*** Official Russia vs. Ukraine Discussion - Invasion has begun *** (4 Viewers)

[fatness]

India to defy Trump’s threats and keep buying Russian oil, government sources say

India will keep purchasing oil from Russia, despite President Donald Trump threatening to impose penalties for doing so, two Indian officials said on Saturday. That contradicted a statement from Trump, who on Friday told reporters his understanding was that India would “no longer” be buying oil from Russia. "These are long-term oil contracts," an unnamed Indian official told Reuters. "It is not so simple to just stop buying overnight.”

Sorry to see that but not surprised.

 

[fatness]

Ukraine urges Trump admin to 'strangle' Russian economy amid nuclear tensions

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's top adviser urged the U.S. to "strangle" Russia's economy by imposing secondary sanctions on Moscow's trading partners, as the White House push for a ceasefire appears to languish. "Sanctions are working," Andriy Yermak, the head of Zelenskyy's office, wrote on Telegram on Sunday, citing data he said shows a collapse in Russian railway capacity over the past 12 months. "The economy, geared for war, cannot withstand the pressure and is holding on only through the sale of energy resources," Yermak wrote. "It is possible to strangle the economy with secondary tariffs proposed in the USA."

 

[Chadstroma]

Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies uncover drone procurement graft scheme - ABC News https://share.google/V9S92CIAd6DIaacqM

 

[Chadstroma]

Breaking News: Germany Plans to Order 6500 Combat Vehicles to Build Europe's Most Powerful Army https://armyrecognition.com/news/ar...build-europes-most-powerful-conventional-army

 

[Chadstroma]

Explosions disable Russia's Central Asia-Center gas pipeline – source https://share.google/aaMxyaVs8EGgBX2nZ

 

[Chadstroma]

France Delivers Bastion Armored Vehicles to Ukraine After Years of Delays and Trials — UNITED24 Media https://share.google/ih5hBHl5EuQt9KZ14

 

[FarFromHome]

Breaking News: Germany Plans to Order 6500 Combat Vehicles to Build Europe's Most Powerful Army https://armyrecognition.com/news/ar...build-europes-most-powerful-conventional-army

Couldn't have picked a better country than Germany to pioneer this. Ha ha

 

[fatness]

Ukrainian strike destroys Russian S-300 in occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast, General Staff says

Ukrainian forces destroyed a Russian S-300 surface-to-air missile system in the Russian-occupied areas of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukraine's General Staff said on Aug. 4. The S-300 is a long-range surface-to-air missile system that intercepts aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles. Developed by the Soviet Union, it remains a key component of Russia's air defense and, depending on the variant, can engage multiple targets at ranges of up to 150 kilometers (93 miles). Russian forces also use the system to attack Ukrainian-controlled territory and target frontline military positions of the Ukrainian army.

The destruction of this target deals a significant blow to the Russian long-range fire capabilities, limiting its ability to strike Ukrainian positions and civilian infrastructure in the region, according to Ukraine's General Staff. "Ukrainian forces continue to systematically destroy key elements of Russia's military capabilities, weakening the enemy's ability to carry out combat operations, hold illegally occupied territories, and sustain the occupation," the General Staff said. The Kyiv Independent could not verify the report.

 

[fatness]

Latvia blocks 10 websites spreading Russian propaganda

Ieva Kalderauska, a NEPLP member, told Latvijas Radio that the information provided by these websites contradicts Latvia's national security by justifying Russia's war, occupation, and giving informational support to Russia. "Mostly these are articles that supposedly explain what is happening, but in fact justify the war. There are also websites where calls to enlist in the (Russian) army and fight in Ukraine are published," Kalderauska said. According to NEPLP, if the access was not restricted, 40,000—68,000 users could visit the websites each month. The number of attempts to access blocked websites is half a million per month, it added. Since 2022, Latvia, among the other Baltic states, has been one of Ukraine's most vocal supporters, sharing a history of Russian aggression and occupation.

 

[Chadstroma]

Ukraine strikes five Russian fighter jets at annexed Crimea airfield

Ukraine’s Security Service struck an airfield in Saky in annexed Crimea overnight on Monday, hitting five fighter jets, which Russia uses for its regular attacks on Ukraine.

www.euronews.com

 

[Chadstroma]

Ukraine says it stole intel from the Russian Navy and found weak points in its newest nuclear missile submarine

The Project 955A Borei-class ballistic missile submarine Knyaz Pozharsky entered service less than two weeks ago.

www.businessinsider.com

 

[fatness]

Russia says it no longer will abide by its self-imposed moratorium on intermediate-range missiles

Russia has declared that it no longer considers itself bound by a self-imposed moratorium on the deployment of nuclear-capable intermediate range missiles, a warning that potentially sets the stage for a new arms race as tensions between Moscow and Washington rise again over Ukraine. In a statement Monday, the Russian Foreign Ministry linked the decision to efforts by the U.S. and its allies to develop intermediate range weapons and preparations for their deployment in Europe and other parts of the world. It specifically cited U.S. plans to deploy Typhoon and Dark Eagle missiles in Germany starting next year.

