War

[topum]

The preparations for the battle for Donbass has been underway for a couple of days on both sides. This battle will be the biggest and the bloodiest battle in the 21st century. Ukraine's army will have close to 90,000 people there and will have some limited help from NATO (not its direct involvement though). The Russians have redirected their Kiev/

Comments

[heleninwales]

Thank you for doing what you can to help.

[topum]

Thank you Helen, it is surreal to see this happen.

[eyeofthundera]

In the US, all we hear on the news is how the Russian military is incompetent and Ukraine is kicking their ass. They're making it sound like the Russian army is retreating from Kiev because they're getting beat down, rather than redirecting their priorities to take Donbass.

[topum]

The incompetence of the Russian army and especially Ukrainians kicking their ass is propaganda unfortunately. But the Russians' original strategy which relied on the large part of the Ukrainian elites (including military) defecting to their side (like it happened in 2014 in Crimea and in Donbass and Luhansk) after the initial very wide-net blitzkrieg did fail and they have now gone to Plan B, hence the regrouping. This Donbass battle is going to be a bloodbath.

[topum]

If all you are getting there is "Russia always lies, wants to destroy the world just cos they are evil but they are totally losing", you might want to listen to something from the other side of the spectrum (but still by Americans), say something like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ32cntgP_8

I read most of the extreme propaganda from both sides and everything in between and I increasingly feel that trying to hear every bit of propaganda from every side to get the real picture is a bit like taking ecstasy, smoking weed, snorting some coke and then injecting some heroin to see the world "as it really is".

[wantedonvoyage]

It's terrifying and amazing how quickly society unravels.

Thank you for doing what you are doing. If you see things we can realistically do to help from here, please let us know.

[topum]

Thank you. We are taking the people (mostly sick, immobile and in need of constant medical care, kids, elderly) who got trapped in the blocked areas out before the big war starts again after the regrouping and are delivering some essential meds to the blocked areas for those who will end up staying there in the basements. Going back there tomorrow. Thanks for offering your help but we have everything we need for now. Just wish us luck.

[sleepybadger]

Thank you for being literally on the ground helping people. I'm glad you made it there and back in one piece!

[topum]

Thank you. Yes, been there and back three times now. Going back there tomorrow. We are taking people (mostly sick and immobile, kids, elderly) who got trapped in the blocked areas out before the big war starts again after the regrouping.

[bunn]

I hope your journey today goes well, am thinking of you and hope to hear that you got back safely.

We are starting to see the first refugees make it all the way to Wales, but not many yet due to our annoying preference for excessive paperwork, even in a crisis.

[topum]

Thank you. I just got back. The UK is heavily criticized here for being the main war hawk while at the same time making it impossible for the refugees to enter or stay in the UK.