Ukraine War: "20 months of war for a used car."

The Something Awful Forums > Main > General Bullshit > Ukraine War: "20 months of war for a used car."

(Thread IKs: weg, Toxic Mental)

Lammasu: May 8, 2019; lawful Good Monster

EorayMel posted:

Ukraine MOD should hire Bear Grylls to get rid of all the Russian mines

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-dROvDoYNg&t=1110s

AH poo poo! Is that a Two Best Friends reference? And now I am sad.

# ? Jul 21, 2023 11:07

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# ? Jun 7, 2024 17:45

Alan Smithee: Jan 4, 2005; A man becomes preeminent, he's expected to have enthusiasms.

Enthusiasms, enthusiasms...

x post from dnd

Mr. Apollo posted:

ASAP ROCKY posted this on his Instagram but then deleted shortly afterwards and limited comments on his account.

lmao

# ? Jul 21, 2023 11:09

Drone_Fragger: May 9, 2007

Huh. We have an enquiry at work for a new customer in Ukraine who needs bolting equipment for reactor service work. Somewhat hoping I can pick that up.

I guess it would make sense they need new suppliers - the original tooling would no doubt have come from the soviet precursor(s) to rosatom who would no doubt be writing emails to the effect of "sorry we dont sell to nazis

# ? Jul 21, 2023 11:18

Strategic Tea: Sep 1, 2012

More like asapriggy

# ? Jul 21, 2023 11:25

Horrorosaurus: Oct 22, 2010

Set posted:

I agree with you all as well. Yeah, lets just say it used to be a lot worse and there was a lot of tedious debate and argumentation for us to even be allowed to have this thread at all. The powers that be are aware of everything, and either do not care or endorse it. We have good IKs and mods responsible for keeping this thread afloat so that is really good, and it has kept the worst trolls and absolute freaks away. So a big thanks to them, and lets try to keep their volunteer-work a bit easier, right?

All this for a thread populated mainly by Eastern Europeans and Nordics who live on the border with a nation that keeps starting genocidal wars. Apparently there is something disturbing with us being allowed to talk about our experiences, hopes and fears, according to some. This thread is a good news source that is doing good at balancing on the tight-rope between serious and and light hearted, that makes it a lot easier to talk about hard topics.

Thanks Set for the article. I wish I could contribute to the thread as well as you do, and maybe I should since yeah Yle especially has been a good source during the war.

Right now I don't have the time for it though and if it's considered thread making GBS threads then so be it but I feel like I need to say as a fellow Finn I'm disgusted by how things have been handled re: the genocide both sides -subject on a site that is enlightened enough to ban a c-word, have constant discussions/circle jerk threads about less mature places like 4chan or whatever, amongst other things.

Let's see how things evolve, but should I decide to leave the place I'd never shut up about the nature of things here. It's honestly baffling how a real threat to nations bordering Russia has been allowed to thrive as a subject of jokes and outright mocking and denial of reality.

Well one thing worth adding since it seems relevant to some of the pos drive by kinds, yes I knew where Ukraine is on the map, one of my best friends is a Ukrainian who moved here before Russia started loving around in 2014. Suggesting no one even knew what Ukraine was pre war is such a strange take.

But enough about my mother. Respect for the IKs. I'll take my 3 day hibernation now.

# ? Jul 21, 2023 11:44

fatherboxx: Mar 25, 2013

Lammasu posted:

AH poo poo! Is that a Two Best Friends reference? And now I am sad.

Pat would been a better commander than anyone in Russian army

# ? Jul 21, 2023 11:46

NoiseAnnoys: May 17, 2010

lol girkin got arrested. maybe.

https://nitter.net/GirkinGirkin/status/1682339409671200768

# ? Jul 21, 2023 11:52

GABA ghoul: Oct 29, 2011

Horrorosaurus posted:

Well one thing worth adding since it seems relevant to some of the pos drive by kinds, yes I knew where Ukraine is on the map, one of my best friends is a Ukrainian who moved here before Russia started loving around in 2014. Suggesting no one even knew what Ukraine was pre war is such a strange take.

But enough about my mother. Respect for the IKs. I'll take my 3 day hibernation now.

It's projection. Most of them are Americans who had little to no knowledge about Ukraine and then got exposed to a very condensed version of the major Russian state propaganda talking points(the "maidan coup", bombardment of Donbas, secret Nazi oligarchs controlling Zelensky, etc.) some time around the invasion last year through social media. They assume everyone is like them.

