# 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:** 72
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1423 "2025-12-05T00:45:02Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Don’t most countries already keep most of their gold reserves in New York? Not Russia. 100% of their reserves are stored in-country. [![](https://bunker-group.com/img/0602_pic01.png) ](https://bunker-group.com/img/0602_pic01.png) ---
**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:** [December 5, 2025, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1424 "2025-12-05T06:27:42Z")
It’s remarkable that The French president is speaking so bluntly. Macron is saying the same things we’ve discussed in this thread. Trump is playing a shell game and can’t be trusted. I’m relieved, Volodymyr Zelensky is being warned security guarantees from Washington have little or no value. It’s even worse because the Ukrainians are reading translations. That makes it even easier to double-speak and deceive Ukraine. Long article. I only quoted some of Macron’s warning to Zelensky. > **[Macron reportedly warned Zelenskyy US may ‘betray Ukraine on territory’](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/04/macron-believes-us-may-betray-ukraine-on-territory-says-der-spiegel)** > > Der Spiegel quotes leaked call in which European leaders voice doubts about Washington’s approach to peace talks > [@](#): > > Der Spiegel said it had obtained an English summary of Monday’s call, featuring what it said were direct quotations from European heads of government in which they expressed fundamental doubts about Washington’s approach to the talks. > > The French president described the current tense phase of the negotiations as harbouring “a big danger” for Ukraine’s embattled president, according to the summary. Germany’s chancellor, [Friedrich Merz](https://www.theguardian.com/world/friedrich-merz), reportedly added that the Ukrainian leader needed to be “very careful”. > > **“They are playing games with both you and us,” Merz was reported as telling him** – a remark the magazine concluded was a reference to [a diplomatic mission to Moscow this week](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/02/witkoff-in-moscow-for-talks-as-putin-claims-to-have-taken-key-ukrainian-city) by President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner. > > The magazine said other leaders also voiced their concerns, with Finland’s Alexander Stubb, who has [bonded with Trump over golf](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/30/trump-putin-ukraine-ceasefire-interview-alexander-stubb-finland), **reportedly warning “we must not leave Ukraine and Volodymyr alone with these guys.** ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1425 "2025-12-05T11:09:27Z")
The Europeans are not stupid. They know trump is a de facto Russian agent. Or at minimum is simply a self-dealing extortionist and Ukraine ain’t signing up to be extorted. The question is whether they’re willing to bear the full costs of Ukraine’s defense indefinitely. Brave words are cheaper than brave acts or even just generous ones. Democracies famously have shorter attention spans for arduous tasks than do the authoritarians they’re contending with. These sorts of speeches are certainly better than the alternative. But let’s wait for deeds before declaring victory over Putrumpism. ---
**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:** [December 5, 2025, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1426 "2025-12-05T15:25:54Z")
No doubt Volodymyr Zelensky can smell Trump’s bullshit. Ukraine already got betrayed with the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances, signed on December 5, 1994. Not much has changed in thirty years. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1427 "2025-12-05T15:55:49Z")
Well yes, of course he can. Literally everyone on Earth who’s not a MAGAnaut can. The problem isn’t Zelenskyy unknowingly stepping into a trumpy trap. The problem is getting the rest of the world to actually step up and replace the USA’s contributions, not just talk about doing so. All in the face of US treachery emanating from the White House. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1428 "2025-12-05T20:39:30Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > They know trump is a de facto Russian agent. Or at minimum is simply a self-dealing extortionist He is a de facto Russian agent _because_ he’s self-dealing extortionist. ---
