Russia's War Against Ukraine

[ArizonaTank]

A new low...Russian troops threatening to kill a captured Ukrainian soldier unless they are paid a ransom by the Ukrainian soldier's family...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/russian-troops-allegedly-demand-prisoner-s-mom-pay-ransom-to-stop-execution/ar-AAWzdgr?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=6586e2a8bf6040a1bf9c4f7eee6cf241

So when gangsters take over the government of a country...you get Putin's Russia...

[Gusington]

From Politico, Moldova on Putin's radar?

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/04/24/putin-invade-moldova-ukraine-00027380

[Con]

From Politico, Moldova on Putin's radar?

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/04/24/putin-invade-moldova-ukraine-00027380

Ukraine is preparing to send Moldova their tractors

[Gusington]

Tractors will probably become Ukraine's greatest export when this is over. Tractors and farmers.

[Gusington]

...and explosions reported in...Moldova:

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/04/25/world/ukraine-russia-war-news#explosions-hit-transnistria-a-russian-allied-region-of-ukraine-amid-fears-of-a-new-front-in-the-war

[GDS_Starfury]

the tractors Ive seen are all John Deere.

[steve58]

...and explosions reported in...Moldova:

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/04/25/world/ukraine-russia-war-news#explosions-hit-transnistria-a-russian-allied-region-of-ukraine-amid-fears-of-a-new-front-in-the-war

I get the feeling this was an event planned way back when Putin thought that taking Ukraine was going to be a walk in the парк...

[Uberhaus]

Holy sh!t that's a good quote.   :timeout:

Thanks, a bit of trench humour.  It captures the ridiculousness of the security forces, but I do feel a bit of shame at the same time as to what the protestors will face.

[Gusington]

Nice Steve

'парк'

[Tripoli]

...and explosions reported in...Moldova:

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/04/25/world/ukraine-russia-war-news#explosions-hit-transnistria-a-russian-allied-region-of-ukraine-amid-fears-of-a-new-front-in-the-war

I get the feeling this was an event planned way back when Putin thought that taking Ukraine was going to be a walk in the парк...

Today's ISW report (available here: https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-april-25) claims that
"Russian forces likely conducted a false flag attack in Transnistria (Russia's illegally occupied territory in Moldova) to amplify Russian claims of anti-Russian sentiment in Moldova, but Transnistrian forces remain unlikely to enter the war in Ukraine."

[JasonPratt]

the tractors Ive seen are all John Deere.

"The weapons the West is sending to Ukraine is really making the situation worse for us." -- Putin

>:D

[steve58]

More explosions in Moldova this morning, this time targeting radio antennas that broadcast Russian programs.

https://www.foxnews.com/world/moldova-explosions-russia-next-target

[Windigo]

A new low...Russian troops threatening to kill a captured Ukrainian soldier unless they are paid a ransom by the Ukrainian soldier's family...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/russian-troops-allegedly-demand-prisoner-s-mom-pay-ransom-to-stop-execution/ar-AAWzdgr?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=6586e2a8bf6040a1bf9c4f7eee6cf241

So when gangsters take over the government of a country...you get Putin's Russia...

I absolutely agree with this.
You also get the U.S. of A's position on Cuba when gangsters can effectively lobby a government.

[FarAway Sooner]

I would respectfully suggest that about 1/3 of our allies in the Cold War were governments run by gangsters.  They were our gangsters, mind you, but they were gangsters nevertheless.

The world has been democratizing over the last 40 years, with the dramatic exception of China.  This latest little (for the rest of us) escapade in Russia doesn't detract from the long-term trend worldwide.  But it also dispels the notion that democracy happens spontaneously and wonderfully and we don't need any vigilance to help tend that garden.

[ArizonaTank]

Germany is providing more heavy equipment.

German government approves the sale of 50 flakpanzer Gepards to Ukraine. 

Also they are considering the sale of 100 Marder IFVs and 88 Leopard-1 MBTs.

In peacetime it can easily take a year or more to deploy a new type of equipment. You have to train the crew, set up parts and maintenance supply, train mechanics and handle a thousand other details. So wondering how quickly they can accelerate this for the speed of war. 

Germany also approved the training of Ukrainian soldiers on German soil on US artillery systems.

https://news.yahoo.com/german-government-greenlights-supply-gepard-145900470.html

When bloodletting and horror of this is all over (hopefully soon), Ukraine is going to be left with an interesting mix of various NATO and former Soviet equipment types.