# Russia may be about to invade Ukraine. {Russia has invaded as of Feb 24-2022} **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Tags:** ukraine-invasion\ **Created:** [April 9, 2021, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-may-be-about-to-invade-ukraine-russia-has-invaded-as-of-feb-24-2022/939699 "2021-04-09T20:11:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 44
**Author:** ![Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_was_in_Saudi)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-may-be-about-to-invade-ukraine-russia-has-invaded-as-of-feb-24-2022/939699/861 "2022-02-24T10:16:39Z")
Oddly, Heathrow-Moscow flights are not cancelled. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-may-be-about-to-invade-ukraine-russia-has-invaded-as-of-feb-24-2022/939699/862 "2022-02-24T10:17:00Z")
Can’t Russia just veto anything the UN SC does that it doesn’t like? ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-may-be-about-to-invade-ukraine-russia-has-invaded-as-of-feb-24-2022/939699/863 "2022-02-24T10:24:27Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > Putin is now saying he will target “sensitive” US assets as part of a “painful” response. > > What might he be referring to? Oil and gas are fungible, and I doubt that’s what he’s It seems likely to me that a number of US politicians have deep and embarrassing business & financial relationships with Ukraine & Russia. I feel like this is one reason Republicans went so hard after Hunter Biden - to take the heat off themselves for doing things that are likely 10x as bad. It would help explain why so many of them have jumped in the tank for Putin on national TV for the last few weeks. At this point I am not confident about predicting what Putin will or won’t do, but I’m sure that he has shady financial arrangements with some US and UK politicians. If they don’t use their powers of office to help keep NATO off his back, I’m sure Putin would be glad to reveal embarrassing information about their ties to Russia - or worse, just skim their funds for himself. If it’s not something like that, then it’s physical strikes on physical US assets, and I don’t think Putin is ready to take that kind of big unnecessary risk. Though now that Russia has crossed the line of departure, I am no longer confident predicting what Putin will do. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-may-be-about-to-invade-ukraine-russia-has-invaded-as-of-feb-24-2022/939699/864 "2022-02-24T10:25:31Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > You know who I haven’t heard from since the start of this crisis? The United Nations. Does it still exist? Will it condemn Russia? Russia has veto power in the Security Council. Short of locking the Russian ambassador in the bathroom before calling for a vote, there’s sadly not much they’re going to be able to do. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-may-be-about-to-invade-ukraine-russia-has-invaded-as-of-feb-24-2022/939699/865 "2022-02-24T10:31:05Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Russia has veto power in the Security Council. Short of locking the Russian ambassador in the bathroom before calling for a vote, there’s sadly not much they’re going to be able to do. Then force them to veto. It may be an empty statement, but at least it’s a statement. I just find it interesting that the UN, a body designed _specifically_ to prevent another war in Europe involving the great powers, has been completely MIA for another war in Europe involving a great power. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-may-be-about-to-invade-ukraine-russia-has-invaded-as-of-feb-24-2022/939699/866 "2022-02-24T10:33:51Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Russia has veto power in the Security Council. Short of locking the Russian ambassador in the bathroom before calling for a vote, there’s sadly not much they’re going to be able to do. So - important point here. The seat currently occupied by Russia was actually designated for the USSR. I am hearing rumblings that the UN could declare that Russia’s current gov’t isn’t the legitimate successor to the USSR, and hence cannot occupy that seat. The machinations involved in such an expulsion are above my pay grade. But, while I guess it’s theoretically possible the UN could do that, a UN without both nuclear superpowers loses a huge chunk of credibility as an international deliberative and peacekeeping body. The phrase that’s been popping into my mind this past week… this is a terrible option, but there are no good options here. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-may-be-about-to-invade-ukraine-russia-has-invaded-as-of-feb-24-2022/939699/867 "2022-02-24T10:36:48Z")
NATO is holding an emergency Article 4 meeting at the request of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. > **[NATO vows to defend its entire territory after Russia attack](https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-europe-russia-vladimir-putin-71bf9d3687e1a04f11dfb895639a13ca?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=AP)** > > BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned Thursday that the military alliance would defend every inch of its territory should Russia attack a member country, as he slammed Moscow for launching a brutal act of war on Ukraine. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-may-be-about-to-invade-ukraine-russia-has-invaded-as-of-feb-24-2022/939699/868 "2022-02-24T10:49:34Z")
