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.”

Article

 

[Astro Galactic Megalul]

Prior this year's happy fun time, USA had been in peace time production for most military hardware, parts, and munitions. Since the Cold War ended and U.S. M.I.C. got Peace Dividend into oblivion.
Secondly USA is not out of ammo but did hit that warning line that it does need to get more ammo immediately. Not counting much of the old out of production surplus to requirements stuff USA have been sending to Ukraine.
Thanks to Putin's actions the money spigot have been set to full blast and the contracts done up and signed for shifting from peace to war production.

I guess I should've instead said "Imagine that American politicians and defense contractors would let this opportunity to make fuckload of money slip"

 

[Happy Fish]

For real, as if it's an honorable duel both sides consented to or something.

Of course Ukraine could just surrender if they wanted, no amount of Western manipulation could stop them. But I think it's rather obvious by now that it's not what they want.
They've managed to protect their country and are fighting back, they have no reason to accept Putin's (unreasonable) conditions, he'd have to come up with something more appealing if he ever hopes for Ukraine to meet him halfway. As someone else said, usually in history such conditions are only accepted when there's no other choice, and that's not where Ukraine currently stands, far from it.

@Happy Fish, you think I fucking want it to continue? With each goddamn day the chance that I myself might end up getting forcefully conscripted and thrown into the meatgrinder grows, they already called up but I ignored it. At the same time my own brother is fighting on the Ukrainian side for his wife and two kids, and I can only pray that he survives and I get to see them once all this ends. Gonna call me a warmonger?
This war dragged my life down to the circle of hell that I didn't even know existed. If before I was uncertain about my future due to the lack of decent education and a reliable career that would allow me to take care of my aging parents, including mother who just barely survived cancer and has a list of secondary health issues longer than Ukraine's military shopping list, and starting a family as I'm nearing my 30s, I'm instead worrying about being robbed of even that if I get used up as cannon fodder in the war I never believed in, and same being done to my two brothers.
I simply happen to know what it's like to live under this ruthless, cannibalistic regime from experience, and I wouldn't wish it upon anyone. Ukraine struggles so they wouldn't face the same fate as us. Because that's what "Russian world" entails.

If I were to believe you then it would only mean that you are far too close to the situation to argue rationally; however, it seems strange to me that you would say Ukraine is fighting so they don't suffer having to face conscription in a war they don't believe in when Ukraine has already been forcefully conscripted and forced to believe in the war or face being punished as saboteur.

Being against globalism is nice and all, but what does it have to do with anything regarding Russia invading? Did George Soros being in favor of gay rights mean Russia is morally righteous for sending a bunch of people to their deaths? Is Biden wanting to arm Ukraine to prevent a long term refugee crisis in the name of furthering his globalist ambitions?

How are you squaring this circle?


Standing up against what? Putin practically had Germany by the balls thanks to being able to sell them cheap natural gas. They were getting to bypass American sanctions for years because no one was thinking Russia would ever act so belligerent.

It seems like you're trying to connect some local political disputes occurring in the US or western Europe to the conflict to pretend Putin is/was fighting against some greater existential threat rather than it being some stupid attempt at a land grab.

Are you really too stupid to understand *globalists* operate *globally?* The problems they create here they create for everyone. Most people cave to the frog in boiling water nonsense they do. Russia punched back. Are they heroes for it? Clearly no but watching everyone I don't like absolutely seethe over the situation was most satisfying and then beg conservatives to side with them in a possible war effort after years of being called every name in the book? Yeah, fuck you.

All the same, the reality is that war is bad. I hope it ends and does so before someone goes radioactive.

 

[SBG]

Are you really too stupid to understand *globalists* operate *globally?* The problems they create here they create for everyone. Most people cave to the frog in boiling water nonsense they do. Russia punched back. Are they heroes for it? Clearly no but watching everyone I hate absolutely seethe over the situation was most satisfying and then beg conservatives to side with them in a possible war effort after years of being called every name in the book? Yeah, fuck you.

