War Invasion of Ukraine News Megathread - Thread is only for articles and discussion of articles, general discussion thread is still in Happenings.

President Joe Biden on Tuesday said that the United States will impose sanctions “far beyond” the ones that the United States imposed in 2014 following the annexation of the Crimean peninsula.

“This is the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine,” Biden said in a White House speech, signaling a shift in his administration’s position. “We will continue to escalate sanctions if Russia escalates,” he added.

Russian elites and their family members will also soon face sanctions, Biden said, adding that “Russia will pay an even steeper price” if Moscow decides to push forward into Ukraine. Two Russian banks and Russian sovereign debt will also be sanctioned, he said.

Also in his speech, Biden said he would send more U.S. troops to the Baltic states as a defensive measure to strengthen NATO’s position in the area.

Russia shares a border with Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

A day earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops to go into the separatist Donetsk and Lugansk regions in eastern Ukraine after a lengthy speech in which he recognized the two regions’ independence.

Western powers decried the move and began to slap sanctions on certain Russian individuals, while Germany announced it would halt plans to go ahead with the Russia-to-Germany Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

At home, Biden is facing bipartisan pressure to take more extensive actions against Russia following Putin’s decision. However, a recent poll showed that a majority of Americans believe that sending troops to Ukraine is a “bad idea,” and a slim minority believes it’s a good one.

All 27 European Union countries unanimously agreed on an initial list of sanctions targeting Russian authorities, said French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, and EU foreign affairs head Josep Borell claimed the package “will hurt Russia … a lot.”

Earlier Tuesday, Borell asserted that Russian troops have already entered the Donbas region, which comprises Donetsk and Lugansk, which are under the control of pro-Russia groups since 2014.

And on Tuesday, the Russian Parliament approved a Putin-back plan to use military force outside of Russia’s borders as Putin further said that Russia confirmed it would recognize the expanded borders of Lugansk and Donetsk.

“We recognized the states,” the Russian president said. “That means we recognized all of their fundamental documents, including the constitution, where it is written that their [borders] are the territories at the time the two regions were part of Ukraine.”

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Putin said that Ukraine is “not interested in peaceful solutions” and that “every day, they are amassing troops in the Donbas.”

Meanwhile, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday morning again downplayed the prospect of a Russian invasion and proclaimed: “There will be no war.”

“There will not be an all-out war against Ukraine, and there will not be a broad escalation from Russia. If there is, then we will put Ukraine on a war footing,” he said in a televised address.

The White House began to signal that they would shift their own position on whether it’s the start of an invasion.

“We think this is, yes, the beginning of an invasion, Russia’s latest invasion into Ukraine,” said Jon Finer, the White House deputy national security adviser in public remarks. “An invasion is an invasion and that is what is underway.”

For weeks, Western governments have been claiming Moscow would invade its neighbor after Russia gathered some 150,000 troops along the countries’ borders. They alleged that the Kremlin would attempt to come up with a pretext to attack, while some officials on Monday said Putin’s speech recognizing the two regions was just that.

But Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters Tuesday that Russia’s “latest invasion” of Ukraine is threatening stability in the region, but he asserted that Putin can “still avoid a full blown, tragic war of choice.”

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[Tovarisz]

I wonder if that's a hint that their buddies may be abandoning them now? Since they didn't seem to fight or make a big scene about suspending them.

They were promised likely two things, that this is going to be at worst a week long war that doesn't even end in occupation but in total takeover and that impotent sanctions will open a door to easily kill the petrodollar with minimal consequences.

So far, both failed and not only that, it created a cascade of failures, from the global food chain being kinda fucked (EU and America will survive easy tho, at worst we have (after prices stabilize) 50%+ meat and 10-20% grain price increases), through the general supply chain getting triple penetrated, to the global banking system essentially becoming balkanized.

Though I'll tell you, I hope we are right here, if west falls while east is strong, we're all fucked far worse then if we got a total collapse of all economies.

 

[дядя Боря]

A really good, well researched piece on where this is all going and why. Also looking at where the endgames may lie.

I disagree with his original premise of Russia being invaded willy nilly, so it has to secure its borders.

