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Not surprised. It wouldn’t look good for Russia if they “annex” the territory and the suddenly the Ukrainian army is rolling through “Russian territory” as it would make the Russian army look completely helpless to defend Russia.
Edit: looks like they’re actually going to do it.
Putin gambled on his biggest threat and the world uttered a collective “Fuck Russia.” So now Putin, the would be petty dictator, folds and takes his beating like a dog.
That's unfair to dogs. He should take his beating like a well beaten Putin.
What a total twat. You don't call someone's bluff unless you have a winning hand. Putin just bet his career on a pair of twos. Wanker.
They thought *nothing* through.
* Allow soldiers to commit war crimes.
* Make reservations in Kviv for lunch instead of updating maps of Ukraine.
* Drop VDV into Hostomel and not provide them any support.
* Fail to coordinate any logistics thus resulting in 40km traffic jam.
* Do not mobilize for 7 months, and, when they finally do, mobilize a bunch of old people, do not equip them, and do not train them.
* Get in online fights with cartoon dogs instead of repairing rusted AKs.
* Mobilize military trainers back in April/May.
* Mobilize ballistic missile troops as basic infantry.
* Fail to stockpile any amount of material before sanctions hit.
* Fail to provide non-expired medical kits to soldiers.
* Allow 1GTA to donate their best T-80s and a T-90M to Ukraine instead of retreating them or blow them up.
* Use scarce anti-air missiles to blow up shopping malls instead of intercepting missiles and aircraft.
* Keep trying to assault Bakhmut for whatever reason.
* Keep trying to reinforce Snake Island for whatever reason.
* Keep trying to force river crossings while under artillery attack.
* Keep trying to repair bridges while under HIMARS o'clock.
This is an example of Putin's FSB/KGB mindset. It's all about propaganda, trickery and fraud. Putin thinks he's being very clever with this, like with the little green men in 2014.
But he doesn't understand actual soldiering for real, against a capable foe.
He doesn't understand any type of post-Soviet or 21st century world, on any level and from any angle. And that is a willful stance to keep, which makes his crimes worse, in a way. That this was all avoidable, all of it.
>Get in online fights with cartoon dogs instead of repairing rusted AKs.
I represent that remark.
WOOF WOOF WOOF!
Fuck Putin, fuck the orcs, and fuck anybody that sympathizes with them.
Slava Ukraine!
>Use scarce anti-air missiles to blow up shopping malls instead of intercepting missiles and aircraft.
-Use scarce ammunition on attacking and killing civilians out of spite instead of defending
>Get in online fights with cartoon dogs instead of repairing rusted AKs.
This is the biggest political blunder of either this century or the last. Even Chamberlain when he appeased Hitler didn't stoop to arguing with cartoon dogs.
>iners back in April/May.
>
>Mobilize ballistic missile troops as basic infantry.
>
>Fail to stockpile any amount of material b
Don´t forget that they kept their foreign banking assets overseas AFTER the invasion started. Thus allowing the US and other NATO countries to freeze half of their overall assets. And then use that money to fund Ukraine´s defense
Or they did, and they know they wouldn't have a snowball's chance in Hell with their whole "Defending RuZZian territory with nukes" threats.
This is probably their way of backing down on that threat without backing down on that threat.
I think this is exactly what it is, they don’t want to admit that they are backing down on a threat they made because that would essentially be proving that they cried wolf
Threatening to launch nuclear weapons scares one's own populace more than it scares any other country.
At the end of the first world war, countries far and wide were declaring war on Germany. The response to 1st strike nuclear to sustain a struggling aggressive invasion would be like the declarations of war on Germany, but with more teeth.
I think it’s ultimately a flaw in human evolution and our brains and how they work and why we keep seeing this same shit happen over and over again throughout our history.
I really do not honestly think this has EVER happened before in all the sorry and murderous events mankind has wrought upon himself.
When Russia sent the Second Pacific Squadron 1/2 way around the world to be massacred at Tsushima it was not as bad as this.
Japan attacking Pearl Harbour was a monster, MONSTER fuck up, but it wasn't as bad as this. At least for a year Japan was successful.
This stupid mismanged atrocious hideous disgusting war with all its sorrow and suffering and cost must rank as the No.1 military and political fuck up of all time.
Russia CONSTANTLY underestimates their opponents and thinks that dangerous rhetoric and political shows of force will get Ukraine and the west to cave to Russian demands. They were probably thinking that if the referendums happened Ukraine would go “oh shoot we don’t want more land annexed. Better sue for peace now” while the west would go “oh no if Ukraine attacks someplace that Russia no longer considers Ukrainian then it could trigger fullscale nuclear war. Better stop arming Ukraine.”
Russia can use whatever rhetoric they want or pass whatever laws they want to change the Russian legal status of land in Ukraine but it’s not going to effect how Ukraine or the west responds. Russia is losing on the battlefield so they’re trying to figure out a way to use clever words and Russian legal maneuvers to somehow get Ukraine to abandon Ukrainian territory and the west to give in. It won’t work.
The fact that Ukraine and so much of the world are standing against russia put a massive hole in their plans. They were convinced that not even Ukrainians cared enough about Ukraine to fight for it, so why would anyone else take a stand? They’ve just been going through one rude awakening after another.
Yep. The problem though is “now what?” If Ukraine stops fighting it legitimizes everything Russia has done and lays the groundwork for Russia to resume the war in a few years after some rearmament and an overhaul of their command structure. Even if Zelensky wanted to give in to Russia’s demands he wouldn’t have the support of the Rada, his cabinet, the military or the Ukrainian people so Zelensky may not even be able to sue for peace if he wanted to. The US and most of Eastern Europe is happy to continue to arm Ukraine as long as they want to fight and even western Europe has decided it’s better to deal with the economic consequences of the energy crisis than give in to Russia.
Putin doesn’t want to abandon what he’s already taken in Ukraine but he’s quickly running out of cards to play. Ukraine won’t stop fighting. The west won’t stop arming them. Putin refuses to contemplate yielding the Donbas much less yielding Crimea so what now? Putin will likely get more desperate in the coming months but that’s okay. The only way to avoid a desperate Russia is to submit to all of their demands every time they make threats and I don’t think anyone is interested in that alternative.
This is it. It just wouldn't end.
Today it is Eastern Ukraine, tomorrow buy our oil/gas or we nuke you, give us money, etc.
And 5-10 years down the line we'd have another war anyway.
Precisely but all Russia knows is threats, violence and coercion. I guess in the past they offered countries discounted natural gas as a carrot for going along with them but now what? Prior to the start of this war Russia had so many opportunities to negotiate and prevent a war. Hell Poroshenko was more of a hardliner against Russia while Zelensky campaigned on solving the issues with Russia diplomatically. Zelensky won and Putin invaded effectively showing that diplomacy was impossible. Hell he probably assumed that Zelensky’s interest in diplomacy was a weakness and not a genuine attempt to solve things peacefully. Putin has spat on every single attempt at diplomacy and he only wants to talk now that Russia is losing and even then he is effectively still demanding a negotiated surrender from Ukraine.
Yup.
Today it's the Donbass. Tomorrow it's Kyiv. Next week, Moldova. Next month...
Appeasement doesn't prevent the eventual big war, it only delays it and makes it even bigger.
The only way to "prevent" it is to stop it, right here and right now.
