Ukraine

[MultiVerse]

Sounds like the same plan that Saudi Arabia has with the US. Our taxpayer dollars pay to protect the House of Saud and in turn the oil companies and JaKush get billions of dollars. Oh, wait, that sounds like a crappy deal for 270 million tax paying Americans and awesome for a few thousand well connected people in America and of course the Trump crime family.

It's nothing like that. The plan calls for direct foreign investment and Ukrainian troops to enhance the security of NATO by replacing some of the U.S. forces in Europe. Stationing American troops in Europe is many times more costly for the U.S. tax payer compared with arming Ukraine.

[highangle]

'First step to World War' — North Korea preparing 10,000 soldiers to join Russia's war, Zelensky confirms

North Korea is preparing 10,000 soldiers of different branches and specializations to join Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Oct. 17.
His statement came days after a Western diplomat told the Kyiv Independent that Pyongyang had sent 10,000 soldiers to Russia. Zelensky said that Moscow plans to "actually involve" North Korea in the war in the coming months.


Speaking at a press conference in Brussels, the president said that Russia is planning to train and engage not only infantry but also North Korean specialists in various branches of the military.


"We know about 10,000 soldiers from North Korea they are preparing to send to fight against us," he added.
According to military intelligence, some North Korean officers are already in the occupied territories of Ukraine and joined the Russian army. Their number is unknown, Zelensky added.
According to Zelensky, the participation of the North Korean military in Russia's war "is the first step to a World War."
Moscow and Pyongyang have deepened military cooperation as Russia seeks arms and other support in its full-scale war against Ukraine. North Korea has been supplying Russia with ballistic missiles and vast quantities of artillery shells.


Iran is another Russian ally, aiding Moscow in its aggression against Ukraine. Tehran has provided Russia with thousands of Shahed kamikaze drones that are used for daily attacks across Ukraine.


"Iran gave (Russia) drones, license to produce these drones and missiles. But not people, not officially. And here we see this first step in this war," Zelensky added.


https://kyivindependent.com/north-ko...-000-soldiers/

[rod9301]

It's nothing like that. The plan calls for direct foreign investment and Ukrainian troops to enhance the security of NATO by replacing some of the U.S. forces in Europe. Stationing American troops in Europe is many times more costly for the U.S. tax payer compared with arming Ukraine.

Direct foreign investment. They are buying land for pennies on the dollar, so it is a good thing, but for black rock, n Ukraine.

Sent from my moto g 5G using Tapatalk

[MultiVerse]

Private investment is a big reason why America is so much richer than Europe as a whole. Private investment & privatization is the reason why Poland with only 37 million people now exports more goods & services than Russia with 145 million people. Russian exports have been stagnant for 20 years. What they do export besides war, crime and misery is low value added commodities.

In just two decades, Poland saw exports climb from ~$40 billion in 2000 to a staggering ~$470 billion in 2023. Zelensky is mirroring the Polish economic miracle. He's privatizing state industries and opening the country to investment. Ukraine & Poland will stand as NATO's bulwark against Russian aggression as the twin engines of growth in the European economy.

[RTsucks]

You make a good point. But private investment was predatory in Russia after cold war and created conditions for putins rise to power. It can be good. Great even. Don't try to tell me it's perfect. And no, I don't have a better plan. But last I heard, Poland going hard right. Could be wrong but I thought hard left or hard right is bad for business.

[MultiVerse]

Poland moved to the center. The hard right lost elections last year. Russia bungled its transition to democracy and free markets. That's really what this war is about. Putin is obsessed with ensuring Ukraine doesn't escape Russia's heavy handed influence. Putin doesn't want Ukraine, which was richer than Poland 30yrs ago, to follow the Polish example. Ukrainians all across the country voted in favor of freedom, in favor of becoming more Western.

[MultiVerse]

Moldova weathered yet another Russian assault on the country’s freedom and democracy:

"The people of Moldova have spoken: our EU future will now be anchored in the constitution. We fought fairly in an unfair fight—and we won.

But the fight isn’t over. We will keep pushing for peace, prosperity, and the freedom to build our own future." -- Maia Sandu President of the Republic of Moldova


In Georgia, the opposition hopes to defeat the pro-Russian government in parliamentary elections next week:

https://x.com/visegrad24/status/1848111867643723803

Tens of thousands are taking to the streets in support of democracy and joining the EU

[Viva]

We knew that the Norks were on their way, but this is division-strength. It will also be interesting watch South Korea's continued involvement and whether or not that leads to increased tensions on the peninsula.

From NVUA

Ukrainian intelligence suggests that two brigades of the North Korean military are preparing for deployment in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his Oct. 22 evening address.

According to the reports, each unit includes roughly 6,000 troops, the president added.

“This is a challenge, but we know how to respond to this challenge,” said Zelenskyy.

“It is crucial that our partners do not hide from this challenge. To all partners: I am grateful to all countries and leaders who condemned North Korea's involvement in Russia's war. It is clear that in Pyongyang, as in Moscow, human lives are neither considered nor valued.”

According to the president, if North Korea can interfere in the war in Europe, "then the pressure on this [Russian] regime is obviously insufficient."

“And if Russia can still make this war bigger and longer, it means everyone in the world who is not yet helping to force Russia into peace is actually helping [Russian dictator Vladimir] Putin to continue fighting,” Zelenskyy added.

“Criminals need to be stopped. We expect a strong, concrete reaction from the world. Preferably, not just in words.”

