Discussion on Ukraine situation 2022

[Cossie]

Harrowing footage. Hope there is a war crimes tribunal after all this finally comes to an end.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/22/video/russia-ukraine-bucha-massacre-takeaways.html

 

[MooTime]

Harrowing footage. Hope there is a war crimes tribunal after all this finally comes to an end.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/22/video/russia-ukraine-bucha-massacre-takeaways.html

Thanks for sharing, fascinating watch. Those coughs.

 

[marki]

A Dutch court has convicted two Russians and a pro-Moscow Ukrainian separatist of the murders of 298 people who died in the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine and sentenced them to life imprisonment. I wonder how this might be carried ( the sentencing) while the war continues - while Putin feels untouchable.

 

[drron]

And who really would join Wagner if t hey knew the truth.

A Russian graveyard reveals Wagner’s prisoner army

A rapidly expanding cemetery in a southern Russian village offers insight into who is fighting - and dying - for the notoriously secretive mercenary army Wagner.

www.reuters.com

 

[Cossie]

I guess a lot of them see it as a way out of prison, and from what I have read they probably feel they have more of a chance of living, rather than staying inside, little knowing they will be used as cannon fodder.
They are an odd bunch, I’ve seen interviews with Russian mothers stating they would be happy to see their sons die a glorious death for the mother country. They also might get a fur coat if son or husbands die! Although this seems to have backfired.

Russian Propagandists’ Tacky Stunt Backfires Spectacularly

An initiative to hand out fur coats to women as compensation for their dead husbands was bad enough. Then it got worse.

www.thedailybeast.com

Really dreading what will happen on the 24th.

 

[Scarlett]

And who really would join Wagner if t hey knew the truth.

A Russian graveyard reveals Wagner’s prisoner army

A rapidly expanding cemetery in a southern Russian village offers insight into who is fighting - and dying - for the notoriously secretive mercenary army Wagner.

www.reuters.com

That’s the thing isn’t it: the truth.
Wagner boss goes around recruiting prisoners with the spiel of 6-months work for the group and you get a pardon and freedom. Likely accompanied by images or video of some of the early adopters of the scheme who did get their freedom (these images / stories may or may not have been real).

With the media censorship laws and mandatory ‘support’ for the war, it’s unlikely the prisoners would even know how poor their chances are so of course many are taking what they see as a quick way out of a sentence.

I wonder how many are then creating problems when they find themselves about to be thrown into the meat grinder on a front line somewhere in the Donbas.

The bigger point may well be that at some point Russian citizens will become aware that 100,000 or 200,000 or more of their fellow citizens have died for… what? To feed a dictator’s ego? It’s horrific and I personally hope that enough ordinary Russians can find out what is being done in their name AND can have some way of protesting or doing something about it. Not much hope of either of those things unfortunately.

 

[vetrade]

I guess a lot of them see it as a way out of prison.............

Don't underestimate how appealing it might be to a considerable number of prisoners to not only be freed from prison, but also to be paid a wage and given licence to murder virtually as many people as they want, with impunity. To many of those sickos that's as good as winning the lottery

 

[Cossie]

The cynic in me thinks it’s also a way to empty out prisons of problem prisoners and dispose of them. Like above, I doubt any have been given their freedom.

 

[Scarlett]

Instead of being depressed about the situation, I’m just going to leave these here:

 

[Cossie]

Another one! Wonder what she did to pee him off given she was meant to be an ally.

Russian defense official falls from window to her death

A local Telegram channel reported documents were left on a balcony of the building where Marina Yankina fell.

www.newsweek.com

 

[drron]

And now the first Anniversary of the war has passed in Ukraine.
A few articles I have read in the last 24 hours. first two from Reuters.

Friends, family mourn Bucha victim who became symbol of Ukraine's year-long war

The brightly painted nails were what gave the identity of the body away.

www.reuters.com

Russia's war on Ukraine latest: World marks anniversary

Ukrainians honoured fallen loved ones and vowed to fight on, while Russia said it was making battlefield gains in the east as its invasion entered a second year with no end in sight.

www.reuters.com

From AP.

Ukraine's year of pain, death —and also nation-building

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — In the final hours before the Russian onslaught , a last grasp at peace. Russian troops would soon pour across Ukraine's borders and Russian missiles would fill Ukrainian skies, taking Ukrainian lives in the biggest air, sea and ground assault in Europe since World War II.

apnews.com

And a list of articles.

What We’re Reading About One Year of War in Ukraine

Making sense of where the conflict stands, how Russia’s invasion has changed the world, and what the future might bring.

getpocket.com

 

[Cossie]

Not surprised by this latest activity, interesting times ahead.

putin’s army can’t beat the Ukrainians, they have no chance against these mercenaries.

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-66006142

 

[drron]

Hopefully this is the beginning of the end for Putin.
More reports.

Mercenary troops withdraw from Rostov as Prigozhin calls off rebellion – as it happened

The mercenaries’ chief said he had halted his troops to avoid ‘Russian bloodshed’, and he is not facing charges

www.theguardian.com

 

[gaz0303]

Russia under Prigozhin control or leaderless might not be better. I fear the outcome will be the death and suffering of more innocents.

 

[burmans]

Hopefully this is the beginning of the end for Putin.
More reports.

Mercenary troops withdraw from Rostov as Prigozhin calls off rebellion – as it happened

The mercenaries’ chief said he had halted his troops to avoid ‘Russian bloodshed’, and he is not facing charges

www.theguardian.com

I’ve thought for a while something like this was the inevitable end for Putin, still not sure this is itself the end yet but the longer this goes the better this is for Ukraine and bad for Putin.

 

[burmans]

Russia under Prigozhin control or leaderless might not be better. I fear the outcome will the death and suffering of more innocents.

Absolutely but Prigozhin himself has said invading Ukraine was a mistake vs some of the other pretenders who are far right and want Russia to go harder (ie mass mobilisation) so he may be the best of a bad bunch.

 

[Cossie]

Russia under Prigozhin control or leaderless might not be better. I fear the outcome will the death and suffering of more innocents.

Agree totally, Progozhin wants control of the military and then he can do what he wants in the Ukraine and similar to what he has done in Syria and parts of Africa.

 

[tgh]

"Little Proggie" .. with a bit of real power may be quite sensible ; a hard man for sure but any worse than the rest ?

 

[Cossie]

"Little Proggie" .. with a bit of real power may be quite sensible ; a hard man for sure but any worse than the rest ?

I certainly think he will be worse given his history of being a criminal and being locked up, makes you wonder what dubious means he used to enable him to get where he is now, in particular, being putin’s chef.

 

[burmans]

Agree totally, Progozhin wants control of the military and then he can do what he wants in the Ukraine and similar to what he has done in Syria and parts of Africa.

He may gain control but if there is a civil war against an already extremely weakened Russian army I doubt his ability to do what he wants. At least in Ukraine.