[RD] Russia Invades Ukraine: Eight

[Remorseless1]

So what punishment for the CIA’s secret armies that have been stomping around Ukraine for ten years?

The Spy War: How the C.I.A. Secretly Helps Ukraine Fight Putin

For more than a decade, the United States has nurtured a secret intelligence partnership with Ukraine that is now critical for both countries in countering Russia.

www.nytimes.com

Fully armed with American personnel too. I guess it goes to show you can call any attack “unprovoked” if you just pretend provocation isn’t real.

Lord knows the Russians and their allies never share Intel or even spy on other countries.

Outrage over this is pure nonsense. How many people has the Putin Regime assassinated in foreign countries, how many elections has Russia interfered in, and many countries has Russia invaded since 2007?

No country has clean hands when it comes to espionage.

 

[Remorseless1]

There is a nuance though.


Meanwhile, Ukrainian combined losses exceeded 400k for the 2 years.

It's sad you're weirdly proud of around a combined 300k-500k dead in two months -- all of whom died for Putin's Glorious New Russian Empire.

 

[Gedemon]

If it caused disruption to France, a country supplying weapons to Ukraine, I guess Russia can claim a tiny propaganda victory.
I'm sure the French government has it under control. And they know more is coming, especially if events in Gaza stoke more anger in the poorer areas of France with a large Arab/Muslim population.

They tried already, and will again, of course, we do know that one of the strong assets in Russia's hybrid war is propaganda.

Stars of David tags in Paris linked to pro-Russia interference: reports

Paris graffiti aimed to sow unrest in French society — a classic Russian move.

www.politico.eu

France blames Russia’s FSB for anti-Semitic Star of David graffiti campaign

France believes that Russia's security service FSB was behind a campaign in which Star of David graffiti were daubed on buildings in and around Paris last autumn, a French source said Friday.

www.france24.com

A Moldovan couple was arrested in the case and their alleged handler, a pro-Russian Moldovan businessman, was identified, according to the source who has knowledge of the investigation and who declined to be named.

Moldova was a Soviet republic before its independence in 1991.

France's international security service DGSI believes the operation was run by the FSB's fifth division that undertakes international operations, the source said, quoting from a secret internal note that was first revealed by the Le Monde newspaper.

But hey, it's fine, as long as it's Russia doing it in western countries. Because when it's western spies helping for counter-espionage in a western country on the other hand, it means war and death for half a million people in that country.

I can't imagine how Russia would react to a destabilization operation inside its territory.

 

[Verbose]

Lord knows the Russians and their allies never share Intel or even spy on other countries.

Outrage over this is pure nonsense. How many people has the Putin Regime assassinated in foreign countries, how many elections has Russia interfered in, and many countries has Russia invaded since 2007?

No country has clean hands when it comes to espionage.

There are three western "Usual Suspect" nations Russia always fingers for espionage against Russia, and with cause, since they spy the heck out of Russia at every opportunity – the US, the UK, and Sweden...

The US and the UK because they are big and competent at this kind of thing, the Swedes because they totally specialize in spying on Russia, not giving a fig about anything else (and then they trade good intel on Russia to the US, UK, French etc., for intel on everything not-Russia of interest to them).

 

[Akka]

It's sad you're weirdly proud of around a combined 300k-500k dead in two months -- all of whom died for Putin's Glorious New Russian Empire.

Little reminder that these supposedly 400k casualties come from the Russian MoD, according to which Ukraine air force has been destroyed two to three times over. So, hu, well, you know what to think of it.

 

[red_elk]

Should be in Western media sources soon:

"High-ranking German military officers mulled the options for carrying out an attack on the Crimean Bridge, including with the use of long-range Taurus missiles, as they considered handing 100 such weapons over to Kiev, according to a leaked audio recording of a February 19 conversation between four senior members of Germany’s top brass."

German Bundeswehr officers discussed plan to attack Crimean Bridge with Taurus missiles

The military leaders said the weapons could be handed over in two tranches of 50 units each

tass.com

 

[red_elk]

In other news, missile attack against Crimea has been repelled. Decoy missiles in combination with Storm Shadow were used, 12 missiles and one Ukrainian Su-24 were shot down. No damage on the ground reported.

Video of Russian assault squad finding wounded Ukrainian soldier and evacuating him to safety:
https://t.me/boris_rozhin/115020 (Telegram is required)

 

[Birdjaguar]

Should be in Western media sources soon:

"High-ranking German military officers mulled the options for carrying out an attack on the Crimean Bridge, including with the use of long-range Taurus missiles, as they considered handing 100 such weapons over to Kiev, according to a leaked audio recording of a February 19 conversation between four senior members of Germany’s top brass."

German Bundeswehr officers discussed plan to attack Crimean Bridge with Taurus missiles

The military leaders said the weapons could be handed over in two tranches of 50 units each

tass.com

We can only hope it happens soon.

 

[Gedemon]

Should be in Western media sources soon:

"High-ranking German military officers mulled the options for carrying out an attack on the Crimean Bridge, including with the use of long-range Taurus missiles, as they considered handing 100 such weapons over to Kiev, according to a leaked audio recording of a February 19 conversation between four senior members of Germany’s top brass."

