War: Russia vs. Ukraine?

[Oniya]

And here's something completely baffling...

Maria Zakharova, the spokeswoman for Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, recently gave a rant connecting the Ukrainian "Nazism" and "extremism" with the supposed unwillingness to share the recipe for bortsch:

https://www.thedailybeast.com/russia-claims-ukraines-refusal-to-share-borscht-proves-nazism

I've seen people on the web comment that Zakharova looks drunk in this speech. I don't know, personally... In any case, this whole thing is utterly bizarre.

(She is aware of this new-fangled invention called 'the Internet', right?  There's a wonderful site called 'allrecipes.com'...)

[TheGlyphstone]

(She is aware of this new-fangled invention called 'the Internet', right?  There's a wonderful site called 'allrecipes.com'...)

It's probably blocked on Russian service providers anyways, because it exposes Russians to subversive Western food.

[Oniya]

Well, then maybe she should try offering a recipe for goroshnitsa in exchange.

All I am saying, is give peas a chance.

(I couldn't resist.  Something as absurd as this deserves an equally absurd reaction.)

[Sara Nilsson]

https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-to-fast-track-adoption-of-deported-ukraine-orphans-kyiv-officials-2022-4?op=1

The Ukrainian Ombudswoman for Human Rights has said that the Russian government is crafting legislation to allow Russians to adopt Ukrainian children forcibly taken to Russia by military forces.

She has also stated that, so far, over 121,000 children have been  "deported" by the Russian government.

If this turns out to be true, and honestly I see no real reason it isn't then.. wtf. I mean a day doesn't go by without some new horrific injustice is being played out.

[Beorning]

I've heard about it many days ago already, so I suppose it is true. There are also reports that Russia is deporting adult Ukrainians from the territories they control deep into Russia...

All of this is awfully familiar, frankly. These are old Soviet methods (ever wondered why there are Poles living in Kazakhstan?) - heck, I'd even say they go back as far as 19th-century Russian Empire. Attempts at russifying non-Russians by force? We Poles had it done to us during the Partitions era...

[Vekseid]

A good response to the rumors of chemical attack:

https://twitter.com/DanKaszeta/status/1513798406849933313

A few sick (but not dead) Ukrainian soldiers doesn't make this likely. This isn't to accuse anyone of Ukraine of lying, they report what they see, but diagnosing sarin over the Internet is rather dangerous.

[Deamonbane]

Putin says peace talks with Ukraine are at dead end

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-flies-into-russian-far-east-ukraine-talks-with-belarusian-leader-2022-04-12/

Considering what his demands were, I'm pretty sure he was never interested in peace talks that involved any kind of compromising on his part.

[Azuresun]

Putin says peace talks with Ukraine are at dead end

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-flies-into-russian-far-east-ukraine-talks-with-belarusian-leader-2022-04-12/

Considering what his demands were, I'm pretty sure he was never interested in peace talks that involved any kind of compromising on his part.

It's for domestic consumption, so he can say "I tried, look how unreasonable they are." Much like how Russia withdrew from the UNSC after getting suspended.

[Numerion]

Important question: Who had "Ukraine successfully takes out Black Sea Flag Ship" on their bingo card?

On a more serious note: Even if it didn't sink, it apparently underwent massive explosions inside. It is reportedly (from US info) carrying on eastwards on its own power (possible, engine is separated from rest of the ship.

Massive explosions inside a warship essentially render it useless, many times repairs are more expensive than a complete writeoff.

Slava Ukraini.

[RedRose]

The topic is already "boring" people around here... It is insane how we got used to war in Europe... I was discussing it last night and people were just casual.

[Oniya]

Important question: Who had "Ukraine successfully takes out Black Sea Flag Ship" on their bingo card?

On a more serious note: Even if it didn't sink, it apparently underwent massive explosions inside. It is reportedly (from US info) carrying on eastwards on its own power (possible, engine is separated from rest of the ship.

Massive explosions inside a warship essentially render it useless, many times repairs are more expensive than a complete writeoff.

Slava Ukraini.

The BBC is reporting now that the Moskva has sunk in heavy seas.  https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-61101906

[Humble Scribe]

I guess the Russian warship did go fuck itself after all.

[Beorning]

The topic is already "boring" people around here... It is insane how we got used to war in Europe... I was discussing it last night and people were just casual.

What I can't understand how, in the current French presidential elections, a woman who is openly pro-Putin has a solid chance of becoming the next President of France...

Don't people in France care..? :(

[Vekseid]

What I can't understand how, in the current French presidential elections, a woman who is openly pro-Putin has a solid chance of becoming the next President of France...

Don't people in France care..? :(

I'm not sure if it's a lack of care, versus the war entering a protracted phase and people getting on with their lives.

France has long had a relatively close relationship with Russia. Macron actively sold a bunch of IR systems to Russia until very recently, for example, under 'honoring previous deals'.

[Annaamarth]

Important question: Who had "Ukraine successfully takes out Black Sea Flag Ship" on their bingo card?

On a more serious note: Even if it didn't sink, it apparently underwent massive explosions inside. It is reportedly (from US info) carrying on eastwards on its own power (possible, engine is separated from rest of the ship.

