re: Latest Updates: Russia-Ukraine Conflict

British Defence Intelligence
UPDATE ON UKRAINE 22 February 2023
INTELLIGENCE UPDATE

On 21 February 2023, President Putin made his first State of the Nation speech since 2021. He made it clear that he intends to continue with the 'special military operation' in Ukraine. He characterised Western elites as having "become a symbol of total unprincipled lies" and suspended Russia from the New START treaty.

Putin continued the bellicose tone he has adopted in speeches over the last six months but did not reveal any practical measures which might relieve Russia's current deadlock on the battlefield.

Putin continues to present a contradictory narrative of existential struggle, while insisting everything in Russia is fine and going to plan. This renders both messages ineffective.

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Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee Central Foreign Affairs Commission Office Director Wang Yi met in Moscow on February 21 to discuss deepening Sino–Russian cooperation.

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Reuters: Momentum shifts in US toward providing Ukraine with long-range missiles, fighter jets [...] February 22, 2023 The U.S. is inclining toward sending long-range missiles and fighter jets to Ukraine, Michael McCaul, the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said, according to Reuters.

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Confucious say: 'One thing leads to another.' Any questions, Chairman Xi?

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TigerOnTheMountain

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Oh look the q tard is back

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no. and in a better world, we would have better discourse and i think this thread was a lot better at having honest discussions with people with differing views earlier in the war. it has since turned very pro ukrainian, which i support, but in doing so has created an echo chamber. it also doest help that people know that now, so edge lords come in to stir shite up which only poisons the well even further

im not trying to accuse you of this, but i just find it interesting that we tend to get people who love to play the "im neutral" card, say someone like roger, who then comes into this thread , starts talking about biolabs or talks down to us idiots for believing western progranda!!!!!, says "i cant even question anything in this reddit hivemind!!", then spends the next three months on the poliboard and oddly never speaks out against their shite even though they claim to be neutral

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I think this thread suffers from polarization due to the PT stuff. It's made posters in this thread more likely to believe overly-optimistic Ukrainian propaganda and less likely to believe stories about Russian successes/advantages because they don't want to be on any side with the PTers, even on a limited basis.

I get into it with people on PT who claim neutrality or "I just don't care it doesn't impact me" but then go cat heart eyes when Putin makes a speech. So I get that critique.

Personally, my default position is that one population has been forced to flee, harmed, greatly inconvenienced by the other, so my support lies with the people who were living their life with essentially no meaningful animosity toward Russia and now have their lives upended. That doesn't mean I think the Zelensky is honorable or that the West shouldn't have foreseen Putin feeling cornered.

I also think glee over pouring treasure into a proxy war is simply ridiculous unless you just completely ignore the entirety of American foreign policy blunders. I'd be much more receptive to supporters of our level of involvement if it came with the premise of "we've essentially but put in an unenviable position of letting Ukraine falter and blah blah blah and now that we're involved at this level, not finishing the job is likely to be a bigger cluster than seeing it through" - but that's never the tone.

Who takes over Russia after Putin dies?

Whichever crab claws its way out of the bucket.

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Who takes over Russia after Putin dies?

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That is an issue that Russia has and will have to face. The answer from our perspective is, we don't know. But Putin can't live forever. This is inevitable.

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. The answer from our perspective is, we don't know

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The idea of "spreading democracy" is a total failure. Weve proven it again and again. Why will this one end differently?

I think there are legitimate concerns about corruption and waste based on the recent past and failures in Iraq and Afghanistan.

However, to me that's a secondary concern right now to defeating an aggressive Russia.

After the war, I don't want us rebuilding Ukraine like we tried in Afghanistan or propping up the government. Europe and seized Russian funds can do that.

For now though, we have to help Ukraine defend itself or we'll just see Russia steamroll through the Baltics.

I agree that Russia looks to be currently fricked. I do worry about China, Iran giving them enough weapons to keep this going though.

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For now though, we have to help Ukraine defend itself or we'll just see Russia steamroll through the Baltics.

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Given their performance to date... and the losses suffered... I am not sure Russia could steamroll through much of anything right now...