Hmm I went on Ukrautoprom and searched online and cant find any evidence to back up that claim. Do you have any evidence?
He's finding his "evidence" in a hole. The Russians must love him. From Gallup: US military assistance for Ukraine enjoys strong bilateral support While partisan tendencies have been observed within American perspectives on the US Military, voters in the US are united in support of giving aid to Ukraine. In a public consultation with 2,455 registered voters found that voters registered in both ‘very Republican’ and ‘very Democratic’ districts, favoured continuing military aid with majorities of 71% for both areas. However, inclusive of more tightly contested districts, party affiliation still has some sway, and support for Ukraine on a national level breaks down with 55% of Republicans favouring continued military support to Ukraine, while compared to 87% support from Democrats. The study also found that on a national level 73% of the US population agrees on sending NATO fighter jets to Ukraine for use by Ukrainian pilots. While Democratic support for this proposal, at 86%, is almost the same as its broader support for American military aid to Ukraine, Republican support on this issue, at 63%, is more popular than proposals to continue US military aid. The US hold veto power on any delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, due to the origin country of the platform. Security interests are a close second among motivations for military assistance In the study, conducted between 15-28 June, participants were asked to assess the merits of both supporting and discontinuing military assistance. The results showed that the most compelling argument regarded the United States’ obligation to aid Ukraine in response to Russia’s breach of international law. This particular viewpoint garnered significant support, with an impressive 83% of respondents finding it convincing. The second most compelling argument for support was to that preventing Russia from establishing a foothold in Europe is important for the security of the United States, because an attack on a NATO member by Russia, it would inevitably lead to a full-scale war. 78% of respondents supported this notion – broken down by political affiliation, this included 70% of Republicans, 88% of Democrats, and 73% of independents. https://www.naval-technology.com/fe...-slumps-below-its-approval-of-aid-to-ukraine/
The idea is a large black market for western goods exist in Ukraine. Wealthy people in Russia are paying a premium for sanctioned goods. Nothing nefarious.
2 young Ukrainian musicians were singing in the streets — hours later they were dead NBC News spoke to the families of the two young women, whose deaths in a Russian airstrike prompted an outpouring of grief across social media in Ukraine. Aug. 14, 2023, 9:45 AM CDT By Victor Sema, Anastasiia Parafeniuk, Yuliya Talmazan and Leila Sackur KYIV, Ukraine — They sang about love and loss, their lyrics reflecting the hopes and fears of their fellow Ukrainians as brutal battles raged a few miles from their home city, Zaporizhzhia, in the country’s south. Now their musical lament is playing at their graves. Street musicians Svitlana Siemieikina, 18, and Kristina Spitsyna, 21, were killed by a Russian airstrike on a residential area of Zaporizhzhia last week. Their deaths — and a video of them singing in the streets that was purportedly shot hours before the attack — prompted an outpouring of grief across social media in Ukraine, with thousands mourning the loss of two young lives. From the graveyard where the budding artists were buried side by side Friday, Svitlana’s father, Yuriy Siemieikin, said the girls bonded over music and formed their duo shortly after the start of the war in February 2022. “See how they are looking at each other,” he said Saturday, pointing at the adjoining graves decked out in colorful wreaths with blue and yellow Ukrainian flags waving in the breeze above them. Siemieikin, 41, said that the family had chosen not to play Svitlana and Kristina’s songs at the funeral but that he had decided to play some of them through his car speakers when he returned to the burial site the next day. In a video he shared with NBC News, Kristina’s voice can be heard ringing across the cemetery. “They had more than 200 songs that they could play and sing,” he said. They were playing some the day they died, busking in central Zaporizhzhia on Wednesday. Kristina’s mom, Halyna Spitsyna, said in a separate interview that the girls had left Svitlana’s boyfriend, Mykyta, to look after their equipment so they could go to a park. “At that very moment, those 2 minutes and those 300 meters became fatal for them,” she said. Ukrainian officials said the Russian rocket hit a residential quarter in Zaporizhzhia on Wednesday, killing Svitlana and Kristina and injuring nine other people, including an 11-month-old baby. A church and shops were also damaged. Russia denies hitting Ukrainian civilians or civilian infrastructure. There was no public reaction to the attack or the girls’ death from Moscow. The Russian Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Since the outbreak of war