All the same, the reality is that war is bad. I hope it ends.

So where do the globalists come into the equation? Do you just think because it's a global event that it means globalists are to blame or Putin wanting more land for his country?

If you think this was a slow boil for a frog, then who was the frog being slow boiled? Where was this happening? How?

 

[Astro Galactic Megalul]

it seems strange to me that you would say Ukraine is fighting so they don't suffer having to face conscription in a war they don't believe in when Ukraine has already been forcefully conscripted and forced to believe in the war or face being punished as saboteur.

But that's not what I said, however. I question your reading comprehension. I know my English is far from perfect, but I take my time to convey my thoughts as clearly as possible.

You conveniently forget that Ukraine was invaded by Russia and not vice versa. Their war is a defensive one, for Russia it's a war of conquest, though they still refuse to call a spade a spade because of the implications that would have, for both their pride and worldview.
Let me emphasize again - there's no moral equivalence between the two. And regarding conscription, in Ukraine it's methodical and thorough, because they need effective soldiers, not cannon fodder. Unlike in Russia, when the war started, they had volunteers flooding in to defend their country.

It sucks that it came to this, conscription sucks in general, but at least it's understandable from Ukraine's perspective. At the very least they have formally entered the state of war when the invasion began, people there know what's going on. In Russia it's some wishy-washy shit where government tries to obscure the real state of things with doublespeak, refusing to commit to anything while violating rights of its citizens.

Putin, according to his own words, was motivated by hypothetical threat to Russia that he basically made up in his head. Meanwhile, what Ukraine is facing is very real, that being Russia violating their borders, killing their people, destroying their economy and infrastructure. All as some sort of preventative measure to stop NATO expansion and whatnot, cost be damned.
Or was it muh Nazis? Or Ukraine being a historical mistake committed by Lenin? I forget which one it was... Right, it's all of that and more. Which has all the credibility of mental patient's ramblings.

Edit: Always something to add.

 

[Happy Fish]

So where do the globalists come into the equation? Do you just think because it's a global event that it means globalists are to blame or Putin wanting more land for his country?

If you think this was a slow boil for a frog, then who was the frog being slow boiled? Where was this happening? How?

Have I not already mentioned the 2014 coup a few times in this arguement? I'm not going to spoon feed you. If you don't already understand the beef the left has had with Russia for over a decade and numerous (sadly successful) attempts to sabotage Trump's diplomacy with Russia then sorry your opinion isn't worth much to me.

But that's not what I said, however. I question your reading comprehension. I know my English is far from perfect, but I take my time to convey my thoughts as clearly as possible.

You conveniently forget that Ukraine was invaded by Russia and not vice versa. Their war is a defensive one, for Russia it's a war of conquest, though they still refuse to call a spade a spade because of the implications that would have, for both their pride and worldview.
Let me emphasize again - there's no moral equivalence between the two. And regarding conscription, in Ukraine it's methodical and thorough, because they need effective soldiers, not cannon fodder. Unlike in Russia, when the war started, they had volunteers flooding in to defend their country.

"It's okay when we do it."

Edit to reply to edit:
If you have more empathy for one side's reasoning that is on you. It is still the same thing.

 

[AnonymousKot]

In other news, Israel are being Jews, America is sending more weapons, and Russia is building something called the "Wagner Line" which may indicate that they intend to abandon Northern Luhansk completely to focus on defending the former "republics" themselves:

regarding the first part

 

[Astro Galactic Megalul]

Have I not already mentioned the 2014 coup a few times in this arguement?

What coup? Russian shill was ousted, the rest of the government largely remained and new elections were held to pick a new leader. At least twice, in fact, and both times presidents changed, from different parties no less. Almost as if it's a democracy. Meanwhile in Russia it's all the same faces for decades now, representing not the people but themselves.

