Russia Masses Military Equipment Near Ukraine Borders: A Prologue to WWIII?

[Helen of Annoy]

17 minutes ago, DarkHunter said:

There is another aspect to and that is the mindset of the Russian people and government.  In the west the population and leadership view this war as a conflict between Russia and Ukraine but in Russia they already view themselves at war with NATO but the war is just currently restrained to Ukraine.  The Russian people and leadership arent going to view an attack on Lithuania as a start of a second war with NATO but as just expanding the war they are currently involved in.  Since Russia hasnt been having the success they expected they are now more willing and likely to try risky  and dangerous strategies to win.

Exactly, yes. 

Also, since the part of Russian population that supports Putin wants to believe in Russian state propaganda, they have to base their opinion on the Russian set of "facts", according to which Russia is very successful in Ukraine - against the entire NATO. In their interpretation of reality, it seems reasonable that Russia can open a second front against NATO, since they're doing so great at the first one. 

[Silver]

 

[Helen of Annoy]

5 minutes ago, The Silver Shroud said:

There was a senior UK military bod on R4 yesterday who was asked by the interviewer if anyone seriously believed Putin was in a position to attack a NATO country given his less than successful war in Ukraine. He replied as you did "up to February, no one thought he would invade Ukraine. But he did."

The bad news is that Putin might indeed start another war, despite the fact that it would make even less sense than attack on Ukraine.

The worse news is that Russian doctrine is pathologically destructive. 

The good news is that an open war would give the West more legal and ethical room to finally cut all Russian tentacles in western societies. 

The better news is that only physical defeat of Russia can guarantee peace for Ukraine and the rest of Europe. 

[Helen of Annoy]

5 minutes ago, The Silver Shroud said:

 

One would think that after Ukraine, mentioning any 3-day invasions would be a taboo in Russian society  

 

[Silver]

6 minutes ago, Helen of Annoy said:

One would think that after Ukraine, mentioning any 3-day invasions would be a taboo in Russian society  

 

A Russian day is a flexible, it might be a year long. Which actually isn't funny. 

Edited June 30, 2022 by The Silver Shroud

[+Nuclear Wessel]

13 minutes ago, Helen of Annoy said:

The better news is that only physical defeat of Russia can guarantee peace for Ukraine and the rest of Europe. 

And the worst news of all is that that is not going to happen without a very significant loss of life, in my opinion. When the time comes that the very existence of Putin's regime is threatened the only thing we can count on is the integrity of those with the authority to press the big red buttons. As much as I want a happy ending from this war, I'm not holding my breath. It's just sad.

[Helen of Annoy]

I don't think we can fully grasp just how bizarre is Putin's Russia. 

 

[spartan max2]

3 minutes ago, Nuclear Wessel said:

And the worst news of all is that that is not going to happen without a very significant loss of life, in my opinion. When the time comes that the very existence of Putin's regime is threatened the only thing we can count on is the integrity of those with the authority to press the big red buttons. As much as I want a happy ending from this war, I'm not holding my breath. It's just sad.

If this goes anything like the cold war than Russia overextending itself for a prolonged period of time will lead to worsened conditions at home which will cause internal elements to eventually remove him. 

[Helen of Annoy]

1 minute ago, Nuclear Wessel said:

And the worst news of all is that that is not going to happen without a very significant loss of life, in my opinion. When the time comes that the very existence of Putin's regime is threatened the only thing we can count on is the integrity of those with the authority to press the big red buttons. As much as I want a happy ending from this war, I'm not holding my breath. It's just sad.

They've got no integrity. They've got no idea what honor or ethics or even common decency are.

But they've got fear of death, and of dying, and of surviving in a world that would require effort to survive. They want to live their greedy little lives. I count on their lack of principles, not on them having principles.  

But it is sad. Soul-crushing sad.   

