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

[Eric the meek]

Daily Life in Ukraine:
We heard yesterday that my wife's nephew (early 30s) was mobilised 3 days ago. He'd had contact with the military who spent a couple of weeks investigating his qualifications (marine engineer), and also his family and social media background for any signs of Russian sympathizing (it's a Russian speaking area).

For now, his wife doesn't know where he is (reasonable enough). We hope his skills can be used for say engine maintenance (Kherson?) or even sea-drone work .
His wife is at work most days, and this is mainstream in cities as many men try to avoid the draft by staying off of company employee lists.
Their son, about 9 years, stays home alone at the moment (yes). We will try to help find a better solution. Our niece (who's lived with us since the war began) is visiting Zaporizhzhia for a few weeks soon and she'll help with child care while there.
These stories will be repeated in their thousands across Ukraine weekly.
A micro look at life there.
Sorry, bit of a brain dump.

No need to apologise at all. We all have to offload sometimes. You more than the rest of us on here.

As you say, it's a micro look at life in Ukraine. Looking at it dispassionately, it is also a window on the practicalities of family life in a war.

 

[fly high]

Daily Life in Ukraine:
We heard yesterday that my wife's nephew (early 30s) was mobilised 3 days ago. He'd had contact with the military who spent a couple of weeks investigating his qualifications (marine engineer), and also his family and social media background for any signs of Russian sympathizing (it's a Russian speaking area).

For now, his wife doesn't know where he is (reasonable enough). We hope his skills can be used for say engine maintenance (Kherson?) or even sea-drone work .
His wife is at work most days, and this is mainstream in cities as many men try to avoid the draft by staying off of company employee lists.
Their son, about 9 years, stays home alone at the moment (yes). We will try to help find a better solution. Our niece (who's lived with us since the war began) is visiting Zaporizhzhia for a few weeks soon and she'll help with child care while there.
These stories will be repeated in their thousands across Ukraine weekly.
A micro look at life there.
Sorry, bit of a brain dump.

With the new mobilisation, as you say, there must be thousands of Ukrainian families in a similar situation. Your heart aches from the pain & worry of it all, for them & for people like you with family going through this.

 

[essbee1]

With the new mobilisation, as you say, there must be thousands of Ukrainian families in a similar situation. Your heart aches from the pain & worry of it all, for them & for people like you with family going through this.

Indeed. And all because some f*****, deranged, mad, moron in Moscow thinks his country is entitled to walk into others'.

 

[Eric the meek]

Indeed. And all because some f*****, deranged, mad, moron in Moscow thinks his country is entitled to walk into others'.

Who, since rising to power, has eliminated all dissenting voices around him, uses public money to build a state TV, radio, press, internet structure to feed propaganda to the masses, and who organises his secret services to terrorise people at home and abroad. Not content with fixing false elections at home, he also fixes the real ones abroad.

When you describe it like this, it seems totally absurd. Implausible. Conspiracy theory nonsense. But somehow, the world has let it happen.

 

[raymondo]

Who, since rising to power, has eliminated all dissenting voices around him, uses public money to build a state TV, radio, press, internet structure to feed propaganda to the masses, and who organises his secret services to terrorise people at home and abroad. Not content with fixing false elections at home, he also fixes the real ones abroad.

When you describe it like this, it seems totally absurd. Implausible. Conspiracy theory nonsense. But somehow, the world has let it happen.

It's crazy but true... the influence of one man on life on the planet.
It all goes back to the west letting the Donbas and Crimean invasions pass with no comeback on Russia (and no doubt prior events).

 

[crookie]

It's crazy but true... the influence of one man on life on the planet.
It all goes back to the west letting the Donbas and Crimean invasions pass with no comeback on Russia (and no doubt prior events).

Very true. Appeasement has never worked, ever. Currently reading Churchill's memoirs. The utter despair you can feel coming across from him in those pages describing the 1930's when time after time after time, relatively easy opportunities to stop Hitler in his tracks went begging. The ultimate consequences of these failures were, as we all know, catastrophic

 

[raymondo]

Very true. Appeasement has never worked, ever. Currently reading Churchill's memoirs. The utter despair you can feel coming across from him in those pages describing the 1930's when time after time after time, relatively easy opportunities to stop Hitler in his tracks went begging. The ultimate consequences of these failures were, as we all know, catastrophic

I must find the time to read those - thanks for the heads up.

 

[timbha]

Very true. Appeasement has never worked, ever. Currently reading Churchill's memoirs. The utter despair you can feel coming across from him in those pages describing the 1930's when time after time after time, relatively easy opportunities to stop Hitler in his tracks went begging. The ultimate consequences of these failures were, as we all know, catastrophic

Sadly many western governments and NATO members are still peeping out from behind the curtains, sending a Christmas card to Putin and hoping that the problem will go away. Direct and aggressive action is required, inevitable and the longer we leave it the more time Russia has to galvanise allegiances with its remaining allies.

 

[Eric the meek]

What's all this?