 

[Dezbelief]

Ukraine’s Secret Weapon Against Shaheds? A Jet Drone That Fires a Shotgun

The Mongoose, developed by Technari, is a versatile drone interceptor built to engage and disable Iranian Shahed drones utilized in attacks against Ukraine.

united24media.com

Ukrainian defense developer “Technari” has introduced a new reusable drone interceptor designed to neutralize Iranian-made Shahed drones used by Russia in its attacks on Ukraine.

The new unmanned aerial vehicle, named “Mongoose”, was developed as a response to frontline demands from Ukrainian air defense brigades.

According to Defender Media on July 30, citing CEO Hennadii Suldin, the Mongoose is a jet-powered, fixed-wing UAV equipped with a heat-seeking guidance system and a multi-barrel shotgun designed to disable enemy drones by targeting their engines or propellers.

Technari disclosed the development during the second phase of the Defense Builder accelerator program. The company, based in Odesa, is also known for creating the ePPO air defense alert app and other military technologies.

Unlike existing FPV-style interceptors, Mongoose is designed for multiple missions. It can continue targeting additional drones after a successful engagement or return to base for refueling and rearming.

The drone reaches speeds of up to 310 km/h, with a service ceiling of 5,000 meters and an operational range of approximately 12 kilometers. This makes it suitable for intercepting current and future iterations of Shahed-type drones, including those equipped with faster propulsion systems.

The first squadron of Mongoose drones has been completed, and prototypes are being prepared for delivery to air defense brigades for field testing. According to Technari, at least six military units have already expressed interest, and production volumes will depend on military demand.

Following successful combat trials, the company plans to scale up manufacturing using partner facilities that specialize in UAV assembly. Suldin noted that producing 5,000–7,000 reusable interceptors could replace the need for tens of thousands of disposable drones currently in use.

Earlier, Ukrainian officials confirmed that Russia has begun deploying jet-powered variants of the Shahed drone—believed to be localized versions of Iran’s Shahed-238, rebranded as the Geran-3.

These drones can reach speeds up to 600 km/h, fly at altitudes of 9 kilometers, and are functionally closer to cruise missiles than UAVs. Debris from such drones has already been recovered in Ukraine, and reports suggest they are being assembled at the Alabuga plant in Russia.

 

[beer 30]

Breaking News: Germany Plans to Order 6500 Combat Vehicles to Build Europe's Most Powerful Army https://armyrecognition.com/news/ar...build-europes-most-powerful-conventional-army

Couldn't have picked a better country than Germany to pioneer this. Ha ha

I've seen this movie, never ends well for the Germans.

 

[fatness]

US and Russia Plan Truce Deal to Cement Putin’s Gains in Ukraine
It's a Bloomberg article so if you hit a paywall: https://archive.ph/YrFmr

Washington and Moscow are aiming to reach a deal to halt the war in Ukraine that would lock in Russia’s occupation of territory seized during its military invasion, according to people familiar with the matter. US and Russian officials are working toward an agreement on territories for a planned summit meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin as early as next week, the people said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations. The US is working to get buy-in from Ukraine and its European allies on the deal, which is far from certain, the people said.

Putin is demanding that Ukraine cede its entire eastern Donbas area to Russia as well as Crimea, which his forces illegally annexed in 2014. That would require Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to order a withdrawal of troops from parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions still held by Kyiv, handing Russia a victory that its army couldn’t achieve militarily since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Russia would halt its offensive in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine along the current battlelines as part of the deal, the people said. They cautioned that the terms and plans of the accord were still in flux and could still change. It’s unclear if Moscow is prepared to give up any land that it currently occupies, which includes the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe. It’s unclear if Moscow is prepared to give up any land that it currently occupies, which includes the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe.

 

[Chadstroma]

A deal that gives Russia land and does not include European troops on soil with security guarantees only gives Russia time to rebuild and try later.

