For Those Who Might Be Wondering Why We Might Be In Ukraine

[icanhelp1]

Ukraine to maintain large army regardless of how war ends — Zelenskyy​

Another show-stopper for Putin.

To ensure its security, Ukraine will have to maintain a large military even after the current war with Russia ends, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Feb. 26. According to the president, this is the only certain way to guarantee the nation’s sovereignty. “Regardless of what happens, we do not trust the Russians' claim that they seek peace,” said Zelenskyy. “We believe in our army, which will be one of the main security guarantees. Therefore, in any case, I will maintain the maximum number of troops needed for Ukraine to defend its interests.”

According to Zelenskyy’s previous assessments, it would take 100,000 peacekeepers to deter Moscow from resuming hostilities in the future. This is in addition to a million-strong armed forces fully equipped and trained with modern weapons and firepower. Putin wants to reduce the SZU to 50,000 so he can walk in for Round Three. No compromises there because this is another thing Ukraine won't back down on.

https://english.nv.ua/nation/ukrain...dless-of-how-war-ends-zelenskyy-50493456.html

The way things appear at this stage of the game I don't believe a peace agreement is anywhere near a viable option. I think we'll get to see just how buddy buddy Trump is with Putin. I believe if Putin plays the hard game Trump will treat Putin like he treated Iran. Kicking the US out of NATO is ridiculous on it's face. Forcing Ukraine to disarm without a large standing army from the EU won't fly. I also believe that if Putin pearl harbors the negotiations Trump will agree to supply weapons to Ukraine as fast as they can use them. Germany is finally pulling their heads out of their ass. Germany calling for an EU alliance shunning out the US is political propaganda. Germany is at the center of Trump's disdain for NATO. IMHO

 

[ChloeTzang]

And here's another little snippet on the frontline situation the Russians face. I believe this was from a Russian Telegram channel - hard to figure out, but more evidence that the ZSU is slowly whittling away at the Russians and pushing them back in small increments.

 

[ChloeTzang]

The way things appear at this stage of the game I don't believe a peace agreement is anywhere near a viable option. I think we'll get to see just how buddy buddy Trump is with Putin. I believe if Putin plays the hard game Trump will treat Putin like he treated Iran. Kicking the US out of NATO is ridiculous on it's face. Forcing Ukraine to disarm without a large standing army from the EU won't fly. I also believe that if Putin pearl harbors the negotiations Trump will agree to supply weapons to Ukraine as fast as they can use them. Germany is finally pulling their heads out of their ass. Germany calling for an EU alliance shunning out the US is political propaganda. Germany is at the center of Trump's disdain for NATO. IMHO

I agree. Putin and Ukraine are worlds apart - Ukraine won' trust Russia one inch, amd Putin still wants his victory. Best thing for Ukraine is to keep working the Russians over and smashing their infrastructure and logistics while minimizing their own losses, training, organizing and building out their equipment,

 

[Politruk]

Look east to all of Siberia and the Caucasus. Russia is one of the world's three remaining colonial empires - the other two are China and Indoneasia.

What Indonesian territory could be classified as colonial?

 

[ChloeTzang]

What Indonesian territory could be classified as colonial?

Indoneasia is essentially a Javanese colony and the Indoneasian armed forces are Javanese. Sumatra, the Molucca's, Kalimantan and Irian Jaya are all colonies. East Timor USED to be until they became independant.

The Molucca's are Moluccans - Austronesian and Papuan-speaking ethnic groups - they fought a war against Indoneasia back in the 50's, I think it was, which is why you have lots of descendants of Moluccan refugees in the Netherlands. Moluccans provided most of the soldiers in the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) - no love lost between them and Javanese. Irian Jaya is actually West Papua, and there's a strong Papuan independance movement that has been fighting the Javanese for decades with no external support. Kalimantan is peopled by various tribal groups. Dayak's and Malays are the two biggest ethnic groups.

