Russian lawmakers authorize Putin to use military force outside the country

[Dartz]

Day Eighteen

--Tucker Carlson. Useful Idiot? Kremlin document indicates his show is to be heavily promoted
--Treason has a very specific meaning in his home country (But we're all thinking it).
--Speaking of the next Vidkun Quisling - Melitopol has a new Mayor, who is already quoting Russian talkingpoints
--While the actual Mayor's been arrested and Vanish
--Russia attempting 'Referendum' in Kherson to legitamise itself
--5 people show up to "Anti-Fascist" protest
--Hundreds line the roads with a banner-like Ukrainian flag
--Abandoned vehicles continue. Such oddities as a field kitchen with a meal half uncooked and an electronic warfare vehicle (Still functional)
--Borisoglebsk 2 is hard to say.
--A pontoon bridge collapses while a Russian tank is crossing it. Tank go Splash.
--A Tu-141 drone wandered off course and crashed in Croatia. Fuck knows where it came from
--A Russian missile strike hits Yavoriv International Center for Peacekeeping and Security 10 kilometres from Polish border. (That's inside Ukraine! else it would've been a pleasure shitposting with you all)
--2200 now confirmed dead in Mariupol from Russian bombing raids, every 30 minutes
--Russia announced that it would be meeting its international debt obligations in Roubles, having lost access to half it's currency reserves.
--The word they're looking for is 'Default'
--A Chinese Think-Tank suggests to the Chinese government that the only winning move is to play - and within the next week or two drop the load that is Russia before it drags them down
--Would let China appear as peaceful mediator, and be 'in-character' as China describes itself respecting state sovereignty and shit
--China may be Russia's only option for Cash.
--Talks continue to negotiate a peace. Russian demands don't seem to have changed
--Russia's plan may simply to demilitarise Ukraine, then murder all opposition, and try again in ten years
--Zalensky obviously feels abandoned by NATO
--Nobody in NATO wants to court annihilation by risking completion of the World War trilogy
--Ukraine is already staring into the abyss. They have nothing further to lose by upping the risk of World War III
--A local Holocaust, at the risk of a global Holocaust?
--Chinese analyst mentioned above sees this as a very real probable outcome
--The UK home office comes up with a truly satisfying idea. House Refugees in seized Oligarch mansions.
--(Even a stopped clock is right twice a day)
--A common talking point that continues to be posted by Pro-Russian sources -- Why the Double Standard between Ukrainians and 'Other' refugees
--There're two answers - and both of them are true. But they don't matter now.
--Brent Renaud, s Journalist for the New York Times has been killed in Irpin
--Missiles from Iran have hit a US Consulate in Kurdistan. (Emphasis on 'From Iran' not Iranian -- I haven't read up on this)
--Russian Ambassodor to Ireland, Yuri Filatov, about as popular as a can of Surstromming on a Space Station
--Russian State TV shows plans for invasion of Estonia, Lithuania and the other Baltics
--Fans of Mil-Sci-Fi appalled at how divorced from reality and illogical it is. You could never put this in a book
--Ukraine still resists.

---

It occurs to me that, on some level, the above is the first draft of History. It's not What happened, it's what I think happened from what I remember reading

Like all first drafts, it probably sucks.

[Labster]

If Ukraine survives you can bet one of the changes they will make is shifting rail gauge to EU standard, if any, and will definitely not stick with Russian gauge.

These projects tend to take a long time.  The Baltics are still building their first lines to standard gauge.  Though to be fair, they've still been economically more integrated to Russia than to Europe in the past few years, even as EU members.

Russian gauge is annoyingly close to Standard.  Close enough that you can move the wheels in the carriages -- what Germans did in the last war.  But close enough you could not just add a third rail.  You need four rails, either as a separate track, or as gauntlet track.

--Borisoglebsk 2 is hard to say.

Try saying it with a Japanese accent: Borisogurebbusuku Tsu

I'm curious about that think tank's report because I thought it was in China's interest to remain very weakly aligned with Russia, so that they can get an Asian hegemony after Russia fucks it up.

[Dartz]

Not all of Europe is on standard gauge. Ireland isn't -- but we're an Island. Spain is on its own Iberian gauge aswell. Both of which are bigger than Russian gauge

|Also, the China thing

Fucked if we know what China's going to do. Russia's asked for help from them now which is going to push China into a position where it has to make some sort of decision.

Any help from China will come with some expensive terms.

[Labster]

Not all of Europe is on standard gauge. Ireland isn't -- but we're an Island. Spain is on its own Iberian gauge aswell. Both of which are bigger than Russian gauge

Still a problem for Ireland's Galaxy Express station, but you only need a mile of track and a big ramp

Also, the China thing

Fucked if we know what China's going to do. Russia's asked for help from them now which is going to push China into a position where it has to make some sort of decision.

