Robert C. Christian said:

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Tex117 said:

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LMCane said:

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Keegan99 said:

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Marco getting reports straight from US Intel.

This isn't a politician freestyling.

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use of battlefield nukes to "escalate to deescalate"

that sounds charming!

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Well, to be fair, thats basically what we did against the Japanese. (Not saying any of this is a good idea).

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Yea, this seems like a much worse idea when you aren't the only country with nukes. Add in point #2 and that seems like a potentially catastrophic domino effect.

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Interesting fact that gets overlooked a lot: during the years when we were the only nuclear power, Truman regularly pushed Stalin around by threatening the use of nukes on Soviet troops. Deescalation through escalation works splendidly until the other guy can escalate too.

Boris Johnson is announcing new sanctions in the UK. A notable one I just heard: Aeroflot is banned.

— Ilya Lozovsky (@ichbinilya) February 24, 2022

JobSecurity said:

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Boris Johnson is announcing new sanctions in the UK. A notable one I just heard: Aeroflot is banned.

— Ilya Lozovsky (@ichbinilya) February 24, 2022

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What's Aeroflot?

The Russian airline.

Equivalent to, say, KLM for the Dutch.

GarryowenAg said:

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JobSecurity said:

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Boris Johnson is announcing new sanctions in the UK. A notable one I just heard: Aeroflot is banned.

— Ilya Lozovsky (@ichbinilya) February 24, 2022

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What's Aeroflot?

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Russian commercial airline carrier.

https://instagr.am/p/CaXcat2LRmM

LMCane said:

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jabberwalkie09 said:

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LMCane said:

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jabberwalkie09 said:

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BlackGoldAg2011 said:

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JobSecurity said:

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jabberwalkie09 said:

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P.U.T.U said:

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JobSecurity said:

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!!! Ukrainian government sources tell me 18 Il-76 planes have left Pskov direction Kyiv, will arrive in about an hour

— Christo Grozev (@christogrozev) February 24, 2022

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That is a good size transport aircraft, wonder who/what is onboard

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I'm going to assuming VDV, Russian airborne forces.

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Twitter seems to think this. Heading toward Hostomel as reinforcements?

Russian troops attempting to take Hostomel airfield near Kyiv are blocked, Ukrainian soldiers received orders to eliminate the enemy, president Zelensky said. He said Kharkiv is being defended. The most dire situation is in southern Ukraine, there is some advance from the north

— Olga Tokariuk (@olgatokariuk) February 24, 2022

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Isn't this basically what that CNN reporter who was reporting from the Russian controlled Antonov international airport said? that the Russian troops told him they were securing the airport so that Russia could fly in reinforcements and land there?

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Landing a bunch of planes in the middle of a battle space where ground control is in querying is a big, big risk. Even for the Russians imo. You lose a plane or the runway is fouled then you lose the use of the airport until it's cleared leaving assets in limbo. It would be worse if the assets were stranded on the ground for the Russians, but a good opportunity for Ukrainians to blow up a lot of stuff if it happened.

I think Russia would drop the assets over the airfield to reinforce control before landing aircraft.

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demonstrates how woeful the Ukrainian defense is- they can't even control a major airport near the capitol?!

that's something they teach for brand new butter bar Lieutenants much less a national security staff!

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More like under equipped even though they have been trying to make progress to correct that since 2014. The desire and fight is obviously there to defend the homeland, but the equipment to adequately defend just isn't there.

But let's also remember that Russia's initial missile strikes and artillery barrages were meant to try and defeat AA/SAM emplacements to begin with.

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I am just not seeing a desire to fight anywhere.

the Russians have telegraphed their intent for WEEKS, and the Ukes couldn't blow the one major bridge from Crimea into Ukraine?!?

or protect a major airport a few miles from their capitol?

where are you seeing evidence that the Ukes have a desire to fight? Russian armored columns are moving dozens of miles in the first few hours.

