Disagree. Putin saw a tool. Not an ally. He read Trump for who Trump was. In it for himself. And Putin knew how to pull the strings even before the 2016 election. Trump’s role in Putin’s game was to weaken NATO. Trump ended up giving lethal aid to Ukraine. But, I now have very dark questions about the real motive for trying to cut it off in 2020. But I think Putin miscalculated that Biden could repair NATO the way he did. BTW: I do think Trump is finished in the GOP because of this. I don’t think that voters will go to the polls for him. And, if he gets the nomination, enough GOP voters will hold their noses and vote for Biden and then GOP candidates down ticket. Because they will see the existential threat Trump poses they may have not been as evident to some as it is now.
Was it Ukraine's? Because while allegedly Ukraine uses those, it's not like the Russians couldn't have grabbed one (like Ukranians grabbing Russian tanks). I will add a note to my original post, however, as Croatia is angry about the lack of notification and not that it was a Russian drone.
Yeah saw that. So far allegedly China is abiding by the restrictions of the sanctions, but this obviously would put them in the crosshairs. Cnn live : "Chinese embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu told CNN Sunday he had not heard of Russia's request. "I've never heard of that. China is deeply concerned and grieved on the Ukraine situation. We sincerely hope that the situation will ease and peace will return at an early date," Pengyu said. "The current situation in Ukraine is indeed disconcerting. Utmost efforts should be made to support Russia and Ukraine in carrying forward negotiations despite the difficult situation to produce a peaceful outcome. We support and encourage all efforts that are conducive to a peaceful settlement of the crisis. The high priority now is to prevent the tense situation from escalating or even getting out of control. There is consensus about this among the international community, including the parties concerned.” “China calls for exercising utmost restraint and preventing a massive humanitarian crisis. China has put forward an initiative for responding to the humanitarian situation in Ukraine. China has provided Ukraine with humanitarian assistance, and will continue to do so,” Pengyu said. The White House said last week China was “abiding by the requirements that have been put in place” over sanctions."
The drones may be included in the aid that Russia is requesting from China although that aid appears to be primarily economic rather than military. Russia Asked China for Military and Economic Aid for Ukraine War, U.S. Officials Say
From CNN live: "Ukrainian president says "it is only a matter of time before Russian missiles fall" on NATO territory From CNN’s Emmet Lyons in London Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday it is only a matter of time before Russia’s military assault on Ukraine expands to members of NATO unless the alliance installs a no-fly zone over his country. “Last year, I made a clear warning to NATO leaders that if there were no tough preventive sanctions against Russia, it would start a war,” Zelensky said in a video address Sunday posted to his Facebook page. He added, “We were right … now I repeat again -- if you do not close our sky, it is only a matter of time before Russian missiles fall on your territory. NATO territory. On the homes of citizens of NATO countries.” In addressing NATO countries, Zelensky cited the killing of American journalist Brent Renaud in Irpin, Ukraine, on Sunday. “An American journalist was killed in the Kyiv region today. Brent Renaud. His colleague was wounded. It was a deliberate attack by the Russian military. They knew what they were doing. But not everyone in the West seems to know what they are doing,” he said." .... Zelensky losing his patience.
This article is 10 years old but it would be somewhat ironic if China ends up selling the drones to Russia. China Unveils New Killer Drones, Aims Them at Russia
Covid-19: 17 million locked down in Shenzhen as virus cases double nationwide - Hong Kong Free Press HKFP From what I saw this is a big tech hub, too - including processors (someone on Reddit posted the article & mentioned the processors thing). Don't know that they're going to be in a position to risk losing stuff to Russia or having to deal with sanctions. They can justify food because that's humanitarian. I don't know that they're ready for more barring WW3.
Ugh. Cnn live "Newly installed mayor in Russian-occupied Melitopol says "Russian TV channels" will begin broadcasting From CNN's Paul P. Murphy and Josh Pennington Galina Danilchenko, the newly installed mayor in Russian-occupied Melitopol, said in a televised video Sunday that "Russian TV channels" would begin broadcasting in the region. Danilchenko claimed there was "a great deficit of trustworthy information being circulated," as reasoning for the broadcasting decision. Her televised address was posted on social media afterwards by pro-Russian Telegram channels and by the Ukrainian-controlled Zaporozhye regional administration."
Related to above...from CNN live: "Treason investigation launched into newly installed mayor of Russian-occupied Melitopol From CNN's Paul P. Murphy and Josh Pennington Ukraine's prosecutor general has opened a treason investigation into Galina Danilchenko, the newly installed mayor of Russian-occupied Melitopol. The investigation comes after a group of Melitopol City Council members issued a written address Sunday, requesting the prosecutor general initiate criminal proceedings against Danilchenko, "for the high crime of treason, for attempting to set up an occupying government in Melitopol." In its address, the Council accused Danilchenko, "a city council member from the Opposition Bloc," of dissolving the city government and transferring its powers to a People's Deputies Committee. The prosecutor general's office announced it had opened an investigation in a statement posted on its website, accusing Danilchenko of, "fulfilling the task set to her by her Russian Federation representatives" when she declared herself Melitopol's acting mayor."
Russia sent more than 30 missiles in into Lyiv, which is near the Polish border and is a hub for arms shipments, refugees and has been used for NATO training. Especially at a time when they are running somewhat short on precision rockets, and given that this area is nowhere near any of their advances in a way that it could be supported by armor or infantry in coordinated follow up, this is plainly a message Russian strikes move west - Tampa Bay Times
Russia kills a US journalist. Likely an accident, not a ploy to gain the support of US conservatives American journalist is killed outside of Kyiv - Tampa Bay Times
The Kochs stand with Vlad, maintains family history Koch Industries continues doing business in Russia
That family history Lots of American industrialists have skeletons in the family closet. Charles and David Koch, however, are in a league of their own The father of these famous rightwing billionaires was Fred Koch, who started his fortune with $500,000 received from Stalin for his assistance constructing 15 oil refineries in the Soviet Union in the 1930s. A couple of years later, his company, Winkler-Koch, helped the Nazis complete their third-largest oil refinery. The facility produced hundreds of thousands of gallons of high-octane fuel for the Luftwaffe, until it was destroyed by Allied bombs in 1944. In 1938, the patriarch wrote that “the only sound countries in the world are Germany, Italy and Japan”. To make sure his children got the right ideas, he hired a German nanny. The nanny was such a fervent Nazi that when France fell in 1940, she resigned and returned to Germany. After that, Fred became the main disciplinarian, whipping his children with belts and tree branches. Dark Money review: Nazi oil, the Koch brothers and a rightwing revolution