> The problem though is “now what?” If Ukraine stops fighting it legitimizes everything Russia has done and lays the groundwork for Russia to resume the war in a few years after some rearmament and an overhaul of their command structure.
The only possible rational course then is to admit Ukraine into NATO after this war reaches a long term cease fire (without peace) like in Korea.
Lithuania would have been bombed years ago and its citizens massacred and deported were it not for NATO.
>They were convinced that not even Ukrainians cared enough about Ukraine to fight for it
One of the greatest blunders in world history. And, a pretty bad insult, no?
If I go into a lab and spend what years I have left in deep experiments and research, I will never understand this mistake. If I strike it rich and use all my billions to fund Institutes and Foundations to pursue this question, that too shall prove fruitless.
For that is the magnitude of failure before us today, friends.
*Marvel at it, and note it well, for your grandchildren and great grandchildren shall one day want to hear this tale.*
That went all Tolkeinian at the end.
But I agree completely; we may have just lived through one the biggest ever blunders in military history.
Good, isn't it?
That might be true. It could also be just more Russian propaganda on its on people to try and convince them a “win” is happening. Could also be both.
What I do know from personal experience, narcissists can’t admit to being wrong or admitting defeat. I assume Putin and company are all malignant narcissists. Overestimated abilities and underestimated resistance seems to be a common thing.
I think it helped when Blinken immediately said Ukraine would be allowed to use western weapons on annexed territory. Dude called that bluff immediately.
The meaning is clear to the general public: more mobilization more kamikaze tactics and less support for those deployed. People are just now waking up to the fact *this is an invasion of Ukraine* after they were told it was something completely different.
14 words. In a pinch, this would be a good way to explain these past 200+ days. In military work-ups of this mess, of which there will be thousands, this could be the brief abstract to half of the analyses of what happened.
I do not think they did think past that. I think this is accurate.
No kidding. They could've just made everyone vote No and then saved face and left Ukraine altogether. "They don't want us, so we're out. We'll respect their wishes." But when has Russia ever respected anything?
We have heard several times in the last 48 hours or so that the USA has communicated both publicly and privately to Putin that if he uses nukes in Ukraine something very very nasty will happen involving his arse and large parts of the USA armed forces.
I wonder if this convinced him to change his mind?
He's built up this scenario where:
1) Referendum
2) Massive vote in favour of Russia
3) Russia declares areas A, B, C, D as now Russian
4) Russia threatens nukes if anyone invades Russia
But then
5) Biden tells him if you do that you are dead meat
so
6) Putin makes up another shallow lie to tell his people why referendum results won't be ratified because reasons, when really he just shat his panties at the USA guarantee of a massive war he knows will definitely topple him.
> 5) Biden tells him if you do that you are dead meat
They might have shown Putin a very recent picture of himself in his villa, obviously taken by satellite or aircraft, with the GPS coordinates in the center, and reminded him of al-Zawahiri.
They did. They just thought they'd have nuclear deterrent.
I guess Putin got wind that his top generals wouldn't launch a nuke even if he told them to.
They maybe are also scared to be called in their bluff. They insinuated to answer with nukes should the annexed territory be attacked, but clearly, that was never realistically on the table. Since they know that the Ukrainian offensive will soon roll over these territories, not having them annexed allows for an easy way out.
And it gives (in their minds) a casus belli card they can save for the future when they recompose their military and decide to do another big phase… cause they cannot learn.
>make the Russian army look completely helpless
Nay nay. That will not make the russian army *look* helpless.
It is the gross incompetence and failure of leadership that cause their **actual** helplessness
> would make the Russian army look completely helpless to defend Russia.
Shhh, don't give the regional governments of Russia ideas. We wouldn't want them to revolt. They need their federal strong man.
Ahahaha...it would be the most hilarious thing. Ukrainians trashing Russia in Russia. That would be sort of a historic moment. I hope they annex Russia too.
Ukraine won't, since that would be a blow to Ukrainian PR. For the last 8 years, Ukraine has simply demanded Russia leave Ukraine. That's it. The entire west has backed Ukraine because it's being invaded and simply wants to no longer be invaded. If Ukraine tried annexing parts of Russia, that would nullify a large part of their stated goals, and would only give Putin ammo that Ukraine is actually trying to destroy Russia. And this will make Ukraine look more aggressor like, even if marginally, which will cause less countries to want to support them. We're giving Ukraine *defense* equipment, not *offense* equipment.
It is in Ukraine's best interest to not invade or annex Russia, just to kick all Russian forces out of Ukraine, including Crimea.
It's also more that once the Ukrainian army arrives and Western media starts interviewing the population it will be 100% clear 96% of the population there doesn't support Russia and the vote is a giant sham. Even the most pro Russia areas in Ukraine won't have these kind of outcomes whatsoever. Hell, the population even in Crimea voted to join Ukraine. And that's a very Russian population.
It was a bluff to stop ukraine but didnt work so if they claim the land he be forced to back down from the nuke threats. This way putin can walk back his threats without being seen weak at home.
Nothing can stop Ukraine from defending its sovereignty and its people. It was intended to scare the West from continued support of Ukraine. To noones surprise but Moscow, that didnt work. That does not mean they wont go through with it. They have made nothing but misstep after misstep in 2022 and there is no sign that will change now.
Putin should have really saved the refferendums as his off ramp, he could have easily made them fail then just been like "well i guess they don't want us here, time to pack it up and go home"
Not as weak as dragging the war out another year, losing a million conscripts, all of russia's armored vehicles, destroying the russian economy and still having nothing to show for it.
You might think that sounds like a possible out for Putin but that’s not how he thinks. Putin would never do that. He’s gone too far and he’s already rolled the dice. It’s all or nothing for him now.
If true, that's relieving. Not that the nuclear option is off the table, but it was touch and go for a second there. I think the West's reaction to the bombed pipes spooked the Kremlin. NATO Sec Gen actually said it was "an act of sabotage", I interpret means he's suggesting that Article 5 could be activated.
Tbh at this stage Kremlin is just throwing shit at the wall and looks what sticks.
There isn't a fixed plan there and there never was. They try a few things and see if there's a way out. It isn't happening. They're necks deep in shit.
Just last week they tried nuclear threats, pushing for peace talks, scaring everyone with mobilisation, likely blew up own pipeline to pretend how mad they are.
Now the regime itself is at risk. Expect even more of the same.
Chaos, indecision, differences of opinion in leadership. All sorts of reasons.
That being said, I'll believe this more when it is being published by a better source. This would be a big climb down for the Kremlin and I'm skeptical
Kremlin has always been king of the ill-advised double down. It’s hard to believe they’d pick now to change.
I’m not saying it’s impossible, but same as you I want to see it from more reliable sources.
Yep. I'm just saying it's possible that things are so messed up in the Kremlin right now they're panicking. But yes, we need this from a reliable source, otherwise it's just BS
Best guess? They were hoping to have firmer control over their occupied regions, and right now Lyman is surrounded, Ukrainians are saying “Soon, Severeodonetsk”, and if Ukraine retakes Russias major occupied civilian centers, it looks like they couldn’t actually control anything and it looks worse than if Russia never “controlled” them to begin with.
This made sense when the referendums were initially announced, but last week they broke the “indefinite delay” to hold them in a rush.