How is that a justification for the invasion, may I ask? Although don't bother to answer, by now i have figured you out, we'll just be going in circles as you continue to ignore reality and spout pseudo-neutral disingenuous bullshit where you make excuses for Russia while refusing to even give Ukraine the benefit of the doubt.

"It's okay when we do it."

Edit to reply to edit:
If you have more empathy for one side's reasoning that is on you. It is still the same thing.

If you can't understand the distinction, then that's on you. Though I suspect you do, but it doesn't fit your narrative.
Empathy has nothing to do with this, it's about facts. Ones you deliberately choose to ignore. I understand Putin's reasoning quite well as I've seen the rise of Russian chauvinism with my own two eyes. Don't think you know better because you watched some RT.

 

[Ghostse]

They should have THOUSANDS of more modern tanks left according to all sources (with 60 to 70% of their modern equipment remaining). They aren't running out of anything? I mean, they don't have a flagship, so, yeah. I'm not saying they haven't been severely bloodied, but don't count them out. Countries have come back to win the war after bigger losses.

Are they also getting rid of a lot of surplus crap? Hell yes, it's Russia! There's probably a squad of dip shits riding around on ponies waving cutlasses around, too. It's a big country.

They should, but they don't. Refurbing T-62s is not something you do if you have any other option.
For perspective, this would be like the US digging stock M60s - Not M60A3s, M60s -out and trying to modernize them. This is not a thing you do when you have stocks of other tanks from this decade.

Much of the 70% the assets that the books say are remaining is likely not operable due to a mixture of incompetence (tanks being rendered inoperable due to operator or mechanic drunkenness) or graft (selling parts). The rest Putin could not deploy without triggering a coup. Or risking Xi deciding that Siberia always was a part of China.

Neither side is running out of ammo, people have been saying that both russia ukraine and the west were gonna run out for months now, but they all got plenty

Both the US and UK specifically are having to dip into their reserves for ammo to send to Ukraine. UK projections, where if they needed to have a shooting war with Russia, have them down to something like 4 weeks of ammo. Which tbf is still a shit load of bullets.
Germany attempted to send some ammo stores to Ukraine only to discover they were no longer serviceable.
The real risk is less that the West will run out of ammo, its that they'll run out of ammo they can spare to send.

In a geologic time scale, the Western nations would be able to outpace Russia due to not being cut off from external capital. In the shorter term, its hard to say. Western nations have to content with retard environmentalists in bringing new or old factories online, Russia has to content with being populated by Russians when bringing old factories/increasing production at existing ones.

All Putin had to do was hold onto the Donbass and Crimea and not start shit with an open invasion. You know, the thing he had managed to successfully do since 2014, yet decided to quit doing for no reason none of us have been able to discern given his own changing rhetoric and justifications.

This is the really the key point here. Russia was already winning and clowning on the world. Occupying parts of a neighbor, making billions letting Western Europe pretend they were going green. All Putin had to do was do nothing - do anything other than make a massive, monumental fuck up. Which he then proceeded to do.
So now you've got the cucked Swedes and the Northern Chinese Finns joining NATO.

Without Crimea Russia is destined to be over and Russia knows it.

Why would Stronk Russia fall over without a single province? What economic gain does Crimea bring that would bring Russia to its knees if they don't hold it?

This tells me you really need to visit goatse.cx and read some articles

This tells me you really need to get back to eating the peanuts out of my shit, pilgrim.

Globalists(EU/UN/WEF etc etc etc) definitely are the bad guys and were the bad guys and that didn't change when Russia decided to fight.

How is Russia invading another country a Globalist plot?
How many countries have been invaded by the NATO organization? How does this number compare to the times Russia has invaded its neighbors?
NATO is a purely defensive alliance - an attack on any member is an attack on any member unless that member initiated hostilities.
The only reason you'd sweat about NATO on your border is if you are planning to invade your neighbors, something Russia has done repeatedly.