Any help from China will come with some expensive terms.

That's a nice read.  So the assumption there is that the war is not winnable for Russia (even with Chinese support), and the Russian economy has, at the most, a few years before complete collapse.  And because of this, there's no benefit to China for supporting a zombie regime fighting an unwinnable war.  The bigger assumption is that China's actions can be decisive, and force Russia to end the war.  Given domestic pressures, I'm not really sure that it's possible.  And it's really hard to say what post-Putin Russia looks like.

I also think there's more than 1-2 weeks "wiggle room" for China, especially if they take a mostly undecided stance in the meantime.  China has too much strategic importance to everyone for us to try to pick a fight with it now.

[Dartz]

Not all of Europe is on standard gauge. Ireland isn't -- but we're an Island. Spain is on its own Iberian gauge aswell. Both of which are bigger than Russian gauge

Still a problem for Ireland's Galaxy Express station, but you only need a mile of track and a big ramp

Also, the China thing

Fucked if we know what China's going to do. Russia's asked for help from them now which is going to push China into a position where it has to make some sort of decision.

Any help from China will come with some expensive terms.

That's a nice read.  So the assumption there is that the war is not winnable for Russia (even with Chinese support), and the Russian economy has, at the most, a few years before complete collapse.  And because of this, there's no benefit to China for supporting a zombie regime fighting an unwinnable war.  The bigger assumption is that China's actions can be decisive, and force Russia to end the war.  Given domestic pressures, I'm not really sure that it's possible.  And it's really hard to say what post-Putin Russia looks like.

I also think there's more than 1-2 weeks "wiggle room" for China, especially if they take a mostly undecided stance in the meantime.  China has too much strategic importance to everyone for us to try to pick a fight with it now.

They'll stay on the fence as long as they can.

Neogotiations with Ukraine might obviate the requirement for them to take a stance -- it looks like there'll be progress in the next few days - but if it comes to a point where a decision must be made, backing Russia would be like signing onto the Titanic after it hit the iceberg.


America, China and Russia announce a joint expedition to raise the Titanic  
America is hoping to find the gold and bullion
China is hoping to copy the advanced technology
Russia is looking for the band that played as it sank


EDIT: And China's response just got shat out while I was typoing. They've claimed they haven't received any request. Given that Russia's political structures seem to have been given the tentacle monster treatment by the CIA - this is probably as close to 'Fuck off' as Russia is going to get.



Anyway. On an Unrelated note, the Galaxy Express (As featured in the original anime) would've been narrow gauge. As featured in Fenspace, it would've been Victoria railways gauge --- the same as Irish and Brazilian gauge.

[Labster]

EDIT: And China's response just got shat out while I was typoing. They've claimed they haven't received any request. Given that Russia's political structures seem to have been given the tentacle monster treatment by the CIA - this is probably as close to 'Fuck off' as Russia is going to get.

The tentacle monster treatment?  What do you mean by

Oh, that.

Since I'm posting images, here's Tucker Carlson and current spy/former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard on Fox News on Russian TV, discussing American bioweapons:

[hazard]

These projects tend to take a long time.  The Baltics are still building their first lines to standard gauge.  Though to be fair, they've still been economically more integrated to Russia than to Europe in the past few years, even as EU members.

Russian gauge is annoyingly close to Standard.  Close enough that you can move the wheels in the carriages -- what Germans did in the last war.  But close enough you could not just add a third rail.  You need four rails, either as a separate track, or as gauntlet track.

And expediting it, while expensive, would be worth it to Eastern Europe, especially with how Russia is acting. Everything that would make a Russian invasion harder to execute would be considered. With Putin in charge of Russia, nothing else would render their nations safer by even the smallest margin.


Also, regarding Tucker Carlson? Useful to the Russians? Yes. Idiot? I'm not so certain. Useful Idiot? I have my doubts. I've a feeling he, and Fox News in general, have been bought, one way or another.

[Labster]

Because you're not in America, Hazard, you don't get how mainstream Fox News is here.  Fox News is the most watched news network.  Tucker Carlson gets 3.1 million viewers a night on average.  If ten percent of his regular viewers start believing the Russian propaganda, that's half a million enemy sympathizers.  I mean, it's not the size of audience that Father Coughlin got, but it is worrying.

And yes I am trotting out all of the WWII analogies because if we're not in a world war right now, why on Earth is the great power China acting like it's being forced to take a side on a military action 3000km away?  (Although I could also argue it's a tankery (sensha-do) competition because of all of the white flags popping out of Russian-made tanks.)

