?More info on background of this 300 year ban?
These russian “soldiers” are requesting more “tools and instruments.” To me, they look like they just got out of jail and wouldn’t know how to use any “tools and instruments” sent to them.
Mobilization in Russia for Jan. 4-6, 2023, CIT volunteer summary
See post 5151
Sorry, you don’t like links but it is pretty complicated to go over here. But also:
Kyiv Pechersk Lavra - Wikipedia
Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) - Wikipedia
Thanks but no info of a “300 year ban” in those Wikipedia links…
Read the history section. It is a sectarian Holy war but that is Euromaidan’s take on it.
Here is the Euromaidan article on it:
https://euromaidanpress.com/2023/01/07/ukrainian-liturgy-returns-to-historical-kyiv-monastery-after-300-years-of-ban/?swcfpc=1
Condoleezza is getting worried. Ben Hodges is still Bullish.
Opinion | Condoleezza Rice, Robert Gates: It’s time to repel Russia from Ukraine - The Washington Post (archive.md)
Bump
Well whose side is time on? Time certainly isn’t on Russia’s side and time is running out for Putin.
Agreed.
Car they are following and filming keeps drifting to left side of the road.
The cited Wapo article by Condoleeza Rice and Robert M Gates explains clearly who they think benefits from complacency about the situation Ukraine is currently in.
I think their first paragraph is far more realistic than the impression created here. The second paragraph rightly says that what is being done now is overdue, but it fails to even propose stronger measures such as as actual mobilization and deployment for collective defence.
Their experience from the administration that had support for the Iraq war and got thoroughly undermined by the US Foreign Policy establishment gives them every reason to be very wary about a Congress and public opinion that could get swayed back into isolationism.
It is not clear whether their claim that the US has learned from 1914, 1941 and 2001 is their actual assessment or or whether their concern that it might not be the case is the reason they feel the need to issue their warning. I suspect the latter.
Meanwhile, although Ukraine’s response to the invasion has been heroic and its military has performed brilliantly, the country’s economy is in a shambles, millions of its people have fled, its infrastructure is being destroyed, and much of its mineral wealth, industrial capacity and considerable agricultural land are under Russian control. Ukraine’s military capability and economy are now dependent almost entirely on lifelines from the West — primarily, the United States. Absent another major Ukrainian breakthrough and success against Russian forces, Western pressures on Ukraine to negotiate a cease-fire will grow as months of military stalemate pass. Under current circumstances, any negotiated cease-fire would leave Russian forces in a strong position to resume their invasion whenever they are ready. That is unacceptable.
The only way to avoid such a scenario is for the United States and its allies to urgently provide Ukraine with a dramatic increase in military supplies and capability — sufficient to deter a renewed Russian offensive and to enable Ukraine to push back Russian forces in the east and south. Congress has provided enough money to pay for such reinforcement; what is needed now are decisions by the United States and its allies to provide the Ukrainians the additional military equipment they need — above all, mobile armor. The U.S. agreement Thursday to provide Bradley Fighting Vehicles is commendable, if overdue. Because there are serious logistical challenges associated with sending American Abrams heavy tanks, Germany and other allies should fill this need. NATO members also should provide the Ukrainians with longer-range missiles, advanced drones, significant ammunition stocks (including artillery shells), more reconnaissance and surveillance capability, and other equipment. These capabilities are needed in weeks, not months.
Increasingly, members of Congress and others in our public discourse ask, “Why should we care? This is not our fight.” But the United States has learned the hard way — in 1914, 1941 and 2001 — that unprovoked aggression and attacks on the rule of law and the international order cannot be ignored. Eventually, our security was threatened and we were pulled into conflict. This time, the economies of the world — ours included — are already seeing the inflationary impact and the drag on growth caused by Putin’s single-minded aggression. It is better to stop him now, before more is demanded of the United States and NATO as a whole. We have a determined partner in Ukraine that is willing to bear the consequences of war so that we do not have to do so ourselves in the future.
Tendar on the warparth with TASS. Totally based
Still pushing for the fail. As @andrewb brilliantly put it, “feels like a suicide mission to me but they don’t seem to mind a suicide mission.”
Unless Putin aims to forcibly annex Belarus and declare the rebirth of the USSR.
General Petraeus: Give Ukraine counter drones to beat Russia
