Russia's Invasion of Ukraine, aka "Putin's Special Operation"

[Voyager1]

I agree with you on that. Although Russia somewhat gained Donbass, Luhansk, new alliance of North Korea, China, Iran, Suadi Arabia, India, etc,
Russia also lost their European market, their currency devalued, Russia lost tens of thousands of lives, suffering brain drain, lots of money and equipments Putin has miscalculated thinking that the war would end in couple of days. Nevertheless it was NATO and America who provoked the war by ignoring Russia's request to not to expand NATO to their borders. The West is also guilty too.

mr. know-it-all finally admits he's being defeated. he's also full of shit

[Natural_Born_Cynic]

Still, it doesn't change the fact that Ukraine is f*cked whether NATO, America and some users here like it or not.

[Yohan]

Still, it doesn't change the fact that Ukraine is f*cked whether NATO, America and some users here like it or not.

In politics the future is always unclear. It is unpredictable what will happen this year 2024 with Ukraine/Russia.

However, just my opinion, a country of the size of France with more than 30 million people cannot disappear suddenly into non-existence.
Russia cannot control everything and everybody in Ukraine, except if it is able to remove the entire Ukrainian government....

However Ukraine really receives a lot of support worldwide to continue to fight Russia, not only weapons, but also medical support, items for daily needs, acceptance of refugees in other countries...

Here is a wikipedia summary of how much help from which foreign governments and additionally help from private companies abroad Ukraine so far received.

The list is quite impressive, I was surprised to see even CHINA, (mainland) and not only Taiwan in this list.
Of course only a little, but it is still a surprise that China gives something at all....or Vietnam.... and even the Vatican and Israel...etc.

Of course a good part of deliveries will not arrive where it should, it will be stolen or missing or misused for something else....
Same happens in every charity I know,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_h ... ainian_War

Let's see what happens in 2024.

[Natural_Born_Cynic]

Still, it doesn't change the fact that Ukraine is f*cked whether NATO, America and some users here like it or not.

In politics the future is always unclear. It is unpredictable what will happen this year 2024 with Ukraine/Russia.

However, just my opinion, a country of the size of France with more than 30 million people cannot disappear suddenly into non-existence.
Russia cannot control everything and everybody in Ukraine, except if it is able to remove the entire Ukrainian government....

However Ukraine really receives a lot of support worldwide to continue to fight Russia, not only weapons, but also medical support, items for daily needs, acceptance of refugees in other countries...

Here is a wikipedia summary of how much help from which foreign governments and additionally help from private companies abroad Ukraine so far received.

The list is quite impressive, I was surprised to see even CHINA, (mainland) and not only Taiwan in this list.
Of course only a little, but it is still a surprise that China gives something at all....or Vietnam.... and even the Vatican and Israel...etc.

Of course a good part of deliveries will not arrive where it should, it will be stolen or missing or misused for something else....
Same happens in every charity I know,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_h ... ainian_War

Let's see what happens in 2024.

Western countries and many other neutral countries aiding Ukraine is quite commendable, but they are just putting their money and weapons in a sinkhole. They are committing a major "sunk cost fallacy" here. Because as I have posted links yesterday, many parts of the aid are stolen, destroyed, pocketed, sold, and mishandled for the last three years by the various part of Ukrainian military and government.
Russia does that too, but at least they have the strong political will to win and producing weapons as several times than NATO and America combined. Ukraine doesn't even have a proper domestic military industrial capability, so they have to get weapons and aid from someone else.

[Voyager1]

Western countries and many other neutral countries aiding Ukraine is quite commendable, but they are just putting their money and weapons in a sinkhole. They are committing a major "sunk cost fallacy" here. Because as I have posted links yesterday, many parts of the aid are stolen, destroyed, pocketed, sold, and mishandled for the last three years by the various part of Ukrainian military and government.
Russia does that too, but at least they have the strong political will to win and producing weapons as several times than NATO and America combined. Ukraine doesn't even have a proper domestic military industrial capability, so they have to get weapons and aid from someone else.

It's not a waste of money. It's creating jobs in the countries where the weapons are manufactured.

We can't just let Russia walk into any country they want to.

Former Oligarch: 'Putin's Next Target Seems to Be Moldova'
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/fo ... r-BB1jUtg8

I say support the Ukrainians. Give them weapons and military support. Don't give them money because you're right it will be stolen, destroyed, pocketed, sold, and mishandled.

The Ukrainian government is just as corrupt as the Russian, but that doesn't mean we let Russia walk into Ukraine and kill innocent civilians. Ukraine will fight back!

Слава Україні. Героям слава!

[Winston]

@Yohan how do you explain this? Putin said to Tucker Carlson that Boris Johnson scuttled a peace deal that would have ended the Ukraine war in March 2022. All Ukraine had to do was agree never to join NATO. But that was too much. See below. Is it really worth the lives of hundreds of thousands of people just to join NATO?

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/putin-repeats ... 44870.html

During a highly anticipated sit-down interview with former Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson, the Russian president said, via a translator, that a “huge document” had been prepared and approved by the head of the Ukrainian delegation, before Mr Johnson had stepped in and “dissuaded” Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky.

Putin said of Zelensky: “He put his signature and then he himself said, ‘We were ready to sign it and the war would have been over long ago.’ However, Prime Minister Johnson came to talk us [Ukraine] out of it, and we’ve missed that chance.”

In an interview with The Times in January, Mr Johnson strongly denied the claims, which have been previously aired by Moscow, describing them as “total nonsense” and “Russian propaganda”.

[Winston]

@Yohan

Yes Oliver Stone disagrees with Putin's decision to invade Ukraine. He has said that in his interviews. But he says that the US incited all the conflict and division and orange revolutions in Ukraine. So the US is definitely not innocent and is to blame too. Neither side is innocent. Don't you realize that? Do you think the US is innocent? lol.

Btw did you know that the Rose Revolution in 2004 in Ukraine is significant because the rose symbol has been a symbol of socialism for hundreds of years? That means those behind it were socialists, which is a stepping stone to communism. People who know a lot about secret societies know this. Did you?

[Natural_Born_Cynic]

@Yohan how do you explain this? Putin said to Tucker Carlson that Boris Johnson scuttled a peace deal that would have ended the Ukraine war in March 2022. All Ukraine had to do was agree never to join NATO. But that was too much. See below. Is it really worth the lives of hundreds of thousands of people just to join NATO?

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/putin-repeats ... 44870.html

During a highly anticipated sit-down interview with former Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson, the Russian president said, via a translator, that a “huge document” had been prepared and approved by the head of the Ukrainian delegation, before Mr Johnson had stepped in and “dissuaded” Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky.

Putin said of Zelensky: “He put his signature and then he himself said, ‘We were ready to sign it and the war would have been over long ago.’ However, Prime Minister Johnson came to talk us [Ukraine] out of it, and we’ve missed that chance.”

In an interview with The Times in January, Mr Johnson strongly denied the claims, which have been previously aired by Moscow, describing them as “total nonsense” and “Russian propaganda”.

Exactly! Thank you Winston. That's what I been trying to tell people in this forum, but they still think Ukraine= Good, Russia= Bad, Black and White.
That means the West are just as bad as the Russians and Boris Johnson has lots of blood on his hands. The Western ZOG controlled regime is also part of the problem.

[Voyager1]

I've never said Ukraine= Good, Russia= Bad. Both have good and bad people.

My friend woman in Kyiv has relatives in Russia. They are now at enmity with each other.

The Russian people have been duped in having one leader over them for 20+ years. putin is shit for the country. he only cares about preserving himself and not the people. he has stolen much of the wealth of the country and that's why the Russian people for the most part live in poverty. The Presidential Security Service (SBP) (Служба безопасности президента России) only protect putin because they are well paid and it's difficult to find a good job in Russia.

[Natural_Born_Cynic]

Here is one of really good youtube comment. It's sad but true.

@GeoPoliticsCommentry
4 hours ago
Funny thing is that we already know what happens in the next main battle.
Step 1) Ukraine says it’s a fundamental city, strategically important.
Step 2) They say they will defend it to the last Ukrainian.
Step 3) Russia encircles it and opens a new franchise of the meat grinder.
Step 4) When the meat grinder is working, Ukraine sends everything they have to be destroyed by it.
Step 5) When the situation is critical, Zelenskyy sends even more bodies to the meat grinder.
Step 6) When they lose the battle, they say they will retreat to preserve the lives of the soldiers.
Step 7) Ukraine says that the city is irrelevant and was never strategically important.
Step New city, new battle, repeat steps 1-7.