On Oct. 18, South Korean intelligence reported that North Korea decided to send 12,000 soldiers to the war against Ukraine, including a special forces unit.

On Oct. 22, media reports suggested that South Korea is considering sending its military to Ukraine following North Korea's deployment. Sources in South Korean intelligence noted they are reviewing a plan to send a corresponding number of personnel, including intelligence officers specializing in North Korean military tactics.

[rod9301]

Nothing wrong at all with privatizing. I was taking about selling Ukraine's agriculture and natural resources to us and eu investment firms, so most benefits will go to them instead of Ukraine.

And they buy it on sale.

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[highangle]

Rod, are you saying an index fund is buying land on the cheap? With who's money?

[rod9301]

It's not an index fund. Black rock does a lot of private investments, partnerships, etc.

The point I'm trying to make is that emergency
Zelensky is selling the county now.


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[The Reverend Floater]

It's not an index fund. Black rock does a lot of private investments, partnerships, etc.

The point I'm trying to make is that emergency
Zelensky is selling the county now.


Sent from my moto g 5G using Tapatalk

Do you even know what Black Rock is? You sound like a child.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Meconium]

Everything seems so fucked up and wrong

[The Reverend Floater]

WSJ: Musk and Putie love to bang.

https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/mus..._copyURL_share

Can’t wait for RamRod to chirp…


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MultiVerse]

A big underlying problem is American defense procurement got fucked by regulatory capture, lobbying, and status games making companies like Boeing a hot mess allowing a bad actor to step in and gain leverage over the federal government. The U.S. government faces a dilemma because it’s dependent on Musk’s companies. SpaceX launches critical national security & civil satellites into orbit. Starlink is important strategically. The degradation of the American national security establishment is wild. Vladimir Putin & Xi Jinping are waging a successful covert war / influence campaign in Europe & America with Musk’s help. It’s madness.

[highangle]

When the Starlink cut-off thing first came out, I'm like "Of course punk Musk has a Makarov to his temple. Polonium Poot owns dat ass like Vanilla Ice."

[Meconium]

Biden could just kill Musk. Russia is coming...

[Cono Este]

Time for truth, Every morning I wake, turn on Willy oem, and Ukraine has lost more.

It also seems, the restrictions Biden has on Ukraine, is not going over well with many Europeans, and they fucking hate him.

[MultiVerse]

Ukraine is pulling back troops to more defensible positions to save lives; while Russia is gaining ground at the expense of around 30,000 casualties a month. Russia's manpower shortage explains in large part why they're reduced to bringing in North Korean troops.

Biden's escalation management policy is supported by some Europeans and opposed by others. Escalation management is the policy of the two biggest coalition members: Germany and the U.S. Other partners are pursuing a more proactive approach like Denmark supplying F-16s or Finland confiscating private Russian assets.

In a war of attrition, escalation management is not good for Ukraine. Still worlds better though than the only other American political alternative of full appeasement and forced capitulation. In a better world voters would have an alternative that doesn't involve vocal support for Putin.

[rod9301]

Ukraine made a big mistake in attacking kursk. It was meant as a pr exercise, but it takes precious resources from where they are really needed, in Donetsk.

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[Viva]

It's gonna to take some time before we know whether or not the Kursk strategy was worth it.

This is much like Bakhmut, where losses and reduction of quality brigades seemed unworthy of that fight, until one factors in that Russia gave up Wagner Group entirely and flirted with insurrection as a result.

Still, I'm with you, rod, as a skeptic of the Kursk gambit. I see only political objectives there and the Biden administration seems determined to fuck those any way possible.

But if Russian forces on the Avdiivka axis are drawn and ultimately routed, leading to a reversal like in late 2022, then maybe it will be seen as a necessary sacrifice.

But if Ukraine's defenses do crumble and Russia pushes onward to Siversk, retakes Lyman, begins taking Zaporizhzhia or Dnipro under fire, then it was an error.

Should that happen, I would expect General Syrsky to start looking for an ambassadorial position to, say....Upper Volta, maybe.

[Viva]

Ukraine is pulling back troops to more defensible positions to save lives; while Russia is gaining ground at the expense of around 30,000 casualties a month. Russia's manpower shortage explains in large part why they're reduced to bringing in North Korean troops..

Yeah, I'm with you. And I can read this a couple of different ways.

What's not known is how long until Russia really shoots her wad (maybe not long, given the presence of North Koreans). It"s also not known how well Ukraine has constructed defenses in depth (probably poorly), and I can't find info regrding what losses Ukraine is taking before displacement (impossible to say, but plausibly doing okay here).

The Russians are moving faster than they have for some time, but still are not taking much ground, and not particularly valuable ground either, so far as I can tell.

This is Fabian strategy at work.

For Ukraine, it's a sound strategy, but executing it well can be a real challenge.

Russia is attempting to just barrel straight through it and continues to suffer considerable losses, as you've noted. Bringing up Bakhmut again- that's when we first saw multiple 1,000 casualty days being reported, but now 1,500 casualties are reported routinely now.

[BCMtnHound]

Winter is coming. And perhaps a cold one at that. If Putin can’t show strength soon, an upcoming lean cold Russian winter could severely chill his popularity at home.

[J. Barron DeJong]

The North Korean soldiers may turn out to be less effective than Putin hoped:



https://x.com/gideonrachman/status/1...sR_NcRK2VkCfkg

[This End Up]

A video on how the Ukraine war is affecting China’s influence in Siberia.

https://youtu.be/P9YgtRHwZZM?si=uZwSN3SrfK9f6Mbv