*Official non-political Ukraine Thread *

[1Jhorse]

You really love Putin and Russia don't you.

Relax Francis. It was just a joke, although I do think it's unfortunately UKR is counting on a Dancing with the Stars winner and comedian to lead millions of people in the middle of a war. Too bad they are disallowed from voting for anyone who might actually have any credentials to be a wartime leader.

 

[EriehawkCO]

Relax Francis. It was just a joke, although I do think it's unfortunately UKR is counting on a Dancing with the Stars winner and comedian to lead millions of people in the middle of a war. Too bad they are disallowed from voting for anyone who might actually have any credentials to be a wartime leader.

It's always a joke, isn't it comrade?

 

[TeamRamRod1]

US shifting focus from Ukraine war mediation, calling for Kyiv and Moscow to engage directly, State Dept. says

"We are not going to fly around the world at the drop of a hat to mediate meetings; that is now between the two parties, and now is the time that they need to present and develop concrete ideas about how this conflict is going to end," U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said.

kyivindependent.com

 

[JhawkFitness]

In case we (1jhorse) needed a reminder who the bad guys are

 

[jolebo]

Relax Francis. It was just a joke, although I do think it's unfortunately UKR is counting on a Dancing with the Stars winner and comedian to lead millions of people in the middle of a war. Too bad they are disallowed from voting for anyone who might actually have any credentials to be a wartime leader.

Ukrainians did vote for him but they could not have controlled the timing for when Putin decided to invade their country to this degree. And it was ideally only going to last for one month, even though it was goimg to be a 3 day takeover.

As for the voting, do you think it would be more appropriate for all Ukrainians to vote without the threat of a potential Russian bomb falling in the polling places? Schools could be used but even those are not in "up to standard" conditions for children, much less voting. And that's not including all of the displaced Ukrainians; they deserve to vote but perhaps their voting documents are in occupied and/or seized by Russians.

 

[49 Stars]

Relax Francis. It was just a joke, although I do think it's unfortunately UKR is counting on a Dancing with the Stars winner and comedian to lead millions of people in the middle of a war. Too bad they are disallowed from voting for anyone who might actually have any credentials to be a wartime leader.

He seems to be doing an admirable job imho.

 

[HawkRanger]

Relax Francis. It was just a joke, although I do think it's unfortunately UKR is counting on a Dancing with the Stars winner and comedian to lead millions of people in the middle of a war. Too bad they are disallowed from voting for anyone who might actually have any credentials to be a wartime leader.

First, I believe the Ukr constitution stipulates elections are to be suspended during wartime. Secondly, Zelensky has been heralded as a heroic leader by just about every democratic nation including the US Congress. Where do you get off making fun of a man who has inspired his country during its struggle for survival against a thug like Putin?

 

[ozrider]

First, I believe the Ukr constitution stipulates elections are to be suspended during wartime. Secondly, Zelensky has been heralded as a heroic leader by just about every democratic nation including the US Congress. Where do you get off making fun of a man who has inspired his country during its struggle for survival against a thug like Putin?

I don't necessarily completely disagree with you. On the other hand, GW Bush approval rating shot to 86% right after 9/11. People tend to rally to the leader in charge during a crisis like this as long as he's willing to lead. Whether or not they turn out to be an incompetent boob or not. Heck, Guiliani was once 'America's Mayor' and now he's mocked and vilified by many. Ditto for Governor Cuomo ('Lov Gov' during Covid). History will eventually have its say as to how good/effective a leader Zelensky turned out to be. For the sake of the Ukr people I hope he turns out to be an inspiration for peace as well.

 

[lethalweapons1]

Relax Francis. It was just a joke, although I do think it's unfortunately UKR is counting on a Dancing with the Stars winner and comedian to lead millions of people in the middle of a war. Too bad they are disallowed from voting for anyone who might actually have any credentials to be a wartime leader.

Every time you post in this thread I think of this “It's better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than open it and remove all doubt”

 

[flouis11]

They took a card from Van Damme’s deck. Hell yeah, send a video of them doing the splits.

 

[flouis11]

Relax Francis. It was just a joke, although I do think it's unfortunately UKR is counting on a Dancing with the Stars winner and comedian to lead millions of people in the middle of a war. Too bad they are disallowed from voting for anyone who might actually have any credentials to be a wartime leader.

Kind of like Ronald Reagan?

 

[jolebo]

I'd love it if he sent some drones over that military parade shit

There is an unofficial increased chance now that the following has been declared.

