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

[raymondo]

Russia says US hacked thousands of Apple phones in spy plot

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Thursday it had uncovered an American espionage operation that compromised thousands of iPhones using sophisticated surveillance software.

www.reuters.com

Aahh well, that's what's gonna happen when you use western developed tech instead of Russia's own finest

 

[Hamilton]

Aahh well, that's what's gonna happen when you use western developed tech instead of Russia's own finest

China would agree.

 

[Eric the meek]

Aahh well, that's what's gonna happen when you use western developed tech instead of Russia's own finest

It doesn't explicitly say so in the Reuters report, but on some news feed I get, a pop-up said that the i-phones of Russian diplomats had been hacked.

It's good to see Russia getting a taste of its own medicine.

 

[Scappa]

It doesn't explicitly say so in the Reuters report, but on some news feed I get, a pop-up said that the i-phones of Russian diplomats had been hacked.

It's good to see Russia getting a taste of its own medicine.

Just the latest in the ever growing list of 'Red Lines' to have been crossed and... nothing much happens (apart from another children's ward getting blown to smithereens)

 

[peterward]

2 contrasting clips.... the first is intercepts of Russians calling family/friends at home and goes someway to show the sheer evil of this genocidal Nazi death cult.



The second, slightly older is clips of Ukrainian resistance to the words of our own great Nazi destroying leader. The contrast is evident.

There can be no peace and no deals with this sick, evil fascist regime. Only its destruction/defeat.

 

[raymondo]

2 contrasting clips.... the first is intercepts of Russians calling family/friends at home and goes someway to show the sheer evil of this genocidal Nazi death cult.



The second, slightly older is clips of Ukrainian resistance to the words of our own great Nazi destroying leader. The contrast is evident.

There can be no peace and no deals with this sick, evil fascist regime. Only its destruction/defeat.

The first clip is horrific. We must never become numb to the terrors in those words and actions, it must never become normalised in any way. Russia MUST lose.

 

[Triggaaar]

2 contrasting clips.... the first is intercepts of Russians calling family/friends at home and goes someway to show the sheer evil of this genocidal Nazi death cult.

Lovely Russia

 

[Eric the meek]

Prigozhin would seem to be escalating his feud with Putin's regime, in particular the defence ministry:

Ukraine inflicting ‘hell’ on Russian lines as counter-offensive escalates - live

Heavy weapons supplied by the West are proving pivotal in the fierce battle raging outside Bakhmut

www.independent.co.uk

 

[Carbonara]

I think the world has settled into a false sense of security because despite many threats of nuclear war/weapons, Putin has so far not gone that far but that doesn't mean things could change if his back is against the wall.

 

[crookie]

I think the world has settled into a false sense of security because despite many threats of nuclear war/weapons, Putin has so far not gone that far but that doesn't mean things could change if his back is against the wall.

He has threatened this with every escalation of weaponry provided by the West. Nothing happens. In a nuclear exchange the whole world is wiped out. If the West blinks, Putin wins and a carte blanche to authoritarian dictators is given, including China on Taiwan. Personally I am comfortable with this, I have no desire to live in a world where peaceful sovereign nations can be invaded raped and destroyed by stronger neighbours because they're not part of a stronger defensive alliance. This conflict is a litmus test of the West's confidence in its values and ideology. Give everything you can to Ukraine in my opinion, they have the manpower and the resolve to triumph over barbarity and brutality. If they fail, they are only delaying the job we will have to do ourselves to preserve our way of life

 

[Triggaaar]

I think the world has settled into a false sense of security

What would you have us do? Personally I think a nuclear war is possible, but until it happens I'm going to get on with my life, I'm not going to sit here worrying about it. And I'm certainly not ok with the free world giving in to a dictator is order to prevent it.

If the West blinks, Putin wins and a carte blanche to authoritarian dictators is given, including China on Taiwan. Personally I am comfortable with this, I have no desire to live in a world where peaceful sovereign nations can be invaded raped and destroyed by stronger neighbours because they're not part of a stronger defensive alliance. This conflict is a litmus test of the West's confidence in its values and ideology.

Exactly. If the human race can't have freedom then they're not worth saving.

 

[raymondo]

I think the world has settled into a false sense of security because despite many threats of nuclear war/weapons, Putin has so far not gone that far but that doesn't mean things could change if his back is against the wall.

I understand the concern, and I believe this is why the US/European support has been measured (too slow for many people)... checking Russian reactions. But, Putin/Russia has to be faced down IMO. Any appeasement or allowed victory will simply embolden the Russian regime...and they wouldn't stop at Ukraine.
I believe China would restrain Russia at some point.

 

[Eric the meek]

A word about the threat of nuclear war.

'There is almost zero chance of Russia using a nuclear weapon' - Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges. (from 18:00 minutes onwards).

He goes on to talk about the risk of appeasement.

The end from 27:30 is also worth a listen.

 

[sparkie]

Now we have cycled back to nuclear war then this twitter thread needs the cobwebs blowing off.

From the top :



Where Game Theory is introduced :



The concluding post :

 

[Eric the meek]

@sparkie, thank you for posting those articles by Kamil Galeev. I've got a lot of time for him, particularly his long tweet of around a year ago, which predicted the breakup of the Russian Federation, due to sanctions stopping spare parts for planes and trains, thus gradually cutting off the distant regions from Moscow rule.

Some or all of Galeev's predictions, may or may not come to fruition.

Right now, I think Putin is doing a remarkably good job at beating Putin and destroying Russia. Never mind his 3-day war is now in its 16th month. The outrage at the drone 'attack' on Moscow's Beverley Hills, and blowing up a road between Ukraine and Russia, means Russia is on the back foot. It is now desperately trying to bombard Kyiv to keep Ukraine's Patriot anti-missile system occupied. Why? Because it knows Ukraine will move it down to near the front when the counter-offensive begins.

 

[peterward]

Prigozhin would seem to be escalating his feud with Putin's regime, in particular the defence ministry:

Ukraine inflicting ‘hell’ on Russian lines as counter-offensive escalates - live

Heavy weapons supplied by the West are proving pivotal in the fierce battle raging outside Bakhmut

www.independent.co.uk

2 years tops before he's 6 feet under.

 

[Eric the meek]

2 years tops before he's 6 feet under.

He does seem to be pushing the boundaries doesn't he? But his future - and the future of Russia - is becoming highly uncertain IMO.

I wonder if Russia will descend into some kind of civil war, in which case Ukraine may get almost forgotten as troops withdraw, with the protagonists realising their common enemy doesn't live in Kyiv, but is actually in Moscow. But then, would Prigozhin or Kadyrov be an improvement on Putin? I don't think so. You would also have the additional problem of loose nukes, no longer under the control and regulation of federal Russia, falling into the hands of regional warlords.

 

[Carbonara]

I'm assuming no other country has had this amount of sanctions yet they don't seem to be having much effect. I hear the Russian currency is doing well and we are not seeing mass protests although I appreciate the Russians come down hard on those.

 

[Carbonara]

There is no easy exit for Russia that the west could put in front of them because of the fact there is no exit available to Putin.He has been deemed a war criminal so therefore he is finished.As a result he has to continue the war.

 

[GT49er]

I'm assuming no other country has had this amount of sanctions yet they don't seem to be having much effect. I hear the Russian currency is doing well and we are not seeing mass protests although I appreciate the Russians come down hard on those.

Well, yes, that does have a certain amount of influence in those people who regard staying alive as important.................