great humour

 

[raymondo]

They've obviously had enough of him, and can't afford to allow him to veto or delay important decisions, so they are moving now.

No doubt Vance will say it's undemocratic.

He will (Musk will shout it loudly) - but shouting down the President of Ukraine, accusing him of having talked too much, when in reality he WASN'T ALLOWED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS was fine

 

[Algernon]

Another sign the EU means business and is preparing for the future:

Brown tongued utterly spineless coward.

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

 

[raymondo]

I'm imagining thousands of American engineers, miners, construction, real estate contractors, bags packed, staying in US airport hotels just waiting for the minerals and infrastructure memorandum to be signed.
A kind of 'human, economic shield '.
Am I wrong,?

 

[OzMike]

There is a f***ing war on, let us not forget that whilst we are frivilously posting comments, people are being killed wholesale.
Trump has only had a month of being fully in charge, can the world take another 4 years of this ? I suspect he will be taken out soon and thank f' for that. Looks like Europe has bottled it over Ukraine and Zalensky has to go cap in hand back to USA, well dome Europe for nothing. War should have been declared on Russia and Putin should be taken out.
Stop f***ing around and get the job done ffs.
'Lest we forget,' didn't take long did it.

 

[OzMike]

I'm imagining thousands of American engineers, miners, construction, real estate contractors, bags packed, staying in US airport hotels just waiting for the minerals and infrastructure memorandum to be signed.
A kind of 'human, economic shield '.
Am I wrong,?

All being targets for Russian snipers.
Whoever draws the short straw.

 

[Triggaaar]

One person familiar with talks between the US and Ukraine told CBS News that the Republican was now holding out for a “bigger, better deal”.

Zelenskyy shouldn't sign anything worse than the deal he was offered. Europe can support Ukraine.

 

[peterward]

Zelenskyy shouldn't sign anything worse than the deal he was offered. Europe can support Ukraine.

Exactly word for word, what I said to the Mrs last night Originally agreed deal only.

She was getting super upset with it all again, about how humiliating it all is, and couldnt sleep..... No idea in reality how it all actually pans out, but told her Ukraine just needs to somehow hang in there and try and get beyond Trump, at least try and buy time until Europe catches up. I'd read the minerals wouldnt even start to be properly mined for around 5years plus. So its unlikely anything will be dug out of the ground during Trumps 4 years. Will be feasibility studies, setting up mines, logistics and all that kind of stuff etc.
However bad or humiliating any deal may seem today, keeping the supply of US weapons by hook or crook at least until Europe can supply enough, is the only thing that actually matters to stop Putin subjugating whole country.
Trump wont be here forever and if Ukraine can still stay as Ukraine beyond his disastrous presidency, thats really all that matters for today. Can readdress all that down the road and hope for a democratic President next.

 

[raymondo]

A bit unclear but looks likely
Kyiv Independent says the US has stopped sharing (certain?) intelligence with Ukraine. Could hamper long range strikes.
I couldn't share it...will try again.

 

[GoldstoneVintage]

A bit unclear but looks likely
Kyiv Independent says the US has stopped sharing (certain?) intelligence with Ukraine. Could hamper long range strikes.
I couldn't share it...will try again.

Confirmed. Trump is determined to hand Russia victory. Piece of

 

[peterward]

View attachment 197804
Confirmed. Trump is determined to hand Russia victory. Piece of

Its a f**king outrage. He is literally allowing Russia to move units and aircraft forward, to take more land to kill more people and destroy more towns. US intelligence is what allowed couter battery fire, that is what kept Russian assets back from front line.

This only helps Russia, its not neutral in any way.

It really has now become blackmail and extortion

 

[raymondo]

View attachment 197804
Confirmed. Trump is determined to hand Russia victory. Piece of

The next round of negotiations should be in a basement in Bucha.

 

[GoldstoneVintage]

Informative article from Substack about Russia's disinformation war. Wonder if we even have some 'sockpuppets' on NSC...

Russia’s cognitive warfare tactics on social media to erode U.S. support for Ukraine and NATO. Since before 2022-, Russia has waged an info war that’s cheap, effective, and designed to fracture Western unity.

Why does Russia care about U.S. public opinion?

The Kremlin knows that Western unity is critical to Ukraine’s defense. If the U.S. & NATO lose public support, military aid slows down, sanctions weaken, and Russia gains the upper hand without firing a shot.

Information warfare is way cheaper than conventional war.

While the Ukraine war costs Russia tens of billions annually, disinformation campaigns cost a fraction of that. Yet the payoff—eroding Western resolve—is massive. It’s asymmetric warfare at its finest.

So what narratives does Russia push to achieve this?

Here are the big ones:

- “Endless war”: The conflict is unwinnable, so why waste money?

- “Corrupt Ukraine”: Aid is being stolen by elites.

- “NATO caused this”: Expansion provoked Russia into defending itself.

These narratives aren’t random—they’re carefully crafted to exploit existing divisions in American politics.

- Conservatives: “Why send billions abroad when our borders are open?”

- Progressives: “This is just another military-industrial complex cash grab.”

Divide and conquer.

How does Russia spread these ideas? Enter the Internet Research Agency (IRA)—their infamous troll farm.

