I'd recommend to follow the links in the article and read Ukrainian reporting through google translate[0] and the dailymail reporting too.[1]
"genetically engineered super soldiers and black magic battalions"
What?
I have no problem with RFERL if it cites its sources and I can judge their credibility. I'd recommend you do the same instead of picking the news source you like and blindly believing any bs it feeds you.
"they are reporting that hundreds of people are being recruited from Russian prisons"
There is no support for these numbers in the article and in the materials it links to. But it's possible that it is happening, the source (gulagu.net) is somewhat famous for exposing torture and rape in Russian prisons and deserves not to be rejected out of hand. It may be unwittingly retranslating disinformation anonymously reported to it, or it may be true.
"Vice is also reporting that Russian conscripts are being forced into contract soldiers"
That is an article from the first weeks of the war describing those isolated episodes.
"a country in a meat grinder"
It is meat grinder there, there is war there in case you haven't heard. Since there is no mobilization in Russia, Putin is conducting the special operation with contract soldiers and shady private military.
That is what RT unironically posts, the gray zones hires a lot of people who work / worked for RT.
> There is no support for these numbers in the article and in the materials it links to. But it's possible that it is happening, the source (gulagu.net) is somewhat famous for exposing torture and rape in Russian prisons and deserves not to be rejected out of hand. It may be unwittingly retranslating disinformation anonymously reported to it, or it may be true.
We just got today screen shots from a Russian telegram account that says nearly 200 people from a prison in Moscow have been killed in the war in Ukraine (2 are left, injured).
> That is an article from the first weeks of the war describing those isolated episodes.
Why do you think its changed? if Russia is already trying to get lots of prisoners (easily over 200) into the war why do you think they'd stop trying to force conscripts?.
Theres reports that there is tonnes of pressure from the conscription officers[1] and we know that 'volunteer' brigades have been made up from cities[2].
Yes a large amount of this war is broadcast on telegram primarily
> Because there was a huge scandal and reportedly many officers involved in sending conscripts into the Ukraine were punished.
Your trying to tell me that the army that rapes and loots with impunity is having their officers punished for pressuring conscripts into being contract soldiers and going to Ukraine?, I find that hard to believe.
> Why did you put volunteer into quotes? A lot of people in Russia has been pissed by the Ukrainian 'anti-terrorist operation' in the Donbass.
Maybe if Russias little green men and FSB officers didn't enter Donbas, shoot down a civilian airliner and start a civil war there wouldn't have to be fighting in Donbas.
"Maybe if Russias little green men ... there wouldn't have to be fighting in Donbas"
Yes, of course. Just like if the US hadn't 'mid-wifed' a coup in the Ukraine [1], [2], [3].
It's a spiral of escalation which was started by the US which was increasing its military influence in the Europe through NATO expansion and bilateral military agreements.
It could've been stopped at any moment by any side. It can be stopped even now if we don't want to risk a nuclear war.
> It's a spiral of escalation which was started by the US which was increasing its military influence in the Europe through NATO expansion and bilateral military agreements.
There’s a reason Russia considers the expansion of a defensive alliance a threat, because it threatens there ability to go empiring again like they are trying to in a Ukraine.
> It could've been stopped at any moment by any side. It can be stopped even now if we don't want to risk a nuclear war.
I know that it is in vogue for supporters of Russia to blame everyone but Russia for the invasion but the truth is, the responsibility lies solely with Russia.
Russia choose to start the civil war with there FSB and GRU officers, Russia choose to shoot down the civilian airliner and Russia choose by themselves to invade Ukraine and commit genocide.
No one forced their hand, the usual excuse of using the maiden revolution(it lacks certain aspects to be a coup I’m afraid) is totally false.
The reason they invaded is because massive natural resources where found in Crimea and Donbas and Russia saw that as a threat to their ability to hold the world hostage with oil and gas.
> It could've been stopped at any moment by any side. It can be stopped even now if we don't want to risk a nuclear war.
The only side capable of stopping this is Russia, no one else. If Russia gives up and leaves the war is over.
I suspect due to Russias inability to make themselves adhere to past agreements (like the Budapest agreement where Russia promised to never invade or threaten the territory of Ukraine) will mean that Ukraine will be in some sort of mutual defense pact with a western country or someone like Poland if this ends diplomatically.
