Ukraine war mega thread

[OhOh]

Because satellite photos show the Russian troop movements

Within Russia.

Which one presumes is allowed by the "rules based" community?

[panama hat]

Within Russia.

Aaaawwww, how sweet . . . Yes, within Russia . . . heading and amassing where?


You really do just write utter 拉屎

[Backspin]

The last person in the world to be qualified to teach such a class would be an utter imbecile like yourself.

Im not teaching anything. I am just relaying what the US empire philosopher kings have said.

This is why there is a war in Europe today. No other reason.

[panama hat]

Admit that you don't understand what that means, Skidmark

[Backspin]

[bsnub]

Admit that you don't understand what that means, Skidmark

Pictures with big words. He is such an epic idiot.

[Klondyke]

Because satellite photos show the Russian troop movements numpty

Such a unusual event worldwide...

[Klondyke]

Pictures with big words. He is such an epic idiot.

The US military attache in Ukraine was photographed with “Ukraine or Death” insignia on her arm during her visit to the conflict line in Donbas.

https://twitter.com/MuradGazdiev/sta...81964805914627

(I hope that it is not again a fake as I was kindly informed by snub (written in red) re Ukraine trains...)

[lom]

The US military attache in Ukraine was photographed with “Ukraine or Death” insignia on her arm during her visit to the conflict line in Donbas.

She forgot to put on that patch in other photographs from the same day.

[Klondyke]

US cancels Black Sea deployment of two warships: Turkey

Issued on: 15/04/2021

The United States has cancelled this week's planned deployment of two warships to the Black Sea, Turkish officials and media said Wednesday, amid high tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

Turkish diplomatic sources said the passage of the first ship through the Bosphorus due on Wednesday did not take place.

Anadolu state news agency said both deployments, scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, have been cancelled with Ankara not yet informed of any possible rescheduling.

Last week Turkey announced that it had been informed through diplomatic channels that two US warships "will pass toward the Black Sea" and remain in the region until May 4.

There was no confirmation from Washington either of the planned deployments or of their cancellation.

Washington is required to give Ankara at least 15 days notice before sending warships through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits under the terms of the 1936 Montreux Convention.

The treaty's terms allow foreign warships to stay in the Black Sea for 21 days.

US Navy ships routinely operate in the region in support of Ukraine, which has been fighting Russian-backed forces in its east since a 2014 revolution ousted the pro-Moscow leader in Kiev.

Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea peninsula around the same time, setting up a confrontation with the West that lingers to this day.

Last week's announcement of a US deployment of warships came as tensions between Moscow and Kiev have risen due to a build-up of Russian troops at the Ukraine border.

These troop deployments come against the backdrop of renewed incidents between Kiev forces and pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Wednesday's news of the cancellation of the US warships' deployment came a day after US President Joe Biden talked by phone with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

During that conversation, Biden proposed a summit with Putin in a neutral country and called on Russia to "de-escalate tensions", according to the White House.

US cancels Black Sea deployment of two warships: Turkey - France 24

[helge]

(I hope that it is not again a fake as I was kindly informed by snub (written in red) re Ukraine trains...)

Bsnub and others are more comfortable if a conflict has "good guys" and "bad guys".

I agree; it's easier that way

It is however rarely like that

[Klondyke]

US cancels Black Sea deployment of two warships

Is it possible that some wise man (men?) advised to stop the nonsense?

Similarly as in 1983 when NATO organized an exercise "Able Archer" that was very serious threat to USSR. Per some experts it was more serious than the Cuban crisis in 1962 and it could grow in a nuke war.
Able Archer 83 - Wikipedia

Allegedly, in that time, there was a wise man called Oleg Gordievsky, double agent, who advised NATO that the "innocent" exercise could really result in a nuke war, having a good knowledge that with the Russians it would not be so easy.

So, at the end of the day NATO thought it over and deployed a brake. And the kind agent - after his escape from Moscow - was highly decorated by the Queen...
Oleg Gordievsky - Wikipedia

[helge]

more serious than the Cuban crisis in 1962

Vasili Alexandrovich Arkhipov


A russian who saved us then

[russellsimpson]

Wednesday's news of the cancellation of the US warships' deployment came a day after US President Joe Biden talked by phone with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

During that conversation, Biden proposed a summit with Putin in a neutral country and called on Russia to "de-escalate tensions", according to the White House.

