Russia invasion of Ukraine

[mangamuscle]

Originally Posted by Yu Ominae

Got reports that Lt. Col. Roman Malyk was found dead in Primorsky.

His death is being regarded as suspicious.

This sounds to me putting all the blame of the mobilization fiasco on this guy and sending a warning that the next mobilization should be glitch free. Which of course, it wont, since this one was a fucked up because about a million russian males fleeing the country.

BTW, about the incident where two tajik recruits killed more than a dozen and wounding ten makes me wonder if similar incidents will not happen once they are deployed in ukraine. Maybe it will be a "don't ask, don't tell" situation, where recruits kill commanders and other recruits before surrendering.

putin truly believes he can get the EU to pocket the money for another gasduct going thru Istanbul. His latest threat being not renewing the deal to bring grains out of ukraine, I wonder if there is still grain left to export after four months.

As time goes by russia starts to behave like a terrorist state, no one in his right mind can believe those iranian kamikaze drones are used for legitimate military targets.

What becomes more clear every day is that the NEXT war will be fought between democracies and autocratic states; communism vs. capitalism is so 20th century.

[Yu Ominae]

I heard the shooting incident of the potential conscripts was done by anti-Putin partisans in Russia...

[Key Board]

I’m pretty that’s how it’s framed

But maybe some people are just upset of being mobilized , after being promised it wouldn’t happen

//

[Renegade334]

Aaaaaand a Su-34 just crashed into an apartment building in Yeysk.

Just when you thought they couldn't drop the ball any harder, the VVS just taps you on your shoulder and enjoins you to hold their vodka.

...Well, it's not Voyage of the Damned-levels of tomfoolery yet, but those guys are slowly getting there.

[Yu Ominae]

Reports of more drones being used to wreck Ukrainian infrastructure continues.

[Yu Ominae]

NK News Pro article on the reluctance of admitting fleeing Russians:

As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has stalled and it has found itself on the defensive, Moscow has launched brutal and indiscriminate missile barrages on both military and civilian targets, and even South Korea has not been spared from the collateral damage.

Last week, a Russian missile attack on Kyiv damaged a building that houses Samsung Electronics’ Ukraine operations. Though the missile did not kill anyone or directly hit the building, the fact that the strike landed so close to the facility shows that nations cannot afford to ignore Russia’s ability to strike civilian targets and potential war crimes.

Despite this, the damage to Samsung’s biggest R&D office in Europe has not resulted in any significant change in Seoul’s stance toward Russia. Instead, as Russians flee the “partial mobilization” of reservists to buttress Vladimir Putin’s war efforts, Seoul has chosen to turn away those seeking refuge in South Korea and has generally appeared wary of angering Moscow.

The government’s tepid response to the Ukraine war continues to represent a missed opportunity for South Korea to more forcefully stand up for freedom and democracy. But as inter-Korean tensions ramp up, Seoul appears unlikely to change its tune on Russia anytime soon.

THE COSTS OF CONFRONTATION

Since Russian forces invaded Ukraine, South Korea has been a reluctant ally of Kyiv. Unlike Germany or India, South Korea does not rely heavily on Russian oil and gas imports, importing only about 5% of its energy from Russia before the invasion.

But international sanctions on Moscow that Seoul has imposed have had substantial costs, making South Korea reluctant to impose further economic penalties. In particular, oil prices have risen over the past several months — partially due to Russia cutting off oil supplies to Western Europe. And oil prices are set to continue to rise following OPEC Plus’s decision to cut oil production even further.


Samsung Corp. building in Kyiv, Ukraine, August 7, 2019. | Image: Wikimedia Commons
Rising energy prices could not come at a worse time for South Korea. While the country has always relied heavily on energy imports, the South Korean economy faces many potential pitfalls due to inflation and rising interest rates.

Worsening relations with Russia have also led to the deterioration of South Korea’s national security. North Korea has given its full-throated support to everything Russia has done, even recognizing the Kremlin’s annexation of Ukrainian territory. For its loyalty, Moscow has rewarded Pyongyang by using its veto power on the U.N. Security Council to shield the DPRK from criticism and additional economic sanctions.