in February last year, the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has estimated that 9,083 civilians have been killed. The actual number is likely to be considerably higher, given the difficulty of gathering and corroborating information in areas where fighting is ongoing. Siemieikin, Svitlana’s father, said he was at home in the city’s suburbs when he heard the explosion from far away. “I immediately started to call her, but she didn’t answer. I started to realize that something was wrong,” he said. He said that after he grabbed his backpack and first aid kit, he drove to the city center, picking up Halyna Spitsyna on the way. When he arrived at the scene, he said, “Kristina was still alive and had left yet some signs of life, and Svitlana was there, already dead.” Kristina would be pronounced dead later. The girls’ deaths sparked a wave of outrage and grief across Ukraine. Alongside a video of a cover of one of their songs, the Ukrainian pop band Dzidio wrote on Instagram that “the Russian missile mercilessly took away their voice, their life, and at the same time, a piece of the soul of each of us.” A local cultural center was the first to break the news of the girls’ death online, saying on Facebook that Svitlana and Kristina “believed in a bright and peaceful life under the Ukrainian flag” and that the Ukrainian people will never forgive Russia for the loss. Offering “condolences to the families,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that “Russian terrorists” had carried out the attack, which he called a “war crime.” He also shared a video showing the smoking ruins of buildings near a church, an area where Siemieikin said the women often performed. The comments under posts in the girls’ Instagram channel were also filled with messages of disbelief and sorrow. Back in the graveyard, Siemieikin said the families had decided to lay Svitlana and Kristina to rest next to each other. “They understood one another well, complemented one another,” he said. “Kristina was better with vocals; Svitlana was better with guitar. They felt each other.” Siemieikin said he wants the world to know about what has happened. “This tragedy has to be stopped,” he said. Victor Sema and Anastasiia Parafeniuk reported from Kyiv and Yuliya Talmazan and Leila Sackur from London. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/ukrainian-musicians-killed-russian-strike-zaporizhzhia-rcna99721
According to the latest CNN poll it showed the opposite at 55% no more aid/ 45% more aid: https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/04/politics/cnn-poll-ukraine/index.html The ukraine war is a no win situation for Biden regardless. The perfect example is @Nook . He understands that UKR is at no fault of their own and the party to blame is RU is in this conflict. At the same time he bashes democrats for not focusing on "real issues" and complains that gas prices are at all time high and people suffering. US oil production is literally at record levels right now and the only reason gas prices are high is because we've sanctioned Russians refineries and crack margins are in their 40's when its usually in the teens. https://en.macromicro.me/collections/19/mm-oil-price/4376/crude-oil-cracking-spread-vs-wti Are americans going to google what the oil production is and give biden credit ? Of course not. Their going vote for trump for cheap gas even though under biden we're producing more oil than we ever were under Trump. Americans want their cake and they want to eat and have dessert. Its the American way The war is a no win situation and if it drags on until election and gas prices stay elevated Trump has a very good chance of winning.
The US public is seeing our aid not producing results, fair or not. However, the poll can flip if Ukraine punches through and makes some significant gains. Regardless, I think US public will want to the US move on from its current role after the election.
I don't quite understand the politicization of this. The arguments I've seen presented on this very forum say it's essential to help Ukraine as giving it up would only motivate Russia to entertain taking over NATO allies especially as they gain influence in pivotal countries in Africa to subvert imposed sanctions. Now the argument is the American people don't like watching a stalemate and in actuality, it is all politics and once the election over, Ukraine, you're on your own. How do you think our recent NATO allies that avoided neutrality would feel reading that type of bullshit? It's a head scratcher reading that as though Ukrainian loss of life just keep it at a stalemate isn't exciting to the general public. This war is just a ratings talk show for Americans to root based on territory gains. We need better headlines! It comes across as very American sadly. Very de-humanizing and more in the mold of thinking of a board member of a major business that's calculating ways to maximize quarterly profits even if it means cutting benefits to employees and curtails their quality of life to a mere numbers game to de-humanize over. Ukraine needs Michael Bay up in this b****. The Americans are losing interest! What the **** ever.
