Ukraine and the Russian invasion, 2022-24

[TopCat]

Isn’t that jouno suspected by many to be cia?

 

[krtek a houby]

I know some here just want more war but these successful, delicate negotiations show that a ceasefire and talks could work and would save many lives.

Tbf, don't think anyone here wants more war

 

[mojo pixy]

If I had custody of a murderous assassin, I think I'd happily swap them for a wrongly imprisoned journalist.

I think I'd offer them a life of luxury somewhere very safe, as a reward for doing just one more job...

 

[Dystopiary]

Does anybody know where the Russian dissidents* who've just been released in that prisoner exchange will go?

I've seen a couple of mentions of Cologne, one of which is here: ‘We spent the last three days searching for her’ Freed Russian political prisoners’ loved ones react to their release — Meduza

I'm chuffed to see Sasha Skochilenko has been released. She was locked up for replacing price tags with anti-war stickers in a supermarket.

*Not including those with dual citizenship

 

[The39thStep]

The Wall Street Journal has a lengthy ( and our brave boys type) article on this in which I learnt that apparently, the US have a specialist team that searches globally for and identifies prisoners to swap not just with Russia but with other countries that have detained American citizens.

 

[teuchter]

Murderous assassin is surely a tautology.

A regular assassin just sticks to the targeted assassination jobs. A murderous one is less professional and liable to do additional murders so is more dangerous.

 

[JimW]

A grande assassin is like a regular but wears a bigger hat.

 

[maomao]

A regular assassin just sticks to the targeted assassination jobs. A murderous one is less professional and liable to do additional murders so is more dangerous.

Fair enough. A murderous assassin in contrast to a cold, clinical one makes sense. I will try to keep my ad-hoc pedantry to a minimum.

 

[TopCat]

Ukraine forces continue to be pushed back.

Ukraine war briefing: Waves of Russian bombings and infantry assaults drive major gains in east

Russian military intensifies pressure on key Ukrainian transport hub of Pokrovsk; Kyiv receives bodies of 250 slain soldiers in exchange with Moscow. What we know on day 892

www.theguardian.com

 

[JimW]

This is Meduza's current take on the situation, Russia maintaining the upper hand for a long period and closing the tech gap, but not achieving a real breakthrough either:

The battlefield options, advantages, and disadvantages for Russia and Ukraine in the months ahead — Meduza

Russia’s latest large-scale offensive in Ukraine has been underway for 10 months now. On the one hand, it has not led to the collapse of Ukrainian defenses, and the Kremlin’s territorial gains fall well short of the campaign’s desired aims. On the other hand, during all this time, the Ukrainian...

meduza.io

At the same time, in 10 months of slow advances, Russian troops have achieved only modest successes. A breakthrough with strategic consequences has proved impossible due to the two sides’ technological parity, and because Russia’s advantages fall short of overwhelming. At the offensive’s current pace (which has remained almost unchanged since its early days), it would take roughly 15 years for Russia to achieve President Putin’s declared goals: the capture of Ukraine’s entire Donbas, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions.

Some detailed consideration of various future scenarios for both sides too. Main danger for Ukraine seems to be Russia closing in on some vital logistical hubs.

 

[Spymaster]

So Putin is using "prisoner exchanges" (my arse), to expel people from Russia against their will:

Ilya Yashin, a Russian activist jailed for supporting the war in Ukraine, said he had not given his consent to being deported from Russia in a prisoner exchange and warned that the move would encourage president Vladimir Putin to take more “political prisoners”. “What happened on August 1 is not an exchange,” he told reporters in Bonn. “This is my expulsion from Russia against my will. My first wish in Ankara was to buy a ticket and go back to Russia.” Yashin’s comments came as Russian dissidents freed as part of Thursday’s historic prisoner swap between Moscow and the west shared their mixed feelings about the deal and vowed to continue their political activity from abroad.

Proper "negotiation" though

 

[Spymaster]

You are being silly. Again. Of course the swap was the result of negotiations. The article describes the negotiations in detail.

You are supportive, albeit indirectly, of Putin taking political prisoners to hold hostage.

What the fuck is wrong with you?

