Here are the headlines today about Ukraine:
- LAT: Russia orders troops into eastern Ukraine as fear of war grows
- NYT: Putin’s Order Sending Forces to Separatist Enclaves Is Condemned at U.N.
- WaPo: Putin orders troops to eastern Ukraine
- WSJ: Putin Orders Deployment of Troops to Breakaway Regions in Ukraine
- Guardian: Russia strongly condemned at UN after Putin orders troops into eastern Ukraine
- BBC: Ukraine crisis: Russia orders troops into eastern Ukraine
- CNN: Putin orders troops into eastern Ukraine
- FT: Putin orders troops into eastern Ukraine
Why has everyone converged on the "orders troops into" phrasing? When you order troops across a border, that's usually called an invasion, isn't it? The fact that Ukraine is unable to put up a fight surely doesn't change that.
It's possible that President Biden and other NATO leaders don't want to call it an invasion because they don't want to trigger a full set of sanctions yet. Fine. But why should journalists go along with this?
Headlines: Because way too many journalists and newspapers think their job in ALL circumstances is to just repeat what they are told. The only heads that may be justified in not using “invasion” are the ones that include the detail about “separatist regions”.
I see no reason why Putin would WANT Ukraine in the first place
They have been wishy washy on their support over the years
They are a very poor country
Their main export is grain
Their GDP is anemic
I think this could turn out to be a huge mistake for Putin in the long run.
Sanctions by the U.S. - if the EU adds to them would be very harmful to the Russian economy.
I think the Biden Administration is on the right track
Putin wants Ukraine for pride, to restore the old boundaries of the USSR, & for proximity to former satellites Poland, Hungary, & Romania, at least one of which supports him almost to a syllable.
"Putin wants Ukraine for pride"
I will disagree here Monty. Afghanistan alone showed how this doesn't work for him. Putin has the support of a small percentage of the Ukraine population. He could invade with no problem. Then he's stuck with what he invaded
"to restore the old boundaries of the USSR,"
Perhaps but at what cost?
"& for proximity to former satellites Poland, Hungary, & Romania, at least one of which supports him almost to a syllable."
So out of THAT group he's got the support of 33% of those countries?
Again, pride is a hurtful thing. He forgets that those 4 countries will provide a DRAIN on the Russian economy NOT a benefit. He has forgotten the lessons of Afghanistan.
If this were an oil rich nation? Yeah, I could see the reason for invading.
This makes no sense to me whatsoever
Two obvious points here that I have not seen anyone address (my apologies for missing their post if anyone has.) First, not calling these actions an invasion leaves verbal room to rhetorically escalate. I mean, if you call what's being done an invasion, then what do you call crossing the next (and presumably inviolate) line in the sand? A double invasion? A super invasion? These things matter, unfortunately. The second point is to ask what's in if for Putin? I mean personally? For all we know he's found out that an incurable medical condition has left him with months to live -- why not go out in a blaze of glory for Mother Russia? Or maybe it's just that his position as Top Man is becoming increasingly untenable and this is just his way to eke out a few more months as the nominal dictator of a failed petrol state. In which case, maybe secret negotations for some foreign (read: American) aid? I don't know and neither does anyone else who has the time to comment on this blog. The just wait and see approach is almost unbearable in the age of instant 'information' though, innit?
Laziness and group think. They saw "orders troops into" somewhere and then wrote the sam3
Hah! dear god,
Boris Johnson Refuses to Extend Russian Money ‘Clampdown’ to Conservative Donors,
https://bylinetimes.com/2022/02/22/boris-johnson-refuses-to-extend-russian-money-clampdown-to-conservative-donors/
New Troop Movements...and light analysis
a little down thread is geo locating the movements...interesting is how fast these tanks move...interesting how this is defensive for their survival but also how quickly they can get to...wherever they might want to get to.
https://twitter.com/YWNReporter/status/1496249989676380166
https://twitter.com/BNONews/status/1495937112411152386"]https://twitter.com/BNONews/status/1495937112411152386
https://twitter.com/GirkinGirkin/status/1495643466604462082"]https://twitter.com/GirkinGirkin/status/1495643466604462082
***********
The real and severe problem for the Ukrainian military, in my view, is that they cannot survive a first strike....air assets blasted while in hangers, Drones destroyed on the ground, ground forces killed by area fire from artillery batteries...After absorbing a first strike by Russian forces, is counter battery fire or air defense attack even possible?
A conundrum.
Traveller
So far, the US has been sharing intelligence on Russian plans with the whole world. Not much doubt that they will be providing much more detailed intel with the Ukrainian military. With enough advance warning, some resources can be protected.
And then, the farther Russian forces push into Ukraine, the more hostile the populations will be (more Ukrainians, fewer ethnic Russians). The Mujihadeen and Taliban didn’t have air forces, or artillery bigger than mortars ….
Well, I hope you are correct...certainly in reference to any conventional arms your are...but as to missiles and even under the Radar Drones, I suspect you might not be....those things and their destruction will come fast.
We will see.
But for some fun, see eBay listing for slightly used NorthStream 2...lol. good fun
Best Wishes, Traveller
What you described has clearly happened. That video taken north of Kharkiv with the multi-tube rocket launchers is chilling. It looked like the finale in a fireworks show. For far too many Ukrainian soldiers, it was.
What you described has clearly happened. That video taken north of Kharkiv with the multi-tube rocket launchers is chilling. It looked like the finale in a fireworks show. For far too many Ukrainian soldiers, it was.
This is why Ukraine is apparently centering its defense on the Javelin. With this guerilla warfare weaponry, Ukraine can drain Russia's blood, money, and resolve. There are lots of countries who will readily supply the weapons of guerilla warfare to Ukraine to specifically repel Russia's imperialism. After a Russian first strike, this will ramp up considerably, and they're relatively cheap at under $200K per missile.
It's just timing. Putin has given the order; it will be a short time period (perhaps very short) before the troops actually invade.
There is no timing. To invade, you actually need a actually need to do a invasion. Russian first strike is irrelevant. The terrorism that follows will destroy the Oligarchs quicker than you will think. It's why it's a dead move.
NOT Russia but - Putie invades Ukraine .
You also have to realize "Western" elites are salivating at the thought of a Putin/ Oligarchs regime collapsing. They finance 60% of the "right wing globalism" , it would be devastating. No more Trump Organization(I can see Ivanka turning states witness and testifying on capital hill....while Trump announces Alzheimer's diagnosis), zerohedge, half of all bogus neonazi groups run by jews, Bannon, Lukud insiders...........toast. Back to 2007 again. Libtards are incredibly idiotic when they take these morons seriously. I could see a post Oligarchs world when Fox News collapses and CNN takes over the center-right news. Change is in the air.