How should west respond to Russian invasion of Ukraine?

[TV and credit cards]

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said it had prevented a series of planned attacks targeting schools in central and southern regions that involved minors who were allegedly recruited by Russian operatives.

The SBU and the National Police said two local school students were identified in the Kirovohrad and Odesa regions, where they were allegedly preparing attacks on their own schools.

According to the SBU’s Thursday press release, the minors were recruited through Telegram and TikTok channels used by Russian intelligence to target young people. One such channel, identified as “ETERSSA,” was described as part of a broader effort to systematically recruit Ukrainian minors.

Authorities said recruiters used psychological manipulation, including promises of achieving “justice,” protecting relatives, or punishing alleged wrongdoing, to draw the students into criminal activity.

I don't believe it. Not even the Russians would stoop this low.
Say it isn't so barbos. Say it isn't so.

 

[TV and credit cards]

And in the You Made Me Do It News, totally not like how NATO forced Russia attack Ukraine, Russia continues to force the EU to help Ukraine build out its defense industry.

The European Council (EC) adopted on April 23 the final piece of legislation underpinning the EU’s 90 billion euro (roughly $105 billion) interest-free loan to Ukraine, which the EC initially approved in December 2025. The loan allocates 60 billion euros (roughly $70 billion) to investing in Ukraine’s defense industrial capacities and 30 billion euros (roughly $35 billion) to macroeconomic support for Ukraine. The loan is backed by the EU budget, and Ukraine only needs to repay the loan if Russia pays Ukraine reparations for the war.

Works a lot better with defensive actions than offensive ones, yeah?

 

[barbos]

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said it had prevented a series of planned attacks targeting schools in central and southern regions that involved minors who were allegedly recruited by Russian operatives.

The SBU and the National Police said two local school students were identified in the Kirovohrad and Odesa regions, where they were allegedly preparing attacks on their own schools.

According to the SBU’s Thursday press release, the minors were recruited through Telegram and TikTok channels used by Russian intelligence to target young people. One such channel, identified as “ETERSSA,” was described as part of a broader effort to systematically recruit Ukrainian minors.

Authorities said recruiters used psychological manipulation, including promises of achieving “justice,” protecting relatives, or punishing alleged wrongdoing, to draw the students into criminal activity.

I don't believe it. Not even the Russians would stoop this low.
Say it isn't so barbos. Say it isn't so.

You believe SBU?

 

[zorq]

I don't believe it. Not even the Russians would stoop this low.
Say it isn't so barbos. Say it isn't so.

You believe SBU?

Note: Barbos refuses to say, "it isn't so."

Deep down I think Barbos knows that Russia is totally capable of depravity of this level. He is just too afraid to take the wrong position on this knowing he'll be eventually proven wrong yet again. Or more likely, he's afraid that if comes out against this kind of depravity now, he'll be embarrassed when Putin openly embraces it a little bit later.

 

[TV and credit cards]

I don't believe it. Not even the Russians would stoop this low.
Say it isn't so barbos. Say it isn't so.

You believe SBU?

Note: Barbos refuses to say, "it isn't so."

Deep down I think Barbos knows that Russia is totally capable of depravity of this level. He is just too afraid to take the wrong position on this knowing he'll be eventually proven wrong yet again. Or more likely, he's afraid that if comes out against this kind of depravity now, he'll be embarrassed when Putin openly embraces it a little bit later.

I have no doubt Barbos knows the truth here. I wonder about his ability to sympathize about the depravity perpetrated upon Ukraine's civilian population, particularly when they share such close cultural connections.


