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Russia begins Invasion of Ukraine

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VN1X

Banned
If you want to delve a bit deeper in the geopolitical aspect of this entire shitshow, Corbett put up a very interesting report on the current situation in context of the region and outside interferences from the west, notably the US, which has been pumping money into Ukraine ($5 Billion to be exact) to secure its own interests and policies.


Very much recommend if you want a better and more informed overview of the current situation and are tired of the established media and their blatant propaganda.
 
If you want to delve a bit deeper in the geopolitical aspect of this entire shitshow, Corbett put up a very interesting report on the current situation in context of the region and outside interferences from the west, notably the US, which has been pumping money into Ukraine ($5 Billion to be exact) to secure its own interests and policies.


Very much recommend if you want a better and more informed overview of the current situation and are tired of the established media and their blatant propaganda.
Thank you for sharing this. I'll be sure to check it once I get home.
 

IDKFA

I am Become Bilbo Baggins
I pray they hold out.

They're doing a good job so far. I don't think this is going how Putin planned. Russia have taken far more losses so far, plus Ukraine have just banned all males aged between 18-60 from leaving Ukraine so they can stay and defend their country. This is going to be a long and bloody fight for Ukraine.

Sanctions aren't working and the west now need to really decide what further action they can take to help Ukraine. NATO are meeting today, so it'll be interesting see what further action they decide to take.
 

Helghan

Member
If you want to delve a bit deeper in the geopolitical aspect of this entire shitshow, Corbett put up a very interesting report on the current situation in context of the region and outside interferences from the west, notably the US, which has been pumping money into Ukraine ($5 Billion to be exact) to secure its own interests and policies.


Very much recommend if you want a better and more informed overview of the current situation and are tired of the established media and their blatant propaganda.
It's well known that the US has put billions into Ukraine, not sure what the "established media" has to do with it
 

Doczu

Member
If Ukraine wants to join NATO, join Russia, join the Lakers, join the Avengers, buying Playstation or doing anything its Ukraine rights as a sovereign nation and none of feckin russia business
It sure is their right. But it's also their responsibility to face the consequences of their choice. Russia doesn't want to lose their grasp on Ukraine and are ready to fight for it.

Look, i am rooting for Ukraine here, but i am not dumb. Russia is (still) a (local) power and they have a lot to say. This is also what happened to Belarus - Lukashenko was hoping they wouldn't have to be merged with Russia after 2004, but he started losing in popularity and that sealed the deal.

Russia ain't going to let anyone go without a fight. That's reality and we should accept it. We surely don't like it here, but we don't have anything to say.
 

MadAnon

Member
Man, fuck off with that bullshit. I'm asking legit questions, trying to have a decent discussion about it, trying to understand the problem. Other users have no problem discussing it, but for some reason you have and now accuse me of spreading FUD about NATO being a criminal organization? (Your words, not mine) By posing questions? Like someone said above, try to learn a little bit more about geopolitics, how the world actually operates, and then we can have a discussion.
Next thing you should do is post Hitlers speeches and lecture us how you are trying to have a civil discussion to understand why he started to annex neighboring territories. He also had his reasons.
 

VN1X

Banned
It's well known that the US has put billions into Ukraine, not sure what the "established media" has to do with it
Well here in my country Russia and Putin are literally portrayed as the equivalent of Germany and Hitler.

I'm just saying that the same media who peddled such lies as "WMD's in Iraq" are still the same ones fear mongering about this conflict while also misrepresenting the facts. I'm bringing it up because I already see the superficial media talking points parroted in my own circles. It's incredibly shortsighted stuff.

I'm not going to pretend to know all the facts but it goes further than "Putin bad mmmkay".

Edit: and before the pile on happens: yes Putin is far from a saint obviously and has proven himself to be no different from the many other dictators we've known in the 21st century (including those in the west).
 
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Calling what NATO does when adding new members "expansion" is in and of itself a mischaracterization. It enlarges. NATO is not a conquering army like the Mongols, bringing new territories under it by force and annexing them. Those countries have to ASK to join NATO and there is a whole list of requirements they have to meet in order to do so, including not being in current conflict with their neighbors. A nation can even leave if it wants to.

LOL Who maintains this clock? Did 1956 (Hungary), 1968 (Czechoslovakia) and the 90's Post-Yugoslavian wars completely escape their notice? This clock should have been reset a few times by now. 76 years of European peace is an extremely liberal estimate.

