Russian invasion of Ukraine | Fewer tweets, more discussion

[stefan92]

Who he has the funds to get out and buy them new lavish homes elsewhere. As I said, anyone willing to pop their head above the parapet should be applauded for it in my opinion. Otherwise, it just encourages anyone else thinking about getting involved or speaking out to simply sit on their hands.

Would still mean they would lose their home. And I agree with you, as much reason there is to be critical of RA, one should be able to acknowledge when he does something positive.

 

[Dans]

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Very sceptical that this is nothing more than a PR exercise with the ultimate goal of assuring his ownership of Chelski.

 

[tomaldinho1]

Was it? I wasn't aware of that.

I might be wrong but BBC has been tracking fake/old images and there was one of a bloke on a ladder putting up the flag if that’s the one?

 

[General_Elegancia]

Right now, Russian rubel is becoming joke. Putin has made some big mistakes about his plans cause a lot of troubles to Russia especially economics. In the future, Russian rubel will have a value as much as blank paper. I feel like Russia must uses a lot of gold reserves future.

 

[TheReligion]

Even the UK MoD has been giving out a bit of misinformation themselves. I remember them saying Melitopol wasn't captured, but there were clear videos of the Russian flag being put on the police station and loads of Russian guards walking the streets.

That said, we have to bear in mind that both sides of the story might be true at that time:

1) Snake Island may have been shelled to shit by Russian warship but that doesn't mean the guards all died. We just assumed they were.

2) Capturing a police station =/= capturing the whole city

I’m not sure putting a flag up equals control of a city?

The Russians haven’t gained full control anywhere by all accounts. I don’t think the MoD need to spread misinformation as it’s quite clear.

 

[UweBein]

Right now, Russian rubel is becoming joke. Putin has made some big mistakes about his plans cause a lot of troubles to Russia especially economics. In the future, Russian rubel will have a value as much as blank paper. I feel like Russia must uses a lot of gold reserves future.

Probably Putin was blinded by how easy they gained control of Crimea.
Also, most likely no one close to him was honest about the dire state of the Russian army. Probably people could have been to scared to tell him the truth.

 

[TMDaines]

Even the UK MoD has been giving out a bit of misinformation themselves. I remember them saying Melitopol wasn't captured, but there were clear videos of the Russian flag being put on the police station and loads of Russian guards walking the streets.

Are you not confusing it with Mariupol?

 

[alexthelion]

Totally never said that, but go off. I don't at all agree with the invasion. All i'm saying is that Putin has a legitimate reason to be aggrieved (I understand better the complexity around the issue now) not that he is justified in his disproportionate escalation and nuclear threats. The west was never going roll back the expansion to pre 1997 levels but maybe some truce could have been made on Ukraine if negotiations could have been allowed to continue before he decided to go full madman Putler mode.

No he doesn't.

 

[Dans]

Sure he is.
Became rich in a very shady way. No one cared.
Financed illegal jewish settlings in the West Bank. No one cared.
Now when he finally seems to be on the right side is when people start calling him out? That's ridiculous.

Substitute "no one" with "Tory party and Chelski fans" please.

 

[TMDaines]

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[Carolina Red]

Hope they haven't printed the medals yet.

Call me crazy, but I’m still giving them the medals if they’re alive.

 

[sun_tzu]

Very sceptical that this is nothing more than a PR exercise with the ultimate goal of assuring his ownership of Chelski.

I dunno... Wouldn't surprise me if he saw an opportunity to potentially go back into russian politics if putins position was to become weakened by all this

Either way it's win win for him
Either he cleanses his reputation in the west for trying
Or he does that and strengthens his political credentials in Russia if he succeeds

Well as long as putin does not go the whole polonium tea route... But I'd guess if putin can find a way to leave office not in a body bag it's with immunity and a transition to somebody else ... Not impossible to see that as a price Roman would pay

 

[General_Elegancia]

Probably Putin was blinded by how easy they gained control of Crimea.
Also, most likely no one close to him was honest about the dire state of the Russian army. Probably people could have been to scared to tell him the truth.

Talking in Putin's views( I support Ukraine), he shouldn't attack Kyiv. Such a harpy person ( and brutal ).

 

[CraftySoAndSo]

I have a stupid habit of sometimes not reading words properly thinking i already know what they are. Well this war has made me look incredibly stupid as i always thought Oligarch was Oilgarch because they made most of their money in oil. Now finding out i've had it wrong all this time yet i still think Oilgarch is a more accurate word for them.

 

[spiriticon]

I’m not sure putting a flag up equals control of a city?

The Russians haven’t gained full control anywhere by all accounts. I don’t think the MoD need to spread misinformation as it’s quite clear.

I agree, but it looked like the Russian version of events was closer to the truth to me at that time.

The balance of power shifts constantly in conflict. Controls of territory switches back and forth all the time. You are never really sure that you are in control of any location for long.

Take Hostomel Airfield for example, I don't even know who is in charge there any more. I assume its the Ukrainians.

 

[UweBein]

Talking in Putin's views( I support Ukraine), he shouldn't attack Kyiv. Such a harpy person ( and brutal ).

Of course not.
But, I am just assuming he was expecting better than what the Russian military managed so far.

 

[Denis79]

Probably Putin was blinded by how easy they gained control of Crimea.
Also, most likely no one close to him was honest about the dire state of the Russian army. Probably people could have been to scared to tell him the truth.