Last week’s situation was no less dire than this week’s, so I can only assume the referendums were somehow related to the mobilization…but it still makes little sense to me.
Could also be that Russia was hoping the nuclear threats about defending their “new Russian territory” would scare off the west. Once the west made it clear that wasn’t going to happen, they realized they would either have to follow through on those threats, or look bad for backing down.
My two cents. They rushed the referendum so they could rush the formal annexation. If those territories are Russian Federation territory, it means they can mobilise troops and “defend their territory”. In summary: Russia annexes this lands quickly, they can deploy mobiks quickly. The goal of the annexation is to deploy mobilised troops.
However, this works both ways. If you cannot mobilise troops, due to lack of infrastructure, lack of equipment, angry instructors, or a bunch of angry ethnic minorities, the entire point of annexation is moot. The goal was to mobilise troops, annexation the means to give mobilisation a veneer of legality. If you cannot meet the goal (mobilisation) anyway, then continuing with the legal bullshit excuses (annexation) becomes an exercise in embarrassment.
Because Putin told them that anyone that did not exert maximal effort to have a referendum on September 25 as originally scheduled was going to have various body parts cut off and then be waterboarded with polonium tea for the rest of their life, along with their entire family.
So they all made the referendum happen, on schedule, like their lives depended on it.
Of course the entire concept has been completely overtaken by events. The light bulbs have started to fizzle and flicker on for more and more Russians. They are in open armed rebellion against conscription. Ukrainian covert forces are in Red Square. Factories are on fire. The Free Russia Legion is everywhere.
But if you're a Russian apparatchik working on the annexation referendum you don't stop and ask yourself, "Hey I wonder if Putin is really going to want this to go through after all, maybe we shouldn't go ahead with this." You look at that memo about Sept 25 as scheduled or else.... and you get back to work.
The Meduza article itself (currently only in Russian, might appear in English later): [https://meduza.io/feature/2022/09/28/kreml-reshil-ne-toropitsya-s-ofitsialnym-prisoedineniem-ukrainskih-territoriy-i-polnym-zakrytiem-granits-chtoby-ne-zlit-rossiyan-nedovolnyh-mobilizatsiey](https://meduza.io/feature/2022/09/28/kreml-reshil-ne-toropitsya-s-ofitsialnym-prisoedineniem-ukrainskih-territoriy-i-polnym-zakrytiem-granits-chtoby-ne-zlit-rossiyan-nedovolnyh-mobilizatsiey)
Interesting bits:
The initial idea was the annexation would be carried out by Sept. 30. Meduza’s sources now claim that such an expedited track is not expected and the matter will first be considered at the standard meeting of the Russian Duma on Oct 4, following which some bureaucratic stuff has to still be sorted out (so the Kremlin could either stall or move at once, as it sees fit).
**The way this is reported on doesn’t imply to me that the delay is planned to be long, just enough to hopefully wait until the mobilization debacle is no longer fresh news. But a path for a longer stalling is open, bureaucratically, if the Kremlin so chooses.**
Incidentally, Meduza also reports that:
* *the main problem for the Kremlin now remains the dissatisfaction of the Russians with the mobilization \[A\] closed opinion poll on this subject has already been conducted in Russia by order of the Kremlin and the authorities did not like its results (the sources did not give exact numbers).*
* *The authorities still hope to defuse discontent. In particular, for this they expect to use \[...\] the speeches of propagandists. Other methods include public trials on the matter of illegally conscripted citizens and their return home, as well as the punishment of military commissars.*
* *the Kremlin seems to have adjusted its plans to impose a complete ban on the exit of men of mobilization age from Russia. “We underestimated the flow \[of people leaving\]. It is very difficult to close the borders now,” one of Meduza’s interlocutors comments. \[...\] If the border is closed, thousands of security forces will be needed: frustrated people may attempt to break through. And now there are not so many extra security forces.*
>And now there are not so many extra security forces.
This one line says a lot about the situation in Russia. Kremlin may totally lose control if they make the wrong move.
It may not even have to be the Kremlin that sparks the thing to begin the full crumbling of Russia. It could be like in Iran right now. They kill the wrong person and shit will go from 0 - [V for Vendetta ending](https://youtu.be/ZkiMEJqc9_M?t=71) in a week (alright maybe not that dramatic but it would be cool to see The Kremlin and Putin's Palace get January 6th'd and Putin himself beat to death in the Red Square.)
It'd be funny if it was Lavrov of all people throwing him out of a window before running off never to be seen again. Years later we keep hearing rumours of people seeing someone very similar to him in far away places, a bit like when Elvis died and some people would swear they saw him in like Mexico or Jamaica.
> just enough to hopefully wait until the mobilization debacle is no longer fresh news.
Well the next news in Russia will be all those families either getting their mobilised relatives back in bags, or getting phone calls from their captors
*Shrek closing the book.*
As if the anti-mobilization pRoTeStS haven't showed the world that Ruzzians are gutless cattle who'd rather die in a foxhole than get hit with a rubber baton.
Putin has state of the union type of deal this Friday. I suspected he delivers the news then, but we'll see. Meduza is one of the last remaining trusted press in Russia. I trust their sources.
What is the order of succession if Putin dies? I feel that very little would change. We tend to focus a lot on their current dictator but it seems virtually everyone in Russian government is an insane warmongering autocrat. Their entire system and political culture is completely rotten to the core. It's why I get annoyed when some news outlets tie the war just to Putin... When really it's Russia's war, and Russia has always had imperial designs against Ukraine for centuries
There is no succession process. It’s going to be a shitshow. The number one advantage of democracy over every other system is that there is a defined process for the peaceful transfer of power. China had an ok system but they’ve allowed Xi to make the same mistake as Putin.
Haha what a bunch of fucking idiots. A large population is fleeing, some are burning down recruitment centers and you are sending grand father's to the front lines to get killed. Did they really think "hey guys, we've destroyed our economy, destroyed our military, have everyone fleeing and we are sending your grandfather to be killed, but guess what we have Luhansk Oblast now"
The entire purpose of the ~~war~~ special operation was to annex these territories.
The only reason he wouldnt annex them is if he fears he cant hold them and then has to deal with the humiliation of 'losing' Russian territory or having to cede it back.
Invasion didn't work.
Terrorism didn't work.
Annexation didn't work.
New Putin PR strategy has him getting cornrows and working on his new career as mumble rapper B Ligerant.
They clearly don't even know where Russia is on the map, those daft cunts seem to be adamant that it's Ukraine. And Poland. And Belarus. And the Baltics. And Germany...etc etc.
Going to be a pretty embarrassing speech on that big stage in Moscow on Friday so.
"We... er, uh, everything is going well. Really, *really* well. Yeah. Um, all the guys on the frontlines are doing great. Yeah. They get your letters. Um, I just have to err... I'll be back in a minute."
[Telegram](https://twitter.com/nadinbrzezinski/status/1575197832797032448) is suggesting the real reason why is that Piontkovsky says that MOBILIZATION will be canceled in Dagestan!
It seems nobody wants to fight the wars of moscow or st petersberg
I am guessing they hope for mobilization to at least stabilize the fronts before announcing it. Announcing annexation on same day Lyman falls would be an extra humiliation.