I spent 2 months in Kalimantan way back when and met some Dayaks and stayed in a Dayak long house with my dad - they're lovely people, but with a long tradition of head-hunting. They do not like the Javanese either, and likely would be happy to collect fresh Javanese heads.

 

[ChloeTzang]

 

[icanhelp1]

I agree. Putin and Ukraine are worlds apart - Ukraine won' trust Russia one inch, amd Putin still wants his victory. Best thing for Ukraine is to keep working the Russians over and smashing their infrastructure and logistics while minimizing their own losses, training, organizing and building out their equipment,

And then there are sanctions and the oil markets. The US can apply a whole 50 gallon drum of whoop-ass on Russia and the Russian economy and Putin knows it. I do believe Trump wants the European part of NATO to handle Ukraine's security agreements unless Russia escalates to an article 5. Poland, Baltics and Finland are not easy targets for Putin's delusional landgrab especially since Poland has over 10,000 US troops stationed there to include the 3rd ABCT "Bulldog Bde". Right now I'm hoping an economic agreement can still happen. Having American businesses on the ground is a huge buffer. We should tell Putin NATO may just release the dogs and let Finland and Poland kick Russias ass. If it weren't for Nukes Russia would be a pile pf blown up scrap metal.

 

[icanhelp1]

Indoneasia is essentially a Javanese colony and the Indoneasian armed forces are Javanese. Sumatra, the Molucca's, Kalimantan and Irian Jaya are all colonies. East Timor USED to be until they became independant.

The Molucca's are Moluccans - Austronesian and Papuan-speaking ethnic groups - they fought a war against Indoneasia back in the 50's, I think it was, which is why you have lots of descendants of Moluccan refugees in the Netherlands. Moluccans provided most of the soldiers in the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) - no love lost between them and Javanese. Irian Jaya is actually West Papua, and there's a strong Papuan independance movement that has been fighting the Javanese for decades with no external support. Kalimantan is peopled by various tribal groups. Dayak's and Malays are the two biggest ethnic groups.

I spent 2 months in Kalimantan way back when and met some Dayaks and stayed in a Dayak long house with my dad - they're lovely people, but with a long tradition of head-hunting. They do not like the Javanese either, and likely would be happy to collect fresh Javanese heads.

Take it easy on Politruk, you're embarrassing the crap out of him.

 

[Lazaran]

Let's just say that's past history and the present is more important than bickering about what's passed. You know you and I disagree on Biden, but I will say, whatever his faults, and they were many, the Biden Administration in general supported Ukraine, except where it didn't suit them. Biden's done, gone and not even being talked about. Let's just put the old clown aside.

What's more important right now is what the current Trump Administration is doing or not doing.

Chloe “Chicongo” Tzang wants a free pass AFTER THEY VOTED FOR President Musk (and DonOld), who: betrayed Ukraine; alienated out allies; cozied up to Putin, and threatened to engage in imperialism (not to mention the crimes they committed / are committing domestically)???



Nah.



Chloe “Chicongo” Tzang



Also:

We. Told. Them. So.

 

[jomar]

The way things appear at this stage of the game I don't believe a peace agreement is anywhere near a viable option. I think we'll get to see just how buddy buddy Trump is with Putin. I believe if Putin plays the hard game Trump will treat Putin like he treated Iran. Kicking the US out of NATO is ridiculous on it's face. Forcing Ukraine to disarm without a large standing army from the EU won't fly. I also believe that if Putin pearl harbors the negotiations Trump will agree to supply weapons to Ukraine as fast as they can use them. Germany is finally pulling their heads out of their ass. Germany calling for an EU alliance shunning out the US is political propaganda. Germany is at the center of Trump's disdain for NATO. IMHO

I dunno. trump has been given much oligarch money he’s beholden. And no doubt Putin is dangling a Moscow Square trump hotel for 2030. My read is trump totally supports Putin as evidenced by his 180 from normal fucking US positions going back to fucking George Washington.

 

[Politruk]

Take it easy on Politruk, you're embarrassing the crap out of him.

Not at all, I appreciate learning this stuff.

