Germany is sending anti-tank weapons and other aid. This is a big change in position. EU getting closer on agreeing to cut Russia from SWIFT
There's a lot of announcements of military aid from the US and Europe. I hope this means the kit is actually being physically transported there right now. It isn't yet too late to help.
Hide the money under the mattress before the tax man sanctions cometh... EDIT: though it appear it might be a boris-esque statement... lots of words but utterly meaningless... Tweet— Twitter API (@user) date
That's probably very likely, in any case, he would have been better off having done this back in 2014 when he annexed Crimea and had the momentum going. He waited 8 years. Trump was disappointed with European NATO members for not pulling their weight and upset over Germany having made themselves dependent on Russian gas, thereby weakening the alliance. ^^According to official narrative. As for his true intentions who besides Trump truly knows? He spent most of his presidency on Twitter with worse trigger control than Alec Baldwin. Germany is still blocking the proposed exclusion of Russia from the SWIFT system. It appears the Motherland has the Fatherland by the balls for the moment. Not sure why Germany would put itself in this position to begin with, all I can think of right now is poor leadership. Not the first time.
Just not the ones the bent politicians have stakes in, I'll bet. Wait... is that a redundant phrase? I can't recall more than a handful, throughout my entire life, that I can truly think of as honest.
Today, I've read several reports of Russian soldiers surrendering to Ukrainian troops. In many instances, the soldiers said they didn't want to fight but were sent anyway. One platoon surrendered because they'd been told it was a peacekeeping mission, they didn't think they were brought to Ukraine to kill Ukrainians.
So, Germany sanctioned Russia's central bank after all. Their banks will not be able to sell its foreign currency and buy up ruble to offset the loss in value of the ruble then, and the currency will become worthless. Then again. It reads "selected" banks. Not all banks.
With the way the Russian Army is structured there's likely a bunch of reservists packed in among the paratroopers and armoured brigades. They're there to tie up defenders so the regulars can face lighter resistance and I bet a lot of them know it. If some of them are surrendering that's something, but even by doing that they fulfil their intended role. Those guys in the 50 year old MTLB on twitter probably have a similar story.
As much as this is an utter ****-fest, the post-event is going to be fascinating. Potentially a new EU member, a new NATO member or three, Russia's economy somewhere on the wrong side of the u-bend, Russia's supposed military might and all its weaknesses (Seemingly, supply lines and logistics planning..) laid bare for the world to see, not to mention their tactics. And the seeming lack of efficacy of conscription. Oh, and how ineffective cover up operations are for your own losses (the mobile crematoriums) when the vast majority of people are, essentially, capable of broadcasting 'news' live. I wonder how much truth there is to speculation that ten days and mild sanctions is all Putin's regime prepared for, and what the fallout of that is going to be.
Report: "A leak on silovik telegram channels claim that the General Staff has instructed that Kyiv be taken by Monday. The Russian Airborn forces think this can only be done at a huge cost of lives."