All invasions into Russia or Russian wars since mongols had Russia being an agressor in some capacity outside of its borders that blew back onto them 10 fold. Polish-Lithuanians burning Moscow is a bit more complicated, but Napoleon's invasion (being huge part of Russia waging war in Europe), the Crimean War which was 100% of Russia's making and their aspirations for expansion and pretty much all civilized nations going against them, to WWI of two German cousins and finally WWII was in major part dick measuring between two tyrants.

In fact, I can argue that most of those conflicts were result to Russian shitty leadership that was either bloodthirsty and/or aspired to increase their territories without fucks given to what other powerful nations thought about it.

In this last invasion, they already blew through so much money alone, that if they just used that cash to actually improve their infrastructure, to build better schools and hospitals, to attract business or build hi tech factories, they could have made a huge leap in level of life that would attract people from around the world. That's really what makes countries great, people want to live there, not retarded vatnick pride about burning through thousands of young men while going outside to shit and heating your barrack-house with firewood and coal.

In this day and age, borders and distances mean so much less. You can transport troops or goods more easily. You don't need to invade anyone at gunpoint, you can simply lease out land, expand your business presence, like China does around the world, without a single shot.

 

[Oats12345]

They were promised likely two things, that this is going to be at worst a week long war that doesn't even end in occupation but in total takeover and that impotent sanctions will open a door to easily kill the petrodollar with minimal consequences.

So far, both failed and not only that, it created a cascade of failures, from the global food chain being kinda fucked (EU and America will survive easy tho, at worst we have (after prices stabilize) 50%+ meat and 10-20% grain price increases), through the general supply chain getting triple penetrated, to the global banking system essentially becoming balkanized.

Though I'll tell you, I hope we are right here, if west falls while east is strong, we're all fucked far worse then if we got a total collapse of all economies.

I can totally see that. Form what it sounds China knew about Russia's invasion. But I have a feeling Xi was promised that it would take just a week and yet here we are the war is still on going as we speak.

I disagree with his original premise of Russia being invaded willy nilly, so it has to secure its borders.

All invasions into Russia or Russian wars since mongols had Russia being an agressor in some capacity outside of its borders that blew back onto them 10 fold. Polish-Lithuanians burning Moscow is a bit more complicated, but Napoleon's invasion (being huge part of Russia waging war in Europe), the Crimean War which was 100% of Russia's making and their aspirations for expansion and pretty much all civilized nations going against them, to WWI of two German cousins and finally WWII was in major part dick measuring between two tyrants.

In fact, I can argue that most of those conflicts were result to Russian shitty leadership that was either bloodthirsty and/or aspired to increase their territories without fucks given to what other powerful nations thought about it.

In this last invasion, they already blew through so much money alone, that if they just used that cash to actually improve their infrastructure, to build better schools and hospitals, to attract business or build hi tech factories, they could have made a huge leap in level of life that would attract people from around the world. That's really what makes countries great, people want to live there, not retarded vatnick pride about burning through thousands of young men while going outside to shit and heating your barrack-house with firewood and coal.

In this day and age, borders and distances mean so much less. You can transport troops or goods more easily. You don't need to invade anyone at gunpoint, you can simply lease out land, expand your business presence, like China does around the world, without a single shot.

That's honselty why I think China is a much more smarter enemy. Since they have relied on taking over trade. Well Russia goes the "we'll invade you if you don't do as we say"

 

[Tovarisz]

I can totally see that. Form what it sounds China knew about Russia's invasion. But I have a feeling Xi was promised that it would take just a week and yet here we are the war is still on going as we speak.

That's honselty why I think China is a much more smarter enemy. Since they have relied on taking over trade. Well Russia goes the "we'll invade you if you don't do as we say"

I believe not only did China know, I believe Germans knew and were given similar assurances, quick takeover, minimal casualties, decapitation of government, puppet leader, things won't change THAT much, some more impotent sanctions, we'll ditch the dollar for euro deal with rubbles a bit.

I also think China having what it does is a happy coincidence caused by western greed leading to overlooking a bunch of transgressions and in the grand scheme of things, they can't maintain any of it. Which they're realizing, thus, no Taiwan takeover. China also got cornered by it's own retarded zero covid shit and their real estate is almost in free fall, they have bigger problems to throw money at then their eternal war with the west though if their "Traditional Chinese Remedies" fail to unfuck their economy, they'll go for war economy.

