War

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Democratic poll finds partisan split on Biden's response to Russia-Ukraine
A new survey from a progressive polling firm finds broad support among Americans for financial sanctions that President Biden has imposed on Russia for invading Ukraine.

Seventy-nine percent of likely voters support Biden imposing financial sanctions on Russia, while only 12 percent oppose, according to new polling from Data for Progress that was shared exclusively with The Hill. This includes 87 percent of Democrats, 78 percent of independents and 70 percent of Republicans.

Additionally, the poll found that 71 percent support Biden sending U.S. forces to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, while 19 oppose the president doing so. This includes 79 percent of Democrats, 74 percent of independents and 60 percent of Republicans.

Overall, only a narrow plurality of respondents said they approve of Biden’s response to the situation, though the share grew from 47 percent to 55 percent when respondents were told about the actions that the president has taken – specifically the financial sanctions and sending U.S. forces to the Baltic states.

Despite bipartisan support for sanctions and the troop movements, Biden’s approval rating on his overall response to the Russia-Ukraine crisis has a clear partisan split. According to the poll, 84 percent of Democrats expressed approval but only 27 percent of Republicans did so after hearing about the specific actions Biden has taken.

The polling comes ahead of Biden’s State of the Union address Tuesday, which is expected to touch heavily on the conflict in Ukraine. Republicans have criticized Biden’s approach to Russia's invasion, but there are divides within the GOP about the approach and the treatment of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In coordination with European allies, the Biden administration has sanctioned Russian banks, Russian elites, and Putin himself since the Russian leader launched a military operation against Ukraine last week. The U.S. and Europe have also announced plans to bar certain Russian banks from the SWIFT international financial messaging system.

In addition, Biden has sent U.S. forces to reinforce NATO allies, while ruling out that U.S. troops would deploy to Ukraine to fight Russia.

As the conflict threatens to create a major refugee crisis, the Data for Progress poll also found that 63 percent say the United States should accept Ukrainian refugees displaced by a war between Ukraine and Russia, while 26 percent oppose doing so and 11 percent said they are unsure. Majorities of Democrats and independents and a plurality of Republicans support allowing Ukrainian refugees into the U.S.

Democratic poll finds partisan split on Biden’s response to Russia-Ukraine

A new survey from a progressive polling firm finds broad support among Americans for financial sanctions that President Biden has imposed on Russia for invading Ukraine, but a partisan divide …

thehill.com

 

[Jimdamick]

that's the way to use those drones Turkey gave you.....

and Turkey has also.....

How a 1936 treaty could force Turkey to take sides in the Ukraine war | CNN

Turkey has officially labelled Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a war, in a move that could potentially hinder some of Moscow's military activities in the region. Here's how it happened and what it means for the conflict.

www.cnn.com

It's a beautiful thing
I really like 0:50 where you can see the guy's standing around before they were vaporized.
and notice the laser flashing on the truck before they blew it to shit
Very cool

 

[captainmorgan]

The mad midget is now destroying the hospitals, I think he's planning genocide for anyone who challenges his crazy ass.

 

[DIY-HP-LED]

awww Lavrov is talking to himself.......knew he could do it....especially in the mist of a UN walk out

He's the foreign affairs guy who just lost a fortune in the west, he knows how fucking stupid this is, or does now along with millions of Russians, this guy is no dummy. Their big problem is everybody under 30 (military age) gets their news online and most older people get it from state TV. The young conscripts 18-25 are the most connected and so are their officers and it is having a pernicious effect on moral and causing trouble in the streets. Most people know who to blame and it's mad Vlad the invader.

 

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California lawmakers push pension funds to divest of Russian assets
A bipartisan group of California lawmakers will try to force the nation’s two largest public pension funds to divest financial holdings connected to Russian assets in the wake of the Ukraine invasion.

State Senate Majority Leader Mike McGuire said Monday he planned to introduce a bill that would require the California Public Employees’ Retirement System and California State Teachers’ Retirement System to disentangle themselves from investments tied to Russia. The two systems have recently held more than $1.7 billion combined in such assets, according to Reuters.