The IRA has evolved since 2016, now running a well-oiled machine that creates content, targets audiences, and measures success like a digital marketing agency.

Here’s how the IRA works:

Kremlin gives strategic directives.

IRA creates content (memes, videos, posts).

Bots & sockpuppets amplify it across platforms.

Real users unknowingly share it further.

It’s a pipeline of influence.

Emotional manipulation is key. Russian disinfo doesn’t just inform—it provokes feelings. They use fear, outrage, and confusion to make their narratives stick. Think: viral memes about wasted aid or fake stories of Ukrainian corruption.

A classic tactic? Mixing truth with lies.

Example: Yes, Ukraine has corruption issues (like many countries). But Russia amplifies this narrative out of context to make people think all aid is being stolen—undermining support for Ukraine.

Let’s talk content formats:

- Viral memes (easy to share).

- Short videos (TikTok-friendly).

- Fake news articles (for credibility).

They tailor content for each platform and audience—what works on Facebook might not work on TikTok.

Speaking of platforms… Russia uses a multi-platform approach: Twitter/X, Facebook, TikTok, Telegram, YouTube, Reddit—you name it. If one platform cracks down on them, they just shift focus to another. The message always finds a way through.

They don’t create new communities—they infiltrate existing ones. Joining Facebook groups for veterans or Reddit threads about foreign policy and subtly steering the conversation toward their narratives.

Avoiding detection is an art form for Russian operators:

- Aging accounts over months or years to seem legit.

- Using VPNs to hide their location.

- Changing usernames frequently.

They’ve learned how to evade platform algorithms very well.

Sockpuppet accounts (fake personas) are their bread and butter. These accounts have detailed backstories, post regularly about non-political topics (sports, pets), and engage in real conversations to seem authentic before pushing propaganda.

The real genius? Russia doesn’t create divisions—it amplifies what’s already there. They exploit existing U.S. political fault lines (left vs right) to make Americans distrust each other and their government.

They also work with friendly influencers & media outlets (sometimes unwittingly) to spread their message further. Think fringe blogs or YouTubers who repeat Kremlin talking points but claim they’re “just asking questions.”

What makes this so dangerous is how adaptable they are. As platforms change algorithms or crack down on bots, Russian operators evolve their tactics—finding new ways to stay one step ahead of detection.

TL;DR: Russia’s info war isn’t just memes—it’s a calculated effort to fracture Western unity over Ukraine by exploiting divisions in U.S. society. Understanding their playbook helps us fight back

 

[portlock seagull]

I’m not convinced Europe will, even if it could, pick up the slack in America’s absence. 32 member countries rarely agree on anything. I would wager when push comes to shove, all things considered, at the end of the day, when the cows come home, that Europe will be embarrassingly inept and nowhere near able to help despite pledges, fine speeches and so forth. Domestically every country isn’t in the best of health and unlike a dictatorship where you can basically say screw you to any domestic discourse, democracies face real challenges. We can’t adequately defend our borders at the moment for example. Hardware, software and people take years to upscale even if the budget is there. Which it isn’t as we all know. Ukraine has hobsons choice, playing for time and enduring in the hope Trump provoked significant domestic opposition one day and reins him back is probably the best hope. But it’s not likely anytime soon, maybe years. In which time hundreds of thousands more will likely die without US military aid.

 

[raymondo]

Its a f**king outrage. He is literally allowing Russia to move units and aircraft forward, to take more land to kill more people and destroy more towns. US intelligence is what allowed couter battery fire, that is what kept Russian assets back from front line.

This only helps Russia, its not neutral in any way.

It really has now become blackmail and extortion

Exactly. I'm expecting the 'peace' deal with Russia, supported by the US, to include full annexation of the partially occupied Oblasts of Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia etc. I fully expect it.
At that point Ukraine and Europe MUST tell Trump to fxck off...if not now.
It's Ukraine and Europe vs Russia and the US at this rate.

 

[raymondo]

I’m not convinced Europe will, even if it could, pick up the slack in America’s absence. 32 member countries rarely agree on anything. I would wager when push comes to shove, all things considered, at the end of the day, when the cows come home, that Europe will be embarrassingly inept and nowhere near able to help despite pledges, fine speeches and so forth. Domestically every country isn’t in the best of health and unlike a dictatorship where you can basically say screw you to any domestic discourse, democracies face real challenges. We can’t adequately defend our borders at the moment for example. Hardware, software and people take years to upscale even if the budget is there. Which it isn’t as we all know. Ukraine has hobsons choice, playing for time and enduring in the hope Trump provoked significant domestic opposition one day and reins him back is probably the best hope. But it’s not likely anytime soon, maybe years. In which time hundreds of thousands more will likely die without US military aid.

Sadly that is possible - but countries won't be "in the best of health" either if Putin runs through their borders.
Politicians are paid to make tough calls - I hope they make the right ones here.

 

[marlowe]

Remember the bloke who asked Zelensky why he wasn't wearing a suit? He is now a victim.

I like the way she abruptly ends the interview while his in mid sentence as if she's not prepared to give any more of his drivel air time.

 

[Dorset Seagull]

There is much talk that Europe can’t afford to pick up the slack from USA withdrawing weapons and funds. However they don’t need to cover the USA funds they just need to have more than Russia. Not sure if that makes a difference to the numbers at all.