The D&D thread is something like 50% Europeans who have been following the conflict since 2014, many with friends and family in Ukraine and among the Ukrainian refugees all around the world.

# ? Jul 21, 2023 11:54

Mokotow: Apr 16, 2012

Another SA success story - one of our ex forum members is back in Ukraine, training soldiers.

# ? Jul 21, 2023 11:55

Captain Invictus: Apr 5, 2005; Try reading some manga!; Clever Betty

Set posted:

A couple of weeks ago Yle published some articles about the instability of the Russian regime, and how Finland is preparing for a possible Russian civil war. I'll translate one of these now.

Author: Elli Piirainen
Release date: 05.07.23
Link to untranslated article: https://yle.fi/a/74-20039846

thanks for this, an interesting read.

Lammasu posted:

AH poo poo! Is that a Two Best Friends reference? And now I am sad.

SBF might be gone, but pat and woolie still run a weekly podcast, castle super beast, and it's still my favorite podcast. And they both stream regularly, while Matt started his Wha Happun series and found great success there. In case you thought with the channel evaporating so did the talents behind it.

# ? Jul 21, 2023 11:55

hemale in pain: Jun 5, 2010

Mokotow posted:

Another SA success story - one of our ex forum members is back in Ukraine, training soldiers.

good to hear Caro is still alive

# ? Jul 21, 2023 11:58

Alan Smithee: Jan 4, 2005; A man becomes preeminent, he's expected to have enthusiasms.

Enthusiasms, enthusiasms...

NoiseAnnoys posted:

lol girkin got arrested. maybe.

https://nitter.net/GirkinGirkin/status/1682339409671200768

lol

https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1682340021397868545?s=20

# ? Jul 21, 2023 11:58

Set: Oct 30, 2005

Lord Awkward posted:

Thanks again for posting these translations, I appreciate seeing the news from a Finnish perspective, and sometimes it's something I haven't seen discussed in my usual reading

Thanks! Yeah, I try to keep to articles and interviews that don't otherwise necessarily end up anywhere in the English speaking news-spaces. Glad you find them interesting!

I'm waiting on the rain to stop so I can go out for a walk, so I decided to translate the interview with Ilya Kosygin that was mentioned in the last Yle article I posted, while I wait. It is pretty interesting.

Author: Elsa Osipova
Release date: 05.07.23
Link to untranslated article: https://yle.fi/a/74-20039459

quote:

Editor-in-chief Ilja Kosygin thinks that Russia is on the way to civil war: "Even the supporters of the war believe in it"

Ilja Kosygin, opposition media editor-in-chief, believes that the war, mobilization and Wagner are pushing Russian society into civil war. He predicts major political changes already in 2024.

Ilja Kosygin, editor-in-chief of the Russian opposition media Dovod, left his home in Vladimir for Poland in order to report to the public honestly about Russia's war losses.

He compiles a list of dead Russian soldiers to prove that Russia is lying about the number of casualties in the war.

He believes that Russia is headed for chaos.

In what kind of situation do you answer this call?

I'm at Krakow airport. My day has been spent preparing for the upcoming trip.

You and your Dovod team have investigated the identities of Russian soldiers who died in Ukraine since the beginning of the war. What have you found out?

We investigate the fates of Russian soldiers buried in the Vladimir region. We have confirmed the identity of 260 soldiers. For example, we have found out that Wagner has recruited several convicted murderers into his ranks. Roughly speaking, Russian murderers are murdering people in Ukraine.

Where do you get information about the identities of the Russian soldiers who died in Ukraine?

From many sources. We use, for example, court documents, social media and leaked documents. We often get confirmation of the soldier's identity from relatives and friends. In addition, we have a network of volunteers who research soldiers' graves.

Why did you start to find out the identities of the dead Russian soldiers?

I had no choice. Dovod is the only local media in Vladimir that can write about Russia's war losses. We want the Russians to know who the so-called war heroes really are. We want to increase information about what kind of people are fighting in Ukraine.

What kind of reception has your report on ex-criminals who died in Ukraine received?

People's attitude towards Wagner soldiers is changing. In the early days of the war, the Wagner soldiers who died in Ukraine were considered national heroes, even though many of them were known to be criminals. After the Wagner rebellion, they stopped being called national heroes.

How many Russian soldiers have died in Ukraine?

