Russia Attacks Ukraine - 23 Feb 2022 #2

[otto]

Refugees driving and walking into Romania, heading for Poland, Italy and Germany. Romania gives them safe passage and whatever they need for free while they are in the country.

 

[dotr]

 

[Betty P]

O/T but if you read a book - Red Notice by Bill Browder - I suggest you start with before moving onto other similar books, the relationship with Abramovich and Putin is laid out and when Abramovich was allied to Boris Berezovsky ( prior to their opposing sides within the British Courts and Courts of appeal in London ), BB acted as Abramovich’s “ Krysha” ( roof, protector) until he fell foul of Putin whereby Putin directed Abromovich to pick his side ( in other words choose Putin and no trouble will occur but choose Berezovsky at your peril). Abromovich ‘bit the hand that fed him’ and disrobed himself of Berezovsky and aligned himself to Putin. It’s an amazing read and it gives a greater understanding of how the Oligarchs originated and how Putin rose to the top and why he had Alexander Litvinchenko poisoned with plutonium whereby he , AL, died a very painful torturous death 3 weeks after being poisoned etc and details relationships in the Kremlin and which other Oligarchs fell foul of Putin and why . When the Salisbury poisonings of the Russian defector, Sergei and his daughter Yulia SKRIPAL occurred , this was only one attempt of 15 alleged committed murders on British soil by the Russians which were known by the Government but were swept under the carpet because of more positive relations with Russia for many years and the Oligarchs money flowing into the U.K. and their subsequent investments and financial support of our Goverment . Truly an excellent perspective.

This makes me think further that this move by Putin (and backing by a few of his allies) was taken because of perceived weakness of western powers like the UK and US. We've caved to the oligarchs in order to curry their favor and help their businesses. We've shifted so much of our economic power to foreign countries by becoming heavily dependent on foreign imports. At the beginning of the pandemic, the US was barely able to produce its own PPE for health care workers.
Other countries we've become dependent on take notice and make their moves.

 

[whitelilac]

Vodka, one of Russia’s most known exports, is being boycotted from liquor stores and bars across the US and Canada in protest of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Tom Cotton
@TomCottonAR

Dump all the Russian vodka and, alongside ammo and missiles, send the empty bottles to Ukraine to use for Molotov cocktails.
(sorry but lol)

 

[SouthAussie]

A senior US defence official said more than half the Russian combat power that was massed along Ukraine’s borders has entered the country and Moscow has had to commit more fuel supply and other support units inside Ukraine than originally anticipated.

Russia-Ukraine war UPDATES LIVE: Fierce resistance as Russian missiles target airport, oil depot

 

[whitelilac]

Re the road signs:

A Ukrainian company in charge of building and maintaining roads said it was removing all road signs that could be used by invading Russian forces to find their way around the country.

The company, Ukravtodor, said in a Facebook update:
" The enemy has poor communications, they cannot navigate the terrain.
Let's help them get straight to hell."

It posted an edited photo of a standard road sign in which directions to nearby cities have been replaced with profanities that could be translated as “Go f*** yourself”, “Go f*** yourself again” and “Go f*** yourself back in Russia”.
Russia-Ukraine latest news: missile strikes on oil facilities reported as some Russian banks cut off from Swift system – live

 

[otto]

The air raid siren must stir memories for people who were children during WW2. They would be in their late 80s or 90s, if they are alive. Scary times for Europe.

 

[SouthAussie]

There is a map here that shows how far Russian troops have infiltrated (in red, except Crimea which has been red since 2014).

The arrows are the countries where the fleeing Ukraine people are being accepted.



Map: Which countries are accepting Ukrainian refugees?