What is most frightening now is the risk of Putin going all in, with artillery and bombardment. So far the Russians have seemed to try a more "special ops" way but I fear that if this doesn't bear fruit they'll do a Grozny again and demolish the Ukraine completely with an incredible high death toll.

 

[stefan92]

I dunno... Wouldn't surprise me if he saw an opportunity to potentially go back into russian politics if putins position was to become weakened by all this

Uh... interesting thought. As we have also reports that several oligarchs have left Russia in the past days it definitely feels like Putin was already abandoned by them. Positioning one of them who already has close ties to the West as a potential successor to Putin to end the war and sanctions might be their endgame now, too, and I could absolutely see RA being involved in such a scheme.

 

[Dans]

I dunno... Wouldn't surprise me if he saw an opportunity to potentially go back into russian politics if putins position was to become weakened by all this

Either way it's win win for him
Either he cleanses his reputation in the west for trying
Or he dies that and strengthens his political credentials in Russia

Well as long as putin does not go the whole polonium tea route... But I'd guess if putin can find a way to leave office not in a body bag it's with immunity and a transition to somebody else ... Not impossible to see that as a price Roman would pay

If he can continue living in the West with all his ill gotten gains, why on earth would he want to get involved in Russian politics?

 

[Buster15]

Doomsday Clock has been closer to midnight for some time.

Did not realise it had.
And having lived through the Cuban Missile Crisis, that felt much more serious.
Just my perception.

 

[sglowrider]

 

[Smithy89]

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Pure evil.

 

[cyberman]

What is most frightening now is the risk of Putin going all in, with artillery and bombardment. So far the Russians have seemed to try a more "special ops" way but I fear that if this doesn't bear fruit they'll do a Grozny again and demolish the Ukraine completely with an incredible high death toll.

I go the other way. For me, this shows that Russia are worried about NATO intervention if they do this the so called wrong way. It’s why everything Russia threatens is a bluff to me. Why not destroy Kiev, declare yourself in charge and have everyone fall in line or this happens to your city? It would be done in a day

 

[Water Melon]

What is most frightening now is the risk of Putin going all in, with artillery and bombardment. So far the Russians have seemed to try a more "special ops" way but I fear that if this doesn't bear fruit they'll do a Grozny again and demolish the Ukraine completely with an incredible high death toll.

It could be very risky to do that. NATO will not allow them to do so, now that there is an open talk of Ukraine potentially joining EU. So, if Putin goes all out it is either direct involvement of other armies in the conflict or even more severe sanctions that would paralyze Russia altogether. Grozny was very very bad, but it was still inside of Russia, while Ukraine has been a sovereign state and has already substantial amount of its territory occupied by Putler's army.

 

[sun_tzu]

If he can continue living in the West with all his ill gotten gains, why on earth would he want to get involved in Russian politics?

Why would putin not just swan off to that mega mansion he unofficially owns instead of risking a nuclear war?

Power... Legacy... Arrogance ...

 

[horsechoker]

I have a stupid habit of sometimes not reading words properly thinking i already know what they are. Well this war has made me look incredibly stupid as i always thought Oligarch was Oilgarch because they made most of their money in oil. Now finding out i've had it wrong all this time yet i still think Oilgarch is a more accurate word for them.

Good pun at least!

 

[Dans]

Why would putin not just swan off to that mega mansion he unofficially owns instead of risking a nuclear war?

Power... Legacy... Arrogance ...

Well I agree that Putin doesn't have many options that don't involve him losing face, I just don't see Abramovich as being his saviour.

 

[sullydnl]

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[Yorkeontop]

It's the Russian men and women national football team's fault, all of it.

 

[Raoul]

Amazing reporting by Matthew Chance on CNN now

 

[the_cliff]

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Although he has some good points and I'm sure there are members of the Kremlin that are thinking this it's all hearsay.

Is there anyone here who's actually Russian and lives in Russia here ? That can give us a more reliable estimate of the probability of a coup happening ?

 

[MTF]

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"You come at the king, you best not miss" is extra relevant in this scenario.

 

[ChaddyP]

Amazing reporting by Matthew Chance on CNN now

He's been extraordinary

 

[Varun]

Amazing reporting by Matthew Chance on CNN now

Any links?

 

[TheReligion]

I go the other way. For me, this shows that Russia are worried about NATO intervention if they do this the so called wrong way. It’s why everything Russia threatens is a bluff to me. Why not destroy Kiev, declare yourself in charge and have everyone fall in line or this happens to your city? It would be done in a day

I think they have tried to do this quickly and failed. I don’t buy the whole “Russia aren’t trying narrative” as it’s ridiculous.

They are just failing miserably

 

[Raoul]

Didn't expect to now follow this through The Athletic now. Feels as if someone is very much trying to launder his reputation.

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IIRC Roman and Shevchenko are good friends so there may be a back channel connection there.

 

[Sarni]

I think they have tried to do this quickly and failed. I don’t buy the whole “Russia aren’t trying narrative” as it’s ridiculous.

They are just failing miserably

Yeah obviously they have the capacity to completely level the city and everything in sight but the fact that they've not been willing to go to that lengths gives me slight glimmer of hope that there is a way out of this, and that those nuke threates are not genuine.

 

[FootyGirl88]

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[Sarni]

BTW it's bollocks when they say that their nuke operators have been put at high alert. Just listened to an interview with a Polish military expert and those forces have been at high alert for every single minute of the last 60 years.

 

[TMDaines]

Any links?

Seems they don't broadcast for free internationally any longer. Just videos on Youtube.