19739

He said a lot there, told some jokes. It’s all a noise. You can find a list of Russian officials who declared they will never attack Ukraine just days before the attack.

19740

You’re wrong.

19741

Our true Tsar has revealed himself!

19742

Yep, I remember the full media press days before invasion with people like Peskov on tv making assurances that Russia is peaceful and would never invade.

19743

Was this the same speech where he said how peaceful Russia is, were it not for the West attacking it? Or was it the one about the war being about rooting Satanists out of Ukraine?

Not sure why Putin saying he won’t use nukes is big news. Pretty sure he also said the army was on the border of Ukraine for military exercises and there was nothing to worry about.

19744

All that seems reasonable. I guess what’s interesting to me is why say anything at all? Why not lean into the uncertainty to keep your enemies guessing? Thinking about it some more, maybe the goal is to throw some red meat to people and countries who are willing to believe what Russia says.

As a peace-enthusiast, part of me was hoping it signaled a step back from the precipice that so many people seem to enjoy right now, but I guess it isn’t.

19745

Why announce an agreement to allow Ukraine to export grain, then attack their shipping port with missles the next day after the agreement is signed?

Why agree to supply Europe with gas, then bomb your own pipeline, cutting that supply off?

It isn’t that peaceful gestures aren’t welcome, but that it’s clear that Russia’s political MO is gaslighting mixed with bullying, murder, and violence. It’s the bully standing over the unconscious victim, agreeing to help them up, while standing on and smashing their toes.

19746

Oh man, I really wish/hope that is the case. And perhaps I’m just too cynical and the “no nukes in Ukraine” is genuine. I just don’t believe a single word coming out of his mouth.

19747

Surprisingly spicy take from Omar;

19748

They have a publicly available nuclear doctrine that states that any attack that threatens Russias existence may be met with a nuclear first strike. Putin and Petrov have been referring to that since the early days of the war.

Of course that doesn’t preclude them from conducting a false flag operation with the intent of justifying a “response”, which is the concern.

I think the biggest hurdle you face as a pacifist right now is convincing anybody that Russia isn’t just gonna rearm and start the next war if we allow them to win this one. Georgia 2008. First invasion of Ukraine 2014. Now we’re here.

They have shown nothing but disregard for international law, or international cooperation. They’ve pretty much declared war, not just on Ukraine, but on the West as a whole, and very specifically the post-Soviet states.

I don’t think it’s very enjoyable, and I don’t celebrate anyone dying, but I also don’t see what choice we have beyond defeating them in Ukraine.

19749

I’m banking on a meteor hitting Putin in the head.

Maybe we can use DART.

19750

And of course they are making no bones about holding the power grid in Kyiv hostage essentially, demanding Ukraine in effect surrender everything the Russians annexed (and then lost) to prevent further strikes. I suspect, though, that Kyiv is more willing to take that gamble and bank on its capability to repair and its capability to defend rather than bend over and grab their ankles.

But it’s literally (and I don’t use that word lightly) state terrorism, publicly admitted.

19751

When are we going to label Russia a terr–

Just kidding, @Tortilla! ;)

19752

19753

I’ve thought of something like that. I mean… we can land a rocket on a dime. Let’s have something that resembles an asteroid pop out of a satellite and drop on the Kremlin when Putin is there. Then we go with the narrative, “A natural disaster hit the Kremlin. God must be angry at them and is sending a message”. lol

19754

I feel like Putin’s head has grown to the size of your average meteor, DART might work!

19755

I’m not sure that there’s any context that would matter.

19756

Ukrainian naval drones attacked Russian ships at Sevastopol in the Crimea:

The Ukrainians claimed they hit a frigate, the new flagship of the Black Sea Fleet.

19757

This reminds me of the British WWII Funny Tanks.

Also pleasantly surprised at Omar. She handled that well.

19758

Me too. I watched that video of the guy yelling at AOC at a town hall and kept hoping she’d have a similarly strong response for him.