 

[Dezbelief]

Putin needles U.S. by giving Trump envoy an award meant for CIA official whose son died fighting for Russia

Vladimir Putin gave Trump envoy Steve Witkoff an award meant for a senior CIA official whose son was killed in Ukraine while fighting with Russian forces, sources say.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[FarFromHome]

Putin meeting with US on our soil? Interesting.

Look. I need to preface this by saying Putin is one of the top 10 villains in history. Just a despicable human who has no interest in his own people's actual lives. He has been very very protected during this conflict. I wonder if any outside entity would consider a hit? Sounds bold. Kinda evil. I'm also not saying I'm for this, but this region would be better off without him on the board. Just saying.

I mention this because I watched a podcast where they were discussing this topic.

 

[fatness]

Putin Says He’ll End War With Ukraine With One Major Concession

Normally I wouldn't use that source because not very reliable, but it's a synopsis of a Wall Street Journal article I can't get to.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told the Trump administration earlier this week that he would end the war with Ukraine in exchange for the region in eastern Ukraine known as the Donbas, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. The WSJ cited European and Ukrainian officials, who were briefed by Trump and his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, on discussions with Putin. Putin reportedly made the offer to Witkoff during their meeting in Moscow on Wednesday.

 

[fatness]

It is possible that Mr. Putin is using the summit as another stalling tactic, as well as a way to try to improve frayed ties with Washington. On a larger scale, the summit corresponds to Mr. Putin’s worldview, that great powers should determine their own spheres of influence, much the way that Stalin met with President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill of Britain in Yalta in 1945 to carve up postwar Europe. Mr. Putin believes that Russia’s vast nuclear arsenal still makes it a world power, even though Russia produces very little that the rest of the world wants apart from energy. Mr. Putin, having called the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union “the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century,” has sought for decades to reassert Moscow’s control over Ukraine.

Russia and Ukraine have held three rounds of talks in Istanbul, and Moscow has used those meeting to try to achieve what it has been unable to win on the battlefield. Mr. Putin will most likely make the same maximalist demands at any meeting with Mr. Trump: claiming eastern Ukraine as Russian; keeping Ukraine out of NATO; preventing the alliance from expanding into former Soviet realms; limiting the size of Ukraine’s military and ensuring that its government is friendly toward Moscow.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/08/world/europe/putin-trump-summit-ukraine.html

 

[FarFromHome]

It is possible that Mr. Putin is using the summit as another stalling tactic, as well as a way to try to improve frayed ties with Washington. On a larger scale, the summit corresponds to Mr. Putin’s worldview, that great powers should determine their own spheres of influence, much the way that Stalin met with President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill of Britain in Yalta in 1945 to carve up postwar Europe. Mr. Putin believes that Russia’s vast nuclear arsenal still makes it a world power, even though Russia produces very little that the rest of the world wants apart from energy. Mr. Putin, having called the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union “the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century,” has sought for decades to reassert Moscow’s control over Ukraine.

Russia and Ukraine have held three rounds of talks in Istanbul, and Moscow has used those meeting to try to achieve what it has been unable to win on the battlefield. Mr. Putin will most likely make the same maximalist demands at any meeting with Mr. Trump: claiming eastern Ukraine as Russian; keeping Ukraine out of NATO; preventing the alliance from expanding into former Soviet realms; limiting the size of Ukraine’s military and ensuring that its government is friendly toward Moscow.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/08/world/europe/putin-trump-summit-ukraine.html

Ill say this if you only offer the rest of the world one thing let that one thing be energy. They give roughly 10% of oil to world. Have one the biggest reserves of natural gas. Major coal exporter. Is Putin stalling? Who knows. Is Putin doing this for Putin to win something? Absolutely.

 

[Chadstroma]

It is possible that Mr. Putin is using the summit as another stalling tactic, as well as a way to try to improve frayed ties with Washington. On a larger scale, the summit corresponds to Mr. Putin’s worldview, that great powers should determine their own spheres of influence, much the way that Stalin met with President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill of Britain in Yalta in 1945 to carve up postwar Europe. Mr. Putin believes that Russia’s vast nuclear arsenal still makes it a world power, even though Russia produces very little that the rest of the world wants apart from energy. Mr. Putin, having called the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union “the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century,” has sought for decades to reassert Moscow’s control over Ukraine.

