Russia on brink of ... NOPE! Russia INVADES Ukraine!

[kage69]

When it needs to be said....
Anyone going to accuse Gen Hodges of being being overly dramatic?

“We need to decide that we want Ukraine to win”

says General Ben Hodges, who commanded the US Army in Europe from 2014 until 2017.​

Does he accuse others of being scum for not sharing his desire for a larger war? Any weird hang ups regarding shame to fling around? Then probably not.

Which of his positions is it that you think mirror the posts you've deposited in this thread already? Be specific. I must have missed his support for American air power killing Russians. You posted an earlier video from Condi Rice that in no way supported your belligerent lust for Americans to die fighting for Ukraine too. Just, taking another swing at it?

 

[NTMBK]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1617234955758718976

Morocco sending T72 tanks to Ukraine. (The Guardian is also reporting on this.)

 

[tweaker2]

What a sight to see where so many of the free democracies of the world are standing tall with Ukraine in their effort to defend their independence from a nation.....no, from ONE MAN that is seeking to politically and physically obliterate their nation from the face of the earth so as to reap the ill-begotten rewards of the genocidal war he is actively committing there.

China, take heed.

 

[cytg111]

What a sight to see where so many of the free democracies of the world are standing tall with Ukraine in their effort to defend their independence from a nation.....no, from ONE MAN that is seeking to politically and physically obliterate their nation from the face of the earth so as to reap the ill-begotten rewards of the genocidal war he is actively committing there.

China, take heed.

If you really wanted to drive that point home then first we make sure Ukraine wins and then we novichok Putin and say “We did it”.

 

[NTMBK]

https://ukranews.com/en/news/910205-estonia-transfers-all-its-155-mm-howitzers-to-ukraine-in-largest-military-aid-package-ambassador

Good on Estonia.

 

[you2]

https://ukranews.com/en/news/910205-estonia-transfers-all-its-155-mm-howitzers-to-ukraine-in-largest-military-aid-package-ambassador

Good on Estonia.

Estonia seems to have the most intel on Russia or at least seems to be the most knowledgeable about how the kremlin function. Anyway it would be a pleasant surprise and best for all if Russia would give up this war.

 

[Pens1566]

Estonia seems to have the most intel on Russia or at least seems to be the most knowledgeable about how the kremlin function. Anyway it would be a pleasant surprise and best for all if Russia would give up this war.

The Baltics don't fuck around.

 

[K1052]

In which the SecDef points out that German demands of "parity" regarding their tank refusal is nonsense because we are and will provide Ukraine with systems and munitions Germany does not make/stock.

Relatedly apparently Norway and Finland are talking with Poland about supplying Leopards without German consent. For the diplomatically minded when enough countries in your own bloc are about to rip up their contracts you've probably overstepped the mark. It's not like Germany also didn't manage to alienate like the entirety of Southern Europe in the financial crisis so they are kinds out on there own here.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1617194064952057857

 

[Amused]

The Kremlin Propagandist who wanted to play "Journalist" in the war zone wanted to "prove" Soldar in Ukraine is under full Russian control F%CK3D around and found Out:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1616891317203922944

Oh my

 

[Fenixgoon]

i really don't understand germany's position here, unless they are that dependent on russian gas. that's the only reason i can fathom them slow-walking this.

"but they'll escalate" - they fucking invaded a country. that's escalation on its own. what the F more do you need?

 

[K1052]

i really don't understand germany's position here, unless they are that dependent on russian gas. that's the only reason i can fathom them slow-walking this.

"but they'll escalate" - they fucking invaded a country. that's escalation on its own. what the F more do you need?

Direct exports were entirely halted afaik and the Germans have poured billions into other sources of supply.

This looks like mostly an internal battle within SPD about armor while the other political factions favor transfers. There is no real difference if Russians are killed by a PzH 2000, a DM22 anti tank mine, a MARS II launcher, or a Leopard tank. Some theorizing is going on that transfers of Leopard 2s would give the US an opening into the European armor market which Germany has dominated. Though with Poland already going with M1s and K2s plus other nations kicking their tracks that market was already under threat without Ukraine due to practically glacial German arms industry production/development. If you want new tanks in the next few years pretty much have to look outside of Europe. Other accusations include that SPD politicians are too in bed with the Russians and/or compromised. Bigger picture the situation is doing major damage to Berlin's reputation on multiple fronts which they seem ignorant or dismissive of.

