Biden surprise — a visit to Kyiv {2023-02-20}

[Riemann]

It would be interesting to know if U.S. military aircraft were active over Ukraine during the visit.

[Walken_After_Midnight]

Along the Poland/Ukraine border:

Flightradar24

[eschereal]

@carnivorousplant

The obvious question is why did the SS refuse the trip on January 6th?

Because they were the US Secret Service, ferrying a defeated president about, rather than some sort of Schutzstaffel type org.

[Velocity]

@Riemann

It would be interesting to know if U.S. military aircraft were active over Ukraine during the visit.

It would be very difficult. Kyiv is a far distance from Poland. If there were stealth aircraft, they’d require refueling and there are no stealthy tankers. So either there were no American jets, or there were American stealth jets that had to constantly go back to Poland to top off from tankers before making the next long flight to Kyiv, and their loiter time over Kyiv would be very short.

[aceplace57]

@Broomstick

I’m thinking that Mr. Biden riding the train from Poland to Kyiv might be a bit nostalgic for him, I don’t think he’s been allowed on trains since he won the election.

I would definitely enjoy riding some of the old European trains. The train to Kiev would be very enjoyable after the war ends.

Murder on the Orient Express is one of my favorite books.

[aceplace57]

The trip had a important purpose beyond the photo ops. Hope the talks between Biden and Zelensky went well.
Link https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/20/politics/president-biden-kyiv-trip/index.html

In conversations behind closed doors at the Mariinsky Palace on Monday, Biden sought to engage President Volodymyr Zelensky in a detailed and urgent discussion about the next phase of the war, which US officials describe as having arrived at a critical juncture.

How the war advances in the coming months will depend in large part on the continued support of the United States, which Biden pledged Monday would be unceasing. If his message was meant as a reassuring one for Ukrainians, it was also intended as a reminder to Americans that the stakes of the conflict extend well beyond Ukraine’s borders.

[Cervaise]

Sneaking a president from DC to Kyiv without anyone noticing

This article doesn’t have any real new information on the operational specifics of Biden’s visit, compared to the other links, but it does include one strange little tidbit I haven’t seen anywhere else.

Apparently, the raid-alert app that activates whenever there’s a danger of incoming attack includes a voice component, and the voice is provided by Mark Hamill, incorporating Star Wars references.

Cathedral bells chirped at the stroke of 11:30 a.m. followed shortly by air raid alarms, at 11:34 a.m., just before the men reemerged. The sirens were first a distant howl rising over the city, followed seconds later by alarms from mobile phone apps wailing from people’s pockets.

Those alarms are voiced by “Star Wars” actor Mark Hamill, and his Luke Skywalker voice urged people to take cover, warning: “Don’t be careless. Your overconfidence is your weakness.”

…

The all-clear notice, also voiced by Hamill, sounded at 1:07 p.m., as Biden’s train was pulling away from the station.

“The air alert is over," Hamill said. “May the force be with you.”

Such a strange world we live in.

[Jihi]

Trump Defends Putin as Biden Visits War-Torn Ukraine

Trump doubles down saying Putin “wouldn’t have invaded Ukraine if I were still President.” Doesn’t explain why other than “we were best friends.” In response to Biden’s surprise visit yesterday.

Yeah. He wishes he had a photo op like what was posted above.

[Love_Rhombus]

It’s not too late! You can do amazing things these days with green screens and deepfakes. Or so I’ve heard.

[Velocity]

Wish it would have been a lot more blatant, Air Force One VC-25 touching down directly in Kyiv with an armada of Raptors. Announced to the world one whole week in advance, to let Russian teeth gnash and Putin foam…

[psychonaut]

@Chronos

Ultimately, the President has the final word on where he is and isn’t allowed to go.

Maybe the current one does. We all know what happened when Donald Trump demanded to be driven to the Capitol on January 6.

(Edit: I see now that @carnivorousplant already made this point. Oh well…)

[Casparlatete]

Biden’s dramatic trip to Kyiv “ranks with other great presidential moments of leadership in defense of freedom” best known for a single line delivered in Berlin: John F. Kennedy’s “Ich bin ein Berliner” and Ronald Reagan’s “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.”

[Fiendish_Astronaut]

It will be interesting to see how Biden responds to Putin’s speech today when he speaks in Poland later.

Putin making this about a fight with the West might help Biden to sell his support to Ukraine domestically, so I suspect he will play on that.

[Velocity]

Putin tried his best to deliver a Goebbels Sportspalast and failed miserably.

[Elendil_s_Heir]

@Chronos

Ultimately, the President has the final word on where he is and isn’t allowed to go. Everything the President does carries risk; it’s just a question of whether the risk is worth it. The President decided that this risk was worth it, so his Secret Service detail has to figure out how to make it as safe as possible, given the parameters the President has set…

Correct. As to the President’s discretion to decide what he does and where he goes, this may be of interest: Is the Secret Service responsible for keeping the president from getting drunk? - The Straight Dope