Dovod, BBC and [Russian opposition media] Mediazona have managed to confirm the death of 26,000 Russian soldiers in Ukraine. According to our common view, there are probably at least 50,000 soldiers buried in cemeteries across Russia.

Of course, the number alone does not tell the whole truth about Russian military losses. Many people have been reported missing. In addition, Russia buries soldiers in the occupied territories of eastern Ukraine. It's hard to get information from there.

In my estimation, our data on military losses should be multiplied by at least three in order to get even close to Russia's real losses.

The latest information on the dead from the Russian Defense Forces is from September 2022. According to Russia, 5,937 soldiers would have died in Ukraine since the start of the war. Why do people believe the government's information?

The majority of Russians say they know that the regime is lying about the fallen. In my conversations with pro-war supporters, I have noticed that they often do not change their minds, even when presented with endless facts about the horrors of war. War supporters say they would rather believe the Russian state than investigative journalists.

What is the mood in Russia now regarding the war?

It seems that people are increasingly resorting to the worn-out rhetoric that there are no alternatives. Some fear that the country will fall apart and fall into chaos if Russia loses. Many admit that war is a terrible thing, but for them the war must be continued until Russia wins.

You have worked for years as a journalist and political activist. Criminal charges have been brought against you and your apartment has been searched twice. Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin sued you for defamation and won the court case. What do you think about this?

The court ordered me to pay Prigo�in 500,000 rubles (�5,000) in damages for defamation, because my interviewee falsely claimed that Prigo�in was guilty of luring minors into prostitution. In reality, Prigozhin lured minors into criminal activity.

I have been suspected in the criminal case concerning Aleksei Navalny's FBK organization and in the Yukos case of Mikhail Khodorkovsky. I have come to the conclusion that I have been dragged into the story because I represent the opposition to the Russian security agency FSB. The FSB doesn't seem to care that I've never met Navalny or Khodorkovsky.

Dovod and its editorial staff report to the Russian public from abroad. Why is Dovod's offices in Poland and not Russia?

Military losses are a hugely sensitive topic for the Kremlin. Journalists working in Russia can be jailed for reporting military casualties honestly. For example, it violates the law on the dissemination of information about the Russian military.

Dovod is a local media. How can local journalism be done remotely?

Surprisingly easy. I was afraid that our sources and audience would disappear if we were not in Vladimir. None of my fears have come true. People living in Vladimir still send us tips, pictures and information.

What kind of challenges does the Russian opposition media operating abroad face?

The most difficult thing is to reach the Russian supporters of the war. I am a native Vladimirian, but to [Vladimir] Putin's supporters I have always been an outsider and a traitor. No matter if I live in Poland or Vladimir, supporters of the war consider me and the media I represent marginal.

How and where do Russian opposition media reach audiences at the moment?

It's downright amazing that our audience has grown wildly during the war. Dovod's website and social media channels are blocked in Russia and can only be accessed with a VPN connection. We reach Russian audiences on Telegram. Youtube is also an important media for the Russian opposition.

What kind of topics do the locals talk about besides the war?

Launching a business is constantly on the mind of many. In addition to the war, everyday matters are discussed. About one million people live in the Vladimir region, and more than 300,000 live in the city. The municipality is at a loss of migration. Young people go to big cities. Many sectors are plagued by labor shortages. The birth rate is in the bottom mud. The death of hundreds of men is a huge loss for Vladimir.

Wagner recently organized an armed uprising in Russia. How was the rebellion viewed in Vladimir?

During the uprising, the governor of Vladimir got drowned in crap in the social media. On the morning of the uprising, the governor and local officials suddenly began en masse pledging their loyalty to Putin on social media. This led to a huge uproar among the locals.

Putin gave his "line speech" after Wagner's rebellion. How do you think the uprising and Putin's presence affected Russians' thoughts about the war?

Something changed in the consciousness of the masses during the Wagner uprising and Putin's speech. Some described Putin as a weak leader. Many said they were disappointed. Some stated that Putin has no balls and that Putin was wiped off his feet like a rag (transl.note: I guess it is a local idiom ).

What has changed in the consciousness of the Russian masses?

The start of the war, the mobilization and most recently Wagner have divided Russians in a new way. Russia is now much closer to civil war than it was a year ago. The Wagner Rebellion proved it. Even those who support the war believe in the outbreak of civil war.

How do you think the Wagner kerfuffle will affect the Kremlin?