Zelensky rejects Putin’s truce proposal as 'theatrical,' backs 30-day ceasefire plan from US

Speaking to journalists in a closed-door session, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the proposal was not a serious attempt to end the war and reiterated Ukraine’s support for a U.S.-backed strategy calling for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.

kyivindependent.com

Zelensky warned that Moscow’s history of violating short-term truces undermines any trust in its latest offer.

"They kill until the 7th, pause for a couple of comfortable days, then start attacking again on the 11th," he said.

Putin’s announcement, presented as a "humanitarian truce" from midnight May 8 to midnight May 11, came as the Kremlin continues to reject Ukraine’s calls for a complete cessation of hostilities. More than 50 days ago Ukraine has accepted the U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire, but Moscow rejected it, demanding a complete halt on military aid to Ukraine.

 

[jolebo]

Ukrainian sea drone downs Russian fighter jet in 'world-first' strike, intelligence says

The unprecedented operation allegedly took place on May 2 near the Russian port of Novorossiysk in the Black Sea.

kyivindependent.com

A Russian Su-30 fighter jet was destroyed by a sea drone strike carried out by Ukraine's military intelligence, marking the first time a sea drone takes down a jet, Ukraine's military intelligence said on May 3.[...]

"This is the world's first destruction of a combat aircraft by a naval drone," the statement read.

The Kyiv Independent can't independently confirm the Ukrainian intelligence report.

The multi-role Su-30 fighter, valued at approximately $50 million, was reportedly hit in midair and crashed into the sea.

The operation was conducted in coordination with Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) and the country’s defense forces, according to the intelligence agency.

 

[jeffrospn]

Kind of like Ronald Reagan?

That comparison will be lost on him as the party is so far removed from Reagan. He's got to be rolling in his grave about all this.

 

[JhawkFitness]

 

[EriehawkCO]

 

[rocchalk]

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/51998

 

[jolebo]

US to send refurbished Patriot air defense system from Israel to Ukraine, NYT reports

According to the publication, Western allies are also discussing the logistics of supplying additional systems from Germany or Greece as Russia escalates its attacks across Ukraine.

kyivindependent.com

The move comes amid a sharp increase in Russian strikes that have caused numerous casualties in Kryvyi Rih, Sumy, Odesa, Kharkiv, and Kyiv.

Kyiv has consistently pressed Western partners to bolster Ukraine's air defenses, warning that its current capabilities are insufficient to counter the scale of Russian missile and drone assaults.[...]

According to the New York Times, Ukraine currently has eight Patriot systems, of which only six are operational. The remaining two are reportedly undergoing refurbishment.

 

[JhawkFitness]

Russia eyeing Lithuania next

 

[jolebo]

Russia eyeing Lithuania next

I posted this earlier but Zelensky essentially mentioned this last week.

Zelensky warns Russia is 'preparing something' in Belarus under guise of military drills

"Look at Belarus — this summer, Russia is preparing something there under the guise of military exercises. This is how its new attacks usually start," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

kyivindependent.com

"But where this time? I don't know. Ukraine? Lithuania? Poland? God forbid! But we all have to be prepared. All our institutions are open to cooperation."

Belarus will host the Zapad 2025 (West 2025) military exercises with Russian forces, part of a long-standing series of drills held every two years since 2009.

The most recent iteration, Zapad-2021, involved over 200,000 participants and served as a prelude to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.




Looking at the maps below makes even more sense.

Vilnius is less than an hour's drive from the Belarus border. Taking Lithuania cuts off the other Baltic states from direct NATO connection.

This is what Zelensky means when he said that he needs Europe's support to ward off Russia from doing the same to them.

 

[jolebo]

I'd love it if he sent some drones over that military parade shit

Put your dream to bed.

Ukraine not responsible for safety of foreign officials traveling to Moscow for May 9 parade, Zelensky says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky cautioned that Russia could orchestrate provocations, including “arsons, explosions, or other actions,” and then attempt to blame Ukraine.

kyivindependent.com

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine cannot guarantee the safety of foreign officials planning to attend Russia’s Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9, warning that any incidents on Russian territory fall solely under the Kremlin’s control, Interfax Ukraine reported on May 3.

“Our position is very simple for all countries traveling to Russia on May 9: We cannot be held responsible for what happens on the territory of the Russian Federation,” Zelensky said during a briefing with journalists. “They are responsible for your safety. We will not provide any guarantees, because we do not know what Russia might do on those dates.”

 

[jolebo]

As we know, this war is dragging Russia into "unforeseen" deficits. The longer Putin is stubborn with his preferred nonnegotiables, the longer it will be for any conclusion. And he likely needs it to happen before going after the Baltic states.