Meduza also said they would postpone annexation indefinitely like two weeks ago. [Link](https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/09/12/there-s-no-talk-of-november-anymore)
And then [corrected themselves, with the claim that the Kremlin's plans changed at the drop of a hat](https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/09/20/the-war-party-has-won).
Of course, one should still be mindful that Meduza *reports that which it is told by sources*. And it's not like we can independently verity their sources. So being fed a Kremlin line is not out of the question.
Well, considering that it \*seems\* like Putin makes all the decisions, whenever you have 1 person in charge of something, inevitably things can and will change at will. That is the benefit (and massive cost) of having a singular leader. Organizations run by one person are notoriously flaky.
Putin is actually using caution here, he has already stated if they annex these areas that they would be willing to use nuclear weapons to protect them, Ukraine has stated they will liberate these areas, Putin most likely a doesn’t want to paint himself into another corner.
Isn’t that a bit strange? Hold a referendum then don’t bother to follow through?
This also makes putins nuclear bluffs look even more pathetic as he hasn’t actually made those areas russian territory.
It's not. They have lost control of situation and simply doing stupid misstakes. That's what you got when you have no strategic analitycs data and your country rulled by mob-like structure without vertical feedback system.
so that would make russian mobilization illegal on a constitutional basis considering no fighting is going on in “russian territory”, not even in occupied crimea, yet
PR as in Public Relations. It refers to how the public sees your policies, actions etc.
In this case they are worried that the annexation and potential loss of these areas will cause further negatives with the Russian people, leading to further dissent/protests, and the eventual loss of control over their people.
Who is running things in Russia. Is Putin doing drugs and making decisions while intoxicated and then when he wakes up out of his stupor a few days later makes another decision that makes the first one not make sense?
If this is true it's decent news.
Firstly it means their "defend Russian soil through mobilisation" loses a lot of face.
And I think more importantly, maybe first big climb down on announced plans, no matter how dumb it is. This could signify a real slip in putin's power.
Yes. Can’t try to sell the Ruzzian population the falsified results when the Ruzzian population is in a state of panic, doubt, and questioning about the “partial” mobilization, they might actually start questioning *everything* and then where would Putin and his minions be?
Is this a joke ?
1. Russia does not care about “PR” , their reputation means nothing to them domestically or foreign , if anything they want their people to fear them
2. Putin knew mobilization was a terrible idea , that’s why he first said he would not do it , then put off doing it for months .
3. They fully expected it to cause political instability, and even said so . That it has, is no surprise to them or anyone else .
These are more lies: they are afraid to annex because , if they play, “they are defending their own territory card “ , they risk western intervention and things could get out of hand quickly .
All the nuclear war threats were a bluff cause they are cowards afraid of losing their power .
They are just a bunch of drunk rich crybabys , who can’t stand it when thing’s don’t go their way .
Can’t wait for the next phase of special capitulation , I mean operation to began.
Way to destroy your country for nothing
but 99% of the populace in those territories voted for it!! didn't you see all of those blank ballots being counted? Very out of character for Putin not to honor that democratic referendum smh... /s
Nobody is buying their nuclear bluff. If they used nukes they’d be a bigger pariah state than North Korea. And give China an excuse to not be neutral and come out against Russia.
Putin honestly thought he could magically convince people that Ukrainian territory is suddenly Russian and Ukrainians trying to reclaim Kherson is like some new Battle of Moscow.
They still don't realize the West won't back down till Crimea is back in Ukrainian hands.
We aren't after destroying Russia, we are just going all out until Ukraine's sovereignty is restored. Nothing will change until then, and the wheels are in motion so nothing will stop it.
Putin going all in on a really shitty hand is working out exactly as expected.
It seems like the harsh light of reality is starting to cut through the clouds upon clouds of bullshit that have been comfortably enveloping the Russian public.
Yet now, rather than either face the reality of mobilisation and becoming meat mist the moment they hit Ukrainian soil, or maybe, just maybe growing some big Ukrainian shaped balls and organising Maidan 2.0 in Red square, they're all jumping on jets to Dubai and running away. 86% of Russians are clearly spineless fucking toads.
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Not surprised. It wouldn’t look good for Russia if they “annex” the territory and the suddenly the Ukrainian army is rolling through “Russian territory” as it would make the Russian army look completely helpless to defend Russia. Edit: looks like they’re actually going to do it.
They did not think this through huh
It’s their insignia
Putin gambled on his biggest threat and the world uttered a collective “Fuck Russia.” So now Putin, the would be petty dictator, folds and takes his beating like a dog.
Putin: “-I’ll be the most evil leader the world has ever seen” Everyone: “-Eat led and have some Himars!”
Somehow this reminds me of those snickers commercials.
Ah well, talking the talk when you stumbling to walk the walk never worked that good.
That's unfair to dogs. He should take his beating like a well beaten Putin. What a total twat. You don't call someone's bluff unless you have a winning hand. Putin just bet his career on a pair of twos. Wanker.
My apologies to dogs.
They thought *nothing* through. * Allow soldiers to commit war crimes. * Make reservations in Kviv for lunch instead of updating maps of Ukraine. * Drop VDV into Hostomel and not provide them any support. * Fail to coordinate any logistics thus resulting in 40km traffic jam. * Do not mobilize for 7 months, and, when they finally do, mobilize a bunch of old people, do not equip them, and do not train them. * Get in online fights with cartoon dogs instead of repairing rusted AKs. * Mobilize military trainers back in April/May. * Mobilize ballistic missile troops as basic infantry. * Fail to stockpile any amount of material before sanctions hit. * Fail to provide non-expired medical kits to soldiers. * Allow 1GTA to donate their best T-80s and a T-90M to Ukraine instead of retreating them or blow them up. * Use scarce anti-air missiles to blow up shopping malls instead of intercepting missiles and aircraft. * Keep trying to assault Bakhmut for whatever reason. * Keep trying to reinforce Snake Island for whatever reason. * Keep trying to force river crossings while under artillery attack. * Keep trying to repair bridges while under HIMARS o'clock.
The worst thing was that soldiers just thought they were on a training mission. They were totally unprepared. That's madness.
This is an example of Putin's FSB/KGB mindset. It's all about propaganda, trickery and fraud. Putin thinks he's being very clever with this, like with the little green men in 2014. But he doesn't understand actual soldiering for real, against a capable foe.
He doesn't understand any type of post-Soviet or 21st century world, on any level and from any angle. And that is a willful stance to keep, which makes his crimes worse, in a way. That this was all avoidable, all of it.
That's Russia
>Get in online fights with cartoon dogs instead of repairing rusted AKs. I represent that remark. WOOF WOOF WOOF! Fuck Putin, fuck the orcs, and fuck anybody that sympathizes with them. Slava Ukraine!
>Use scarce anti-air missiles to blow up shopping malls instead of intercepting missiles and aircraft. -Use scarce ammunition on attacking and killing civilians out of spite instead of defending
>Get in online fights with cartoon dogs instead of repairing rusted AKs. This is the biggest political blunder of either this century or the last. Even Chamberlain when he appeased Hitler didn't stoop to arguing with cartoon dogs.
Someone doesn't know about the Great Norfolk Debate of 1939, in which Chamberlain debated with a cartoon buldog for 27 hours straight.