 

[biscuitscilia]

I can totally see that. Form what it sounds China knew about Russia's invasion. But I have a feeling Xi was promised that it would take just a week and yet here we are the war is still on going as we speak.

That's honselty why I think China is a much more smarter enemy. Since they have relied on taking over trade. Well Russia goes the "we'll invade you if you don't do as we say"

China absolutely knew of the invasion and even snitched on the US to Russia when Biden tried to get them to beg Putin not to invade. While I can't say they're a smarter enemy, they're definitely in deep pockets with more politicians in the US.

 

[Oats12345]

China absolutely knew of the invasion and even snitched on the US to Russia when Biden tried to get them to beg Putin not to invade. While I can't say they're a smarter enemy, they're definitely in deep pockets with more politicians in the US.

I agree. Through like I said I have a feeling they didn't think the invasion would take longer than they expected.

 

[RodgerDodger]

I legit know people who to this day say "Russia is just hiding their true power level, they shot their feet and kneecapped themselves to make it fair on Ukraine, that's how based they are, they'll steamroll Ukraine with elite spetsnaz units any day now" and it's incredibly hard to argue with these people, I assume such people are also in positions of political power though because euro politicians act like that's the truth, they're scared and as established earlier in the thread, russia sees fear as respect.

A time to call will come, either russia is god tier in poker or they're full of shit, whether we call now or in 10 years is irrelevant. This shit will go down either way, euro politicians make themselves look like "Wait, my bunker still needs a new sofa, let's drag this out".

The truth likely lies somewhere in the Middle with regard to actual leveragable Russian capabilities that are being held in reserve. Largely to maintain Russia’s broad defensive posture on it’s oh so lengthy hostile borders. They have held back a certain amount of air capacity to guard against a NATO intervention. Russia may be stupid, bu5 they are also overly paranoid.

You also can’t ignore the risk of NATO and particularly US forces of any type entering into a conventional conflict directly against Russia, while they are deeply depleted, having Russia respond in an unconventional manner.

I disagree with his original premise of Russia being invaded willy nilly, so it has to secure its borders.

All invasions into Russia or Russian wars since mongols had Russia being an agressor in some capacity outside of its borders that blew back onto them 10 fold. Polish-Lithuanians burning Moscow is a bit more complicated, but Napoleon's invasion (being huge part of Russia waging war in Europe), the Crimean War which was 100% of Russia's making and their aspirations for expansion and pretty much all civilized nations going against them, to WWI of two German cousins and finally WWII was in major part dick measuring between two tyrants.

In fact, I can argue that most of those conflicts were result to Russian shitty leadership that was either bloodthirsty and/or aspired to increase their territories without fucks given to what other powerful nations thought about it.

In this last invasion, they already blew through so much money alone, that if they just used that cash to actually improve their infrastructure, to build better schools and hospitals, to attract business or build hi tech factories, they could have made a huge leap in level of life that would attract people from around the world. That's really what makes countries great, people want to live there, not retarded vatnick pride about burning through thousands of young men while going outside to shit and heating your barrack-house with firewood and coal.

In this day and age, borders and distances mean so much less. You can transport troops or goods more easily. You don't need to invade anyone at gunpoint, you can simply lease out land, expand your business presence, like China does around the world, without a single shot.

Regardless of the historical facts of who started what, the premise is there are 7 invasion routes into the Russian Heartland. 7 choke points that must be held to insure proper defense of Mother Russia. Of these Russia only controls 1. 1 is Ukraine. The other 5 are currently NATO members. Namely the Baltics.

As far as China burning Russia at the UN. I think that video I linked explains it best. 50 years of Chinese Strategic Planning have been burned to the ground in 30 days by Putin’s blundering. While China may seemingly support Russia, they are not happy. Putin probably set back any Chinese Taiwan plans by at least a decade.

 

[Les Morfalous]

EU and America will survive easy tho

Yeah, prices might go up by as much as 30%, but honestly that just taking into account the price of oil, and basic bitch speculation of course. Retards screeching about famines can't comprehend that right now i pay less for a kilo of Iberian pork, than i do for a kilo of dog food (Eukanuba). Europe is a food exporter - CHYNA and India and other assorted shitholes should be the ones worrying about the price of wheat.