Russia and Ukraine have held three rounds of talks in Istanbul, and Moscow has used those meeting to try to achieve what it has been unable to win on the battlefield. Mr. Putin will most likely make the same maximalist demands at any meeting with Mr. Trump: claiming eastern Ukraine as Russian; keeping Ukraine out of NATO; preventing the alliance from expanding into former Soviet realms; limiting the size of Ukraine’s military and ensuring that its government is friendly toward Moscow.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/08/world/europe/putin-trump-summit-ukraine.html

I don't like ceding territory at all to Russia. I don't think the answer is Ukraine joining NATO now. But without a security guarantee backed by European troops and Ukraine not being limited at all in it's military, a deal would be an absolute, horrible and complete mistake.

I do think this is Putin trying to buy time. What does he have to lose? Demand everything and give nothing but then try to push back the sanctions action and potentially more that would not only crush the military effort but likely the totality of the Russian economy which could very well lead to the collapse of the Putin regime.

 

[Orange&Blue]

for some reason i have zero confidence in this administration not screwing over Ukraine.

 

[fatness]

Zelensky: Ukraine Ready for Peace, Won’t Cede Territory to Russia

Regarding Ukraine’s territorial integrity, he stated, “The answer to the Ukrainian territorial issue is already in the Constitution of Ukraine. No one will and cannot deviate from this. Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier.” Zelensky said Ukraine is ready for real peace agreements, but cautioned, “Any decisions that are against us, any decisions that are without Ukraine, are at the same time decisions against peace. They will not achieve anything. These are dead decisions; they will never work. And we all need real, living peace that people will respect.” He added, “We are ready to work together with President Trump and all our partners for real and, most importantly, lasting peace – peace that will not collapse because of Moscow’s desires.”

 

[fatness]

This is an opinion article in the Kiev Post.

I don’t see credible security guarantees for Ukraine in the peace terms leaked - no credible assurance on future NATO membership, no direct bilateral security guarantees albeit a vague assurance from the US that it will supply (likely for a fee) military equipment to Ukraine. But how can any future government in Ukraine believe anything that this US administration promises? Therein Ukraine still remembers the sellout which was the Budapest memorandum - it surrendered its huge nuclear arsenal for great power security guarantees which literally were not worth the paper they were written on. No Ukrainian leader could agree to any territorial give up - even de facto - without cast iron security guarantees for territory remaining under the control of Kyiv. Security would be key to successful economic development - and a strong EU accession anchor. Any such give-up would risk revolution and or a coup at home.

 

[fatness]

Trump-Putin summit in Alaska resembles a slow defeat for Ukraine

The conditions around Friday’s summit so wildly favor Moscow, it is obvious why Putin leapt at the chance, after months of fake negotiation, and it is hard to see how a deal emerges from the bilateral that does not eviscerate Ukraine. Kyiv and its European allies have reacted with understandable horror at the early ideas of Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, that Ukraine cede the remainders of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in exchange for a ceasefire.

The main goal is a ceasefire, and that itself is a stretch. Putin has long held that the immediate ceasefire demanded by the United States, Europe and Ukraine for months, is impossible as technical work about monitoring and logistics must take place first. He is unlikely to have changed his mind now his troops are in the ascendancy across the eastern frontline. Europe is also wary of mirroring the failure of former UK Foreign Secretary Neville Chamberlain to stand up to Nazi Germany in 1938 – of the worthlessness of a “piece of paper” signed by a Kremlin that has repeatedly agreed to deals in Ukraine and then simply used the pause to regroup before invading again.

 

[New Binky the Doormat]

Trump-Putin summit in Alaska resembles a slow defeat for Ukraine

The conditions around Friday’s summit so wildly favor Moscow, it is obvious why Putin leapt at the chance, after months of fake negotiation, and it is hard to see how a deal emerges from the bilateral that does not eviscerate Ukraine. Kyiv and its European allies have reacted with understandable horror at the early ideas of Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, that Ukraine cede the remainders of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in exchange for a ceasefire.

The main goal is a ceasefire, and that itself is a stretch. Putin has long held that the immediate ceasefire demanded by the United States, Europe and Ukraine for months, is impossible as technical work about monitoring and logistics must take place first. He is unlikely to have changed his mind now his troops are in the ascendancy across the eastern frontline. Europe is also wary of mirroring the failure of former UK Foreign Secretary Neville Chamberlain to stand up to Nazi Germany in 1938 – of the worthlessness of a “piece of paper” signed by a Kremlin that has repeatedly agreed to deals in Ukraine and then simply used the pause to regroup before invading again.

horrific and shameful for this country ...this is NOT who we are

 

[fatness]

I'm guessing that the summit in Alaska will mostly be about economic deals or frameworks for deals, something that the US administration can brag about as beneficial for the US, with Ukraine "peace" being a throw-in. I think Putin is a smart guy who knows what will appeal to the people he is negotiating with.