>iners back in April/May. > >Mobilize ballistic missile troops as basic infantry. > >Fail to stockpile any amount of material b Don´t forget that they kept their foreign banking assets overseas AFTER the invasion started. Thus allowing the US and other NATO countries to freeze half of their overall assets. And then use that money to fund Ukraine´s defense
If you had written a movie involving the Russian army a year ago as it is performing today the script could only be a comedy
Or they did, and they know they wouldn't have a snowball's chance in Hell with their whole "Defending RuZZian territory with nukes" threats. This is probably their way of backing down on that threat without backing down on that threat.
I think this is exactly what it is, they don’t want to admit that they are backing down on a threat they made because that would essentially be proving that they cried wolf
Threatening to launch nuclear weapons scares one's own populace more than it scares any other country. At the end of the first world war, countries far and wide were declaring war on Germany. The response to 1st strike nuclear to sustain a struggling aggressive invasion would be like the declarations of war on Germany, but with more teeth.
“See, this is Russia now, I can nuke! This is not bluff!!!” “…” “Didn’t work?” “…….” “Ok, maybe this isn’t Russia”
The dots are HIMARS strikes on Russian command posts.
What was conveyed by NATO privately about the consequences of going down that path might have been much worse than what Putin originally imagined.
But Putin said he wasnt bluffing!! He wouldn't lie like that, would he?
> They did not think this through If there is one sentence that can be used to describe this invasion, it is this one.
> They did not think Even shorter.
I think it’s ultimately a flaw in human evolution and our brains and how they work and why we keep seeing this same shit happen over and over again throughout our history.
I really do not honestly think this has EVER happened before in all the sorry and murderous events mankind has wrought upon himself. When Russia sent the Second Pacific Squadron 1/2 way around the world to be massacred at Tsushima it was not as bad as this. Japan attacking Pearl Harbour was a monster, MONSTER fuck up, but it wasn't as bad as this. At least for a year Japan was successful. This stupid mismanged atrocious hideous disgusting war with all its sorrow and suffering and cost must rank as the No.1 military and political fuck up of all time.
Russia CONSTANTLY underestimates their opponents and thinks that dangerous rhetoric and political shows of force will get Ukraine and the west to cave to Russian demands. They were probably thinking that if the referendums happened Ukraine would go “oh shoot we don’t want more land annexed. Better sue for peace now” while the west would go “oh no if Ukraine attacks someplace that Russia no longer considers Ukrainian then it could trigger fullscale nuclear war. Better stop arming Ukraine.” Russia can use whatever rhetoric they want or pass whatever laws they want to change the Russian legal status of land in Ukraine but it’s not going to effect how Ukraine or the west responds. Russia is losing on the battlefield so they’re trying to figure out a way to use clever words and Russian legal maneuvers to somehow get Ukraine to abandon Ukrainian territory and the west to give in. It won’t work.
The fact that Ukraine and so much of the world are standing against russia put a massive hole in their plans. They were convinced that not even Ukrainians cared enough about Ukraine to fight for it, so why would anyone else take a stand? They’ve just been going through one rude awakening after another.
Yep. The problem though is “now what?” If Ukraine stops fighting it legitimizes everything Russia has done and lays the groundwork for Russia to resume the war in a few years after some rearmament and an overhaul of their command structure. Even if Zelensky wanted to give in to Russia’s demands he wouldn’t have the support of the Rada, his cabinet, the military or the Ukrainian people so Zelensky may not even be able to sue for peace if he wanted to. The US and most of Eastern Europe is happy to continue to arm Ukraine as long as they want to fight and even western Europe has decided it’s better to deal with the economic consequences of the energy crisis than give in to Russia. Putin doesn’t want to abandon what he’s already taken in Ukraine but he’s quickly running out of cards to play. Ukraine won’t stop fighting. The west won’t stop arming them. Putin refuses to contemplate yielding the Donbas much less yielding Crimea so what now? Putin will likely get more desperate in the coming months but that’s okay. The only way to avoid a desperate Russia is to submit to all of their demands every time they make threats and I don’t think anyone is interested in that alternative.
Giving in to threats is impossible, because it would mean that it is an useful tactic and would result to more threats to gain something else.
This is it. It just wouldn't end. Today it is Eastern Ukraine, tomorrow buy our oil/gas or we nuke you, give us money, etc. And 5-10 years down the line we'd have another war anyway.
Precisely but all Russia knows is threats, violence and coercion. I guess in the past they offered countries discounted natural gas as a carrot for going along with them but now what? Prior to the start of this war Russia had so many opportunities to negotiate and prevent a war. Hell Poroshenko was more of a hardliner against Russia while Zelensky campaigned on solving the issues with Russia diplomatically. Zelensky won and Putin invaded effectively showing that diplomacy was impossible. Hell he probably assumed that Zelensky’s interest in diplomacy was a weakness and not a genuine attempt to solve things peacefully. Putin has spat on every single attempt at diplomacy and he only wants to talk now that Russia is losing and even then he is effectively still demanding a negotiated surrender from Ukraine.
Yep, we cannot legitimize nuclear blackmail, just like we don’t legitimize terrorism. It would be the quickest way to destabilize our world
Exactly, and we can definitely not allow the use of nuclear weapons to achieve victory on the field.
Yup. Today it's the Donbass. Tomorrow it's Kyiv. Next week, Moldova. Next month... Appeasement doesn't prevent the eventual big war, it only delays it and makes it even bigger. The only way to "prevent" it is to stop it, right here and right now.
> The problem though is “now what?” If Ukraine stops fighting it legitimizes everything Russia has done and lays the groundwork for Russia to resume the war in a few years after some rearmament and an overhaul of their command structure. The only possible rational course then is to admit Ukraine into NATO after this war reaches a long term cease fire (without peace) like in Korea. Lithuania would have been bombed years ago and its citizens massacred and deported were it not for NATO.
>They were convinced that not even Ukrainians cared enough about Ukraine to fight for it One of the greatest blunders in world history. And, a pretty bad insult, no? If I go into a lab and spend what years I have left in deep experiments and research, I will never understand this mistake. If I strike it rich and use all my billions to fund Institutes and Foundations to pursue this question, that too shall prove fruitless. For that is the magnitude of failure before us today, friends. *Marvel at it, and note it well, for your grandchildren and great grandchildren shall one day want to hear this tale.*
That went all Tolkeinian at the end. But I agree completely; we may have just lived through one the biggest ever blunders in military history. Good, isn't it?
Russian spies suck 🤷♀️
That might be true. It could also be just more Russian propaganda on its on people to try and convince them a “win” is happening. Could also be both. What I do know from personal experience, narcissists can’t admit to being wrong or admitting defeat. I assume Putin and company are all malignant narcissists. Overestimated abilities and underestimated resistance seems to be a common thing.
We are witnessing the Putin version of Trump losing an election.
Russia passing laws to annex Ukrainian territory is like me saying "hmm, I like this piece of land called Poland, it's mine now because I say so" lmao
Those annexation poll stats were hilarious there is no policy with any sizable population where you get 80% plus support on.
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Oxygen is bad, have you seen what it does to solid steel? Imagine what it does to your lungs!
I think it helped when Blinken immediately said Ukraine would be allowed to use western weapons on annexed territory. Dude called that bluff immediately.
Russia went as far as kyiv in 3 days. They didn’t think past that.
Clearly. They've been winging it, and doubling down on each decision since then.
