# Russia invades Ukraine -- The regional situation **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** ukraine-invasion\ **Created:** [December 30, 2023, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349 "2023-12-30T18:43:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 18
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2024, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/341 "2024-06-01T16:08:31Z")
I don’t blame them for being nervous. I’d be nervous too if I was right next to Putin. > **[Ukraine war: We have no Plan B if Ukraine falls, Estonian PM says](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c722zxj0kyro)** > > Estonia is pouring money and weapons into Ukraine’s war effort to try to push back the Russians. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2024, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/342 "2024-06-02T12:47:57Z")
It’s about F’ing time. I’m sure Ukraine understands there would be no military benefit to attacking Russian cities. It would only enrage the people and escalate the war. Preemptive strikes on key bases and formations of troops before they attack does make sense. Man, this is still a very restricted policy. I quoted the restriction. Ukraine is still fighting with one hand tied behind their back. > **[Biden changes stance to allow Ukraine to fire US-supplied weapons into Russia](https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/30/biden-ukraine-weapons-strike-russia)** > > US official says policy change relates to ‘counter-fire purposes’ and prohibits long-range attacks inside of Russia > [@](#): > > “The president recently directed his team to ensure that [Ukraine](https://www.theguardian.com/world/ukraine) is able to use US-supplied weapons for counter-fire purposes in the Kharkiv region so Ukraine can hit back against Russian forces that are attacking them or preparing to attack them,” a US official said. > > Limits on the use of US long-range weapons such as the army tactical missile system (Atacms) will remain, however. > > “Our policy with respect to prohibiting the use of Atacms or long-range strikes inside of [Russia](https://www.theguardian.com/world/russia) has not changed,” the official said. > > The statement suggests that the main impact of the policy change would be to allow Ukrainian US-supplied artillery to fire back at Russian batteries over the Russian border from Kharkiv region, which have had a withering effect on Ukrainian defences around Kharkiv city. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2024, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/343 "2024-06-05T13:06:09Z")
Call it “asymmetrical cultural warfare:” > **[France: Russia link suspected in Eiffel Tower coffin mystery](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cldd7n97dvro)** > > Officials believe Moscow could be behind a stunt in which coffins filled with plaster were left near the Eiffel Tower. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/344 "2024-06-10T11:19:53Z")
A.I. really is a scary thing if misused, and it’s very likely that we’ll never get control of it in my lifetime. Seeing your own face saying things you’ve never said has to be a very unsettling feeling. > **[How AI turned a Ukrainian YouTuber into a Russian](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c25rre8ww57o)** > > A YouTuber falls victim to generative AI on Chinese social media, but the ramifications stretch beyond China. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/345 "2024-06-26T11:25:11Z")
I have sympathy for the civilians. But vacationing in a known war zone is never going to end well. 4 deaths doesn’t sound like a deliberate targeting of the beach. The video doesn’t show a direct bomb impact. Ukraine probably struck a military target close to the beach. Does Ukraine now have the ability to strike the Kerch Bridge? It would take a coordinated attack with drones and ATACMS to overwhelm Air defenses. Ukraine is striking a lot of targets in Crimea. I recall reading the supply chain has shifted to the land brdge in occupied Ukrainian territory. The Kerch Bridge is less important. It is a symbol of Russian Pride and achievement. > **[Ukraine war: Russia blames US and vows response for Crimea deaths](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c6pppr719rlo)** > > Russia says US-made missiles programmed by American specialists were used in an attack which killed four. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/346 "2024-06-26T12:32:16Z")
This may be stretching the definition of regional, but it is an interesting analysis nonetheless: > **[China May Be the Ukraine War’s Big Winner](https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2024/06/xi-jinping-china-russia-ukraine/678774/?gift=cU4WmXraWG3WoSDDx6g_kRAUMzrV1QMW1yi2CLkN5A0&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share)** > > Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has given Xi Jinping a way to stir trouble for the West and make Moscow dependent on Beijing. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/347 "2024-06-26T15:08:09Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Ukraine probably struck a military target close to the beach. The images I’ve look like the missile dropped cluster munitions. Fortunately for the beach goers, they mostly fell in the water. And yeah, vacationing in a war zone is dumb. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/348 "2024-06-26T16:37:24Z")
I can easily imagine the Russian Tourist bureau focusing on the beautiful Crimean beaches 🏖 and downplayinhg the war as a minor nuisance. It’s my understanding that the Russian Media is under tight control and war news is heavily restricted. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/349 "2024-06-26T16:58:17Z")
And incidents like this help leak the information to at least some of the rich and connected that yes, the war does exist, and Russia is getting its ass kicked. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2024, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/350 "2024-07-03T23:15:00Z")
I figure it’s not directly connected to the war, so it belongs here. It’s not new information, but of course Russian disinformation is being used against Zelenskyy and his wife (and in favor of Trump, it seems). It’s some clever and crazy stuff. > **[A Bugatti, a first lady and the fake stories aimed at Americans](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c72ver6172do)** > > A former US police officer runs an AI-powered network of misleading news sites turning its sights towards November. ---