 

[borosp1]

Latvia's foreign minister on Monday said he had told Russia's ambassador to Riga to leave the country by Feb. 24, lowering diplomatic ties with Moscow in an act of solidarity with Estonia.

Russia said on Monday it was downgrading diplomatic relations with NATO member Estonia, accusing it of "total Russophobia," and Tallinn responded by telling Moscow's envoy to the Baltic nation to leave.

NATO's Baltic States, Russia remove ambassadors diplomatic relations

Estonia and Latvia have been among a group of NATO allies arguing strongly for Germany to provide Leopard battle tanks to boot Ukraine in fighting Russia.

www.jpost.com

 

[brycejones]

Latvia's foreign minister on Monday said he had told Russia's ambassador to Riga to leave the country by Feb. 24, lowering diplomatic ties with Moscow in an act of solidarity with Estonia.

Russia said on Monday it was downgrading diplomatic relations with NATO member Estonia, accusing it of "total Russophobia," and Tallinn responded by telling Moscow's envoy to the Baltic nation to leave.

NATO's Baltic States, Russia remove ambassadors diplomatic relations

Estonia and Latvia have been among a group of NATO allies arguing strongly for Germany to provide Leopard battle tanks to boot Ukraine in fighting Russia.

www.jpost.com

I wish it was acceptable in international diplomacy to to use the term "Get bent" instead of "leave".

 

[Pens1566]

Latvia's foreign minister on Monday said he had told Russia's ambassador to Riga to leave the country by Feb. 24, lowering diplomatic ties with Moscow in an act of solidarity with Estonia.

Russia said on Monday it was downgrading diplomatic relations with NATO member Estonia, accusing it of "total Russophobia," and Tallinn responded by telling Moscow's envoy to the Baltic nation to leave.

NATO's Baltic States, Russia remove ambassadors diplomatic relations

Estonia and Latvia have been among a group of NATO allies arguing strongly for Germany to provide Leopard battle tanks to boot Ukraine in fighting Russia.

www.jpost.com

Good on Latvia. If everyone played this game like the Baltics do, it'd already be over.

 

[Jaskalas]

By Erdogan 's words, Turkey is upset that Sweden is neither Islamic nor bowing to Islamic rule.
Still just a ploy to buy concessions? Maybe... but Turkey's decades long slide into Islamic fundamentalism bodes ill for our ability to count them as Ally. We need them, but we are having a great deal of trouble living with them. If they make it difficult to secure NATO from Russia, we would no longer be able to play nice.

Turkey’s president says no support for Sweden’s NATO bid

“So you will let terror organizations run wild on your avenues and streets and then expect our support for getting into NATO. That’s not happening,” Erdogan said, referring to Sweden and Finland’s accession bids for the military alliance. He said if Sweden won’t show respect to NATO-member Turkey or Muslims, then “they won’t see any support from us on the NATO issue.” ​

 

[Ajay]

By Erdogan 's words, Turkey is upset that Sweden is neither Islamic nor bowing to Islamic rule.
Still just a ploy to buy concessions? Maybe... but Turkey's decades long slide into Islamic fundamentalism bodes ill for our ability to count them as Ally. We need them, but we are having a great deal of trouble living with them. If they make it difficult to secure NATO from Russia, we would no longer be able to play nice.

Turkey’s president says no support for Sweden’s NATO bid

“So you will let terror organizations run wild on your avenues and streets and then expect our support for getting into NATO. That’s not happening,” Erdogan said, referring to Sweden and Finland’s accession bids for the military alliance. He said if Sweden won’t show respect to NATO-member Turkey or Muslims, then “they won’t see any support from us on the NATO issue.” ​

He's got the satisfy his base like (nearly) every other leader in the world.

 

[Jaskalas]

He's got the satisfy his base like (nearly) every other leader in the world.

True, like so many others Turkey has cultivated the crazy.
Unfortunately that means a weaker NATO and some real difficult give and take ahead.

 

[Racan]

Intense footage

 

[Zor Prime]

i really don't understand germany's position here, unless they are that dependent on russian gas. that's the only reason i can fathom them slow-walking this.

"but they'll escalate" - they fucking invaded a country. that's escalation on its own. what the F more do you need?

But they didn't invade their country. And the gas thing is a definite issue, my family in Germany are having their most expensive winter to date.

