re: Latest Updates: Russia-Ukraine Conflict

For anyone who wants to understand the historical background of this war (rather than the nonsense Putin resorts to) I can strongly recommend The Russo-Ukrainian War by Serhii Plokhy. It was recommended by Lex Fridman on his show so I picked it up. The book does an excellent job of laying out the messy history of the area, including Poland, the Baltics, Belarus, eastern Europe, etc. A lot of discussion of the waxing and waning Russian empire over several centuries with emphasis on the breakup of the Soviet Union and the competition between Gorbachev and Yeltsin. I didn't realize that it was Ukraine that killed off the Soviet Union for good in 1991 with their strong vote for Independence (even ethnic Russians voted in favor). The Soviet Union had no chance to remain intact without their second most important member (after Russia). There was a good bit of hostility between Russia and Ukraine before that (Holodomor, anyone?) but Russia has resented Ukraine since the 1991 vote; and Putin knows Russia won't have much of an empire until they control Ukraine again. I think he took a giant gamble that is going to cost Russia dearly in the long run.

I'm still only a couple of chapters in but it's been excellent so far. The book covers to early 2022 so roughly the last year won't be in it.

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20 dead and 100 injured by the Ukrainian regime against Russian civilians
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Putin needs to hurry up and defeat the Nazi regime in Ukraine

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Not sure if my sarcasm meter is functioning properly or not -- are you serious?

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Would love to see their (the Brits) UKR casualty estimates....

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For some reason wikipedia doesn’t list the British estimates. The US estimated 70,000 KIA and 120,000 WIA as of August 2023. That is about half of the US estimates of Russian casualties. That is what one would expect with Ukraine being on the defensive most of the time.

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Putin needs to hurry up and defeat the Nazi regime in Ukraine

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So this was actually serious? Wow. I'll explain this to you, because I'm a nice person.

Why do people in most of the world remember the Nazis, consider them particularly evil, and compare other bad actors to them? The reason is that they murdered six million Jews and tried to wipe them out.

The people who are trying to do that today are Hamas and their supporters in Tehran and in the Kremlin. Those are the Nazis of today: the people who chant "From the River to the Sea," meaning the genocide of the Jews living in Israel.

So, today's Nazis are Hamas and its supporters, including both Putin and the leftists in American Ivy League universities.

But that's not what "Nazi" meant in the Soviet Union. The Soviets had no problem with genocide and in fact had committed one in Ukraine in the 1930s, called the Holodomor.

In the Soviet Union, "Nazi" just meant and enemy of the USSR/Russia. And that's why Russia today calls Ukrainian "Nazis." No one seriously pretends that Ukraine is a totalitarian state -- media there criticize Zelensky all the time. And no one seriously pretends that Ukraine is attempting some kind of genocide; even Russia isn't that stupid.

In other words, to seriously refer to Ukrainians as Nazis either requires epic levels of stupidity and historical ignorance, or it means that you're using the word the Russian way and simply mean that Ukraine is the enemy of Russia. Which is it?

What could possibly be gained by throwing a couple of UK weapons into Russia other than to provoke Russia into a greater European conflict. While you clowns continue to cheer on this big laundromat while it becomes nuclear.

It will be over in three more days at the most.

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while it becomes nuclear.

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Is Putin really recycling that talking point yet again? He really needs to get some new material.

ISW Update

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Key Takeaways:

Ukrainian forces reportedly conducted a large series of strikes against targets in Russia on the night of December 29 to 30 and on December 30.

Russian forces conducted a lower number of missile and drone strikes against Ukraine on December 30 following the large Russian strike series on December 29.

Russian officials continued to clearly state that Russia is not interested in negotiating with Ukraine or the West in good faith and intends to achieve its maximalist objectives in Ukraine.

The Kremlin’s recent public rhetoric about its maximalist objectives and imperial designs in Ukraine are permeating the Russian information space.

Russia continues to set information conditions aimed at destabilizing Moldova by framing Russia as a protector of allegedly threatened Russian-language speakers in Moldova.

Russia continues attempts to actively shape the Western information space to support Russian positions and undermine support for Ukraine while portraying these efforts as endogenous to the West.

The Russian Ministry Foreign Affairs (MFA) emphasized Russia’s improving diplomatic relations with non-Western countries in way that suggests that the Kremlin is insecure about the possibility of diplomatic isolation against the backdrop of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Russian forces made confirmed gains near Kreminna, Bakhmut and Avdiivka as positional engagements continued along the entire line of contact.

The Russian military command reportedly continued the dissolution of the “Kaskad” operational combat tactical formation of the Donetsk People’s Republic’s (DNR) Internal Affairs Ministry (MVD) to support its efforts to formalize control over Russian irregular forces.

Russia continues efforts to integrate education systems in occupied Ukraine and expand education programs aimed at eliminating Ukrainian identity in occupied territories.

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Man, this whole thread is like some fantasy novel.

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I bet you didn’t read thd entire thread.

Random tweets

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Czechia will not participate in UN Security Council session convened by ruZZian pederation.

Czechia has declined to participate in the emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, which Russia decided to convene due to the explosions in the border town of Belgorod with Ukraine, according to the Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavský.

"We refuse to be summoned anywhere by Russia. Czechia will not serve the poisoned lies of the aggressor's propaganda. When Russia is ready to discuss the withdrawal of its occupying forces at the UN Security Council, we will gladly attend," he wrote.

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UK at the UN

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If Russia wants someone to blame for the deaths of Russians in this war, it should start with President Putin. President Putin is responsible for sending many thousands of Russian servicemen and women to their needless deaths.”

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The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine:

? Yesterday, 54 combat clashes took place. In total, the russians fired 9 missiles and 55 air strikes, and carried out 79 shells from the anti-aircraft missile system at the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and populated areas.

? Air Forces of Ukraine hit 11 areas of concentration of russian troops, weapons and military equipment; and 3 anti-aircraft missile complexes.

? Ukrainian units also hit 3 russian anti-aircraft missile complexes, the area of concentration of personnel, weapons and military equipment, 7 artillery systems and 3 radio electronic warfare stations.

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Air defense forces destroyed 21 of 49 "Shahed" drones this night

Most of the drones targeted the front line of defense, as well as civilian, military and infrastructure facilities in the frontline territories, particularly in Kharkiv, Kherson, Mykolaiv regions and Zaporizhzhya.

Also in Kyiv and Khmelnytskyi regions, fires broke out at critical infrastructure facilities as a result of the Shahed attack.

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Rybar Live: The mobilization intricacies of the UAF
Mikhail Zvinchuk, head of the Russian think tank Rybar: «Ukrainian society is being roasted slowly, like a pig on a spit, and it will be roasted gradually, so that the effect of overcooking or burning out does not occur»

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Guerre d'Ukraine - Semaine 52

Couleurs des étiquettes :

Ukraine
Gains (+ 3.9 km²) ??
Pertes (- 18.14 km²) ??

Russie | LPR | DPR
Gains (+ 22.75 km²) ??
Pertes (- 0.04 km²) ??

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Kim Jong-un said war in Korea could break out at any time

He emphasized that the unification of North and South Korea is impossible.

"Because of the reckless moves of the enemies who are trying to invade us, it is a fait accompli that war on the Korean Peninsula could break out at any time," Kim Jong-un said.

The North Korean leader ordered his military to prepare to "pacify the entire territory of South Korea" - including with nuclear weapons.

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