News Russia invades Ukraine

[Corrin]

World War III isn't going to happen because this incredibly clumsy and chaotic invasion is proving that Russia is pretty much a random middling country with nukes. Their regular army would be wiped out by a professional NATO army within a week. They are using military radios from the 90s and have problems supplying their own troops right outside their own borders, for god's sake. Poland alone would wipe them out. And if they go straight for the nukes, you don't really have a war, it's something else.

This war started on the (utterly delusional) belief that Ukraine was a pro-Russian state that had been kidnapped by a US-appointed pro-western dictator who was barely holding on to power with the help of the US, and that the people and the army would immediately switch sides, grateful to be liberated. Instead, Zelenskyy now has a 90% approval rating and they are (rightly, and thankfully) bouncing the EU into becoming a more integrated block and opening the doors to them. Russia is being humilliated with every passing day without capturing Kvyv (US intel expected it to fall within 96 hours, we're past hour 100), they've lost more troops and materiel than the US did during its entire invasion and occupation of Irak, and the surprising unity and strong Western sanctions are collapsing the Russian economy into North Korea but with oil. It's an unmitigated disaster. It's what happens when you get drunk on your own kool-aid.

There's actually Ukranian soldiers reporting that some of the Russian troops they caught were just kids (18-20) with no training and very poor equipment. It's so sad to see

 

[Sheep]

As a Russian-born person who left the country as a kid with her family in the late 1990s because of the living conditions, this hurts so much. I cannot even begin to express how awful I feel for the Ukrainians who may never be able to see their homes or families ever again. Saw some horrifying images recently that I almost wanted to click away from, but decided not to since this is the reality of war and it's important to understand how awful it is.

Someone I know managed to flee to Poland and is doing okay right now, so that's a huge breath of relief at least. But unfortunately her house is most likely destroyed. /:

Regarding troops - there are a lot of young soldiers with little more than a few weeks' worth of training being forced into this, yeah. I heard from someone who fled Ukraine that there were reports of Russian troops purposefully exhausting their fuel once they realized what they were being sent to do. Many of these people are kids who have no idea what is going on and are basically just being used as cannon fodder. This benefits no one except one man's ego and is horrible.

 

[Corrin]

As a Russian-born person who left the country as a kid with her family in the late 1990s because of the living conditions, this hurts so much. I cannot even begin to express how awful I feel for the Ukrainians who may never be able to see their homes or families ever again. Saw some horrifying images recently that I almost wanted to click away from, but decided not to since this is the reality of war and it's important to understand how awful it is.

Someone I know managed to flee to Poland and is doing okay right now, so that's a huge breath of relief at least. But unfortunately her house is most likely destroyed. /:

Regarding troops - there are a lot of young soldiers with little more than a few weeks' worth of training being forced into this, yeah. I heard from someone who fled Ukraine that there were reports of Russian troops purposefully exhausting their fuel once they realized what they were being sent to do. Many of these people are kids who have no idea what is going on and are basically just being used as cannon fodder. This benefits no one except one man's ego and is horrible.

That's what makes it one of the most painful things I've seen. They're being sent to their deaths and fed lies about Ukraine, only to see the truth. I can't even imagine what these poor young men are experiencing.
And then there's the Ukrainian citizens suffering, losing their homes, loved ones, etc. This is so brutal.

 

[Louise90]

I feel sorry for them here in the uk we are giving thm weapons to use and food etc I wish we. Could do more

 

[Sushi-Chan_]

Being born In Russia then leaving, it's pretty bad for so many people because they have to go through Chernoble and who wants to do that? I don't like what Russia is doing it's not fair and we just sit by and watch? This sucks.

 

[Corrin]

Saw this on Twitter, It's just so crushing.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-n...sts-russian-mothers-putin-sons-cannon-fodder/

 

[Kanzler]

Ukraine and Russia might be close to a deal. It's Zelenskyy's choice between independence or peace.

 

[Corrin]

It'd be hard to tell what the citizens want.
On one hand, they value their independence. But on the other, their country is being ravaged and the oil industry is suffering.

There's oil in my country, but we don't have the infrastructure to push out a lot of it.

 

[Kanzler]

Ukraine and Russia might be close to a deal. It's Zelenskyy's choice between independence or peace.

I think this was a whiff of propaganda. Wasn't followed up at all in the past few days. Didn't seem consistent with the overall tenor of reporting. The supposed assault on Kyiv hasn't happened yet although it might over the weekend.

Probably is a lot of posturing to motivate concessions in their negotiations, but it doesn't sound like a grand bargain is going to be made, and it sounds like Ukraine has an interest in prolonging the conflict to bleed out Russia's will to fight.