Yeah, I think this war might have to go on until there is a clear winner.
Have to wonder what range of outcomes can be offered where Putin would consider humiliation the lesser of two evils.
Well this is not fucking good. Russia has requested military aid in Ukraine from China.
Russia has turned to China for military equipment and aid in the weeks since it began its invasion of Ukraine, U.S. officials familiar with the matter told The Washington Post.
The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject, did not describe what kind of weaponry had been requested, or whether they know how China responded.
Well, that’s what allies do.
I am willing to bet China doesn’t hand over any military equipment, just buys oil and gas.
The Chinese don’t care about Russians or Putin’s folly in Ukraine.
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Seems like a good sign if Russia is desperate enough to ask for help.
China probably not very happy about getting roped into this mess.
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Are there modern-day privateers who could be hired to attack Russian oil tankers?
China’s pretty passionate about “empires” reclaiming their wayward territories tho.
Trump sure showed them with his tariffs.
Russia has been China’s largest weapons supplier. They could start sending Putin back his fighter jets but I doubt Xi wants to be seen to back a loser. Xi can still benefit though. Is it best for him if Russia’s war effort collapses, if it succeeds at least in the short run, or if it soon becomes clear it’s a quagmire? I think it’s the second thing, but risky to give Putin much help.
The realists may believe that international politics exist within a state of anarchy, but I believe we should have international norms. One norm should be that war should never be allowed to be a means for adjusting international borders.
The United States and other powers whose histories are stained by the sins of imperialism and colonialism should do penance for the past by working to uphold this norm. This doesn’t have to mean going to war themselves in defense of weaker states, but it does mean not remaining neutral.
If the ID is correct, that drone has a range of 1,000 km but wasn’t intended to carry bombs, which is not to say it couldn’t.
Military drones have a much longer history than I’d have guessed. In 1849, Austria attacked Venice with bomb-carrying balloons.
Each balloon carried anywhere between 24 (11 kg) to 30 (14 kg) pounds of bombs. Once in position, these bombs were dropped from their carrier balloons to wreak havoc on the city below. Fortunately for the Venetians, only one bomb found its mark, as most of the balloons were blown off-course due to a sudden change in wind direction.
Starting 45 minutes ago Russia banned Instagram, whatever that is.
Really interesting and well-written Chinese perspective on the conflict.
Although this isn’t a person with sway inside China, and China seems to be doing the opposite of this so far.
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Putin is mentioned 19 times, Russia 28. Xi is mentioned 0 times, China 44. The author understands that Putin decides for Russia. He may understand that Xi decides for China, but he won’t say it. We’re not dealing so much with states as with individuals: Putin, who is destroying millions of lives to satisfy his personal ambitions, and another, Xi, who may be just as willing to do so.
this feels right though I don;t know anything
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