Russian invasion of Ukraine imminent, BBC reports

[sene5hos]

May 9th, known as "Victory Day" in Russia as it commemorates the country's defeat of the Nazis in 1945, could bring a declaration of war on Ukraine from Russian President Putin, according to US and Western officials.
CNN's White House reporter Natasha Bertrand breaks down what this could mean for the future of Russia's assault on Ukraine.

Sorry Vladimir, but declaring war over 2 months after you started it only makes you look more ridiculous.

Using the day when one celebrates the end of the worst war in mankind's history to declare a new one is like the top of tastelessness and hypocricy.

If he declares it a war, then he could go to prison for 15 years. Those are his own rules, so they should lock him up.

 

[sene5hos]

The New York Post, a slightly more reliable publication, is now reporting that Russian President Vladimir Putin is very sick, will be having cancer surgery, and turning over power for a period of time.
Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if this weren't just a smokescreen for Putin to take some time out of the public eye and abrogate any responsibility for failures in Ukraine going forward.

 

[EagerBeaver]

From the report above:

"Putin is said to bathe in the blood extracted from deer antlers, which are hacked off while they are growing and still full of fresh blood, the outlet said. The sickening “antler baths” are an alternative therapy in the Altai region of Russia, which borders Khazakstan and Mongolia.

Believers say the baths improve the cardiovascular system and rejuvenate the skin, The Project explained."

 

[EagerBeaver]

The Post article above indicates that Putin's second in command is an even bigger whacko than Putin is. So be very careful of what you wish for. Sometimes the Devil that you know is better than the the Devil you don't know.

 

[sene5hos]

Sometimes the Devil that you know is better than the the Devil you don't know.

I know this, and I understand what you meant.

To say he's a devil is never a good sign.

Devil is always pejorative.

 

[sene5hos]

CNN's Nic Robertson speaks to Ukrainian oligarch Dmitry Firtash, a major contributor to the war effort against Russia, who is facing extradition to the US.

 

[Flabert]

Have some respect for those defending their homes and freedom against an autocratic butcher and baby killer who you seem to admire and support.

You need to find a better insult - baby killer butcher is now a term of endearment as we fight to keep abortion legal!

Sorry could not resist

Rest assured I hate Putin as much as you do.

 

[wetnose]

War is hell. You can only make a mistake once.

From Wali's account:

My reflex as a soldier was to move anyway because it was possible that the two careless soldiers had been detected by the thermal vision equipment of the enemy tanks.

Twenty seconds later, I was fifteen meters from the soldiers. I was watching through my binoculars. A huge explosion shook me. Shrapnel passed in front of me, looking like the embers of a campfire. I was enveloped in smoke. My body instinctively tensed up, as did my face. I couldn't hear out of one ear.

I moved under cover to crawl to the trench and try to find the enemy tanks. I looked to my left. The two Ukrainian soldiers were lying on the ground. The scene was exactly like a Hollywood war movie. One soldier was five meters away from me. He was lying down and had no legs. The rest of his body was partly shredded. He was not moving.

Another soldier was three meters away from me. His leg was torn off. His body was mutilated in several places. He was still breathing, but he breathed his last in front of me, about ten seconds later. The Russian tanks continued to fire in our direction.

 

[sene5hos]

U.S. intelligence helping Ukraine kill Russian generals - NY Times

Ukrainian officials said they have killed about 12 Russian generals on the battlefield, according to the New York Times

nationalpost.com

U.S. intelligence helping Ukraine kill Russian generals - NY Times

Ukrainian officials said they have killed about 12 Russian generals on the battlefield, according to the New York Times.

 

[EagerBeaver]

It's also been reported that the successful missile attack that sank a Russian warship in April was due to US intelligenec:

US provided intelligence that helped Ukraine target Russian warship

When Ukraine successfully targeted Russia's prized warship last month with anti-ship cruise missiles, it had some help from the United States.

www.cnn.com

 

[sene5hos]

DENAZIFICATION: How Putin Justifies His War in Ukraine.

And now, he says, he wants stay.

 

[wetnose]

About 1 mln people returned to Ukraine in past few weeks – PM

About 1 million people have returned to Ukraine in the past few weeks, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has said.

ua.interfax.com.ua

As Russians have withdrawn from the Kyiv region, over 1 million Ukrainians have returned in the last few weeks.

 

[sene5hos]

Vladimir Putin has faced another blow after Russia’s new flagship naval vessel burst into flames off the coast of Snake Island.