The cancellation is good news for sure. And the upcoming summit, if it happens, is also good news.

Good news all around.

Bsnub and others are more comfortable if a conflict has "good guys" and "bad guys".

I agree; it's easier that way

It is however rarely like that

Exactly. Well put. The zero sum game thinking has to go before intelligent conversion can begin.

[Klondyke]

And the upcoming summit, if it happens, is also good news.

Good news all around.

Don't count your chickens before they hatch.

(Similar procedure of a high diplomacy like before the meeting with Chinese in Alaska)

Putin WON’T meet Biden in near future, Kremlin says. Moscow not ruling out talks, but disappointed about new sanctions speculation
15 Apr, 2021

A proposed summit offered to Russian President Vladimir Putin by his American counterpart, Joe Biden, won’t go ahead in the near future, the Kremlin has said. It comes amid speculation that new US sanctions on Moscow are imminent.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday morning, Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said that the White House’s invitation to meet “in a third country in the coming months” would not be possible to organize, at least in the short term.

When asked whether the talks were likely to go ahead within that timeframe, Peskov said, “No, a bilateral meeting of course cannot be organized that quickly.” He added that the “issue is still under analysis,” and that Moscow has not yet finished discussing its mooted involvement in an upcoming multilateral climate summit scheduled for next week.

At the same time, the Kremlin official acknowledged that reports in Western media suggesting Washington is preparing to unveil a new package of sanctions against Russia’s national debt, as well as potentially expelling senior diplomats, were unhelpful. “It is clear there is no smoke without fire,” he said, but “for now, we will not be commenting on newspaper reports, and we will be waiting to see if any specific decisions are announced officially.”

However, he claimed, “the fact that the sanctions are probably being discussed will in no way help the likelihood of such a meeting taking place – that can be stated unambiguously.”

“Whether these things hinder [the proposal] or not, that will be a decision for the presidents. There was a proposal from the president of the United States, and then it will be a subject for a decision by the president of Russia,” Peskov said.

“As for the sanctions themselves,” he added, “we condemn any such measures – we consider them illegal – and, in any case, the principle of reciprocity applies here. Reciprocity that allows us to best ensure our own interests are being met.”

Putin WON’T meet Biden in near future, Kremlin says. Moscow not ruling out talks, but disappointed about new sanctions speculation — RT Russia & Former Soviet Union

[Backspin]

Biden is an older guy. He probably wants to dial things down with Russia. Even the Polish anti Russian zealot Zbig Berzinsky dialed down his rhetoric before he died in 2017

But look at that. The permanent bureaucracy gets wind of Biden wanting a summit. So they trot out some new sanctions to kill it.

[OhOh]

Tomorrow's headlines write themselves;

Putin Refuses An Invitation To Solve ....

[russellsimpson]

^^
And so we have the new sanctions delivered this a.m.


U.S. Imposes Stiff Sanctions on Russia, Blaming It for Major Hacking Operation


WASHINGTON — The Biden administration on Thursday announced tough new sanctions on Russia and formally blamed the country’s premier intelligence agency for the sophisticated hacking operation that breached American government agencies and the nation’s largest companies. In the broadest effort yet to give more teeth to financial sanctions — which in the past have failed to deter Russian activity — the actions are aimed at choking off lending to the Russian government.


In an executive order, President Biden announced a series of additional steps — sanctions on 32 entities and individuals for disinformation efforts and for carrying out the Russian government’s interference in the 2020 presidential election. Ten Russian diplomats, most of them identified as intelligence operatives, were expelled from the Russian Embassy in Washington. The country also joined with European partners to sanction eight people and entities associated with Russia’s occupation in Crimea.


For the first time, the U.S. government placed the blame for the “SolarWinds” hacking attack right at the Kremlin’s feet, saying it was masterminded by the SVR, one of the Russian intelligence agencies that was also involved in the hacking of the Democratic National Committee six years ago. The finding comports with the findings of private cybersecurity firms.
In Moscow, the Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said a response would be “inevitable” but did not immediately disclose what it would entail. The U.S. ambassador was summoned to a meeting with Russian officials, Ms. Zakharova said. “Such aggressive behavior will of course receive a decisive response,” Ms. Zakharova said. “In Washington, they should know there will be a cost for the degradation of bilateral relations. Responsibility for what is happening lies wholly with the United States.”


