Putin's Invasion of Ukraine

[Cassia]

Ready for the Russian plaque? I'm sure Dr RFK Jr will have 'nuff Ivermectin ready for everyone.

[Hydra009]

Ready for the Russian plaque? I'm sure Dr RFK Jr will have 'nuff Ivermectin ready for everyone.

I've heard about that. I feel bad for the 28 year-old researcher who died. Apparently, a second person has died as well.

While this is a scary situation, I very much doubt it'll be anything but a local problem. Not only is it in one of the more remote places of the world, but it's a country without much travel, at least to the West. Though I suppose it's possible it could spread in a roundabout way from Russia to China to Southeast Asia to the US.

It certainly highlights a problem with media that news stories are primarily driven by novelty, and therefore using the news to get a full picture of the state of the world is a flawed endeavor. Lots of very serious things happen every day, but they're routine and therefore unremarkable. But new and exciting stuff happens, and it gets top billing. Gives a lopsided impression.

[Hydra009]

Russians attempting to illegally enter Finland to avoid the war

“More and more border crossers have a military background, so they are experienced off-roaders and orienteers,” Pitkäniitty said.

He added that many appeared to be fleeing Russia to avoid conscription or military service, while organizations in Russia were helping some people travel west.

Finland completed construction of its new metal border barrier last month. The fence is about 3.5 meters high, topped with barbed wire, and covers roughly 200 kilometers of the country’s 1,300-kilometer border with Russia.

[theantithesis]

I'm torn on that. I think it's good that there are so many Russian trying to escape. So, why erect a wall like they're Mexicans and you're Trump? I'm sure there are good reasons, I guess.

[Hydra009]

Poland has experienced instances of Russians herding their own immigrants towards Polish border fences, so they've had to step up their game. Finland likely took note and did likewise. Both countries have famously have experienced actual invasions from the east, so I don't blame them. It's a bit of a different situation with Trump, where the Trump lied about it and exaggerated the numbers and coincidentally, really needed a scapegoat to rally his base (fascists always need a scapegoat)

[Cassia]

If I buy diesel for our tractor, I'll be supporting Putin's murderous war.

[Hydra009]

If I buy diesel for our tractor, I'll be supporting Putin's murderous war.

Yeah, it's awful what Trump's doing but not unexpected. He has consistently pushed the Kremlin line, usually right after getting a phone call from his boss. He's bent over backwards for Putin - pulling aid to Ukraine before and during his Presidency, repeatedly pressured Zelenskyy to capitulate, famously had some sort of meltdown when Zelenskyy went to meet with him, cozied up to Putin in Alaska in a flagrant violation of the ICC arrest warrant, and now made some sort of deal with the Russian dictator where the US buys Russian diesel to fund Russia's war machine.

He had a bunch of excuses before and expect more of those today, but be sure to watch the feet - his actions are truthful while his lips are lying.

Trump also threatened to pull intelligence. It's fortunate for Ukraine that it has more reliable allies in Europe who will continue to share intelligence as well their own methods.

Trump's repeated floundering when it comes to aid in the past pushed Ukraine to rely more heavily on European allies and European allies to realize that the US cannot be relied upon and that they have to step up. This is good because if Ukraine had put all of their eggs in the same basket, Trump would've pulled the rug out from under them and they'd be in real deep shit.

This move with Trump is bad but not catastrophic. Russian finances cannot be single-handedly rehabilitated by Trump even if he were to buy every drop they produce because they do not produce that much anymore. And Trump's panic highlights the effectiveness of strikes on Russian refineries quite clearly. And the US's waning influence over Ukraine means that Ukraine will have more freedom in selecting targets in the future. Trump can scream all he wants, but he cannot stop anything.

Both dictators are near the end of their lives and as they feel death's hand closing around them, they are doing everything they can to create suffering and death in the world, as they always have. It won't buy them a single second longer, it'll just mean they'll be hated even in death. One day, they will both be dead and a free Ukraine will remain.

[Hydra009]

Basically, all Trump is doing is prolonging the war, inflicting more death on the Ukrainians, and ensuring that the US is not the first one thanked when this war is finally over. Sad!

[Hydra009]

[theantithesis]

Remember when in the USA, being buddy-buddy with the Russians was political suicide that would lead to just regular suicide? What happened to that?