“We must stand strong for the people of Ukraine,” McGuire said in a statement Monday, adding that California needed to use its economic power to “stop this autocratic thug, Putin, by advancing this critical legislation and enacting our own financial divestments.”

Colorado’s public pension fund moved early to divest its Russian holdings, pulling $7.2 million invested in Sberbank last week after the bank was hit by federal sanctions.

Lawmakers in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Illinois have also introduced or are exploring bills to force divestment in Russia and its ally Belarus, as has New York City. Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Canada’s second-largest pension fund, said it sold off its Russian assets last week, while two Danish funds were also exploring divestment.

CalPERS, which manages an investment portfolio of more than $500 billion, has investments linked to Russia that fluctuate in value between about $900 million and $1.1 billion, but the fund is not directly invested in Russian debt, according to Megan White, a spokesperson for the pension fund.

“CalPERS supports the people of Ukraine who are suffering due to what is an unjustified and unprovoked attack,” said CalPERS CEO Marcie Frost in a statement. “CalPERS investments in Russia total less than one percent of our total portfolio. We are monitoring current events and will take action as appropriate to protect the interests of our members.”

Reuters also estimated CalSTRS had more than $800 million in Russian assets as of last June. CalSTRS said in a statement Monday that its investments in Russia totaled less than $500 million as of Feb. 23 and that it is following developments in Ukraine along with any U.S. government sanctions.

About 20 California lawmakers have lined up in support of the bill, which would take effect immediately if passed and signed into law.

“An unprovoked and illegal invasion of a sovereign nation is grounds for divestment,” said Assemblymember Jordan Cunningham (R-Templeton). “California must stand with the people of Ukraine.”

Dave Cortese, a San Jose Democrat who chairs the Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee, said he hoped other governments follow suit. “As a state, it is our responsibility to ensure we are not fueling this global crisis that has caused tremendous human suffering,” he said.

California lawmakers push pension funds to divest of Russian assets

CalPERS and CalSTRS are the two largest public pension funds in the United States.

www.politico.com

 

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Fmr. NSC's Fiona Hill: 'Yes, He Would' Use Nuclear Weapons
Russian President Vladimir Putin increasingly is making decisions emotionally and likely to use all the weapons at his disposal, including nuclear ones, warned Fiona Hill, one of the foremost experts on Russia, in an interview with Politico published on Tuesday.

The former U.S. National Security Council official stressed that there could be much danger ahead and it is important not to have any illusions about this, but equally vital not to lose hope.

"This visceral emotion is unhealthy and extraordinarily dangerous, because there are few checks and balances around Putin," Hill told Politico.

She added that Putin "spotlighted this during the performance of [his] National Security Council meeting, where it became very clear that this was his decision. He was in a way taking full responsibility for war, and even the heads of his security and intelligence services looked like they’ve been thrown off guard by how fast things were moving."

Regarding nuclear weapons, Hill said "every time you think, No, he wouldn't, would he? Well, yes, he would. And he wants us to know that ... It's not that we should be intimidated and scared. We have to prepare for those contingencies and figure out what is it that we’re going to do to head them off."

Hill told Politico that we are already in the midst of World War III and have been for some time.

She said "Ukraine has become the front line in a struggle, not just for which countries can or cannot be in NATO, or between democracies and autocracies, but in a struggle for maintaining a rules-based system in which the things that countries want are not taken by force … Most countries have benefited from the current international system in terms of trade and economic growth ... This is pretty much the end of this."

In order to stop Putin, Hill said, "sanctions are not going to be enough. You need to have a major international response, where governments decide on their own accord that they can’t do business with Russia for a period of time until this is resolved."

She added that currently ordinary businesses are "fueling the invasion of Ukraine, so what we need is a suspension of business activity with Russia until Moscow ceases hostilities and withdraws its troops."

Hill said that "if Western companies, their pension plans or mutual funds, are invested in Russia they should pull out. Any people who are sitting on the boards of major Russian companies should resign immediately."