And while I think it's a good idea to change in track gauge in the Baltics, it's not critical because they are NATO members.  An attack on Estonia means nuclear war.  There's no point in worrying about too much about conventional defenses when a conventional attack means an nuclear first strike on Moscow.  I mean, conventional defenses are good so as to prevent fait accompli attempts (which is only for Russian leadership dumb enough to not realize that even that would trigger a first strike from the US and France).  It's also not critical for Finland either, which is basically an island and it's hard to imagine Tornio being at the center of anything defensively.

Rail access is critical for Ukraine, but everything is critical and infrastructure is falling much faster than it is getting built.  If we want to help on this specific issue, it would probably make more sense to build wide gauge tracks into Poland to put transfer stations there.  There are transfer stations in Romania and Moldova, so it's not as critical on the southern lines.  There's one wide gauge line that goes far into Slovakia as well.

[hazard]

And you missed my points Labster.

I don't think Carlson is a useful idiot to the Russians along with the rest of the network. I think the Russians have somehow got Fox News by the balls, and have had it for years. That Fox News and Tucker Carlson in particular are so popular is only a good thing as far as Russia cares.

Remember, a useful idiot as a term means somebody who unknowingly furthers the Russian cause. I think they've got a clue.


Finland was part of the Russian Empire, as were the Baltics and much of Eastern Europe. They're all going to look very nervously to Russia and prepare to make the life of any attempted invasion harder, especially Finland, which isn't part of NATO. And as Ukraine is so amply demonstrating, with Russia's dependence on rail for logistics, making sure their rail network plays nice with their ally's and as a side effect does not play nice with Russia's is definitely something they will be working towards.

I doubt they will isolate Ukraine in doing so. Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania all have borders with Ukraine, and IIRC also rail access, so they will probably keep at least those lines open to Ukraine, but wars aren't forever. It'll no doubt have an innocuous name and goal to 'standardize international rail infrastructure in the EU', but the effect is still going to be 'isolate the Russian economy and ability to ship across the border by rail'.

[Dartz]

Day 19.


--Elon Musk challenges Vladmir Putin to single combat, with Ukraine as the prize.
--I'd pay good money to watch that Cunt get fucked by that Prick (Amusingly, this would be less ambiguous in Russian)
--Putindroids are spreading their propeganda to internet forums. Most are quickly recognised for what they are and ridiculed.
--For the most part, the war continues as it has the last few days.
--Russia continues to be the largest supplier of arms to Ukraine.
--Some volunteers are somewhat disappointing to find this is an actual War where things will be hard.
--And it's quite clear that Russia is incabable of advancing past 'one truckload' of fuel from its borders.
--They are steadily reconciling what they have instead, to *maybe* added that second truckload of distance
--Pundits on Russian TV are advocating mass public hangings
--Or the use of one Nuclear weapon in Nevada to show resolve. (Russian MP?)
--One woman breaks into a studio to protest the war.
--China may be open to providing military support to Russia. It may stay with its arse welded to the fence.
--One stray round on NATO territory, will lead to full retaliation from NATO.
--Estonia seems to be pushing for a No-Fly Zone over Ukraine.
--Third installment of the World War trilogy may finally be emerging from development hell.
--Is it even possible for World War III to be conventional
--Negotiations are reportedly achieving progress - though it's doubtful it'll be peace on terms Ukraine wants
--Diplomacy may yet win through
--Video from a Ukrainian AFV shows it's drivers learned to fight in Modern Warfare, skipping rounds under a 'tank' to shoot the troops taking cover behind.
--TIL, that works IRL. Also, that had to hurt.
--Protestors in France occupy an oligarch's mansion in Paris. occupy A Villa in Biarritz and a mansion in London Get arrested.
--Russian Su-25 pilot brings his aircraft home with the arse of ones of his engines shot off
--See.... fair and balanced coverage.
--Speaking of Fair and Balanced, Tucker Carlson's lunacy is spreading through the world as the face of American 'journalism' on this matter
--Russia signs law allowing foreign aircraft to be seized by Russian airlines
--The chance of anyone willingly doing business with Russia ever again has now hit Zero
--(Except I still sort of want a Ural Gear-Up with 2WD)
--Japan has been added to Russia's shitlist of Unfriendly Nations.

------

From the continent which brought you The Great War, and World War Two, comes the long awaited sequel - World War Three. America, Germany, Japan and the European Union face down the Great Bear of Russia in one last apocalyptic showdown. But another power lurks in the darkness - which may yet tip the balance.

Coming Soon?

One hopes not.
-------

[classicdrogn]

I've said for years we're about due for another major war, to teach the generations that didn't live through one or at least have a parent who did and can tell them directly how horrible it is. At this point I'm just hoping there will be enough of us left to learn before its over, and still maintain something like a modern level of technology. We don't have magic to fill in the gaps for a distant society of sword-and-boarders exploring the wonders of a millennia-lost golden age so a crash long enough to have the current infrastructure completely break down would be unlikely to ever recover, with the easily accessible deposits of metals and important minerals exhausted the first time.

