Russia Attacks Ukraine - 23 Feb 2022 #5

[Cool Cats]

Russia, Blocked From the Global Internet, Plunges Into Digital Isolation

TikTok and Netflix are suspending their services in the country. Facebook has been blocked. Twitter has been partially blocked and YouTube’s future is in doubt. Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, Oracle, Cisco and others have pulled back or withdrawn entirely from Russia. Even online video games like Minecraft are no longer available.

While Russia is paying a stiff economic cost for being cut off, the digital isolationism also serves Putin’s interests. It allows him to clamp down further on dissent and information that does not follow the government line.

Under a censorship law passed last week, journalists, website operators and others risk 15 years in prison for publishing “misinformation” about the war on Ukraine.

 

[gitana1]

The same, everyday.

I live a 4 hour drive to the White House, about hour and 15 minutes, as the crow flies. I'm really worried. We have no where to hide. The east coast is loaded with basses. The damage would be massive to our citizens and military.

Moo...

I’m not sure but don’t we have super effective anti-missile systems? The thing is, if nukes are deployed they will be on the atmosphere I’m thinking. I don’t know enough about all that. Hopefully someone with good info will reply.

 

[LaborDayRN]

Afghanistan, Vietnam, on and on...we continue to "fight" Russia in a shadow. And it costs us American lives, money that could be used for our own crumbling infrastructure.

I was in the airport in Tokyo several years ago, the place is amazing. High tech everything. I came home thru LAX, which looked like a third world country in comparison.

Don't get me started on LAX......or Los Angeles in general. It used to be such a beautiful city. It's really not important now in the face of such global unrest.

 

[gitana1]

Russia-Ukraine war: Moscow promises humanitarian corridors; US to send Patriot missiles to Poland – live | World news | The Guardian
21m ago 23:09

Here are the main developments in the past few hours:

• The US government has dismissed as “untenable” a suggestion by Poland that it could make 29 of its Soviet-era MIG fighter jets available to the Americans to help defend Ukraine.
  
• But the US will be sending two Patriot anti-missile batteries stationed in Europe to Poland to bolster its defences against attack.
• Russian forces will stop firing starting 10 am Moscow time on Wednesday and are ready to provide human corridors so civilians can evacuate Kyiv and four other cities.
• Russia’s military is solving some of its logistical problems and could launch an attack on Kyiv within days, according to experts.
  
• Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskiy has been described as a hero by the British press after he invoked the fight against Nazism in an impassioned video address to MPs to do more to help protect his country.
• Ukraine accused Russia of breaking a ceasefire agreement, by shelling a route intended to allow civilians to escape the besieged city of Mariupol. Residents of the port city are living without heat, water, sanitary systems or phones.
• The US is banning imports of Russian oil “to inflict further pain on Vladimir Putin”, Joe Biden has said. The EU has not joined the ban, but the British government promised to phase out Russian oil imports by the end of the year.
• Russia’s war in Ukraine is being bolstered by $285m in daily oil payments from European countries, a thinktank has found.
• Venezuela has released at least two Americans from jail in an apparent goodwill gesture toward the Biden administration following a visit to Caracas by a high-level US delegation.
• Chinese president Xi Jinping called for “maximum restraint” in Ukraine overnight and said China is “pained to see the flames of war reignited in Europe” in his strongest statement to date on the conflict.

Thanks so much for this compilation. There’s so much stuff, it’s nice to have a list of the important updates like this.

 

[gitana1]

But what are they torturing them into saying? Are they torturing them into saying they never tortured them?

It’s just what they do. They’re terrorists. It’s how they keep control of the population in Chechnya. They’re known for this.

 

[gitana1]

Make millions of Ukrainians move out, have lots of young Russians move in? Hold new elections, elect a Putin puppet? Who knows what his evil mind is planning but he has said "Russian World" enough to know he pretty much will always want Ukraine. It's a huge amount of land and it's a grain producer. AJMO

The thing is, a wasteland of toxic rubble with zero infrastructure is useless. Except in that it cannot be used as a bulwark by the west. Maybe the rural grain producing areas can be of use to Russia. That I can see. Otherwise, I think the ******* wants to destroy it so it’s nothing. Just look at what he did in Syria and Chechnya:

The second Chechen war began in 1999. It was then-Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's war, and it was to the death. A "they make a desert and call it peace" kind of war. The Chechen capital of Grozny — already damaged by the first war — was left as a hole in a map, called the most destroyed city on the planet by the United Nations. Almost nothing was left standing, nearly no one spared.

As many as 250,000 civilians were killed in the combined Chechen wars, along with many thousands more combatants on both sides. Reports of rape, arson, torture, and other crimes by Russian soldiers were widespread — and cast as a wholly necessary evil by those forces. "Without bespredel [no limits warfare], we'll get nowhere in Chechnya," a 21-year-old Russian conscript told the Los Angeles Times in 2000. "We have to be cruel to them. Otherwise, we'll achieve nothing."

Russia again used cluster bombs in Syria, a war it joined in 2015, a war Putin, now president, fought largely through the air, with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's troops providing ground forces.

