Russia

[dawg80]

Everyone is turning on poor ole Putin!

A mercenary group, out of Belarus, called the Volat Battalion, is in Ukraine fighting the Russkies. They are not officially sanctioned by the Belarus government, that, on paper, is still an ally of Russia, but to have Belarussians fighting against Russia is a blow to the relationship.

Turkey has stepped up again in support of their role in NATO and is supplying German-built Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. Earlier in the war Turkey blocked Russian navy vessels from leaving/entering the Black Sea and denied a port-a-call to a Russian frigate which had been damaged by Ukranian drones. Saying Russia was a belligerent in a war, Turkey exercised its rights under international law to deny entry into one of its ports. The frigate was left floundering at sea until a Russian tug reached it and towed it back to a Russian port. Since then Turkey has sent mixed signals causing concern they were not adhering to their NATO alliances. Ukraine is not a NATO nation, but clearly NATO as an organization is supporting it. But now the Turks sending these tanks is a good sign, and Putin went ballistic on the news.

Thousands of Russian citizens have taken to the streets to protest the war. The Putin propaganda media has not been able to contain all the real news leaking out, and even some of Putin's very own media-types have started questioning the war.

Putin is losing.

[FriscoDawg]

Putin may be losing, but Ukraine only wins if both Putin and Zelensky lose.

[dawg80]

Putin may be losing, but Ukraine only wins if both Putin and Zelensky lose.

Oh? I have read quite a bit on Zelensky and have yet to find anything that should cause concern. Maybe you have a source..

[Blue Dawg]

Putin may be losing, but Ukraine only wins if both Putin and Zelensky lose.

That depends a lot on what "losing" means in both cases. The US is committed to extending the war until Ukraine has press-ganged the last old man left in the country into the meatgrinder of the week.

[dawg80]

That depends a lot on what "losing" means in both cases. The US is committed to extending the war until Ukraine has press-ganged the last old man left in the country into the meatgrinder of the week.

Say what!? How is the US extending the war? The length of this war depends strictly on Putin, and if he is removed from power, then Russia. They are the aggressors, the invaders, if they leave, that's it, the war is over. As long as they stay Ukraine will continue to fight, defending their nation, as ANY country would do.

Gawd, I have seen/heard some dumb comments on the US's involvement in this conflict, including from Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingram, whom I usually agree with.

[dawg80]

Speaking of dumb comments..

Croatia President Zoran Milano said Ukraine must give up the notion of taking Crimea back. Crimea was annexed into Russia in 2014 and belongs to Russia. Milano said, in a press conference this morning, Croatia supports Ukraine but only to the point they regain the territory of their sovereign nation and trying to "retake" Crimea represents aggression on their part.

Several times Milano used phrases like "retake" and "take Crimea back" which indicates he knows Crimea belonged to Ukraine prior to the obummer-wink, wink do nothing Russian invasion of 2014. If Russia can invade an annex Crimea and that somehow gives Russia legal claim to it, then it follows that Ukraine can do the same thing.

Speakjng of Croatia...didn't the US, under Bill Klinton, support it during its fight for independence in the 1990's? I think we did.

[PawDawg]

Gawd, I have seen/heard some dumb comments on the US's involvement in this conflict, including from Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingram, whom I usually agree with.

Interesting...how do you reply to those who are concerned about our military being drawn down?

[dawg80]

Interesting...how do you reply to those who are concerned about our military being drawn down?

It is a concern, yes. Just read that our navy is having issues keeping ships operational due to budget cuts thanks to Biden. Same thing happened under obummer, only much worse than what Sleepy Joe has done, thus far. But our navy's problems have nothing to do with our supporting Ukraine, since we have not sent any naval assets, so far. Biden left $7.5 billion worth of equipment in Afghanistan. Which, BTW, the Taliban has been selling to raise money for their organization. So far, none of that equipment has gone to any real threats, but that is likely coming soon.

So, is the problem really our aid to Ukraine or is it just morons in the White House?

[dawg80]

Denmark is sending some of their Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. The world is rallying to the aid of Ukraine, wanting to be on the right side of history.

[FriscoDawg]

Oh? I have read quite a bit on Zelensky and have yet to find anything that should cause concern. Maybe you have a source..

Ukraine is one of the (if not the) most corrupt country in the world, largely because of Zelensky. There are some reports that some Ukrainians may try to overthrow Zelensky. Zelensky aiding and abetting the Biden crime family should cause more than a little concern.

The latest sources I found.

"Pharma, MSM, Tech, Intel, Zelensky, WHO, Deep State All Working Together to Cover Up Bioweapons in Ukraine" (thegatewaypundit.com)

Hunter Biden's Metabiota Labs Received Tens of Millions of Dollars in DOD Contracts - Experimented with Bat Viruses in at least One Biolab (thegatewaypundit.com)

[Blue Dawg]

Ukraine is one of the (if not the) most corrupt country in the world, largely because of Zelensky. There are some reports that some Ukrainians may try to overthrow Zelensky. Zelensky aiding and abetting the Biden crime family should cause more than a little concern.

The latest source I found.

"Pharma, MSM, Tech, Intel, Zelensky, WHO, Deep State All Working Together to Cover Up Bioweapons in Ukraine" (thegatewaypundit.com)

Don't forget the video he recently made thanking the WEF

[dawg80]

Ukraine is one of the (if not the) most corrupt country in the world, largely because of Zelensky. There are some reports that some Ukrainians may try to overthrow Zelensky. Zelensky aiding and abetting the Biden crime family should cause more than a little concern.