[Labster]

I've said for years we're about due for another major war, to teach the generations that didn't live through one or at least have a parent who did and can tell them directly how horrible it is. At this point I'm just hoping there will be enough of us left to learn before its over, and still maintain something like a modern level of technology. We don't have magic to fill in the gaps for a distant society of sword-and-boarders exploring the wonders of a millennia-lost golden age so a crash long enough to have the current infrastructure completely break down would be unlikely to ever recover, with the easily accessible deposits of metals and important minerals exhausted the first time.

This is a comment I agree with wholeheartedly on a surface level and disagree with at every other level.

Like, we have plenty of Syrians to talk about how terrible their war is, right?  Before the modern era, Europeans got in wars with each other all the time, and it's always been terrible.

Maintaining what we know is historically the easy part.  An incredible amount of Roman knowledge is preserved today through the efforts of centuries of scribes, largely from the Church.  The infrastructure and the standard of living are much harder.

The easiest deposits of minerals are indeed gone, but do you have any idea how much coal there is?  Enough to supply energy to our whole civilization for another millennium.  And sure, the placer deposits will take forever to recover, but what about the middens?  Our garbage dumps have tons of raw materials easily accessible.  Humans have a proud tradition of taking materials from old buildings to make new ones after societal collapse.

And magic isn't enough to rebuild the modern era.  Maoyuu Maoh Yuusha deals with this pretty directly -- you need the social structures more than anything else, and then the infrastructure.  Plus, the fact that foods are well-distributed around the world.  The advantage to rebuilding civilization when you have access to corn, wheat, beans, potatoes, carrots, and onions is enormous compared to what medieval people had to do to get a complete protein.

Finally, if someone else claws back up to where we are, the principles of nuclear deterrence are going to be the same shitty ones we have today.  So long as the physics remains the same, the Nash equilibrium will remain: the only winning move is not to play.  Basically, it's all Moloch's fault.

[Mamorien]

Although I could also argue it's a tankery (sensha-do) competition because of all of the white flags popping out of Russian-made tanks.

“Oh, friend John, it is a strange world, a sad world, a world full of miseries, and woes, and troubles; and yet when King Laugh come he make them all dance to the tune he play. Bleeding hearts, and dry bones of the churchyard, and tears that burn as they fall - all dance together to the music that he make with that smileless mouth of him. And believe me, friend John, that he is good to come, and kind. Ah, we men and women are like ropes drawn tight with strain that pull us different ways. Then tears come; and, like the rain on the ropes, they brace us up, until perhaps the strain become too great, and we break. But King Laugh he come like the sunshine, and he ease off the strain again; and we bear to go on with our labour, what it may be.”
-- Abraham Van Helsing, 18XX

[Labster]

@Mamorien: glad you enjoyed it.

-- Volodymyr Zelensky named Badass of the Week, because who ever thought the guy who was the dub VA for Paddington Bear would survive a dozen assassination attempts?
-- Did you know that "Volodya" Zelensky won the first Dancing with the Stars/Strictly Come Dancing in Ukraine?
-- Zelensky urges Russian surrender, promises to treat surrendering Russian soldiers with dignity, something they can't get from Russia.
-- Elon challenges Putin to single combat.
-- Head of Roscosmos says Elon will have to get through him first
-- Tesla stock down 3%
-- Astronaut still in ride-share program with cosmonauts.
-- A different billionaire lost another yacht today
-- The Kremlin will issue its own airworthiness certificates, and also tells jet lenders to go repo themselves
-- Russia will repay its foreign currency debt in barmy roubles.  Also known as "default".
-- Putin considering repayment to West in whole dollars
-- Russians arrest protesters at peace rally
-- Russians arrest pro-war counter-protesters at peace rally
-- Are you under arrest too?  The answer may surprise you.
-- Fox News reporter seriously injured in Kyiv despite his network's stance.
-- Russian news has an anti-war protester in the studio (15 second clip)
-- Her attorney is still trying to locate her (Maria Ovsyannikova worked for the network)
-- Orthodox Patriarch of Moscow claims the war is about gay pride parades
-- "In order to enter the club of those countries, it is necessary to hold a gay pride parade. Not to make a political statement, 'we are with you,' not to sign any agreements, but to hold a gay parade."
-- Yandex search removed from Firefox browser
-- Nerds up in arms about free speech or some shit when you can literally just add it back in less than a minute by visiting the website
-- China: please stop paying attention to us.  Don't you know there's a war going on?
-- There are not enough BTUs in Europe.  Supplies will start running low around Fall or Winter of this year if cut off, and maybe even not cut off if companies just refuse to buy Russian gas & oil.
-- Could see hundreds die from heat or cold in Europe without a shot being fired.
-- Maybe Putin will stop if we give him the Sudetenland?
-- Ukrainian diplomats claim there will be a peace treaty signed in May
-- Peace in our time.

