Live Conflict Ukraine-Russia War

SilverMachine

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A little skeptical in the sense that first it was "1000" now it's "2000", but yeah, rising casualty numbers do make sense in recent weeks. The qualifier of course being that that's because there's been a lot of fighting and Russia's beaten back the Ukrainians to take more of their land, so...
 

Soldier30

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An episode of the movement of a column and landing of troops of the Russian BMP-2 in Novoivanovka, Kursk region of Russia. The BMP-2 as part of a column consisting of a T-72 tank and five BMP-2s broke through to Ukrainian positions in the settlements of Zeleny Shlyakh and Novoivanovka. The column split into two parts, during the movement of the column one of the tanks was hit by a strike, presumably by a drone, it is not clear from the video how much the tank was damaged. The video shows the landing of troops from the Russian BMP-2 in the village of Novoivanovka and the attack of a Ukrainian grenade launcher from behind a building, as noted in the video. The BMP-2 was attacked twice, the first grenade launcher strike was tangential, the second grenade launcher shot into the ground. The BMP-2 was not damaged and landed troops.

 

MaciekRS

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It looks like Trump is choosing interesting people :)
"Pete Hegseth, Trump's pick for Defense Secretary, criticized the Biden Administration for not arming Ukraine quickly enough, and called Putin a "war criminal" trying to reconstitute the Soviet Union. "Ceasefires? You know what ceasefires are for him? An opportunity to reload""

I'm not surprized that russia is in hurry to recapture Kursk at all cost. Grandpa "dont do shit to not escalate" Biden is going away.
 

Woland

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It looks like Trump is choosing interesting people :)
"Pete Hegseth, Trump's pick for Defense Secretary, criticized the Biden Administration for not arming Ukraine quickly enough, and called Putin a "war criminal" trying to reconstitute the Soviet Union. "Ceasefires? You know what ceasefires are for him? An opportunity to reload""

I'm not surprized that russia is in hurry to recapture Kursk at all cost. Grandpa "dont do shit to not escalate" Biden is going away.
It's a mixed bag. Here's what we know:

Neocons:
- Secretary of State - Marco Rubio. Supports Ukraine in essence, but wants clearly defined objectives and more action from Europe. Voted against Ukraine aid Supplemental in April 2024. Experienced politician, supported by traditional Republicans but not MAGA Republicans.
- National Security Advisor - Mike Waltz. An ex-Green Beret, he mostly supported providing Ukraine with weapons, though criticized "lack of oversight" and the lack of action from Europe. Voted against the Supplemental. There was a interview with him last month where he spoke a lot about Ukraine.
- CIA Director - John Ratcliffe. There's not much about John Ratcliffe and Ukraine, except this policy paper he wrote together with General Kellogg in late 2022:
It's very inline with Mike Waltz's and Marco Rubio's views; The US should stand with Ukraine, but Europe should be doing more, clear policy objectives should be stated, and without it aid should not be provided.
- Special envoy for war in Ukraine - Brian Hook, lawyer who served in the Republican administrations of George W. Bush as Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs, under Donald Trump as Special Representative for Iran, and was a senior adviser to Mitt Romney's foreign policy campaign.

MAGA:
- Director of National Intelligence - Tulsi Gabbard. Gabbard is a Putin and Assad apologist.

???
- Secretary of Defense - Pete Hegseth. There's limited information about his views on Ukraine, in part because he's a news anchor rather than a politician. We do know that he has been dismissive of supporting Ukraine though: 1, 2. He has minimal experience and the off-the-record reaction from Republicans to his nomination was shock. He's very strange and inexperienced.

