# 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:** 90
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2026, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1783 "2026-06-27T18:53:19Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Elsewhere, there are unconfirmed reports that he fell out of a window. Mesmo predicts! šŸ™€ šŸ¤Ŗ ---
**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 28, 2026, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1784 "2026-06-28T22:44:28Z")
It seems that Belarus took Zelenskyā€™s ultimatum seriously. Itā€™s hard to verify. I canā€™t find anything (Google) from the major news outlets. Maybe the Guardian will publish an update soon. > **[Belarus halts equipment used to guide Russian strikes, Zelensky says, after...](https://kyivindependent.com/belarus-halts-equipment-used-to-guide-russian-strikes-zelensky-says-after-ukraines-ultimatum/)** > > "As of today, the equipment is no longer operating," President Volodymyr Zelensky said. From the Guardian June 19 > [@](#): > > Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a week should be enough for the Belarusian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, to **remove equipment from Belarus used by ā Russia in its attacks on ā Ukraine**. ā€œIf he doesnā€™t do it, weā€™ll do it,ā€ said the Ukrainian president, without elaborating. Zelenskyy said signal relay stations were located in two Belarusian regions bordering Ukraine that were used by Russian forces to help with attacks on Ukrainian civilians. ---
**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 30, 2026, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1785 "2026-06-30T09:39:33Z")
Monaco is not as safe as it used to be. Not for Ukrainian oligarchs with fortunes made selling booze in Crimea: > **[Monaco parcel bomb blast severely wounds Ukrainian oligarch](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/30/monaco-parcel-bomb-blast-ukrainian-oligarch)** > > Source says Vadym Yermolaiev was one of two adults left with life-threatening injuries after apartment blast on Monday Monacoā€™s minister of state, Christophe Mirmand, said ā€œThis is the first time in history, to my knowledge, that such an act has taken place in the principality.ā€ That must be terrible for business. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2026, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1786 "2026-06-30T15:14:45Z")
Speculation on who wanted him dead? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2026, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1787 "2026-06-30T18:55:57Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Speculation on who wanted him dead? Starts with P and ends with utin. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2026, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1788 "2026-06-30T19:14:02Z")
Wouldnā€™t surprise me, but whatā€™s the payoff? Articles are presenting the guy as an apolitical oligarch. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2026, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1789 "2026-06-30T19:27:06Z")
Born in Ukraine, Jewish Parents, owns a large alcohol company in Crimea, publicly condemned the Russian Invasion of Ukraine, etc etc- > **[Vadym Iermolaiev](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vadym_Iermolaiev)** > > Vadym Volodymyrovych Iermolaiev (Ukrainian: Š’Š°Š“ŠøŠ¼ Š’Š¾Š»Š¾Š“ŠøŠ¼ŠøрŠ¾Š²Šøч Š„Ń€Š¼Š¾Š»Š°Ń”Š²; born 13 May 1968), also transliterated as Vadim Vladimirovich Yermolayev (Russian: Š’Š°Š“ŠøŠ¼ Š’Š»Š°Š“ŠøŠ¼ŠøрŠ¾Š²Šøч Š•Ń€Š¼Š¾Š»Š°ŠµŠ²), is a Ukrainian-born oligarch and investor with Cypriot citizenship. As of 2020, Iermolaiev is rated as the 23rd richest person in Ukraine by Focus.\[citation needed\] > Born in Dnipro, Ukraine to Jewish parents, Vadym Iermolaiev received his economic degree at the Dnipropetrovsk College of Technology and Economics... > In 2019, Iermolaiev renounced his [Ukrainian citizenship](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_nationality_law "Ukrainian nationality law") and became a citizen of [Cyprus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyprus "Cyprus").[[11]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vadym_Iermolaiev#cite_note-forbes-11) Iermolaiev claimed in 2024 he had done this because he wanted ā€œinternational protection.ā€[[18]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vadym_Iermolaiev#cite_note-Iermolaiev2026jun30G-18) According to him ā€œThe Ukrainian judicial system, to put it mildly, is not ideal, and the tax system is not objective.ā€[[18]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vadym_Iermolaiev#cite_note-Iermolaiev2026jun30G-18) > > Iermolaiev was sanctioned by the Ukrainian government in 2023 due to the continued operations of his alcohol company in Crimea.[[19]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vadym_Iermolaiev#cite_note-19)[[20]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vadym_Iermolaiev#cite_note-20) He has denied these accusations claiming that [Russia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia "Russia") had seized his grape growing and cognac enterprise in Crimea when it annexed the peninsula in 2014.[[21]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vadym_Iermolaiev#cite_note-IermolaievProfileGuardian2026jun30-21) In December 2024 he legally tried to get the sanctions against him lifted.[[21]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vadym_Iermolaiev#cite_note-IermolaievProfileGuardian2026jun30-21) Iermolaiev has never publicly stated [pro-Russian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pro-Russian#Ukraine "Pro-Russian") views.[[18]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vadym_Iermolaiev#cite_note-Iermolaiev2026jun30G-18) He did condemn Russiaā€™s invasion in an interview in 2024 stating ā€œI despise our enemies and believe that they will bear responsibility for the grief they brought to Ukrainian land and to my hometown.ā€[[21]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vadym_Iermolaiev#cite_note-IermolaievProfileGuardian2026jun30-21) He also claimed he financially supported the [Ukrainian Armed Forces](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_Armed_Forces "Ukrainian Armed Forces").[[21]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vadym_Iermolaiev#cite_note-IermolaievProfileGuardian2026jun30-21) ---
**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:** [July 7, 2026, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1790 "2026-07-07T16:22:32Z")
Calling it ā€œregionalā€ news may be a stretch given the distance, but Canada is now going to buy 12 German submarines to replace and expand its sub fleet, which canā€™t be good news for Russia. IMHO, if it werenā€™t for the extreme high cost, Canada would be well-suited for Virginia-class nuclear subs like Australia is doing with AUKUS. > **[Canada Picks German Type 212 Submarine For Badly Needed Fleet Renewal](https://www.twz.com/sea/canada-picks-german-type-212-submarine-for-badly-needed-fleet-renewal)** > > The 12-boat procurement is one of Canadaā€™s biggest-ever defense buys and marks a major shift toward closer military cooperation with European allies. The 12-boat procurement is one of Canadaā€™s biggest-ever defense buys and marks a major shift toward... ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1791 "2026-07-07T19:00:33Z")