 

[Almighty MoeBro Nation]

Here's how every country voted, in case you're curious

93 in favor; 24 against; 58 abstention

Belarus, Syria, North Korea, China, and a handful of other third world dictatorial shitholes were the only countries to back Russia.
Disappointing but not surprising. I'm glad the vote passed even if the council is a bit of a joke

 

[Techpriest]

The Boomer Brigade keeps growing

 

[Fanatical Pragmatist]

I disagree with his original premise of Russia being invaded willy nilly, so it has to secure its borders.

I agree.
People expect us to believe that Russia is simultaneously a superpower with a competant fuckhuge military that has fought off every invader ever (bonus points if in winter); yet also somehow is super-vulnerable and literally needs eastern Ukraine to avoid becoming easy to invade.

 

[Techpriest]

I agree.
People expect us to believe that Russia is simultaneously a superpower with a competant fuckhuge military that has fought off every invader ever (bonus points if in winter); yet also somehow is super-vulnerable and literally needs eastern Ukraine to avoid becoming easy to invade.

Duganism is a hell of a drug.

 

[biscuitscilia]

The Boomer Brigade keeps growing

Spoiler: He's real

Well they did start drafting 16-60+ year olds from the "People's Republics" a while ago so I'm sure it's only a matter of time before their WIA end up in some Mechanized Wheelchair Battalion.

Hell, I won't be surprised if they draft their KIAs to be used as biological hazard missiles tossed at enemies via catapult like in the good old days.

With the Lend-Lease act in place, there's a good chance Ukraine might actually win the war if it extends to modern US/UK tanks. The act in WWII alone was enough to prop up both Britain and the USSR against Germany, if Ukraine can get its hands on American tanks, aircraft and equipment with training, they could potentially even take back the breakaways. I wouldn't jump to any conclusions yet but Russia is going to regret not taking Kiev, because now Ukraine can just supply the Eastern/Southern front without interruption.

 

[The Unbecoming]

Spoiler: He's real

View attachment 3154812

With the Lend-Lease act in place, there's a good chance Ukraine might actually win the war if it extends to modern US/UK tanks. The act in WWII alone was enough to prop up both Britain and the USSR against Germany, if Ukraine can get its hands on American tanks, aircraft and equipment with training, they could potentially even take back the breakaways. I wouldn't jump to any conclusions yet but Russia is going to regret not taking Kiev, because now Ukraine can just supply the Eastern/Southern front without interruption.

Giving Ukraine American tanks and aircraft is a terrible idea at the moment. They're an order of magnitude more sophisticated than the T series tanks and MiGs they currently use - they just don't have the time to get trained up with them.

Post-war if they win? Absolutely. But right now they need tanks they know how to operate and repair and as many missiles as we can give them.

 

[Corette]

Giving Ukraine American tanks and aircraft is a terrible idea at the moment. They're an order of magnitude more sophisticated than the T series tanks and MiGs they currently use - they just don't have the time to get trained up with them.

Post-war if they win? Absolutely. But right now they need tanks they know how to operate and repair and as many missiles as we can give them.

Don't forget artillery.
Why people keep forgetting artillery on this war?

 

[Ponderous Pillock]

With the Lend-Lease act in place, there's a good chance Ukraine might actually win the war if it extends to modern US/UK tanks. The act in WWII alone was enough to prop up both Britain and the USSR against Germany, if Ukraine can get its hands on American tanks, aircraft and equipment with training, they could potentially even take back the breakaways. I wouldn't jump to any conclusions yet but Russia is going to regret not taking Kiev, because now Ukraine can just supply the Eastern/Southern front without interruption.

We're scraping old armouries and stuff for comparable equipment because otherwise we're looking at months on end of training which is unlikely to happen for the Ukies.

Its not like in WW2 where you can teach any fucking idiot within a day or so how to fire and run a tank, which is what the soviets did, the tech is a lot more complex and more processes have to be made.

Never mind all the "secret tech" we'd need to strip out of shit before we sent it. Which means even more training.

 

[дядя Боря]

You also can’t ignore the risk of NATO and particularly US forces of any type entering into a conventional conflict directly against Russia.

