War in Ukraine — Megathread

[Juan]

However, a Russian oligarch is still the owner of DIA supermarkets. No one in Europe has thought of just getting control of that company and using the profits to pay for reconstructing Ukraine

EU wants to use frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine reconstruction

In Londongrad the government has not seized the properties of Russian oligarchs either.

 

[RAA]

However, a Russian oligarch is still the owner of DIA supermarkets. No one in Europe has thought of just getting control of that company and using the profits to pay for reconstructing Ukraine

EU wants to use frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine reconstruction

In Londongrad the government has not seized the properties of Russian oligarchs either.

This is great news that the EU are freezing Russian funds to pay for the rebuild of Ukraine. Quite right. Glad you support this approach.

 

[Stuart-T]

In Londongrad the government has not seized the properties of Russian oligarchs either.

Yes because nobody wants a gin and polonium cocktail or novichok perfume.

 

[BrOKeN_1]

This is because the Ukrainians force most of the men to fight, regardless of age. The population of Russia is 143.4 million, Ukraine is 49 million. Eventually, the Russians will wear them down and win.

Not true. Russian soldiers have no real skin in the game and therefore are more likely to be less enthusiastic about future gains. Ukrainians on the other hand are literally fighting for home and sovereignty. I don't believe Russia could win this by conventional means anymore.

 

[ZFire]

Exactly, a few thousand Spanish knights destroyed millions of Aztecs.

Reason? Knights had hardened steel armour vs. Aztec bronze armor. Quality always wins over quantity.

And while we're at it, given how inaccurate the assessments of the capabilities of the Russian army by the West were before this war began, there's a good chance we've made large miscalculations about the capabilities of the Chinese military too. Their ability to wage war is a complete mystery for me as their army is completely unproven in a combat scenario. But I suppose it's better to overestimate their capabilities rather than underestimate it, that way you can maximize war efforts and wipe the floor with them if they turn out to be not very good.

I think this Russian invasion has likely delayed China's plan to invade Taiwan by a lot.

 

[Juan]

Actually the former German chancellor Schröder was working for Putin... haha... so that's Europe "fight" against Russia.

 

[Stuart-T]

I think this Russian invasion has likely delayed China's plan to invade Taiwan by a lot.

The West relies on Russian energy and mineral exports. Russia can get by without the West - it is largely self-sufficient in food etc - this is why sanctions are not really helping and this war could drag out for years.

If China invaded Taiwan - the Western powers will slap embargoes on many non essential Chinese exports. China relies heavily on trade with the west. I don't see an invasion of Taiwan happening. If the people suffer economic hardships in China - that will spell trouble for the regime.

 

[BrOKeN_1]

If the people suffer economic hardships in China - that will spell trouble for the regime.

This is beginning to play out as we speak.

 

[dan]

I think this Russian invasion has likely delayed China's plan to invade Taiwan by a lot.

Feb 24, 2022:

Putin: "Hold my beer, I'll wipe the floor with Kyiv in a week and come help you out with Taiwan".

6 months later:

Putin: "I need drones"
Xi Jinping: "Do I know you?"

 

[ZFire]

If China invaded Taiwan - the Western powers will slap embargoes on many non essential Chinese exports. China relies heavily on trade with the west. I don't see an invasion of Taiwan happening. If the people suffer economic hardships in China - that will spell trouble for the regime.

This is beginning to play out as we speak.

Yeah, China's socioeconomic stability right now is so uncertain that it could not afford a conflict right now. I think we still need to remain cautious though even if China is too intertwined with western trade. The CCP are a regressive and fragile bunch. It should be noted that they are known to bully its neighbors on the seas, they draw increasingly forceful lines, declaring areas they believe they control, built artificial islands and turned them into military bases, and continue to threaten Taiwan. And it was not long ago in August when China displayed excessive military threats by firing missiles directly over Taiwan for the first time all because senior House Democrat, Nancy Pelosi came to visit Taiwan. It might have been posturing and grandstanding, but holy crap what a bunch of cry babies,

Parallels can be drawn between China and Russia here. Waiting around for the CCP to become nicer and gentler seems ill advised. Better to make it clear that we stand behind Taiwan right now and would help immediately in the case of an invasion. Now whether China would believe that or not and whether it works or not remains to be seen but it beats not trying and watching them invade Taiwan and massively restrict rights like they did in Hong Kong.