Cabinet positions need to be confirmed by the Senate. Both Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard might run into difficulties, especially now that voting has finished and the Senate Majority Leader is McConell's protege John Thune.
 

blackjack

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It looks like Trump is choosing interesting people :)
"Pete Hegseth, Trump's pick for Defense Secretary, criticized the Biden Administration for not arming Ukraine quickly enough, and called Putin a "war criminal" trying to reconstitute the Soviet Union. "Ceasefires? You know what ceasefires are for him? An opportunity to reload""

I'm not surprized that russia is in hurry to recapture Kursk at all cost. Grandpa "dont do shit to not escalate" Biden is going away.
It's a mixed bag. Here's what we know:

Neocons:
- Secretary of State - Marco Rubio. Supports Ukraine in essence, but wants clearly defined objectives and more action from Europe. Voted against Ukraine aid Supplemental in April 2024. Experienced politician, supported by traditional Republicans but not MAGA Republicans.
- National Security Advisor - Mike Waltz. An ex-Green Beret, he mostly supported providing Ukraine with weapons, though criticized "lack of oversight" and the lack of action from Europe. Voted against the Supplemental. There was a interview with him last month where he spoke a lot about Ukraine.
- CIA Director - John Ratcliffe. There's not much about John Ratcliffe and Ukraine, except this policy paper he wrote together with General Kellogg in late 2022:
It's very inline with Mike Waltz's and Marco Rubio's views; The US should stand with Ukraine, but Europe should be doing more, clear policy objectives should be stated, and without it aid should not be provided.
- Special envoy for war in Ukraine - Brian Hook, lawyer who served in the Republican administrations of George W. Bush as Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs, under Donald Trump as Special Representative for Iran, and was a senior adviser to Mitt Romney's foreign policy campaign.

MAGA:
- Director of National Intelligence - Tulsi Gabbard. Gabbard is a Putin and Assad apologist.

???
- Secretary of Defense - Pete Hegseth. There's limited information about his views on Ukraine, in part because he's a news anchor rather than a politician. We do know that he has been dismissive of supporting Ukraine though: 1, 2. He has minimal experience and the off-the-record reaction from Republicans to his nomination was shock. He's very strange and inexperienced.

Cabinet positions need to be confirmed by the Senate. Both Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard might run into difficulties, especially now that voting has finished and the Senate Majority Leader is McConell's protege John Thune.
in the end this guy right here is the commander in chief.
1731543574475.png

i dont think the cabinet choice matters as much as republicans that are given the house or senate that support Ukraine matters since the decision on spending bills is this guy.
 

Anastasius

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in the end this guy right here is the commander in chief.
View attachment 72037
i dont think the cabinet choice matters as much as republicans that are given the house or senate that support Ukraine matters since the decision on spending bills is this guy.
Yeah, not really. Unlike Russia, US has a thing called checks-and-balances specifically designed to stop the president from making decisions with zero opposition.
 

blackjack

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Yeah, not really. Unlike Russia, US has a thing called checks-and-balances specifically designed to stop the president from making decisions with zero opposition.
i don't think you know what a cabinet position is and who appoints them.
 

Woland

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i don't think you know what a cabinet position is and who appoints them.
I don't think you read the post above even though you responded to it, as it answers this very point. All cabinet positions have to go before the Senate for a hearing, followed by a vote. A majority is required before any cabinet-level position is approved. In the Senate Republicans are 53 to Democrats 47, meaning 4 Republicans can stop a cabinet position nominee (since Vice President breaks ties).

The only way around this is to recess the Senate and appoint a cabinet-level nominee during the recess. Recesses have to be approved by the Senate Majority Leader. Prior to being chosen as Senate Majority Leader, Thune indicated that he may not be opposed: “We must act quickly and decisively to get the president’s nominees in place as soon as possible, & all options are on the table to make that happen, including recess appointments. We cannot let Schumer and Senate Dems block the will of the American people.” However the decision rests with him now, not Trump alone.
 

blackjack

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I don't think you read the post above even though you responded to it, as it answers this very point. All cabinet positions have to go before the Senate for a hearing, followed by a vote. A majority is required before any cabinet-level position is approved. In the Senate Republicans are 53 to Democrats 47, meaning 4 Republicans can stop a cabinet position nominee (since Vice President breaks ties).

The only way around this is to recess the Senate and appoint a cabinet-level nominee during the recess. Recesses have to be approved by the Senate Majority Leader. Prior to being chosen as Senate Majority Leader, Thune indicated that he may not be opposed: “We must act quickly and decisively to get the president’s nominees in place as soon as possible, & all options are on the table to make that happen, including recess appointments. We cannot let Schumer and Senate Dems block the will of the American people.” However the decision rests with him now, not Trump alone.
Trump signs the 60 billion dollar check, you have the Senate and house ruled by Republicans. Good luck. I don't think his cabinet members pass the bills as far as I am aware
 

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BIG: A briefing prepared for Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence suggests Ukraine could develop a basic nuclear bomb within months if U.S. military support is withdrawn.