Are anti-globohomo, pro-Ukraine guys rare?
Nope, I don't think they are.
In fact, reflexively going to bat for whatever dumb neocon or neolib crap and defending these concepts as a whole just because Russia is pushing propaganda that disses them, is low IQ and stupid reactionary behavior that literally enables Russian propaganda that paints Ukraine and its "supporters" as globalist shills, trannies and homosexuals and so on.
I have a proposal to you guys.
Be normal, and support the territorial integrity of every state. Even if it's corrupt. Even if it's ruled by a dictator. Even if it's engaged in things you consider abominable.
Be consistent. And don't feed into Russian propaganda. It literally exists and thrives because people in the West cannot help themselves.

I hate globohomo. I got good laughs out of Putin telling the Olympic committee to fuck straight off about allowing faggots to get up their usual faggotry. It was good he was working to the World Bank out of his country.

But my respect for Putin telling the eternal jew to fuck off ends at Russia's borders.

If the Donbros truly hated Ukraine, why not have your puppets organize a referendum before you invaded? If they really wanted to break away, that would give you legitimacy.

 

[Astro Galactic Megalul]

Let me explain something. What common vatnik (slang for Russian chauvinist entirely lacking dignity and the ability to think critically, unquestionably loyal to the government, more specifically person at the very top i.e. tsar) believes, not in the least thanks to the decade-long unrelenting torrent of propaganda courtesy of Putin, is that the satanic West envies Russia, and wants to have another go at the formerly (though not entirely) communist powerhouse, to erase what they think is the last vestige of good in this world. I wish I was kidding.
So, they believe themselves to be this master race that can do and withstand anything because they were chosen by the God or some shit, and that they're the only ones who knows the proper way to be. Like a low budget parody of Manifest Destiny.

What sane person such as myself knows, however, is that the West largely doesn't give a fuck and would've preferred if Russia at the very least didn't rock the boat by invading its neighbors, because it makes people nervous. They have things to do, their own citizens to screw, so all this is rather inconvenient. It would've been preferable to just do business that benefits both sides, as we have in the past.
Main distinction between someone like me and your run of the mill vatnik is that I put individual above the state, and recognize latter's duty to serve the former.

All the foreigners I ever met were curious about Russia and had overall positive opinions toward it, even if they didn't know jack shit about it - mystery is by itself appealing. It's almost as if not being a chauvinistic retard trying to prove how superior you are to everyone else is beneficial to interpersonal communication.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

 

[エボラちゃん]

Have I not already mentioned the 2014 coup a few times in this arguement? I'm not going to spoon feed you. If you don't already understand the beef the left has had with Russia for over a decade and numerous (sadly successful) attempts to sabotage Trump's diplomacy with Russia then sorry your opinion isn't worth much to me.

"It's okay when we do it."

Edit to reply to edit:
If you have more empathy for one side's reasoning that is on you. It is still the same thing.

Correct.

Why CIA Director Brennan Visited Kiev: In Ukraine The Covert War Has Begun

Ukraine is on the brink of civil war, Vladimir Putin has said, and he should know because the country is already in the midst of a covert intelligence war. Over the weekend, CIA director John Brennan travelled to Kiev, nobody knows exactly why, but some speculate that he intends to [...]

www.forbes.com

 

[Happy Fish]

What coup? Russian shill was ousted

"What invasion? Globohomo shill is being ousted. Democratically."

If you can't understand the distinction, then that's on you. Though I suspect you do, but it doesn't fit your narrative.
Empathy has nothing to do with this, it's about facts. Ones you deliberately choose to ignore. I understand Putin's reasoning quite well as I've seen the rise of Russian chauvinism with my own two eyes. Don't think you know better because you watched some RT.