Russia Triples 2025 Budget Deficit Forecast to 1.7% of GDP - The Moscow Times

Russia has more than tripled its 2025 budget deficit forecast to 1.7% of GDP, up from a previous estimate of 0.5%, citing falling oil prices triggered by the Trump administration’s escalating tariff war.

www.themoscowtimes.com

The Finance Ministry had initially projected a 2025 deficit of 1.17 trillion rubles ($14.3 billion), or 0.5% of GDP. Its latest revision, published late Wednesday, now expects the deficit to reach 3.79 trillion rubles ($46.2 billion), or 1.7% of GDP.

Budget revenues are forecast to drop to 38.5 trillion rubles from 40.3 trillion rubles, while spending will rise to 42.3 trillion rubles from 41.5 trillion rubles, largely due to record military expenditures to support Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The 2025 shortfall mirrors the 2024 budget deficit, which also amounted to 1.7% of GDP, or 3.49 trillion rubles. This year’s projected deficit is Russia’s second-largest in nominal terms since the pandemic year of 2020, when the gap reached 4.1 trillion rubles ($55 billion).

The ministry also cut the average oil price in its budget calculations to $56 per barrel from $69.70, lowering projected 2025 oil and gas revenues to 8.3 trillion rubles ($101.4 billion), or 3.7% of GDP — down from 10.94 trillion rubles ($114 billion), or 5.1% of GDP.

 

[jeffrospn]

US to send refurbished Patriot air defense system from Israel to Ukraine, NYT reports

According to the publication, Western allies are also discussing the logistics of supplying additional systems from Germany or Greece as Russia escalates its attacks across Ukraine.

kyivindependent.com

The move comes amid a sharp increase in Russian strikes that have caused numerous casualties in Kryvyi Rih, Sumy, Odesa, Kharkiv, and Kyiv.

Kyiv has consistently pressed Western partners to bolster Ukraine's air defenses, warning that its current capabilities are insufficient to counter the scale of Russian missile and drone assaults.[...]

According to the New York Times, Ukraine currently has eight Patriot systems, of which only six are operational. The remaining two are reportedly undergoing refurbishment.

This is positive news, regardless of how and when it was agreed. The fact that it wasn't cancelled is good.

 

[jolebo]

Perhaps this goes down after the Victory Day ceasefire?

Russian Forces Amass 300 Boats for Potential Airborne Assault Across Dnipro River in Kherson Region

Russian troops are planning a significant airborne operation in Kherson, mobilizing around 300 boats to cross the Dnipro River, according to officials.

united24media.com

According to the officer, soldiers have observed preparations for the operation and are actively preventing attempts by Russian forces to land troops on islands controlled by Ukrainian forces.

 

[jolebo]

After 3 years of full-scale war in Ukraine, Europe announces plan to ban all Russian gas imports

BRUSSELS — After years of reducing its reliance on Russian gas, the European Union is moving to turn off the taps completely within the next two years. The European Commission (EC) on May 6 presented a detailed roadmap to fully sever the European Union’s energy dependence on Russia by 2027.

kyivindependent.com

Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen struck a defiant tone when announcing the plan: "No more shall Euros go into (Russia’s) war chest. Your gas will be banned. Your shadow fleet will be stopped."

The plan has been described as the bloc’s most comprehensive effort yet to end imports of Russian gas, oil, and nuclear fuel, a dependency critics argue has long compromised EU sovereignty and funded the Kremlin’s war machine in Ukraine.

"Energy that comes to our continent should not pay for a war of aggression against Ukraine," EU Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen said on May 6, adding: "We owe this to our citizens, to our companies, and to our brave Ukrainian friends."

The EU’s reliance on Russian energy has dropped significantly since 2021, when Russian gas accounted for 45% of imports. That figure now stands at 19%, according to a statement from the EC.

Russian coal has already been banned and oil imports have fallen from 27% in early 2022 to just 3%. Yet, as the Commission admits, 2024 saw a modest rebound in Russian gas imports, prompting urgent calls for a coordinated phase-out.

 

[jolebo]

Ukraine Unveiled it’s New FP-1 Drone With a 1,600 km Range

Ukraine has unveiled the FP-1 long-range drone, enhancing its UAV fleet with a 1,600 km range and 120 kg payload, attracting global interest.

united24media.com

Deputy Minister of Strategic Industries Anna Hvozdiar stated that the FP-1 is already being produced in large quantities, with considerable interest from international partners.

“This product was born in Ukraine and was scaled up very quickly. This is another thing we can share with our partners,” Gvozdiar said.

In related news, Ukraine is set to lift its long-standing ban on exporting domestically produced weapons. The policy shift has received preliminary approval from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with a final decision expected in May.

 

[jolebo]

This could be another way of getting the attention of Russian citizens.