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First of all calm down, take a step back, and breath. Second, go back through the thread there's evidence enough of Ukrainians putting up some resistance. They may be dying for it, but this is their fight. Ukraine's air and naval assets being destroyed was basically always accepted imo. Even most of their air defense being hit was a given. I contend that's they were given stingers since they're man portable and require little training.

Russians moving quickly was always expected. That's literally why their military is so mechanized, armor intensive, and with self propelled artillery. Ukrainians were never going to blow up their own infrastructure. Crimea to them is still Ukraine. Cutting off forces from sustainment or retreat would destroy morale. Ukraine can't afford any of that.

Russian lulled Europe and Ukraine into a false sense of reality here. Russia had done annual exercises roughly between February through April in the region for awhile. It wasn't really considered to be imminent by Europe until like the last month. By that time, it was already too late.

Tex117 said:

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BlackGoldAg2011 said:

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Dirk Diggler said:

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Really?

This reporter has been on the ground listening to Russian airstrikes, artillery, and bombings near and far the last 12 hours. He has been watching the tanks fly across the border. Even under the ruse of "peacekeeping" It 100% takes some cajones to just walk up to these dudes for a chat.

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exactly. here's the broadcast he was doing live from Kyiv when the explosions started, causing him to stop and put on his flak jacket and helmet. sorry in advance for linking to CNN

https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2022/02/24/ukraine-explosion-chance-live-dlt-fb.cnn

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CNN actually doesn't suck when it does what it was intended to do...Give foreign war coverage.

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Credit due there. CNN war coverage has always been good to great.

Just like Vox News does some of the best international humanitarian pieces out there. Which makes me gag to admit but it's true.

Has anyone heard or seen anything that Russia has attempted to enter any of the major cities yet? And with you LMCane. For a full scale national invasion, there does seem to be limited fighting all around. Casualties are still listed at dozens instead of the hundreds or thousands I was expecting. Granted I know it is still chaotic right now but everything seems to be small unit action for the moment.

ETA: I know casualties are much higher than that but the point is there are limited reports of sustained fighting which would elevated the estimates to those numbers. Also pretty sure we are spoiled by conflicts in the past with up to date, real time blow by blow reporting by official resources. We aren't getting that this time and have to piece together what we can from second and third hand.

NATO is activating its defence plans for Eastern Europe. This was just announced by Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

— Lorenz Hemicker (@hemicker) February 24, 2022

Another fascist nationalist war of aggression in Europe. Let's hope the democracies in the free world contain it this time and keep it from being like the 1930s

Biden’s remarks moved to 1:30p ET, per White House.

— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) February 24, 2022

This article posts regular updates at the bottom: FIGHTING

BJ is addressing Parliament. I guess they don't want the overlap.

RangerRick9211 said:

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BJ is addressing Parliament. I guess they don't want the overlap.

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Hopefully he addresses the fact that where the football championship is going to be played is inconsequential to the fact that Europe is facing the greatest threat since 1939 and if left unchecked will lead to expansion.

Ugh. Awful development. "After a fierce battle, Ukrainian control over the Chernobyl site was lost. The condition of the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant, confinement, and nuclear waste storage facilities is unknown," said Mykhailo Podoliak, adviser to head of Chernobyl plant

— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) February 24, 2022

jabberwalkie09 said:

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P.U.T.U said:

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JobSecurity said:

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!!! Ukrainian government sources tell me 18 Il-76 planes have left Pskov direction Kyiv, will arrive in about an hour

— Christo Grozev (@christogrozev) February 24, 2022

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That is a good size transport aircraft, wonder who/what is onboard

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I'm going to assuming VDV, Russian airborne forces.

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Or it could be that the Russians are landing troops and equipment at an airport inside Ukraine that they have captured

cone said:

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Agthatbuilds said:

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https://instagr.am/p/CaXcat2LRmM

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seems like propaganda

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Could be

can someone clue me in on the strategic value of the chernobyl site?

or is it just a morale deal

Build It said:

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If you are in any US office of Lukoil or Gazprom, did you go to the office today?