NATO was a direct response to the Warsaw Pact. Of course, for us members it's only a defensive military alliance, but that's like asking a bear if he likes salmon. It stands to reason that not everybody regards it as such, especially not those who find themselves on the other side of the military alliance. Whether they are right from our perspective is irrelevant, what matters is understanding that not everybody shares this benevolent view of NATO due to historical reasons.

The one maintaining that clock would probably argue that Yugoslavia broke apart due to violent internal fragmentation of its own population. No other nations were involved, hence why it doesn't technically fit the classical definition of a war.
 
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Next thing you should do is post Hitlers speeches and lecture us how you are trying to have a civil discussion to understand why he started to annex neighboring territories. He also had his reasons.
Yeah, if you think from a neutral point of view, he had his reasons and for many years some actual professionals have been trying to understand what the fuck happened. That's why now we know. And just like I condemn Putin's actions, I strongly condemn what Hitler did (and my family comes from a Jewish background). What's your point again?

You think this is a gotcha moment but it's not. I'm not justifying and defending actions, I'm looking for reasons and everyone should be looking so this type of shit doesn't happen again. Once again, I strongly condemn Putin's actions.


EDIT: Wait, let me guess... I'm a nazi now? Is that it?
 
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akimbo009

Gold Member
NATO was a direct response to the Warsaw Pact. Of course, for us members it's only a defensive military alliance, but that's like asking a bear if he likes salmon. It stands to reason that not everybody regards it as such, especially not those who find themselves on the other side of the military alliance. Whether they are right from our perspective is irrelevant, what matters is understanding that not everybody shares this benevolent view of NATO due to historical reasons.

The one maintaining that clock would probably argue that Yugoslavia broke apart due to violent internal fragmentation of its own population. No other nations were involved, hence why it doesn't technically fit the classical definition of a war.

You have an example where NATO acted on offense? Like. Ever? Outside of your crazy dreams and insecurities?
 

Doczu

Member
By invading you can be sure Ukraine is lost to Russia for the next 50 years. Guess when the desire of Ukrainians to join NATO started increasing? 2014. I wonder what happened then…

Basically Russia:
Role Playing Reaction GIF by Hyper RPG
Now why did 2014 happen the way it happened? Go back to 2012 when Ukraine announced plans to sign treaties on the Eastern Partnership summit. Russia retaliated with heavy sanctions which made the government declare they won't be parnering further with the EU. Then protests start and a revolution is brewing which leads to what we have today.

Again, I AM IN NO WAY SUPPORTING PUTIN/RUSSIA IN ANY FORM REGARDING THE CURRENT INVASION/CRISIS OR THE EARLIER ATTEMPTS TO FORCE THEIR WILL ON UKRAINE

I am merely showing that Russia is ready to military invade their neighbour to make sure no steps will be taken towards NATO or the EU.

I pray this will end soon, but unless a miracle happens then we know already what the outcome will be.
 

akimbo009

Gold Member
Well here in my country Russia and Putin are literally portrayed as the equivalent of Germany and Hitler.

I'm just saying that the same media who peddled such lies as "WMD's in Iraq" are still the same ones fear mongering about this conflict while also misrepresenting the facts. I'm bringing it up because I already see the superficial media talking points parroted in my own circles. It's incredibly shortsighted stuff.

I'm not going to pretend to know all the facts but it goes further than "Putin bad mmmkay".

Edit: and before the pile on happens: yes Putin is far from a saint obviously and has proven himself to be no different from the many other dictators we've known in the 21st century (including those in the west).

Yeah he's worse. Got other examples where another dictator who has invaded Georgia or poisoned his opposition with radioactive material. I'll wait. Sure we have plenty of time and evidence.
 

BadBurger

Many “Whelps”! Handle It!
NATO was a direct response to the Warsaw Pact.

Correction: It's the other way around. NATO came first, as a protective alliance against an aggressive USSR and the possibility of an attack from what would then be East Germany. The Warsaw Pact was basically just the Soviet Bloc claiming their own alliance when the USSR was rejected NATO admittance by the US and UK (because of course they would be, they were the aggressors in the region everyone feared in the first place).
 