[Trelane]

2 hours ago, Hammerclaw said:

The Baltic States would be next. The Russians seek to intimidate the West by waving their nuclear phallus around. Of course, they must know launching a single nuke would trigger nuclear Armagedón. In the shattered nuclear wasteland that was their homeland, there'd be two few of them left to prevent the wholesale slaughter of the survivors by remnant populations of the surrounding countries they had defiled. They'd be killed, every man, woman and child, that their name be spoken no more by the nations of men.

You're spot on.  It has been known for some time now that Vladdy fully intended on trying to annex former Soviet States. It was unfortunately only a matter of time before he acted out his grand scheme. The unintended consequences of his actions, and second and third order of effects he failed to assess. Now he's in far worse position than before with his only legacy being a lying murderous dog.

[el midgetron]

Does Lithuania Want To Start A War With Russia?

Lithuania is waving a red cape at the Russian bear.

In NATO the smallest members tend to be the most aggressive. It’s probably because they know they wouldn’t be called on to fight any wars they caused. They simply are too small to make a difference.

So Lithuania, with an army of just 8,850 active-duty personnel and 5,650 reservists, is now enforcing a blockade of sorts against Russia through Kaliningrad. The latter was seized from Germany at the end of World War II and ended up separated from the rest of Russia after the Baltic States seceded from the Soviet Union. Vilnius is forbidding transport of coal, metals, electronics, and other E.U.-sanctioned products to Kaliningrad, whose governor said that roughly half of the territory’s typical imports were on the ban list. Lithuanian officials claimed to be only “following orders,” as it were, from a higher authority: “We just implement the sanctions, which were imposed on European Union level, and this has nothing to do with the bilateral relations between Russia and Lithuania,” announced Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda.

https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/does-lithuania-want-to-start-a-war-with-russia/
 

Lithuania is approximately 65,300 sq km, while Ukraine is approximately 603,550 sq km, making Ukraine 824% larger than Lithuania. Meanwhile, the population of Lithuania is ~2.7 million people (41.2 million more people live in Ukraine).
 

- Google

[DarkHunter]

30 minutes ago, el midgetron said:

So Lithuania, with an army of just 8,850 active-duty personnel and 5,650 reservists,

That is just wrong.

Lithuania has 23,000 active soldiers, 14,150 paramilitary, and 7,100 reserves.

[+Nuclear Wessel]

1 hour ago, spartan max2 said:

If this goes anything like the cold war than Russia overextending itself for a prolonged period of time will lead to worsened conditions at home which will cause internal elements to eventually remove him. 

At least, that's what we hope will happen.. if this goes anything like the Cold War.

[+Nuclear Wessel]

52 minutes ago, el midgetron said:

“We just implement the sanctions, which were imposed on European Union level, and this has nothing to do with the bilateral relations between Russia and Lithuania,” announced Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda.

Which they have every right to do, considering they are EU members.

[Trelane]

55 minutes ago, el midgetron said:

Does Lithuania Want To Start A War With Russia?

Lithuania is waving a red cape at the Russian bear.

Are they really? or are they enforcing sanctions as any responsible country would do?

[spartan max2]

3 minutes ago, Nuclear Wessel said:

Which they have every right to do, considering they are EU members.

Lithuania is literally part of NATO lol. 

[spartan max2]

58 minutes ago, el midgetron said:

Does Lithuania Want To Start A War With Russia?

Lithuania is waving a red cape at the Russian bear.

In NATO the smallest members tend to be the most aggressive. It’s probably because they know they wouldn’t be called on to fight any wars they caused. They simply are too small to make a difference.

So Lithuania, with an army of just 8,850 active-duty personnel and 5,650 reservists, is now enforcing a blockade of sorts against Russia through Kaliningrad. The latter was seized from Germany at the end of World War II and ended up separated from the rest of Russia after the Baltic States seceded from the Soviet Union. Vilnius is forbidding transport of coal, metals, electronics, and other E.U.-sanctioned products to Kaliningrad, whose governor said that roughly half of the territory’s typical imports were on the ban list. Lithuanian officials claimed to be only “following orders,” as it were, from a higher authority: “We just implement the sanctions, which were imposed on European Union level, and this has nothing to do with the bilateral relations between Russia and Lithuania,” announced Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda.

https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/does-lithuania-want-to-start-a-war-with-russia/
 

Lithuania is approximately 65,300 sq km, while Ukraine is approximately 603,550 sq km, making Ukraine 824% larger than Lithuania. Meanwhile, the population of Lithuania is ~2.7 million people (41.2 million more people live in Ukraine).
 