 

[Stuart-T]

Looks like Putin wants to talk. That's good news but after the devastation and war crimes - I wonder what such a peace deal could look like.

 

[Lane]

all because senior House Democrat, Nancy Pelosi came to visit Taiwan. It might have been posturing and grandstanding, but holy crap what a bunch of cry babies,

Pretty amazing how an 82-year-old Grandma in a pink dress can freak out a bunch of insecure, bullying "cry babies".

 

[Lane]

Just a little clarification on some of the accusations of America(ns) profiteering from the Ukraine War.

Europe Is Wrong to Blame the U.S. for Its Energy Problems

Some European officials have accused U.S. companies of war profiteering for selling relatively inexpensive U.S. natural gas at much higher prices in Europe. These accusations are baseless. American liquefied natural gas, or L.N.G., is sold in Europe at a price set by the market.

While that price is more than five times the U.S. natural gas price today, most of that L.N.G. is sold to middlemen, usually at the U.S. price plus some markup. Those middlemen, not U.S. export companies, benefit when the overseas gas price is much higher. ‌Most of these resellers are not American. The largest are European companies — TotalEnergies and Shell.​

 

[Juan]

The US probably has more military contractors than soldiers. War means profiteering, on all sides...

Whiskey, Kobe beef and suckling pig: inside the 'Fat Leonard' navy bribery scandal | US military | The Guardian

 

[Joeseph Stope]

And while we're at it, given how inaccurate the assessments of the capabilities of the Russian army by the West were before this war began, there's a good chance we've made large miscalculations about the capabilities of the Chinese military too. Their ability to wage war is a complete mystery for me as their army is completely unproven in a combat scenario. But I suppose it's better to overestimate their capabilities rather than underestimate it, that way you can maximize war efforts and wipe the floor with them if they turn out to be not very good.

I think this Russian invasion has likely delayed China's plan to invade Taiwan by a lot.

I hope you're right. But I would have thought the opposite... NATO being fully preoccupied east of the Urals might be a bit overtaxed trying to sort things in the straits of Taiwan at the same time.

You know, much like World War 2 and all that.

 

[Luman]

We are sending weapons and aid to Ukraine to help them fight the Russians, and now we have sent an arms dealer back to Russia, who will provide weapons for them to fight the Ukrainians.

This is the logic of Joe Biden.

 

[dan]

We are sending weapons and aid to Ukraine to help them fight the Russians, and now we have sent an arms dealer back to Russia, who will provide weapons for them to fight the Ukrainians.

This is the logic of Joe Biden.

He got rich in the 90s by selling Soviet equipment- i.e. he sold Russian stuff to 3rd world countries in limited quantities. Do you think Russia has no arms dealers? Lol. Whatever they could get from Iran, they already got. Nobody else has anything to sell in the quantity Russia needs to stay in the war. China won't sell them anything, India PM refused to meet with Putin, etc.

Russia is activating its Military Industrial Complex. It can only depend on itself. I think what's going to happen this winter is a final attempt to capture Kiyv, with Belarusia help. If successful, Putin will have the negotiating leverage he needs to secure his newly annexed territories.

If he fails, it's Hitler Kaput for him, and he knows it.

Mark my words folks and get out the popcorn for "Assault on Kyiv part deux", coming soon...

P.S. I'm an Armchair General.

 

[Luman]

He got rich in the 90s by selling Soviet equipment- i.e. he sold Russian stuff to 3rd world countries in limited quantities. Do you think Russia has no arms dealers? Lol. Whatever they could get from Iran, they already got. Nobody else has anything to sell in the quantity Russia needs to stay in the war. China won't sell them anything, India PM refused to meet with Putin, etc.

