Sorry, they lost me at “normie”.
When you start talk about Putin’s objectives in terms of geopolitics or grand strategy you already lose. You start talking as if his goals are Russia’s goals. It’s a reductionism that is especially wrong when you look at it today.
What Putin has done would have been a disaster for Russia even if it went according to plan. It would be a victory for his and his clique power. It will never make sense if you try to see it as a geopolitical grand chess board.
vyshka
5224
Maybe it wasn’t ignored. Maybe it was weighed against the fear Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic had of being invaded by Russia. Seeing as they had already suffered that at least once in their past it was a very legitimate fear.
Thrag
5225
Latest measures Russia is taking to combat sanctions.
The IT industry is getting special treatment, clearly worried about that sector.
I don’t know how the russian mindset works on statements like these, but the government advising people to buy precious metals doesn’t seem like something that would inspire confidence.
The Prime Minister announced a new stage of the capital amnesty, the scale of which should surpass all previous ones, announced new benefits for domestic IT companies and invited Russians to buy precious metals instead of currency.
As IT specialist in this part of the world, I can tell you why. IT people travel the world by job and they get huge money compared to other Russians. IT services are one of the few non-resource things that Russia exports. IT companies flee the country, they have to be stopped somehow.
I may be confused, but I thought Belarus was already decidedly in the war on Russia’s side.
Putin and Russia hosted the Winter Olympics just 8 years ago, in 2014; then, almost immediately after, they invaded Crimea.
Thrag
5230
A little more taste of TASS (russian telegram feed translated via google translate extension)
100% successful
It’s strange how Putin’s aggression continues to manifest in and around the Olympics.
Georgia attack during the Olympics
Crimea attack right after the Olympics
Ukraine attack right after the Olympics
The doping scandal during the Olympics
The new figure skating doping controversy this year
It seems to really trigger him when Russian athletes have to put their abilities to the test against the rest of the world.
That is quite strange! I hadn’t really thought about it. Maybe he thinks there is some element of surprise?
Thrag
5233
Russian ministry of defense just admitted to 498 losses.
Full statement (again from TASS and translated)
Statement of the Russian Defense Ministry on the military operation in Ukraine. The main thing.
• Losses of Ukraine during the operation of the Russian Federation amounted to more than 2,870 people killed, the losses of the Russian Federation - 498;
• During the battle, a Russian tank was attacked by an American Javelin ATGM, the crew received a shell shock;
• During the operation, 1,533 Ukrainian military infrastructure facilities were hit, 13 aircraft and 47 UAVs were shot down;
• Civilians can leave Mariupol in an easterly direction;
• A safety corridor for residents was created in the southwest of Kharkiv in the direction of Lyubotin;
• In Kharkiv, Ukrainian authorities forcibly detain a large group of Indian students;
• On March 1, in the village of Barodyanka near Kiev, the Russian Armed Forces destroyed three “jihad-mobiles” with high explosives;
• Militants of the national battalion “Azov” mined the production shops of the plant “Azovstal” in Mariupol at night;
• Troops of the LNR, with the support of the RF Armed Forces, took control of five more settlements, and the DNR took control of four more.
Thrag
5234
To comment and read between the lines.
Holy shit! 498! Even in Russia aren’t most people going to be multiplying that by 5-10x at least!
Javelins and TB2s have been super effective.
Yeah sure, one Javelin has been fired and the vehicle’s crew only received “shell shock”.
47 UAVs shot down? More than Ukraine is thought to have. Well then you guys are right fucked if it turns out they had at least 47.
As someone who believes in the superiority of the American soldier and weapons, I am not shocked that the Russians have (allegedly) had serious losses of equipment and army men.
That said, none of those guys killed wanted to die and it’s a fucking shame that they did.
They are also claiming 1597 wounded - which is also probably a LOT higher. Keeping in mind the disorganization and communication issues they are having in the north, the undercount is also because Russian officials just don’t know.
Probably thousands of additional MIA (not reported) which have to be sorted through into the KIA, Captured, or AWOL columns…
Thrag
5237
Georgia to apply to join the EU.
KevinC
5238
I agree. Conscripts or misled Russian kids probably make up a significant number of them. It’s a horrible tragedy all around. Fuck Putin (and the New York Times, ofc).
That would make Georgia the first non-island, non-Nordic country to not share a land border with the rest of the EU, right? And the Nordics are accessible by bridge.
vyshka
5240
I imagine Georgia is fucked as well once they are done with Ukraine.
Timex
5241
Reports are suggesting that a bunch of these guys were told they were going into the separatist regions as peacekeepers, and didn’t realize until they were on the field that they were supposed to be attacking Ukrainians.
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