In other news, how shall I read the following from ISW:

The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) issued a response to concerns about its ongoing issues with Russia’s Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) recruitment drive, which has reportedly attempted to fill recruitment quotas using Russian university students. The Russian MoD held a joint meeting with the Russian Ministry of Science, Ministry of Science and Higher Education, and heads of Russian universities and educational associations on April 27 on the “principles and conditions” for recruiting Russian students to the USF and rejected reports that Russian universities have been expelling students en masse in order to then coerce the students into signing USF contracts with the MoD. Russian Deputy Defense Minister and MoD Main Military-Political Directorate Head Army General Viktor Goremykin claimed during the meeting that Russian military service contracts with the MoD are for terms of one to three years at the choice of the signer, and that all Russian students who sign contracts with the USF do so for one-year terms. Goremykin claimed that Russia does not intend to force any students to sign contracts with the MoD and emphasized the importance that all students sign contracts voluntarily. The Russian MoD stated that the MoD regulations forbid transferring USF personnel to units in other services without the servicemember’s permission and that the Russian military command must dismiss servicemembers when their contract terms expire. The MoD stated that Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov will issue guidance by the end of April 2026 to hold Russian military commanders “personally responsible” for ensuring that commanders do not transfer USF personnel to units in other services without the permission of the servicemember. Russian Deputy Science and Higher Education Minister Dmitry Afanasyev claimed during the meeting that the MoD only received six complaints that recruiters had coerced students into signing contracts with the MoD and found each instance unfounded, and Goremykin claimed that 93 percent of surveyed students trust the Russian MoD to comply with the terms of their contracts.

The MoD is likely attempting to mitigate concern around its recruitment campaign of Russian university students that it launched in December 2025-January 2026 to ensure it is still able to recruit military personnel from students. Russia’s overall recruitment rates are stressed by rising casualty rates, and Russian students likely fear signing a contract only for the Russian military command to transfer them from a USF unit to high-casualty assault units. Russian Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov reportedly directed large universities in early 2026 to ensure that at least two percent of students sign contracts with the MoD. Russian milbloggers criticized the ineffectiveness of the MoD’s recruitment campaign for the USF as of late March 2026 due to the worry that students will be transferred from their USF units to assault units.

Should a Russian university student trust the word of the MoD in all that is claimed here? Do deeds strictly follow their words?
What is your opinion here, Barbos? Were you a university student today, would you sign up for 1-3 years, assuming there is some financial incentive in doing so?

 

[barbos]

What is your opinion here, Barbos?

My opinion here is that you cannot belive a single word coming from Nazi Regime in Kiev and their western supporters.

 

[Harry Bosch]

I don't believe it. Not even the Russians would stoop this low.
Say it isn't so barbos. Say it isn't so.

You believe SBU?

Note: Barbos refuses to say, "it isn't so."

Deep down I think Barbos knows that Russia is totally capable of depravity of this level. He is just too afraid to take the wrong position on this knowing he'll be eventually proven wrong yet again. Or more likely, he's afraid that if comes out against this kind of depravity now, he'll be embarrassed when Putin openly embraces it a little bit later.

I have no doubt Barbos knows the truth here. I wonder about his ability to sympathize about the depravity perpetrated upon Ukraine's civilian population, particularly when they share such close cultural connections.


In other news, how shall I read the following from ISW:

The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) issued a response to concerns about its ongoing issues with Russia’s Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) recruitment drive, which has reportedly attempted to fill recruitment quotas using Russian university students. The Russian MoD held a joint meeting with the Russian Ministry of Science, Ministry of Science and Higher Education, and heads of Russian universities and educational associations on April 27 on the “principles and conditions” for recruiting Russian students to the USF and rejected reports that Russian universities have been expelling students en masse in order to then coerce the students into signing USF contracts with the MoD. Russian Deputy Defense Minister and MoD Main Military-Political Directorate Head Army General Viktor Goremykin claimed during the meeting that Russian military service contracts with the MoD are for terms of one to three years at the choice of the signer, and that all Russian students who sign contracts with the USF do so for one-year terms. Goremykin claimed that Russia does not intend to force any students to sign contracts with the MoD and emphasized the importance that all students sign contracts voluntarily. The Russian MoD stated that the MoD regulations forbid transferring USF personnel to units in other services without the servicemember’s permission and that the Russian military command must dismiss servicemembers when their contract terms expire. The MoD stated that Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov will issue guidance by the end of April 2026 to hold Russian military commanders “personally responsible” for ensuring that commanders do not transfer USF personnel to units in other services without the permission of the servicemember. Russian Deputy Science and Higher Education Minister Dmitry Afanasyev claimed during the meeting that the MoD only received six complaints that recruiters had coerced students into signing contracts with the MoD and found each instance unfounded, and Goremykin claimed that 93 percent of surveyed students trust the Russian MoD to comply with the terms of their contracts.