Russia is activating its Military Industrial Complex. It can only depend on itself. I think what's going to happen this winter is a final attempt to capture Kiyv, with Belarusia help. If successful, Putin will have the negotiating leverage he needs to secure his newly annexed territories.

If he fails, it's Hitler Kaput for him, and he knows it.

Mark my words folks and get out the popcorn for "Assault on Kyiv part deux", coming soon...

P.S. I'm an Armchair General.

If Russia does not plan on using Viktor Bout to supply them with weapons, it begs the question as to why they have been so eager to have him released and returned.

 

[Joeseph Stope]

Just to bring some good cheer to this awful story:

The monthly weather forecast for the Ukraine looks OK... just a few degrees below freezing point some nights. At least indoors one could weather that. But brewing your coffee in the morning or getting a hot meal... just have to wait for the power supply to come on again.

 

[Joey72]

We are sending weapons and aid to Ukraine to help them fight the Russians, and now we have sent an arms dealer back to Russia, who will provide weapons for them to fight the Ukrainians.

This is the logic of Joe Biden.

It's the logic of all war mongers in the corporate run US government.

 

[Stuart-T]

Just to bring some good cheer to this awful story:

The monthly weather forecast for the Ukraine looks OK... just a few degrees below freezing point some nights. At least indoors one could weather that. But brewing your coffee in the morning or getting a hot meal... just have to wait for the power supply to come on again.

it must be miserable and freezing in those unheated homes. I use a 500W oil filled radiator in my main room in the UK and when it is below 0 degrees C outside, I am too cold. I just bought a 2000W fan heater for a heat boost when I need it.

I lived in Russia in the year 2000-2001 and when it was -10 C outside (I had an almost useless luke warm communal heating), it was +8 C indoors and I had to wear 2 sweaters, 2 trousers and wear a bath robe.

The old will really be suffering.

 

[Juan]

The EU is going to waste 18.000 million euros in Ukraine. Of course this money will be dumped without any control and no one will audit where it is going. No one audits where weapons sent to Ukraine end up.

In the world there are always conflicts and wars going on. Should Europe dump piles and piles of money on any war going on in the planet? Is it our business? Really?

 

[dan]

If Russia does not plan on using Viktor Bout to supply them with weapons, it begs the question as to why they have been so eager to have him released and returned.

I read somewhere he is a GRU agent, so probably the FSB would like to find out if he talked in prison (i.e. which areas of the GRU he might have compromised). Basically it's a spy recall. Obviously it's a little harder to assassinate somebody in a maximum security prison for Russian spies (usually they would just spike your morning tea with Novichok).

 

[Luman]

I read somewhere he is a GRU agent, so probably the FSB would like to find out if he talked in prison (i.e. which areas of the GRU he might have compromised). Basically it's a spy recall. Obviously it's a little harder to assassinate somebody in a maximum security prison for Russian spies (usually they would just spike your morning tea with Novichok).

That's funny and all, but I think that people in this country who voted for Biden should wake up and realize, if they have not already, that he is not interested in doing what is right for America. He has been successful at doing things that are wrong, such as arming the Taliban, and his latest stunt of releasing Viktor Bout, who is an arms dealer, not a "spy", to unleash more death and destruction is a major win for Russia. If you want America to be beaten at every fork in the road, Biden is the man to have in charge. Gingrich is right to warn Republicans not to underestimate him by assuming that he has failed - he has done exactly what he has been instructed to do and that is a major cause for concern unless, of course, you agree with the policies and actions of the Biden administration.

 

[Joey72]

That's funny and all, but I think that people in this country who voted for Biden should wake up and realize, if they have not already, that he is not interested in doing what is right for America. He has been successful at doing things that are wrong, such as arming the Taliban, and his latest stunt of releasing Viktor Bout, who is an arms dealer, not a "spy", to unleash more death and destruction is a major win for Russia. If you want America to be beaten at every fork in the road, Biden is the man to have in charge. Gingrich is right to warn Republicans not to underestimate him by assuming that he has failed - he has done exactly what he has been instructed to do and that is a major cause for concern unless, of course, you agree with the policies and actions of the Biden administration.