You have an example where NATO acted on offense? Like. Ever? Outside of your crazy dreams and insecurities?
Didn't NATO bomb Yugoslavia without the UN approval? This was an offensive approach of NATO. Belgrade? Where they targeted a Chinese Embassy as well? (if I'm not mistaken)

You can discuss that they did it out of humanitarian reasons, and it was a good call imo, but it was an offensive strike anyway. And by UN standards, it was illegal. So yeah, they did.
 
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DragoonKain

Neighbours from Hell
I was reading that apparently 20 years ago, less than 20% of Russians had a favorable view of Stalin, and now over 70% do.

If that’s true, why do you think that is? It’s gotta be young people, right? I can’t see someone hating Stalin 20 years ago and then growing to like the guy over time.

Or has propaganda truly brainwashed older Russians into changing their stance on him?
 

STARSBarry

Gold Member
If you want to delve a bit deeper in the geopolitical aspect of this entire shitshow, Corbett put up a very interesting report on the current situation in context of the region and outside interferences from the west, notably the US, which has been pumping money into Ukraine ($5 Billion to be exact) to secure its own interests and policies.


Very much recommend if you want a better and more informed overview of the current situation and are tired of the established media and their blatant propaganda.

For anyone taking this serious, have a read of https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/James_Corbett he is a no joke "9/11 was an inside job" kind of guy.

So "very much recommended" if you want to start on your path of making hats out of tin foil.
 
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For anyone taking this serious, have a read of https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/James_Corbett and click any of the links in the article to see that these insane and outlandish claims actually where said by this guy and he is a no joke "9/11 was an inside job" kind of guy.

So "very much recommended" if you want to start on your path of making hats out of tin foil.
1wcI7KO.png

oh fuck, hahahahah yeah that's a not from me
 

Fluo

Member
Can we stop referring to every enemy of the west as insane/unhinged/madman/deranged. What’s going on is evil, wrong, whatever you want to call it…but geopolitics is complicated, and there is undoubtedly a rationale behind what he is doing. Putin is not going to throw away his entire country doing something completely irrational like attack a NATO country unprovoked the same way Kim Jong Un won’t. Let’s not lose our heads.
Hey. Russian here. Just to give you some context of how it looks from the inside.

Couple of weeks ago, even Navalny (opposition leader who's currently in jail) was sure Putin wouldn't attack.
Last week when the government rushed to recognize Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states, we thought maybe he's gonna move the army there under pretenses of helping them.
A lot of refugees from Donetsk and Luhansk were transported on a short notice to southern regions of Russia, including the one where I live. Governors of these regions had no time to make necessary preparations, government sent some money their way, refugees received 10k in rubles (about 130$ at the time) as a help. This was not cool with us - we've never received any help from the government during pandemic, even businesses.
This Tuesday Putin graced the world with his hour long ramblings how Ukraine is not even a country. And we were like "yeah he's gonna annex Donetsk and Luhansk".
Yesterday he launched full on invasion, called it a "military operation" and propaganda tries to paint him as some kind of savior fighting ukranian nazis and the protector of all things russian.

His public image's been slipping. Navalny showed just how vain he is (if you haven't seen Navalny's investigation into Putin's palace, you should), his response to pandemic was weak - he distanced himself from the issue, locked himself in a bunker and left businesses and local governance to fend for themselves. At least a million people died from covid, prices been rising as well and the people are not happy with it.

So what do you do when you're an old dictator who's seen as weak? Well, you establish dominance. The security council he urgently called to recognize Donetsk and Luhansk was pure power play. The most powerful people of the country shaking in fear when talking on the matter in front of the great patriarch - great stuff to keep everyone in line. Now there's a full on invasion and veiled threats of nuclear retaliation.

Make no mistake, he already threw his entire country under the bus, he's already getting more and more irrational. So you should call him what he is. At least because it's a felony for me to do so.
 

VN1X

Banned
For anyone taking this serious, have a read of https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/James_Corbett he is a no joke "9/11 was an inside job" kind of guy.

So "very much recommended" if you want to start on your path of making hats out of tin foil.
You obviously don't have to agree with every opinion someone might hold, Jesus. This is some 2nd grade type level of argumentation.

With regards to the report I posted: Sources are always available via his website.

But by all means if you want to keep propagating the same talking points from the media (who have proven themselves to be unreliable time and time again) then by all means have at it!

Edit: oh I just realized you posted a wiki which is the same as posting one if those "fact checkers" (funded by FB for instance) that is another tool for propaganda (who decides the 'truth'). If this is the level of discussion we're having then I'm out lol.



