Europe War in Ukraine - Thread 4 - thread rules updated

[Gethelred]

This is the thread for discussing the War in Ukraine. Should you want to discuss the geopolitics, the history, or an interesting tangent, head over here:

Europe - Backdrop to the war in Ukraine

This is the thread for the geopolitics, history and framework around the Russia-Ukraine conflict. If you want to discuss the events of the war, head over to this thread: https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/war-in-ukraine-thread-4-thread-rules-updated.1376293/page-146

www.bigfooty.com

If a post isn't directly concerning the events of the war or starts to derail the thread, report the post to us and we'll move it over there.

Seeing as multiple people seem to have forgotten, abuse is against the rules of BF. Continuous, page long attacks directed at a single poster in this thread will result in threadbans for a week from this point; doing so again once you have returned will make the bans permanent and will be escalated to infractions.

This thread still has misinformation rules, and occasionally you will be asked to demonstrate a claim you have made by moderation. If you cannot, you will be offered the opportunity to amend the post to reflect that it's opinion, to remove the post, or you will be threadbanned and infracted for sharing misinformation.

Addendum: from this point, use of any variant of the word 'orc' to describe combatants, politicians or russians in general will be deleted and the poster will receive a warning. If the behaviour continues, it will be escalated. Consider this fair warning.

Finally: If I see the word Nazi or Hitler being flung around, there had better have a good faith basis as to how it's applicable to the Russian invasion - as in, video/photographic evidence of POW camps designed to remove another ethnic group - or to the current Ukrainian army. If this does not occur, you will be threadbanned for posting off topic

This is a sensitive area, and I understand that this makes for fairly incensed conversation sometimes. This does not mean the rules do not apply, whether to a poster positing a Pro-Ukraine stance or a poster positing an alternative view.

Behave, people.

 

[Chief]

such a stupid,backward comment

Yes yes. Why do you think anyone wants to escalate the Russian imperialist invasion?

 

[Mobbs]

Marine drones, that launch UAV drones? Seems confirmed but would love more info.

Seen striking a gas platform used for surveillance by the RF. Stunning footage of Ukraine escalating the war against Russia.

 

[Mobbs]

Ok so today one Russian friend has texted me to say he is "back from hell" & "demobilised" (his words, in English). A year or two ago he was talking about hoping he could avoid being called up - but I guess it didn't work out that way. I get the sense he's relieved to be out of it - certainly not surprising. I will gently nudge him to share whatever thoughts and feelings he wants to, but I won't press him. Can't guarantee he'll spill anything much but you never know.

Prior this eventuality, his home town was in an oblast that isn't so far from Ukraine, and had been a target on rare occasions (nothing like Krasnodar or Kursk etc tho). Not an ethnic backwater.

 

[Sarcoidevo]

So what's gunna happen with the Russian Navy base in Tartus in Syria now?

As of December 2024, all Russian Navy assets had been withdrawn from the base, following the Fall of Aleppo to Syrian National Army forces.

 

[Zidane98]

So what's gunna happen with the Russian Navy base in Tartus in Syria now?

As of December 2024, all Russian Navy assets had been withdrawn from the base, following the Fall of Aleppo to Syrian National Army forces.

Anyone heard from Assad since he fled to Moscow?

You know politicians are cowards when they flee for Russia.

Eg Yanukovych.

 

[Zidane98]

Can any of our resident vatniks explain why Putin isn't threatening nukes as he watches Russia's close ally & client state Syria fall before his eyes?

After all, surely Turkey is risking a nuclear confrontation being a NATO state.

I'm confused by the lack of threats and lack of concern by those usually worried about nuclear war.

 

[Andre]

Why do conservatives get taken in by Putin

It depends which one's you mean. If I was a US citizen I'd label myself a Reagan Republican. A breed almost dead there now. Fiscally conservative, back a strong military and anti-Empire / Authoritarian, with the US there to ensure democracy is the right of any country wanting it, no interest in religion. Do what you want as long as it doesn't effect anyone else.

The religious conservatives love Putin, as he's anti-gay / LBGT, traditional family roles, big families (in theory, the Russian demographics are a shitshow no matter how the war goes), pro-Christian (although the Russian church is an arm of the State, where as US religious conservatives want the state as an arm of the church). He sells to them a world they long to return to.

 

[wannabejack]

russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov : Moscow was ready to use “any means” to stave off defeat.
This is why Ukraine has the right to defend itself even if it means escalating the war because russia has escalated to a point where Ukraine has no choice.
russia’s escalation (using "any means") has involved deliberate attacks against civilian targets, including on hospitals, medical facilities and on the energy grid; indiscriminate attacks on densely-populated areas; the abduction, torture and murder of civilians; forced deportations; sexual violence; destruction of cultural heritage; and the killing and torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war.

 

[Mobbs]

Anyone heard from Assad since he fled to Moscow?

You know politicians are cowards when they flee for Russia.

Eg Yanukovych.

Latest speculation is that he's in Abu Dhabi.

 

[Mobbs]

ZBloggers:


SAA forces:
View attachment video_2024-12-07_16-12-26.mp4
SAA soldiers reportedly changing from military uniforms to civilian clothes in central Damascus.

 

[Mobbs]

And Homs is reportedly down, meaning any forces attempting to "commute" by road between Damascus and the coastl bases Tartus & Latakia, are effectively faced with enemy-held territory en route.