Despite this, the South Korean government remains reluctant to anger Moscow, something seen in its decision to refuse Russian refugees. Tens of thousands of Russians have fled the country to avoid Putin’s mobilization campaign, mostly to former members of the Soviet Union, but a small handful have made it to South Korea by sailing from Vladivostok, only to be turned away because of “insufficient documentation and an unclear objective.”

While South Korea has a long-established anti-refugee policy, the decision to turn away Russian nationals fleeing a war Seoul has condemned points to critical shortsightedness and a lack of preparation by Yoon Suk-yeol.

BENEFITS OF ACTION

Despite the potential costs, South Korea has much to gain by standing up to Russia, whether by accepting those fleeing conscription or speaking out against its indiscriminate bombing in Ukraine.

First, doing so would give weight to President Yoon’s words about South Korea’s readiness to play a more significant role in defending freedom and democratic norms worldwide. The South Korean government cannot keep paying lip service to these values while turning away when it matters.

Second, South Korea stands to gain from accepting Russian refugees because many are young and highly educated — the kind of immigrants South Korea needs. But relatively few of these conscientious objectors have fled to South Korea, meaning it can ill afford to send away the few who do come.

Finally, South Korea’s relations with Russia are already suffering — in diplomacy, trade and technology transfers. Moscow has already declared South Korea an “unfriendly country,” and this is unlikely to change as long as Putin wages war in Ukraine.

No amount of hesitancy or fence-sitting will compel Russia to think kindly of South Korea. But by forcefully speaking out against Moscow’s war crimes and accepting refugees, South Korea can show the world that it firmly stands up for freedom and democracy in both word and deed.

WHAT’S NEXT

Despite the merits of a stronger South Korean response to Russia, its actions in the aftermath of the missile damage to the Samsung facility and its refusal to accept refugees do not speak well of its attitude or foresight.

Other factors also suggest Seoul is unlikely to change its stance any time soon.

In particular, North Korea’s recent missile, air force and artillery tests, including near the inter-Korean border, have raised tensions, while South Korea and the U.S. are closing monitoring prospects of a seventh nuclear test.

As Seoul deals with North Korea’s military provocations, it will be increasingly unwilling to shift its attention elsewhere. This is particularly true given that it experienced the sinking of the ROKS Cheonan and the bombardment of Yeonpyeong Island not that long ago, incidents that threatened to erupt into full-blown conflict.

Thus while South Korea will side with the U.S. and EU against Russia, it will only make the minimum effort necessary to stay in good standing with the world’s free nations, while seeking to protect what it sees as its national interests by not challenging Moscow too forcefully.

[Key Board]

Russia must be doing badly because Ukraine biolab covid conspiracy theories are flaring up again

//

[ganbaru]

Russia destroys power and water infrastructure across Ukraine
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe...es-2022-10-18/

KYIV/MYKOLAIV, Ukraine, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Ukraine said Russia had destroyed almost a third of its power stations over the past week as Moscow stepped up a pre-winter campaign to strike infrastructure, a move the West says is a calculated attempt to disrupt and demoralise.

Missiles struck power generating facilities in a clutch of Ukrainian cities home to millions of people and several people were killed. Moscow acknowledged targeting energy plants, while Ukraine said water infrastructure had also been hit.

[mangamuscle]

It is obvious by now putin is desperate to get a 3-6 months ceasefire and is trying to make this winter as shitty as possibly for the civilian population in Ukraine, hoping he can cause revolts against Kiev goverment.

The ones that must be most afraid such ceasefire happens should be the people of ... Kazahastan! putin does not want to appear weak and the first thing he will do if he gets a ceasefire is to invade said country to show "his people" his plan to raise the USSR from the grave is on track.

Expect cErdogan to block Finland and Sweden NATO membership at the last minute.

meanwhile ...
Russian General Surovikin offers Elon Musk official political asylum in Russia

https://twitter.com/S_V_Surovikin/st...22577127583744

p.s. This would greatly help the Ukranian army, it should be added to the help packages:

https://mobile.twitter.com/TechAmazi...87486000439296

[ramlaen]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

Musk was in violation of the Logan Act merely by corresponding with Putin, which it’s been reliably asserted he did by third parties (and which he only started denying once his lawyers no doubt told him he was in real trouble).

