Russia Invades Ukraine 2022

[Ernie]

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-69025424

Why do governments and news reporters publish claims like this from Putin, whenever Putin has made it clear that his words mean nothing at all. Why doesn't every news agency and every government not in support of Russia, make this the focus of any article about Putin's statements.

[temporal1]

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-69025424

Why do governments and news reporters publish claims like this from Putin, whenever Putin has made it clear that his words mean nothing at all. Why doesn't every news agency and every government not in support of Russia, make this the focus of any article about Putin's statements.

My understanding is, the role of media is to report facts, preferably without political bias, not assume roles of judge+jury, ignoring legal representation and due process. This is not necessarily the norm. There is too much sweeping judgment in reporting.

This article includes lots of doubtful language about Putin, while reporting his public statement.

Regarding politicians, often indistinguishable from media, they are rarely “unbiased.”

With these things in mind, i don’t see this as a “pro-Putin” article. It’s reporting with caution.

[Soloist]

Just got done reading this blog post from a Ukrainian living in California.
His points line up pretty nicely with the information we have coming out in the conscientious objector reports and the news if you read between the lines.

I’d be interested in knowing Sdzfan’s thoughts as he has connections to Russia and anyone else who actually reads it.
https://romankogan.net/2024/04/26/the- ... -zelensky/

[Szdfan]

Just got done reading this blog post from a Ukrainian living in California.
His points line up pretty nicely with the information we have coming out in the conscientious objector reports and the news if you read between the lines.

I’d be interested in knowing Sdzfan’s thoughts as he has connections to Russia and anyone else who actually reads it.
https://romankogan.net/2024/04/26/the- ... -zelensky/

I skimmed it (it’s long!), but I’ll read it more closely when I have a chance. I’m chaperoning my school’s local FFA chapter to the state’s convention in Pueblo. Today is the last day and I’ll have more time after that.

I haven’t followed the war or internal Ukrainian politics to the minutiae he describes, but I don’t have a reason to doubt him. I want to confirm some of the points he makes with other media.

[Szdfan]

Just got done reading this blog post from a Ukrainian living in California.
His points line up pretty nicely with the information we have coming out in the conscientious objector reports and the news if you read between the lines.

I’d be interested in knowing Sdzfan’s thoughts as he has connections to Russia and anyone else who actually reads it.
https://romankogan.net/2024/04/26/the- ... -zelensky/

I skimmed it (it’s long!), but I’ll read it more closely when I have a chance. I’m chaperoning my school’s local FFA chapter to the state’s convention in Pueblo. Today is the last day and I’ll have more time after that.

I haven’t followed the war or internal Ukrainian politics to the minutiae he describes, but I don’t have a reason to doubt him. I want to confirm some of the points he makes with other media.

I did some more reading and I don't think he's wrong. Zelensky is not as popular in Ukraine as in the West, though he does still seem to be above 60%. I think that's understandable, as the grinds on, it's normal for the population to get more critical of leadership. Fatigue and criticism will set in. Another article I read pointed out that Zelensky's background is as an actor -- he's great as presentation and being the "face" if Ukraine during the war, he may not be as good leading the fight against the Russians

We don't really know how popular Putin and the war is in Russia. Without a doubt, the majority of Russians support it, but we don't know how widespread opposition is because criticism of the war can lead to arrest and other legal consequences and fines. Critics are afraid to speak openly.

Russia's great advantage is that they have a lot more soldiers than the Ukrainians do. An estimated 5000 Russian soldiers have been killed since the war started, disproportionately from central Asian republics (it's not the Moscow elite that are bearing the brunt of this). Moscow can throw as many of it's people into the meat grinder it wants in order to wear out the Ukrainians.

I think the war is a disaster, even for the Russians if they win. The war economy is propping up the country's GDP. That goes away when the war ends. If Russia wins, I think Western sanctions stay in place, at least for the time being. Regardless of whether Russia wins or loses, they are going to have to pay for the reconstruction of Ukraine. This is a disaster for everyone involved.

[temporal1]

June 15, 2022 / a few months after the Feb 24 invasion.
So many prayers for resolution - - - by June 2022!

“How much of a problem is corruption in Ukraine?”
“Analysts say that Ukraine has long suffered from systemic corruption but that Russia, which often weaponises the issue,
is in no position to judge.”
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/6/1 ... in-ukraine

.. That year, Ukraine was the second most corrupt in Europe. Russia was the most corrupt at 136. ..

[Ken]

I did some more reading and I don't think he's wrong. Zelensky is not as popular in Ukraine as in the West, though he does still seem to be above 60%. I think that's understandable, as the grinds on, it's normal for the population to get more critical of leadership. Fatigue and criticism will set in. Another article I read pointed out that Zelensky's background is as an actor -- he's great as presentation and being the "face" if Ukraine during the war, he may not be as good leading the fight against the Russians

Zelensky's approval rating in Ukraine is about 65% at present. How do you think that compares to other leaders around the world?

Hint, not badly. And well above any other leader in Europe: https://pro.morningconsult.com/trackers ... r-approval

[temporal1]

Jan 2023: NO / Biden: U.S. will not send F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine / 4min

May 2023: YES / Biden backs plan to provide F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine / -2min

Biden changed his mind. Presidents do that.

No kidding. This was a quick turnaround. Counting on poor memories.
In the second video, he (once again, “sternly” promises) Ukraine will NOT use these jets to cross into Russia.
O.yeah. Count on it.

biden’s creeping incrementalism?

2024 / Austria's Defense Minister on Ukraine Strikes: "Red Line Crossed"
https://www.dagens.com/news/austrias-de ... ne-crossed

In a bold statement, Austria's Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner expressed her concerns over the Western decision to allow Ukraine to use supplied weaponry to strike Russian territory, asserting that a "red line" has been crossed. .. ..

.. U.S. Greenlights Limited Strikes
On May 31, U.S. President Joe Biden permitted Ukraine to target Russian positions near the Kharkiv border with American weapons, though he explicitly prohibited strikes deeper into Russian territory, including Moscow and the Kremlin. .. ..

no
yes
no
yes
no
yes
no
yes

[Theophilos]

[Ernie]

https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russ ... 674700ac6c

Russian soldiers are apparently putting blue stripes on their helmets to confuse Ukranian drone operators. Is this a relatively new thing or is it as old as wars? I was under the impression that armies in the past pridefully displayed their own colors of their military and would not have ever used enemy colors.