 

[Politruk]

Moscow Square

No such place -- it's called "Red Square." And was called that before Communism -- krasniy, the Russian word for "red," used to mean "beautiful."

 

[jomar]

No such place -- it's called "Red Square." And was called that before Communism -- krasniy, the Russian word for "red," used to mean "beautiful."

I stand corrected. Meanwhile, my post stands.

 

[Philthy_Phil]

Reality is sinking in......“You have to understand, [Putin] had no intention, in my opinion, of settling this war,” he (Trump) said. “I think he wanted the whole thing.”

Says ‘Can’t Guarantee’ Deal to End War in Ukraine

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/47898

 

[ChloeTzang]

Take it easy on Politruk, you're embarrassing the crap out of him.

Nah, it's really esoteric stuff and hardly anyone knows anything about Indonesia. I do because I spent 2 months there and it was out in a mining town deep in Kalimantan. I had my own bodyguard who was a Kopassus NCO - after he found out I could shoot he took me shooting on the range at the Army camp. LOL. I had an interesting time there and I was fascinated by all the history forever after, so I have quite a collection of books on Indoneasia from the early colonial days right up to the present. I have an older friend from work who's "Dutch" - her grandfather was born there back in WW2 and was a refugee when the Dutch were thrown out - his family had been there for 400 years - anyhow, I am right into the history there and I don't really expect anyone else to know that much about the place.

 

[DeluxAuto]

47 supports Russia and Putin. Defend that.

On the official MAGA propaganda network.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Not at all, I appreciate learning this stuff.

Here's a few I really recommend. LOL. They were in the bookshelf right behind me. There's some great stuff on the White Rajah's of Sarawak too - just fascinating,

 

[ChloeTzang]

For a really good movie, try this one.....2003 British-American romantic drama film written and directed by Guy Jenkin and starring Hugh Dancy, Jessica Alba, Brenda Blethyn, Emily Mortimer, and Bob Hoskins. The film is about a young Englishman who is sent to Sarawak, Malaysia, in the 1930s to become part of the British colonial government. There he encounters some unorthodox local traditions, and finds himself faced with tough decisions of the heart involving a beautiful young local woman who becomes the object of his affections. It was filmed on location in Sarawak. It's really good - set in the old Colonial Day's - and British rather than Dutch.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Apologies for going off on a tangent there.

 

[icanhelp1]

Nah, it's really esoteric stuff and hardly anyone knows anything about Indonesia. I do because I spent 2 months there and it was out in a mining town deep in Kalimantan. I had my own bodyguard who was a Kopassus NCO - after he found out I could shoot he took me shooting on the range at the Army camp. LOL. I had an interesting time there and I was fascinated by all the history forever after, so I have quite a collection of books on Indoneasia from the early colonial days right up to the present. I have an older friend from work who's "Dutch" - her grandfather was born there back in WW2 and was a refugee when the Dutch were thrown out - his family had been there for 400 years - anyhow, I am right into the history there and I don't really expect anyone else to know that much about the place.

Well, you got a lot out of it in two months. Good for you!

 

[Rotadom]

John Mac Ghlionn wrote a great piece for The Hill about the comedian-turned-president:

“Overnight, the media transformed him into the embodiment of courage, the Churchill of Kyiv, the man who refused to flee, the warrior standing against tyranny. But what if this narrative is entirely false? What if Zelensky, rather than being the hero in this story, is actually the man who won’t allow the war to end — not for the good of his people, but because peace would mean his own downfall?”

“It is no coincidence that as Ukraine’s battlefield prospects worsen, as soldiers defect, as forced conscription spirals into something resembling kidnapping, Zelensky has once again extended martial law. No elections. No peace talks. No escape. Because if the war ends, so does his presidency. And this, more than anything, explains why the war must go on.”

“Since Russia’s invasion in 2022, Zelensky had banned several opposition parties, banned certain media outlets and postponed elections with the justification that wartime voting is “impossible.” Impossible for whom? For the soldiers in the trenches, or for the civilians now living under indefinite martial law?

