Russia targets Ukraine’s power grid in biggest missile strike in months, officials say

Guardian ^ | 1/17/2024 | Reuters

[marcusmaximus]

Blasts rang out across Ukraine’s capital Kyiv and other cities early on Sunday, as Russia staged its biggest missile attack since August and targeted power facilities with the winter setting in, officials said.

Ukrainians have been bracing for a major attack on the hobbled power system for weeks, fearing crippling damage to the grid that would cause long blackouts and build psychological pressure at a critical moment in the war Russia launched in February 2022.

“Another massive attack on the power system is under way. The enemy is attacking electricity generation and transmission facilities throughout Ukraine,” Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko wrote on Facebook.

Air defences could be heard engaging drones over the capital in the night, and a series of powerful blasts rang out across the city centre as the missile attack was under way in the morning.

The scale of the damage was not immediately clear. Officials cut power supply to numerous city districts, including in Kyiv, the surrounding region and Dnipropetrovsk region, in what they said was a precaution to prevent a surge in case of damage.

[Right_Wing_Madman]

[Daveinyork]

Both sides have a history of violent anti-Semitism. If they destroy each other, I wouldn’t shed a tear.

[Right_Wing_Madman]

Both sides have a history of violent anti-Semitism. If they destroy each other, I wouldn’t shed a tear.

What is the statute of limitations for old grudges? 10 years? 100 years? 1,000 years? For Victoria Nuland, it is definitely more than 100 years.

Is it better to focus on real anti-Semitism that is occurring right now? Like in New York City and Amsterdam?

[McGruff]

Wait, I thought they only targeted apartment buildings and Maternity wards?

[ANKE69]

[Daveinyork]

This was occurring at and after the Holocaust. Are you planning to forget about that, too?

[BlackbirdSST]

This was occurring at and after the Holocaust. Are you planning to forget about that, too?

Let's talk about the "never again" part because that is what's being violated TODAY.

[blitz128]

Well talking statute of limitations Putins go as far back as they suit him along with some extensive selective amnesia for acts on their parts like Finland, Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Hungary, Georgia, Chechnya…..

[Jumper]

This is probably just the opening salvo of a two week campaign which will be followed by major offensive.

[Daveinyork]

It’s always being violated somewhere.

[GranTorino]

I have always said:
Its not a real war if the power is on.

[BroJoeK]

"Two more to go"

Unlike the Russian dictator, all Western leaders must stand before voters in free and fair elections.
These have resulted in (from right to left):

1. Japan: Prime minister Fumio Kishida resigned and was replaced by Shigeru Ishiba (both are LPD Liberal Democrats) on October 1, 2024.
   Kishida resigned due to scandals related to political contributions and reverberations from the assassination of Shinzo Abe, July 8, 2022.
   Ishiba has pledged to nearly double Japanese military spending (today barely 1% of GDP) and continue aid to Ukraine.
   Japan has contributed nearly $10 billion to Ukraine's war against Russian invaders.

   Kishida with Zelensky March 2023:

   

2. UK: Prime minister Johnson resigned in September 2022 due to a series of scandals, mostly related to holding parties at 10 Downing Street during Covid lockdowns.
   Johnson was replaced by Liz Truss who was herself replaced in a landslide Labour Party victory by Keir Starmer, July 24, 2024.
   Keir Starmer has pledged to increase both the UK defense spending to 2.5% annually, and UK's annual contribution to Ukraine to $4 billion per year.
   The UK has contributed over $13 billion to Ukraine.

3. USA: Pres. Biden's administration was defeated for reelection on November 5, 2024.
   It will be replaced in January by Pres. Trump's pledge of "Peace Through Strength" and promise to end the war in Ukraine "quickly", though by what mechanisms or under what terms nobody today knows for sure.
   The US has contributed over $100 billion direct aid to Ukraine.

   "Mertz pulled off a real Coup":

   

4. Germany: Chancellor Scholz has called for new elections, likely in February 2025.
   Current betting is that Scholz's SPD (Social Democrats) will be replaced by the CDU/CDS (Christian Democrats) party led by Friedrich Merz.
   Merz supports more aid to Ukraine and a hawkish stance towards Russia.
   Germany has contributed $15 billion to Ukraine directly, plus another $10 billion through the EU.

5. France: French Pres. Macron was reelected in 2022, his term will run until 2027 and he cannot stand for a third term.
   Macron's main opposition is Marine Le Pen who is perhaps more "Trumpish" in her views towards Ukraine and Russia.
   France has contributed over $4 billion directly to Ukraine, plus over $7 billion as part of the EU.

   Meloni & Musk, November 2024:

   

6. Canada: Prime Minister Trudeau was reelected in 2021 and must stand for reelection in 2025.
   Recent polls show the Conservative Party of Pierre Poilievre well ahead of Trudeau's Liberal Party.
   Both parties are strong supporters of Ukraine aid.
   Canada has contributed over $7 billion to Ukraine.