A Russian launched Shahed drone changed course inside Ukraine and crashed in Belarus?
Was the change of course just a malfunction? Or was it something else?
One to keep an eye on.



Edit: this is the second time in a week. See below:

 

[fly high]

What's all this?

A Russian launched Shahed drone changed course inside Ukraine and crashed in Belarus?
Was the change of course just a malfunction? Or was it something else?
One to keep an eye on.



Edit: this is the second time in a week. See below:

Way to go, bomb your closest ally.

 

[raymondo]

What's all this?

A Russian launched Shahed drone changed course inside Ukraine and crashed in Belarus?
Was the change of course just a malfunction? Or was it something else?
One to keep an eye on.



Edit: this is the second time in a week. See below:

Maybe resourceful Ukrainians are hacking into the guidance systems... hope so

 

[Sirnormangall]

What's all this?

A Russian launched Shahed drone changed course inside Ukraine and crashed in Belarus?
Was the change of course just a malfunction? Or was it something else?
One to keep an eye on.



Edit: this is the second time in a week. See below:

Wonderful news. Let’s hope it didn’t disturb the Chinese troops who are currently on exercise there

 

[raymondo]

Air defence and (slow) missile supply

There’s One Main Reason Russia Could Keep Striking Ukrainian Children’s Hospitals And Other Civilian Targets: The Free World Doesn’t Produce Nearly Enough Air Defense Missiles

Ukraine is getting additional air defense batteries, but needs a lot missiles to keep them shooting around the clock.

www.forbes.com

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

Very true. Appeasement has never worked, ever. Currently reading Churchill's memoirs. The utter despair you can feel coming across from him in those pages describing the 1930's when time after time after time, relatively easy opportunities to stop Hitler in his tracks went begging. The ultimate consequences of these failures were, as we all know, catastrophic

One of my most favourite Churchill from that era - Neville Chamberlain was still urging peace talks with Adolph Hitler as the war in France escalated.

You cannot reason with a tiger when you head is in his mouth!

 

[Titanic]

Ukraine war: Russian army chief celebrates capturing key village

The chief of Russia’s general staff General Valery Gerasimov has thanked Russian forces for recapturing the village of Urozhaine in Ukraine’s battered east.

www.telegraph.co.uk

Ukraine’s navy said that Russia has withdrawn its last naval patrol ship from occupied Crimea, a major victory for Kyiv in its sustained military campaign against the Black Sea peninsula.

“The last patrol ship of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation is bolting from our Crimea just now. Remember this day,” Ukrainian navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk said.

With no warships at its disposal, Ukraine has used missiles and naval drone attacks to force Moscow’s Black Sea Fleet to abandon its headquarters at Sevastopol and retreat to the Russian port city of Novorossiysk.

 

[raymondo]

Trump's nomination of his running mate, J D Vance, is more bad news for Ukraine, as per Denys Davydov.
Vance has stated clearly in articles and videos that Ukraine should "cede territory to Russia to bring this war to an end".

What he fails/refuses to understand is that, after a short pause, the war will escalate in Europe. Idiots.

 

[Braggfan]

Trump's nomination of his running mate, J D Vance, is more bad news for Ukraine, as per Denys Davydov.
Vance has stated clearly in articles and videos that Ukraine should "cede territory to Russia to bring this war to an end".

What he fails/refuses to understand is that, after a short pause, the war will escalate in Europe. Idiots.

Sadly, I was thinking something similar yesterday when reading Trump talking about "uniting" the nation. I can imagine him wanting to unite Americans in "peace" by stopping the war in Ukraine in the quickest possible way, regardless of what that actually costs Ukraine.

 

[A1X]

Trump's nomination of his running mate, J D Vance, is more bad news for Ukraine, as per Denys Davydov.
Vance has stated clearly in articles and videos that Ukraine should "cede territory to Russia to bring this war to an end".

What he fails/refuses to understand is that, after a short pause, the war will escalate in Europe. Idiots.

Team Trump are very keen on short term solutions to things, it means they can then claim something is "fixed" and they can move onto the things they actually want to be doing (cutting their own taxes, pardoning each other's crimes and generally being massive dickheads). They don't see that this outcome would only give at best a 2-3 year window before Russia came back for more.

 

[fly high]

Team Trump are very keen on short term solutions to things, it means they can then claim something is "fixed" and they can move onto the things they actually want to be doing (cutting their own taxes, pardoning each other's crimes and generally being massive dickheads). They don't see that this outcome would only give at best a 2-3 year window before Russia came back for more.

And of course give Russia time to rebuild it's attack forces, military equipment & weapons stocks.

 

[raymondo]

Team Trump are very keen on short term solutions to things, it means they can then claim something is "fixed" and they can move onto the things they actually want to be doing (cutting their own taxes, pardoning each other's crimes and generally being massive dickheads). They don't see that this outcome would only give at best a 2-3 year window before Russia came back for more.

Yes, and when the escalation restarts...when it's at NATO's borders, which seems very likely at some point. But that's, as you say, further down the road, so Trump doesn't think about that.
I think it's 'they don't care' rather than 'don't see'.