 

[TopCat]

This is Meduza's current take on the situation, Russia maintaining the upper hand for a long period and closing the tech gap, but not achieving a real breakthrough either:

The battlefield options, advantages, and disadvantages for Russia and Ukraine in the months ahead — Meduza

Russia’s latest large-scale offensive in Ukraine has been underway for 10 months now. On the one hand, it has not led to the collapse of Ukrainian defenses, and the Kremlin’s territorial gains fall well short of the campaign’s desired aims. On the other hand, during all this time, the Ukrainian...

meduza.io

Some detailed consideration of various future scenarios for both sides too. Main danger for Ukraine seems to be Russia closing in on some vital logistical hubs.

Thanks for posting that. A good read. Decent analysis. Currently rare that.

 

[SpookyFrank]

Isn’t that jouno suspected by many to be cia?

I'm sure you'd have the inside track on that.

IIRC journalism is one of the professions considered off limits as cover for intelligence agents; the others being doctors and preachers.

 

[TopCat]

So Putin is using "prisoner exchanges" (my arse), to expel people from Russia against their will:



Proper "negotiation" though

What’s the significance?

 

[TopCat]

You are supportive, albeit indirectly, of Putin taking political prisoners to hold hostage.

What the fuck is wrong with you?

You constantly project your bullshit onto others when you can’t effectively assert your right wing views. It’s an obvious weakness.

 

[JimW]

Thanks for posting that. A good read. Decent analysis. Currently rare that.

I've found that site's reporting consistently credible throughout; Russian opposition reporters mainly, against the war but committed to trying to be objective.

 

[Spymaster]

You constantly project your bullshit onto others when you can’t effectively assert your right wing views.

You've spent the last couple of years cheerleading one of the most right-wing regimes on the planet as they rape and murder their way across a neighbouring nation, and I'm trying to assert right wing views.

You're off your fucking head mate!

 

[Yossarian]

Isn’t that jouno suspected by many to be cia?

Maybe you should share the sources you're getting this stupid shit from instead of just posting links to the Guardian

 

[TopCat]

I've found that site's reporting consistently credible throughout; Russian opposition reporters mainly, against the war but committed to trying to be objective.

Old fashioned war reporting

 

[Pickman's model]

I'm sure you'd have the inside track on that.

IIRC journalism is one of the professions considered off limits as cover for intelligence agents; the others being doctors and preachers

Oh as cover. Not as useful allies or whatnot. The 'secret agents' of the UK press

 

[Dystopiary]

So Putin is using "prisoner exchanges" (my arse), to expel people from Russia against their will:



Proper "negotiation" though

Please link to that article Spy.

 

[Spymaster]

Please link to that article Spy.

It's from the one Topcat linked to here (about half way down).

More on it here.

 

[Dystopiary]

It's from the one Topcat linked to here (about half way down).

More on it here.

OK, thanks.

 

[two sheds]

One of those headlines where I think 'oh yes'

It Sure Seems Like Vladimir Putin Is Recalculating the U.S. Elections

Trump is likely fuming about the Evan Gershkovich deal.

slate.com

There’s one American who must be angry about the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and 23 other Westerners from prisons in Russia and elsewhere. That angry American is Donald Trump.

Trump has bragged, as he has when speaking of many problems, that only he could solve the problem. Back in May, he wrote on his Truth Social platform that Gershkovich

will be released almost immediately after the Election, but definitely before I assume Office. He will be HOME, SAFE, AND WITH HIS FAMILY. Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, would do that for me, but not for anyone else, and WE WILL BE PAYING NOTHING!

I may be wrong though

 

[TopCat]

I'm sure you'd have the inside track on that.

IIRC journalism is one of the professions considered off limits as cover for intelligence agents; the others being doctors and preachers.

What do you recollect about off limits professions for spy’s? What informed your views?

 

[TopCat]

Spymaster

It’s been three months since the flood of western weapons into Ukraine resumed.
Ukraine are going backwards still. What do you think the Ukrainians should do now?

 

[cupid_stunt]

Spymaster

It’s been three months since the flood of western weapons into Ukraine resumed.
Ukraine are going backwards still. What do you think the Ukrainians should do now?

What do you think they should do?

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

What do you think they should do?

Why are you wasting your time with this fool?

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Maybe you should share the sources you're getting this stupid shit from instead of just posting links to the Guardian

Please don't encourage him to post a pic of his arse.