Germany has no nuclear deterrent outside of NATO. Alliances are great and all but alliances are reactive regarding time if there's a first strike. Maybe we should give Germany nukes or get them to start a nuclear weapons program to make them feel more inclined to press the go button on those tanks.

In the end it's all very political, Germany has no desire for confrontation. Having their tanks rolling around killing Russians completely removes them from their happy place and turns their reality upside down on them. There are many Germans who want good relations with Russia, even if Russia is behaving badly (which, obviously it is.) Relations with Russia is far more important than with Ukraine to Germany.

If Leopards get sent to Germany and they signed off on it you can bet the bank that it's going to be perilous to the political careers of many German politicians. One thing I haven't seen noted in this thread is that there are a good deal of people in Germany who like Russia more than they do the United States. Germany and the USA are business partners and it stops right there -- there isn't any love involved unlike Britain and France with the USA.

Germany might give the go signal, but going forward the Germany that we know today will forever be changed. We are asking an entire people to change themselves because of something we want them to do, take that into account.

 

[cytg111]

By Erdogan 's words, Turkey is upset that Sweden is neither Islamic nor bowing to Islamic rule.
Still just a ploy to buy concessions? Maybe... but Turkey's decades long slide into Islamic fundamentalism bodes ill for our ability to count them as Ally. We need them, but we are having a great deal of trouble living with them. If they make it difficult to secure NATO from Russia, we would no longer be able to play nice.

Turkey’s president says no support for Sweden’s NATO bid

“So you will let terror organizations run wild on your avenues and streets and then expect our support for getting into NATO. That’s not happening,” Erdogan said, referring to Sweden and Finland’s accession bids for the military alliance. He said if Sweden won’t show respect to NATO-member Turkey or Muslims, then “they won’t see any support from us on the NATO issue.” ​

The guy that Erdogan is using as a puppet here, the guy burning holy books in the streets of sweden, is in fact Danish and is in fact mentally handicapped. There is even more going on with this guy, think pedo… He is a freak. Is not representative of anything.

 

[KMFJD]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1617618030162501633

Anti-Russian Chechens have a present

 

[RnR_au]

Interesting thread summarising the changing nature of Russian military tactics;

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1617613252988370945

 

[K1052]

Sounds like Ukraine can expect a fair number of Leopard 2 donations if Germany approves the export permits.

Noted in the story stocks of 125mm ammunition for ex-soviet tanks are low as a major motivation.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1617674294460354563

 

[borosp1]

In a surprise to absolute no one, China is being accused of supplying Russians with materials for supporting their war in Ukraine.

"The Biden administration has confronted China’s government with evidence that suggests some Chinese state-owned companies may be providing assistance for Russia’s war effort in Ukraine, as it tries to ascertain if Beijing is aware of those activities, according to people familiar with the matter.

The people, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations, declined to detail the support except to say that it consists of non-lethal military and economic assistance that stops short of wholesale evasion of the sanctions regime the US and its allies imposed after Russian forces invaded Ukraine."

US Confronts China Over Companies’ Ties to Russian War Effort

The Biden administration has confronted China’s government with evidence that suggests some Chinese state-owned companies may be providing assistance for Russia’s war effort in Ukraine, as it tries to ascertain if Beijing is aware of those activities, according to people familiar with the matter.

www.bloomberg.com

 

[Zor Prime]

In a surprise to absolute no one, China is being accused of supplying Russians with materials for supporting their war in Ukraine.

"The Biden administration has confronted China’s government with evidence that suggests some Chinese state-owned companies may be providing assistance for Russia’s war effort in Ukraine, as it tries to ascertain if Beijing is aware of those activities, according to people familiar with the matter.

The people, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations, declined to detail the support except to say that it consists of non-lethal military and economic assistance that stops short of wholesale evasion of the sanctions regime the US and its allies imposed after Russian forces invaded Ukraine."

US Confronts China Over Companies’ Ties to Russian War Effort

The Biden administration has confronted China’s government with evidence that suggests some Chinese state-owned companies may be providing assistance for Russia’s war effort in Ukraine, as it tries to ascertain if Beijing is aware of those activities, according to people familiar with the matter.

www.bloomberg.com

No surprise at all. I said in this thread going on a year ago China will be supplying Russia when people were saying Russia is going to run out of stuff. China might not be supplying actual assembled items but components and materials you can bet your ass they are to some degree. There's not much else but upside for China to do so because in the end nobody is going to do anything about it other than blow smoke and hoot and holler.