Not gonna happen. People are totally brainwashed. They actually think the Democrats are still for the working man. They all just voted to f##k the railroad workers. FDR is spinning in grave.

 

[dan]

That's funny and all, but I think that people in this country who voted for Biden should wake up and realize, if they have not already, that he is not interested in doing what is right for America. He has been successful at doing things that are wrong, such as arming the Taliban, and his latest stunt of releasing Viktor Bout, who is an arms dealer, not a "spy", to unleash more death and destruction is a major win for Russia. If you want America to be beaten at every fork in the road, Biden is the man to have in charge. Gingrich is right to warn Republicans not to underestimate him by assuming that he has failed - he has done exactly what he has been instructed to do and that is a major cause for concern unless, of course, you agree with the policies and actions of the Biden administration.

Biden is just a puppet. Viktor can no longer be an arms dealer because he cannot travel anywhere anymore, unless he gets plastic surgery and a fake passport. I hope Trump wins next election, but the deep state won't let that happen.

 

[dan]

The EU is going to waste 18.000 million euros in Ukraine. Of course this money will be dumped without any control and no one will audit where it is going. No one audits where weapons sent to Ukraine end up.

In the world there are always conflicts and wars going on. Should Europe dump piles and piles of money on any war going on in the planet? Is it our business? Really?

You mean the 6 dozen HIMARS?

 

[Luman]

The trade of arms dealer Viktor Bout, for basketball player Brittney Griner, was a huge mistake. Biden has set free a person who likely will help Russia fight its war with Ukraine.

Could deal for Griner help Putin overcome ammo shortage? Expert weighs in
Russia may burn through its serviceable ammunition by early next year

The Biden administration's deal to free WNBA star Brittney Griner for arms dealer Viktor Bout could help Russia overcome its potential ammunition shortage.

"This is where Viktor Bout comes in, whom the Biden administration unwisely returned back to Putin," Rebekah Koffler, a former DIA intelligence officer and the author of "Putin's Playbook: Russia's Secret Plan to Defeat America," told Fox News Digital.

Now Koffler fears Bout could help Putin overcome the obstacles. "His experience as an international arms trafficker is critical now for the Kremlin, because he knows the ins and outs of the clandestine networks and arms dealers that he used when he was selling Soviet-era military hardware to terrorists and warlords across the globe," Koffler said. "Bout will, undoubtedly, be helping Putin's war machine chug along."

Koffler's comments come after the Biden administration brokered a controversial deal with Russia last week, swapping Griner for Bout, a Russian arms dealer known as the "Merchant of Death."

Read the rest here:

https://www.foxnews.com/world/could...putin-overcome-ammo-shortage-expert-weighs-in

 

[ZFire]

The trade of arms dealer Viktor Bout, for basketball player Brittney Griner, was a huge mistake. Biden has set free a person who likely will help Russia fight its war with Ukraine.

Could deal for Griner help Putin overcome ammo shortage? Expert weighs in
Russia may burn through its serviceable ammunition by early next year

The Biden administration's deal to free WNBA star Brittney Griner for arms dealer Viktor Bout could help Russia overcome its potential ammunition shortage.


https://www.foxnews.com/world/could...putin-overcome-ammo-shortage-expert-weighs-in

I'm not buying into this "he's invaluable to Russia" narrative. The dude has been out of the game for more than a decade. Most of his connections are likely null now and I bet some are probably dead too.

On a side note, it's pretty clear that no American should be going to Russia in the meantime. Your safety isn't guaranteed anymore.

 

[dan]

I'm not buying into this "he's invaluable to Russia" narrative. The dude has been out of the game for more than a decade. Most of his connections are likely null now and I bet some are probably dead too.

That's what I was saying too lol. I mean even in the narco business, if you've been in jail for over a decade, you're pretty much done and/or you have to start from scratch, and that would be very hard because your place was already taken by other kingpins so now you are stepping on their feet. This isn't Hollywood, like, hey boys, remember me? We are one big happy weapon dealing family. It's all about image and scaring the shit out of people, like, oooo, The Merchant of Death is free! Omg, omg, we're doomed...