 

[PommyMommy]

Pablo Viñales on Twitter
PM says Australia will offer lethal-aid to Ukraine (through the US and UK). Up until now the Government had only committed to providing non-lethal military equipment. PM: "We will be seeking to provide whatever support we can for lethal aid through our NATO partners." @SBSNews

 

[otto]

This makes me think further that this move by Putin (and backing by a few of his allies) was taken because of perceived weakness of western powers like the UK and US. We've caved to the oligarchs in order to curry their favor and help their businesses. We've shifted so much of our economic power to foreign countries by becoming heavily dependent on foreign imports. At the beginning of the pandemic, the US was barely able to produce its own PPE for health care workers.
Other countries we've become dependent on take notice and make their moves.

I think the weakness was Canada and the USA. Although the UK is strong, Brexit was a division between UK and EU. The occupation of Ottawa is under investigation for Russian social media influence. The occupation revealed a weakness for the Canada/USA alliance - border blockades. At the beginning of the pandemic Canada and the USA did not work together, so Canada is building national level PPE and vaccine facilities.

Perhaps it's a long game chess match. Russia might be looking at all the weakened relationships, and at the same time North Korea was ready to launch it's 9th missile within a few weeks.

China wants Australia, Russia wants Western Europe.

 

[Herat]

I think that it is really important to stop Russia at Ukraine. If he tramples Ukraine, surrounding countries are next.

Putin is deliberately taunting the NATO countries that border Ukraine . He's looking for an itchy or shaky trigger finger from one of these countries to then accelerate the aggression into nuclear weapon threats to Europe.

He's calculating that 10 short miles to Poland may cause a major accidental bonmbing of those Russian assets in Belarus.

Latvia, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania border Ukraine and are all NATO partners. This would bring the US, the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands all directly into the fight.

This is an extremely dangerous and provocative act. He's essentially using the torture of Ukraine to lure a massive war where nuclear weapons are possible.

 

[PommyMommy]

Russia's war on Ukraine: Where fighting is on now (Feb. 27 live updates) (kyivindependent.com)

04:51 Germany to close airspace to Russian planes.
Germany is the latest European country to shut its airspace to Russian planes in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

04:50 Vasylkiv airport remains a hot spot.
As Russian forces are trying to take over the Vasylkiv Air Base, southwest of Kyiv, the firefighters can’t reach an oil storage that was set on fire a few hours earlier.

 

[otto]

Putin is deliberately taunting the NATO countries that border Ukraine . He's looking for an itchy or shaky trigger finger from one of these countries to then accelerate the aggression into nuclear weapon threats to Europe.

He's calculating that 10 short miles to Poland may cause a major accidental bonmbing of those Russian assets in Belarus.

Latvia, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania border Ukraine and are all NATO partners. This would bring the US, the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands all directly into the fight.

This is an extremely dangerous and provocative act. He's essentially using the torture of Ukraine to lure a massive war where nuclear weapons are possible.

If a nuclear bomb falls in the USA, the half life of the radiation blows with the wind through the continent. Putin can launch a bomb like this and the USA cannot launch the same type of bomb without putting Western Europe at risk - because the radiation moves with the wind, and could blow straight towards Germany.

It's like a check mate, where Putin can launch a nuclear bomb on North America, and his people are safe. The USA cannot guarantee that Western Europe is safe if he detonates a nuclear bomb in Russia.

I suppose NATO has to be very careful that they do nothing more than provide munitions and supplies. Russia is looking for any indication that NATO countries are in Ukraine fighting Russians, and Russia will become the aggressor while claiming defence.

 

[Herat]

Vodka, one of Russia’s most known exports, is being boycotted from liquor stores and bars across the US and Canada in protest of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Tom Cotton
@TomCottonAR

Dump all the Russian vodka and, alongside ammo and missiles, send the empty bottles to Ukraine to use for Molotov cocktails.
(sorry but lol)

Yes, but know which vodkas are made in Russia and which arent

Stiolichnya vodka is made in Latvia! One of the NATO partners giving aid to Ukraine. Buy Stoli!!!

Is vodka from Russia? Most vodka brands in U.S. aren't Russian.

