Ukraine war mega thread

[OhOh]

Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Minister had two conversations.

The first one, a telephone conversation with the NaGastani Secretary of State.

Press release on Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken

15 February 2022 19:18

"On February 15, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the initiative of the US side. The Russian Foreign Minister stressed the necessity of continuing the efforts, as agreed upon by President Vladimir Putin and President Joseph Biden, to cooperate on the security proposals submitted to the US and NATO. Sergey Lavrov particularly underscored the unacceptability of the aggressive rhetoric whipped up by Washington and its closest allies and called for a pragmatic dialogue on the entire range of issues raised by Russia with an emphasis on the indivisibility of security.

The foreign affairs officials discussed the schedule for upcoming meetings at various levels."

https://www.mid.ru/en/foreign_policy/news/1798518/



The other a meeting with Foreign Minister of Poland Zbigniew Rau in his capacity as the OSCE Chairman-in-Office in Moscow.

15 February 2022 19:09

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks and answers to media questions at the joint news conference with following talks OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Zbigniew Rau, Moscow, February 15, 2022

https://www.mid.ru/en/foreign_policy/news/1798511/


More substantial talks, than the previous telephone conversation, and the Russian Foreign Minister has some fun with the press answering their questions.

[OhOh]

Kremlin says it would be great if Biden urged Ukrainians to stop shooting at each other

Dmitry Peskov pointed out that Biden’s assurances that the US did not view Russians as enemies would be more impressive without constant threatening

16 Feb, 18:01

"Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said that it would be great if US President Joe Biden called on the people of Ukraine to stop shooting at each other. "This address would be even more impressive if the US president urged the people of Ukraine to stop shooting at each other. This would be great," the Kremlin spokesman told TASS on Wednesday.

Commenting on Biden’s statements, Peskov noted that "there was nothing untoward in them." "Perhaps, we can welcome the fact that the president of the US, which is one of the world’s largest and most powerful countries, is thinking about the Russian people. We should be probably impressed by this," the Kremlin spokesman stated.

At the same time, Peskov pointed out that Biden’s assurances that the US did not view Russians as enemies would be more impressive without constant threatening. "We would definitely prefer not to listen to various threats, of which we are getting pretty tired. Hence, without these threats, the people of Russia would probably have been more impressed," the presidential spokesman said.

The US head of state addressed the people of Russia, saying that he did not believe that Moscow was willing to wage war in Ukraine. Biden also emphasized that the US did not perceive Russians as enemies.

The West and Kiev have recently been echoing allegations about Russia’s potential invasion of Ukraine recently. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov castigated these statements as an "empty and groundless" escalation of tensions, emphasizing that Russia posed no threat to anyone. That said, he didn’t exclude the possibility of provocations being whipped up in order to justify such claims and warned that attempts to resolve the problem in southeastern Ukraine through the use of force would have the most serious consequences."

Kremlin says it would be great if Biden urged Ukrainians to stop shooting at each other - Russian Politics & Diplomacy - TASS

[OhOh]

Classified Document Leaked To Media...


"In Russian.

It is a daily plan of Pskov Paratroop Division (76 Guards Air Assault Division) approved by Putin himself and signed by Shoigu.

Translation:

"06:00 Getting up.

07:00 Morning toilet

08:00 Breakfast

09:00 Assault on Ukraine

12:00 Lunch

13:00 Taking of Kiev

18:00 Gazmanov's Concert

21:00 Fireworks"

Reminiscence of the Future...

[OhOh]

Lest We Forget:

[sabang]

So, no 'Russian invasion' [TM] then. So pleased we finally agree.

[Backspin]

Look, the putin arselicker is posting selfies now.

Harry Hermanthefuckface , Switch, Panamarat and the rest of the twats claim to not be on the side of propaganda.

[Backspin]

They are just in full on window licking mode now.

The mods should be using the drivel thread.

[Backspin]

Has literal neo Nazi backed west Ukrainians who came from the Nazis leaving some of their blood behind last time, in cahoots with nato, but hey hitler

[helge]

Judging by your age your must of heard of "Ukraine = Kornkammer Europas".
Or maybe you are too young and missed this part:

Ofcourse, I did

Still can't see the connection to graphite though

• 8th place in the world in graphite extraction: 13 thousand tonnes and 1.3% of global output (after China, Brazil, North Korea, India, Russia, Canada and Madagascar)

Your numbers a bit old though

Are we scaremongering much, Herman ?


In other related news:

Ukrainian athlete failed doping control in Beijing

(cheating bastards ?; no thought not)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Winner of ukrainian Euro Song Contest won't sing in the finals.

She has, we are being told by usually relieable sources, become somewhat unpopular after a visit to Crimea.

Visiting Crimea is illegal according to ukraine law.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Breaking news

Sweden has today stated that an attack can not be ruled out and has mobilised on the island of Gotland.