The projection is pretty heavy here, and honestly the bits I'm ignoring are the bits that aren't important. Zelensky is a piece of shit for forcing people to stay in Ukraine. The moment it was announced that he instated the draft and was forcing men to stay and fight was the moment he lost any opportunity of having any ounce of sympathy from me, but much like the bullshit Ghost of Kiev propaganda surrounding the events, it was incredibly manipulative but effective. Worse than manipulative though, it was stripping people of their freedom and forcing them to fight. The willing participants do not erase this. Honestly I should be pissed about Russia doing the same. I think I can't feel that way because my outrage over it has been spent and at this point I am more worried about if Russia does kick this into overdrive that a draft might happen in my nation.

also lol "Russian chauvanism." What the fuck is that even supposed to mean? Glad to hear at least some part of the world men are still encouraged to have balls, I guess?

Most RT stuff I have watched are documentaries that have nothing to do with Russia or their geopolitics. Their news is honestly boring and I've only ever watched it a handful of times. I know it is just convenient for you to think if I side against you that I must have some vested interest in Russia. The truth is I'm just ideologically consistent. People ruining my nation don't become my friends because they managed to piss off Russia and get themselves into proxy war in an unfortunate country.

Honestly I've been bored of this conversation for a while (hence why I'm not digging up sources I posed early on in the conflict to illustrate the same fucking points for the guy clearly trying to pick them apart with straw man anyway), but I think it is astounding that people are so tribalistic. It isn't all "if you're with us you're against us" unless you really are just shilling the war. Yeah, I think the people pushing pro-Ukraine propaganda are by and large disingenuous scum. There is a human part of me that revels in seeing said scum not get their way for once no matter how much McDonalds they take away. But a better human part of me realizes that is petty given the real life cost of what is happening.

At the same time I realize that this is wrong to root for a war just because of my political biases. If I just went with my biases you are damn right I would be helping the vatniks. But honestly I don't even stay in their circle jerk DM threads either. I'm not pro-Russia. I'm extremely anti-leftist. I still think the loss of life (ON BOTH SIDES) in Ukraine is abhorrent and needs to end. I know people who believe very passionately in the Ukraine cause and I have a lot of empathy for them, either because they are genuinely anti-war or because they have friends over there. My view of the bigger picture doesn't sync with theirs but bless their hearts because they are in the right place.

I honestly don't feel that way about you all or I would have been able to drag myself away from this sooner. I think a few of you are shills. I think this thread is a bit of a circle jerk. I think some of you are just bloodthirsty. I think that the events surrounding Elon Musk are telling for the greater part of that movement as all nuance is lost the moment someone proposes anything other than total victory and crushing Russia. It is really sad and gross.

tl;dr Views, feelingss, and overall philosophy are three different things and nuance is lost on you lot.

 

[Ghostse]

I'm extremely anti-leftist.

Ok, in what way exactly is Russia shelling the suburbs of Kiev "pwning the leftoids" because I am excited to hear this one.

 

[Pimpleking55]

The longer this war is going on the more i get convinced that both sides are in cahoots with each other and using this crisis to divert attention from things that matter, getting rid of their undesirables, all out weapon testing/ depleting old stockpiles while leaving an unstable Ukraine for grabs by the highest bidder.

 

[Vince McMahon]

Ok, in what way exactly is Russia shelling the suburbs of Kiev "pwning the leftoids" because I am excited to hear this one.

Kyiv asks for help from government current dominated by what Americans consider left - left supports trannies - Kyiv = trannies.
Shelling suburbs of Kyiv = The Day of the Rope.

That's the logic behind it, I believe.

 

[Happy Fish]

Ok, in what way exactly is Russia shelling the suburbs of Kiev "pwning the leftoids" because I am excited to hear this one.

It would be like someone punching your friend in the face to get to you, moreso if that friend is the puncher's little brother. Lefties/globalists have a vested interest in Ukraine (problem with citing this one is it is hard to decide where to begin. Shit just google Soros + Ukraine for starters). Past that it is retreading Russia's given reasons for attacking which is only relevant for their own motives to punch the lefty's friend including feelings of relation to which, etc.