 

[FarFromHome]

Trump-Putin summit in Alaska resembles a slow defeat for Ukraine

The conditions around Friday’s summit so wildly favor Moscow, it is obvious why Putin leapt at the chance, after months of fake negotiation, and it is hard to see how a deal emerges from the bilateral that does not eviscerate Ukraine. Kyiv and its European allies have reacted with understandable horror at the early ideas of Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, that Ukraine cede the remainders of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in exchange for a ceasefire.

The main goal is a ceasefire, and that itself is a stretch. Putin has long held that the immediate ceasefire demanded by the United States, Europe and Ukraine for months, is impossible as technical work about monitoring and logistics must take place first. He is unlikely to have changed his mind now his troops are in the ascendancy across the eastern frontline. Europe is also wary of mirroring the failure of former UK Foreign Secretary Neville Chamberlain to stand up to Nazi Germany in 1938 – of the worthlessness of a “piece of paper” signed by a Kremlin that has repeatedly agreed to deals in Ukraine and then simply used the pause to regroup before invading again.

horrific and shameful for this country ...this is NOT who we are

Im just super thankful they gave CNN the cliff notes on the plan. Ha ha

 

[Chadstroma]

Trump-Putin summit in Alaska resembles a slow defeat for Ukraine

The conditions around Friday’s summit so wildly favor Moscow, it is obvious why Putin leapt at the chance, after months of fake negotiation, and it is hard to see how a deal emerges from the bilateral that does not eviscerate Ukraine. Kyiv and its European allies have reacted with understandable horror at the early ideas of Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, that Ukraine cede the remainders of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in exchange for a ceasefire.

The main goal is a ceasefire, and that itself is a stretch. Putin has long held that the immediate ceasefire demanded by the United States, Europe and Ukraine for months, is impossible as technical work about monitoring and logistics must take place first. He is unlikely to have changed his mind now his troops are in the ascendancy across the eastern frontline. Europe is also wary of mirroring the failure of former UK Foreign Secretary Neville Chamberlain to stand up to Nazi Germany in 1938 – of the worthlessness of a “piece of paper” signed by a Kremlin that has repeatedly agreed to deals in Ukraine and then simply used the pause to regroup before invading again.

horrific and shameful for this country ...this is NOT who we are

Im just super thankful they gave CNN the cliff notes on the plan. Ha ha

All with heaping amounts of salt.

I think we get a lot of the gloom and doom from the same people who told us Trump was in on it with Putin etc. I think Putin has played Trump well so far for his purposes.

The reality is... for way too many people... be it media or man on the street... there is an inability to seperate political leaning to analysis and critical thinking. Those on the left will predict the worst scenarios and find anything to suggest failure out of what is done... those on the right will trumpet future success and never find a fault.

American media has lead the way in this.

 

[GenX fan]

Europe needs to get their stuff together and say enough is enough. Let Putin and Trump decide whatever they want, Ukraine will never accept nor should they have to.

Are you telling me the entire combined forces of the EU is not enough to supply and protect Ukraine going forward? Don't force Ukraine to accept a deal which will be terrible for them.

 

[fatness]

I think we get a lot of the gloom and doom from the same people who told us Trump was in on it with Putin etc. I think Putin has played Trump well so far for his purposes.

The reality is... for way too many people... be it media or man on the street... there is an inability to seperate political leaning to analysis and critical thinking. Those on the left will predict the worst scenarios and find anything to suggest failure out of what is done... those on the right will trumpet future success and never find a fault.

American media has lead the way in this.

I don't disagree but I think you're not mentioning the large number of people who are just rooting for Ukraine, and who want to see the US as a good guy continuing to help the victims of a hellish invasion.

 

[Chadstroma]

Europe needs to get their stuff together and say enough is enough. Let Putin and Trump decide whatever they want, Ukraine will never accept nor should they have to.

Are you telling me the entire combined forces of the EU is not enough to supply and protect Ukraine going forward? Don't force Ukraine to accept a deal which will be terrible for them.

Only through us. They don't have the industrial production to keep Ukraine supplied. They would have to buy from us.

 

[Chadstroma]

I think we get a lot of the gloom and doom from the same people who told us Trump was in on it with Putin etc. I think Putin has played Trump well so far for his purposes.

The reality is... for way too many people... be it media or man on the street... there is an inability to seperate political leaning to analysis and critical thinking. Those on the left will predict the worst scenarios and find anything to suggest failure out of what is done... those on the right will trumpet future success and never find a fault.

