Russia's War Against Ukraine

[GDS_Starfury]

on ADSB you can track 2 E-6s flying over the US.
kinda makes me want to watch By Dawns Early Light again. 

[MengJiao]

I feel like russia wants to waste time while it "talks" as it sorts its logistics out

Sounds plausible.  US intell says the Russians have commited 2/3 of their mobile forces to the Ukrainian front.

Meanwhile:

Turkish foreign minister: Turkey recognizes the Russian invasion to Ukraine as "war"


Which means Russian ships can be stopped from leaving the Black Sea.

[GDS_Starfury]

Ive been keeping up with that.  it isolates the russian ships off syria which could turn interesting.
pretty bold move by turkey.

[GDS_Starfury]

and the EU is now expanding sanctions to belarus.

[MengJiao]

Ive been keeping up with that.  it isolates the russian ships off syria which could turn interesting.
pretty bold move by turkey.

   Yes.  But looking at it from Turkey's point of view its a win-win: 1) the Russians are very busy elsewhere 2) time to score some geopolitical points.  Nothing to lose, and a lot to gain.

   Now NATO (Turkey is in NATO) can begin to see an interesting calculus: if it takes 2/3 of mobile Russian forces several weeks to overrun the Ukraine (surely not even a third-rate power), why not
   just give them as much trouble as possible everywhere?  In attacking the Ukraine, the Russians have gambled and are so far not looking like they are going to get anything that is worth
   blowing all their credibility.  Their nukes might be the last big card they have to play.

[SirAndrewD]

we're living in a god damn James Bond movie.

Well, I have the Martini part down but I'm certainly not getting Pussy Galore.

[Pete Dero]

we're living in a god damn James Bond movie.

Well, I have the Martini part down but I'm certainly not getting Pussy Galore.

I chose a good week to start drinking.

[GDS_Starfury]

 <:-)

[ArizonaTank]

Some interesting stuff on Sky News (I am in the US, so I generally watch via the Sky News Roku channel).

Firefight footage that appears to be real. You can see an NLAW, Ukrainian armored vehicles, other vehicles burning in the distance...and the guy taking video cursing at the Russians. The tag says it was taken in Ivankiv...about 30 miles NW of central Kyiv.

https://news.sky.com/video/ukraine-invasion-video-appears-to-show-home-troops-in-firefight-with-russians-near-ivankiv-12552606

A recent video out of Kharkiv, showing what appears to be Russians clumped around light vehicles that are driving down the streets backwards (starts about 32 seconds into the video). The Russians appear to be using the vehicles as cover...but they just look like good RPG targets to me.

https://news.sky.com/video/ukraine-invasion-russian-troops-move-into-northern-kharkiv-12553047

[GDS_Starfury]

Skynews has been very good so far.

[solops]

we're living in a god damn James Bond movie.

Well, I have the Martini part down but I'm certainly not getting Pussy Galore.

I chose a good week to start drinking.

What a great idea. Time for some port.

[GDS_Starfury]

its amazing to think of how many ways this can break historically.

[ArizonaTank]

its amazing to think of how many ways this can break historically.

I know. It might even turn into one of those wars with UN blue helmets running around.

The Ukrainians are asking for ammunition now...but they will shortly start asking for food. The Russian invasion is the ultimate supply chain interruption. It's going to take a whole bunch of food to feed all of those folks stuck in the cities. It would be a bad look for Russia if the Ukrainians start to starve. So then we might end up with non-NATO UN troops (the Irish? the Austrians?) running food convoys and trains while the Russians try not to shoot at blue helmets. 

[Gusington]

If I am understanding all of the above correctly, we'll all be saved by Anonymous, Turkey and the ghost of Powers Booth? Damn.

I have been watching Sky News as well and it has been excellent. Dare I say CNN's coverage has not been bad either.

The news that Putin is putting Russia's nuclear forces on alert is making me soil my drawers. That is genuinely frightening.

[Uberhaus]

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-60543994

Russia's central bank has issued an appeal for calm amid fears that new financial sanctions could spark a run on its banks.

It said it "has the necessary resources and tools to maintain financial stability and ensure the operational continuity of the financial sector".

The EU, the US, the UK and Canada have announced that the assets of Russia's central bank will be frozen.
...
Market analysts predict that on Monday the value of the rouble will drop and Russians may rush to remove their money from banks.

"These new sanctions are likely to cause serious damage to the Russian economy and its banking system", said Clay Lowery, executive vice president at the Institute of International Finance. "This will most likely exacerbate ongoing bank runs... causing a sharp sell-off and a drain on reserves."

From https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-60542877

Russian police have arrested about 2,000 people at nearly 50 anti-war protests around the country, according to an independent Russian monitoring organisation.

OVD-Info says more than 5,000 Russian protesters have now been arrested since the invasion of Ukraine.

Opposition in Russia will continue to grow and grow, especially with economic pain.  Putin may not be removed today or tommorow, but as more and more Russians learn the truth or can talk again about their murderous leader's actions there will be more and more internal dissent.