Bobservations on Ukraine

I didn’t write this, but I found it at Hopes and Fears  and if for anyone confused about what's happening in Russia and Ukraine:

Ukraine used to be in an abusive relationship with Russia, feeding him, letting him use her car, paying for the coffee etc. and giving him whatever he asked for until she built up the confidence to call it quits back in 1991.

Since then, Ukraine has been working on herself, becoming a strong independent woman with help from friends like France, America, Poland, and others. They give her support, loan her money, and are helping her find her way.

Ukraine has been enjoying being single for 30 years and looking forward to continuing to grow and create new friendships.

Now Russia, being the toxic ex that he is, wants her back, and doesn't want her meeting new people or creating any new relationships as this impacts the level of power and control he can exert over her.

A couple of weeks ago Russia started sitting out the front of Ukraine's house and when her friends ask him what was he doing there, he said "Oh nothing, just getting a little bit of exercise in, that's all."

After her friends told her that Russia was potentially getting ready to do something bad to her, he said "They're lying, they just want you to be scared of me and that's not what it is."

Yesterday Russia broke into Ukraine's house, beat her up and "took advantage" of her while live-streaming and double dog dared any of her friends to do something about it. She's still waiting for help.

I didn't write this, but it's a great analogy, with one exception: she's not waiting for help. She's kicking that abusive boyfriend's ass while her friends are destroying him on social media.

In a statement published to Twitter, imprisoned Putin opposition leader Alexei Navalny has called on the Russian people to protest the invasion of Ukraine and has called Putin an “obviously insane tsar.” Navalny noted that protests from within Russia would signal to the world that not all Russians support Putin’s attacks.

Flori-duh Governor Ron DeSantis has rejected a push for his state to sell investments in Russian-owned companies in retaliation for the invasion of Ukraine. In the past, however, he has called for taking on Communist China and reviewing the state’s investments in Chinese companies. He’s also called for the state to stop investing in Ben & Jerry’s parent company over its decision to stop selling ice cream in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and contested east Jerusalem.

But Russia? He won’t do it and won’t say why. Understand that Flori-duh and do something about it.

Just the other day in Ukraine a Russian military convoy that was ALLEGEDLY more than 40 miles long reportedly stalled on its way to the capital of Kyiv because … wait of it … they ran out of gas; and food.

That Putin  isn’t a good planner of attacks, eh?

The International Criminal Court has opened an investigation into possible war crimes in Ukraine, an early step in a process that potentially could lead to Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Kremlin leaders being charged at The Hague.

The Moscow Exchange is not open for stock trading this week in hopes to stop the flow of blood from their economy thanks to the invasion.

Ordinary Russians are facing the prospect of higher prices and banned foreign travel as Western sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine sent the ruble plummeting 30% against the U.S. dollar. Russian citizens are lining up at banks and ATMs to try and save their assets and Russia’s central bank increased interest rates 9.5% to 20% to prevent a run on the banks.

Never was there a better illustration of Thing 45’s “alternative facts” than what was presented by Russian state media this week.

As BBC World TV opened its bulletin with reports of a Russian attack on a TV tower in the capital Kyiv, Russian TV was announcing that Ukraine was responsible for strikes on its own cities. Seriously.

But … rather than commenting on the food and service at Russian restaurants and cafes, some users have begun posting online reviews detailing Russian actions in Ukraine to try to smuggle information past the tight control of state media.

In an effort to stop the truth from getting out, Russia's communications regulator took radio station Ekho Moskvy off air, because of its coverage of the invasion, but online comments on platforms such as Google Maps and Afisha.ru are harder to contain … like these “reviews”:

"The place was nice! However, Putin spoiled our mood by invading Ukraine. Rise up against your dictator, stop killing innocent people! Your government is lying to you."

"The deployment of troops in Ukraine is a war, not a special operation. Russian military kill children and civilians!!!!"

Online users in Russia also recommended posting pictures of Ukraine in reviews for popular eateries.

Look at that! Social media can do some good.

A Ukrainian woman has been praised for her bravery after she confronted a heavily armed Russian soldier with sunflower seeds. She handed him the sunflower seeds—Ukraine's national flower—so that they might grow when he dies.

Switzerland, a favorite destination for Russian oligarchs and their money, announced that it would freeze Russian financial assets in the country, set aside its long history of neutrality to join the EU to penalize Russia for the invasion of Ukraine.

Boeing suspended maintenance and technical support for Russian airlines this week while US energy firm Exxon Mobil is leaving Russia. Airbus stopped sending spare parts to Russia and supporting Russian airlines. Apple has stopped sales of iPhones and other products in Russia, while Ford Motor joined other automakers by suspending operations in the country.

Visa and Mastercard have blocked multiple Russian financial institutions from their network, complying with government sanctions imposed over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. And both companies have announced that they will donate $2 million for humanitarian aid.

Google has announced that YouTube will geoblock Kremlin-affiliated media outlets Russia Today [RT] and Sputnik in Europe to choke off Russian war propaganda. Facebook, Microsoft, TikTok and Twitter announced similar restrictions.

After calling Putin a “genius” last week, Thing 45 has changed his tune and is now condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Fuck all the way off you pandering traitor.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was ready to justify the invasion of Ukraine to a top UN human-rights forum on Tuesday—but was left humiliated when more than a hundred diplomats abruptly walked out.

Ain’t nobody got time for lies.

I love that people, and countries, around the world are standing up with, and for, Ukraine, but some of them to rethink their messages.

And I’m looking at you Carmen Carrera. Carrera, of RuPaul’s Drag Race, looked all kinds of messy and thirsty when she posted her support for the people of Ukraine while wearing a lingerie ensemble that she believes matches the colors of Ukraine’s flag. It doesn’t.

But she’s not the only one. Actor AnnaLynne McCord went viral after posting a video on social media where she apologized to Russian President Vladimir Putin for not being his mother, saying she believed she would have loved Little Vlad so much that he’d would not become a Micro-dick-tator. Seriously.

And then we have John Cena, used the attack to promote his new HBO Max show by Tweeting:

“If I could somehow summon the powers of a real life #Peacemaker I think this would be a great time to do so.”

Yes, let’s summon a fictional superhero to fix an actual war. Oh John, take a seat.

Then there’s The View’s Joy Behar ranting about how she hasn’t been able to go to Italy because of the pandemic “and now this.”

Sorry people dying and being forced to flee their homeland has put a snag in your vacation plans you entitled one-percenter.

Now, while I am hopeful when I see the world, and the Ukrainian people, and the Russian people speaking out, I do realize that Putin is a lunatic and you cannot count him out until you take him out. But know that he is squirming watching Ukraine take on his troops, watching the entire world Stand with Ukraine, and watching his own people turning against him.