7. Italy: Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was elected in October 2022 to replace the caretaker government of Mario Draghi.
   Meloni is a strong supporter of Ukraine, including it's future membership in the EU.
   Italy has contributed over $2 billion to Ukraine directly, plus another $6 billion as part of EU contributions.

None of the new leaders are anti-Ukraine or pro-Russia, though all will doubtless support Pres. Trump's efforts to find a peaceful resolution that stops the war there.
How that will all play out is not predictable today.

Kier Starmer with Zelensky:

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni:

"Peace does not mean surrender, as Putin seems to suggest.
Confusing peace with submission would be a dangerous precedent for everyone."

[BroJoeK]

"Both sides have a history of violent anti-Semitism.
If they destroy each other, I wouldn’t shed a tear."

But the two sides are not the same because:

1. One side has elected Jews to positions of the highest responsibility and authority, the other has not.
   One side currently has twice the population of Jews relative to its total population as the other.

2. Only one side is in danger of being destroyed.
   The other side (Russia) may become exhausted and withdraw, though not so likely during the lifetime of its current dictator.

3. Only one side elected its leaders in internationally confirmed free and fair elections.
   The other side has had the same dictator for 25 years.

4. Only one side has no territorial claims on its neighbors, has never invaded its neighbors and has no intentions to do so in the future.

5. Only one side has allies who are Western and democratic.
   The other side leads an Axis of Evil Dictators including Iran, NoKo & China.

So, is there any doubt in your mind as to which side is which?

[Daveinyork]

We Jews know temporary all that can be.

[kiryandil]

BroJoKe wrote: Unlike the Russian dictator, all Western leaders must stand before voters in free and fair elections.

       

President Trump won all seven swing states in the US "election" on November 7th.

There were five US Senate races in those states.

The Democrats "won" four of the five US Senate "elections" in those states - and they're working on "winning" the fifth one.

Save your clown piety over our rigged "elections", JoKe.

[Kazan]

Macron was already defeated but, somehow, has found a way to remain in office.

Trudeau is toast in the next election.

The Zelensky curse is a real thing.

[Kazan]

Russia is only aligned with China because neocon dim wits that you support.

We pushed them into an alliance with China.

You never seem to grasp the consequences of the policies you support.

[BroJoeK]

kiryandil: "President Trump won all seven swing states in the US "election" on November 7th."

Every American knows the election was on November 5th, not 7th.

kiryandil: There were five US Senate races in those states.
The Democrats "won" four of the five US Senate "elections" in those states - and they're working on "winning" the fifth one."

No sane American puts quotes around the word "elections", especially after Trump's 2024 win.
The fact is that Trump's wins in all seven swing states were narrow -- one or two percent -- and about 98% of Trump voters also voted for the Republican Senate candidate.
I count about half of the Democrats' extra Senate votes came not from Republican vote splitters, but rather from 3rd party voters for president who then voted for the Democrat Senate candidate.
Here is my breakdown of Republican voters by swing state:

1. 99.9% of Michigan Trump voters also voted for Rogers
2. 99.6% of Wisconsin Trump voters also voted for Hovde
3. 98.6% of Pennsylvania Trump voters also voted for McCormick
4. 94% of Nevada Trump voters also voted for Brown
5. 92.3% of Arizona Trump voters also voted for Lake

At the same time, Republicans flipped three Senate elections -- West Virginia, Ohio and Montanna.
So arguably, the reasons for Republican Senate losses in Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona and Nevada were because Republican Senate leader McConnell squandered his campaign funds on unwinnable races like Hogan in Maryland, rather than support imminently winnable but more Trumpian candidates in the swing states.

I'd call that democracy on display -- we sometimes back the wrong horses.

kiryandil: "Save your clown piety over our rigged "elections", JoKe."

I see that you are more interested in casting ridiculous aspersions than in making serious arguments.
Doubtless, that's how they do things in your home country, right, comrade?

[BroJoeK]

Kazan: "Russia is only aligned with China because neocon dim wits that you support.
We pushed them into an alliance with China."

That's 100% pure nonsense because the Russian and Chinese Communists have been allies for over 100 years -- since the early 1920s.
Sure, from the 1960s to 1980s, Sino-Soviet relations sometimes got rocky, but they have been good to excellent since the Old Soviet Union collapsed.

The reasons have nothing to do with US foreign policies and everything to do with "birds of a feather flock together" -- the Axis of Evil Dictators includes Vlad the Invader, CCP's Xi-snake, NoKo's Little Kim and Iran's Moolah Mullahs.

The US will never split them apart, except, remotely, by encouraging more western style democracy in their countries.
But that can never happen until they are first defeated militarily.
For evidence, see innumerable historical examples.

Kazan: "You never seem to grasp the consequences of the policies you support."

You never seem to grasp the Axis of Evil Dictators that is assaulting the world as we've known it since 1945.
Americans will not like the World of Empires that will replace it.

World of US allies (blue), partners (green) and enemies (red), not 100% accurate:

New Axis of Evil Dictators -- "birds of a feather"
Vlad the Invader, Annexed Lukashenko, CCP Xi-snake, Moolah Mullah & Little Kim: