Russian invasion of Ukraine

I am so done with all the both sides bollox.

Don't pass a lorry on the inside kids, even if it is stationary. (Link is safe for work).
https://www.reddit.com/r/UkraineWarVideoReport/comments/144orsw/himars_firing_with_a_cyclist_casually_riding_past/?xpromo_edp=enabled

I am so angry about this narrative..

It was very silent initially but these days I scroll instagram or Twitter, see posts from media giants like the economist about Ukraine and in the comments people are arguing about both sides, NATO, Iraq, fake news and how Russia actually defends itself.

I hope it's mostly bots but these bots form opinions of real people and what I'm afraid of is that eventually those people will pressure their governments into stopping "financing" the war.

It also pisses me off so much that the further people are from Russia, the less they know about the evil Russia is and the more diverse opinions they have on both sides.

It's like every day people from eastern Europe have to prove that Russia actually is evil.

This is how Ukraine intends to break through the Russian lines. I'm guessing the mines are being laid in very specific places that the UAF will carefully avoid moving forward. Don't want to be blown up by their own mines! This strategy was already used to devastating effect in Vuhledar.

https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-forces-find-a-new-danger-behind-them-courtesy-of-the-us-2023-6?r=US&IR=T

Sounds like you lay the mines and then attack so the enemy are forced over the minefield. Then you have to wait x hours before they self-destruct. Repeat.

Yes you are right kboy. They self-destruct after x amount of time. Otherwise it would be suicidal to lay them.

Just checking in. This is a joke, right?

It’s ingenious. Horrible, as it’s a weapon of war, but ingenious.

Also less risk to civilians.

I would never joke about such a serious matter.

Really?
They’re mines.

The self-destruct aspect makes them much less dangerous to civilians. If they've blown up a few hours after deployment, there won't be kids stepping on them for years to come like in Cambodia or Afghanistan.

Riggggggghhht

From my understanding, they are anti vehicle, rather than anti-personnel mines, and supposed to self destruct on a timer.

Of course, doesn’t mean that there are faulty ones that blow up a bus/family car in the future, but not what they are designed for.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/06/06/nord-stream-pipeline-explosion-ukraine-russia/

Hitting more major papers now: last year an unnamed European intelligence agency learned of a Ukrainian military plan to blow Nordstream 1. Some evidence that Ukrainians were involved in the event. Big story, divisive if true.

Don't think anyone cares as it's deeply inconvenient, also seems Zelensky didn't sign it off which is wild if true

Interesting thinking behind it - can't be involved if he (Zelensky) didn't know.

Also I wonder what's the motive - to put blame and more pressure both on Russia and EU?

But anyway - fuck Russia, fuck their infrastructure and fuck their umbilical cord to Germany.
It had to be done.

The motive is clear against the background of what Russia was doing at the time - throttling the gas supply through Nordstream 1 in order to discourage Western European countries from supporting Ukraine militarily.

Blowing it up ripped that plaster off, denied Russia their ‘energy weapon’, and forced European countries to finally address their energy dependence on Russia. Top result all round.

👍

But at the same time feels like WP could also explain how nord stream was bad for european security instead of focusing on the blame part

Good point.

I think people are surprised because Ukraine’s propaganda has been very effective at winning over western audiences. Finding out that (on the surface it appears) they forced NATO’s hand further into ‘their’ conflict must feel deceitful to some.

If it was them, I can’t say I’d blame them, but I wouldn’t condone it either. They’re literally fighting for their own and their families’ lives, and messing up a weaponised Russian asset in international waters wouldn’t even make the first draft for the list of bad things countries have done in a war. However, they’ve contributed to the economic squeeze affecting normal folks across Europe, hundreds of millions of people who have no immediate skin in that game and who had already paid billions to help Ukraine.

I wonder if Ukraine got the green light from the US or the unnamed Euro country.

Russian Telegram channels saying an RU unit was targetted with HIMARS after being made to stand waiting for the commanding officer to give a speech for 2 hours near the frontline with 200 KIA/WIA

https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1669007419769233411?s=20

Some evidence that Ukrainians were involved in the event.

Some evidence being one guy said so, and nothing has been corroborated…

Spiegel quoted the German police saying they’d found traces of explosives in the yacht’s cabin. Which guy were you referring to?

Personally I hope it wasn’t Ukraine; as favourable a feeling as I have towards Ukraine, I think most political and military leaders would explore sabotaging the pipeline if it meant galvanising the West in their favour. They’d been fighting (hard!) a losing battle against an invasion for 8 years before the West became properly involved, after all.

Just realised you might’ve meant the discord leaks guy.

https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/ukraine-crisis-russia-wagner-africa/

African mercs working for Russia in Ukraine. Reminds me of that Scottish sapper/war mining expert hired by the Venetian captain of the guard who (temporarily) defended Constantinople against the Turks. I guess if fighting a war is your marketable skill, you go where work takes you.

There's a whole series of random Scottish guys turning up to wars through history.