Russia and Ukraine

[Leonardo17]

   Just a reminder of what all of those Ukrainians are actually fighting for: Alexei Navalny was one of Putin’s main political opponents in 2018. First he was poisoned in the Novichok agent in 2020. The Russian doctors released him from the hospital in Omsk so the doctors in Germany were able to make him live somehow. He was in coma for one month. Then 3 month he defied the government again and returned to Moscow in January 2021. First they put him in a IK-2 ordinary penal colony near Moscow. Than he was transferred to a typical Soviet-era, Gulag type IK-6 penal colony further east of the country. Actually he doesn’t even have proper winter clothing. Recently they used another inmate to infect him with a severe type of influenza. His lawyers, who also play a role of connection between him and social media, is not allowed to give him antibiotics (I know how important this is because in less developed countries this type of aid in the form of medicine, cigarettes, clean clothes extra food usually comes from the outside and not allowing this means that you are really willing to harm that inmate). So 200 Russian doctors signed a petition against his inhumane conditions of detention (in a country where it is forbidden to say that the war in Ukraine is a war). And all we know is that he was really sick in New Years Eve. For some reason his rations of water are said to have been increased and it also said that he was finally administered some antibiotics.
    This is the type of prison where Britney Grinner was going to be sent if the US didn’t agree to release an international arms dealer in exchange for her. And I believe that the regimes main opponent in 2018 and a figure of hope for many Russians (both in Russia and abroad) has already been murdered at least two times by their new dictatorship elites of Russia.
Full article:
  https://www.yahoo.com/news/russian-oppos...00233.html

[The Architect Of Fate]

One very unreasonable argument I keep hearing to Justify Russia's invasion is the comparison between Nukes being deployed in Ukraine to Nukes being deployed in Cuba. This misses the fact that the only reason Ukraine would agree to have nukes is if they felt threatened by Russia the same as Cuba wanted Nukes to prevent US hostilities. I also find it funny you never hear Russia say it would be alright for say Poland to invade Russia because they felt threatened by Russia's Nuclear arsenal. It's like Russia forgets that in eastern Europe it's the one whose an existential threat to its neighbors by its own logic. Also if NATO had evil plans to deploy Nukes near Russia's border they don't need Ukraine they could deploy missiles from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania but right now those countries have no Nukes so is NATO just dumb that they would wait to admit Ukraine before "threatening Russia rather then take advantage of already existing members? This makes zero sense.

[The Architect Of Fate]

Russia's Defenders love to bring up the war in the Donetsk as a justification for Russia's invasion. This works till you remember Russia started that war by backing terrorist groups. They also love to bring up far-right groups that fought for the Ukraine side. Then you need to remind them that  far-right groups fought for the Russians too. They will bring up civilian deaths but ignore that groups like the Allies in WW2 killed plenty of civilians you don't hear them cry about that.

[The Architect Of Fate]

The Last load of bull from Russian defenders is the absurd idea that Ukraine was promoting the ethnic cleansing of Russians in Ukraine

This is totally bunk 

https://link.springer.com/article/10.100...22-09258-5

https://www.e-ir.info/2020/12/08/russian...tionalism/

[Fake Messiah]

The European Parliament has voted for a tribunal for Putin

In favor - 472. Against - 19

Putin is a War Criminal

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/p...ian-crimes

[Thumpalumpacus]

Looks like tanks are going to shipped, either with or without Germany's approval. We Americans should have done so already, even a bone-stock M-1 is a T-72 killer. Bravo Poland if they take the leap to send Leo IIs.

[Deesse23]

Looks like tanks are going to shipped, either with or without Germany's approval. We Americans should have done so already, even a bone-stock M-1 is a T-72 killer. Bravo Poland if they take the leap to send Leo IIs.

Right now another conference is happening in Ramstein.
Zelensky was in an interview on German television yesterday, saying "You can keep talking (about tanks) for 6 more months. Here, people are dying. Our people are dying. If you have tanks, please give them to us."

US refuses to ship M-1ses, citing maintenance issues n stuff as reasonf for not doing so.

Krauss Maffei says its willing and able to refurbish Leo-IIs. 20 this year, some dozen more in the next 20 months. Another supplier is offerign to refurbish Leo-I, bought from Oman. Thes tanks would be availiable on very short notice.

The European Parliament has voted for a tribunal for Putin

In favor - 472. Against - 19

Putin is a War Criminal

Unfortunately this is meaningless
MEPs have not voted for a tribunal, they have voted to ASK FOR A TRIBUNAL.

Of course Putin is a war criminal. The relevant issue is: Will he ever going to be convicted of being one?

[Fake Messiah]

I kind of understand the German hesitation. They were occupied by the Red Army and for good reasons, and then had to rebuild their culture and mentality which Russians had a part in. So it is probably very psychologically hard to send tanks that will fight against them. It's almost like encountering the old daemon that they had with Russia.

[Thumpalumpacus]

Looks like tanks are going to shipped, either with or without Germany's approval. We Americans should have done so already, even a bone-stock M-1 is a T-72 killer. Bravo Poland if they take the leap to send Leo IIs.

Right now another conference is happening in Ramstein.
Zelensky was in an interview on German television yesterday, saying "You can keep talking (about tanks) for 6 more months. Here, people are dying. Our people are dying. If you have tanks, please give them to us."

US refuses to ship M-1ses, citing maintenance issues n stuff as reasonf for not doing so.

Krauss Maffei says its willing and able to refurbish Leo-IIs. 20 this year, some dozen more in the next 20 months. Another supplier is offerign to refurbish Leo-I, bought from Oman. Thes tanks would be availiable on very short notice.

Our reasoning for not shipping Abrams also included that "they run on jet fuel" -- which is asinine, because 1) those tanks are multifuel and 2) jet fuel is one of the most easily refined POLs, barely above kerosene in the fractionation process. This is political cowardice on the part of the Biden administration, in my view.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I kind of understand the German hesitation. They were occupied by the Red Army and for good reasons, and then had to rebuild their culture and mentality which Russians had a part in. So it is probably very psychologically hard to send tanks that will fight against them. It's almost like encountering the old daemon that they had with Russia.

The problem I see is not them not sending tanks themselves, it's them not permitting customer-states who own Leo IIs as well from sending their own.

Also, forgot to mention that the Brits are sending a squadron of Challenger II tanks, which is a fine piece of kit as well, although the oddball ammo (2-pc) will introduce yet another factor into Ukrainian logistics. It's a good move and I should hope it prompts America and Germany to get off'n their duffs.