The MoD is likely attempting to mitigate concern around its recruitment campaign of Russian university students that it launched in December 2025-January 2026 to ensure it is still able to recruit military personnel from students. Russia’s overall recruitment rates are stressed by rising casualty rates, and Russian students likely fear signing a contract only for the Russian military command to transfer them from a USF unit to high-casualty assault units. Russian Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov reportedly directed large universities in early 2026 to ensure that at least two percent of students sign contracts with the MoD. Russian milbloggers criticized the ineffectiveness of the MoD’s recruitment campaign for the USF as of late March 2026 due to the worry that students will be transferred from their USF units to assault units.

Should a Russian university student trust the word of the MoD in all that is claimed here? Do deeds strictly follow their words?
What is your opinion here, Barbos? Were you a university student today, would you sign up for 1-3 years, assuming there is some financial incentive in doing so?

Well, he's an imperialist. And he only access to one news source: news from an imperialist (Putin). He can't have an independent opinion. To Barbos, all who oppose Putin are "nazis".

 

[barbos]

I have yet to see nazi supporters (yes, I am looking at you) to comment on ukrainian "mobilization" practices.

 

[TV and credit cards]

I have yet to see nazi supporters (yes, I am looking at you) to comment on ukrainian "mobilization" practices.

As if one should criticize the mobilization practices of an invaded country fighting for its very existence?
Ukraine's mobilization practices should be whatever the situation requires.

 

[zorq]

Barbos has been told numerous times in this thread that forced conscription has always been a thing. I don't know why he thinks it is so shocking in Ukraine. Except that he is too stupid to understand that forced conscription has always been a thing. It is obvious that the force involved in forced conscription will be proportional to the desperation felt by the government doing the conscripting.

 

[barbos]

I have yet to see nazi supporters (yes, I am looking at you) to comment on ukrainian "mobilization" practices.

As if one should criticize the mobilization practices of an invaded country fighting for its very existence?
Ukraine's mobilization practices should be whatever the situation requires.

Well, Ukraine WAS invaded by the US but that was a relatively long time ago. Now they are being the invaders in the Eastern and Central Ukraine. So you do need to comment on their mobilization practices.

 

[bilby]

Well, Ukraine WAS invaded by the US but that was a relatively long time ago. Now they are being the invaders in the Eastern and Central Ukraine.

Do you know how batshit crazy it is to suggest that a nation is invading the Eastern and Central part of the selfsame nation? Compare:

Russia was invaded by Germany, but that was a relatively long time ago. Now they are being the invaders in Eastern and Central Russia.

It's structurally absurd. There's no way it can possibly be meaningful. It's like something George Orwell would write, as a satire of totalitarian regine propaganda demands that people believe what they are told to believe, without reference to reality.

 

[barbos]

Well, Ukraine WAS invaded by the US but that was a relatively long time ago. Now they are being the invaders in the Eastern and Central Ukraine.

Do you know how batshit crazy it is to suggest that a nation is invading the Eastern and Central part of the selfsame nation? Compare:

They are not the same nation. Ukraine is an artificial construct created by the Lenin. And they are having a civil war now. This civil war was instigated by the external forces (US).

Russia was invaded by Germany, but that was a relatively long time ago. Now they are being the invaders in Eastern and Central Russia.

It's structurally absurd. There's no way it can possibly be meaningful. It's like something George Orwell would write, as a satire of totalitarian regine propaganda demands that people believe what they are told to believe, without reference to reality.

What is absurd is that after 4 years you have not managed to educate yourself.

 

[Patooka]

Barbos has been told numerous times in this thread that forced conscription has always been a thing. I don't know why he thinks it is so shocking in Ukraine. Except that he is too stupid to understand that forced conscription has always been a thing. It is obvious that the force involved in forced conscription will be proportional to the desperation felt by the government doing the conscripting.