You mean like the US because of The Swamp!? How is it career politicians, with salaries of less than $200K, are now worth $hundreds of millions?

As for Zelensky (Z) he and his government may indeed be "corrupt" but right now he and his government are fighting aggression and they need to be supported. I didn't know much of anything about Z or his government prior to Putin's invasion. Any more than I can tell you about the current leaders/governments in The Czech Republic, Greece, Poland, Hungary, etc... what I do know is Z has been a great wartime leader and is standing up to a dangerous bully. Early in the war, when Russian forces threatened Kyiv and Putin had announced he would kill Zelensky, Z stood his ground, refused offers from other countries who were offering sanctuary. Instead Z said he would not run like a coward and abandon the people of Ukraine to their fate. Apparently I am the only one on this forum who was impressed by that and came to respect Z as a leader.

There is corruption everywhere in government, including here, from the federal government right down to local parishes(counties) and towns.

Of course the Bidens are corrupt! Duh! So invoking that crime family and anyone "aiding and abetting" them is irrelevant since there are literally scores of examples of those in bed with the Bidens. Including the DOJ/FBI.

[dawg80]

Poland is considering committing troops on the ground in Ukraine. Of course this has created a firestorm of debate in Poland with supporters of doing it and the opposition both hollering loudly. Supporters say they will not be combat units but logistic and support units, but the opposition questions what happens if the Polish troops get too close to the fighting or are fired-upon by Russkie units. The US has sent 13,500 soldiers to Poland and they are deployed near the Ukrainian border, official word being US troops will not cross into Ukraine. Most of these US soldiers are in support/training units, but the Pentagon has confirmed that about 5,000 are combat soldiers, mostly from the 82nd Airborne Division. They are there to "assure our NATO allies" according to a Pentagon statement.

Meanwhile Putin is experiencing more angst from his supposed Chechen allies. Two divisions, about 30,000 Chechen soldiers, are refusing to follow the orders of Putin's recently appointed commander in the Bakhmut region. One brigade of Chechens was wiped out by a combined Ukran/anti-Putin Chechen operation. A portion of the Chechen army sent to Ukraine, by Putin, supported by Russian logistical units, has joined the Ukrans and turned against Putin. Now two divisions of supposed loyal Chechens are refusing to fight.

Putin is losing.

[dawg80]

Corruption in Ukraine

Because of some of the comments on this board I have been doing research on this matter. I find an article published by Time Magazine on their online site to be the best summary of the current situation. As a quick summary, the article says there was widespread corruption perpetrated by local government officials mostly in the form of demanding payment for public services that taxes already paid for. For instance, people had to pay a bribe to the local utility department to have water and electricity turned on and kept on. Up until 2018 the Ukrainian national government looked the other way, but that began to change with some crack-downs on this practice. The bigger episodes of corruption involved private entities like the large national banks and embezzlement and kickbacks common to government officials. Just like what happens in the USA all the time. That's why scumbags like Pelosi, the Klintons, obummer, and the Bidens are worth $hundreds of millions.

The good news is the Zelensky government has taken steps to clean up the corruption. Just this week two officers of large Ukrainian banks were arrested, and a third official has fled to Spain vying to fight extradition back to Ukraine to face fraud charges. Several Ukrainian ministers in the national government have been arrested and charged in corruption schemes. Officials in the EU are applauding these efforts saying ending such corruption is essential before Ukraine can/will be admitted into the EU.

Now, all of you with your panties in a wad over Ukrainian corruption as your excuse to block US involvement, I ask you, when will the US do as much to end corruption in our government? I'll wait...

[FriscoDawg]

Corruption in Ukraine

Because of some of the comments on this board I have been doing research on this matter. I find an article published by Time Magazine on their online site to be the best summary of the current situation. As a quick summary, the article says there was widespread corruption perpetrated by local government officials mostly in the form of demanding payment for public services that taxes already paid for. For instance, people had to pay a bribe to the local utility department to have water and electricity turned on and kept on. Up until 2018 the Ukrainian national government looked the other way, but that began to change with some crack-downs on this practice. The bigger episodes of corruption involved private entities like the large national banks and embezzlement and kickbacks common to government officials. Just like what happens in the USA all the time. That's why scumbags like Pelosi, the Klintons, obummer, and the Bidens are worth $hundreds of millions.

The good news is the Zelensky government has taken steps to clean up the corruption. Just this week two officers of large Ukrainian banks were arrested, and a third official has fled to Spain vying to fight extradition back to Ukraine to face fraud charges. Several Ukrainian ministers in the national government have been arrested and charged in corruption schemes. Officials in the EU are applauding these efforts saying ending such corruption is essential before Ukraine can/will be admitted into the EU.

Now, all of you with your panties in a wad over Ukrainian corruption as your excuse to block US involvement, I ask you, when will the US do as much to end corruption in our government? I'll wait...

Waiting for the GOP House investigations to start to peel layers of the onion back here. Lots of layers to peel, and some heavily involve RINOs and the uniparty.

How much of the billions of aid being provided to Ukraine actually reaches the frontline where it is intended? Nowhere near enough. The rest is going to oligarchs and corrupt government officials.

Zelensky made have done a few good things, but nowhere near enough. His attempts to cover up for the Biden crime family cannot be excused.