Russia and its “Special Operation” in Ukraine

[KentVillan]

New York Times exposing a bunch of foreign "fighters" in Ukraine who have been building a big social media presence, taking donations, and not doing much by the sounds of things.

https://archive.is/VR4ge

Quote

Many of the volunteers who hurried to Ukraine did so selflessly and acted with heroism. Some have lost their lives. Foreigners have rescued civilians, aided the wounded and fought ferociously alongside Ukrainians. Others raised money for crucial supplies.

 

But in Europe’s largest land war since 1945, the do-it-yourself approach does not discriminate between trained volunteers and those who lack the skills or discipline to assist effectively.

 

One of the best-known Americans on the battlefield is James Vasquez. Days after the invasion, Mr. Vasquez, a Connecticut home-improvement contractor, announced he was leaving for Ukraine. His local newspaper told the tale of a former U.S. Army staff sergeant who left behind his job and family and picked up a rifle and a rucksack on the front line.

 

Since then, he has posted battlefield videos online, at least once broadcasting his unit’s precise location to everyone, including the enemy. He used his story to solicit donations. “I was in Kuwait during Desert Storm, and I was in Iraq after 9/11,” Mr. Vasquez said in a fund-raising video. He added, “This is a whole different animal.”

 

Mr. Vasquez, in fact, was never deployed to Kuwait, Iraq or anywhere else, a Pentagon spokeswoman said. He specialized in fuel and electrical repairs. And he left the Army Reserve not as a sergeant as he claimed, but as a private first class, one of the Army’s lowest ranks.

It makes you realise how hard it is to really believe anything you hear about the conflict, when there are so many unreliable sources involved, and it's so hard to actually cover the fighting.

 

When you see this vid, it's hard to believe this guy would have done much to help the Ukrainian cause. But he had a massive social media presence.

There are stories of foreigners in combat gear just floating around Kyiv, Poland, etc. trying to look the part, while basically being on a holiday.

I know all of this will be seized upon by the wrong side... the Trump trolls are loving it. But seems worth reporting on regardless. Also highlights (if it ever needed highlighting) how stupid Liz Truss was when she encouraged random untrained civilians to just head over there and get involved.

[magnkarl]

1 hour ago, KentVillan said:

New York Times exposing a bunch of foreign "fighters" in Ukraine who have been building a big social media presence, taking donations, and not doing much by the sounds of things.

https://archive.is/VR4ge

It makes you realise how hard it is to really believe anything you hear about the conflict, when there are so many unreliable sources involved, and it's so hard to actually cover the fighting.

 

When you see this vid, it's hard to believe this guy would have done much to help the Ukrainian cause. But he had a massive social media presence.

There are stories of foreigners in combat gear just floating around Kyiv, Poland, etc. trying to look the part, while basically being on a holiday.

I know all of this will be seized upon by the wrong side... the Trump trolls are loving it. But seems worth reporting on regardless. Also highlights (if it ever needed highlighting) how stupid Liz Truss was when she encouraged random untrained civilians to just head over there and get involved.

Yeah, most of thrse guys don’t get into any of the foreign legions, they’re turned down before they even cross the border. Most of the foreign fighters who are there doing actual fighting don’t do what Vazquez is doing at all, one of the rules in I.e the foreign legion is to not post things online before many months later. When you see people doing it, it’s likely fake.

Vazquez is essentially doing his own version of onlyfans, just for gun loving American men.

[sidcow]

7 hours ago, KentVillan said:

New York Times exposing a bunch of foreign "fighters" in Ukraine who have been building a big social media presence, taking donations, and not doing much by the sounds of things.

https://archive.is/VR4ge

It makes you realise how hard it is to really believe anything you hear about the conflict, when there are so many unreliable sources involved, and it's so hard to actually cover the fighting.

 

When you see this vid, it's hard to believe this guy would have done much to help the Ukrainian cause. But he had a massive social media presence.

There are stories of foreigners in combat gear just floating around Kyiv, Poland, etc. trying to look the part, while basically being on a holiday.

I know all of this will be seized upon by the wrong side... the Trump trolls are loving it. But seems worth reporting on regardless. Also highlights (if it ever needed highlighting) how stupid Liz Truss was when she encouraged random untrained civilians to just head over there and get involved.

Wow, I don't have twitter but I've been looking in on his page occasionally. Seemed pretty genuine, at least in the early days.  In recent months does seem a lot more talk and "charity" raising. 

[sidcow]

In fact his twitter page I had bookmarked no longer exists. 

[BleedClaretAndBlue]

 

[avfc1982am]

Oops.... "Open the window!"

 

[magnkarl]

Seems to be happening on time, apart from the usual slow delivery from France on the AMX-10. 