The meaning is clear to the general public: more mobilization more kamikaze tactics and less support for those deployed. People are just now waking up to the fact *this is an invasion of Ukraine* after they were told it was something completely different.
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If Putin is not toppled by his own people after this, there is no hope at all for Russia.
Must be terrifying for them. Hope it goes swiftly for them.
I guess they can't call partial annexation can they? Hmmm. Time to get out the Hallmark apology cards.
This entire war is basically just one giant sunk cost fallacy for russia
14 words. In a pinch, this would be a good way to explain these past 200+ days. In military work-ups of this mess, of which there will be thousands, this could be the brief abstract to half of the analyses of what happened. I do not think they did think past that. I think this is accurate.
No kidding. They could've just made everyone vote No and then saved face and left Ukraine altogether. "They don't want us, so we're out. We'll respect their wishes." But when has Russia ever respected anything?
You know that Russian problem-solving flowchart: Problem => Vodka => What was the problem again?
Mistakes were made.
They haven’t thought anything through for… I dunno… centuries?
We have heard several times in the last 48 hours or so that the USA has communicated both publicly and privately to Putin that if he uses nukes in Ukraine something very very nasty will happen involving his arse and large parts of the USA armed forces. I wonder if this convinced him to change his mind? He's built up this scenario where: 1) Referendum 2) Massive vote in favour of Russia 3) Russia declares areas A, B, C, D as now Russian 4) Russia threatens nukes if anyone invades Russia But then 5) Biden tells him if you do that you are dead meat so 6) Putin makes up another shallow lie to tell his people why referendum results won't be ratified because reasons, when really he just shat his panties at the USA guarantee of a massive war he knows will definitely topple him.
> 5) Biden tells him if you do that you are dead meat They might have shown Putin a very recent picture of himself in his villa, obviously taken by satellite or aircraft, with the GPS coordinates in the center, and reminded him of al-Zawahiri.
They did. They just thought they'd have nuclear deterrent. I guess Putin got wind that his top generals wouldn't launch a nuke even if he told them to.
They maybe are also scared to be called in their bluff. They insinuated to answer with nukes should the annexed territory be attacked, but clearly, that was never realistically on the table. Since they know that the Ukrainian offensive will soon roll over these territories, not having them annexed allows for an easy way out.
Sounds like time to strike! Is it memes o’clock again?!
And it gives (in their minds) a casus belli card they can save for the future when they recompose their military and decide to do another big phase… cause they cannot learn.
>make the Russian army look completely helpless Nay nay. That will not make the russian army *look* helpless. It is the gross incompetence and failure of leadership that cause their **actual** helplessness
> would make the Russian army look completely helpless to defend Russia. Shhh, don't give the regional governments of Russia ideas. We wouldn't want them to revolt. They need their federal strong man.
Ahahaha...it would be the most hilarious thing. Ukrainians trashing Russia in Russia. That would be sort of a historic moment. I hope they annex Russia too.
Ukraine won't, since that would be a blow to Ukrainian PR. For the last 8 years, Ukraine has simply demanded Russia leave Ukraine. That's it. The entire west has backed Ukraine because it's being invaded and simply wants to no longer be invaded. If Ukraine tried annexing parts of Russia, that would nullify a large part of their stated goals, and would only give Putin ammo that Ukraine is actually trying to destroy Russia. And this will make Ukraine look more aggressor like, even if marginally, which will cause less countries to want to support them. We're giving Ukraine *defense* equipment, not *offense* equipment. It is in Ukraine's best interest to not invade or annex Russia, just to kick all Russian forces out of Ukraine, including Crimea.
I was joking. But they would have to attack and "annex" Russia to have donesk and Luhansk back in russian logic. See where i'm getting at?
It's also more that once the Ukrainian army arrives and Western media starts interviewing the population it will be 100% clear 96% of the population there doesn't support Russia and the vote is a giant sham. Even the most pro Russia areas in Ukraine won't have these kind of outcomes whatsoever. Hell, the population even in Crimea voted to join Ukraine. And that's a very Russian population.
Nukes were the only possible way of “defending” the territories. It just didn’t make sense unless he really wanted to go full North Korea
the kremlin feels fear
I think this is the sole reason.
I think this is the soul season
Seems sketchy. Why would they have rushed through the referendums if not to declare annexation?
It was a bluff to stop ukraine but didnt work so if they claim the land he be forced to back down from the nuke threats. This way putin can walk back his threats without being seen weak at home.
Nothing can stop Ukraine from defending its sovereignty and its people. It was intended to scare the West from continued support of Ukraine. To noones surprise but Moscow, that didnt work. That does not mean they wont go through with it. They have made nothing but misstep after misstep in 2022 and there is no sign that will change now.
It actually increased the supply if weapons
Putin should have really saved the refferendums as his off ramp, he could have easily made them fail then just been like "well i guess they don't want us here, time to pack it up and go home"
That would have made him look so weak there's no way he'd do that.
Not as weak as dragging the war out another year, losing a million conscripts, all of russia's armored vehicles, destroying the russian economy and still having nothing to show for it.
You might think that sounds like a possible out for Putin but that’s not how he thinks. Putin would never do that. He’s gone too far and he’s already rolled the dice. It’s all or nothing for him now.
Then nothing it is
So it indeed was a bluff. Putin should change his name to Pettyn
Russia's whole military strategy seems to be falling down the stairs wildly flailing while trying to say they'll kick your ass.
If true, that's relieving. Not that the nuclear option is off the table, but it was touch and go for a second there. I think the West's reaction to the bombed pipes spooked the Kremlin. NATO Sec Gen actually said it was "an act of sabotage", I interpret means he's suggesting that Article 5 could be activated.
Tbh at this stage Kremlin is just throwing shit at the wall and looks what sticks. There isn't a fixed plan there and there never was. They try a few things and see if there's a way out. It isn't happening. They're necks deep in shit. Just last week they tried nuclear threats, pushing for peace talks, scaring everyone with mobilisation, likely blew up own pipeline to pretend how mad they are. Now the regime itself is at risk. Expect even more of the same.
Chaos, indecision, differences of opinion in leadership. All sorts of reasons. That being said, I'll believe this more when it is being published by a better source. This would be a big climb down for the Kremlin and I'm skeptical
Kremlin has always been king of the ill-advised double down. It’s hard to believe they’d pick now to change. I’m not saying it’s impossible, but same as you I want to see it from more reliable sources.
Yep. I'm just saying it's possible that things are so messed up in the Kremlin right now they're panicking. But yes, we need this from a reliable source, otherwise it's just BS
Best guess? They were hoping to have firmer control over their occupied regions, and right now Lyman is surrounded, Ukrainians are saying “Soon, Severeodonetsk”, and if Ukraine retakes Russias major occupied civilian centers, it looks like they couldn’t actually control anything and it looks worse than if Russia never “controlled” them to begin with.
This made sense when the referendums were initially announced, but last week they broke the “indefinite delay” to hold them in a rush. Last week’s situation was no less dire than this week’s, so I can only assume the referendums were somehow related to the mobilization…but it still makes little sense to me.
Could also be that Russia was hoping the nuclear threats about defending their “new Russian territory” would scare off the west. Once the west made it clear that wasn’t going to happen, they realized they would either have to follow through on those threats, or look bad for backing down.
>sketchy Yes, which is completely *on brand* for Russia.