Wondering if Ukrainian sympathizers around the world take over Russian business offices?

I know a guy at Gazprom and he has been moving money out of Europe and the us for months. Been trying to reach him this morning.

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I used to work for United Technologies Corp and we had a nice office in Moscow and another in the countryside.

I went there for an assessment and it was a fantastic trip although still cold in March with snow.

wonder what other US multinational companies are doing with their Russkie branch offices now.

cone said:

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can someone clue me in on the strategic value of the chernobyl site?

or is it just a morale deal

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From what I've gathered, the euros are concerned the ruskies would purposely use its as a threat to exposing Europe to radiation

cone said:

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can someone clue me in on the strategic value of the chernobyl site?

or is it just a morale deal

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if they could hold it - then it would be strategic as it would block a major prong of the Russkies advancing due south from Belarus toward Kyiv

but they won't be able to hold it, so it is just for morale.

I have been shocked how weak the Uke defenses have been. literally shocking to me.

Russians claim shooting down two Su-27s, two Su-24s, one helicopter, and 4 TB-2s since fighting has started against Ukraine.

— Woofers (@NotWoofers) February 24, 2022

I find this believable

cone said:

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can someone clue me in on the strategic value of the chernobyl site?

or is it just a morale deal

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It's just on the way

Agthatbuilds said:

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cone said:

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can someone clue me in on the strategic value of the chernobyl site?

or is it just a morale deal

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From what I've gathered, the euros are concerned the ruskies would purposely use its as a threat to exposing Europe to radiation

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I don't think that is correct- the Russians have no reason to put Belarus under a nuclear cloud along with eventually other parts of Russia.

what would be the point?!

they already have attained all their objectives.

the Euros are worried that someone will mistakenly blow up one of the retaining tanks which obviously could happen if there are air strikes and artillery/ MLRS firing

cone said:

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can someone clue me in on the strategic value of the chernobyl site?

or is it just a morale deal

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Only a guess but it will not surprise me if Russia starts to show "uranium enrichment activity" among the nuclear waste as an attempt to frame Ukraine with building nuclear weapons in violation of the Budapest Memorandum.

Sounds like you had unrealistic expectations before and a false sense of situational awareness now

They seem to have taken back the airport at Kiev and started counter offensives.

But, yes, the denying Russia was going to invade strategy seems like a poor one, especially if you weren't doing anything on the backside to better prepare for an invasion.

Agthatbuilds said:

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Ugh. Awful development. "After a fierce battle, Ukrainian control over the Chernobyl site was lost. The condition of the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant, confinement, and nuclear waste storage facilities is unknown," said Mykhailo Podoliak, adviser to head of Chernobyl plant

— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) February 24, 2022

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called this one above.

supposedly the geniuses at the White House are looking at 96 hours until Kiev falls.

I am calling it at 72 hours.

LMCane said:

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Agthatbuilds said:

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cone said:

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can someone clue me in on the strategic value of the chernobyl site?

or is it just a morale deal

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From what I've gathered, the euros are concerned the ruskies would purposely use its as a threat to exposing Europe to radiation

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I don't think that is correct- the Russians have no reason to put Belarus under a nuclear cloud along with eventually other parts of Russia.

what would be the point?!

they already have attained all their objectives.

the Euros are worried that someone will mistakenly blow up one of the retaining tanks which obviously could happen if there are air strikes and artillery/ MLRS firing

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That's probably more accurate.

The Russians can use the potential for leaking g radiation as a shield for operations.

cone said:

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can someone clue me in on the strategic value of the chernobyl site?

or is it just a morale deal

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Its is one of the fastest land routes to Kyiv for armor and mechanized formations.

good to know

Does Ukraine have any ability to launch missiles into russia?