The president is the Holy Grail of the entire political system, almost like a saint. Putin has never looked so weak before as he did during Wagner's rebellion. If the idea of Putin as a weak leader starts to spread among the citizens, it will probably lead to a big upheaval in the Russian political system. It seems that we will see big changes already in 2024.

How do you feel about your country?

Mostly negative feelings. Above all, I feel some kind of disappointment. Morally dubious warmongers have been part of the society I've lived in for 38 years and I haven't even realized it.

Would you like to return to Russia?

Hard to believe that in the near future there would be such a change that I could return. I believe that difficult times await Russia. It may happen that I return to Russia. Of course, I still have a tiny hope that one day I will return to my homeland.

# ? Jul 21, 2023 12:01

Sedgr: Sep 16, 2007; Neat!

Rogozin suddenly interested in orbital rockets with much shorter ranges? Like less than half?

Putin is a real piece of poo poo.

# ? Jul 21, 2023 12:02

Tai: Mar 8, 2006

I see you lot had fun

# ? Jul 21, 2023 12:05

Set: Oct 30, 2005

Horrorosaurus posted:

Thanks Set for the article. I wish I could contribute to the thread as well as you do, and maybe I should since yeah Yle especially has been a good source during the war.

Right now I don't have the time for it though and if it's considered thread making GBS threads then so be it but I feel like I need to say as a fellow Finn I'm disgusted by how things have been handled re: the genocide both sides -subject on a site that is enlightened enough to ban a c-word, have constant discussions/circle jerk threads about less mature places like 4chan or whatever, amongst other things.

Let's see how things evolve, but should I decide to leave the place I'd never shut up about the nature of things here. It's honestly baffling how a real threat to nations bordering Russia has been allowed to thrive as a subject of jokes and outright mocking and denial of reality.

Well one thing worth adding since it seems relevant to some of the pos drive by kinds, yes I knew where Ukraine is on the map, one of my best friends is a Ukrainian who moved here before Russia started loving around in 2014. Suggesting no one even knew what Ukraine was pre war is such a strange take.

But enough about my mother. Respect for the IKs. I'll take my 3 day hibernation now.

Yeah, Yle has been doing some really good investigative journalism with a more "local" point of view that I think is really good. Regarding the rest of your post, I agree 100%. Well put!

Alan Smithee posted:

lol

https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1682340021397868545?s=20

If true, the Russian power structures must be really hosed up with formerly protected mouth-pieces being taken out. Good riddance to a war crimer.

# ? Jul 21, 2023 12:13

Tai: Mar 8, 2006

https://twitter.com/JuliaDavisNews/status/1682181879594721281

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxHXkU8MExA

If this video was in black and white, you'd think it was from Germany late 1930's.

# ? Jul 21, 2023 12:23

beer_war: Mar 10, 2005

lol that shooting a down a commercial airliner is no big deal.

But criticism of Dear Leader? That's too extreme!

# ? Jul 21, 2023 12:23

mobby_6kl: Aug 9, 2009; by Fluffdaddy

lol good thing I slept through all this or I would've gotten myself probated for like a month.

Alan Smithee posted:

lol

https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1682340021397868545?s=20

also

but kind of a bummer, he was useful for stirring poo poo up

# ? Jul 21, 2023 12:28

Cartoon Man: Jan 31, 2004

Girkin�s trial will be on the 20th floor of a building next to an open window.

# ? Jul 21, 2023 12:30

NoiseAnnoys: May 17, 2010

mobby_6kl posted:

lol good thing I slept through all this or I would've gotten myself probated for like a month.

also but kind of a bummer, he was useful for stirring poo poo up

i think killing him or imprisoning him would actually make more trouble for the regime. if they're silencing their own token FSB-backed opposition, things are not going swimmingly. but also, who cares if he gets clipped. evil war crime dude deserves it, lol. gently caress him.

# ? Jul 21, 2023 12:31

Dwesa: Jul 19, 2016; Maybe I'll go where I can see stars

beer_war posted:

lol that shooting a down a commercial airliner is no big deal.

But criticism of Dear Leader? That's too extreme!

reportedly on extremism charges related to his criticism of Wagner Group

so (at least officially) he's charged with extremism not because he criticized Dear Leader, but because he criticized group that attempted coup and that was founded by Nazi :v:

# ? Jul 21, 2023 12:34

beer_war: Mar 10, 2005

lmao that's even dumber. I love it!