**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:** [December 6, 2025, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1429 "2025-12-06T05:10:15Z")
I recall my boss told our group, _You better not come back sunburnt_ We went for software training and to meet other Universities that used the software. > **[Trump advisers and Ukrainian officials will meet for third day amid progress...](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/05/ukraine-russia-trump-peace-plan)** > > Joint statement comes as Trump pushes Kyiv and Moscow on US-mediated proposal to end nearly four years of war > [@](#): > > US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law [Jared Kushner](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/jared-kushner)’s talks in Florida with Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s lead negotiator, follow discussions between [Vladimir Putin](https://www.theguardian.com/world/vladimir-putin) and the US envoys at the Kremlin on Tuesday. > > Friday’s session took place at the Shell Bay Club in Hallandale Beach, Florida, a high-end private golf and lifestyle destination owned by Witkoff’s real estate development company. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2025, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1430 "2025-12-08T08:41:17Z")
Russia has lost 1 percent of its men to take just 1.45 percent of Ukrainian land. > **[Russia loses 1% of its prewar male population for only 1.45% of Ukrainian land...](https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/russia-loses-1-of-its-prewar-male-population-1765143682.html)** > > Read more And although old news, HIV rates are skyrocketing in Russia, too. > **[Russia’s War Against Ukraine Has Seen an Explosion in HIV Rates](https://carnegieendowment.org/russia-eurasia/politika/2025/07/russia-war-hiv-epidemic?lang=en)** > > HIV is decreasing across the world—except in Russia. The reasons are purely political. ---
**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:** [December 8, 2025, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1431 "2025-12-08T08:54:18Z")
To be honest, Russia controls more than 1.45% of Ukrainian land. The article is miseading and too optimistic. And HIV kills them too slowly to be militarily relevant. Let’s not fall for propaganda: as long as trump is in Russia’s pocket, Ukraine has a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2025, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1432 "2025-12-08T23:06:57Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > And HIV kills them too slowly to be militarily relevant. Agreed, but I think the article was not saying that would be the case - they were saying that this problem is going to reverberate in Russia for the next 40 years, no matter what happens in Ukraine. Russia already had a problem with declining population and shitty health before the war; It’s a lot worse now. ---
**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:** [December 8, 2025, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1433 "2025-12-08T23:27:36Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’m relieved, Volodymyr Zelensky is being warned security guarantees from Washington have little or no value. You think Zelenskyy doesn’t already know that even better than Macron? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2025, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1434 "2025-12-09T01:13:38Z")
Yeah. I think the point was simply a crude, almost joking, comparison that at that rate the last Russian will be infected or dead from AIDS before they finish conquering Ukraine. Clearly that’s a comparison of two inherently incomparable things. But it makes a great graphic or tagline. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2025, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1435 "2025-12-09T01:55:56Z")
On Sunday I came across [this piece on Facebook.](https://www.facebook.com/karl.j.martin/posts/pfbid05Z6PGf1hX4waWfE6EvResMeECaHqWHrGs3TFsRkgSPeSfDem9yu1ekse2z8GoxaNl? __cft__ %5B0%5D=AZVC0drjM70gWPJE_exkeln5zvE0dnqgjtE-TxIGvICJ6N1XkZ8E8E5THOMBQGxOMr6s_4qHa3--fOIJhwB6fDVPnTDoZB9xTmZqCgGBKarI6t2NmTd5DuJNIrX0v-QGC6hC643N9lxsl-njqlKXy8G7wFgiGsuXW6BQMhCXhAb7KUXFdh-_l_N4zxf6_HyvD4s& __tn__ =%252CO%252CP-R) indicating that Russia is having trouble paying its military. A sampling: > Roman Sheremeta writes: > “Russia can no longer afford to pay its soldiers. > > Yakutia has frozen all military bonuses after running out of funds — the first openly acknowledged budget collapse directly caused by mobilization. Finance Minister Ivan Alexeyev admitted: ‘Unfortunately, this is indeed our situation.’ > > Yakutia was one of the main sources of contract soldiers after 2022. To sustain mobilization, the region offered $29,000 for signing a contract. Now, officials cannot even estimate how much they owe military personnel. [snip] > At the same time, Russia’s defense industry is cracking. The Yaroslavl Shipbuilding Plant, which manufactures landing and patrol vessels, has not paid salaries to 850 workers since late September, as the Ministry of Defence stopped settling contract payments. The plant has been under sanctions since 2019, further restricting financing. > > Russia is trying to sustain a large-scale war using regional budgets — but those budgets are no longer holding. > > The first wave of financial collapse has begun in the very regions Moscow has traditionally used for cannon fodder. The piece concludes with "translated and adopted from Tymofiy Mylovanov” and I have no knowledge how reliable this source is. But it does tie in with reports of Russia selling off its gold reserves. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2025, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1436 "2025-12-09T02:21:38Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > On Sunday I came across [this piece on Facebook.](https://www.facebook.com/karl.j.martin/posts/pfbid05Z6PGf1hX4waWfE6EvResMeECaHqWHrGs3TFsRkgSPeSfDem9yu1ekse2z8GoxaNl? __cft__ %5B0%5D=AZVC0drjM70gWPJE_exkeln5zvE0dnqgjtE-TxIGvICJ6N1XkZ8E8E5THOMBQGxOMr6s_4qHa3--fOIJhwB6fDVPnTDoZB9xTmZqCgGBKarI6t2NmTd5DuJNIrX0v-QGC6hC643N9lxsl-njqlKXy8G7wFgiGsuXW6BQMhCXhAb7KUXFdh-_l_N4zxf6_HyvD4s& __tn__ =%252CO%252CP-R) > indicating that Russia is having trouble paying its military. A sampling: > > > Roman Sheremeta writes: > > “Russia can no longer afford to pay its soldiers. This would be the end for Russian expansionism but is too good to be fully true. My understanding is that bonuses meant to be paid by local government are often delayed. But basic pay is paid. ---
**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:** [December 11, 2025, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1437 "2025-12-11T23:21:45Z")
Gaza phase 2? What are the US security guarantees? > **[Zelensky says US wants 'special economic zone' in Ukraine's Donetsk region](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgjnd9y52pno)** > > Ukraine's president says territory and control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power remain unresolved issues in a peace plan. > [@](#): > > According to Zelensky, the US is now envisaging a solution that would see Ukrainian forces withdraw from parts of Donetsk, and Russian forces committing to not advancing into the territory. This area would become a “special economic zone” or a “demilitarised zone”, Zelensky said. > > However, he noted that it would not be fair for the Ukrainians to withdraw unilaterally, and that Russia should also pull back by the same distance. > > “What will restrain [Russia] from advancing? Or from infiltrating disguised as civilians?” he asked. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2025, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1438 "2025-12-11T23:59:39Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > What are the US security guarantees? No one on Earth is stupid enough to believe a US security guarantee, existing or new, has any meaning whatsoever under trump. WTF are you talking about? ---
**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:** [December 12, 2025, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1439 "2025-12-12T00:30:27Z")
I was asking about the purposed peace plan. US and Ukraine representatives met in Florida for three days and security guarantees was a big topic. Of course, I realize Trump has no intentions to honor any agreement that he offers to Ukraine. What’s in the peace plan could be interesting if Putin is dumb enough to reject it. Because it is supposed to be heavily biased in Russia’s favor. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2025, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1440 "2025-12-12T03:00:52Z")
This is what I don’t understand. If I’m Putin, why not just accept the peace deal to look good and curry favor with Trump, and then promptly keep attacking Ukraine again once Trump’s back is turned? There’s no reason not to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2025, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1441 "2025-12-12T03:12:18Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > If I’m Putin, why not just accept the peace deal to look good and curry favor with Trump, and then promptly keep attacking Ukraine again once Trump’s back is turned? There’s no reason not to do so. Being THAT blatant about it would probably mobilize at least some countries in Europe (France especially) to intervene a lot more directly than they’d ever consider otherwise. And you risk Trump deciding you made him look stupid and wanting to take revenge, not for the sake of Ukraine but for the sake of his wounded pride. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2025, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1442 "2025-12-12T03:20:45Z")
I’m sure Putin could easily persuade Trump, “We _wanted_ to keep the peace deal, but the Ukrainians started attacking us and violating the deal, so we had to defend ourselves.” Blatant lying, but when did that ever fail to fool Trump. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349.md?page=71) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349.md?page=73)