Massive explosions inside a warship essentially render it useless, many times repairs are more expensive than a complete writeoff.

Slava Ukraini.

I guess the Russian warship did go fuck itself after all.

Heroyam slava.

What I can't understand how, in the current French presidential elections, a woman who is openly pro-Putin has a solid chance of becoming the next President of France...

Don't people in France care..? :(

Not just as Vek said, but also - people all over are still deep in information silos.  I try to get out of mine, but mine involves seeking out pro-[faction I disagree with] news sources or telegram threads.

That takes work and a lot of people are more comfortable just ... sitting in those silos.  Some of those information silos are anti-vax or anti-mask, pro-authoritarian, pro-Putin, or some combination of the above.

When we (broadly, in the west and elsewhere) struggled so hard to maintain basics like "masks gud" over the past two years, is anyone surprised that the pro-Putin, pro-authoritarian, nation-first groups continue to thrive? Political identity is a strong drug.

[Annaamarth]

Interesting deeper info on the Russian FSB purge, courtesy of Beau:

Spoilered to keep visual glut down

https://youtu.be/liCWOXetZFk

He also did a fun video on the Moskva Snake Island Memorial Reef.

[Vekseid]

It's believed that some of that money did get where it was supposed to. It's hard to argue that Kherson wasn't handed over by traitors, for example.

We probably won't know for some years, if ever, but it is entirely possible those agents did in fact believe they had blanketed Ukraine with surrender monkeys.

[RedRose]

The French are violently individualistic as people (except maybe when there is a common ennemy) and as a country. People will not ban Leroy-Merlin (I learned about that here?!) and I think anyone voting for Le Pen doesn't care for any foreigner, so they will choose Russian people if it suits them personally.

[Lustful Bride]

Russian Bombers are currently running a Carpet Bombing mission over Mariupol.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/russian-bombers-just-carpet-bombed-mariupol/ar-AAWgxic?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=3c07404710b54a18b632746757483ca8

If this keeps up, nothing will be left of the city but glass and bones.

[Beorning]

T-shirts that are, reportedly, selling well in Russia now:

https://twitter.com/InnaSovsun/status/1515284936017727490

This is horrible 

[Humble Scribe]

An Easter twist on the Moskva sinking - the ship may have been carrying a piece of the True Cross.

All I can think of is Han Solo's line about "hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster by your side, kid", or in this case, a working CIWS point defence cannon.

[TheGlyphstone]

On the other hand, there was a point when if you added up every chip and sliver of wood that a church claimed was its piece of the cross, the thing would have been 30 feet tall.

[Humble Scribe]

On the other hand, there was a point when if you added up every chip and sliver of wood that a church claimed was its piece of the cross, the thing would have been 30 feet tall.

That was what Calvin said, more or less, though he obviously had his own angle. Perhaps I should have said alleged piece, even if you believe that Emperor Constantine's mother on a trip to Jerusalem to find relics somehow found the real thing just lying around after 300 years.

[Oniya]

That was what Calvin said, more or less, though he obviously had his own angle. Perhaps I should have said alleged piece, even if you believe that Emperor Constantine's mother on a trip to Jerusalem to find relics somehow found the real thing just lying around after 300 years.

The relic/reliquary business was a *thing*, man.  Finger bones, skulls, hair clippings, you name it.  There are at least four places claiming to have the head of St. John the Baptist. (Content warning - among the expected bones and aforementioned hair clippings, there is a depiction of the circumcision of Christ.  Because relics.  I can't make this stuff up.)

Upon reading that headline to the family, Little Oni has asked if the water that the ship sank in is now holy water.

[Devilfruit]

This war is terrible, I have family and friends overseas. So far not so good, I think the worst thing is that many times people will say it is not Russian citizens fault. To a degree, I agree. But also, I feel there should be some form of ability for Russian people to accept they did indirectly cause this war by never really opposing their governments. Both Ukraine and Belarus, were under dictatorships and both protested. Belarus's was crushed because the West provided no support to protestors despite promising to do so. Ukraine's succeeded for different reasons. But most Russians do not protest their government.

Now to be clear though, that is not to say there are no Russians who protest. But those that do is a miniscule number in the grand scheme of things. I think the main thing that bothers me, is that more often than not Russians are protesting not because Ukrainians are dying. But because their pocketbooks are being hurt by sanctions. This level of protests never existed in Chechen wars, Georgia war, 2014 or Russias other military excursions. Most Russians supported the annexation of Crimea. I feel many times people are not trying to hold Russian citizens accountable for their government and we give them a pass. But none of the Russian citizens protested past wars until their own livelihoods were endangered.

I am likely biased, due to my personal attachment to people in Ukraine and Belarus. But I feel there should be more accountability being held to Russian citizens. I believe those protesting are hero's but, the truth is that the majority are not protesting. Getting accurate numbers for amount of people who support Putin is also difficult. But, I personally think that unfortunately if these sanctions had not been as hard hitting as they had majority of Russians would not have cared or would have even been fine with this war just like they were in 2014. My opinion is, this is a disaster, but if Ukrainians and Belarusians could protest their governments in far larger numbers (comparatively by populations), there's no reasons Russians can't either.