(millitary budget negociation getting near ? ....anyone )


Danish PM Mette Frederiksen snapped at a reporter, who asked about an official response to the dour swedish predictions:

"I sure as hell hope they are pointing the finger at Russia" .

[OhOh]

Now Putin knows the consequences,

Do you have a link to these alleged "consequences", who will impose them?

[sabang]

Oh, old Joe stated in no uncertain terms that he would stamp his feet loudly, hold his breath until even redder in the face, and some more (yawwn) sanctions. But no troops. That really showed 'em.

[sabang]

It's fucking hilarious really.

[misskit]

How Russia uses sarcasm as weapon in Ukraine crisis

MOSCOW (AP) — “Wars in Europe rarely start on a Wednesday.”


That’s how a top Russian diplomat brushed off speculation in the West that Russia could invade neighboring Ukraine as soon as Wednesday, Feb. 16.


As the U.S. and other NATO members warn of the potential for a devastating war, Russia is not countering with bombs or olive branches -- but with sarcasm.


It’s a tool that officials in Moscow have long used to belittle their rivals and to deflect attention from actions seen as threatening to the West or Russia’s neighbors. Laconic quips dovetail with the Kremlin’s domestic agenda by making Russia and its all-powerful president look more cool-headed and clever than countries in the panicky, democratic West.


As worries mushroomed that Wednesday could be the day President Vladimir Putin launches an invasion of Ukraine, Russian officials ridiculed them.

In a Facebook post, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova asked the “mass media of disinformation” in the West “to reveal the schedule of our ‘invasions’ for the upcoming year. I’d like to plan my vacations.”

“To the regret of many Western media, the war again failed to start,” Zakharova said at a briefing on Wednesday. “Fighting has erupted on their pages, but it has no relation to reality.”


Ukrainians, meanwhile, have been living amid signs of a possible invasion for several weeks, with an estimated 150,000 Russian troops surrounding much of their country for military exercises. Russia said this week it was starting to pull back some troops, but Western military officials say there’s no evidence of a serious withdrawal.


Russia’s ambassador to the European Union, Vladimir Chizhov, accused Westerners of “slander” for alleging an invasion was afoot. He insisted in an interview with German daily newspaper Welt that “there won’t be an attack this Wednesday.”


Then Chizhov added: “Wars in Europe rarely start on a Wednesday.’”


The statement seemed more flippant than historically significant. World War I started on a Tuesday and World War II started in Europe on a Friday, but Europe’s history of war over centuries includes conflicts that kicked off throughout the week.


Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also took the West’s growing fears lightly. Asked Wednesday whether Russia’s presidential administration operated differently overnight, he told reporters that everyone slept calmly and resumed work in the morning as usual.

“Western hysteria is still far from its culmination,” Peskov said. “We need to have patience, as the remission will not come quickly.”


The master of Russian diplomatic snark is Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. He is known worldwide for his quips – often said in English -- over 18 years as the Kremlin’s top diplomat.


On Wednesday, Lavrov mocked the West as sadly “lacking basic upbringing” for trying to dictate or predict Russia’s plans.


Beneath the sarcasm, Russia has narrated the current Ukraine crisis from the outset: first by moving troops toward Ukraine, then by periodically holding out the possibility of a diplomatic solution, keeping foreign officials and global markets on constant edge.


While Putin offered more talks this week, his intentions in Ukraine remain unclear. Western intelligence suggests an invasion of some kind could still happen – on a future Wednesday or any day of the week.


How Russia uses sarcasm as weapon in Ukraine crisis | AP News

[misskit]

Russia Is Still Building up Troops Near Ukraine, Say U.S. and NATO

MOSCOW/KYIV (Reuters) -The United States and NATO said Russia was still building up troops around Ukraine on Wednesday despite Moscow's insistence it was pulling back, questioning President Vladimir Putin's stated desire to negotiate a solution to the crisis.

In Ukraine, where people raised flags and played the national anthem to show unity against fears of an invasion, the government said a cyberattack that hit the defence ministry was the worst of its kind the country had seen. It pointed a finger at Russia, which denied involvement.


White House press secretary Jen Psaki said U.S. officials were as yet unable to say who was responsible for the cyberattack. She also said the door remained open for diplomacy with Russia but reiterated concerns that a Russian attack could be preceded by a 'false flag' operation and misinformation.


Russia's defence ministry said its forces - part of a huge buildup that has been accompanied by demands to the West for sweeping security guarantees - were pulling back after exercises in southern and western military districts near Ukraine.

It published video that it said showed tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and self-propelled artillery units leaving the Crimean peninsula, which Moscow seized from Ukraine in 2014.


But U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said key Russian units were moving towards the border, not away.


