Russia and Ukraine

[Leonardo17]

   The main problem in Russia is beginning to be Russia itself. Thanks to their madness level truth denying propaganda machine psychological illnesses are increasing alcoholism is said to have increased by 80%. The economic situation is also worsening every day. They are now said to be lacking eggs. Most companies (that we know of) are facing difficulties especially due to the lack of personnel since nearly 1 million Russians have simply fled their country.
 
https://www.yahoo.com/news/despair-russi...35349.html
 

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   So the worse possible scenario is actually happening. Liberal minded Europeans did not want to see that. Even back in 2022 when the war first started. Russia was a source of cheap and reliable energy and an important economic and political partner in this region and beyond. There were voices pointing to the true face of Putin’s Russia in the 2010’s as early as the Syrian civil war.
 
   What I mean is that a huge potential has been lost. My view is that mistakes have been done in the 1990’s. Yes the Soviet Union did disintegrate and it had to disintegrate. But this could have happened in a more organized and better monitored manner. I think that all the economic uncertainties of the 90’s did pave the way for an authoritarian rule to emerge. And as the ancient US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said yesterday, Russians do not really deserve this type of government.
 
   Meaning: The USSR was what it was. But as I said earlier it was not just another totalitarian state. They had this Leninist / Stalinist interpretation of the ideas of Karl Marks. And when they failed, at least they were honest enough to admit it:




 
 

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I’m also going to share this (The video that was prepared by Alexei Navalny that had to be made public in case he died):

 



 
His final phrase (“The only thing that is necessary of evil to triumph is for good people like us to do nothing. Don’t be inactive) reminds me of the Biblical story:
 
The Pharaoh who had learned that a great prophet was going to be born had ordered all male children to be murdered. So what would you do if you were the mother of Moses in that situation? She did something. It was nothing like a very rational plan of action but she still did something by putting baby Moses in a basket and letting him go on the Nile. Which might look like a stupid thing to do but it was still better than just waiting for her offspring to be murdered by the pharaoh’s soldiers.
 
+ Look how he laughs at the end of the video

[Jackalope]

Anyone who's read history knows that Ukraine's geography (swamps in the north, mountains in the west) supported an insurgency and partisan activity against the German occupiers in WWII. Swamps in the north and northeast, mountains in the west, and a supportive populace spell disaster for the Russians, even if they win the military struggle. They will lose the "peace" ... because the Ukrainians will give them none.

Russians seem to have trouble with terrain of all sorts. Even Finland’s forests gave them a rough time.

Boru

Likewise with Finn snipers.

[Fake Messiah]

Denmark has decided to transfer all its artillery to Ukraine, - Prime Minister of the country Mette Frederiksen

"Ukraine is asking us for ammunition and artillery now. We, Denmark, have decided to transfer all our artillery to Ukraine. So, sorry, friends, there is military equipment in Europe, it is not only a matter of production. We have weapons, ammunition, air defense systems, which we do not use yet. They must be handed over to Ukraine," the official stressed.

https://kyivindependent.com/denmark-to-d...e-says-pm/

[HappySkeptic]

I think a large minority of the Republican party is cheering Putin's little wins, like killing his rivals and taking more of Ukraine. To them, Putin is everything they want in a leader, and to Trump, Putin is everything he wishes he could be.

[Thumpalumpacus]

Ukrainian drones hit a Russian repair depot:

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Ukrainian drones hit a Russian repair depot:

It says a lot about the state of the Russian military that a repair facility is a high-value target.

Boru

[Thumpalumpacus]

A centrist Democrat is floating a proposal to shield Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) from an internal GOP coup — if the Speaker agrees to move a stalled package of foreign aid.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) is circulating a resolution that would change House rules to make it more difficult for Republican hard-liners to oust Johnson from the top job. But he is making the measure contingent on the chamber holding a vote on legislation providing billions of dollars for Ukraine, Israel and other overseas allies.

The potential rules change, which would require support from a majority of the chamber, arrives as the debate over foreign assistance — particularly Ukraine aid — heats up on Capitol Hill, where some conservatives are warning that they will try to remove Johnson’s gavel if he brings it to the floor for a vote.

Gottheimer’s resolution is designed to get the aid package to the floor as soon as possible by shielding Johnson from that threat. It is unclear, however, if the resolution would garner enough support in the chamber.

Under current House rules, a single lawmaker can launch the process of removing the Speaker — a condition adopted last year by then-Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), under pressure from conservatives, in his quest for the gavel.

That rule, however, ultimately led to McCarthy’s demise: Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) triggered a vote on his ouster as Speaker in October, which was successful after seven Republicans and all Democrats joined him in toppling the GOP leader.

Gottheimer’s resolution, which was obtained by The Hill, would make that process tougher.

Under his proposal, a lawmaker could force a vote on ousting the Speaker — which is known as a motion to vacate — only if they are authorized to do so by party leadership, or if the caucus or conference votes and decides that should be the direction of the party, reverting to the rules in place under former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/44807...raine-aid/

[Leonardo17]

I think a large minority of the Republican party is cheering Putin's little wins, like killing his rivals and taking more of Ukraine.  To them, Putin is everything they want in a leader, and to Trump, Putin is everything he wishes he could be.

   I think what is needed for the GOP to free itself from the grip of Donald Trump is some sort of investigative Journalism. Below is a link of Alexei Navalny’s investigation on Putin’s 1,5 Billion Dolar, 200,000 square feet, within a 180 acres no-entry zone with vineyard etc. that was entirely built with public funds as a gift from Putin’s kleptocracy to the Tsar of Russian Kleptocracy (There is even a symbol of Russian Tzars at the entry of this palace).
 
   The video is long and boring but you watch the first and final 10 minutes (In the middle parts he is simply providing the evidence for his accusations).
 
https://youtu.be/T_tFSWZXKN0?t=6726
 
   Of course, there has been little impact as a result of the publication of this video in Russia (for now). But in a free country like the US, if such allegation could be made against Donald Trump, it could free the rest of us from having to watch the third season of the Dallas series all over again
 

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   The Ukrainians are said to have been unable to withdraw from Avdivka in an orderly manner, leaving several hundred wounded soldiers behind. Such a sad situation

[The Grand Nudger]

They'd skip anointing him king and proclaim him christ, Leo.

As for avdiivka, you're displaying the problem in a nutshell. The msm has tried to cover for it's dereliction of the russo-ukranian war by mainlining russian propaganda. Russia wasted tens of thousands of lives in avdiivka. That's a sad situation alright, but not for ukraine.

[Thumpalumpacus]

They'd skip anointing him king and proclaim him christ, Leo.

As for avdiivka, you're displaying the problem in a nutshell.  The msm has tried to cover for it's dereliction of the russo-ukranian war by mainlining russian propaganda.  Russia wasted tens of thousands of lives in avdiivka.  That's a sad situation alright, but not for ukraine.

It sits near a crossroads, but I'm not sure it's 30,000 casualties of important. Fighting a bloody batle and then unassing when you have inflicted the losses you want to is not new.

Ask the Germans how Verdun worked out. There's a reason why offense should have at least three:one troop advantage, and that's because the offense is going to lose a lot of men.