@blacksheep4185
4 hours ago
Step 9) USA sends another support package to Ukraine

Step 10, West announces another 5 million sanctions package for Russia

[Yohan]

@Yohan how do you explain this?

Putin said to Tucker Carlson that Boris Johnson scuttled a peace deal that would have ended the Ukraine war in March 2022. All Ukraine had to do was agree never to join NATO. But that was too much. See below. Is it really worth the lives of hundreds of thousands of people just to join NATO?
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/putin-repeats ... 44870.html

During a highly anticipated sit-down interview with former Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson, the Russian president said, via a translator, that a “huge document” had been prepared and approved by the head of the Ukrainian delegation, before Mr Johnson had stepped in and “dissuaded” Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky.

Putin said of Zelensky: “He put his signature and then he himself said, ‘We were ready to sign it and the war would have been over long ago.’ However, Prime Minister Johnson came to talk us [Ukraine] out of it, and we’ve missed that chance.”

In an interview with The Times in January, Mr Johnson strongly denied the claims, which have been previously aired by Moscow, describing them as “total nonsense” and “Russian propaganda”.

This can be easily explained - Putin told Tucker Carlson - LOL.... What argument is this?

The fact is that only Putin and Zelensky can sign together such a peace contract, but this meeting never took place.

This so-called 'Istanbul Communiqué' was merely a framework to a peace contract, but you have to read also these 18 articles of this 'huge document' required by the Russians and you will understand why it was rejected.

For example, the Russians were demanding that Ukraine limits its ability to defend itself at 85,000 troops, about 350 tanks and about 500 artillery pieces -which is about 70 per cent reduction of Ukraine’s military power before the war started.

The Ukrainian delegation also mentioned that the final decision is with Zelensky (and his signature) and pointed out that 'We listened to them, and we realized that these are not people sent for talks but for our capitulation'.

While the primary condition by the Russians was that Ukraine never applies for NATO membership, Ukraine was asking what about security that this peace treaty will be respected and another article said, Ukraine should look out for countries by itself which will provide it with such security guarantees - but not even one country was willing to do so of course, and what should or can such a country really do when Russia breaks the contract?

Which country could even be able to give guarantee to Ukraine and protect it against the Russians?
It should not be NATO...or one of its major members....

Finally such a so-called peace contract was never signed by Ukraine because of security guarantee concern.

What about Johnson? He said that such guarantees required by this Istanbul Communique agreement are not feasible. That's all.
What else do you expect him to say?

[Yohan]

Western countries and many other neutral countries aiding Ukraine is quite commendable, but they are just putting their money and weapons in a sinkhole.......

It's not a waste of money. It's creating jobs in the countries where the weapons are manufactured.

We can't just let Russia walk into any country they want to.

Former Oligarch: 'Putin's Next Target Seems to Be Moldova'

I say support the Ukrainians. Give them weapons and military support. Don't give them money because you're right it will be stolen, destroyed, pocketed, sold, and mishandled.

The Ukrainian government is just as corrupt as the Russian, but that doesn't mean we let Russia walk into Ukraine and kill innocent civilians. Ukraine will fight back!

This is very true, we cannot allow Russia to walk into any country they want to - and honestly, for only approx. 145 million people their land is very very large....why do they want more land - for what?

Yes, Moldovia could be next, it's not a NATO member, small with a Russian minority living there....but the Baltic countries might also be a target, they are NATO members, but plenty of Russians are living there....

Here in Far East, it's also a toxic situation, Japan and South Korea facing North Korea - Russian best little friend threatening everybody with nuclear weapons. From where are these nuclear weapons coming from?

The Russian-Japanese border is not far away over the sea either - Russia is not more than 5 to 20 miles away from Japan - depends from where to which island you measure the distance....

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/01/30/7439527/

Former Russian president says Russia will deploy new weapons on Kuril Islands because it "doesn't care"
TUESDAY, 30 JANUARY 2024, 13:51

Dmitry Medvedev, Russian Security Council Chairman, has declared that Russia will place new types of weapons on the Kuril Islands, which Japan seeks to return.

Source: Medvedev on Twitter (Х)

The Kuril Islands will actively develop, and concurrently, their strategic role will increase, including the placement of new types of weapons there.

Medvedev has threatened that the "territorial issue" would be closed "once and for all" according to the Constitution of Russia.

Medvedev said that Russia does not care about the Japanese feelings regarding the Kuril Islands because, as he says, they supposedly belong to Russia. At the same time, he stated that "Americans who are kissing with the French have it much easier because they have forgotten about Hiroshima and Nagasaki."
----------
On 7 October 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree recognising the Kuril Islands as the territory of Japan, temporarily occupied by Russia.

These islands were occupied by Russia shortly after ending of WW2 and all Japanese living there were kicked out at gunpoint and had to move over by boat to Hokkaido.

More than 70 years of negotiations and result is zero - just zero.

Generally said, a weak Russian economy and poor military performance is only good for us here in Japan.

What can be done about it? It is about to increase military spending in Japan and to reduce any connection with Russia as much as possible.
This includes import of energy, export of cars, international traffic of airplanes/ferries, business related sanctions....
Never depend on Russia!

Of course support of Ukraine is necessary - because what happens to Ukraine now might happen to Moldovia soon.

It could happen to Japan and also to South Korea, and also to Finland, Sweden and the Baltic countries - we all are threatened all the time.

Russia is a threat, a danger and it is not a friendly neighbor, not trustworthy at all.

[Natural_Born_Cynic]

Western countries and many other neutral countries aiding Ukraine is quite commendable, but they are just putting their money and weapons in a sinkhole.......

It's not a waste of money. It's creating jobs in the countries where the weapons are manufactured.

We can't just let Russia walk into any country they want to.

Former Oligarch: 'Putin's Next Target Seems to Be Moldova'

I say support the Ukrainians. Give them weapons and military support. Don't give them money because you're right it will be stolen, destroyed, pocketed, sold, and mishandled.

The Ukrainian government is just as corrupt as the Russian, but that doesn't mean we let Russia walk into Ukraine and kill innocent civilians. Ukraine will fight back!

This is very true, we cannot allow Russia to walk into any country they want to - and honestly, for only approx. 145 million people their land is very very large....why do they want more land - for what?

Yes, Moldovia could be next, it's not a NATO member, small with a Russian minority living there....but the Baltic countries might also be a target, they are NATO members, but plenty of Russians are living there....

Here in Far East, it's also a toxic situation, Japan and South Korea facing North Korea - Russian best little friend threatening everybody with nuclear weapons. From where are these nuclear weapons coming from?

The Russian-Japanese border is not far away over the sea either - Russia is not more than 5 to 20 miles away from Japan - depends from where to which island you measure the distance....

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/01/30/7439527/

Former Russian president says Russia will deploy new weapons on Kuril Islands because it "doesn't care"
TUESDAY, 30 JANUARY 2024, 13:51

Dmitry Medvedev, Russian Security Council Chairman, has declared that Russia will place new types of weapons on the Kuril Islands, which Japan seeks to return.

Source: Medvedev on Twitter (Х)

The Kuril Islands will actively develop, and concurrently, their strategic role will increase, including the placement of new types of weapons there.

Medvedev has threatened that the "territorial issue" would be closed "once and for all" according to the Constitution of Russia.

Medvedev said that Russia does not care about the Japanese feelings regarding the Kuril Islands because, as he says, they supposedly belong to Russia. At the same time, he stated that "Americans who are kissing with the French have it much easier because they have forgotten about Hiroshima and Nagasaki."
----------
On 7 October 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree recognising the Kuril Islands as the territory of Japan, temporarily occupied by Russia.

These islands were occupied by Russia shortly after ending of WW2 and all Japanese living there were kicked out at gunpoint and had to move over by boat to Hokkaido.

More than 70 years of negotiations and result is zero - just zero.

Generally said, a weak Russian economy and poor military performance is only good for us here in Japan.

What can be done about it? It is about to increase military spending in Japan and to reduce any connection with Russia as much as possible.
This includes import of energy, export of cars, international traffic of airplanes/ferries, business related sanctions....
Never depend on Russia!

Of course support of Ukraine is necessary - because what happens to Ukraine now might happen to Moldovia soon.

It could happen to Japan and also to South Korea, and also to Finland, Sweden and the Baltic countries - we all are threatened all the time.

Russia is a threat, a danger and it is not a friendly neighbor, not trustworthy at all.