"There's what Russia says. And then there's what Russia does. And we haven't seen any pullback of its forces," Blinken said in an interview on MSNBC. "We continue to see critical units moving toward the border, not away from the border."


A senior Western intelligence official said the risk of Russian aggression against Ukraine would remain high for the rest of February and Russia could still attack Ukraine "with essentially no, or little-to-no, warning".


'NO DE-ESCALATION'


NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said moving troops and tanks back and forth did not amount to proof of a pullout.

"What we see is that they have increased the number of troops and more troops are on their way. So, so far, no de-escalation," he said before an alliance meeting in Brussels.


Stoltenberg later said NATO could prove Russia's failure to pull back its troops with satellite imagery.


Ukraine's Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov told Reuters in an interview his country's latest intelligence report similarly showed no sign of a Russian pullback. He said the combined strength of Russian military and pro-Russian separatist forces near Ukraine's borders stood at about 140,000.


The Kremlin said NATO's assessment was wrong. Moscow's ambassador to Ireland said forces in western Russia would be back to their normal positions within three to four weeks.


Russia says it never planned to attack Ukraine but wants to lay down "red lines" to prevent its neighbour from joining NATO, which it sees as a threat to its own security.


The Kremlin said Putin was keen to negotiate with the United States, which has offered discussions on arms control and confidence-building measures while ruling out a veto on future NATO membership for Ukraine.


But Russia also said it would be ready to reroute energy exports to other markets if it were hit by sanctions, which Washington and its allies have threatened if it invades Ukraine.


Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said sanctions against Russian banks would be "unpleasant" but the state would ensure all bank deposits and transactions were secured.


Moscow has accused Washington of hysterical war propaganda after repeated warnings of a possible attack and reports in some Western media that it would happen on Wednesday.


World stocks edged lower while oil and gold rose as investors responded warily to the continued tensions. [MKTS/GLOB]


DAY OF UNITY


Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has designated Wednesday a patriotic holiday in response to the reports Russia could invade on that day. "No one can love our home as we can. And only we, together, can protect our home," he said.


Zelenskiy, who is criss-crossing the country to help bolster Ukrainians' morale, observed drills by his armed forces that included Javelin anti-tank missiles in western Ukraine.


Ukraine also increased the number of border guards on its frontier with Belarus, Russia's ally, where some 9,000 Russian troops are estimated to be involved in military exercises.

Ukraine's defence ministry said hackers were still bombarding its website and had found vulnerabilities but that traffic was being rerouted to servers in the United States while the issue was being fixed.


Stoltenberg said NATO military commanders would draw up plans for new combat units that diplomats said could be deployed in Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia. Such units - designed to buy time for additional troops to reach the front line if needed - already exist in Poland and the Baltic states.


Britain will double the size of its force in Estonia and send tanks and armoured fighting vehicles to the small Baltic republic bordering Russia as part of the NATO deployment, defence minister Ben Wallace said.

Russia Is Still Building up Troops Near Ukraine, Say U.S. and NATO | World News | US News

[NamPikToot]

Ofcourse, I did

Helge do you find the return key wears out before your computer does?

[helge]

In a Facebook post, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova asked the “mass media of disinformation” in the West “to reveal the schedule of our ‘invasions’ for the upcoming year. I’d like to plan my vacations.”

While Putin offered more talks this week, his intentions in Ukraine remain unclear. Western intelligence suggests an invasion of some kind could still happen – on a future Wednesday or any day of the week.

It's all up to Ukraine

Do something foolish in the two eastern republiks (regions) and it will happen

Wouldn't be surprised if the Azov battallion is marching already

[NamPikToot]

'NO DE-ESCALATION'

nope, don't know what all this celebrating was about there is absolutely no pull back.

[sabang]

Oh come on mike, show some English humour. It's a bloody larf. Sometimes ya gotta larf at yerself.

[helge]

there is absolutely no pull back.

Just curious

How would you know ?

Because Stoltenberg says there isn't ?

Because Putin says there is ?

Because you have your own milli satelites ?


Nah; you don't know, but you choose to think you know

[NamPikToot]

^^Is it, i don't imagine so for the Ukrainians but obviously for a tough little chap like you, you'd shrug it off no doubt.

[NamPikToot]

Nah; you don't know, but you chose to think you know

think what you like Helge, up to you.

[helge]

It's a bloody larf

i don't imagine so for the Ukrainians

I was thinking about this today

Who was it that named wednesday for armageddon ?

I'm happy that I wasn't the dad who had to explain my boy why the russians would invade us wednesday and what would happen to us !

Fucking warmongers

[helge]

think what you like Helge

Yes

Think

[sabang]

I think the midnight deadline for the latest 'Russian invasion' [TM] has already passed. Or were they working on the Planet Zog timezone?

[misskit]

They’ve a few more minutes.