Cold war 2.0

[Virtual ghost]

 

[JAVO]

In a fundamental policy contradiction, Putin says this as if he wants to avoid a Cold War situation:

“This situation is reminiscent of the events of the Cold War related to the deployment of Pershing medium-range missiles in Europe,” he said.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/28/europe/putin-us-missiles-germany-cold-war-intl/index.html

The Kremlin controlling parts of Ukraine is a bit reminiscent of the Cold War too, isn't it?

 

[The Cat]

 

[Red Herring]

There was quite a bit of debate about this swap in Germany as well, across party lines.

I think most people have few problems with exchanging spies or political prisoners. But over here the media focus was almost exclusively on one man - Vadim Krasikov. Krasikov is a Russian hitman who killed a former rebel officer of the Second Chechen War (whom Russia considers a terrorist) by putting several bullets in him in the middle of the day in the middle of Berlin ... from a bicycle!

The killer is better known as the "Tiergarten murderer" because he killed his victim in the Kleiner Tiergarten park.

Among the people freed in exchange for the hitman was a German whose crime was carrying a handful of cannabis gummibears (six gummibears to be precise for which he was sentenced to seven years in prison, so over a year of imprisonment per gummibear).

Most people here support the swap, I think, but that kind of imbalance is hard to swallow and allows Putin to show the world that he can kill enemies anywhere outside Russia and even bring his killers back home again safe.

 

[Virtual ghost]

To be honest I think people are too much focusing on that exchange/swap. That amount of people is basically irrelevant when compared to everyday carnage in Ukraine, or the entire global hybrid war that is going on. The whole event is basically just a random detail in the big picture. Just Ukraine "consumes" that amount of people in the matter of minutes (and not all of those are in "average Joe" box).

 

[The Cat]

There was quite a bit of debate about this swap in Germany as well, across party lines.

I think most people have few problems with exchanging spies or political prisoners. But over here the media focus was almost exclusively on one man - Vadim Krasikov. Krasikov is a Russian hitman who killed a former rebel officer of the Second Chechen War (whom Russia considers a terrorist) by putting several bullets in him in the middle of the day in the middle of Berlin ... from a bicycle!

The killer is better known as the "Tiergarten murderer" because he killed his victim in the Kleiner Tiergarten park.

Among the people freed in exchange for the hitman was a German whose crime was carrying a handful of cannabis gummibears (six gummibears to be precise for which he was sentenced to seven years in prison, so over a year of imprisonment per gummibear).

Most people here support the swap, I think, but that kind of imbalance is hard to swallow and allows Putin to show the world that he can kill enemies anywhere outside Russia and even bring his killers back home again safe.

I'll bet Vlad the Prime Minister is gonna spend a lot of time really wondering what "actually" happened during his time in German custody...Oh the stories he could tell. He'd deny it of course, anyone would...even if, or perhaps especially if he'd been a stool pigeon...Such thoughts could lead to many sleepless nights for Vlad the Prime Minister...I wonder if Vad the recently returned asse- I mean prisoner, will survive them? I hope he knows a good slip, trip, and fall lawyer.

I gotta figure a lot of those going back to Russia are gonna have the feeling like they're being watched...pretty closely.

Perhaps it will end up showing troubleshooters, that it's not worth doing the Prime Minister any favors for cash or otherwise...Still though I can see how it might be hard to swallow for some. For whatever it is worth, they have my sympathies. Still I gotta factor its a better deal than the other guy would have got.

Here's hoping we dont all get screwed this year.

 

[The Cat]

To be honest I think people are too much focusing on that exchange/swap. That amount of people is basically irrelevant when compared to everyday carnage in Ukraine, or the entire global hybrid war that is going on. The whole event is basically just a random detail in the big picture. Just Ukraine "consumes" that amount of people in the matter of minutes (and not all of those are in "average Joe" box).

The hell of war certainly sucks, its a meat grinder in every sense of the word. But the show must go on, and for better or worse, this is part of the hellscape of war. The civil mask and the velvet glove. Even the discourse from those lucky enough to not be in the meat grinder this time... It all always feels like the same basic dance, despite all the aesthetic changes. I'm really hoping Ukraine keeps buoyed, because this seems to me like it could come down to a war of attrition. All of them have that potential with enough time and politics.

And yeah. Shit's kicking off all over the globe like it's business as usual. Hell of a prestige.

 

[Virtual ghost]

British MPs want to haul Elon Musk before parliament over riots

UK PM slams Elon Musk for saying far-right riots ‘inevitable’


This is very quickly heating up.

