Charpie said:

---

Zelensky signs Ukraine’s EU application pic.twitter.com/TnOGExn9ce

— Leonid Ragozin (@leonidragozin) February 28, 2022

---

I hope he went there for the photo and then left because he just announced what building he was in. Not a fan of that.

And that CNN is right there on the ground in Russia reporting their movements. Wtf. There has to be a reason they're allowing Western reporters to be there

Charpie said:

---

Zelensky signs Ukraine’s EU application pic.twitter.com/TnOGExn9ce

— Leonid Ragozin (@leonidragozin) February 28, 2022

---

Application for EU membership

European Commission - Enlargement - Application for EU membership
The Treaty on European Union (Article 49) lays down the conditions a candidate country must meet to become a member state: any European state which respects the common values of the Member States and undertake to promote them may apply to become a member of the Union. These values include human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities (Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union).
The application is submitted to the Council, while the European Parliament and national Parliaments are notified (see also Accession to the EUSearch for available translations of the preceding linkEN).
Candidate countries

European Commission - Enlargement - Candidate countries
An applicant country for European Union membershipSearch for available translations of the preceding linkEN* may be granted candidate country status by the European Council on the basis of a recommendation by the European Commission.
Candidate country status does not give a right to join the Union automatically. The Commission examines the application in light of the accession criteria (Copenhagen criteria)Search for available translations of the preceding linkEN* and draws up an opinion, while the European Council decides to open accession negotiationsSearch for available translations of the preceding linkEN* with the candidate country.


https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-enlargement/enlargement-policy/glossary/application-eu-membership_en

JobSecurity said:

---

And that CNN is right there on the ground in Russia reporting their movements. Wtf. There has to be a reason they're allowing Western reporters to be there

---

During the Gulf War in the 90s, they bribed Saddam to be allowed to stay.

Wait till they get stuck at a Duck Crossing...


I am surprised with those videos that they don't have soldiers out stopping all the other traffic and just waving their column through...seems like another example of inexperience and maybe even confirmation that some of the troops were told they were just going on a training exercise.

Robert C. Christian said:

---

BadMoonRisin said:

---

Am I the only one that thinks its weird that an invading force is following traffic laws?

I would expect the russian column to be in all 4 lanes of a 4 lane divided highway. What are the other cars going to do, take away their birthday? Youre in a ****ing tank/apc/huge ass supply truck. These people already hate you, you arent going to anger them further.

---

It's called winning hearts and minds.

---

Or keeping a lane open in case a vehicle ahead is disabled.

Agthatbuilds said:

---

So, if eu accepts, does it go to war?

---

I think that's the game of chicken. EU/Ukraine are betting the Russians will back off if the EU accepts Ukraine. If the Russians don't back off the EU is forced to either become involved and the war widens or the EU falls apart when it fails to come to the aid of a member and Europe becomes more chaotic. If the EU doesn't accept Ukraine the European nations lose credibility.

Ag87H2O said:

---

Pinabobina said:

---

CNN on tv (I know, don't judge. I usually watch Fox but they had ex-prez of Ukraine on) reporting peace talks as a 3 mile convoy of Russian tanks are headed to Kyiv at the exact same time. Also bombs down on Kharkiv

That's speaks more than what is happening in that meeting.

I wonder if Putin has a grasp of what we are seeing? Perhaps those around him are afraid to report the losses?

New 📸 @Maxar satellite images show a 3.25-mile convoy of Russian ground forces with 100s of military vehicles NE of Ivankiv, Ukraine and moving toward Kyiv (40 miles away). Contains fuel, logistics, armored vehicles (tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, self-propelled artillery). pic.twitter.com/Z75iNhy7Jw

— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) February 27, 2022

---

Seems to me you could hit the front end with Javelins and/or NLAWS and stop the whole thing in its tracks. Then wait for night and start picking off the rest. Like sitting ducks.

---

It would be a suicide mission to attack a column of of combat equipment 3 miles long, even a few hundred yards long, with a few infantry using anti-tank weapons. Yeah you might take out a couple but the second you initiate hell will rain down on you. This may be appealing in COD but not so practical with only one life.

If the russians are not using NVDs, then most likely they are lighting the sky with flares and patrolling their flanks with infantry, rotary aircraft or both.

This is a target for aircraft, cruise missiles, and or indirect fire (artillery/MLRS/etc) and combination thereof.

Cutting off the roads via damaging the bridges, mining the roads, barricades will certainly hinder the advance.

Agthatbuilds said:

---

So, if eu accepts, does it go to war?

---

I think the CSDP (?) would give them room to bring EU (not NATO) forces into the fight - but man it gets blurry real quick from there.

Robert C. Christian said:

---

BadMoonRisin said:

---

Am I the only one that thinks its weird that an invading force is following traffic laws?

I would expect the russian column to be in all 4 lanes of a 4 lane divided highway. What are the other cars going to do, take away their birthday? Youre in a ****ing tank/apc/huge ass supply truck. These people already hate you, you arent going to anger them further.

---

It's called winning hearts and minds.

---

The cars should toss a molotov cocktail in the cab of the trucks in front.

nortex97 said:

---

China cuts off Russian oil trade financing. Umm, this seems like a big deal. Not surprised the CCP doesn't want to take a financial bath over this.

---

Honestly wouldn't be surprised if Winnie the xi was egging Putin on to invade expecting this as the outcome. Take the soviets out of the picture so they, in their minds, can become the sole superpower left once they handle us (again in their own minds) Remember just how arrogant and racist the han chinese are.

Kinda went down a path after seeing all the Blackhawks on Flightradar around Rzesziw, Poland. You can see 4 right now. It's the 82nd Airborne - the same that was on point for the Afghan airlift. Maj. Gen. Chris Donahue is the commander in Poland and is the guy in the night vision photo at Kabul of the "last soldier to leave Afghanistan." Dude has been busy.