German Bundeswehr officers discussed plan to attack Crimean Bridge with Taurus missiles

The military leaders said the weapons could be handed over in two tranches of 50 units each

tass.com

It was in western medias months ago, basically since the Storm Shadow / SCALP proved to be not as effective as expected against bridge.

How Germany's Taurus missile could help Ukraine retake Crimea

"The time for us to make a decision has not yet come," German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said earlier in August.

www.newsweek.com

 

[red_elk]

It was in western medias months ago

Read the whole quoted sentence.

 

[Birdjaguar]

Thousands Defy Kremlin to Attend Alexei Navalny’s Funeral​

Security forces and the opposition leader’s supporters are on edge in Moscow as anger at Vladimir Putin grows​

Thousands of people defied the threat of arrest by attending the funeral of Alexei Navalny in Moscow, embracing one of the last remaining avenues to register their anger at President Vladimir Putin as well as mourning one of the few politicians capable of standing up to the Russian leader.

The Kremlin had warned Russians against attending what it called spontaneous memorials for the opposition leader, who died in an Arctic prison camp last month. But security forces largely took a hands-off approach to the procession of mourners that made its way from the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God to the cemetery where Navalny was laid to rest.

Some in the crowd shouted, “No to war.” Others joined in with calls of “Putin is a murderer” and “Free political prisoners.” Concern remains high that people who turned out to pay their respects could face reprisals after the presidential election later this month. Putin is expected to easily win that poll, and his challengers are carefully vetted. Analysts said the Kremlin sees a strong showing in the election as a way to legitimize his rule as the war in Ukraine moves into its third year. With the vote coming, it couldn’t risk disrupting Navalny’s Orthodox Christian burial, analysts said. “The Kremlin is trying to avoid heat ahead of the coming elections, it’s going to be socially disapproved if they are brutal,” said Abbas Gallyamov, a political analyst and a former Putin speechwriter. “This is a funeral and if the Kremlin starts acting like it’s a political event, it would turn it into one.”

More at link.

https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/alexei-navalnys-funeral-draws-heavy-police-presence-f402e16a?mod=hp_lead_pos8

 

[Gedemon]

Read the whole quoted sentence.

I've read the whole article and failed to see what's new in it. Or unexpected. German officers discussing how to use one of their weapon on a target, it's surely the very definition of their job.

There is an oddity in it, launching such a cruise missile doesn't require a Rafale, a Su-24 could do the truck work.

 

[red_elk]

I've read the whole article and failed to see what's new in it. Or unexpected

There's nothing new in the article, except mentioning of the leak, transcript of which soon should be available in Western sources, if not already.

 

[Gedemon]

There's nothing new in the article, except mentioning of the leak, transcript of which soon should be available in Western sources, if not already.

Destroying the Kerch bridge is a discussion in western media since months, Taurus is the weapon of choice, discussing how to use it against that bridge must have been done a lot of time by western officers.

It's nothing new, I mean it's so obvious there is no point of making an article about it.

Now, it's no coincidence that Russian media push a narrative about such discussion today, just a few days after Olaf Scholz has shown a form of weakness in the eyes of Russians by saying he won't allow German soldiers to be in Ukraine, then saying Taurus can't be used without the participation of German soldiers. The goal here is to push on that weakness to make sure no Taurus will ever be sent to Ukraine.

There'd be no point for Russia to push that narrative using a discussion from UK or France officers, as both are already sending cruise missiles to Ukraine, and both have not ruled out to send troops in Ukraine.

 

[red_elk]

It's nothing new, I mean it's so obvious there is no point of making an article about it.

You don't understand what "leaked audio tape" means? I read the transcript, there were details I found interesting.

 

[Crezth]

Lord knows the Russians and their allies never share Intel or even spy on other countries.

Outrage over this is pure nonsense. How many people has the Putin Regime assassinated in foreign countries, how many elections has Russia interfered in, and many countries has Russia invaded since 2007?

No country has clean hands when it comes to espionage.

So then there are no rules and it doesn’t matter if anyone declares war or kills civilians or not. Let’s just make sure we’re agreed on that point before I pursue this equivocation with you.

I mean maybe Russia is the source of all evil. But that hasn’t been demonstrated. Only insisted upon. Much like the legal status and authority of the Ukrainian government since this whole affair began ten years ago amidst coups and political mischief.

 

[Lexicus]

I mean maybe Russia is the source of all evil. But that hasn’t been demonstrated. Only insisted upon. Much like the legal status and authority of the Ukrainian government since this whole affair began ten years ago amidst coups and political mischief.

Russia signed a treaty in 1994 committing itself to respect Ukraine's territorial integrity as a condition of the latter giving up its nuclear weapons. So Russia in fact recognized "the legal status and authority of the Ukrainian government."

 

[Zardnaar]

So then there are no rules and it doesn’t matter if anyone declares war or kills civilians or not. Let’s just make sure we’re agreed on that point before I pursue this equivocation with you.

I mean maybe Russia is the source of all evil. But that hasn’t been demonstrated. Only insisted upon. Much like the legal status and authority of the Ukrainian government since this whole affair began ten years ago amidst coups and political mischief.