American media has lead the way in this.

I don't disagree but I think you're not mentioning the large number of people who are just rooting for Ukraine, and who want to see the US as a good guy continuing to help the victims of a hellish invasion.

I am not sure I am forgetting that as I am probably the most hawkish on this board.

 

[Dezbelief]

I think we get a lot of the gloom and doom from the same people who told us Trump was in on it with Putin etc. I think Putin has played Trump well so far for his purposes.

The reality is... for way too many people... be it media or man on the street... there is an inability to seperate political leaning to analysis and critical thinking. Those on the left will predict the worst scenarios and find anything to suggest failure out of what is done... those on the right will trumpet future success and never find a fault.

American media has lead the way in this.

I don't disagree but I think you're not mentioning the large number of people who are just rooting for Ukraine, and who want to see the US as a good guy continuing to help the victims of a hellish invasion.

I am not sure I am forgetting that as I am probably the most hawkish on this board.

I have kept my feelings quite, they are radical and involve US troops on Russian soil.

 

[Dezbelief]

Trump-Putin summit in Alaska resembles a slow defeat for Ukraine

The conditions around Friday’s summit so wildly favor Moscow, it is obvious why Putin leapt at the chance, after months of fake negotiation, and it is hard to see how a deal emerges from the bilateral that does not eviscerate Ukraine. Kyiv and its European allies have reacted with understandable horror at the early ideas of Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, that Ukraine cede the remainders of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in exchange for a ceasefire.

The main goal is a ceasefire, and that itself is a stretch. Putin has long held that the immediate ceasefire demanded by the United States, Europe and Ukraine for months, is impossible as technical work about monitoring and logistics must take place first. He is unlikely to have changed his mind now his troops are in the ascendancy across the eastern frontline. Europe is also wary of mirroring the failure of former UK Foreign Secretary Neville Chamberlain to stand up to Nazi Germany in 1938 – of the worthlessness of a “piece of paper” signed by a Kremlin that has repeatedly agreed to deals in Ukraine and then simply used the pause to regroup before invading again.

horrific and shameful for this country ...this is NOT who we are

This is exactly who some of us are. Shameful indeed.

 

[Chadstroma]

I think we get a lot of the gloom and doom from the same people who told us Trump was in on it with Putin etc. I think Putin has played Trump well so far for his purposes.

The reality is... for way too many people... be it media or man on the street... there is an inability to seperate political leaning to analysis and critical thinking. Those on the left will predict the worst scenarios and find anything to suggest failure out of what is done... those on the right will trumpet future success and never find a fault.

American media has lead the way in this.

I don't disagree but I think you're not mentioning the large number of people who are just rooting for Ukraine, and who want to see the US as a good guy continuing to help the victims of a hellish invasion.

I am not sure I am forgetting that as I am probably the most hawkish on this board.

I have kept my feelings quite, they are radical and involve US troops on Russian soil.

Well... officially not the most hawkish

 

[fatness]

I think we get a lot of the gloom and doom from the same people who told us Trump was in on it with Putin etc. I think Putin has played Trump well so far for his purposes.

The reality is... for way too many people... be it media or man on the street... there is an inability to seperate political leaning to analysis and critical thinking. Those on the left will predict the worst scenarios and find anything to suggest failure out of what is done... those on the right will trumpet future success and never find a fault.

American media has lead the way in this.

I don't disagree but I think you're not mentioning the large number of people who are just rooting for Ukraine, and who want to see the US as a good guy continuing to help the victims of a hellish invasion.

I am not sure I am forgetting that as I am probably the most hawkish on this board.

You and I have been in pretty close agreement all through this invasion, so I wonder why you felt the need to inject the left/right issue after I posted a couple news articles. We (all of us collectively here) have done about as well as can be done in avoiding partisan fighting. Anyway, back to the news:

White House is considering inviting Zelenskyy to Alaska

The White House is considering inviting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Alaska, where President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin next week, according to a senior U.S. official and three people briefed on the internal discussions. “It’s being discussed,” one of the people briefed on the discussions said. The senior U.S. official and people briefed on the discussions said no visit has been finalized and that it’s unclear if Zelenskyy would ultimately be in Alaska for meetings. The senior administration official said it is “absolutely” possible. “Everyone is very hopeful that would happen,” the official said.

Asked whether the U.S. had officially invited Zelenskyy to Alaska, a senior White House official said: “The President remains open to a trilateral summit with both leaders. Right now, the White House is focusing on planning the bilateral meeting requested by President Putin.”