I'm sure it must piss Emmanuel off that he can't ever seem to be first at anything.

Being at work in the low countries the news are fairly plastered with the fact that Netherlands seem to be refurbishing 100 or so Leopard 1s to go to Ukraine too. The spring should be interesting.

[magnkarl]

Here come the Katyushas, first developed in the 30s...

I mean, look at the wheels on the front vehicle, a soup kitchen or field ambulance on top of what appears to be a Stalingrad made truck from 1932.. The katuysha is actually mounted on a lend lease american made truck, meaning that it's 100% from ww2. Jesus.

Edited March 28, 2023 by magnkarl

[Genie]

Such a shame there’s no signs at all that Russia are going go back off. 

[Mr_Dogg]

1 hour ago, magnkarl said:

Here come the Katyushas, first developed in the 30s...

I mean, look at the wheels on the front vehicle, a soup kitchen or field ambulance on top of what appears to be a Stalingrad made truck from 1932.. The katuysha is actually mounted on a lend lease american made truck, meaning that it's 100% from ww2. Jesus.

It's kinda impressive that they're running and driving. The fact they'll collapse like a wet paper bag is a different story.

[avfc1982am]

1 hour ago, Genie said:

Such a shame there’s no signs at all that Russia are going go back off. 

Russian forces will stay until the Donbas is taken or they're forced into retreating. I think it really is that simple. Whilst they're moving forward, even in inches Putin won't end this. 

I just cannot see how this ends within the next couple of years unless Ukraine massively push back against the Russians. They've been in Crimea 9 years with no intention of leaving so I think they will have to be forced out one way or another. 

 

 

[avfc1982am]

Apparently 18 Leopards and now 14 Challengers have been delivered. 

 

Edited March 28, 2023 by avfc1982am

[Mandy Lifeboats]

This one needs a bit of explaining. 

Russia set up hundreds of fake Twitter accounts claiming to be normal Finns who did not want to join NATO.  But they didn’t realise that they had confused the word save (to rescue) with save (to download).  

This led to thousands of tweets saying things like “NATO can not download Finland”  and “Finland needs to be downloaded from the Nazis.”

The Finish Armed Forces now have a patch showing that Finland has been downloaded onto a NATO disk. 
 

 

 

 

 

[avfc1982am]

52 minutes ago, Mandy Lifeboats said:

This one needs a bit of explaining. 

Russia set up hundreds of fake Twitter accounts claiming to be normal Finns who did not want to join NATO.  But they didn’t realise that they had confused the word save (to rescue) with save (to download).  

This led to thousands of tweets saying things like “NATO can not download Finland”  and “Finland needs to be downloaded from the Nazis.”

The Finish Armed Forces now have a patch showing that Finland has been downloaded onto a NATO disk. 
 

 

 

 

 

If only it spelt MILFSPEC.FI underneath. Would be everyone's favourite army then.  

[avfc1982am]

This makes me sad. I can appreciate that Ukraine athletes and future sport stars want to fight alongside their family and Countrymen/women but I think these youngsters would be better served continuing their professions and raising awareness to the war. Such a shame. 

 

[LondonLax]

There seems to be quite a few high profile deaths on the Ukrainian side recently (a number of foreign fighters as well). It must have been absolutely brutal around Bahkmut these last few weeks.

[robby b]

" The Russian military likely deliberately targeted the theatre despite knowing hundreds of civilians were sheltering there on 16 March, making the attack a clear war crime ".

From an Amnesty International report from June last year about that theatre in Mariupol so it's very sad of course but also really interesting:

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/06/ukraine-deadly-mariupol-theatre-strike-a-clear-war-crime-by-russian-forces-new-investigation/

(And speaking of war crimes, I was also reading a newspaper article about Tony Blair yesterday. And I still think he should be in a prison cell or in a court in The Hague. It's not right that he has avoided punishment).

 

[magnkarl]

9 hours ago, robby b said:

" The Russian military likely deliberately targeted the theatre despite knowing hundreds of civilians were sheltering there on 16 March, making the attack a clear war crime ".

From an Amnesty International report from June last year about that theatre in Mariupol so it's very sad of course but also really interesting:

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/06/ukraine-deadly-mariupol-theatre-strike-a-clear-war-crime-by-russian-forces-new-investigation/

(And speaking of war crimes, I was also reading a newspaper article about Tony Blair yesterday. And I still think he should be in a prison cell or in a court in The Hague. It's not right that he has avoided punishment).

 

Considering that Ukraine seems to have identified the pilots that did the bombing, things are due to get interesting..

 

[PussEKatt]

Putin is carrying on much worse than Hitler.He really does need to be exterminated.

[BleedClaretAndBlue]