Using plutonium extracted from spent nuclear reactor fuel, Ukraine could potentially construct a weapon similar in design to the “Fat Man” bomb dropped on Nagasaki in 1945.

According to Oleksii Yizhak of Ukraine’s National Institute for Strategic Studies, Ukraine has enough reactor plutonium to make hundreds of low-yield warheads, capable of targeting military bases or infrastructure.

Source: The Times

 

blackjack

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They don't have any uranium enrichment and the development of the required centifuge trains is both unaffordable and beyond their technical abilities. They could try to make plutonium by irridating fuel assemblies in their remaining RMBK reactors (which unlike PWRs can have fuel rods inserted/removed while the reactor is online and generating electrical power) but where would they get the fuel rod assemblies, and how would they then process the hot fuel rods and separate out the plutonium? AFAIK attempts by Westinghhouse to develop rods for Ukraine reactors has been a failure, and Ukraine doesn't have fuel reprocessing facilities (fuel supplies came from Russia).
 

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Here we go again a guy that can never give a direct answer is still mad I am a moderator (you should complain about it the 3rd time next).

All you have to do is give a time, date, and recorded footage of Ukrainians supposedly causing massive casualties in a single day besides me being the only one that can provide that as vice versa. The information you gave me still proves my point that the casualties from the Ukrainians are still more massive with a huge reason why they keep getting pushed back with no plans yet when they will start another counteroffensive somewhere in 2025.
Another bill has to be passed if they want to make any progress again to start any major counteroffensive and the chances of that happening are slim with the transition to the trump administration in less than 2 months with him not being so lenient in raising money past the 175 billion dollars that was already spent on Ukraine. Any news or claims of higher Russian casualties than Ukraine are just delusions because Ukraine has not made progress on their last major offensive like they have done with their previous major offensives and Russia is still pushing them back. Europe only paying the bill is just going to rake up Ukrainian casualties at a higher number than before.

I feel like people here don't realize how much 175 billion dollars is from the US(which is not counting Europe or funding from US going way back to 2014) and how that funding got Ukraine nowhere but got them pushed back after each major bill has been passed. Less money = less weapons and less weapons = more casualties. So please understand why I ask questions and ask for evidence when some goofs are telling me Russian casualties=Ukrainian casualties when Ukrainians are getting pushed back along with no major bills being passed now with the US election results. Saying Ukrainians have equal casualties with Russia under these circumstances is like saying native Americans had equal casualties to conquistadors
This is what I'm talking about. You refuse to simply have an honest conversation.

Ukraine did not receive $175 Billion usd from USA 🇺🇸. That's a partisan propaganda myth perpetuated by the far right and lazy people who read headlines and don't do any research.

The United States has actually provided $106 Billion usd in funding. The $175 Billion usd figure you're citing, refers to the total funding allocated in the bills that have been passed since the outset of the war, as well as some other levers that the U.S. Government can pull to release funding. However, a huge amount of that $175 Billion usd was actually spent to backfill weapons in U.S. inventories and stimulate the defense industry to rapidly increase production. As of September 2024, $69.8 Billion usd had been sent to Ukraine in the form of U.S. military aid. A further $33.3 Billion usd had been sent in the form of budget support for the Ukrainian Government. Approximately $3 Billion usd had been sent as humanitarian aid... $69 Billion usd was spent back in America, or supporting other countries in region. Therefore, more than 1/3 of the money you claim was sent to Ukraine, wasn't. That's completely false.

Now, let's deal with this notion that $106 Billion usd is a lot of money for the USA 🇺🇸.

USA Defense Spending By Year:

2022: $860.69 Billion usd
2023: $916.02 Billion usd
2024: $873.80 Billion usd

Total: $2.65 Trillion usd

$106 Billion is 4% of the U.S. Defense budget for the last 3 years. It's also less than 0.2% of the U.S. GDP over that same time frame. We're talking about peanuts in the grand scheme of things.