I hope to hell that Zelenskyy is invited to the summit.

 

[Chadstroma]

I think we get a lot of the gloom and doom from the same people who told us Trump was in on it with Putin etc. I think Putin has played Trump well so far for his purposes.

The reality is... for way too many people... be it media or man on the street... there is an inability to seperate political leaning to analysis and critical thinking. Those on the left will predict the worst scenarios and find anything to suggest failure out of what is done... those on the right will trumpet future success and never find a fault.

American media has lead the way in this.

I don't disagree but I think you're not mentioning the large number of people who are just rooting for Ukraine, and who want to see the US as a good guy continuing to help the victims of a hellish invasion.

I am not sure I am forgetting that as I am probably the most hawkish on this board.

You and I have been in pretty close agreement all through this invasion, so I wonder why you felt the need to inject the left/right issue after I posted a couple news articles. We (all of us collectively here) have done about as well as can be done in avoiding partisan fighting. Anyway, back to the news:

White House is considering inviting Zelenskyy to Alaska

The White House is considering inviting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Alaska, where President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin next week, according to a senior U.S. official and three people briefed on the internal discussions. “It’s being discussed,” one of the people briefed on the discussions said. The senior U.S. official and people briefed on the discussions said no visit has been finalized and that it’s unclear if Zelenskyy would ultimately be in Alaska for meetings. The senior administration official said it is “absolutely” possible. “Everyone is very hopeful that would happen,” the official said.

Asked whether the U.S. had officially invited Zelenskyy to Alaska, a senior White House official said: “The President remains open to a trilateral summit with both leaders. Right now, the White House is focusing on planning the bilateral meeting requested by President Putin.”

I hope to hell that Zelenskyy is invited to the summit.

Not commentary on you but on how people think/react a lot these days with everything. They drive it through a partisan prism which is largely prepositioned for them by the parties themselves.

American media is not only complicit but drives it.

My reaction is that of that observation. Very much so on this which every move this administration makes is "sky is falling" (including the many that I have strongly disagreed with) but then the sky didn't fall but the chicken little American media is ready to call it again.

In my view, both of these administration's have screwed the pooch on handling this war. I am not political on this. I call it as I see it.

But again, that has nothing to do with you or alluding to you.

 

[FarFromHome]

I think we get a lot of the gloom and doom from the same people who told us Trump was in on it with Putin etc. I think Putin has played Trump well so far for his purposes.

The reality is... for way too many people... be it media or man on the street... there is an inability to seperate political leaning to analysis and critical thinking. Those on the left will predict the worst scenarios and find anything to suggest failure out of what is done... those on the right will trumpet future success and never find a fault.

American media has lead the way in this.

I don't disagree but I think you're not mentioning the large number of people who are just rooting for Ukraine, and who want to see the US as a good guy continuing to help the victims of a hellish invasion.

I am not sure I am forgetting that as I am probably the most hawkish on this board.

You and I have been in pretty close agreement all through this invasion, so I wonder why you felt the need to inject the left/right issue after I posted a couple news articles. We (all of us collectively here) have done about as well as can be done in avoiding partisan fighting. Anyway, back to the news:

White House is considering inviting Zelenskyy to Alaska

The White House is considering inviting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Alaska, where President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin next week, according to a senior U.S. official and three people briefed on the internal discussions. “It’s being discussed,” one of the people briefed on the discussions said. The senior U.S. official and people briefed on the discussions said no visit has been finalized and that it’s unclear if Zelenskyy would ultimately be in Alaska for meetings. The senior administration official said it is “absolutely” possible. “Everyone is very hopeful that would happen,” the official said.

Asked whether the U.S. had officially invited Zelenskyy to Alaska, a senior White House official said: “The President remains open to a trilateral summit with both leaders. Right now, the White House is focusing on planning the bilateral meeting requested by President Putin.”

I hope to hell that Zelenskyy is invited to the summit.

Not commentary on you but on how people think/react a lot these days with everything. They drive it through a partisan prism which is largely prepositioned for them by the parties themselves.

American media is not only complicit but drives it.

My reaction is that of that observation. Very much so on this which every move this administration makes is "sky is falling" (including the many that I have strongly disagreed with) but then the sky didn't fall but the chicken little American media is ready to call it again.

In my view, both of these administration's have screwed the pooch on handling this war. I am not political on this. I call it as I see it.

But again, that has nothing to do with you or alluding to you.