The lesson that our allies are learning is that its important to be ready for a war before it happens. Its why Finland and Sweden joined NATO so they can deter an invasion. Japan and South korea are loading up on weapons right now from USA and Taiwan has tripled its military spending so it can be ready before the war. Australia is buying nuclear powered subs from us while Philippines is building airbases in the north to help prepare for a war with Taiwan. Papaa new Guinea just signed a security agreement with us while Vietnam wants to reset relations for the first time in decades. With all due respect Biden tried to get zelensky to mine the defensive lines and to prepare for an invasion. Biden was called a war monger by the UKR media. Compare this to what our ASEAN allies are doing right now by buying up huge amounts of military equipment to prepare against China. Again I dont think UKR did this purposely or they are bad people. Its not their fault and they were just inexperienced. Again im not stating we should just throw ukr to the wolves. We should give them an ironclad security agreement in exchange for some sort of peace deal. Once the war is over with we should give them all sort of long range weapons and the newest fighter jets and tanks. Thats the best way to deter a war. I just don't think some people accept reality. We have 2 options: 1. Negotiate a favorable peace deal with ironclad security guarantees for UKR and help them rebuild for the future 2. War rages on and gas prices stay elevated and trump wins by promising cheap gas and low interest rates. Trump throws zelensky to the wolves and UKR gets an awful peace deal and allows RU to retool and invade again before Trump leaves office. Then in 2027 RU invades UKR again and takes over Kyiv within days as they learned from their mistakes and Trump does nothing. This is the reality This is the real world.
Yes the realities of war aren't pretty and it's sad that after being Iraq and Afghanistan for so long many Americans don't remember that. Unfortunately as a society we have short attention spans and when the war is mostly reporting about drone strikes and Ukrainians trying to get through minefields it's not very exciting. This war though isn't one that is actually being fought by Americans and while it's costly the cost isn't really that high compared to what was spent on Iraq and Afghanistan while the return is much greater. I think the Biden Admin fully understands that along with a majority of Congress. Even while there might be grumbling I don't expect our policy to change anytime in the next year.
1) Iraq and Afghanistan is still very much on the minds of the American public. Folks don’t want to be tied up in another foreign entanglement indefinitely, even one that is markedly different. 2) Russia is a master of propaganda. Christian nationalists increasingly view Putin as a defender of traditional values. 3) Biden admin sucks at communicating to the public. They should have been tying the Russian invasion to China, Iran, and NK.
Our policy is 10000% changing and there's no universe that biden is going gamble on his re-election campaign and modern democracy with high gas prices. According to numerous reporting peace talks have been happening in RU since last year. The only thing Americans literally care about is gas prices and interest rates. Look at the polling and you'll see this as black and white. Anyone who thinks biden should throw away American democracy so UKR can maybe regain some more land in Eastern ukr is being utterly ridiculous and not thinking. Youre wayyyyyy overestimating Americans. 73% of voters supported banning Russian oil from USA and supported the sanctions against Russia but in the same poll 67% of americans blamed biden for high gas prices. If you look at any polling being done right now the #1 issue for folks is gas prices and interest rates. Americans are literally the dumbest and most selfish people in the world. They want their cake and they want to eat it. They will vote for fascism over freedom if it means cheap gas and lower mortgage rates.
Heres what Russia has to say about a peace deal: If you are pinning your hopes on striking a deal.with Russia, might as well just let them go ahead and reconstitute a post-modern Fascist Soviet Union and have everyhing they covet and be done with it, because those are their terms. If we are that short sighted, we deserve the outcome we get when WWII breaks out. BTW, that "lard" line at the end is an ethnic slur against Ukranians, sort of like a watermelon/fried chicken reference about African-Americans.