 

[dotr]

rbbm.
Ukraine slows Russian advance as tens of thousands of Ukrainians flee the country (cbsnews.com)
''Oksana Markarova, Ukraine's ambassador to the U.S., told reporters Saturday that Ukrainian forces have destroyed 102 Russian tanks, 14 fighter jets, 11 helicopters, 15 artillery pieces and 536 armored vehicles.

"We are defending our homes, we are defending our families, we are defending democracy, we are defending our choice to be sovereign, but we are also defending Europe," the ambassador said.

CBS News' Christina Ruffini reported Saturday that for the first time since Russia's attack began Thursday, people were lined up at a crossing station on the Ukraine-Poland border trying to get back into Ukraine. Many of them were military-aged men who wanted to return to join the fight. However, tens of thousands of Ukrainians are still fleeing their country, prompting fears of a possible refugee crisis.''

 

[CrimeAway]

I do understand the NATO mission, to protect the member countries.

I begin to question, how can any smaller, country/ democracy survive.

Moo

Ukraine has been trying for years. I think that they have had a challenging time dealing with adjustment post 1989-1991, and re-inventing their economy, etc.

I just wish that most of the world had been paying more attention to the these issues, and particularly the threat of the Putin regime.

Ukraine's ex-president Yushchenko recalls poisoning 14 years ago | Daily Mail Online

Poisoning with radioactive plutonium in London:
Poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko - Wikipedia

Chemical weapons used in Salisbury, UK
Poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal - Wikipedia

Navalny poisoning:
Poisoning of Alexei Navalny - Wikipedia

Ryanair flight diverted to detain passenger:
Ryanair Flight 4978 - Wikipedia

ETA: these are just the more well known international incidents.

 

[otto]

Yes, but know which vodkas are made in Russia and which aren't.

Is vodka from Russia? Most vodka brands in U.S. aren't Russian.

Was vodka made with potatoes when people were desperate for alcohol and all they had was a potato, instead of grain?

 

[otto]

rbbm.
Ukraine slows Russian advance as tens of thousands of Ukrainians flee the country (cbsnews.com)
''Oksana Markarova, Ukraine's ambassador to the U.S., told reporters Saturday that Ukrainian forces have destroyed 102 Russian tanks, 14 fighter jets, 11 helicopters, 15 artillery pieces and 536 armored vehicles.

"We are defending our homes, we are defending our families, we are defending democracy, we are defending our choice to be sovereign, but we are also defending Europe," the ambassador said.

CBS News' Christina Ruffini reported Saturday that for the first time since Russia's attack began Thursday, people were lined up at a crossing station on the Ukraine-Poland border trying to get back into Ukraine. Many of them were military-aged men who wanted to return to join the fight. However, tens of thousands of Ukrainians are still fleeing their country, prompting fears of a possible refugee crisis.''

People who are interviewed crossing the border seem to be saying that they hope this only lasts a few days and then they can return home. This doesn't have to be a "refugee crisis".

 

[PommyMommy]

Russia's war on Ukraine: Where fighting is on now (Feb. 27 live updates) (kyivindependent.com)

04:54 CNN: Six-year-old boy killed in Kyiv clashes, several more Ukrainian civilians wounded, according to a local hospital. Serhii Chernysuk, a doctor at Kyiv’s Okhmatdyt hospital, said the injured included two teenagers and three adults.

05:12 The destruction of a convoy of Chechen special forces near Hostomel on Feb. 26 officially confirmed by the President's Office.

Emily Schrader - אמילי שריידר on Twitter
This is amazing!
Pravda Brewery in Ukraine suspended beer brewing and is now making Molotov cocktails for the people to use against Russian forces. The labels on the bottles say “Putin is a .”

 

[worldwatcher]

Meanwhile in Russia:

Russian voices against war are getting louder

More and more Russians are petitioning Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin to end the war against Ukraine immediately.

Many of them have relatives and friends in Ukraine, write the doctors. "There is none among them who would benefit in any way from the bloodshed."

SBM

(GT from German MSM)
Source:
Russische Stimmen gegen Krieg in der Ukraine werden lauter