I think we can all agree that BOTH administrations have made some massive mistakes. I wont get into what I think those are for obvious reasons. I'd like to add that foreign diplomacy isnt an easy thing. We have a long history of mistakes. See Vietnam, Afghanistan, etc, etc. This one is even trickier because Putin is an absolute monster. Anyone ever try to barter anything with a psychopath monster?

 

[fatness]

I think we can all agree that BOTH administrations have made some massive mistakes.

I think we can agree on that. "What is my country doing?" and "What should my country be doing?" shouldn't change with administrations.

 

[fatness]

Another thing I think we can agree on is that Russian military equipment mostly sucks. They just launched a new tug boat today and it sank.

Brand-New Russian Navy Tug Sinks at St. Petersburg Shipyard Before Entering Service

A newly built Russian Navy tugboat sank during final outfitting at the Baltic Shipyard, prompting investigations into construction safety violations.

united24media.com

 

[Dezbelief]

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/10/ukraine-drone-attack-kills-one-damages-industrial-facility-in-saratov-russia-says.html

Ukrainian media, including the RBK-Ukraine media outlet, reported that the oil refinery in the city of Saratov, the administrative centre of the region, was on fire after a drone attack.

Reuters could not verify those reports. There was no official comment from Russia.

The Rosneft-owned ROSN.MM refinery in the Saratov city was forced to suspend operations earlier this year for safety reasons after Ukrainian drone attacks, industry sources told Reuters.

Russia's SHOT Telegram channel, which often publishes information from sources in the security services and law enforcement, reported about eight explosions were heard over Saratov and Engels, cities separated by the Volga River.

Russia's civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia said on Telegram that flights in and out of Saratov had been halted for about two hours early on Sunday to ensure air safety.

 

[FarFromHome]

I think we can all agree that BOTH administrations have made some massive mistakes.

I think we can agree on that. "What is my country doing?" and "What should my country be doing?" shouldn't change with administrations.

Yep. I think the first 7 presidents were kinda on the same page, kinda, with that idea following the Revolutionary War. Right around Van Buren, with the 1837 depression, Indian Removal Act, and annexation of Texas is here our government really started to pull away a bit from what should my country be doing towards more party sided decisions. Even the best presidents in our history have made lots of party decisions over country decisions. Its an ugly thing politicals. Imo

 

[BassNBrew]

Nevermind

 

[fatness]

'We stand firm on clear Ukrainian positions' — Zelensky warns Russia will reinvade if ceasefire favors Moscow, ahead of Trump-Putin meeting

Zelensky warned that if Russia does not face punitive action, it will eventually restart its aggression towards Ukraine, citing a lack of swift action during Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 as well as delayed assistance ahead of the start of the full-scale invasion. "(Putin) was allowed to take Crimea, and this led to the occupation of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. He did not receive preventive punishment when he amassed a contingent on our borders. This led to the full-scale war and the occupation of even more parts of Ukraine. Now Putin wants to be forgiven for seizing the south of our Kherson region, Zaporizhzhia, the entire territory of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, and Crimea," Zelensky said in his evening address.

"We will not allow this second Russian attempt to divide Ukraine. Knowing Russia – where there is a second, there will be a third. That is why we stand firm on clear Ukrainian positions," the president added.

 

[The Z Machine]

I met a Russian guy yesterday while swimming in the Rhone. He was a neighbor of our friends. He has kids about my kids' age. I couldn't place his accent, but he did mention that his kids were in Moscow for the summer. We didn't talk geopolitics as that would be very impolite at first meeting. However, I did ask if they traveled though Istanbul to get to Europe, and he said that yes, Istanbul is the only real route to the West these days. He said it was a giant PIA to fly in or out of Moscow as the airports will close at a moment's notice and you don't know if they will restart in hours or days. I can imagine that's a giant pain for travel planning.

He was living in Dubai for a few years prior to moving to Geneva, so he might have been out of Russia since this thing kicked off.

 

[Chadstroma]

Shaheds For What? Russia Drone Deal May Have Given Iran Seller’s Remorse https://share.google/C2aL1FWqh9ztWxTDy

 

[Chadstroma]

On the front lines in eastern Ukraine, peace feels far away | AP News https://share.google/bgAdyMpZ9Mn0QPWf4

 

[Chadstroma]

Ukraine’s Drones Prove America’s $175B Golden Dome Isn’t Enough. Here’s Why — UNITED24 Media https://share.google/JCOGz7X9PdsbCvXAj


Except as part of the Golden Dome there is already work beginning on a dubbed "under dome" which would be to protect high value areas from drone attacks like we saw. The future of air defense is layers.