From whom was NATO defending itself in Serbia and Lybia[0]?
"it is in vogue for supporters of Russia to blame everyone but Russia"
You even quoted me: "It could've been stopped at any moment by any side". Do you read what you quote?
"Russia choose to shoot down the civilian airliner "
No more than the US chose to shoot down Iranian airliner [1]. Americans who killed 290 civilians in one shot even got medals [1].
"The reason they invaded"
Usually people say that the shining success of the Ukrainian democracy was threatening Putin's regime. This one is new for me. The problem is you'll fail to substantiate it with numbers.
'The only side capable of stopping this is Russia, no one else.'
Obviously it's not true.
Kiev and its Western patrons explicitly told that there won't be peace negotiations and it's unlikely that Putin will leave all the Russia supporters in the Crimea and Eastern Ukraine to the mercy of the Ukrainian nationalists. That would be hugely unpopular.
"Russias inability to make themselves adhere to past agreements"
The Budapest memorandum was not legally binding and the situation since it was signed had changed dramatically -- the whole idea of common security for all of Europe including Russia (explicitly described in the Annex of the Memorandum) was thrown away by NATO expansion.
"Ukraine will be"
I'm afraid there won't be Ukraine when it ends. Many more people will die in the process.
> From whom was NATO defending itself in Serbia and Lybia[0]?
NATO will never attack Russia but Russia sure loves to attack countries that try and join NATO.
Russias aggression in countries nearby is the number one reason for NATO expansion around Russia.
> No more than the US chose to shoot down Iranian airliner [1]. Americans who killed 290 civilians in one shot even got medals [1].
Your whataboutism is commendable my friend by this is irrelevant to the discussion at hand.
> Obviously it's not true. Kiev and its Western patrons explicitly told that there won't be peace negotiations and it's unlikely that Putin will leave all the Russia supporters in the Crimea and Eastern Ukraine to the mercy of the Ukrainian nationalists. That would be hugely unpopular.
Ukraine was willing to negotiate, but then Bucha happened. When Ukraine saw the rape and genocide of its citizens at the hands of the Russians all bets where off.
> The Budapest memorandum was not legally binding and the situation since it was signed had changed dramatically -- the whole idea of common security for all of Europe including Russia (explicitly described in the Annex of the Memorandum) was thrown away by NATO expansion.
Even if it was legally binding Russia wouldn’t care they play politics only to their own benefits.
The idea of peace in Europe was collectively destroyed by Russias numerous brutal wars of conquest over the past 30 years.
Seems Russia cannot let go of the Soviet Union, it would be smart for every post soviet state to join NATO to counter Russias seemingly unlimited aggression.
> I'm afraid there won't be Ukraine when it ends. Many more people will die in the process.
Lots of Ukrainians will die but plenty more Russians will die. Russia has no counter to the advanced weapons being sent to Ukraine by the west and lately it looks like Russia cannot even secure Crimea let alone other regions.
There’s a reason that Russia has rolled out T62s to the front line, they are running out of more advanced heavy armour.
"genetically engineered super soldiers and black magic battalions"
What?
I have no problem with RFERL if it cites its sources and I can judge their credibility. I'd recommend you do the same instead of picking the news source you like and blindly believing any bs it feeds you.
"they are reporting that hundreds of people are being recruited from Russian prisons"
There is no support for these numbers in the article and in the materials it links to. But it's possible that it is happening, the source (gulagu.net) is somewhat famous for exposing torture and rape in Russian prisons and deserves not to be rejected out of hand. It may be unwittingly retranslating disinformation anonymously reported to it, or it may be true.
"Vice is also reporting that Russian conscripts are being forced into contract soldiers"
That is an article from the first weeks of the war describing those isolated episodes.
"a country in a meat grinder"
It is meat grinder there, there is war there in case you haven't heard. Since there is no mobilization in Russia, Putin is conducting the special operation with contract soldiers and shady private military.
[0] https://focus-ua.translate.goog/uk/amp/ukraine/521825-osuzhd...
[1] https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10559879/Zelensky-r...