 

Spitfire9

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BIG: A briefing prepared for Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence suggests Ukraine could develop a basic nuclear bomb within months if U.S. military support is withdrawn.
It would be ironical. Russia has said that it would be only be prepared to use nuclear weapons if its existence were threatened. On that basis it must approve of Ukraine only being prepared to use nuclear weapons if its existence is threatened.

Who on earth might threaten Ukraine's existence?
 

SilverMachine

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Pretty comfortable with Ratcliffe & Rubio. A little surprised by Hegseth, with the qualifier being that he doesn't seem to be half as unqualified as everyone's painting him as (they've had lower-ranked guys get the position before, and the guy's got a master's degree in public policy which surprised me), but whatever.

Kartal, other guys within Zelensky's government denied they're even *able* to make a bomb even if they want to, so not sure what to think there. In any case, they'd be mouth-breathing retarded to pull something like that, it'd simply be permission and precedent for Vlad to bring his nuclear arsenal into the fold. Ant, meet boot.
 

Spitfire9

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  • Russia is facing the mounting risk of stagflation, a think tank tied to the Kremlin has said.
  • TsMAKP said the nation's high interest rates would trigger an economic downturn while inflation remains high.
  • Russia's tight monetary policy is costing businesses profitability and risks spurring bankruptcies.

Russia is showing signs of sinking economically

- bank rate 21%, cheapest unsubsidised mortgage rate 24%
- spot exchange rate 1 USD : 99+ rubles
- home/apartment sales are seeing steep falls in demand


Will the Russia apologists correct me and tell me I am naive to believe Anglo-Saxon propaganda when in reality Mr Putin has everything under control?
 
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blackjack

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hmm economy.

Rosstat estimates economic growth in the third quarter, by Elena Rozhkova for RBC. 11.13.2024.

Rosstat announced a slowdown in economic growth in the third quarter to 3.1% against 4.1% in the previous one. However, the growth was better than the Ministry of Economic Development estimated (2.9%). According to the Ministry of Economic Development, the economy grew by 4.2% in 9 months.

Economic growth in the third quarter of 2024 slowed to 3.1% year-on-year against 4.1% in the second quarter of 2024, according to a preliminary estimate by Rosstat published on Wednesday, November 13. "The index of physical volume of gross domestic product in the third quarter of 2024 relative to the same period in 2023, according to a preliminary estimate, was 103.1%," the agency said in a statement. The data was again provided without taking into account statistical information on the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, as well as the Zaporizhia and Kherson regions.

The preliminary ("zero") assessment was made using the production method (the sum of the gross added value of all industries). Thus, in manufacturing, the added value grew by 6% in the third quarter of 2024 (compared to the same period of the previous year), in retail turnover - also by 6%. The first GDP estimate for the third quarter will be published on December 13.

In the second quarter of 2024, according to Rosstat , GDP growth was 4.1% year-on-year, which is lower than the first quarter figure of 5.4%.

Despite the slowdown, Rosstat’s preliminary estimate was higher than the Ministry of Economic Development’s estimate published at the end of October (plus 2.9% in the third quarter).



The Ministry of Economic Development, taking into account the data received from Rosstat, has clarified its estimate of economic growth for nine months: it amounted to 4.2% compared to the same period last year, the press service of the ministry reported. "The main driver was the manufacturing industry, where the machine-building complex made the greatest contribution. Thus, high indicators were demonstrated by the production of individual vehicles and equipment (including railcars, diesel locomotives, etc.), as well as the production of computers and electronics," the press service quotes Lev Denisov, director of the Department of Macroeconomic Analysis and Forecasting of the Ministry of Economic Development. In his opinion, the high level of consumer activity is supported by the growth of incomes of the population.

Economists from the Institute of Economic Forecasting (INF) of the Russian Academy of Sciences previously pointed out the slowdown in the Russian economy . First of all, according to experts, it is caused by the ongoing tightening of monetary policy (the Bank of Russia raised the key rate to a record 21% on October 25) and a frontal increase in other costs: wages, transaction costs in foreign trade, tariffs for transportation and housing and communal services, and the introduction of additional fees.