Hes a nutjob and hes been wrong this entire time. Hes been fear mongering since the beginning and you shouldnt pay attention to what he says. He has no real power in the RU system. He does the whole good cop bad cop routine. RU exports are crumbling, Ruble is collapsing, Oil cap is causing Russian economy to deteriorate and theyre in need for a new round of mobilization. RU forces are spread thin in the south and Putin will need to do issue another round of mobilization soon if he wants to keep up his defensive lines. This is just my opinion. You can ignore me
They most definitely do not. The entire Russian mindset is that they have more capacity to take pain than the West and if they just gut it out they'll win when the West gives up. Hitler in his bunker demanded old men and children fight im the streets of Berlin even when he damn well knew all was lost. Thats the mindset. And all the fighting is happening a long way from Moscow. Any "peace deal" the.Russians accept would only work if it can be broken later so they can rearm and finish the.job. NATO membership would make that a hard no. They are perfectly happy to keep killing non-Russian ethnic minorities from the sticks for as long as it takes. If you think the Russian leadership.is ready to strike a deal, you really should check more primary sources. A deal would be logical for Russia from an American mindset. But their logic is operating from a different set of first principals. They view any part of Ukraine joining the west as the literal end of the Empire they have spent the last 30 years planning to revive. You don't abandon 30 year goals after a 6 month setback. There are plenty of individual Russians who would like peace, but as an entity Russia is committed to "Give me Ulraine or give me death!".
Russian foreign minister hasn't been meeting US diplomats behind the scenes in Russia? You think a foreign minister meets foreign diplomats behind the scenes for no reason? The CIA chief just flew to russia recently to meet with Putin as well. Russia's economy is in a much worst place than what people believe. If Biden can offer security guarantees for UKR and if RU is willing to accept them then its a deal UKR has to accept if its otherwise reasonable. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/...-ukraine-talks-russians-war-ukraine-rcna92610
I saw dualling reports earlier today about the Ruble, and also about a breakthrough that Ukraine had in breaching what the Russians like to think is their iron curtain. I think a bunch of pundits lately are just thinking too much about the US population's support of the Ukrainian war in black and white terms. Either the vast majority of the US either fully supports throwing everything at this war to help Ukraine, or the majority supports Russia totally eliminating the country, seizing its resources, and immediately being thrown back into the G7 as if nothing ever happened. That's just not the case IMO with the vast majority of Americans who aren't brainwashed either by the pro-Putin MAGA propaganda, or by a few of the Noam Chomsky ex RT media folks on the right. People have much more nuanced feelings about how things can or should be handled, and it's not so black and white. And this surely isn't an issue that if Biden doesn't either go to War with Russia or Let Russia take over Ukraine unimpeded, that it's sink his chances at re-election. .... However Biden's team would be very smart to educate the public on what is happening right now at the border of Belarus and Poland. People will understand that threat in a big way. Not just because they understand how NATO works, but because our media/pop culture, etc. has engrained the events of WW2 in our memory at least for my generation and older. It's not that hard to make the case that Putin's regime has completely lost any semblance of normalcy, and is a huge threat for the world. That doesn't mean that the Biden camp needs to promote direct military action, but it should make the case that like the intel we had during the Clinton admin that Bin Laden, and Al Qaeda were a threat, we know now and are warning the American people that we have a huge problem brewing in Eastern Europe that puts Americans at potential risk. Right now the Russia situation is a threat we need to take seriously, but for Biden it's a fact that most people will make the re-election decision based on the issues that impact their daily lives such as healthcare, climate, women's rights, voting rights, the economy, etc. This is a real threat Americans need to know about and have clear communication to from the government and military that this is what we are doing in our capacity, and here are the threats that we won't act on unless Congress, our allies, and the American people approve of us taking action to prevent with military force.
There might be talks but at the moment neither the Ukrainians or the Russians seem eager to stop fighting. The US can’t force the Ukrainians to accept a peace deal if they don’t want it. All the US can do is withdraw support and politically that is very fraught. If Biden were to do that he would likely face a political backlash in his own party and be tarred as being two faces and abandoning our allies. Gas prices are very important but I doubt that Biden would abandon Ukraine over them. If gas prices were the major concern going into the election Biden could arrange a big release of oil from the Strategic reserve or take other measures like limiting export of US oil. I agree Americans have short attention spans but you’re way oversimplifying. Going into the 2022 election inflation was higher and the market weaker. Predictions of a Red Wave didn’t happen and the most MAGA candidates lost.