Largest-Ever Ukrainian Drone Attack Paralyzes Russian Airports, Stranding Thousands of Passengers - The Moscow Times

Ukraine’s largest-ever drone attack against Russia triggered hours of travel chaos late Tuesday and early Wednesday, with repeated airport closures in Moscow and its surrounding regions.

www.themoscowtimes.com

Major airlines, including Aeroflot, Pobeda and S7, told passengers to expect disruptions as they canceled hundreds of flights for Tuesday and Wednesday. S7 promised to issue a full refund for passengers with canceled flights or exchange tickets for other flights if there are available seats.

In Siberia, transportation authorities said more than 4,000 passengers were stranded at airports in 10 cities. Many of the disruptions were caused by flights arriving late due to air restrictions at Moscow airports.

Russia’s Association of Tour Operators later said at least 60,000 passengers were impacted by flight delays and cancellations as of Wednesday afternoon.

 

[jolebo]

This is straight up messed up.

 

[jolebo]

Along with this.

Russia has damaged, destroyed over 2,300 medical infrastructure facilities since beginning of full-scale invasion, health ministry says

Some 2020 medical facilities were partially damaged, while another 305 were completely destroyed, the ministry's statement read.

kyivindependent.com

Russian forces have damaged or destroyed more than 2,300 medical infrastructure facilities since the start of the full-scale invasion, the Health Ministry said on May 7.

Russia deliberately targets critical infrastructure on a regular basis in Ukraine, including medical facilities, resulting in severe destruction and numerous civilian casualties.[...]

Apart from hospitals, outpatient clinics, and maternity hospitals, Russian troops regularly attack ambulances. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, 116 ambulances have been damaged, 274 destroyed, and 80 seized.

 

[TeamRamRod1]

Along with this.

Russia has damaged, destroyed over 2,300 medical infrastructure facilities since beginning of full-scale invasion, health ministry says

Some 2020 medical facilities were partially damaged, while another 305 were completely destroyed, the ministry's statement read.

kyivindependent.com

Russian forces have damaged or destroyed more than 2,300 medical infrastructure facilities since the start of the full-scale invasion, the Health Ministry said on May 7.

Russia deliberately targets critical infrastructure on a regular basis in Ukraine, including medical facilities, resulting in severe destruction and numerous civilian casualties.[...]

Apart from hospitals, outpatient clinics, and maternity hospitals, Russian troops regularly attack ambulances. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, 116 ambulances have been damaged, 274 destroyed, and 80 seized.

The Israel Method

 

[JhawkFitness]

This is straight up messed up.

If there no means to punish someone for it then spouting off about all the war crimes is nothing more than lip service.

It’s a pipe dream I know but the world really needs an independent peacekeeping force that responds to these matters.

 

[jolebo]

If there no means to punish someone for it then spouting off about all the war crimes is nothing more than lip service.

It’s a pipe dream I know but the world really needs an independent peacekeeping force that responds to these matters.

Too bad that it sounds like the United Nations is not as effective as their name sounds...

 

[TonyJJHawk]

Ok if this is too political I'll remove it. I thought maybe the Russians had Trump in its back pocket. The CIA believes they don't but had used his narcissistic personality against him. Trump did bring in people thought to be tied to Russia for his cabinet such as Gabby and eye liner boy. Things changed at the Vatican. Trump was alone with Zelensky without the people Putin paid to control him. Could it be that's when Trump realized he has been played for a chump. The mineral rights deal completely changed right after that. We sent disassembled F-16's for spare parts that totally couldn't be reassembled wink, wink We just taught Ukraine how to make its own missiles.

 

[jolebo]

Ok if this is too political I'll remove it. I thought maybe the Russians had Trump in its back pocket. The CIA believes they don't but had used his narcissistic personality against him. Trump did bring in people thought to be tied to Russia for his cabinet such as Gabby and eye liner boy. Things changed at the Vatican. Trump was alone with Zelensky without the people Putin paid to control him. Could it be that's when Trump realized he has been played for a chump. The mineral rights deal completely changed right after that. We sent disassembled F-16's for spare parts that totally couldn't be reassembled wink, wink We just taught Ukraine how to make its own missiles. Did Putin play with a stupid orange dog so rough and the dog bit him.

We have kind of veered toward this type of discussion because of all of the peace & ceasefire talks in recent months. The main critique is that you could have left off the "stupid orange dog" name. Those kind of words are more likely to bring more negativity from posters who disagree with Pres. Trump and other disagreeable words from those who supports Pres. Trump.