# ? Jul 21, 2023 12:40

Tigey: Apr 6, 2015

Girkin's in a real pickle now

# ? Jul 21, 2023 12:40

Mokotow: Apr 16, 2012

Putin made comments today threatening Poland - since Eastern Poland (invest) is a gift from Stalin and Poland forgets this, Putin will remind everyone.

He also went on about a Polish-Lithuanian (wtf) secret pact to put a military unit on the ground in Ukraine and how these two countries want Belarusian lands.

Also, he�s a real piece of poo poo.

# ? Jul 21, 2023 12:48

NoiseAnnoys: May 17, 2010

Tigey posted:

Girkin's in a real pickle now

i don't think anything is really going to happen to girkin tbh, it's more of a warning in the power struggle between wagner and the fsb.

# ? Jul 21, 2023 12:55

THE BAR: Oct 20, 2011; You know what might look better on your nose?

Tigey posted:

Girkin's in a real pickle now

I know a hotdog vendor who can put him to good use.

# ? Jul 21, 2023 12:55

Alan Smithee: Jan 4, 2005; A man becomes preeminent, he's expected to have enthusiasms.

Enthusiasms, enthusiasms...

THE BAR posted:

I know a hotdog vendor who can put him to good use.

as a hotdog

# ? Jul 21, 2023 13:00

Plan R: Oct 5, 2021; For Romeo

There was an amusing article in "TIME!" magazine about how Putin looks like a weakling for letting Prigozhin go free.

They described Russia as a prison yard.

# ? Jul 21, 2023 13:00

Tai: Mar 8, 2006

lmao stir the pot

# ? Jul 21, 2023 13:02

Computer viking: May 30, 2011; Now with less breakage.

Mokotow posted:

Putin made comments today threatening Poland - since Eastern Poland (invest) is a gift from Stalin and Poland forgets this, Putin will remind everyone.

He also went on about a Polish-Lithuanian (wtf) secret pact to put a military unit on the ground in Ukraine and how these two countries want Belarusian lands.

Also, he’s a real piece of poo poo.

The Commonwealth abides. :patriot:

# ? Jul 21, 2023 13:02

Fabulous Knight: Nov 11, 2011

Mokotow posted:

Putin made comments today threatening Poland - since Eastern Poland (invest) is a gift from Stalin and Poland forgets this, Putin will remind everyone.

He also went on about a Polish-Lithuanian (wtf) secret pact to put a military unit on the ground in Ukraine and how these two countries want Belarusian lands.

Also, he�s a real piece of poo poo.

Yeah I saw that comment about western Poland. I wonder if it's meant to be like a... fig leaf to the German far right, or am I overthinking it? It could just be an old angry man yelling at a cloud.

# ? Jul 21, 2023 13:12

Plan R: Oct 5, 2021; For Romeo

Tai posted:

lmao stir the pot

Seriously, the article makes hot dog man look like Genghis Khan.

# ? Jul 21, 2023 13:15

mobby_6kl: Aug 9, 2009; by Fluffdaddy

Fabulous Knight posted:

Yeah I saw that comment about western Poland. I wonder if it's meant to be like a... fig leaf to the German far right, or am I overthinking it? It could just be an old angry man yelling at a cloud.

No it's just his "normal" imperialist rhetoric like he's been using for Ukraine, Baltics etc.

# ? Jul 21, 2023 13:16

boofhead: Feb 18, 2021

References to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth as an enemy of the nascent Second Soviet Union in the year of our lord 2023. Extremely sane realpolitik enthusiast, yessir

# ? Jul 21, 2023 13:17

Fabulous Knight: Nov 11, 2011

mobby_6kl posted:

No it's just his "normal" imperialist rhetoric like he's been using for Ukraine, Baltics etc.

Right. Yeah, I guess he could just try to... conquer all of that landmass from Kharkiv to Poland's western border when he really puts his mind into it.

# ? Jul 21, 2023 13:19

TulliusCicero: Jul 29, 2017

Mokotow posted:

Putin made comments today threatening Poland - since Eastern Poland (invest) is a gift from Stalin and Poland forgets this, Putin will remind everyone.

He also went on about a Polish-Lithuanian (wtf) secret pact to put a military unit on the ground in Ukraine and how these two countries want Belarusian lands.

Also, he�s a real piece of poo poo.

Lmao dude thinks he's going to do what to Poland exactly?

Fuckers brain is utterly broken by this war

# ? Jul 21, 2023 13:20