Posted on 01/24/2022 11:17:30 PM PST by RomanSoldier19
｜On Thursday, Jan. 20, Russia announced that it would be sending its fleet, complete with warships, aircraft and army personnel, for a series of military exercises to “zones of responsibility.”
Some of those warships have been reported to be en route to the Black Sea, creating concerns in the West that the Russian government could be preparing for an invasion of Ukraine. Lining up at the borders
The announcement made on Thursday revealed that Moscow will be conducting a “sweeping set of exercises” in all zones of its fleets’ responsibility, in the midst of tensions between Russia and the West.
Overall, the fleet will consist of 140 warships and support vessels, 60 planes, 1,000 pieces of military equipment, and 10,000 military servicemen.
“In accordance with a plan for training the Russian armed forces in 2022 a series of naval exercises will be held in January-February in all zones of the fleets’ responsibility under the general guidance of the commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy, Admiral Nikolay Yemenov,” The Russian News Agency (TASS) reported.
“The exercises will encompass seas washing Russia and also World Ocean areas of key importance,” the Russian Defense Ministry said. “There will be some exercises in the Mediterranean and Northern seas and the Sea of Okhotsk, in the Northeastern Atlantic and in the Pacific.”
According to The Guardian, Moscow has sent troops to the borders of Ukraine, and missile systems into Belarus – both moves that western officials and analysts believe could allow troops to threaten the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.
(Excerpt) Read more at visiontimes.com ...
Training doesn’t mean war.....we do that also.
I’m at the point now where I imagine Putin as he makes these moves, chortling away thinking how he’s running up Biden’s Depends bill.
Did they hype war with China for weeks on end when we sent ships to the China Sea....nah.
This hyping war with Russia certainly stopped alll the press bad mouthing Bidens Press Conference..
This is an Obama tactic...hype things up, send arms and run the press cycle 24/7 just like he did his red line in Syria.....and we know how that ended.
“This business will get out of hand...”
No it won’t...but this administration wants you to believe that...we’ll be hearing next how Hero Biden stopped the Russians with his ever fabulous diplomacy.
"I make announcement about ships going someplace, stupid Americans run away from their embassy in Kiev. I haven't had this much fun since that hot Olympic gymnast."
Well frankly Putins likely rather p*issed off with this administration pushing these war threats and I can’t say I wouldn’t blame him. Biden’s and Obamas foreign policy was always pushing war with someone otherwise NATO is basically done and the war machinery will not let that happen.
Ping
I can imagine the comparisons to the Cuban Missile Crisis. I have no doubt editorials are already written about his nerves of steel as he stared down Putin at the brink of war.
It’s been our policy to “keep NATO relevant” since the fall is the USSR. Our actions in former Yugoslavia very much included. Speaking of which, our illegal war over Kosovo was against the NATO Charter and the UN Charter and tore up the Peace of Westphalia going all the way back to 1648. Putin warned this set a dangerous precedent at the time, citing Transdniester as an example.
Latest developments are a bit of a puzzle. Since 2014-15, Russian buildups of forces near Ukraine have been in response to Ukrainian movements to lob stuff at the Donbass region, and Russian policy has been to keep the conflict frozen (which very much suits Russian interests and aims). Back when all these hysterics about “Russia, Russia, Russia! Is going to invade Ukraine!” started, this was my take on it: https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4017950/posts?page=43#43
Two months ago when all the hype started (and up until very recently), there was just the typical Russian military presence some distance from the border, just to say “don’t go poking at the Donbass, Ukrainians.” Very recently, things have changed. Finally, there has been significant movement of troops and equipment toward the border and into Belarus. The troops being deployed for the Russo-Belarussian United Resolve 2022 exercises are ten times the number for the 2021 excercises. Hmm.
Meanwhile, there are rumors of a significant buildup by the Ukrainians. Our hollering and sending Ukraine those missiles, etc, could point to a Ukrainian offensive against Donbass, which the Russians would naturally counter.
On the other hand, the Russian Duma is currently discussing recognizing the LDNR as their very own little independent countries. If the Americans agree to insist Ukraine implement Atue Minsk-2 agreement, this will go nowhere. If no such agreement is reached, and the Duma goes ahead and recognizes these cute little countries, Russia will warn that a Ukrainian attack on its newly minted vassal states will be considered an act of war. Such a declaration would likely draw a military response from the Ukrainian side, however. Hence the Russian buildup.