Is the agenda throwing out the Balts and the Poles from the alliance? /s George Keenan’s ghost is busy saying “I told you so” in whatever nook of Foggy Bottom he ended up in? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-may-be-about-to-invade-ukraine-russia-has-invaded-as-of-feb-24-2022/939699/869 "2022-02-24T10:57:06Z")
Meanwhile, the Russian stock market is currently down about 29% since the beginning of the trading day, after having lost nearly half its value at one point. [https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/IMOEX.ME/?guccounter=1&guce\_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce\_referrer\_sig=AQAAAM\_vXlxQrUI\_-qHOOsT1KuzztmwGHCsDsqRPUkderRlQekbP7v4mR4DYKUu1ttUqYJCAkpHPbL0kbIqIIbRC\_KQpICj7Wj3wFar4s6mX1XIMM6nUFw8CcmPoauVNgOCe2whVWEEGAhkji8\_oRrGivgsfIdggj5L5itSN1xkTbs5r](https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/IMOEX.ME/?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAM_vXlxQrUI_-qHOOsT1KuzztmwGHCsDsqRPUkderRlQekbP7v4mR4DYKUu1ttUqYJCAkpHPbL0kbIqIIbRC_KQpICj7Wj3wFar4s6mX1XIMM6nUFw8CcmPoauVNgOCe2whVWEEGAhkji8_oRrGivgsfIdggj5L5itSN1xkTbs5r) ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-may-be-about-to-invade-ukraine-russia-has-invaded-as-of-feb-24-2022/939699/870 "2022-02-24T11:11:11Z")
Yeah, I read 40% earlier. Wonder how much the increase in oil prices will help them absorb these shocks? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-may-be-about-to-invade-ukraine-russia-has-invaded-as-of-feb-24-2022/939699/871 "2022-02-24T11:56:04Z")
If the U.S. were really playing to win, now would be the time to send a submarine to the Baltic, blow up the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, and blame it on Russia. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-may-be-about-to-invade-ukraine-russia-has-invaded-as-of-feb-24-2022/939699/872 "2022-02-24T12:22:33Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > Here in the SE, Russia hackers stopped up our gasoline for a week. We might expect more of that sort of proxy cyber-warfare. Kicking Russia off of the global internet might make that a bit more difficult- and have the added benefit of a soft sanction against Russian internet-based companies. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-may-be-about-to-invade-ukraine-russia-has-invaded-as-of-feb-24-2022/939699/873 "2022-02-24T12:29:05Z")
It passes through what may o may not be Russian territorial waters and they are much more likely to shoot today than request arbitration. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-may-be-about-to-invade-ukraine-russia-has-invaded-as-of-feb-24-2022/939699/874 "2022-02-24T12:30:50Z")
Submarines are very good at not being seen. In fact, it’s what they’re known for. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-may-be-about-to-invade-ukraine-russia-has-invaded-as-of-feb-24-2022/939699/875 "2022-02-24T12:32:21Z")
Not in shallow, narrow waters right next to shore. (I like your idea in principle). ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-may-be-about-to-invade-ukraine-russia-has-invaded-as-of-feb-24-2022/939699/876 "2022-02-24T12:34:06Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Not in shallow, narrow waters right next to shore. I have no idea what ranges modern torpedoes have, so I don’t know if it is possible to stay in the depths while shooting into the shallows, but barring that, you have SEALs, mini-subs… I’m sure there are plenty of ways to get creative. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-may-be-about-to-invade-ukraine-russia-has-invaded-as-of-feb-24-2022/939699/877 "2022-02-24T12:44:55Z")
Or if the pipes are really that shallow, have a B-2 drop a bunker buster into the sea. ---
**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:** [February 24, 2022, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-may-be-about-to-invade-ukraine-russia-has-invaded-as-of-feb-24-2022/939699/878 "2022-02-24T12:50:15Z")
That would be difficult to plausibly deny. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-may-be-about-to-invade-ukraine-russia-has-invaded-as-of-feb-24-2022/939699/879 "2022-02-24T12:52:49Z")
“Massive unexplained explosion destroys pipeline. NATO reports Russian activity in the area.” ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-may-be-about-to-invade-ukraine-russia-has-invaded-as-of-feb-24-2022/939699/880 "2022-02-24T12:56:39Z")
Look, no offense to the German members of this board, but by buying gas from Gazprom, your country is actively supporting the Russian war effort. You really should shut the pipeline down yourself. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-may-be-about-to-invade-ukraine-russia-has-invaded-as-of-feb-24-2022/939699.md?page=43) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-may-be-about-to-invade-ukraine-russia-has-invaded-as-of-feb-24-2022/939699.md?page=45)