Its so so important these ships are sunk.. a lot of people dont realise how important they are.. compared to destroying a few tanks its colossal.
The new missiles should be start seeing the front line soon enough.. hopefully more ships can feel the ocean floor.

 

[sene5hos]

The Ukraine war as of May 3: Russian and Ukrainian forces fight to control outskirts of Kharkiv

A study by Masae Analytics estimates that over 40% of infrastructure in the city has been affected by the bombing to some extent

english.elpais.com

A study by Masae Analytics estimates that over 40% of infrastructure in the city has been affected by the bombing to some extent.

 

[sene5hos]

Ukraine war: Russia targets airfields, infrastructure and Odesa

The Ukrainian army said Moscow was focusing its main efforts to prevent Ukrainian air forces from operating effectively.

www.euronews.com

Ukrainian authorities fear up to 60 people sheltering in a school in Luhansk region may have been killed in a Russian strike on the building.
It comes as the World Health Organisation announced it was collecting evident in Ukraine of possible war crimes committed by Russian forces against medical facilities.

Meanwhile the UK's latest intelligence briefing confirms that Russia is sending more senior officers to the front lines to take command decisions, although it's not clear whether this is having any impact to change battlefield strategies.

 

[sene5hos]

Ukraine President Attends Virtual Meeting with G7 Leaders

Zelensky: Nearly 200 cultural sites destroyed

www.voanews.com

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is meeting virtually Sunday with the Group of 7 leaders, who head the world’s largest economies.

The leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Germany and the United States are meeting with the Ukrainian leader to show their support for Ukraine as it fights off a Russian invasion that began in February.
The G-7 has pledged billions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine.

Sunday’s meeting is a day ahead of Russia’s annual Victory Day celebration, commemorating the 77th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.
The holiday is celebrated across Russia with military parades.

Ukrainian officials had warned its citizens to expect increased shelling in the lead-up to Monday’s celebrations in Russia.

In his daily address Saturday, Zelenskyy decried Russia’s bombing of a museum in the Kharkiv region dedicated to 18th century philosopher and poet Hryhorii Skovoroda.

Zelenskyy said Skovoroda was a man who “taught people what a true Christian attitude to life is and how a person can get to know himself.”

Zelenskyy said, "Well, it seems that this is a terrible danger for modern Russia -- museums, the Christian attitude to life and people's self-knowledge.”

He said Russia has destroyed nearly 200 Ukrainian cultural sites.

 

[wetnose]

It blows my mind that almost every important leader of some level have gone to Ukraine in person to meet with President Zelensky but so far, Canada had yet to send any delegation of any kind, let alone Trudeau.

Trudeau talks a big game about "being there for Ukraine" but yet his government won't even send a cabinet minister, or anything.

Let alone himself, the Canadian ambassador to Ukraine or foreign minister Melanie Joly.

Even the US already sent Defense secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to Kyiv.

Hell, Nancy Pelosi went to meet with President Zelensky in Kyiv.

At this rate, we'll probably see the Rock Dwayne Johnson go to Kyiv before we see any Canadian delegation go to Kyiv in person.

Shameful!

Check this out - Trudeau, Freeland and Joly in Irpin, western suburb of Kyiv. Invitation from Zelensky went out on Wednesday and Trudeau was there on Friday.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1523299622642647040

 

[EagerBeaver]

Jill Biden makes surprise Mother's Day Visit to Ukraine, Zelensky Wife:

First lady Jill Biden makes unannounced trip to Ukraine

First lady Jill Biden spent part of Mother's Day making an unannounced trip to Uzhhorod, Ukraine, a small city in the far southwestern corner of Ukraine, a country that for the last 10 weeks has been under invasion by Russia.

www.cnn.com

 

[sene5hos]

U2's Bono and the Edge give surprise concert in Kyiv metro.

 

[sene5hos]

G7 nations pledge to ban or phase out Russian oil. (Published 2022)

With much of Europe dependent on Russian oil, the Group of 7 said the ban would take effect in a “timely and orderly fashion.”

www.nytimes.com

Leaders of the Group of 7 nations pledged during a virtual meeting on Sunday with President Volodymyr Zelensky to ban or phase out Russian oil, aiming to still further erode Russia’s economic standing as it pursues its invasion of Ukraine.

The United States, which imported a relatively small amount of energy resources from Russia, has already banned the import of Russian oil and gas.