As for semianswering your question, people in Kiev are skeptical of Pres. Trump and how he is collaborating with Pres. Putin since the election. It will be interesting to see how everything goes goes down in the coming weeks because it feels like the US will pull out of peace talks soon, as no resolution continues to be the status quo.

Will Trump help Putin escape punishment for his crimes in Ukraine?

Under former President Joe Biden, the U.S. took the unprecedented step of deepening cooperation with international courts of law. Washington has never been party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the International Criminal Court (ICC), and U.S. policy towards the Hague-based...

kyivindependent.com

 

[Sweet_Lew]

We have kind of veered toward this type of discussion because of all of the peace & ceasefire talks in recent months. The main critique is that you could have left off the "stupid orange dog" name. Those kind of words are more likely to bring more negativity from posters who disagree with Pres. Trump and other disagreeable words from those who supports Pres. Trump.

As for semianswering your question, people in Kiev are skeptical of Pres. Trump and how he is collaborating with Pres. Putin since the election. It will be interesting to see how everything goes goes down in the coming weeks because it feels like the US will pull out of peace talks soon, as no resolution continues to be the status quo.

Will Trump help Putin escape punishment for his crimes in Ukraine?

Under former President Joe Biden, the U.S. took the unprecedented step of deepening cooperation with international courts of law. Washington has never been party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the International Criminal Court (ICC), and U.S. policy towards the Hague-based...

kyivindependent.com

C'mon jolebo. You gotta use the Ukrainian spelling, Kyiv (keev), and not the disrespectful Russian spelling, Kiev (key-ev). 😉

 

[TonyJJHawk]

We have kind of veered toward this type of discussion because of all of the peace & ceasefire talks in recent months. The main critique is that you could have left off the "stupid orange dog" name. Those kind of words are more likely to bring more negativity from posters who disagree with Pres. Trump and other disagreeable words from those who supports Pres. Trump.

As for semianswering your question, people in Kiev are skeptical of Pres. Trump and how he is collaborating with Pres. Putin since the election. It will be interesting to see how everything goes goes down in the coming weeks because it feels like the US will pull out of peace talks soon, as no resolution continues to be the status quo.

Will Trump help Putin escape punishment for his crimes in Ukraine?

Under former President Joe Biden, the U.S. took the unprecedented step of deepening cooperation with international courts of law. Washington has never been party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the International Criminal Court (ICC), and U.S. policy towards the Hague-based...

kyivindependent.com

I was using an analogy that I feel applies but out of respect I will erase that sentence.

 

[jolebo]

C'mon jolebo. You gotta use the Ukrainian spelling, Kyiv (keev), and not the disrespectful Russian spelling, Kiev (key-ev). 😉

As often as I post from the Kyiv Independent, I didn't realize that misspelling until you mentioned it. I'll just say Ukraine for now on.

 

[jolebo]

I was using an analogy that I feel applies but out of respect I will erase that sentence.

You can have that opinion and it doesn't bother me. The same would go for opinions the other way.

 

[TonyJJHawk]

Will the meeting at the Vatican be considered a miracle for Pope Francis? He just needs two more for Sainthood.

 

[jolebo]

A different read. This journalist was 5 months old when her family moved from Ukraine to Moscow. Growing up in Russia exposed her to the inner workings.

Most Russians ‘don’t care about the war,’ says journalist Ekaterina Barabash after escaping Russia

In early May, 64-year-old film critic and journalist Ekaterina Barabash made international headlines when it was revealed that she had pulled off a daring escape from house arrest in Russia and sought political asylum in France. Barabash was put under house arrest in February for posts that she...

kyivindependent.com

Even intelligent and well-educated Russian people often don’t truly understand Ukraine. Almost all Russians have been poisoned by imperial propaganda. They’ve been raised with it — it’s part of their worldview.

They’ve always been taught that Ukraine is just a part of Russia. That the Ukrainian language is just a slightly different version of Russian. That Ukrainians are our "younger brothers," and we are all one people — Russians. I’ve heard this over and over, even from good people, even from those who are against the war.

But this belief is a kind of poison. It’s something that every Russian grows up with, often without even realizing it.[...]

There’s a common response I get when I ask why they don’t check alternative sources, like Ukrainian media. There are plenty of (Ukrainian) outlets that offer Russian-language versions of the news, and many people understand English, so they could easily access European media, too. Yet, they only rely on Russian sources.

The answer I often hear is, "Everyone lies." They’re willing to accept the lies from Russian propaganda, but they won’t even consider competing narratives from other sources. "Everyone lies," they say. It’s an awful argument — a foolish one, really.

It's unfortunate, really, but what can I say to these people? Honestly, there’s nothing more I can say. If you’re scared, just stay silent.