Economists at the Center for Macroeconomic Analysis and Short-Term Forecasting (CMASF) predict the possibility of stagflation in Russia, that is, simultaneous stagnation (or decline) and high inflation. Due to the Central Bank's tight monetary policy, according to CMASF economists, the situation may develop according to the scenario of "shock with a decline in production" with a high potential for corporate bankruptcies and an increase in non-payments. To prevent the GDP dynamics from going into negative territory, "the Central Bank's key rate should be reduced to approximately 15-16% by mid-2025, CMASF economists point out. The Central Bank's current forecast assumes an average annual key rate during this period at 17-20%.

Nevertheless, based on the calculations based on the statistics available at the beginning of November, the INP RAS raised its forecast for GDP growth by the end of 2024: they expect the economy to grow by 3.9%, which coincides with the official forecast of the Ministry of Economic Development (a month earlier, the INP predicted annual GDP growth of 3.7%). The Bank of Russia's forecast assumes an increase in GDP this year by 3.5–4%.

On November 8, the Bank of Russia reported that the dynamics of industry financial flows it monitors indicate a gradual slowdown in economic activity at the beginning of the fourth quarter. In October, the volume of incoming payments made through the Bank of Russia payment system decreased by 2.9% compared to the average level of the third quarter of 2024, the Central Bank indicated.


This is what I'm talking about. You refuse to simply have an honest conversation.

Ukraine did not receive $175 Billion usd from USA 🇺🇸. That's a partisan propaganda myth perpetuated by the far right and lazy people who read headlines and don't do any research.

The United States has actually provided $106 Billion usd in funding. The $175 Billion usd figure you're citing, refers to the total funding allocated in the bills that have been passed since the outset of the war, as well as some other levers that the U.S. Government can pull to release funding. However, a huge amount of that $175 Billion usd was actually spent to backfill weapons in U.S. inventories and stimulate the defense industry to rapidly increase production. As of September 2024, $69.8 Billion usd had been sent to Ukraine in the form of U.S. military aid. A further $33.3 Billion usd had been sent in the form of budget support for the Ukrainian Government. Approximately $3 Billion usd had been sent as humanitarian aid... $69 Billion usd was spent back in America, or supporting other countries in region. Therefore, more than 1/3 of the money you claim was sent to Ukraine, wasn't. That's completely false.

Now, let's deal with this notion that $106 Billion usd is a lot of money for the USA 🇺🇸.

USA Defense Spending By Year:

2022: $860.69 Billion usd
2023: $916.02 Billion usd
2024: $873.80 Billion usd

Total: $2.65 Trillion usd

$106 Billion is 4% of the U.S. Defense budget for the last 3 years. It's also less than 0.2% of the U.S. GDP over that same time frame. We're talking about peanuts in the grand scheme of things.

heh makes you wonder why they dont want to spend any more for Ukraine. They must believe Ukraine's victory as much as i do.
How are these even considered far right organizations lol
1731597710095.png
 

Spitfire9

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hmm economy.

Rosstat estimates economic growth in the third quarter, by Elena Rozhkova for RBC. 11.13.2024.

Rosstat announced a slowdown in economic growth in the third quarter to 3.1% against 4.1% in the previous one. However, the growth was better than the Ministry of Economic Development estimated (2.9%). According to the Ministry of Economic Development, the economy grew by 4.2% in 9 months.
My guess is that the Russian economy will continue to grow for a short time. After that? The signs do look bad to me.

PS

Russia may be on the brink of an economic meltdown, with Moscow's attempts to curb inflation pushing the country into what could be its most severe crisis yet, research published by a state-aligned think tank has suggested.

On Wednesday, the Centre for Macroeconomic Analysis and Short-Term Forecasting (TsMAKP) criticised Russia's restrictive monetary policy, warning high interest rates may drive the economy into stagflation - a combination of economic stagnation and persistent inflation.

 
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Soldier30

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Footage of attacks by Russian kamikaze drones "Lancet-51" on two Ukrainian tanks Leopard 2A4, made in Germany, has been published. The tanks were used by the 33rd separate mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian army, technical information is on the channel. The tanks were attacked in the Kurakhovsky direction, near the settlement "Dachny", possibly the settlement "Dalniy". As a result of the attacks by the "Lancet" drones, both tanks were damaged, the extent of the damage is unclear, it is also unknown what happened to the crews.

 

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