South Korea was in good terms with Russia before the War. The Koreans exported lots of stuff to Russia and the Russians exported oil and natural gas to South Korea. The Russians liked Korean snack food, instant noodles, Samsung phones, Daewoo cars, ice shelving ships, Korean cosmetics, and many others. But that stupid Ukraine War ruined that good relationship when the new South Korean president decided to "dickride" the U.S and sanction Russia. The Russians responded to South Korean's treachery by supporting the North Koreans and ending the business with the South. That's what really happened. Russia was a cool friend of ours but that homosexual deviant Zelensky ruined it by coming in and begging for more weapons like a total asshole.

I don't know about Japan and Russian relationship. Despite what Yohan said about the tense political relationship between both countries, the Russians also liked Japanese cars, Japanese electronics, anime, Japanese food, and others. The Russians also supplied Japan with cheap Natural gas and oil. However, Japan also had to kowtow to "Joe Biden-san" and reluctantly sanction Russia.

[Natural_Born_Cynic]

@Yohan

Check this out. This is quite interesting. Japan still imports Russian Natural Gas and Russian Oil above "$60 per barrel" allowed by the United States. So much for your Japan vs Russia hatred. You might think this is "blasphemy", but Japan is quite energy dependent country.

Article from Wall Street Journal

https://www.wsj.com/finance/commodities ... s-be03e4a7

TOKYO—Japan has said it has won authorization from the U.S. to continue importing Russian crude oil at a price above the $60-a-barrel cap observed by other U.S. allies. The exception granted to Japan will last until June 28, 2024, after previously having been scheduled to expire on Sept. 30, 2023.Sep 27, 2023

https://www.quora.com/Why-did-Japan-sta ... ural%20gas.

Japan got the U.S. to agree to the exception, saying it needed it to ensure access to Russian energy. The concession shows Japan’s reliance on Russia for fossil fuels, which analysts said contributed to a hesitancy in Tokyo to back Ukraine more fully in its war with Russia.

While many European countries have reduced their dependence on Russian energy supplies, Japan has stepped up its purchases of Russian natural gas over the past year. Japan is the only Group of Seven nation not to supply lethal weapons to Ukraine, and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was the last G-7 leader to visit Ukraine after Russia’s invasion.

The situation is particularly acute in Hiroshima prefecture (state), part of which Mr. Kishida represents in Parliament. Hiroshima Gas Co. gets about half its gas from Russia, a much higher proportion than the rest of Japan.

The rest of the world is laughing (at least, those who CAN laugh in these trying times) at what clearly appears to be a failure of the American dictat (officials at the U.S Treasury designed the price-cap plan):

https://www.wsj.com/articles/g-7-oppose ... cle_inline

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy ... 024-02-06/

TOKYO, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Mitsubishi Corp (8058.T), opens new tab CEO Katsuya Nakanishi said on Tuesday that Russia's Sakhalin 2 liquefied natural gas (LNG) project remains a key source for Japan's energy supply, as Japanese companies maintain their Russian exposure.
Although Japan has reduced its Russian energy imports since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, it has kept stakes in several fossil fuel projects in the country for its energy security.

"The project is an extremely important source in terms of stable energy supply for Japan," Nakanishi, whose company holds a 10% stake in the Gazprom-led (GAZP.MM), opens new tab Sakhalin-2 LNG project in Russia's far east, told a briefing.
"We are carefully watching the situation," he added.
Japan reduced LNG purchases from Russia by 11% last year to 6.1 million metric tons, with supplies otherwise dominated by Australia and Malaysia. Moscow remains Japan's third biggest LNG supplier with a 9% share last year.

Trading house Itochu (8001.T), opens new tab, a co-owner of a mid-sized Siberian oil producer INK-ZAPAD, recorded 2.8 billion yen profit from its stake in the project in April-December, more than last fiscal year as a whole, a presentation showed on Monday.
Sources told Reuters last week that Itochu was in talks to buy out Inpex Corp (1605.T), opens new tab, Japan's top oil and gas explorer, from the Japan South Sakha Oil Co Ltd, a consortium of Japanese firms running INK-ZAPAD together with private Russian owners.

[Winston]

@Yohan

Is this true about how Zelensky sold Ukraine out to Black Rock, a US defense contractor, for a ton of money so they can exploit Ukraine? See below. This is very disturbing. Isn't this pure evil off the charts if true?