Widely anticipated, the sanctions come amid a large Russian military buildup on the borders of Ukraine and in Crimea, the peninsula that Moscow annexed in 2014. They comprise what United States officials described as “seen and unseen” steps in response to the hacking, known as SolarWinds, and to Russia’s longstanding effort to interfere in U.S. elections on behalf of Donald J. Trump. The key to the sanctions’ effectiveness, officials concede, will be whether European and Asian allies go along with that ban, and whether the United States decides to seek to extend the sanctions by threatening to cut off financial institutions around the world that deal in those Russian bonds, much as it has enforced “secondary sanctions” against those who do business with Iran.


In a conversation with President Vladimir V. Putin on Tuesday, Mr. Biden warned that the United States was going to act to protect its interests, but he also raised the prospect of a summit meeting between the two leaders. It is unclear whether Russia will now feel the need to retaliate for the sanctions and expulsions....

U.S. Imposes Stiff Sanctions on Russia, Blaming It for Major Hacking Operation - The New York Times

[misskit]

Russia paints 'invasion stripes' on assault vehicles as forces gather near Ukraine border



EXCLUSIVE: Russia will soon have an assault force of 107,000 troops along Ukraine's border, with an estimated 1,300 battle tanks, 3,700 drones, 1,300 artillery and mortar units and 380 multiple launch rocket systems

MORE Russia paints 'invasion stripes' on assault vehicles as forces gather near Ukraine border - World News - Mirror Online

[russellsimpson]

In an executive order, President Biden announced a series of additional steps — sanctions on 32 entities and individuals for disinformation efforts and for carrying out the Russian government’s interference in the 2020 presidential election.

This is tit for tat stuff. Happens all the time from both sides. What's new?

Expelling ten diplomats at the same time is a pretty stiff slap on the wrist, used to be a big deal back in "the day' These days these group expulsions seem to be more the thing. Progress dear progress.

The U.S. ambassador was summoned to a meeting with Russian officials, Ms. Zakharova said. “Such aggressive behavior will of course receive a decisive response,” Ms. Zakharova said. “In Washington, they should know there will be a cost for the degradation of bilateral relations. Responsibility for what is happening lies wholly with the United States.”

Ms. Zakharova's comments are not without some merit. I've been opposed to the sanctions since day one. I would be a lot more comfortable if I felt the State Department were spending their time looking for solutions rather than playing childish games and trying for another leg up on the Soviet monsters.

The additional sanctions do little to de-escalate the situation vis-a-vis Crimea. Crimea is going to have to be taken off the table in terms of any discussions going forward if there is going to be any hope of success. Crimea is part of Russia. End. of. story.

n response to the hacking, known as SolarWinds, and to Russia’s longstanding effort to interfere in U.S. elections on behalf of Donald J. Trump

[russellsimpson]

The key to the sanctions’ effectiveness, officials concede, will be whether European and Asian allies go along with that ban, and whether the United States decides to seek to extend the sanctions by threatening to cut off financial institutions around the world that deal in those Russian bonds, much as it has enforced “secondary sanctions” against those who do business with Iran.

Oh god do save us from the nasty "secondary sanctions" because if our Americans friends try that I see non-compliance coming from some European and many Asian nations.

The gig is already up Mr. Blinken. Do not head us down a dangerous path.

And, on a brighter note,

[sabang]

Unless they can bully their European allies into further damaging their own already fragile economies by reducing energy imports from Russia, the only sanctions that really have any teeth are financial. The more the US politicises the world financial system, the more inevitable and sooner it becomes that an alternative global trade and settlements system will be set up. Bring it on I say- no one party should be allowed to have this much influence over global trade, investment & settlements, certainly if they are not neutral and apolitical.

[Backspin]

Russia has responded. It has closed the Kirch strait to all foreign ships including Ukraine until October 2021. This prevents Ukraine from accessing the other half of its coast

Kiev accuses Russia of closing Black Sea strait to its warships, blocking Ukrainian navy from port while sailors carry out drills

[panama hat]

Russia has responded. It has closed the Kirch strait to all foreign ships including Ukraine until October 2021. This prevents Ukraine from accessing the other half of its coast

Quite the bully . . . don't you hate it when the big boys use their military muscle to get their way and push others around . . .

[russellsimpson]

I wonder how long that closure has been planned for?