SouthTex99 said:

---

Clearly the Ukes have javelins and stingers. And they use them well. Why can't we gift a few A-10's and some cutting edge fight simulator trainers? Miles of convoys are absolutely begging for it.

---

I would gift them drones and have those drones remote piloted by our troops in secret

rgag12 said:

---

Agthatbuilds said:

---

So, if eu accepts, does it go to war?

---

The EU president already said that a Ukrainian application would take years to sort through.

Ukraine isn't getting into the EU for many reasons. This is a Hail Mary thrown by a brave man who is running out of options

---

Turkey started full negotiations to join the EU in 2005.
Zelinksy knew it's not that simple - it was another photo Op to put pressure on Western governments to continue and increase their support.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accession_of_Turkey_to_the_European_Union

Quote:

---

. . . Negotiations for full membership were started on 3 October 2005. Progress was slow, and out of the 35 Chapters necessary to complete the accession process only 16 had been opened and one had been closed by May 2016. The early 2016 refugee deal between Turkey and the European Union was intended to accelerate negotiations after previous stagnation and allow visa-free travel through Europe for Turks.

Since 2016 accession negotiations have stalled. . .

---

I've been following daily developments in Ukraine closely but don't have much time this morning. Anyone care to summarize key military and political developments in last 16 hour or so, or have a good link which would provide the same? Thanks !

dodger02 said:

---

I am by no means a military expert. But I've thought about this, too.

My conclusions are:

• They either can't do any of those things effectively due to really ****ty military tech that we have simply overestimated throughout recent years and/or their military leadership is arrogant and stupid.

or

• The real goal is to goad NATO into war and they sent the JV in to do just that.

---

My most cynical self thinks this might be true. Otherwise I'm at a loss.

If you're a Sino-Russian alliance, looking at the world, a fast way to domination is to nuke all US, UK, and maybe a western European city or two.

If you can do this without many nuclear repercussions, you will have eliminated most blocks to your dominance.

Right now, THANK GOD for our nuclear subs as a deterrent.

Strongweasel97 said:

---

Agree.

Russia is fully committed to the invasion and it looks like we're seeing the gloves come off with regards to collateral damage. If that's the case, Ukraine will eventually capitulate without foreign military interdiction or insurrection from within.

Even with bone headed tactics, the willingness to take unnecessary losses coupled with willingness to cause civilian and collateral damage is too much to overcome when you have an obscene amount of men/material.

---

yes, that has always been the Soviets/Russians' formula. Overwhelm with numbers -- no mercy on the enemy or civilians -- and don't care about losses.

it's taken the Kremlin 4 days to realize they need to go back to their formula

DTP02 said:

---

I've been following daily developments in Ukraine closely but don't have much time this morning. Anyone care to summarize key military and political developments in last 16 hour or so, or have a good link which would provide the same? Thanks !

---

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2022/02/28/russia-ukraine-latest-news-war-putin-zelensky-weapons-updates/

Scroll down for a good timeline of developments

Athanasius said:

---

dodger02 said:

---

I am by no means a military expert. But I've thought about this, too.

My conclusions are:

• They either can't do any of those things effectively due to really ****ty military tech that we have simply overestimated throughout recent years and/or their military leadership is arrogant and stupid.

or

• The real goal is to goad NATO into war and they sent the JV in to do just that.

---

My most cynical self thinks this might be true. Otherwise I'm at a loss.

If you're a Sino-Russian alliance, looking at the world, a fast way to domination is to nuke all US, UK, and maybe a western European city or two.

If you can do this without many nuclear repercussions, you will have eliminated most blocks to your dominance.

Right now, THANK GOD for our nuclear subs as a deterrent.

---

Along with the other two legs of the triad. Hopefully recent events ensures Congress support for nuke modernization and support for weapon systems like GBSD & hypersonics as well as matching Russia's modernization of tactical/theater nuclear weapon systems.

DTP02 said:

---

I've been following daily developments in Ukraine closely but don't have much time this morning. Anyone care to summarize key military and political developments in last 16 hour or so, or have a good link which would provide the same? Thanks !

---

Seems the Russians are slowing their advance, most likely to allow supply to catch up. They are attempting to encircle roughly 45,000 Ukrainian troops east of the Dnieper. Meanwhile, albeit slowly, surrounding Kiev. There are also reports of Belarusian troops massing in the west. If true they will probably attempt to open a new front and push south to try and cut off supply lines from EU. If they pull that off Kiev is essentially done for.

Also an initial round of peace talks took place this morning at the Ukraine-Belarus border, with a second round supposedly to take place at the Belarus-Poland border once the negotiators have had time to consult their governments.

Trey Yingst on Fox News just reported a large explosion in Kyiv.

The Catch 22 of the world cutting him off and isolating him (which is the right thing and only thing we can do at the moment) is that there's no way a guy like Putin backs down; he's going to accelerate and escalate the only thing he has control of now.

He's probably got a better chance of living by pressing forward with the invasion in all honesty. It's a projection of strength and fear to his own country coupled with the possibility of pride/nationalism. Through fear alone he might survive. If he withdraws, he will be irreparably weakened and have the wrath of the world and his own country. He'd be a dead man walking in every sense of the phrase.

The only off-ramp is an insurrection/decapitation from within at this point IMHO.

TRM said:

---

Trey Yingst on Fox News just reported a large explosion in Kyiv.

---

Large explosion in northeastern #Kyiv just now:

pic.twitter.com/pODmyNl8wE

— The Intel Crab (@IntelCrab) February 28, 2022