Russia - threadbanned users in OP

We now have thoughts on social media of forces from Ukraine attacking Russia itself, Transnistria, the occupied areas of Ukraine and who knows where. It's unknown unknowns that are not known.

Thoughts are it's what the Russians did amassing on the Belarussian Ukraine border and sitting there before this invasion. It's to encourage the population in the areas in the expected regions to move and leave before battle commences.

Test their willingness to negotiate? In fairness you really couldn't be more wrong.

The constant threat of what's comming is wearing down the Russians, imagine sitting in a trench day after day, night after night, every little sound is "is this it?" that's how you destroy morale. When it comes they won't even know it's comming until it's too late. This is how you win battles (and wars). The Ukrainians really know what they're doing.

And the needles were crooked....one plain, two purl!!! See? I know my needles ( I think?? )

Its not for nothing ethnic Russians are not popular in the Republic's. The Kremlin has been screwing them over for donkeys years, and of course there's resentment, And not helped by the mobilization imbalance which stuck out like a sore thumb. Basically Ok to feed the country hicks to the Bakhmut meat grinder, while the Muscovites and St. Petersburg residents are getting off, if not exactly Scot free, then definitely at a reduced rate of mobilizations, and more than likely, selected destinations. I mentioned in an earlier post that I think that any kind of revolt will originate in the Republics.

I always thought they looked a bit crochety ;-)

The evil beauty of their plan is that it also has the benefit of reducing the likelihood of a revolt in the Republics for the simple reason that they are missing so many of their able bodied young men.

The tweet comment gives the ending away but still worth a watch.

The sheer lack of self-awareness is just... *chef's kiss

Can we have a collection here to buy her a pair of ear muffs so she can study? A euro each should do it.

Yes, aside from reducing the nr's of fighting men available for revolution, it also try's to instill a sense of fear in the local population. This is not going to work too well in the Republic's !!! Like Dagestan, Chechnya, North Caucasus, etc. the clan system is alive and well, and very much so, computer age notwithstanding. These deaths and the reasons for them will not be forgotten for a very long time, or forgiven either, (if ever.) Any kind of breakthrough by Ukraine ( especially with these Russian Freedom fighters causing havoc on the border ) could effectively break the security logjam that's keeping the population subdued. Even one Republic refusing to hand over its men to Putin, could trigger a domino effect. Which is why Putin is fighting tooth and nail to prevent it happening.

It's getting right back to Stalin and his purges:

Imagine locking up your best scientists on trumped-up treason charges. (Of course Clare Daly would say I have no evidence that the charges are trumped-up!)

Russia is really going down the drain.

What's going to happen when Russia finally decides there is no distinction between Ukraine and the countries aiding them and reaches for the WMD toolkit? Attacks, no matter how ridiculous in Russia, are incredibly dangerous for a country as heroically paranoid.

I do wonder what other governments in private say to the Ukrainians about their attempts to spread and rope other nations in to the war.

Blind eyeism and pretending a bunch of randomers on the Ukraine/Russian border are abusing the situation entirely unaided is not credible.

As credible as Russias little green men in Donbas?

And arent the annexed regions Russian territory?

So why is crossing the old border a red line now?

Didn't mention nukes. If they do turn to something like that I think the west will be absolutely terrified and wouldn't have the will to do anything about it in any case. The notion that societies whose main preoccupation today are important things like gender and race politics is going to get involved in such a confrontation i'd struggle to believe.

This is a war between Russia and Ukraine. I support assistance to Ukraine under the red lines of the US which is for weapon use solely inside the territory of Ukraine.

If Ukraine can't guarantee those weapons don't fall in to hands of others who want to engage in activities in Russia itself with those same weapons then that support obviously can't continue.

They need to continuously show they can be trusted on that.

No one needs to wonder what is being said in private, Ukraine is targeting military in russia, the countries supporting Ukraine continue to supply Ukraine while this occurs.

russia doesn't do boo about it because it's deathly afraid of touching NATO or the EU as that would be the end of it's existence.

We're watching a russian death spiral, the only question is how long it will take (and it could take many years).

So it’s ok - or is it - for Putin to bite away - bit by bit - at other soverign nations, looking for opportunities in getting his toe in the door and ‘interfering’ in general in the business / politics of some states. Syria , Moldova, Georgia, Kosovo, Ukraine, Belarus come to mind