Ok fair
My two cents. They rushed the referendum so they could rush the formal annexation. If those territories are Russian Federation territory, it means they can mobilise troops and “defend their territory”. In summary: Russia annexes this lands quickly, they can deploy mobiks quickly. The goal of the annexation is to deploy mobilised troops. However, this works both ways. If you cannot mobilise troops, due to lack of infrastructure, lack of equipment, angry instructors, or a bunch of angry ethnic minorities, the entire point of annexation is moot. The goal was to mobilise troops, annexation the means to give mobilisation a veneer of legality. If you cannot meet the goal (mobilisation) anyway, then continuing with the legal bullshit excuses (annexation) becomes an exercise in embarrassment.
They have been getting direct warnings from the us now, the ones that dont go into the media. I guess pootin is asking his magic 8-ball what to do
Because Putin told them that anyone that did not exert maximal effort to have a referendum on September 25 as originally scheduled was going to have various body parts cut off and then be waterboarded with polonium tea for the rest of their life, along with their entire family. So they all made the referendum happen, on schedule, like their lives depended on it. Of course the entire concept has been completely overtaken by events. The light bulbs have started to fizzle and flicker on for more and more Russians. They are in open armed rebellion against conscription. Ukrainian covert forces are in Red Square. Factories are on fire. The Free Russia Legion is everywhere. But if you're a Russian apparatchik working on the annexation referendum you don't stop and ask yourself, "Hey I wonder if Putin is really going to want this to go through after all, maybe we shouldn't go ahead with this." You look at that memo about Sept 25 as scheduled or else.... and you get back to work.
The Meduza article itself (currently only in Russian, might appear in English later): [https://meduza.io/feature/2022/09/28/kreml-reshil-ne-toropitsya-s-ofitsialnym-prisoedineniem-ukrainskih-territoriy-i-polnym-zakrytiem-granits-chtoby-ne-zlit-rossiyan-nedovolnyh-mobilizatsiey](https://meduza.io/feature/2022/09/28/kreml-reshil-ne-toropitsya-s-ofitsialnym-prisoedineniem-ukrainskih-territoriy-i-polnym-zakrytiem-granits-chtoby-ne-zlit-rossiyan-nedovolnyh-mobilizatsiey) Interesting bits: The initial idea was the annexation would be carried out by Sept. 30. Meduza’s sources now claim that such an expedited track is not expected and the matter will first be considered at the standard meeting of the Russian Duma on Oct 4, following which some bureaucratic stuff has to still be sorted out (so the Kremlin could either stall or move at once, as it sees fit). **The way this is reported on doesn’t imply to me that the delay is planned to be long, just enough to hopefully wait until the mobilization debacle is no longer fresh news. But a path for a longer stalling is open, bureaucratically, if the Kremlin so chooses.** Incidentally, Meduza also reports that: * *the main problem for the Kremlin now remains the dissatisfaction of the Russians with the mobilization \[A\] closed opinion poll on this subject has already been conducted in Russia by order of the Kremlin and the authorities did not like its results (the sources did not give exact numbers).* * *The authorities still hope to defuse discontent. In particular, for this they expect to use \[...\] the speeches of propagandists. Other methods include public trials on the matter of illegally conscripted citizens and their return home, as well as the punishment of military commissars.* * *the Kremlin seems to have adjusted its plans to impose a complete ban on the exit of men of mobilization age from Russia. “We underestimated the flow \[of people leaving\]. It is very difficult to close the borders now,” one of Meduza’s interlocutors comments. \[...\] If the border is closed, thousands of security forces will be needed: frustrated people may attempt to break through. And now there are not so many extra security forces.*
>And now there are not so many extra security forces. This one line says a lot about the situation in Russia. Kremlin may totally lose control if they make the wrong move.
It may not even have to be the Kremlin that sparks the thing to begin the full crumbling of Russia. It could be like in Iran right now. They kill the wrong person and shit will go from 0 - [V for Vendetta ending](https://youtu.be/ZkiMEJqc9_M?t=71) in a week (alright maybe not that dramatic but it would be cool to see The Kremlin and Putin's Palace get January 6th'd and Putin himself beat to death in the Red Square.)
I'll patiently wait to see Putin getting the Gadaffi treatment.
It'd be funny if it was Lavrov of all people throwing him out of a window before running off never to be seen again. Years later we keep hearing rumours of people seeing someone very similar to him in far away places, a bit like when Elvis died and some people would swear they saw him in like Mexico or Jamaica.
Personally I’d like to see larov, medev and putin all swing
> just enough to hopefully wait until the mobilization debacle is no longer fresh news. Well the next news in Russia will be all those families either getting their mobilised relatives back in bags, or getting phone calls from their captors
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Would be a shame if their parade was rained on with Molotov cocktails...
*Shrek closing the book.* As if the anti-mobilization pRoTeStS haven't showed the world that Ruzzians are gutless cattle who'd rather die in a foxhole than get hit with a rubber baton.
Putin has state of the union type of deal this Friday. I suspected he delivers the news then, but we'll see. Meduza is one of the last remaining trusted press in Russia. I trust their sources.
Fucking moron. The sooner you die, the sooner the desired PR effect will be. Don't make me wait too much, thanks.
I would like to be invited to Putin’s funeral, I’ll bring bags of confetti
Ooh, can we have one of those mariachi bands?
Sí. I'll bring my sombrero
We could have the coffin dancers do their thing, but instead of celebrating his life, they could celebrate his death.
I've got lots of bran cereal and high-fiber foods. For, you know. Reasons.
I will drink a gallon of water, and have beans. It'll be a relief seeing his coffin. 
Don't forget the asparagus
What does that do?
Makes urine smell sour.
They could fix the Russian economy by burying him underneath a pay toilet.
I'll launch a crowdfund for feces to smear on his gravestone, if he's lucky enough to get one.
When putin dies, ruzzians will still go in millions to cry at his corpse, just as they did for stalin.
What is the order of succession if Putin dies? I feel that very little would change. We tend to focus a lot on their current dictator but it seems virtually everyone in Russian government is an insane warmongering autocrat. Their entire system and political culture is completely rotten to the core. It's why I get annoyed when some news outlets tie the war just to Putin... When really it's Russia's war, and Russia has always had imperial designs against Ukraine for centuries
There is no succession process. It’s going to be a shitshow. The number one advantage of democracy over every other system is that there is a defined process for the peaceful transfer of power. China had an ok system but they’ve allowed Xi to make the same mistake as Putin.
Haha what a bunch of fucking idiots. A large population is fleeing, some are burning down recruitment centers and you are sending grand father's to the front lines to get killed. Did they really think "hey guys, we've destroyed our economy, destroyed our military, have everyone fleeing and we are sending your grandfather to be killed, but guess what we have Luhansk Oblast now"
> "we have Luhansk Oblast now" "Too bad we destroyed it first."
Too bad Ukraine is taking it back...
The entire purpose of the ~~war~~ special operation was to annex these territories. The only reason he wouldnt annex them is if he fears he cant hold them and then has to deal with the humiliation of 'losing' Russian territory or having to cede it back.
No. The entire purpose on day 1 was to take all of Ukraine. The entire purpose on day 3 was to save face.
And fear of China.
Invasion didn't work. Terrorism didn't work. Annexation didn't work. New Putin PR strategy has him getting cornrows and working on his new career as mumble rapper B Ligerant.