Fmr. NSC's Fiona Hill: 'Yes, He Would' Use Nuclear Weapons

Russian President Vladimir Putin increasingly is making decisions emotionally and likely to use all the weapons at his disposal, including nuclear ones, warned Fiona Hill, one of the foremost experts on Russia, in an interview with Politico published on Tuesday. ...

www.newsmax.com

 

[StonedGardener]

 

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Nord Stream 2 Owner Eyes Insolvency After Pipeline Halt, Sanctions
The Swiss-based company which built the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany is considering filing for insolvency, two sources familiar with the situation said, as it attempts to settle claims ahead of a U.S. sanction deadline for other entities to stop dealings with it.

The United States sanctioned Nord Stream 2 AG last week after Russia recognized two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine prior to its invasion of the country, which has prompted a wave of economic sanctions by the West.

Nord Stream 2 AG, which is registered in Switzerland and owned by Russian state-owned gas giant Gazprom, last year completed the $11 billion project which was designed to double the capacity to pump gas from Russia to Germany.

Gazprom paid half the cost of building Nord Stream 2, with the remainder of the $11 billion pipeline project financed by British oil and gas major Shell, Austria's OMV , France's Engie and Germany's Uniper and Wintershall DEA.

Shell, Engie, and Wintershall DEA did not immediately respond to requests for comment. OMV declined to comment.

A spokesperson for Uniper said the company does not currently have any such information when asked about a possible insolvency filing by Nord Stream 2 AG.

Swiss-registered Nord Stream 2 AG is also terminating the contracts of workers, the sources said. It was unclear if all entities related to Nord Stream 2 AG would be shut down or how Gazprom plans to proceed with the pipeline maintenance.

Switzerland's Economy Minister Guy Parmelin said in an interview with Swiss radio service RTS on Monday that all Nord Stream staff, more than 140 employees, who worked for the company in the Swiss city of Zug had been fired.

Nord Stream 2 Owner Eyes Insolvency After Pipeline Halt, Sanctions

The Swiss-based company which built the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany is considering filing for insolvency.

www.newsmax.com

 

[Fogdog]

Opinion | Laundered Money Could Be Putin’s Achilles’ Heel (Published 2022)

We can and should freeze oligarchs’ overseas assets.

www.nytimes.com

PAUL KRUGMAN
Laundered Money Could Be Putin’s Achilles’ Heel

The United States and its allies aren’t going to intervene with their own forces against Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. I’ll leave it to others with relevant expertise to speculate about whether we’ll send more arms to the Ukrainian government or, if the Russian attack achieves quick success, help arm the Ukrainian resistance.

For the most part, however, the West’s response to Putin’s naked aggression will involve financial and economic sanctions. How effective can such sanctions be?

The answer is that they can be very effective, if the West shows the will — and is willing to take on its own corruption.

By conventional measures the Putin regime doesn’t look very vulnerable, at least in the short run.

True, Russia will eventually pay a heavy price. There won’t be any more pipeline deals; there will be hardly any foreign direct investment. After all, who will want to make long-term commitments to a country whose autocratic leadership has shown such reckless contempt for the rule of law? But these consequences of Putin’s aggression will take years to become visible.

And there seems to be only limited room for trade sanctions. For that, we can and should blame Europe, which does far more trade with Russia than America does.

The Europeans, unfortunately, have fecklessly allowed themselves to become highly dependent on imports of Russian natural gas. This means that if they were to attempt a full-scale cutoff of Russian exports they would impose soaring prices and shortages on themselves. Given sufficient provocation, they could still do it: Modern advanced economies can be incredibly resilient in times of need.

But even the invasion of Ukraine probably won’t be enough to persuade Europe to make those sorts of sacrifices. It’s telling, and not in a good way, that Italy wants luxury goods — a favorite purchase of the Russian elite — excluded from any sanctions package.

Financial sanctions, reducing Russia’s ability to raise and move money overseas, are more easily doable — indeed, on Thursday President Biden announced plans to crack down on Russian banks. But the effects will be limited unless Russia is excluded from SWIFT, the Belgium-based system for payments between banks. And a SWIFT exclusion might in practice mean a stop to Russian gas supplies, which brings us back to the problem of Europe’s self-inflicted vulnerability.