Is Putin doing a Jujitsu thing here? Using the Biden Admin’s Russia-Russia-Russia hysteria against it? As in, hey Joe, you wanna look like the diplomatic hero and avoid a war, all you gotta do is get the Ukrainians to agree to do what they already signed off on (Minsk-2), but then refused to implement. (This would please Putin no end.) Or it’s possible there is some package both the Americans and Putin can agree on.
If the talks between the Russians and Americans don’t go well and no agreement is reached ... then we *might* see the declaration of the independent states of DNR and LNR (just like we declared Kosovo its very own little country, still being babysat by NATO, by the way). If so, there *may* be some shooting.
Above is just conjecture on my part. We’ll see how it all unfolds.
Very nice seeing your post as you’ve got a better handle on this than most, so I thank you, very good read.
It does seem to me if Russia is going to attack it’s not going to be Ukraine necessarily. His troop increase and movement would indicate something is up though I’m not convinced it’s about Ukraine. Putin could have taken that at any time and he hasn’t ...likely doesn’t want it unless he can control or at least have Russian representation in their government, since the country is divided that way.
I have questioned when Russia upped things in Belarus....unless it was to secure their borders should anything materialize in Ukraine further...which with Biden crying war for months now I’d likely do the same in Putins shoes. But that does remain to be seen.
I wasn’t aware of Dumas discussions at all...so that is news to me but certainly could explain what Putins doing with his military movements.
As for both Minsk’s agreements Kiev has basically continued to refuse to act even though they’ve been agreed on by all involved in this mess. Not sure it was even possible they would as Ukraine wants the US military aide to continue as well as the revenue flow whenever things heat up....it’s a cash cow they gain every time....therefore I’m not convinced Ukraine doesn’t want to keep the conflicts going for those reasons.
As for the talks with this Blinken and Lavrov......I think that’s basically a lot of show. Lavrov’s been at this for decades and well seasoned in dealing with the US representatives...which are now Obamas former staff for the most part and like to “play’ it tough until it comes to actually acting. (Think of Syria and Obamas red line then) It’s an old personal battle between administrations we’re also seeing...just a different time.
At any rate I’ve got to discover more about Duma’s plans/discussions of which I was unaware...very interesting though.
Well I just think part of this is a continuation when Obama was in office....Not that he isn’t now in many respects).esepcially since much of this administration is his old one so the same actors playing the same roles regarding foreign policy.
Biden’s like a greeter at Walmart, it was said, with no say or control over the company itself. Nothing in the slightest is tough about him....although he can swing a nasty mouth when he’s irritated by the press.
It’s all up to the unelected unaccountable Deep State and the MSM. So if the Deep State/MSM complex wants war then they will have a war. All of us are just onboard for the ride.
Complete BS. Ukrainians do not have weapons for a credible invasion threat of Donbas.
I did say “rumors”. Nothing much verified. It’s true the Ukrainians can’t take on Russian-backed Donbass, but they have been known to lob shells. Probably not a good idea right now. ;) But they might put on a bit of show — unlikely to include shooting and shelling. Just a “brave face” sort of thing.
You are correct, I think. What messes we made during Obama’s time. We turned Libya into a failed state sprouting slave markets (entirely predictable outcome), then instigated the armed putsch in Ukraine that naturally sparked off a bloody civil war with no end in sight (also entirely predictable).
Obama allowed Hillary, Samantha Power, et al, to make those big messes (Syria, too) but at least he chickened out when it came to dealing with the messes ... and did, well, basically nothing. Which was likely better than whatever that bunch would have done. I think Hillary desperately wanted to be a wartime president — one of *many* reasons I voted against her. Had she won ... I shudder to think.
Poor old Biden. It’s painful watching a dementia patient pretending to be Leader of the Free World. I hope this is all about a distraction and racking up a diplomatic “win” and “averting a war with Russia”, as some have said.
If the LDNR gets peeled off from Ukraine in the process, no biggie, really. It probably won’t come to that at this point, but we’ll see. There’s really no putting Ukraine back together now. There will have to be some sort of accommodation at some point. Time is on the Russians’ side, too, and they know it.
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