The bombing was not indiscriminate. It was worse: Hospitals were considered legitimatetargets by Russian commanders. Even civilians whose only concern was the safety of others — rescue workers called the White Helmets because of the hardhats they wore — were killed while they were responding to earlier attacks.

Way more info at link.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/thewee...chechnya-and-syria-is-ominous-for-ukraine?amp

 

[Charlot123]

That is a very very interesting piece by Paul Krugman, thanks.

This is what stands out to me:

Novokmet et al. estimate that in 2015 the hidden foreign wealth of rich Russians amounted to around 85 percent of Russia’s G.D.P. To give you some perspective, this is as if a U.S. president’s cronies had managed to hide $20 trillion in overseas accounts. Another paper co-written by Zucman found that in Russia, “the vast majority of wealth at the top is held offshore.” As far as I can tell, the overseas exposure of Russia’s elite has no precedent in history — and it creates a huge vulnerability that the West can exploit.''


''There are two uncomfortable facts here. First, a number of influential people, both in business and in politics, are deeply financially enmeshed with Russian kleptocrats. This is especially true in Britain. Second, it will be hard to go after laundered Russian money without making life harder for all money launderers, wherever they come from — and while Russian plutocrats may be the world champions in that sport, they’re hardly unique: Ultrawealthy people all over the world have money hidden in offshore accounts.''

This tells me that there are weaknesses and corruptions likely in Britain in many levels of politics ( usually the center of corruption). Probably enough to overcome patriotism and statesmanship.

Yes, sadly, British laws were the magnet that had drawn Russian oligarchs with shady sources of wealth. Recently one of them was knighted.

Ukrainian refugees could be housed in seized Russian oligarch mansions – Fortune

 

[Charlot123]

Someone has to ask it, and it’d better be me. I understand why the sanctions.

Is there any fear that it might backfire, in the simplest way.

With Ukraine, we know what is happening inside. With Russia, with the rush to cut it off the Internet outlets, soon there will be no way to understand what is going inside the country.

What will happen, 1) protesters will be crushed and jailed

2) Russia, having no outlets for its raw materials, will turn into a raw appendage for China. China can barter its oil, it might even widen yuan zone.

Is there any concern that China will be the ultimate winner in this game?

 

[Amonet]

Someone has to ask it, and it’d better be me. I understand why the sanctions.

Is there any fear that it might backfire, in the simplest way.

With Ukraine, we know what is happening inside. With Russia, with the rush to cut it off the Internet outlets, soon there will be no way to understand what is going inside the country.

What will happen, 1) protesters will be crushed and jailed

2) Russia, having no outlets for its raw materials, will turn into a raw appendage for China. China can barter its oil, it might even widen yuan zone.

Is there any concern that China will be the ultimate winner in this game?

Yes, these are strong risks. I said a couple of pages back that we are pushing russia and china together to potentially make a new east/west division of the globe. It's not good for the future of humanity or for the people in the nations on either side of the divide.

 

[gregjrichards]

A devoted mother-of-two who was mercilessly killed alongside her young children by Russian shelling during a 'ceasefire' was a high-ranking accountant who had previously fled violence in Donetsk, it was revealed today.

Tatyana Perebeynos was killed alongside her daughter Alise, nine, and son Nikita, 18, after Russian artillery rained down on the trio alongside as they desperately fled the besieged town of Irpin, Ukraine.

Tatyana Perebeynos cut down alongside her two children during Russian 'ceasefire' shelling of Irpin | Daily Mail Online

These are the photos of the Mum, her two children and one of the family’s dogs who tragically died from shelling whilst desperately trying to evacuate from Irpin, Ukraine on Sunday. Many of you will have seen the extremely distressing photographs and news footage of them lying deceased on the road. A family friend who was trying to help them reach safety also died when they were attacked.

I am so sorry for the devastating loss Tatyana’s husband Sergeii is suffering. I can’t imagine the grief he must feel to have lost his wife, children, family friend and one of the family’s Yorkshire terriers in an attack like this. It is being reported that one of their dogs survived but the poor dog had to have one of its legs amputated.

Sincere condolences to Sergeii. May Tatyana, Alise, Nikita and all the women, men, children and animals in Ukraine who have died. May they all Rest In Peace.

Thank you to all of you of caring about the Ukrainian women, men and children who are experiencing unimaginable pain and suffering. Your posts, news updates and kindness and support shown to the people of Ukraine is much appreciated. It is extremely distressing to see how haunted and traumatised the people you see on the news and newspapers are. My heart is broken for the people of Ukraine, I can’t believe what is happening to them and their country.

The bravery of the Ukrainian people and the President of Ukraine has been absolutely incredible. It is a horrendous and extremely challenging time for the people of Ukraine and for humanity. It has been amazing to see the outpouring of love, support, aid and donations people all over the world have given to help. I hope and pray the war ends ASAP, that as many lives can be saved as possible and that Ukraine will be able to rebuild and stay an independent country.