[robkelk]

Why people around the world are phoning Russians to fight propaganda about Ukraine

And, in a supermajority of cases, getting hung up on

[Dartz]

20 days in, and 2066 years since Julius Ceasar got a knife in the back, Vladimir Putin remains in power

--Three European prime ministers travel to Kyiv by train. Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic. Ballsy
--Marina Ovsjannikova may be safe with her lawyer. Since Fined and released.
--Soviet Victory Flag raised over Enerhordar. Really scraping the bottom of the barrel now.
--Random FSB leaker -- Russia about to declare sanctions/weapons aid amount World War III and issue ultimatum.
--Almost certainly a bluff to try drive a wedge between 'Eastern' NATO and 'Western NATO
--Bluffing with nuclear threats is fucking Gandhi level shit. (And that statement will *fuck* with historians)
--But the FSB Analyst thinks this reduces the threat of the button being pushed overall
--Take with a bucket of salt.
--Russian State TV. War is to Stop Ukraine joining NATO and getting nuclear bomb
--Kremlin TV also saying the N-Word
--Ukraine war now at 3 Megarefugees
--Ukraine also cancells income taxes. Business taxes now 'voluntary;
--Support for NATO membership in Finland above 60%
--Food and Fuel riots in Sudan. Sudan is an importer of Russian Wheat
--Russia has shut down food exports, even to States in its orbit
--Kim Jong Un, mad Dictator of North Korea, calls Putin 'Too insane' (Supposedly)
--Chinese assistance may be limited to Military food rations.
--Russia is otherwise exhausted, if they're looking for food
--Still claiming Ukraine planned to start the war in a month, and had a bioweapons lab
--Russia has imposed sanctions on President Biden. Lol
--Russian Navy may be moving towards Odessa at last
--Russian troops may also have taken staff at a Mariupol hospital hostage. This is cartoon villainy level of unbelievable level.
--Russia has withdrawn from the council of Europe
--Possibly a large detachment of Russian Special Forces killed in Mariupol.
--A Russian SIM communications device is captured by Ukraine
--Bilboards appearring in Russia, threatening anti-war protestors with 'Being Next'
--This is all some sort of augmented reality game, isn't it?
--Bread prices in Russia high enough that it's now on Credit
--Zelensky is walking back on NATO membership
--One random internet voice - "This is all Obummers fault"
--100,000 Britons have expressed interest in housing Ukrainian refugees
--Fox News: Maybe it's our fault for provoking them-- "You can't have a red line in other countries"
--Fox news Cameraman killed in Ukraine along with freelance journalist. Pierre Zkryzewski and Oleksandra Kuvshynova
--MongoDB terminates all Russian-hosted SaaS databases. (Oh dear. What everyone feared about SaaS has come true)
--Polandball can into G20. Kurwa! Into Russia's seat aswell
--29000 people may have escape besieged cities
--FSB leaker - We are doing or best to expose the corruption and fraud that led to the war
--Take with a small tanker of salt
--Maybe we'll be OK, after all.

----


The art of war is of vital importance to the State. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin.

I think, we can see that now

[Mamorien]

--Polandball can into G20. Kurwa! Into Russia's seat aswell

Sadly, Poland still cannot into space. (They can into gender, but not in front of Niemcy.)

[Labster]

-- Russia, to Council of Europe:  You can't fire me, because I quit!
-- Council of Europe to Russia: Oh yeah?  You can't quit, because you're fired!
-- Russia finds Ukranian civilians much easier to kill than Ukranian army
-- Russians forcing hundreds of nearby civilians into detention in Mariupol hospital
-- Russia issues sanctions against Hunter Biden, Hillary Clinton, and other right-wing bugaboos. Denazify Ukraine, and let's go Brandon!
-- If I was in charge of Russian sanctions, I would sanction John Oliver, Arnold Schwarzenegger, The Rock, and Kathy Griffin just to see what happened next.
-- Eastern European PMs take Kyiv sightseeing tour
-- 3 million refugees so far
-- All credit agencies degrade Russian debt to junk bond status
-- EU and US pass new regulations to prohibit credit agencies from reassessing Russian creditworthiness, now that it hit rock bottom
-- I am pretty sure that's a freedom of speech violation that would be removed at USSC and ECHR, but I'm also pretty sure the rating agencies will not feel any need to challenge the rule.
-- Not sure default will have any effect because it's not as if investors are rushing to Russian bonds these days.
-- Remember that time a hedge fund seized an Argentine naval vessel to pay its debt?  Banks not eager to be a target of nuclear strikes this time around.
-- Oracle and MongoDB have stopped service to Russia
-- I fear this can only mean cheaper, more reliable software for our enemies.
-- Russian helicopters bombed at Kherson Int'l Airport
-- Ⓩ is the new 卐
-- The Ukrainian Reaper is well on his way to killing enough Russians to become the next Simo Häyhä, at least in our imaginations.
-- I'm having a hard time finding primary sources but: apparently Russian infantry carried their dress uniforms into Ukraine so that they would be ready for the victory parades
-- AMC Theatres bought a gold mine today, just to remind everyone that everything has gone bonkers, not just the war
-- China annoyed that their* local government in Taipei is sending money to Ukraine
-- Subtle reminder that the Dalai Lama believes he will be the last reincarnation
-- Subtle reminder that the Prophecy of the Popes lists 112 popes, and we are currently on the 112th.  Something about the seven hills of Rome being destroyed after that.
-- Subtle reminder that the Mayan 4th age ended in 2012, and every new age the gods end up having to recreate humans.
-- Poland now suggesting NATO send ground troops to Ukraine

