How should west respond to potential (likely) Russian invasion of Ukraine?

[Harry Bosch]

The guy with good analysis of total collapse of ukrainian "defense" around Severodonetsk.

Also talks about lithuanian debacle I mentioned before. These small "countries" with populations of average city or Chinese village clearly don't have brain power to predict consequences of their idiotic actions.

Prepare for Lithuanian Oblast of Russia.

What does "prepare for Lithuanian Oblast of Russia mean? As an aside, the next sanction meant to hurt Russia is the banning of Russian gold, just announced this morning. Somehow the world needs to find a way to stop Russian imperialism. Talks aren't going to work.

 

[bleubird]

You all don't seem to be interested, I think this is important part of the west's response to the Russian invasion.

 

[TV and credit cards]

I liked his explanation of time zones. I traveled east crossing the international dateline on my birthday. He’d probably butcher the hell out of that bit of information.

You all don't seem to be interested, I think this is important part of the west's response to the Russian invasion.

Who doesn’t like seeing billionaires getting their toys taken away. But in the whole grand scheme of things, the sanctions in their totality, it’s small beer. Perhaps there’s something I’m missing here.
Now if they handed the yachts off to the US Navy so their Firecontrolmen could sharpen their skills, that’d be cool. I’d watch those YouTube videos.
Some years back, after picking up some Vietnamese boat people, we got to sink their navigation hazard. That was fun. We did that twice. Just as much fun the second time.

Most important is Russia still takes in about a billion a day in energy revenue. A handful of yachts getting seized isn’t going to affect Russia’s ability to execute the war, at all.
What needs to happen is western nations need to stop shipping Russian crude, particularly Greece.

 

[Harry Bosch]

I liked his explanation of time zones. I traveled east crossing the international dateline on my birthday. He’d probably butcher the hell out of that bit of information.

You all don't seem to be interested, I think this is important part of the west's response to the Russian invasion.

Who doesn’t like seeing billionaires getting their toys taken away. But in the whole grand scheme of things, the sanctions in their totality, it’s small beer. Perhaps there’s something I’m missing here.
Now if they handed the yachts off to the US Navy so their Firecontrolmen could sharpen their skills, that’d be cool. I’d watch those YouTube videos.
Some years back, after picking up some Vietnamese boat people, we got to sink their navigation hazard. That was fun. We did that twice. Just as much fun the second time.

Most important is Russia still takes in about a billion a day in energy revenue. A handful of yachts getting seized isn’t going to affect Russia’s ability to execute the war, at all.
What needs to happen is western nations need to stop shipping Russian crude, particularly Greece.

Totally agree. The west is aiding Russia more than Ukraine via their oil/gas sales. Good point about Greece. Russia won't stop killing people until their finances are cut off.

 

[Copernicus]

Actually, Russia is now experiencing worse financial problems than now appear on paper. While the value of the ruble has risen against the dollar in the official exchange rate, reaching an all-time high, its value has fallen on the black market as dollar reserves have dwindled and they aren't able to buy what they need internationally. Russia simply hasn't been able to get its hands on the euros and dollars needed to pay off its bonds, driving their value down to pennies on the dollar, and, for the first time since 1918, Russia has defaulted on its debt. This will have long term effects on its economy, since even an end to the war will not bring investors flooding back. The demand for the ruble comes from so-called "hostile" countries still buying Russian oil and gas having to deal in rubles alone. Other OPEC nations are ramping up oil production to cash in on price increases caused by the Russian shortfall on world markets.

See West pushes Russia into its first foreign debt default since 1918

 

[bleubird]

Well Russia is an oligarchy,so don't you all think the fat cats are a bit pissed?

 

[Jayjay]

Well Russia is an oligarchy,so don't you all think the fat cats are a bit pissed?

The original oligarchs have been sidelined, and all critical infrastructure related to energy and military are in the hands of the "Siloviki": The heads of the army and the security organizations. So while some oligarchs may be sad about losing their yachts, there isn't anything they can do about. Going against the system means they'll be stripped of whatever they have left and may end up in jail, or commit suicide.

 

[Harry Bosch]

Russia is signaling that it will seek to "tame" Lithuania after (if) it takes all of Ukraine. This is why we need to do more to help Ukraine. If they can stop Russia, WW3 might be prevented.

NATO warns Moscow as Putin ally says Russia ‘considering’ attack on Lithuania

NATO delivered a fiery warning to Moscow after one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's allies said Russia is "considering" an attack on Lithuania.

www.washingtonexaminer.com

The link also talks about Russia taking out the Netherlands in order to "freeze out" Europe and force Europe to buy Russian oil/gas.

 

[Copernicus]

It's about time...

Turkey drops objections to Finland and Sweden joining NATO, removing major hurdle to two nations joining the alliance​

 

[Jayjay]

That's what Erdogan says today. Tomorrow he might say something different.

 

[Patooka]

That's what Erdogan says today. Tomorrow he might say something different.

The cynic in me says his motivation is because the US has decided to clandestinely purchase any and all TB-2s at well above market price and then "disappear" them somewhere. I can live with that. I mean, last time I checked the US has only spent around 3 billion of that 40 billion Congress authorised.

 

[TV and credit cards]

Congratulations Vlad. You’ve managed to weaken your own country militarily and strengthen NATO with your foolish actions. With the addition of Finland and Sweden, two plug and play NATO members, you will be hard-pressed to defend your own borders. You’ve woken up Sweden and turned Gotland into an “unsinkable aircraft carrier”.

You struggle to manufacture the military equipment you need to continue to execute the war while NATO can and will supply Ukraine. The European components of NATO who now spend 1.5x that of China on defense will be able to contain your expansionist desires without US help going forward allowing the US to focus elsewhere. What do you think about that Xi Jinping?