"Wikipedia is your source of information?! Tsk Tsk Tsk" Henry knows lol :messenger_grinning_sweat:
 
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Fluo

Member
I was reading that apparently 20 years ago, less than 20% of Russians had a favorable view of Stalin, and now over 70% do.

If that’s true, why do you think that is? It’s gotta be young people, right? I can’t see someone hating Stalin 20 years ago and then growing to like the guy over time.

Or has propaganda truly brainwashed older Russians into changing their stance on him?
Propaganda's hard at work. Now it's illegal to say USSR has done anything inhuman during ww2 and the school's program was changed accordingly. Apparently, USSR's been benevolent from its inception to its fall.
 
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STARSBarry

Gold Member
You obviously don't have to agree with every opinion someone might hold, Jesus. This is some 2nd grade type level of argumentation.

With regards to the report I posted: Sources are always available via his website.

But by all means if you want to keep propagating the same talking points from the media (who have proven themselves to be unreliable time and time again) then by all means have at it!

Remember guys, I am "propergating the same talking points" by pointing out that a man who has made unfounded and outlandish conspiracy claims in the past is not reliable, because when it's just some guy and not "the media" it's not them being "proven unreliable" it's just that it's a "disagreement in opinion"

So there's an "alternative take" on an "alternative news source"
 

Doczu

Member
I was reading that apparently 20 years ago, less than 20% of Russians had a favorable view of Stalin, and now over 70% do.

If that’s true, why do you think that is? It’s gotta be young people, right? I can’t see someone hating Stalin 20 years ago and then growing to like the guy over time.

Or has propaganda truly brainwashed older Russians into changing their stance on him?
Brainwashed them? Nah, these are more likely the younger generation that are fed the nations propaganda.
You can find a lot of older russians that have favorable views on USSR, but most of them have only begative thoughts of Stalin.
 

BadBurger

Many “Whelps”! Handle It!


If all true (I want to believe): between this guy, the thirteen soldiers who bravely defended an island, the "Ghost of Kyiv", the woman who handed Russian soldiers sunflower seeds to place in their pockets so they would grow from their corpses when they died on Ukrainian land, and their overall fierce resistance, the folks of Ukraine are proving to be some of the hardest motherfuckers on the planet.
 

VN1X

Banned
Remember guys, I am "propergating the same talking points" by pointing out that a man who has made unfounded and outlandish conspiracy claims in the past is not reliable, because when it's just some guy and not "the media" it's not them being "proven unreliable" it's just that it's a "disagreement in opinion"

So there's an "alternative take" on an "alternative news source"
I'm saying that Wikipedia (these days) is one of the most unreliable sources for information ESPECIALLY when it comes to people who don't go along with 'the narrative'. I mean Trump is literally characterised as racist on there but calling Princess' Diana death tragic isn't allowed under the guise of "neutrality" ffs. There's countless examples of this type of rhetoric from Wikipedia and other establishment outlets.


But hey here's a comedian still doing a better job at reporting than most journalists:



Though I'm sure you will go out of your way to come up with another low effort ad hominem to discredit reporting that's not in line with the so called fact checkers and what not lol.
 
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FunkMiller

Member
You know, this may not be going the way Putin wants…

Economy tanking, Russians protesting in 58 cities, Ukrainians holding strategic targets instead of them falling, oligarchs targeted, Russian equipment destroyed.

Well, well, well.
 

Wildebeest

Member

The son of two of Russia’s most famous poets, Nikolai Gumilev and Anna Akhmatova, Gumilev maintains that every people possesses a distinct life force: a “bio-cosmic” inner energy or passionate substance that he calls passionarnost. Putin may have known Gumilev in St Petersburg at the start of the 1990s. At any rate, he has embraced his ideas and never misses an opportunity to refer to them. In February last year, he said: “I believe in passionarnost. In nature as in society, there is development, climax and decline. Russia has not yet attained its highest point. We are on the way”.

 
You know, this may not be going the way Putin wants…

Economy tanking, Russians protesting in 58 cities, Ukrainians holding strategic targets instead of them falling, oligarchs targeted, Russian equipment destroyed.