**Author:** ![Mops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mops/32/16494_2.png) [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2024, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/351 "2024-07-05T12:45:54Z")
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán again exercises his role as the EU’s loose gun. First, in Kyiv, asks Ukraine to unilaterally declare a ceasefire > **[Hungary's Orban visits Ukraine for first time since Russia's 2022 invasion](https://www.voanews.com/a/hungary-s-orban-in-kyiv-proposes-cease-fire-to-speed-up-peace-talks/7682203.html)** > > Meanwhile, US and Ukrainian defense chiefs meet ahead of NATO summit to be held in Washington next week Then he suddenly travels to Moscow, to meet Putin, in defiance of the rest of the EU > **[Hungary's Orban meets Putin in Moscow, drawing EU rebukes](https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2024/0705/1458402-putin-orban-meeting/)** > > Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban met Russian President Vladimir Putin for talks on the fighting in Ukraine, on a trip the EU said threatened to undermine the bloc's stance on the conflict. Freezing the conflict at the current frontline would please Putin no end, of course. Should Ukraine accept a ceasefire then end it at some point in the future they’d look like warmongers in that resumption of the conflict, and in many many countries the government could not justify continuing to support Ukraine to their electorate. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2024, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/352 "2024-07-07T19:38:08Z")
The UK’s new government is espousing their commitment to Ukraine. > **[New UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy wants to reset ties with EU](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cne4wypn23wo)** > > The new UK government wants to signal its desire to engage in the face of multiple world crises. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2024, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/353 "2024-07-21T10:41:00Z")
The amount of things that count as criticism of the Russian government is chilling. I wonder if they’re erasing people from photos yet again? > **[Fined for yellow and blue shoes: How Russian laws smother dissent](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cw4yv7nv8xlo)** > > Since the invasion of Ukraine, the measures used to clamp down on Kremlin critics have swelled. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/354 "2024-07-24T10:13:44Z")
> **[Hungary to block EU funds for member states until Ukraine allows Lukoil transit](https://www.yahoo.com/news/hungary-block-eu-money-member-140952451.html)** > > BUDAPEST (Reuters) -Hungary will block European Union refunds for member states that gave munitions to Ukraine until Kyiv allows the transit of oil from Russia's Lukoil through a pipeline over its territory, the Hungarian foreign minister said on... Hungary, as always, continues to be the absolute worst. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/355 "2024-07-24T13:24:36Z")
Well, no, the top two absolute worst spots have to go to Russia and Iran (in whichever order-- Hard to tell which one is a puppet of the other, these days), and China probably ranks ahead of Hungary, too. But yeah, Hungary is pretty bad. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/356 "2024-07-24T13:27:15Z")
To be clear, in my head I meant “worst country in the EU.” ---
**Author:** ![liirogue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@liirogue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liirogue)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/357 "2024-07-24T17:49:15Z")
Is there any talk of expelling Hungary from the EU? Or is that even possible? ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/358 "2024-07-24T18:09:47Z")
That’s not really a thing. They can be punished financially, though, by withholding certain monies that get distributed between members. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/359 "2024-07-24T18:51:49Z")
There are a few dozen different European international governmental organizations, though, and it probably is possible to kick them out of some of them. Or form a new No- ~~Homers~~ Hungary Club without them. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2024, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/360 "2024-07-25T14:24:48Z")
I still expect an abrupt Russian collapse and end to the war. Putin can only prop up the economy for so long. Russia has sustained the war for longer than I expected. Lets hope they fold soon. The EU seems convinced Russia economy is hurting. Link [Russia is lying about its economic strength: sanctions are working – and we need more | Eight European finance ministers | The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/jul/24/russia-economic-growth-western-sanctions-vladimir-putin-moscow) > [@](#): > > During the [Nato summit in Washington DC](https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/11/nato-summit-achievements-overshadowed-by-looming-us-election), western leaders reaffirmed their commitment to Ukraine’s defence. But Russia’s war against Ukraine is not only being fought by soldiers on the ground. It is also a war of information, on which the Kremlin spends an estimated $1.5bn (£1.2bn) a year, and of economic strength. Putin and his authoritarian regime want us to believe that Russia stands unmoved by sanctions and other efforts made to support Ukraine, freedom and democracy. Thus, it is extremely important that politicians, the media and economic institutions in the west do not take the information coming out of the Kremlin at face value. When taking a closer look at the signals, it becomes clear that everything is not as rosy with the Russian economy as Moscow would have us believe. > > While Russian GDP may be growing, the economy is increasingly geared towards the war industry, upheld by large fiscal stimulus. This is not an endless source of growth, nor a sign of a stable economy. The Kremlin’s war factories are already at [maximum capacity](https://www.bofbulletin.fi/en/blogs/2024/military-dominance-increases-imbalances-in-the-russian-economy/). Unemployment has fallen to the point that there are reports that Vladimir Putin approved the replacement of [imprisonment for forced labour](https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/odr/russia-war-work-force-labour-economy-teenagers-prisoners--ukraine/). The tight labour market has put upward pressure on wages, while the weaker ruble increases import prices and is contributing to [increasingly high inflation](https://www.newsweek.com/russia-inflation-central-bank-shock-1928241), despite Russian central bank efforts to fight it with high interest rates. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349.md?page=17) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349.md?page=19)