Ukraine Invasion: Part 20

[HappyWinter]

Thanks to everyone for taking part in the thread.

Something light in the darkness. A puppy found alive under the rubble and returned to its owner who had also been buried under debris.
mobile.twitter.com/gerashchenko_en/status/1514228314654846983

Presidents of Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, Estonia and some comedian bloke.

OSCE are pretty serious as a source.

What an incredible pic Red

@RedToothBrush

Presidents of Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, Estonia and some comedian bloke.

I can see Putin now, doing a Hitler rant in a Downfall style.

Marqs @marqs_
Over 100 civilians have been killed by Russian forces in #Sumy Oblast. Many civilians had tied hands and signs of torture and head shot wounds - governor

So far I've seen a fair amount like this from Chernihiv and Kyiv regions and there's fairly obviously similar in Mariupol and Kherson.

But Sumy region has had surprisingly little so far.

Alex Wickham @alexwickham
Biden brands the US cost of living crisis “Putin’s Price Hike” to try to insulate himself from criticism… wonder if British politicians will try that one too

Zarina Zabrisky @zarinazabrisky
#International Le Pen says France will leave NATO if she is elected president. Macron won the first round of the presidential election on April 10. The 2nd round is on April 24.

In Mariupol, units of the 36th Marine Brigade made complex maneuvers to break through and joined the Azov Bataillon. As a result, Azov received significant reinforcements, the Marines escaped defeat in parts and received additional opportunities — Oleksiy Arestovych

Oh god I hope that's true pestor

@ScrollingLeaves thanks for correcting
@notimagain thanks for the link, I’ll have a read.

@RedToothBrush

Zarina Zabrisky *@zarinazabrisky* #International Le Pen says France will leave NATO if she is elected president. Macron won the first round of the presidential election on April 10. The 2nd round is on April 24.

Could Macron use this to his advantage? Emphasise the security that being in NATO brings in light of increasing Russian aggression?

I an assuming that Macron will be turning up in Ukraine between rounds.

Otherwise France has the choice of a President who speaks to Putin vs one who is funded by Putin.

Zarina Zabrisky @ZarinaZabrisky
Russia: News from #Mordor. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov: transportation delivering weapons to Ukraine is "legitimate military targets for the Russian Federation."

.

Ijsbear here's hoping it is true.
twitter.com/CanadianUkrain1/status/1514290993000067077

In short, he said that people should not make heroes of the UA soldiers who surrendered in Mariupol, and that they took the easy way out. He also adds that the morale of the soldiers is high and that the marines and Azov are now together. He said they will continue to fight.

I can see Putin now, doing a Hitler rant in a Downfall style.

His recent speeches to camera are quite something. A few years ago I delved into what the Far Right Orthodox Nationalists were saying. He has pretty much got there now. I think he turns it up about 10% for showmanship, but otherwise it seems genuine.

@RedToothBrush

Zarina Zabrisky *@ZarinaZabrisky* Russia: News from #Mordor. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov: transportation delivering weapons to Ukraine is "legitimate military targets for the Russian Federation."

Well if that means they are legitimate targets outside Ukraine, there'll be some escalation going on.

Not now France.

The Kyiv Independent@kyivindependent
Le Pen supports rapprochement between NATO, Russia.

“When the war between Russia and Ukraine will be over and settled by a peace treaty, I’ll support the implementation of a strategic development between NATO and Russia,” French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen said.

Oh god, she's full on cakeist.

Wants to leave NATO but also wants to make NATO to do something.

British know all about how this goes...

... Badly.

I hope we don't see another working class repeat like Brexit / Trump. Cos we have firmly established voting for the rightwingers to stick one to the establishment does not work.

I am worried. She's promising all things to all men. Those who like it will ignore the contradiction and those who scorn it will play to the stereotype of looking down the nose.

@RedToothBrush do they mean if they target them in NATO countries it’s legitimate? I assume this would still trigger article 5 regardless of whether the Russians have stuck that caveat in there?

[quote YorkshireLondonMiss]@RedToothBrush do they mean if they target them in NATO countries it’s legitimate? I assume this would still trigger article 5 regardless of whether the Russians have stuck that caveat in there?[/quote]
I’m fairly certain I read somewhere it’s specifically on Ukrainian soil. Will see if I can find it.

From Sky

@PestorPreston

I hope so too, but if it's not, even if they did surrender they are bloody heros.

People who have escaped said they had near to no sustenance, and no contact with the outside world. No idea if Ukraine had fallen. No idea what's going on. Assuming that the soldiers were not quite that isolated, even so once the resupplies stopped getting in, it must have been horrendously hard.

I'll admit the concept of surrending to the Russians is an odd one though. Every Ukrainian knows what happened to the Ukrainians who surrendered or were retreating at the Battle of Ilovaisk, and there must have been plenty of evidence of civilians who had Ukrainian tattoos being murdered in cold blood.

Kaitlan Collins @kaitlancollins
President Biden says the U.S. will send $800 million in new assistance to Ukraine, including "new capabilities tailored to the wider assault we expect Russia to launch," including artillery systems, artillery rounds, armored personnel carriers & transfer of additional helicopters

From 36 mins ago

Ukraine war Report @ukrwarreport
Commanders of Azov and 36th marine brigade claim their forces have managed to break the encirclement of the 36th in Mariupol and have now opened communication with Azov.

With video of the two commanders sat next to each other. So looks pretty convincing and legit to me.

I guess the Azov have some food and munitions left.