1) An American citizen corresponding with the president/prime minister etc. of a foreign country is not a violation of the Logan Act unless that American citizen conducted unauthorized negotiations on behalf of the US government.

2) Ian Bremmer's claim that Musk personally told him is not credible and third party reporting of his claim does not make it reliable.

[Yu Ominae]

EU Parliament awarded top human rights prize for resisting the Russian invasion.

[mangamuscle]

seems like the little bitch called putin wants to blow the dam at the Kakhovka hydroelectric plant once the russian army has left kherson. I hope the ukraine army can stop him, but seems improbable since it seems they have already place the explosives, hopefully this is all hearsay I heard.

[Ithekro]

There is also military movement in Belarus. Russian Bridging equipment moving in, and doctors and nurses being called to military offices.

That border however had been fortified since the Battle of Kyiv.

[Yu Ominae]

https://www.reddit.com/r/UkraineWarV...ranian_drones/

Interesting vid from Russia regarding Pukhov telling the reporters not to mention anything on the Iranian drones.

[mangamuscle]

Remember when bush said there would be no war in Iraq? Remember when republicans said they would not remove abortion rights? Now we have:

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/10/22/p...ers/index.html

Kevin McCarthy, who would likely be Speaker of the House in January if Republicans win in November, still supports US aid. But if Republicans win the House, he said there will be no more “blank check.”

Mark my words, they have already decided to pull the plug and leave Ukraine dry like a raisin under the sun if they win in November. Of course, I will be surprised if no one comes and tell me how wrong I am, just like they did at the start of this very thread.

[Jaden]

Originally Posted by mangamuscle

Remember when bush said there would be no war in Iraq? Remember when republicans said they would not remove abortion rights? Now we have:

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/10/22/p...ers/index.html

Kevin McCarthy, who would likely be Speaker of the House in January if Republicans win in November, still supports US aid. But if Republicans win the House, he said there will be no more “blank check.”

Mark my words, they have already decided to pull the plug and leave Ukraine dry like a raisin under the sun if they win in November. Of course, I will be surprised if no one comes and tell me how wrong I am, just like they did at the start of this very thread.

Seems like mere rhetoric to me. Republicans must at least pay lip service to the ideals of "fiscal responsibility" and "america first". But supporting Ukraine is one of the few issues with bipartisan agreement, and the MIC is loving every moment of their hardware being used against Russia. So my read is that the US elections cannot have any effect on Ukraine, no matter the result.

[Sheba]

Hatred of Soviet Union in any form is one of the principles that both parties shares.

[mangamuscle]

https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-brief...iral-were-not/

Damn, Back then I should have made a thread about how trump would win the nomination for president from the repubs, but some people I know told me "no way, he is just a clown, he is just there to distract the news media from the real contenders" and they are not dumb people, but they were so wrong.

There is plenty of buzz in the media about Belarus, but with russia sucking the good/troops equipment and probably sending garbage equipment/new untrained recruits, seems to me they want to force ukraine to attack them, since doing defense is their best chance of not getting pummeled in no time. So far shooting missiles from inside belarus hasn't being enough, so (hope to be wrong) Lukashenko might dirty his hands with a tactical nuke (he has already changed the laws to allow them inside belarus), so putin doesn't has to. Who would have thinked, crimea passes thru 45°0′N

In other news, serbia has asked for iranian drones, no one is believing that those renamed kamikazes are made in russia, lol.

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by Jaden

Seems like mere rhetoric to me. Republicans must at least pay lip service to the ideals of "fiscal responsibility" and "america first". But supporting Ukraine is one of the few issues with bipartisan agreement, and the MIC is loving every moment of their hardware being used against Russia. So my read is that the US elections cannot have any effect on Ukraine, no matter the result.

Trump is anti-Ukraine, and ultimately whatever tune he plays the Republicans will be dancing monkeys to.

[Liddo-kun]

this is inspiring.