Try as you did, you never could manufacture much of the electronic components needed for your own weapon systems. If the estimates are right, sanctions should start hitting hard soon. Meanwhile Sweden is doubling its defense budget and Finland is buying 64 F-35s.
You’ve brought two big contributors to NATO, two well trained militaries into NATO, not nations that need defending.

Vlad, you’ve isolated your country diplomatically and economically and nearly surrounded yourself militarily. Is this what you were going for? Russia is now a pariah state by nearly every definition.

 

[Copernicus]

The 2020 NATO Summit is taking place in Madrid now. That is likely one of the things that motivated Erdogan to drop Turkey's opposition to Finland and Sweden joining the alliance. There will be a renewed commitment to strengthening military assets across Europe, including an "unshakable commitment" to supporting Ukraine.

NATO gears up for Madrid Summit​

Speaking to reporters ahead of a summit, NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg said that NATO will enhance its battlegroups in the eastern part of the alliance up to brigade levels. Allied heads of state and government will also approve plans to enhance NATO high-readiness forces to more than 300,000 troops, with forces pre-assigned to specific locations. More heavy weapons, logistics and command-and control assets will be pre-positioned.

In Madrid, Allies will also approve a new Strategic Concept, setting out the Alliance’s priorities and approaches for the next decade. The document is expected to make clear that Allies consider Russia as the most significant and direct threat to NATO”s security, while addressing China for the first time and the challenges that Beijing poses toward Allied security, interests and values.

The Summit will also decide on a more comprehensive assistance package for Ukraine. Looking to the future, leaders will take decisions to launch a one-billion-euro Innovation Fund to invest in emerging technologies. On climate change, Allies will agree to cut greenhouse gas emissions for NATO as an organisation. The leaders of Georgia, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea, and Ukrainian president Zelenskyy via video link will join the Summit.

President Biden has announced that the US is also changing its posture in Europe, pledging to now station more troops in Europe.

Ukraine war: US to ramp up military presence across Europe​

Poland will now get its long-requested permanent army headquarters from the US. They once offered to call it "Fort Trump" and pledged $2 billion to build it, but I assume that offer is off the table. There won't be a huge permanent increase in troops, just about 300-500 strategic planners. The current 12,000 troops stationed there are not considered permanent. They are likely to stay as long as the Ukraine crisis exists.

The announcement sees the US shore up its presence across the continent but particularly in eastern Europe where the new permanent headquarters for its 5th Army Corps will be based.

Mr Biden repeated the alliance's commitment to "defend every inch" of its territory, saying: "We mean it when we say an attack against one is an attack against all."
The measures include:

• Boosting the fleet of US naval destroyers in Spain from four to six
• An additional "rotational brigade in Romania consisting of 3,000 fighters and another 2,000-personnel combat team
• Two more squadrons of F-35 stealth jets to the UK
• Additional air defence and other capabilities in Germany and Italy.

Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Finland and Sweden had been formally invited to join the military alliance, describing it as the "fastest accession process ever", and said he expected the swift progress to continue.

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

The latest and greatest Russian fighter jet is the SU-57. A project that has been ongoing for years now, over decade. Russia has 6 of them. There are now over 700 F-35s in service, 450 in service in the U.S. military. Not to mention F-22s. Pootie has ordered 70 more by 2028. Good luck affording those with sanctions and cost of fighting a war in Ukraine.

 

[barbos]

Parroting RuYeah,ssian propaganda is hardly an "analysis"

Yeah, keep deluding yourself that Ukraine NATO is winning.

 

[barbos]

Vlad, you’ve isolated your country diplomatically and economically

That's not what actually happened.
It's the West who isolated themselves from the rest of the World which tacitly supports Russia. By West I mean western governments/establishment which do not represent people.
Case in point is Poland, their government is as pro-ukrainian as it gets, whereas people hate ukrainians, go figure.

 

[zorq]

Parroting RuYeah,ssian propaganda is hardly an "analysis"

Yeah, keep deluding yourself that Ukraine NATO is winning.

Ukraine isn't winning, but Russia isn't winning much either. Russia will be worse off after all the dust has settled than before the invasion. Your first analysis was probably right. Invading Ukraine was a bad idea for Russia. Now, it was not necessarily a bad idea for Putin... He might be getting enough of what he wants out of it, but Russia and her people? LOL.

It's too bad typical Russians are apparently as savvy as American Trump fanatics. Russians seem happy to welcome their own dark fate in with open arms. Poor, stupid, dipshits. If they weren't so gullible they might have figured out who the parties are who are actually responsible for the misery in their lives.

 

[barbos]

Ukraine isn't winning, but Russia isn't winning much either.

Actually, Russia is winning. CNN is lying to you.

 

[zorq]

Ukraine isn't winning, but Russia isn't winning much either.

Actually, Russia is winning. CNN is lying to you.

Russia may eventually "win" the unprovoked, murderous, and despicable invasion of it's neighbor. But I was actually referring to Russia losing at the larger "game" of geopolitics. I understand if you have to cling to any flimsy excuse to feel pride in your shithole country filled with broken losers and deluded fools who have been ground down by generations of abusive leaders. It's understandable. But it's not excusable to be constantly cheering for pain and misery to be inflicted on innocent people.

Also, I don't really watch/read CNN but I would much sooner trust CNN for accurate depictions of reality than some random wanker on Chat Roulette like you do. LOL.

 

[barbos]

Russia may eventually "win" the unprovoked, murderous, and despicable invasion of it's neighbor.

You forgot about 8 years of murderous provocations from nazi regime in Ukraine.