[…] And yet the war must continue. It is the only thing keeping Zelensky in power. If he were to call elections, he would likely lose. Support for him is falling. The longer this drags on, the more obvious it becomes that Ukraine cannot win — not in any meaningful sense. This is not 2022. The optimism of those early months, when the world believed Ukraine might push Russia back, is gone. Even the U.S., Ukraine’s biggest backer, is slowly dialing down support, with Washington insiders admitting that a total Ukrainian victory is no longer the goal.”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/poli...ensky-can-t-afford-to-end-the-war/ar-AA1z7ICe

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1614755715848024

 

[ChloeTzang]

Finland is launching a new support program for Ukraine, worth 660 mln EUR ($691 mln), shifting from stockpile transfers to direct weapons procurement from its domestic defense industry, the country's Defense Ministry wrote on Feb. 26.

The first supplementary budget proposal of the Finnish government will include a €660 million (almost $700 mln) funding package to bolster Finland’s defense industry, which will manufacture and supply weapons specifically for Ukraine. Going forward, we will order significant volumes of military equipment from Finnish companies. These decisions will strengthen both Ukraine’s fight for a just peace and Finland’s long-term security and supply resilience."

Having been prepared by the Ministry of Defense since fall 2024, the program involved close cooperation with industry, international partners, and Ukraine. The Finnish Defense Forces Logistics Department will oversee procurement based on:

• Ukraine’s critical battlefield needs
• Suitability of Finnish military equipment
• Production and supply chain capacity.

https://english.nv.ua/nation/finlan...weapons-procurement-for-ukraine-50493661.html

 

[ChloeTzang]

Russia demands major Ukrainian cities while failing to capture them​

At the latest U.S.-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 18, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov dismissed the idea of freezing the current front lines in Ukraine. Instead, he doubled down on Moscow’s claim that the entirety of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhya oblasts "belong" to Russia — despite the fact that Russian forces fully occupy none of them. Lavrov also rejected any peace deal, allowing Western military aid to continue flowing to Ukraine, effectively repackaging Russia’s long-standing maximalist demands. Despite months of heavy assaults, Russian forces have failed to achieve significant territorial gains, suffering high equipment and personnel losses, ISW noted. The report suggests that Russia is unlikely to fully occupy these four oblasts through military means anytime soon — if ever.

Lavrov’s demands are a diplomatic attempt to secure what Russia cannot win on the battlefield. "Moscow’s declared goal of capturing more Ukrainian land and people directly contradicts U.S. and European efforts for a sustainable peace and reinforces Russia’s ongoing illegal occupation instead of engaging in genuine negotiations or making any concessions," ISW concluded.

The analysts also stressed that Putin remains uninterested in meaningful peace talks, believing he can achieve his objectives militarily in the medium-to-long term. The Kremlin’s insistence on addressing the so-called 'root causes' of the war — which include undermining NATO and forcing Ukraine into full capitulation — further demonstrates Russia’s lack of intent to negotiate in good faith.

https://english.nv.ua/nation/russia...krainian-cities-it-cannot-seize-50493548.html

 

[ChloeTzang]

Russian invaders near Pokrovsk are stalled and showing signs of exhaustion​

Russian forces are "stuck" near Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast and showing signs of exhaustion, said Viktor Tregubov, spokesman for Ukraine's Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group on Feb. 27. According to Tregubov, an offensive from the south and an attempt to bypass Pokrovsk from the west are likely to fail. “There’s a noticeable trend of Russian exhaustion. I’m not saying the Ukrainians have some endless reserves of strength, but the Russians are definitely facing physical, moral, and material exhaustion. It’s real, and it’s visible,” Tregubov said. He attributes this to the successful operations of Ukrainian UAV units, which have helped establish an effective defense of Pokrovsk, as well as the collaboration between UAV units and infantry, including assault units.

https://english.nv.ua/nation/russia...hausted-ukrainian-official-says-50493629.html

 

[ChloeTzang]

“the Ukrainians are becoming more and more brazen every day” lol