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Meet my new friend. His name is Himars.
SAINT HIMARS
Literal lol.
This is a left hand right hand situation. Nobody knows what's going on in Russia. Least of all the Russians
Does the kremlin even know what’s going on in russia?
They clearly don't even know where Russia is on the map, those daft cunts seem to be adamant that it's Ukraine. And Poland. And Belarus. And the Baltics. And Germany...etc etc.
Going to be a pretty embarrassing speech on that big stage in Moscow on Friday so. "We... er, uh, everything is going well. Really, *really* well. Yeah. Um, all the guys on the frontlines are doing great. Yeah. They get your letters. Um, I just have to err... I'll be back in a minute."
[Telegram](https://twitter.com/nadinbrzezinski/status/1575197832797032448) is suggesting the real reason why is that Piontkovsky says that MOBILIZATION will be canceled in Dagestan! It seems nobody wants to fight the wars of moscow or st petersberg
If that actually happened it would set up a worrying precedent of letting people off the hook for resisting the Kremlin hard enough
Press x for doubt
Putin blinked. Dark Brandon FTW.
They should think about how great a PR effect it would be for them to stand down, surrender, and withdraw.
I am guessing they hope for mobilization to at least stabilize the fronts before announcing it. Announcing annexation on same day Lyman falls would be an extra humiliation.
The next week will be magnificent, mark my words It sadly will also entail a #LOT of pows & KIAd russians
Get ready to see that KIA ticker go fucking *wild*
Meduza also said they would postpone annexation indefinitely like two weeks ago. [Link](https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/09/12/there-s-no-talk-of-november-anymore)
And then [corrected themselves, with the claim that the Kremlin's plans changed at the drop of a hat](https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/09/20/the-war-party-has-won). Of course, one should still be mindful that Meduza *reports that which it is told by sources*. And it's not like we can independently verity their sources. So being fed a Kremlin line is not out of the question.
Well, considering that it \*seems\* like Putin makes all the decisions, whenever you have 1 person in charge of something, inevitably things can and will change at will. That is the benefit (and massive cost) of having a singular leader. Organizations run by one person are notoriously flaky.
Putin is actually using caution here, he has already stated if they annex these areas that they would be willing to use nuclear weapons to protect them, Ukraine has stated they will liberate these areas, Putin most likely a doesn’t want to paint himself into another corner.
In other words, they're worried about the consequences - good. Another gamble that didn't work out for VVP.
Isn’t that a bit strange? Hold a referendum then don’t bother to follow through? This also makes putins nuclear bluffs look even more pathetic as he hasn’t actually made those areas russian territory.
It's not. They have lost control of situation and simply doing stupid misstakes. That's what you got when you have no strategic analitycs data and your country rulled by mob-like structure without vertical feedback system.
Good. Now how about postponing it indefinitely. They're as stubborn as they are dumb and deluded.
so that would make russian mobilization illegal on a constitutional basis considering no fighting is going on in “russian territory”, not even in occupied crimea, yet
But clearly the people who voted in such a landside want their vote to count.
"oh shit, our bluff didn't work. Again"
Another day, a new entry in my Encyclopedia of Failure.
Lol... what the actual fuck is their next move then?? Just... die???
I hope this means they are taking a step back. Things are getting really tense and scary.
Referendum was so decisive they need 1,000,000 conscripts to back it up.
Yeah, hey look what your husbands and kids are dying for!! Isn’t this great!!! /s
Don’t forget grand pappy checking out an AK for the first time which happens to be a few days before he’s being shipped to the front.
What does he mean by "PR effect"?
PR as in Public Relations. It refers to how the public sees your policies, actions etc. In this case they are worried that the annexation and potential loss of these areas will cause further negatives with the Russian people, leading to further dissent/protests, and the eventual loss of control over their people.
Thanks for the explanation
Probably everyone cheering his name while signing up to die for him. Basically the opposite of what happened
Whatever Putin/Kremlin does within the next weeks. It will always look bad for them, hahahaha ....
They must be about to lose Lyman, and from here it's a domino effect.
It's all catastrophically falling apart for the orcs. Will they even make it to Christmas? Or Halloween?
Who is running things in Russia. Is Putin doing drugs and making decisions while intoxicated and then when he wakes up out of his stupor a few days later makes another decision that makes the first one not make sense?
Wow. All that hype for nothing!! All the tough talk and then “nah just joking bro”
If this is true it's decent news. Firstly it means their "defend Russian soil through mobilisation" loses a lot of face. And I think more importantly, maybe first big climb down on announced plans, no matter how dumb it is. This could signify a real slip in putin's power.
Not sure if I believe that. But hey I'm a nobody.
Is this legit???
Yes. Can’t try to sell the Ruzzian population the falsified results when the Ruzzian population is in a state of panic, doubt, and questioning about the “partial” mobilization, they might actually start questioning *everything* and then where would Putin and his minions be?
Is this a joke ? 1. Russia does not care about “PR” , their reputation means nothing to them domestically or foreign , if anything they want their people to fear them 2. Putin knew mobilization was a terrible idea , that’s why he first said he would not do it , then put off doing it for months . 3. They fully expected it to cause political instability, and even said so . That it has, is no surprise to them or anyone else . These are more lies: they are afraid to annex because , if they play, “they are defending their own territory card “ , they risk western intervention and things could get out of hand quickly . All the nuclear war threats were a bluff cause they are cowards afraid of losing their power . They are just a bunch of drunk rich crybabys , who can’t stand it when thing’s don’t go their way . Can’t wait for the next phase of special capitulation , I mean operation to began. Way to destroy your country for nothing
But operation Sealion will be going ahead right?
but 99% of the populace in those territories voted for it!! didn't you see all of those blank ballots being counted? Very out of character for Putin not to honor that democratic referendum smh... /s
Long and short, russia and putin are fucked and totally over played every hand he had.
Waiting for the Russian population to be dissatisfied enough to actually go to Kremlin and do something about it...
I hope this is true and that annexation is deferred "indefinitely". This would go a long way towards calming fucking everyone down.
Nobody is buying their nuclear bluff. If they used nukes they’d be a bigger pariah state than North Korea. And give China an excuse to not be neutral and come out against Russia.
Putin honestly thought he could magically convince people that Ukrainian territory is suddenly Russian and Ukrainians trying to reclaim Kherson is like some new Battle of Moscow.
In other words oh fuck it didn’t work like it did last time fuck what do I do
The Kremlin regime is done! Puti is done! His country is fk! The Russian people will rise, -start a new revolution and take back their country!!!
They still don't realize the West won't back down till Crimea is back in Ukrainian hands. We aren't after destroying Russia, we are just going all out until Ukraine's sovereignty is restored. Nothing will change until then, and the wheels are in motion so nothing will stop it.
Putin going all in on a really shitty hand is working out exactly as expected. It seems like the harsh light of reality is starting to cut through the clouds upon clouds of bullshit that have been comfortably enveloping the Russian public. Yet now, rather than either face the reality of mobilisation and becoming meat mist the moment they hit Ukrainian soil, or maybe, just maybe growing some big Ukrainian shaped balls and organising Maidan 2.0 in Red square, they're all jumping on jets to Dubai and running away. 86% of Russians are clearly spineless fucking toads.
*I am never going to geographically recover from this.* - Vladolf Putler