Russia - threadbanned users in OP

More indepth details from the whistle-blower regarding a potential conflict with Japan

Am a bit skeptical about it, I don't doubt that such a plan existed, but likely it was an internal appeasement exercise. their primary target has always been Ukraine, which has been on the cards a very long time for the Kremlin.

Of course if Moscow had a quick victory in Ukraine (which is exactly what they expected) then I have no doubt that anything would have been on the table, with Moldova likely next on their list.

Is this the same Jeffrey Sachs that called for a ceasefire in June? And blames the US and NATO for starting the war? The same Jeffrey Sachs that is a shill for the Chinese government? That same Jeffrey Sachs that was constantly criticising Fauci and the vaccine mandates while demanding that the vaccine manufacturers give it away to 3rd world countries for free?

Yes. Ok. That Jeffrey Sachs can go **** himself.

Skimping on the cement or thickness more likely.

F'ing hell just listened to the rest of that video , the guys an apologist , that is a well "crafted " piece ,carefully put together to put a nice gloss on how poor old softie russia had to invade ..

In a slightly different era he'd be looking for the beautification of Beria ,

I'm amazed at far down a rabbit hole these guys ( who claim to see things as they are ) can go ..

muscovite mica

We've known about the HiMars since day one ,they were also modified so if they got ATACms through 3rd parties they still wouldn't be able to lunch them from Ukraine,

Was an obvious choice, but adding the spirit of Ukraine as a testament to the resilience of the Ukrainian people is a nice touch.

This murderer always looked evil

And was an adviser to pre-breakaway Poland, then the USSR under Yeltsin.

He has some good anti-poverty ideas. Not sure they translate to diplomacy.

Small piece from the Guardian regarding Kyiv at the moment. Looks like they intercepted the missiles that were headed to the capital

In his office in Kyiv’s city hall, mayor Vitali Klitschko is planning for the worst and hoping for the best.

The previous day, in the middle of the sixth mass Russian missile strike against Ukrainian cities that had sent Kyiv’s resident to the bomb shelters and metro stations, no rockets had made it through to hit the capital.

On the mayor’s desk is a newspaper he has had produced and distributed around the city in recent days. Bearing his name, and the headline “We will overcome and win”, it lists all the emergency services in Kyiv that will be available in case of what should be unthinkable but isn’t: the failure of all power and services to a city of 3 million in the depths of Ukraine’s winter.

The mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, said: ‘They want to freeze the civilian population. They want … to have a Ukraine without Ukrainians.’ Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters

Across three densely printed pages are supermarkets with generators that will work in that emergency, the post offices and banks, and arrangements for public transit.

It lists the 45 underground metro stations that will remain open as shelters and provide phone charging and internet, as well as tips for surviving a prolonged blackout.

“It’s for the worst-case scenario,” says Klitschko, a former world champion boxer turned politician, picking up the paper.

We need to tell people what they need to do if the situation becomes critical and they don’t have internet and connection to media.

Life in the city can often seem largely normal outside of the massive airstrikes that have been taking place, often weekly, since 20 October. Restaurants are busy and the streets are jammed with traffic at close to prewar levels, but with the first snow on the ground and the temperature hitting -8C this week, life in the capital is also overshadowed by the risk of a humanitarian crisis.

“Thanks to our military, they knocked out all the missiles fired at Kyiv yesterday,” says Klitschko.

But it was only two weeks ago we came close to a total blackout. Then the temperature was above freezing but imagine the same situation if it happened now when it is close to -10 outside and with no electricity water, or heating. The consequences would be disastrous.

I had a horrible feeling they might pick Putin this year since he's been the main instigator of all of the terrible events that have occurred (and since Hitler was picked one year). Glad they went with Zelenskyy though. Incredible story especially if you consider his position just a year ago and unimaginable if you go back only 4 years.

This invasion will always be what defines him though and cometh the hour, cometh the man. The speech that he gave on the night of the 23rd of February where he addressed the Russian soldiers themselves was something else. He told them not to come but if they did then they would die in Ukraine. The Ukrainian armed forces made sure that he lived up to his word. He didn't take the option to flee. He's made sure to be visible and to communicate to his people constantly. He hasn't been afraid to take tough decisions when it comes to removing personnel. he's constantly badgered governments from around the world and made sure that Ukraine has not been forgotten. He's hosted dozens of leaders personally and visited troops on the front. In short he's played a blinder and has made Putin look all the more like the aged, scared, aloof tyrant that he is.

And why not? after all, they planned to recover Alaska too from the theft in 1867, that deal amounted to whole sale robbery, but it will be put right. ( came from the 2 muppeteers, Solovyov and Margarita)

I assume the legions of Putin bots are in absolute meltdown......lots of "Azov Nazis", "eight years of genocide in the Donbass", "Ukraine is corrupt" and so on.

They can legitimately carpet bomb Moscow as far as I'm concerned and I'd still class it as self defense. The Russians have given them carte blanche to do as they please, they won't but it would be completely fair if they did.