- Google

This article is from the "American conservative."

Man, Reagon would be so disappointed. 

[Trelane]

Game, set, match for 'ol Vladdy and his band or liars and murderers.  It just gets better as the Russian apologists deny as the strategic losses mount.

NATO formally invites Sweden, Finland; US will expand European military presence: Live Ukraine updates (msn.com)

Finland's, Sweden's push to join NATO 'a kick in the gut' for Putin (usatoday.com)

"'A kick in the gut': Finland's, Sweden's drive to join NATO a defeat for Putin, a win for the West"

 

[el midgetron]

24 minutes ago, Trelane said:

Are they really? or are they enforcing sanctions as any responsible country would do?

Seems like a good argument for Russia opposing NATO encroachment. 

[spartan max2]

3 minutes ago, el midgetron said:

Seems like a good argument for Russia opposing NATO encroachment. 

Being sanctioned for invading a nation is a good argument for Russia invading a nation? 

That makes no sense. 

"See, we had to invade Ukriane, because NATO sanctioned us for invading, which is proof we had to invade."

 

Edited July 1, 2022 by spartan max2

[lying]

Just now, spartan max2 said:

Being sanctioned for invading a nation is a good argument for Russia invading a nation? 

That makes no sense. 

"See, we had to invade because NATO sanctioned us for invading, which is proof we had to invade."

 

I believe what midge was saying is that cutting off a part of Russia from Russian vehicles and goods is an excuse for Putin to use for propaganda purposes to get support for a war against Lithuania.

I haven't checked, but I am sure Lithuania was only given independence from the USSR if they agreed to not prevent access to Kaliningrad.

It would be like preventing US goods leaving or entering Alaska from Canada. A clear provocation to the US  and it negitively effects Alaskans

[el midgetron]

Just now, spartan max2 said:

Being sanctioned for invading a nation is a good argument for Russia invading a nation? 

That makes no sense. 

"See, we had to invade Ukriane, because NATO sanctioned us for invading, which is proof we had to invade."

 

Im not justifying anything. But this is an example of why Putin would opposed further NATO encroachment. 

[spartan max2]

1 minute ago, Knob Oddy said:

I believe what midge was saying is that cutting off a part of Russia from Russian vehicles and goods is an excuse for Putin to use for propaganda purposes to get support for a war against Lithuania.

I haven't checked, but I am sure Lithuania was only given independence from the USSR if they agreed to not prevent access to Kaliningrad.

It would be like preventing US goods leaving or entering Alaska from Canada. A clear provocation to the US  and it negitively effects Alaskans

Putin dosen't need an excuse. He already has been trying to claim that Lithuania is part of Russia. Anyone paying attention knows Putin wants to conquer all the post Soviet states. 

Lithuania did this in response to Lithuania's  neighbor being invaded by Russia. 

That seems like a clear provocation by Russia. Lithuania has no reason to trust Russia won't invade them. 

[spartan max2]

3 minutes ago, el midgetron said:

Im not justifying anything. But this is an example of why Putin would opposed further NATO encroachment. 

Well this example shows how stupid Putin's logic is. 

You can't invade someone and then use people's response to your invasion as justification for your invasion. 

That's some abuser type logic. 

Edited July 1, 2022 by spartan max2

[+Nuclear Wessel]

3 minutes ago, spartan max2 said:

Lithuania has no reason to trust Russia won't invade them. 

Well, being a NATO member should give them a pretty good reason to trust that Russia won't attempt an invasion.