[Dartz]

3 Weeks into the 3 Day war

--Negotiations towards peace continue
--Russia's demands amount to a 15-point plan of Neutrality
--Includes No Foreign bases, recognition of Russian language and No-Nato
--One step back from The Button
--The words 'Swedish or Austrian' model are used.
--Sweden warming to NATO as a result.
--Terms rejected, but progress is being made
--Ukraine being tight-lipped, but security guarantees involving multiple gurantoors may be the result
--American vets are training Ukrainians. Russians will be well neutered
--Letters of Marque and Reprisal being floating in US Congress. Yarr?
--Russian media and TV, and Belorussian media a TV experiencing Regan-like layoffs
--UN - 13 million may go hungry due to war
--Chinese envoy to US 'We would've stopped the war if we knew"
--They knew
--Boris Johnson in Riyadh to convince the natives to open the taps by jove
--Russia now one week before official default.
--Putin claims sanctions 'blitzkrieg' has failed and that special military operation a success
--Muhammad Saed-Al-Sahhaf no longer the biggest government bullshit artist in history
--After 20 years I still remember is name. That man, the meme, Comical Ali
--Putin also making noises about Fifth Columns and Traitors, and cleansing society
--US Congresscritters annoyed Zalensky wore a t-shirt to their Zoom call
--I only wear a t-shirt on work zoom calls
--Moscow Mitch calls it an effectice address, and a spur for the President to up his Game
--Not sure what president he's talking too there
--President Impeached for withoiding Military aid to Ukraine, takes credit for situation in Ukraine
--The same President who called NATO obsolete, and Putin a genius
--Say one thing about Trump, he knows which way the wind is blowing
--EU still moving forward with plan to sync energy grids.
--A theatre being used by a thousand peeople as a bomb shelter was destroyed
--Apparently the Ukrainian word for Children is a Cognate for 'Target' in russian, it seems. It was on the path outside the theatre
--A hospital and its staff have been taken hostage - supposedly to force Ukrainian military to open fire
--Ten people killed by Russian soldiers while waiting for bread. US Embassy confirms
--Two Russian soldiers killed by their own side while trying to protect civilians.
--Someone in Russia thought it'd be amusing to abandon tanks in people's back gardens - as you do
-- Orpah Winsky -- You get a tank, you get a tank, you get a tank.
-- And unlike Oprah, they get to keep the tank and not get fucked by taxes.
--American Cosmonaut may get a lift home. Space does not care what part of Earth you came from
--Even if the director of Roscomsos is a bit of a prick threatening to Colony Drop the Station
--World Court orders Russia to stop being dicks.
--Does anyone listen to the World Court?
--Russian Embassy in Finland asking for reports of abuse of Russian Citizens
--Most Russians in Finland are 6ft under
--Chinese ambassador may have praised Ukraine. But the news stayed off their website - or of China's domestic news
--Biden announces sending 'longer range' antiaircraft weapons to Ukraine. Calls Putin a War Criminals
--Kremlin bitches and moans.
--Seems like he's actually doing a decent job. Supporting, without hovering the finger on the button
--Elon Musk and Chechen Leader shitposting at each other on Twitter.
--Zelensky calls on army to retreat and surrender in video
--It's a Deepfake
--Explosions in Belarus. Or a Sonic Boom?
--Ukraine is fucking up Kherson airport with artillery
--Another raid has destroyed more helicopters
--Someone has suggested sending A10's to Ukraine
--Amusingly, this is the only true war where they would ever be effective
--Russian military basically All Shiny, with nothing to back it up - a Rice-Rocket military
--Russia trying to reinforce the assault on Kyiv by pulling from other areas
--US supplies 800 million dollars of shit to Ukraine including suicide drones. This is pure Sugar-daddy shit now
--Has Ivan Federov, Mayor of Melitopol, been rescued by Ukrainian special forces?
--Fuck me this is just Tom Clancy shit
--Ukrainian artillery is obliterating Russian supply trucks.
--Ukraine claims to be counter-attacking and bringing the invasion to an end?
--They still have most of their airforce, more ammunition than they can shoot, more anti-tank weapons and all the good NATO sugar
--Using Commercial, Off The Shelf drones for artillery spotting to meter-accuracy.
--Reports of either explosions, or supersonic aircraft in Belarus
--Belarus opposition calls on international community to recognise Belarus as Illegally occupied
--