I think that risk is just not there.

EU isn't invading anyone or anything, and like Trump said, they pretty much just hope that US will come save them. Since WWII, the only real threat of invasion was from China claiming tiny island in Amur river. Otherwise it was Soviet Union trying to keep up with the West in arms race that did them in. Soviet Union was the one invading.

US invading Russia? US has to huff and puff for months before invading anyone and making sure that most countries in the world are onboard with it. Land invading Russia ... no fucking way.

If Russia wanted to keep a deterrent force, they can reduce their Navy way the fuck down, same with nukes, probably quarter of what they have now, channel all the saved cash into improving their country and live like kangz. How many countries in Africa have huge natural resources, yet no one invades them, because it's far cheaper to just pay for the rights and literally companies will line up to prospect, develop and mine, all for you, while you check your bank account. This is exactly what Russia does now.

 

[KiwiFuzz]

There's a Ukrainian man on TV saying that his daughter's friend's family in Bucha, the Russians killed and ate their dog in front of the family.

Stench of loserdom.

 

[Pork Packer]

I think that risk is just not there.

EU isn't invading anyone or anything, and like Trump said, they pretty much just hope that US will come save them. Since WWII, the only real threat of invasion was from China claiming tiny island in Amur river. Otherwise it was Soviet Union trying to keep up with the West in arms race that did them in. Soviet Union was the one invading.

US invading Russia? US has to huff and puff for months before invading anyone and making sure that most countries in the world are onboard with it. Land invading Russia ... no fucking way.

If Russia wanted to keep a deterrent force, they can reduce their Navy way the fuck down, same with nukes, probably quarter of what they have now, channel all the saved cash into improving their country and live like kangz. How many countries in Africa have huge natural resources, yet no one invades them, because it's far cheaper to just pay for the rights and literally companies will line up to prospect, develop and mine, all for you, while you check your bank account. This is exactly what Russia does now.

Yeah, north korea has been a thorn in the ass of the west for decades before it even had nukes but despite having a pretty amazing amount of natural resources and being zero real threat to the US militarily or even with its nukes in all likelihood its still pretty much 100% immune from any real threat of invasion or armed aggression solely due to the decades long headache popping that proverbial pimple will cause the US and especially its allies in the region

If north korea can rest easy with this iron clad security with like a dozen or so crappy and only theoretically functional nukes, then russia aint got shit to worry about in terms of invasion even if fucking china joined NATO.

Its "muh national security" schtick and its obsession with spheres of influence are down entirely to the fact its still in complete delusion of how its a superpower to rival the US and thus must be afforded some special status by the world accordingly despite its pathetic economy, military impotence, and geopolitical isolation, based solely on its unearned superiority complex

 

[Mr E. Grifter]

I legit know people who to this day say "Russia is just hiding their true power level, they shot their feet and kneecapped themselves to make it fair on Ukraine, that's how based they are, they'll steamroll Ukraine with elite spetsnaz units any day now" and it's incredibly hard to argue with these people, I assume such people are also in positions of political power though because euro politicians act like that's the truth, they're scared and as established earlier in the thread, russia sees fear as respect.

A time to call will come, either russia is god tier in poker or they're full of shit, whether we call now or in 10 years is irrelevant. This shit will go down either way, euro politicians make themselves look like "Wait, my bunker still needs a new sofa, let's drag this out".

Russoboos are just brain rot retards, probably the same people who think you can bury an AK in sand, dip it in muddy water and it will work better than any Western rifle. They're just obsessed with the blatant propaganda Russia put out, then go crazy when there is even the slightest misstep by some Western country.

I think Western countries are slowly moving towards intervention. Especially the likes of the USA, the UK, other ex-Soviet countries. The EU is almost too diplomatic and seems to ignore the fact that NATO and US Unipolar power is what underpins their freedom and wealth.

If Ukraine loses this will be something highlighted as a huge moral failure for Western countries, who could of done something but failed to out of fear. The fact we have mindless murder of civilians based on blatant imperialism and it is not being prevented when it could be prevented is a moral failing. The fact NATO didn't allow Ukraine in on the condition it couldn't call article 5 on the ongoing conflict is a huge moral failing.

We allowed this by letting Russia bully us. It should stop now.