Rebel forces are celebrating on the streets in Homs. SAA has withdrawn, and gave up control over Homs. - [NOEL Reports TG]
View attachment IMG_8094.MP4View attachment IMG_8095.MP4

 

[Zidane98]

 

[Baldur]

Ok so today one Russian friend has texted me to say he is "back from hell" & "demobilised" (his words, in English). A year or two ago he was talking about hoping he could avoid being called up - but I guess it didn't work out that way. I get the sense he's relieved to be out of it - certainly not surprising. I will gently nudge him to share whatever thoughts and feelings he wants to, but I won't press him. Can't guarantee he'll spill anything much but you never know.

Prior this eventuality, his home town was in an oblast that isn't so far from Ukraine, and had been a target on rare occasions (nothing like Krasnodar or Kursk etc tho). Not an ethnic backwater.

Who do you have to bribe to be "demobilised"?

 

[Mobbs]

Who do you have to bribe to be "demobilised"?

It's gonna be a precarious navigation to try to get an understanding out of him. For all I know maybe all his limbs have been blown off. I am curious to find out the nature of his enlistment, the reasons for his service to have reached a conclusion, and actually what rewards he is promised/delivered for that service.

And of course, I am extremely curious about any actual anecdotes of the experience.

 

[Mobbs]

JakeBroe usually comments on latest events, but this time he's gone all out to debunk the NATO aggression propaganda.

 

[Chadwiko]

Russia abandoned Assad and his dictatorship instantly collapsed with zero Russian support.

Other Russian "allies" will definitely be observing this reality with interest...

 

[lizard man]

I’ve always been a bit confused about this war because I have a mate who thinks Putin had no choice but to invade …. Something about a proxy war by usa ….. not sure what his specific reasoning for that is but I’ve seen it been brought up a few times

 

[Chadwiko]

I’ve always been a bit confused about this war because I have a mate who thinks Putin had no choice but to invade …. Something about a proxy war by usa ….. not sure what his specific reasoning for that is but I’ve seen it been brought up a few times

Your mate is... misguided.

 

[lizard man]

Your mate is... misguided.

I thought so to as I couldn’t understand why he would be forced into invading but I’ve seen this idea pop up a few times on YouTube as well …. I would post these videos but I think it would make people angry

 

[Chadwiko]

To be clear, I do not 'support' the Syrian rebels/ISIS in any way. That should go without saying, but so often people try and twist narratives in these threads so I want to make it clear at the outset.

But I do want to point out; the rapid collapse of the Assad dictatorship has been an incredibly illuminating situation in regards to exposing all the pro-Russian accounts for not dealing in reality and only pushing Russian propaganda, despite the actual circumstances unfolding. These are the same accounts that I've seen posted on BigFooty as 'reputable sources' over and over again in the last few years by pro-Putin/anti-Ukrainian types. Often by people who will make fun of others for believing the "mainstream media" or US/EU/Ukrainian sources.

Meanwhile, those same pro-Russian accounts and pundits over the last two weeks have been posting non-stop copium about how Russia and Syria will "destroy" the rebels, etc.

IE;

View attachment 2183989


And yet, here we are.

I find it fascinating.

 

[CD Xbow]

To be clear, I do not 'support' the Syrian rebels/ISIS in any way. That should go without saying, but so often people try and twist narratives in these threads so I want to make it clear at the outset.

But I do want to point out; the rapid collapse of the Assad dictatorship has been an incredibly illuminating situation in regards to exposing all the pro-Russian accounts for not dealing in reality and only pushing Russian propaganda, despite the actual circumstances unfolding. These are the same accounts that I've seen posted on BigFooty as 'reputable sources' over and over again in the last few years by pro-Putin/anti-Ukrainian types. Often by people who will make fun of others for believing the "mainstream media" or US/EU/Ukrainian sources.

Meanwhile, those same pro-Russian accounts and pundits over the last two weeks have been posting non-stop copium about how Russia and Syria will "destroy" the rebels, etc.

IE;

View attachment 2183989


And yet, here we are.

I find it fascinating.

Yes, it has certainly been interesting. Autocracies often seem so formidable, however they are usually brittle. Hope the Russian people are watching. The law of unintended consequences has come around and bitten Mr P on the bum. Invade Ukraine, then unable to support Assad and his Syrian puppet falls. Glorious. I just hope Hayat Tahrir al-Sham et al, are better folks than their predecessors, the Syrian people deserve a break.

 

[wannabejack]

I’ve always been a bit confused about this war because I have a mate who thinks Putin had no choice but to invade …. Something about a proxy war by usa ….. not sure what his specific reasoning for that is but I’ve seen it been brought up a few times

Mobbs video (a couple of posts before yours) isn’t a bad one to watch. It doesn’t so much talk about a “proxy war” but does go into the history and why Putin invaded.

 

[Smeg Head]

Russia abandoned Assad and his dictatorship instantly collapsed with zero Russian support.

Other Russian "allies" will definitely be observing this reality with interest...

Think its more the lack of strength in Hezbollah that has really led to the rapid collapse of the Assad regime now.

 

[lizard man]

Mobbs video (a couple of posts before yours) isn’t a bad one to watch. It doesn’t so much talk about a “proxy war” but does go into the history and why Putin invaded.

I’ll have a look at it tonight, thank you

 

[Frank Grimes]

Think its more the lack of strength in Hezbollah that has really led to the rapid collapse of the Assad regime now.

Think it's a bit of both. If Russia wasn't spread thin due to the war on Ukraine they could have covered for a weakened Hezbollah. Also works vice versa. The planets have aligned in both Hezbollah weakened and Russia spread thin due to the war on Ukraine giving the rebels the chance to lay siege.