Even if it was a couple it's a Ukrainian internal matter. That doesn't justify a land grab invasion.

That's how you know Russia is telling porches. They're not invading to change the regime.

That might be justified if Ukraine was launching rockets at Moscow pre 2014. Or Rost9v or Belgorod pre 2014.

If you're justifying an invasion on maybe (while owning worlds biggest nuclear stockpile) you're full of crap.

If you're armed with nukes you're immune to conventional invasion.

You pretend to be a Communist going into bat for a right ring authoritarian regime that's basically an oligarchy knock off of Mussolini's. Just replace Catholic with Orthodox.

So consistency.......

 

[ConquestsMaster]

So then there are no rules and it doesn’t matter if anyone declares war or kills civilians or not. Let’s just make sure we’re agreed on that point before I pursue this equivocation with you.

I mean maybe Russia is the source of all evil. But that hasn’t been demonstrated. Only insisted upon. Much like the legal status and authority of the Ukrainian government since this whole affair began ten years ago amidst coups and political mischief.

Such strange "logical" deductions from your part...
Most people agree that in international relationships might makes right, unfortunately. And that when some countries proclaim that there are "rules", it's usually to apply them in a biased, cynical and self-interested way.
Absolutely none of that precludes us from criticizing a regime unleashing on Europe its largest bloodshed since WW2.
Also nobody argues that "Russia is the source of all evil".
This is just another straw man of yours. What's up with you guys and your inability to avoid constantly doing that?
If you argued with the points people make instead of things you make up in your head, the discussions here could be slightly more interesting.

 

[Aleksey_aka_al]

Thousands Defy Kremlin to Attend Alexei Navalny’s Funeral​

Security forces and the opposition leader’s supporters are on edge in Moscow as anger at Vladimir Putin grows​

Thousands of people defied the threat of arrest by attending the funeral of Alexei Navalny in Moscow, embracing one of the last remaining avenues to register their anger at President Vladimir Putin as well as mourning one of the few politicians capable of standing up to the Russian leader.

The Kremlin had warned Russians against attending what it called spontaneous memorials for the opposition leader, who died in an Arctic prison camp last month. But security forces largely took a hands-off approach to the procession of mourners that made its way from the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God to the cemetery where Navalny was laid to rest.

Some in the crowd shouted, “No to war.” Others joined in with calls of “Putin is a murderer” and “Free political prisoners.” Concern remains high that people who turned out to pay their respects could face reprisals after the presidential election later this month. Putin is expected to easily win that poll, and his challengers are carefully vetted. Analysts said the Kremlin sees a strong showing in the election as a way to legitimize his rule as the war in Ukraine moves into its third year. With the vote coming, it couldn’t risk disrupting Navalny’s Orthodox Christian burial, analysts said. “The Kremlin is trying to avoid heat ahead of the coming elections, it’s going to be socially disapproved if they are brutal,” said Abbas Gallyamov, a political analyst and a former Putin speechwriter. “This is a funeral and if the Kremlin starts acting like it’s a political event, it would turn it into one.”

More at link.

https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/alexei-navalnys-funeral-draws-heavy-police-presence-f402e16a?mod=hp_lead_pos8

The place is just next to my home. No better way to feel the stupidity and exaggeration from all the sides, including Western media.

The crowd is too joyful for a funeral. Too casual for something real, as usual for Navalnists (shouting "czar, go away" for Instagram changes nothing). Too little, considering the supposed scale, and if you compare it to a firework festival which happens here at the same place in August, bringing real crowds of people. And on top of that, Navalnists are mostly atheist or strongly anti-Church... and now, going into religious mourning, seriously?

The policemen are either in confused or detached mood. First, some days before, they've been checking with the appartments in the area, not knowing and not able to clarify what the heck, why they are suddenly so interested in who lives where, especially immigrants and tenants. Then they've brought dozens of cars, put fences as if preparing for another festival or arresting a terrorist. There were even guys with climbing equipment put to one of the buildings... Wut, seriously?

There's probably some point in putting some policemen to the most immediate location where all is happening, but putting them like that around the area is just pointless, especially when noone cares about what's happening, as if they do it for the sole sake of appearance. But that makes some show.

And then we have this fool's media with words like "defying Kremlin", lol. If that is defying Kremlin, then I've defied Kremlin arguing with some of these pointless cops where I should and shouldn't walk living here. Or "everyone is on edge". Noone is on edge. The Navalnist are relaxed. The policemen are relaxed or unhappy with extra work. Locals like me are relaxed or unhappy with their common everyday routes of movement or deliviries being obstructed by something pointless.

And to sum all said, at the end of they day my GF asked me trying to recollect who Navalny is, a Ukranian? Lol.

Politicized folks were always a minority. But now even them care less about politics. Seriously, after all that crazy BS and self-discrediting of all the sides everywhere for the past years. Whitch-hunting lockdowns, crazy war(s), sanctions, hipocrite Western media, impotent opposition... Whatever side sane person has chosen in any of these BS in the past, sanity will drive him out and away from these matters.