----

Push the Button, Push the Button, Push the Button can be sung to the tune of Catch the Pigeon

Poltics is just the continuation of war by other means
-Claus von Karlewitz

[Labster]

--The words 'Swedish or Austrian' model are used.
--Sweden warming to NATO as a result.

Finland's government seems far more enthusiastic than Sweden's right now.  You know, the Swedish government that decided against lockdown.

--Letters of Marque and Reprisal being floating in US Congress. Yarr?

Personally hoping for miniskirt pirates

--Does anyone listen to the World Court?
--Russian Embassy in Finland asking for reports of abuse of Russian Citizens
--Most Russians in Finland are 6ft under

No, and maybe Russians are eager to lose Winter War II.

--US supplies 800 million dollars of shit to Ukraine including suicide drones. This is pure Sugar-daddy shit now

What's the point in having all of these cool weapons if they aren't getting used on commie bastards? Even the Russians want to test their cool new stuff on Ukrainian civilians.

Man has killed man from the beginning of time, and each new frontier has brought new ways and new places to die. Why should the future be different?

-- Col. Corazon Santiago, "Planet: A Survivalist's Guide"

[Labster]

Honestly not a lot going on, except Russians continue to blow up buildings and civilians. Reminds me of the RWBY OP, "Things looking bleak and they're bound to get worse."

-- Servant of the People is coming back to Netflix
-- If you've forgotten, that's the comedy starring Zelensky as President, as opposed to reality which is the tragedy starring Zelensky as President.
-- Zelensky's competence as a war president is probably the biggest "known unknown" faced in the Russian war plan.
-- The biggest surprise is the unity in the West, after years of preparing by Russia through funding populist, separatist, and other fringe movements.
-- Zelensky speaks to US Congress, they seem to like him
-- Biden says he thinks Putin is a war criminal
-- Putin goes on desperate rant about the fifth column of enemies of the state inside Russia
-- Which of course he would never give if there weren't a lot of opposition
-- If the cool kids went to a protest, would you do it too, even if it means we throw you off a cliff?
-- Putin also says the West "cannot live without oysters and gender freedom"
-- At this point I'm considering shipping Putin/Patriarch of Moscow because they doth protest too much about the gays in a weird context
-- The special operation that dare not speak its name
-- Seriously I don't get it, how does a couple of crossed wieners and four balls become a casus belli? 
-- Russian prima ballerina quits Bolshoi over war
-- Zelensky says Russia has crossed all the red lines.  Which is true enough for Ukraine, if only it kept its nuclear weapons.
-- China continues to waffle.  The current strategy seems to be to support Ukraine diplomatically, but Russia economically.  If I had to guess, it's because CCP top leadership hasn't made up its mind and different parts of government are just pursuing their own goals.  Because what they are doing seems less like a strategy and more like what they'd do to make everyone mad at them.
-- List of large companies grouped by how withdrawn from Russia they are.  Quite a few companies have decided to keep making money in Russia
-- I guess I will have to boycott Subway now.
-- So I guess I will just continue to not eat there like always.

[Dartz]