Well, well, well.
It's not going the way he wanted, that's pretty obvious. I think he expected to be in Kiev within the day, via the paratroopers at the airport just outside of Kiev, then supported by armored units a little later.
Ukraine has done amazingly to hold off them for this long, and cause the damage it has, I just wish they had more anti tank & anti air weapons on hand from the EU. If they can flood Ukraine with that kind of support quickly, they may keep holding off until russian internal pressure, or global pressure on Russia forces a cease fire
 

STARSBarry

Gold Member
You know, this may not be going the way Putin wants…

Economy tanking, Russians protesting in 58 cities, Ukrainians holding strategic targets instead of them falling, oligarchs targeted, Russian equipment destroyed.

Well, well, well.

I wish this was more true in the UK, we seem to be dragging our heels again in regards to this. I am sure Putin accounted for the economic effects of sanctions once he made his move.

I guess his thought process is, sanctions can be lifted and an economy can recover, but you can't recover land you haven't claimed.
 

MadAnon

Member
If all true (I want to believe): between this guy, the thirteen soldiers who bravely defended an island, the "Ghost of Kyiv", the woman who handed Russian soldiers sunflower seeds to place in their pockets so they would grow from their corpses when they died on Ukrainian land, and their overall fierce resistance, the folks of Ukraine are proving to be some of the hardest motherfuckers on the planet.
Ghost of Kyiv is definitely a war propaganda to boost morale. You need operational airfields, intact supply chain of fuel, munitions, flares (for defensive measures) to keep that jet flying, taking down targets. There's no evidence Ukraine even has any operational airfields much less operational airforce remaining.
 

IDKFA

I am Become Bilbo Baggins
Blackwell's are a UK book store chain. Does anybody else think this is poor timing and Blackwell's trying to profit from the crisis? It was posted yesterday, just hours after Russia started the invasion.

 

BadBurger

Many “Whelps”! Handle It!
Ghost of Kyiv is definitely a war propaganda to boost morale. You need operational airfields, intact supply chain of fuel, munitions, flares (for defensive measures) to keep that jet flying, taking down targets. There's no evidence Ukraine even has any operational airfields much less operational airforce remaining.

I saw some images of some planes destroyed on the ground from yesterday after the opening salvos, but where is the proof Russia managed take out Ukraine's air forces and all air fields? I'm not saying I believe in The Ghost (I want to :) ), but I haven't seen any reports that their air forces were ever decimated or made unable to respond.
 

STARSBarry

Gold Member
I'm saying that Wikipedia (these days) is one of the most unreliable sources for information ESPECIALLY when it comes to people who don't go along with 'the narrative'. I mean Trump is literally characterised as racist on there but calling Princess' Diana death tragic isn't allowed under the guise of "neutrality" ffs. There's countless examples of this type of rhetoric from Wikipedia and other establishment outlets.

And I am still confused why people think some whack job with his own Internet blog site who's sources (if he bothers to source that specific hot take at all) are cherry picked quotes, sometimes taken out of context from the very same media sites that he propergates to be unreliable is actually telling the truth now.


Does this seem like the type of guy you should be basing your opinion of US foreign policy with Ukraine on when Russia is currently invading it?
 
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BadBurger

Many “Whelps”! Handle It!
I'm saying that Wikipedia (these days) is one of the most unreliable sources for information ESPECIALLY when it comes to people who don't go along with 'the narrative'. I mean Trump is literally characterised as racist on there but calling Princess' Diana death tragic isn't allowed under the guise of "neutrality" ffs. There's countless examples of this type of rhetoric from Wikipedia and other establishment outlets.


But hey here's a comedian still doing a better job at reporting than most journalists:



Though I'm sure you will go out of your way to come up with another low effort ad hominem to discredit reporting that's not in line with the so called fact checkers and what not lol.


I don't want to start an argument, but responding with the video of another galaxy brain grifter (Jimmy Dore of all people...) and suggesting they're somehow doing a better job at reporting than actual journalists while he lazily repeats conspiracist talking points from his home thousands of miles away isn't doing you any favors.
 

MadAnon

Member
I saw some images of some planes destroyed on the ground from yesterday after the opening salvos, but where is the proof Russia managed take out Ukraine's air forces and all air fields? I'm not saying I believe in The Ghost (I want to :) ), but I haven't seen any reports that their air forces were ever decimated or made unable to respond.


You know, It would be great if ukrainian forces actually held russians back but it seems like russian units are already running around Kyiv. So it doesn't look promising.
 
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