It's not like Russia is that much different in their recruiting methods.

 

[barbos]

It's not like Russia is that much different in their recruiting methods.

I don't recall seeing kidnapping men on the street in Russia. I mean stories of bus driver on a bus stopped and taken away while transporting passengers.

So it IS different.

 

[bilby]

It's not like Russia is that much different in their recruiting methods.

I don't recall seeing kidnapping men on the street in Russia. I mean stories of bus driver on a bus stopped and taken away while transporting passengers.

So it IS different.

...in that the authorities in Russia make a big song and dance when it happens in Ukraine, but tightly censor it when it happens in Russia.

 

[barbos]

It's not like Russia is that much different in their recruiting methods.

I don't recall seeing kidnapping men on the street in Russia. I mean stories of bus driver on a bus stopped and taken away while transporting passengers.

So it IS different.

...in that the authorities in Russia make a big song and dance when it happens in Ukraine, but tightly censor it when it happens in Russia.

It does not happen in Russia and authorities do not make any songs and dances about it happening in Ukraine.

 

[TV and credit cards]

Barbos,
My understanding is social media, specifically Telegram and WhatsApp is shut down in Russia. That Russia has some government thing called “Max”.
But here in the western media I read, they keep relating this shut down to mobile internet. So is this social media completely shut down? Can it be accessed from a wired home line? I would assume not.
Other than links in news articles, I have zero experience with social media.


You lost me on post #22,811. The US invading Ukraine may have been something you claimed in the past while arguing with others here. I skip over that stuff. Or it happened while I was on deployment, when news gaps can happen when news media is saturated with other serious concerns like the trial of OJ Simpson.

 

[barbos]

My understanding is social media, specifically Telegram and WhatsApp is shut down in Russia. That Russia has some government thing called “Max”.
But here in the western media I read, they keep relating this shut down to mobile internet.

Yes, they recently blocked Telegram, but most people had not noticed it because by that time they had been using VPN anyway.
WhatsApp has been blocked for a very long time, along with Facebook and Instagram.
Most of western media is basically blocked. They are working on different ways of blocking VPNs now.
Some are suggesting simply charging foreign traffic.
The whole thing is stupid on technological level. Basically anyone with deeper understanding of internet understands that it's impossible.
With Telegram there is a an understanding/suspicion that it is controlled by the west. So Russian authorities got pissed off of that fact and told Durov "we want the same access as the west" and he said "no".
Max is fully controlled by the Russian government. Ironic part is that there is also a Telegram client which is basically a proxy owned by the russian authorities.
So you can have telegram in Russia just fine but through the government (unofficially) issued client Funny part is, Apple removed it from AppStore and .....Russian government protested. This is pretty hilarious if you ask me.

As I said, the key issue here is that all social media is actually controlled by the the western security services and russian ones want the same access but nobody is giving it to them.
I personally don't care for messengers and only use telegram for messaging with very few people who refuse to use ordinary emails.
I really use only YouTube. But it's very annoying when external links (to twitter and such) do not work. People are genuinely pissed off and don't understand why all this is happening.
And Putin I suspect understands (on some level at least) that and keep the distance from this nonsense.
My suspicion is that idiots who want to block everything are older folks in the security circles who under illusion that they are succeeding and people are fine with it when in reality people tolerate all that shit because they can still use VPN/etc.

I recently tried new free VPN mostly to access sites which are geolocked themselves out (not by russian government, I can watch Youtube directly without VPN)
It works most of the time but I suspect there is some blocking of VPN on a our side too.
Anyway, there are Chinese servers there and guess what? everything works from chinese server. So much for Great Firewall of China.

As I said Putin understands at some level but that level is very low. He should get a second opinion about Internet crackdown. Preferably from someone without military rank and younger than 70, probably under 40, and independent,

 

[barbos]

they keep relating this shut down to mobile internet

Most mobile internet troubles are related to ukrainin drones using it.
Also it is easier to experiment with it because it is structured differently from land internet where it is much harder.
But Youtube was blocked on the land internet first, only after a long while on mobile phones.