Yet the world’s advanced democracies have another powerful financial weapon against the Putin regime, if they’re willing to use it: They can go after the vast overseas wealth of the oligarchs who surround Putin and help him stay in power.

Everyone has heard about giant oligarch-owned yachts, sports franchises and incredibly expensive homes in multiple countries; there’s so much highly visible Russian money in Britain that some people talk about “Londongrad.” Well, these aren’t just isolated stories.

Filip Novokmet, Thomas Piketty and Gabriel Zucman have pointed out that Russia has run huge trade surpluses every year since the early 1990s, which should have led to a large accumulation of overseas assets. Yet official statistics show Russia with only moderately more assets than liabilities abroad. How is that possible? The obvious explanation is that wealthy Russians have been skimming off large sums and parking them abroad.

The sums involved are mind-boggling. Novokmet et al. estimate that in 2015 the hidden foreign wealth of rich Russians amounted to around 85 percent of Russia’s G.D.P. To give you some perspective, this is as if a U.S. president’s cronies had managed to hide $20 trillion in overseas accounts. Another paper co-written by Zucman found that in Russia, “the vast majority of wealth at the top is held offshore.” As far as I can tell, the overseas exposure of Russia’s elite has no precedent in history — and it creates a huge vulnerability that the West can exploit.

But can democratic governments go after these assets? Yes. As I read it, the legal basis is already there, for example in the Countering America’s Enemies Through Sanctions Act, and so is the technical ability. Indeed, Britain froze the assets of three prominent Putin cronies earlier this week, and it could give many others the same treatment.

So we have the means to put enormous financial pressure on the Putin regime (as opposed to the Russian economy). But do we have the will? That’s the trillion-ruble question.

There are two uncomfortable facts here. First, a number of influential people, both in business and in politics, are deeply financially enmeshed with Russian kleptocrats. This is especially true in Britain. Second, it will be hard to go after laundered Russian money without making life harder for all money launderers, wherever they come from — and while Russian plutocrats may be the world champions in that sport, they’re hardly unique: Ultrawealthy people all over the world have money hidden in offshore accounts.

What this means is that taking effective action against Putin’s greatest vulnerability will require facing up to and overcoming the West’s own corruption.

Can the democratic world rise to this challenge? We’ll find out over the next few months.

This sentence: "The Europeans, unfortunately, have fecklessly allowed themselves to become highly dependent on imports of Russian natural gas. "

Much of this article makes good points and asks some good questions.

Does the west have the will to deal with it's own corruption that was exploited by Putin?
Do we have the will to accept higher fuel prices due to this crisis?
Oh yes, he's spot on about how much dark dirty money was smuggled out of Russia rather than re-invested back into the Russian economy.
He's also spot on about how much those personal sanctions that deny access to that money destabilizes Putin and his regime.

Do other people think that Europe was not being feckless when they developed trade with Russia by sourcing their energy from them?

 

[BudmanTX]

He's the foreign affairs guy who just lost a fortune in the west, he knows how fucking stupid this is, or does now along with millions of Russians, this guy is no dummy. There big problem is everybody under 30 (military age) gets their news online and most older people get it from state TV. The young conscripts 18-25 are the most connected and so are their officers and it is having a pernicious effect on moral and causing trouble in the streets. Most people know who to blame and it mad Vlad the invader.

what they are finding out is most of those conscripts are actually leaving they're post....some are just giving up. I heard reports, that they were told they were just for excersise (sp) but instead sent into Ukraine for the invasion, so he's basically saying he was duped into it by his leaders ie LEADER.....really kinda of sad........for sorry for these kids....hate to say

 

[Fogdog]

If he levels Kyiv, it's a message.

People say he was provoked into doing it.

Also US is bad because of Afghanistan. People say.

 

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GM to Stop Auto Exports to Russia
''Our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine at this time,'' GM told Carscoops. ''The loss of life is a tragedy and our overriding concern is for the safety of people in the region.''