Canada may not want to depend on the U.S. for war equipment too. ---
**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:** [July 7, 2026, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1792 "2026-07-07T19:19:38Z")
No one ought depend on the USA for anything for at least another 75 years. Not even US citizen people. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1793 "2026-07-07T20:09:25Z")
Some years ago there was a dispute over whether Canada could claim the waterways in-between its Arctic islands as national waters, and there was talk of Canada investing in submarines to patrol the disputed territory. ---
**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:** [July 8, 2026, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1794 "2026-07-08T12:56:42Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Monaco is not as safe as it used to be. But fleeing from Monaco dressed as a man after placing a bomb in an apartment building is not safe either: > **[Woman suspected of Monaco bombing found shot dead near Kyiv](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/07/woman-suspected-monaco-bombing-shot-dead-kyiv)** > > Anastasiia Berezovska was being sought by police over attack that seriously injured a Ukraine-born businessman This could be embarrasing for Kyiv. The police and the secret service may have been the ones paying the killer and killing the killer: > Ukrainian prosecutors said on Tuesday the woman had been found with a gunshot wound to the head and that two men had been arrested in connection with the case, including an officer with Ukraineā€™s military intelligence agency (HUR) and a former law enforcement officer. > Prosecutors said in a statement that Berezovska received cryptocurrency payments from the two men who were later arrested, leading investigators to treat them as ā€œindividuals potentially involved in the attempted murder in Monacoā€. They added that the serving HUR officer was ā€œacting on his own initiativeā€ and did not inform his superiors about his contacts with Berezovska. > Prosecutors also released footage showing a blood-stained ā€œtorture chamberā€, containing hammers and other equipment, which they said was discovered during searches of the menā€™s properties. Nice people, all of them. And so is the victim. > Since Russiaā€™s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Iermolaiev [_the victim of the original bombing - P-Lux_] had been living in Monaco as part of a group of wealthy Ukrainian businessmen and politicians that independent Ukrainian media labelled the ā€œMonaco battalionā€. > Ukraine imposed sanctions on Iermolaiev in 2023, alleging he had maintained business links with Russian entities operating in Ukrainian territories occupied by Moscow, including Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014. ---
**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 8, 2026, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1795 "2026-07-08T13:28:43Z")
Remember, Ukraine isnā€™t far removed from its roots as a second-world country, and they do still have a lot of corruption and organized crime. Zelenskyy is doing what he can to clean it up, and heā€™s doing a pretty good job, but heā€™s also kind of distracted with other, more pressing issues for the past few years. Iā€™d say itā€™s more likely that this particular case was all organized crime, with no direct governmental involvement at all. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1796 "2026-07-08T14:12:18Z")
There are also a few Ukrainians who are sympathetic to Russia. It seems like a weird and risky strategy for Ukraine to target people they donā€™t like in Europe. It doesnā€™t really help them, it can only harm them when investigated. When Russia does this sort of thing they know that the suspicion will fall on them and thatā€™s kind of the point - to intimidate and scare opponents, mafia style. But you never know. ---
**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:** [July 8, 2026, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1797 "2026-07-08T16:29:46Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Remember, Ukraine isnā€™t far removed from its roots as a second-world country, and they do still have a lot of corruption and organized crime. That is one of the points that make Ukraineā€™s accession to the EU problematic. OTOH they have a huge potential to help the EU ward off Putinā€™s aggression and intimidation. It is going to be nasty, dirty politics and counter-politics all the way down. Very simplified picture, I know. But when one ignores so many details it is hard to be more precise. One thing I fear is that nasty, dirty politics fosters corruption here too, and also the rise of extremist political parties. ---
**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:** [July 8, 2026, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1798 "2026-07-08T16:48:28Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > nasty, dirty politics fosters corruption Thatā€™s a self-reinforcing spiral as corruption fosters nasty dirty politics too. Muck of the EU, UK, and the USA are just itching to be converted into a TĆ¼rkiye or Hungary with a mafiosi as the supreme ā€œdemocraticallyā€ elected leader. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1799 "2026-07-08T16:51:21Z")
Careful, this is inching off topic. Please donā€™t pursue the US & UK stuff in this thread. Minor **Moderating:** ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1800 "2026-07-08T23:49:34Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > This could be embarrasing for Kyiv. The police and the secret service may have been the ones paying the killer and killing the killer: The Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions. PS This tape will self destruct in 5 secondsā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2026, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1801 "2026-07-09T23:59:09Z")
Not sure if this has been discussed upthread. Ukraine has reportedly made major advances in drone warfare. Wouldnā€™t preventing that technology from falling into Russiaā€™s hands provide a compelling US national security interest in supporting Ukraine that did not exist earlier in the war? If nothing else our defense industry must be itching to get their hands on it. Or does this belong in a different thread? ---
**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:** [July 10, 2026, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349/1802 "2026-07-10T00:31:24Z")
It would, but I donā€™t get the sense at all that the current U.S. administration would comprehend that incentive, or care. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349.md?page=89) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-the-regional-situation/995349.md?page=91)