 

[Bit of hope]

Lol. I enjoyed this one.
View attachment 335912

https://twitter.com/biz_ukraine_mag/status/1501254688238362626?s=21

Nice! Hahaha

 

[JerseyGirl]

Lol. I enjoyed this one.
View attachment 335912

https://twitter.com/biz_ukraine_mag/status/1501254688238362626?s=21

There is a Twitter page set up for Russian weapons captured by the Ukrainian army and farmers:

https://twitter.com/uaweapons?s=11

 

[JerseyGirl]

https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1500970511911825413

The Kyiv Independent@KyivIndependent · 39m️Ukraine kills Russian Major General Vitaly Gerasimov near Kharkiv, Ukraine’s Chief Directorate of Intelligence of the Defense Ministry said.
Gerasimov was a senior military official who participated in the second Chechen war and was awarded a medal for “capturing Crimea.”

Vitaly Gerasimov: Ukraine claims Russian general has been killed in Kharkiv - CNN

 

[JerseyGirl]

Unilever and Kraft Heinz Stop Exports and Capital Investment in Russia

Unilever became the first major European food company to stop imports and exports out of Russia.

 

[sds71]

The Russian embassy in Latvia has a new neighbor across the street

A stylized 'death's head' Putin – only slightly less attractive than the real thing – was unfurled to welcome visitors to the acclaimed Pauls Stradiņš Museum of Medical History.

'Death's head' Putin gazes into the inferno – and the Russian embassy

labs darbs
@Niner

 

[GRT]

And yet PepsiCo hasn't done a thing.

Because... its complicated

I think they suspended sales in Russia as well.

 

[sds71]

Russia has committed to observe the ceasefire from 09:00 to 21:00 local time along several humanitarian corridors, Ukraine deputy PM says.
Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council said there would be a special operation to allow children and staff members from an orphanage in the village of Vorzel to leave the area..

The International Committee of the Red Cross said Wednesday it had confirmed the humanitarian corridor routes from the Russian side, Vereshchuk said.

[URL="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/ukraine-russia-war-live-updates-u-s-blocks-poland-s-n1291270/ncrd1291274?cid=sm_npd_nn_tw_ma#liveBlogCards"]Russia, Ukraine establish ceasefire on humanitarian corridors to allow evacuation[/URL]

Ukrainian officials announced Russia has agreed to a new daylong cease-fire along several evacuation routes for people fleeing cities.

CityNews

 

[MrsWatson]

Biden’s impossible bind: how should the US tackle Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?

Antony Blinken, the secretary of state, told NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday: “For everything we’re doing for Ukraine, the president also has a responsibility to not get us into a direct conflict, a direct war, with Russia, a nuclear power, and risk a war that expands even beyond Ukraine to Europe. That’s clearly not our interest. What we’re trying to do is end this war in Ukraine, not start a larger one.”

Republican Marco Rubio, vice-chair of the Senate intelligence committee, told ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos: “A no-fly zone has become a catchphrase. I’m not sure a lot of people fully understand what that means. That means flying Awacs [airborne warning and control system] 24 hours a day. That means the willingness to shoot down and engage Russian airplanes in the sky.

“That means, frankly, you can’t put those planes up there unless you’re willing to knock out the anti-aircraft systems that the Russians have deployed, and not just in Ukraine, but in Russia and also in Belarus … It means starting world war III.”

 

[GRT]

I’m not sure but don’t we have super effective anti-missile systems? The thing is, if nukes are deployed they will be on the atmosphere I’m thinking. I don’t know enough about all that. Hopefully someone with good info will reply.

That's an interesting question. If the following is correct--they would actually detonate the missiles when they were outside of Earth's atmosphere.

"The GMD system aims to protect the U.S. homeland from intermediate and long-range intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) by destroying the incoming warhead in its midcourse phase, outside of the Earth’s atmosphere. First deployed in 2004, this system currently comprises 40 ground-based interceptors at Fort Greely in Alaska and four at Vandenburg Air Force Base in California, in addition to associated satellite and radar systems. The Pentagon is also constructing a new missile field at Fort Greely, which is slated to host 20 new interceptors, bringing the eventual total to 64 interceptors."
​

Fact sheet: U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense - Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation

 

[GRT]

Biden’s impossible bind: how should the US tackle Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?

Antony Blinken, the secretary of state, told NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday: “For everything we’re doing for Ukraine, the president also has a responsibility to not get us into a direct conflict, a direct war, with Russia, a nuclear power, and risk a war that expands even beyond Ukraine to Europe. That’s clearly not our interest. What we’re trying to do is end this war in Ukraine, not start a larger one.”

Republican Marco Rubio, vice-chair of the Senate intelligence committee, told ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos: “A no-fly zone has become a catchphrase. I’m not sure a lot of people fully understand what that means. That means flying Awacs [airborne warning and control system] 24 hours a day. That means the willingness to shoot down and engage Russian airplanes in the sky.

“That means, frankly, you can’t put those planes up there unless you’re willing to knock out the anti-aircraft systems that the Russians have deployed, and not just in Ukraine, but in Russia and also in Belarus … It means starting world war III.”

Wow! That pretty much explains why a no-fly zone is out of the question.