GM is one of several automakers, including Volvo, that have decided to suspend exports to Russia. Although General Motors no longer manufactures in Russia after selling its stake to the Russian auto company Avtovaz, it does, however, operate a sales company with vehicles sourced from North America and South Korea.

GM to Stop Auto Exports to Russia

General Motors has announced that it will stop exporting its vehicles to Russia.

www.newsmax.com

 

[BudmanTX]

So Putin's puppet Lushenko in Belarus....plans to divide Ukraine....that ass hat......

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1498673348183744518

 

[DIY-HP-LED]

What do you think would happen to an American president, even Trump, if he crashed the American economy the way Putin did and will? NATO will support this war and the support the Ukrainians are receiving and have been promised along with Russian military incompetence has sent already high Ukrainian moral into the stratosphere. Zelenskiy could move the capitol out of Kyiv to the west of the country or stay and die and the capitol will be moved west anyway. He might do that now that the level of EU and NATO support is becoming clear and western Poland will become a giant supply dump and training base for the Ukrainian army and air force. If he did some quick tours of western European capitols, picked up a few medals and honors for his country and made some speeches to parliaments, it might help quite a bit.

 

[Kerowacked]

If this 40 mile long column of russians defected, it could end centuries of war in the region forever.

 

[captainmorgan]

The mad midget has blown up the holocaust memorial in Kyiv, the video showed concentrated fire in a small area, it was deliberate so who is the real nazi.

 

[DIY-HP-LED]

This sentence: "The Europeans, unfortunately, have fecklessly allowed themselves to become highly dependent on imports of Russian natural gas. "

Much of this article makes a good and asks some good questions.

Does the west have the will to deal with it's own corruption that was exploited by Putin?
Do we have the will to accept higher fuel prices due to this crisis?
Oh yes, he's spot on about how much dark dirty money was smuggled out of Russia rather than re-invested back into the Russian economy.
He's also spot on about how much those personal sanctions that deny access to that money destabilizes Putin and his regime.

Do other people think that Europe was not being feckless when they developed trade with Russia by sourcing their energy from them?

They are greedy bastards and they will allow them to steal the Russians money.

This war is tragic and heroic too, it is also is useful for several other things foggy and this might be one of them. It puts the fight for liberal democracy on Vlad's doorstep and in his face and has suddenly become an existential threat to him. It took ole Joe a little over a year to have the fucker by the balls and screaming about nukes in desperation. We can't show any less courage than the Ukrainian people when confronted by threats from a nuked up mafia Don.

 

[DIY-HP-LED]

what they are finding out is most of those conscripts are actually leaving they're post....some are just giving up. I heard reports, that they were told they were just for excersise (sp) but instead sent into Ukraine for the invasion, so he's basically saying he was duped into it by his leaders ie LEADER.....really kinda of sad........for sorry for these kids....hate to say

They sound kinda like the 1/6 crowd who attacked another liberal democracy...

 

[BudmanTX]

They sound kinda like the 1/6 crowd who attacked another liberal democracy...

similiar.....he one report from the Security Service from a Russian soldier....and what he said:

we were told Zelensky has already capitulated and we need just to drive to Kyiv"


needless to say that wasn't true at all

 

[Fogdog]

Actually, Russians actually aren't very good at war, i.e. Russia-Japanese War (1904-1905), & Afghanistan.

They beat Germany in WW2 simply by determination/numbers/weather & Hitler not listening to his generals.

What did Putin think he was going to do after he takes Ukraine, and he will do that.
What the fuck was he thinking?

This is not going to end well for Putin or Russia
Nations will help Ukraine, Russia, not so much.
They're on their own.

Sounds like Putin was in a bubble and misjudged just about everything.

I'm trying to find hope.

Perhaps its the last invasion of this kind? Maybe it will end of this discussion about how the US provoked Russia because we didn't honor their 19th century power politics enforced by tanks and guns? 21st century style politics that rely on cooperation, trade, technology and communication seem pretty effective. Also doesn't level cities.