The Invasion Continues...

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Thread two as thread one is complete...

In the Cold War, I don’t think any billets were fired. It was all flexing muscles and showing off

My older brother was conscripted into one of the proxy wars aged 17.

Donald Tusk on Twitter earlier:

“In this war everything is real: Putin’s madness and cruelty, Ukrainian victims, bombs falling on Kyiv. Only your sanctions are pretended. Those EU government’s, which blocked tough decisions (i.a. Germany, Hungary, Italy) have disgraced themselves.”

People are sheltering in Kyiv, those that aren’t leaving. What will the Russian forces do to those civilians? Will they capture those fighting and take them as prisoners of war ?

So sad seeing normal families with guns in their houses waiting for the Russians to come.
And seeing young Ukraine men getting ready to fight, to protect their country.
God help them.
But the west have been asleep at the wheel for years when it comes to Russia.

@BonnieBlue88

The fact there have been any protests at all has surprised me

Why are you surprised? Most Russians do not support this madness. Neither do people in Belarus.

Because protest has never exactly been welcome in Russia. I suppose there could be safety in numbers, but I think it's v brave.

@timetochangeusername, I hate to sound like Debbie Downer, but, nope! war refugees aren't typically put up in nice hotels!

The way it starts is that everyone feels really sorry and wants to help

Then the trickle turns into a tsunami, and the infrastructure is desperately overloaded.

At that point, people really want to help, but in actual reality it's a drop into the ocean.

Eventually, the horrible becomes the new normal, the outpouring of solidarity subsides and reality doesn't really improve for those at the receiving end.

Are you aware there are still people cramped into filthy, inhumane camps on Greek Islands to this day? Or have you forgotten about them as they stopped featuring in our headlines?

Thus is the fucked up reality of war and its human impact!

Interesting that an older lady was saying in Russia, that she didn't think bomb's were dropped in Ukraine but younger people know because of Instagram.

So many I can imagine everyone moves on on everything really.

I mean north Korea raises it's head And we forget it's the world's biggest prison camp And the people have the most bleak lives on the planet.
Some one looses a loved ones and everyone offer's too help but the help and the company drifts away.... people move on and it's yesterday news.

@SoManyQuestionsHere yes I know I was just hoping that maybe Poland had prepared as I have seen some interviews with people who have crossed the border and are in rooms. That's why I think you need money to leave, you keep driving and find somewhere to stay.

It's 100s of miles and there was very quickly no food or petrol available on the journey- so you also need a big tank- again that's wealth.

I heard the head of bbc Ukrainian service saying she had chosen to go east to a small village as she wouldn't have made it to the border

ukrainianinstitute.org.uk/russias-war-against-ukraine-what-can-you-do-to-support-ukraine-ukrainians/

I saw this shared on twitter earlier - I hope its genuine but I have written to my MP and signed the petitions as a starting point.

I work in this field so yes I do know about refugees, hence why I wouldn't leave my home in this situation. Impossible decision though.

@Ohmnomnom

How have we (the west) let this madman amass over 6000 nuclear weapons and then use them as threat to invade and bomb innocent countries? Why are we so fucking spineless that we fawn and cater to him and give in to his ridiculous demands and ignore his spiteful threats?

I'm so angry at him. I knew he was evil, but always thought he was a smart and calculating man. But he's shown the world exactly what he is, a bitter and twisted, small-dicked, deluded, shit stain of a man. I hope they kill him soon and I hope its painful.

Yes exactly my thoughts too!

@TheSillyMastiff
Yes, the International Brigade! George Orwell fought with them.

I have not read the full thread so maybe someone has said already but I was struck watching Channel 4 news by a how a Russian woman protester, in Russia, with a baby in a sling, who was holding up a peace sign, was arrested by about five soldiers. Thuggery to their own people.

@MissyB1

I haven’t heard anyone in the media or on here mention Kazakhstan, will Putin want that back? It was a former Soviet state, and borders Russia. Don’t know if it’s connected but there’s been something odd happening there for a few months. My colleague is from there and her mum still lives there. They’ve been under curfews and phone and internet blackouts since December.

Got their claws into Prince Andrew of York too, by many accounts.

UN Security Council vote today on a draft resolution condemning the Russian invasion (not authorising any action, just condemning the invasion):

11 yes votes
1 no vote from Russia -- a veto, killing the resolution

3 abstentions:
China
India
UAE

why abstentions? whats wrong with them?

@GirlInACountrySong

why abstentions? whats wrong with them?

Their governments are equally authoritarian. China and Taiwan have similarities to Russia and Crimea.

Since yesterday people have been getting organised in Romania as well. The local authorities, NGOs, private people are all helping with free transport from the border to accommodation throughout the country, accommodation ( offered by the local authorities but also in private homes, B&Bs, hotels - many hotel owners are offering accommodation for free), food, clothes, medical supplies,advice, information, there are lots of volunteers who got involved from the beginning. There are collection centres everywhere in the country. Ukrainians refugees can cross the border without a passport (they need to have their Ukrainian ID cards though) and they can also bring their pets (no need for pet passports at the moment, there are forms to be filled in at the border but pets can be brought into Romania, as well as in Poland).

What's happening with India? I thought India was on our side?
And we back them up with Pakistan?

Why did India abstain?

Does anybody think i know we're all hoping somebody on the inside will just take the bastard out and be done with it?

Failing that, I can't help but think of the USA drone strikes targeting key ISIS leaders and how efficient they were at targeting and killing the intended targets.

Is Putin even in hiding in Russia? Could he be located? Is he where he always is, bold as brass and not giving a shit about reprisals?

So many questions, so damn frustrating.

India is backing Russia

@dreamingbohemian

UN Security Council vote today on a draft resolution condemning the Russian invasion (not authorising any action, just condemning the invasion):

11 yes votes
1 no vote from Russia -- a veto, killing the resolution

3 abstentions:
China
India
UAE

Remember this when considering whether to book a holiday in Dubai or not.

I was visiting Kyiv a few years ago and there was a memorial garden to commemorate an opera singer who left his Parisian job and Russian girlfriend to go fight in eastern Ukraine with one of the right-wing groups. This went as well as you would expect given the demanding military training opera singers get, hence, memorial garden.
So it's all very well asking amateurs to take up arms, but I wouldn't recommend it...

But if someone takes him out, doesn't that just create a void? Doesn't mean it will stop.

Although there does seem to be an idea that Putin is behaving irrationally, even for him.

How old is he? Is he a bit Trump and possibly starting the aggressive bit of dementia?