 

[Ghostse]

It would be like someone punching your friend in the face to get to you, moreso if that friend is the puncher's little brother. Lefties/globalists have a vested interest in Ukraine (problem with citing this one is it is hard to decide where to begin. Shit just google Soros + Ukraine for starters). Past that it is retreading Russia's given reasons for attacking which is only relevant for their own motives to punch the lefty's friend including feelings of relation to which, etc.

Ok, so Russia controls Crimea and no one who isn't Ukraine cares in any meaningful way. They have defacto control of their "ethnic areas". Ukraine is making zero border incursions to Russia.
So again, in what way is trying to blitz artillery to the capital, and shelling apartment buildings "destroying the left and imploding the Zionist?". How does Ukraine suddenly going full-tranny actually affect Russia or make Russia less secure?

 

[Pork Packer]

Kyiv asks for help from government current dominated by what Americans consider left - left supports trannies - Kyiv = trannies.
Shelling suburbs of Kyiv = The Day of the Rope.

That's the logic behind it, I believe.

That and the fact that a decent chunk of the establishment/wannabe establishment right are as susceptible to the "desperately pander to the whims of screaming social media edgelords because they get so many updoots and i want updoots to make me feel important" idiocy as the establishment/wannabe establishment left, which makes them loudly and proudly slather themselves with electoral cancer in order to stay in the good graces of the edgelord internet circus which will benefit their own personal careers at the expense of both their party and their entire supposed political alignment

 

[Happy Fish]

Ok, so Russia controls Crimea and no one who isn't Ukraine cares in any meaningful way. They have defacto control of their "ethnic areas". Ukraine is making zero border incursions to Russia.
So again, in what way is trying to blitz artillery to the capital, and shelling apartment buildings "destroying the left and imploding the Zionist?". How does Ukraine suddenly going full-tranny actually affect Russia or make Russia less secure?

Let's say Russia were to get Washington state to become part of their territories through funding and arming a revolution in the Autonomous Zone and then having a democratic vote to become part of their territories. How the fuck do you think the rest of the United States would feel about that? Do you think they would just honor the Autonomous Zone?

This isn't hard stuff, even without going in circles over their fears of NATO and the biolabs they found after the fact.

 

[Ghostse]

Shelling suburbs of Kyiv = The Day of the Rope.

Putin goes to Kiev to round up the trannies, discovers the nazi militia have already beaten them to it. Retreats back to Belarus.
Fucking BASED.

 

[Astro Galactic Megalul]

The projection is pretty heavy here, and honestly the bits I'm ignoring are the bits that aren't important. Zelensky is a piece of shit for forcing people to stay in Ukraine. The moment it was announced that he instated the draft and was forcing men to stay and fight was the moment he lost any opportunity of having any ounce of sympathy from me

Isn't this a common practice for a country facing military invasion, as harsh as it is? Correct me if I'm wrong. Or are you going to make the case that declaration of martial law under these circumstances was somehow unjustified? I'd like to see you try.

When considering the "bigger picture", have you ever thought about the long term implications that appeasing Putin would have, which is what you're in essence proposing? Considering you seem to be taking his claims at face value, I doubt you have. He openly denies Ukraine's right to exist, for starters, and he isn't letting that go. What would be a peace treaty worth without guarantees of protection from powerful allies, which is what Ukraine's "neutrality" that he demands entails? Really think about it for a moment.

also lol "Russian chauvanism." What the fuck is that even supposed to mean?

Think Nazi Germany, that's a good place to start. Look up definition of this term, specifically as it pertains national identity, if you're unfamiliar with it.

Let's say Russia were to get Washington state to become part of their territories through funding and arming a revolution in the Autonomous Zone and then having a democratic vote to become part of their territories. How the fuck do you think the rest of the United States would feel about that? Do you think they would just honor the Autonomous Zone?

This isn't hard stuff, even without going in circles over their fears of NATO and the biolabs they found after the fact.

What a retarded fucking analogy. Washington is not only part of US, it's also its very heart. Ukraine is not part of Russia, Russia has no legitimate claim to it. Get that through your thick skull already.