Russian invasion !

@Yaroslav_Soldatov
Regarding sanctions, yes, they will hurt Europe. I am not sure that there is anyone who thinks that the sanctions are there to help the European or global economies. That's not the point of a sanction. The point of a sanction is to provide negative reinforcement on a national level, even at a cost to the nation.
As a side note, I would like to point out that your "boomerang" argument is pretty much just parroting what Medvedev said at the end of March. If you are wanting to convince us that you have access to a wide variety of news sources and are analyzing the situation rationally, quoting Putin's biggest sycophant is likely not the way to do it.

@ujcn you should be out on the streets together with millions of your fellow citizens protesting against this war and not parrotting putins propaganda on these forums!

when the council meeting was called, there was already one scheduled for the next day, so they combined the sessions. emergency meeting means 48h for UNSC, so Russia knew very well they would not change travel plans and come unprepared and without talking to their governments at home. Russia merely decided to throw another Red Herring by asking on sunday for an extra session on monday, thus once again disturbing the order and functionality of the council.

the UN investigation is starting soon, but the pictures and videos from bucha reached us already. there are plenty of eyewitness reports and satellite images debunking the fake accusations of russia. and the evidence will only be mounting the more time passes. www.euronews.com/2022/04/05/ukraine-war-satellite-images-appear-to-contradict-russian-denials-over-bucha-atrocities

unlike the genocide putin accused the ukraine of without any proof, this is a real one. russian military even brings mobile crematoria with them. and you defend those disgusting killings by spreading lies.

@Rookitiki said in #42:
> @ujcn you should be out on the streets together with millions of your fellow citizens protesting against this war and not parrotting putins propaganda on these forums!

There are no protesting russians. As proven by many including @ujcn russians are not sorry, find genocide of Ukrainians to be ok and even support it.
Mythical "russian protest" in general is useless bullshit. They simply are not potent enough for this...

Every time I put a message about the war in a tournament chat room - The response from the Russian players is "FAKE NEWS". This fills me with sadness that they do not know of the atrocities being committed - and when informed of them they refuse to believe.

@TroutHunter said in #44:
> This fills me with sadness that they do not know of the atrocities being committed - and when informed of them they refuse to believe.

Pretty sure they mostly know.

@Alex_1987 said in #43:
> Mythical "russian protest" in general is useless bullshit. They simply are not potent enough for this...

Big, Strong Nation, Russia is.

It's Military is being beaten back by little old Ukraine. ("Little Russia.")

It's people are cowed and frozen in fear from speaking-up, speaking-out, doing something, electing different politicians.

Russia brings-up conscripts ... think about it ... those same "conscripts," and Russia's military ... comes from the same stock as their weak and cowed citizens, frozen in fear.

And everyone else is laughing at Russia.

I know I am ... [laughing] ... :D

@SJCVChess said in #46:
> Big, Strong Nation, Russia is.
>
> It's Military is being beaten back by little old Ukraine. ("Little Russia.")
>
> It's people are cowed and frozen in fear from speaking-up, speaking-out, doing something, electing different politicians.
>
> Russia brings-up conscripts ... think about it ... those same "conscripts," and Russia's military ... comes from the same stock as their weak and cowed citizens, frozen in fear.
>
> And everyone else is laughing at Russia.
>
> I know I am ... [laughing] ... :D

I don't think we can attribute all to fear. Unfortunately, according to polls, 80% of the people in Russia support the war. Russian insiders try to claim that only 50% of those support Putin. But not only is that besides the point its pretty optimistic imo. The silence from the Russian players on this forum, and that ones that are speaking in support of the war. Speak volumes about them. It seems the Russians that don't support the war, don't live in Russia.

@CooloutAC said in #47:
> Unfortunately, according to polls, 80% of the people in Russia support the war. Russian insiders try to claim that only 50% of those support Putin. But not only is that besides the point its pretty optimistic imo.

I do not feel like pointing-out the obvious to you today, @CooloutAC. And I already (jokingly) promised not to take anymore of what you say out of context to crack anymore bad jokes you won't get. (And, again, I don't feel like explaining the obvious to you today.)

But let's just go there anyway ... optimism has nothing to do with ability ... unless you count car sales in general, or used car sales specifically.

You can be as optimistic as you want, and quote figures all you like. But the reality on the ground is that Ukraine just beat back Russian military might, Russia spins propaganda for its people to support the "special military operation," and its people are afraid to speak-up for fear of being arrested (cowed cowards cowering in cold concrete corners). These same citizens who are too cowardly to speak-up constitute this supposed Russian military might.

@SJCVChess said in #49:
> I do not feel like pointing-out the obvious to you today, @CooloutAC. And I already (jokingly) promised not to take anymore of what you say out of context to crack anymore bad jokes you won't get. (And, again, I don't feel like explaining the obvious to you today.)
>
> But let's just go there anyway ... optimism has nothing to do with ability ... unless you count car sales in general, or used car sales specifically.
>
> You can be as optimistic as you want, and quote figures all you like. But the reality on the ground is that Ukraine just beat back Russian military might, Russia spins propaganda for its people to support the "special military operation," and its people are afraid to speak-up for fear of being arrested (cowed cowards cowering in cold concrete corners). These same citizens who are too cowardly to speak-up constitute this supposed Russian military might.

Well again that is being optimistic and depends on how you look at the glass half full. They destroyed a country and we dont' even know if they are really retreating or repositioning and regrouping as they destroy civilians along the way. And like I said if 80% of them support the war, thats 80% that are not speaking up against it because they support it. And many of them watch the same media as us. The very Russian chess club I played with here on lichess posted on Youtube in support of it.

You'd have a better argument if you said that even if they support it, They are apparently even too cowardly to argue in support of it on these forums. Instead they have all gone silent. But I'm just pointing out that your assumptions Russia is retreating cause beaten, or that many of them don't support the war, is constantly proved otherwise unfortunately. We just have to accept this reality at some point. I guess I've now become pessimistic.