22 Skidoo.

---

--Vladimir Putin descends further into madness. Reports he's fired his own staff due to fear's of poisoning
--Russian state aircraft scattering from Moscow like cockroaches when the lights turn on.
--One heads North to the test ground for the largest nuclear explosion in history.
--Private Jets flee to the UAE to hide
--The twitterati fear this is the first signs of The Button being pushed.
--Martial law may be declared in Russia on Friday. Stalin's ghost is amused.
--State investigators told to stop investigating economic crimes - it's time to go after traitors
--Anyone who can, is bolting for cover
--While Russia has dismantled the barrel and is now pulping the staves to ooze every last drop of material to feed it's war in Ukraine.
--Occupation troops are being pulled out of Georgia trough DCS Pilot's favourite tunnel
--More and more convoys being liquidated by Ukraine.
--Some Russian units have been spotted using Technicals
--While even more fancy equipment like SIGINT trucks are being abandoned
--Russian Propeganda 'Oh buy the way, Ukraine abandoned a tank in Donbass too....'. Mediocre
--Russian Navy still wondering if it's safe to come out of the water near Odesa
--America sends a thousand self-destructive attack drones to meet them.
--Chechen leader thanks them for all the weapons they're about to capture...
--Well, he'll get at least one anyway
--Russian media now making noises about how Poland isn't even a real country and is just a Nazi enclave that needs a squashing
--Russia exists in an alternate reality matrix at this point. It's army can squash anything, rule any country -according to Russian TV
--90% of Mariupol destroyed - according to city officials. But still standing
--Zelensky criticises German parliament for not taking decisions
--JP Morgan Chase - Russia has made a bond payment. Somehow
--McDonalds now becomes 'Uncle Vanyas' The Golden Arches are flipped on their side
--GSC Gasme World Changes title of STALKER 2 to 'Heart of Chornobyl'. It'd previously been called 'Heart of Chernobyl'
--Russian Ruble is selling at 3 times the Rate it's being bought at. Nobody wants it
--Russia continues to loose generals because of communication intercepts. That's four dead generals now
--It turns out the mayor of Melitopol was traded for 9 Conscripts
--Fate of 9 Russian conscripts unclear. One suspects nothing good
--President Biden warns China of consequences should China side with Russia
--China seems to be slowly creaking towards the whole, maybe Russia bad, side of the fence. But not in Public
--Macron - Putin has changed. More rigid and isolated. Still talking, because it's better than not talking.
--ESA now looking for new Mars rocket supplier
--America has repainted its Abrams tanks Green in time for Patrick's day. They're going to Poland
--EU and America have, thus far, been acting in a thoughtful rather than knee-jerk manner, cranking up the pressure on Russia until it pops like a pimple

----

[Labster]

--JP Morgan Chase - Russia has made a bond payment. Somehow

Ooh, I can answer that one.  Basically: America permitted the withdrawal of dollars from JP Morgan Chase, because a Russian default doesn't help our goals.  Or rather default will not make Russian bonds any less popular (currently tied with nuclear waste in latest popularity survey), but it will keep Westerners from getting their money.  And in repaying bonds, now Russia has less dollars.

[Labster]

-- Zelensky speaks to UK Parliament: We will fight them on the beaches, in the trenches, with the drones
-- Zelensky speaks to US Congress: I have a dream!  A dream my country will stop being attacked for their ethnicity
-- Zelensky speaks to Germany: Don't let them build a wall across Europe!
-- Up next: in latin american address, Zelensky sings "Despacito"
-- Some Russian soldiers surprised that they are in Ukraine, think they are still training
-- Other soldiers blame refugees for forcing them to siege their cities
-- Life in Mariupol no fun, neither is leaving
-- Russian soldiers reported dead to their families are in fact alive in detention in Ukraine.
-- Zelensky urges other Russians to surrender so they can live too.  They don't even have to go back!
-- 320000 people have crossed into Ukraine to join the fight
-- Oil at $102.65 a barrel, which is lower but still high
-- Another day, another sanction.  Another week or so, and it will be law that the US doesn't have normal trade relations with Russia.
-- The longer this goes on, the worse it's going to get for Russia, as sanctions become harder and harder to unwind.
-- Also militarily, every day Ukraine gets more military equipment and Russia has less.
-- I'm not sure Russia realizes they are in a race for time.  Remember how the US just spent 20 years in Afghanistan without ruining the economy?
-- Or are they counting on Europe to break when they run out of fuel?  Can the Russian economy last another 8 months?
-- ExoMars not going to Mars on Russian rocket
-- I'm still hopeful they can ride American broomsticks.
-- Russians sending most rockets into Ukraine now.  Lots of them today.
-- Missiles hitting Lviv are making that NATO no-fly zone idea look more attractive.
-- UK revokes RT broadcast licence
-- Nancy Pelosi quotes Bono
-- 13 year old kills 9 in opposition near Odessa
-- wait, that was supposed to be: 13 year old driver kills 9 in opposite lane near Odessa, Texas.  Sorry, wrong thread.
-- Governator Arnold Schwarzenegger declares it an illegal war

[robkelk]

-- List of large companies grouped by how withdrawn from Russia they are.  Quite a few companies have decided to keep making money in Russia
-- I guess I will have to boycott Subway now.
-- So I guess I will just continue to not eat there like always.

To be fair, Subway operates on the franchise model. They can't just decide to close stores - they have to convince the franchise owners to close. And these particular franchise owners are Russians, listening only to Russian propaganda.

Also, I'm wondering why Coca-Cola isn't listed in the "Scaling Back" section of that report, given the note on their entry. Or why Pepsi is listed in the "Scaling Back" section of that report, given the note on their entry. I guess Yale never took the Pepsi Challenge... or there's some unconscious bias in their reporting.