 

[The Cat]

I'm not saying they should cut off his hands and feed them to a crocodile. I'm just saying he couldn't be anymore villainous if he were Captain Hook twice over. So...why not?

 

[Virtual ghost]

The hell of war certainly sucks, its a meat grinder in every sense of the word. But the show must go on, and for better or worse, this is part of the hellscape of war. The civil mask and the velvet glove. Even the discourse from those lucky enough to not be in the meat grinder this time... It all always feels like the same basic dance, despite all the aesthetic changes. I'm really hoping Ukraine keeps buoyed, because this seems to me like it could come down to a war of attrition. All of them have that potential with enough time and politics.

And yeah. Shit's kicking off all over the globe like it's business as usual. Hell of a prestige.

Ukraine already is quite clear case of "war of attrition". Especially since both sides have their allies that are providing supplies. What is because both blocks know the importance of winning this war.

(I will not make another wall of text on the issue why it is important)

 

[The Cat]

wars and rumors of wars...​

 

[Virtual ghost]

Myanmar junta on back foot as ethnic rebels capture key base


A little bit about one of the most overlooked wars in the world.

Story in short: Junta has overthrown democratic government. While the remains of that government have formed complex resistance through various ethnic groups scattered around the country. It seems that Junta has open sympathies of neighboring China.


It isn't impossible that due to this war Taiwan didn't become a battle zone. This is literally in China's backyard and it requires resources.

 

[Red Herring]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/...tria-foiled-2-men-arrested-shows-w-rcna165591

Taylor Swift concert terror plot in Austria foiled, 2 men arrested and shows will go on, police say​

One of those arrested by federal and state police was a 19-year-old who allegedly pledged his allegiance to ISIS, authorities said at a news conference on Wednesday.

 

[Virtual ghost]

Taylor Swift calls off Vienna concerts after terror arrests


Lets be honest, there could be more sleepers out there.

 

[SensEye]

They both became radicalized through the internet and are alleged to have had specific and detailed plans for how to carry out an attack, the officials said.

The internet you say? I wonder if Austria will be calling for any social media CEO's to be dragged in front of a government committee? And speaking of the UK scene, any word on the suspect's motive yet? The silence is deafening one week on. Sure hope he wasn't radicalized on the internet.

 

[JAVO]

I'm glad they foiled the plot in time. As that NBC report detailed, there have been so many concert attacks lately where that sadly didn't happen.

 

[JAVO]

Plot twist: Ukraine invades Russia

Ukrainian forces have made confirmed advances up to 10 kilometers into Russia's Kursk Oblast amid continued mechanized offensive operations on Russian territory on August 7. Geolocated footage published on August 6 and 7 shows that Ukrainian armored vehicles have advanced to positions along the 38K-030 route about 10 kilometers from the international border.[1] The current confirmed extent and location of Ukrainian advances in Kursk Oblast indicate that Ukrainian forces have penetrated at least two Russian defensive lines and a stronghold.[2] A Russian insider source claimed that Ukrainian forces have seized 45 square kilometers of territory within Kursk Oblast since they launched the operation on August 6, and other Russian sources reported that Ukrainian forces have captured 11 total settlements...
...
The Russian insider source and several other Russian sources reported that Ukrainian forces fought for and seized the Sudzha checkpoint and the Sudzha gas distribution station (southwest of Sudzha along the 38K-004 highway, 500 meters from the Sumy-Kursk Oblast border).[5] Geolocated imagery posted on August 7 shows that Ukrainian forces captured over 40 Russian prisoners of war (POWs) at the Sudzha checkpoint, and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Russia service posted satellite imagery that shows heavy damage to buildings at the Sudzha checkpoint.[6] Ukrainian military observer Kostyantyn Mashovets reported on August 7 that an unspecified unit of the Chechyna-based 71st Motorized Rifle Regiment (58th Combined Arms Army [CAA], Southern Military District [SMD]) has deployed directly to the Sudzhenskyi Raion—generally consistent with some reports from Ukrainian and Russian sources that social media footage shows Chechen "Akhmat" units in the Sudzha area since over a week ago.[7] Chechen units reportedly suffered very heavy losses in Ukrainian attacks in the Korenovo Raion on August 7.[8]

Institute for the Study of War

Ukrainian forces have made confirmed advances up to 10 kilometers into Russia's Kursk Oblast amid continued mechanized offensive operations on Russian territory on August 7. Geolocated footage published on August 6 and 7 shows that Ukrainian armored

www.understandingwar.org

 

[Virtual ghost]

Plot twist: Ukraine invades Russia

As they say: offense is the best defense.

Therefore now Russia has to divert resources from places where it is advancing.

 

[Virtual ghost]

 

[Virtual ghost]