Explosions in Kiev

[TSmith34, Inc.]

It's reported that Russia has committed 75% of their military to Ukraine ops. I think it's time to take Kamchatka to provide a security buffer for Alaska.

I'm not an expert, but I played some Risk in high school so I'm pretty confident in my knowledge on this sort of thing.

After Kamchatka, there is just no way to hold Asia, man. You just can't do it. Sure, 7 armies per turn is nice, but there are just too many access points to defend.

Now North America, gets you 5 armies and you only need to defend 3 access points. So what this means is, Candace Owens is right, and it is time to invade Canada.

[🏀]

Candace Owens is right, and it is time to invade Canada.

The Army will never make it past the truckers.

[NCMUFan]

After Kamchatka, there is just no way to hold Asia, man. You just can't do it. Sure, 7 armies per turn is nice, but there are just too many access points to defend.

Now North America, gets you 5 armies and you only need to defend 3 access points. So what this means is, Candace Owens is right, and it is time to invade Canada.

What, and ruin Canada?  It is nice to think of a place that the USA was once like.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

It's reported that Russia has committed 75% of their military to Ukraine ops. I think it's time to take Kamchatka to provide a security buffer for Alaska.

I'm not an expert, but I played some Risk in high school so I'm pretty confident in my knowledge on this sort of thing.

My summers in the 1970s from age 12 thru 16 involved neighborhood marathon games of Risk and Monopoly.  Games would go for days.

[pbiflyer]

Some interesting facts as we approach a critical Monday.

My bank (a non-sanctioned foreign bank with full operating license in Russia - and a very good one) is buying Dollars for 89.90 and buying Rubles for 150.01.
The SWIFT thing is happening, but the list of banks is not clear.  Probably limited to already sanctioned banks.
Russia has threatened nuclear engagement by taking their nuclear forces to the highest level of alert.
Ukraine, Belarus and Russia have agreed to a negotiation session on the Ukraine/Belarus border.
Russia has threatened seizure of foreign owned bank accounts and assets within Russia, specifically targeting nationals of certain countries.  They can do this because all of this information exists in bank data and land/property registry. 

My money is safely out for now and my Chase credit card worked today at our favorite coffee shop. 
Tomorrow is another day.

If you need to get out, consider flights to Asia or Middle East according to folks having to do this now.

[Jockey]

After Kamchatka, there is just no way to hold Asia, man. You just can't do it. Sure, 7 armies per turn is nice, but there are just too many access points to defend.

Now North America, gets you 5 armies and you only need to defend 3 access points. So what this means is, Candace Owens is right, and it is time to invade Canada.

As a vet of hundreds of games of Risk as a young man, I say you are 100% right.  Get North America and you're gonna almost always win the game. One good treaty protects you.

[Billy Hoyle]

Meanwhile Usyk and Lomenchenko have both shown their willingness to suck up to Putin or at least accept gifts from his supporters. They're a disgrace compared to the brothers.

Well, Loma found his spine.

https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/33388013/top-boxer-vasiliy-lomachenko-joins-terror-defense-battalion-ukraine

[Dish]

It's really been astonishing to watch this play out. In a war being fought on land/sea/air, it seems like it's either going deliberately slow, or very "meh" so far for Russia. On the global battlefield (treaties/policies/financial), Russia is getting obliterated. The war being fought without bullets, Russia has backed itself into a corner. When even the Swiss are going to freeze Russian assets, you know you're in a heap of trouble.

The worry to me is, what's next for Russia? At some point, even if they were to take Ukraine, financially as a country they're about to be crippled. If I'm a middle class Russian citizen, I'd be asking "is this really worth it?". I don't know how Putin survives this, even with his massive power control.

[wadesworld]

It's really been astonishing to watch this play out. In a war being fought on land/sea/air, it seems like it's either going deliberately slow, or very "meh" so far for Russia. On the global battlefield (treaties/policies/financial), Russia is getting obliterated. The war being fought without bullets, Russia has backed itself into a corner. When even the Swiss are going to freeze Russian assets, you know you're in a heap of trouble.

The worry to me is, what's next for Russia? At some point, even if they were to take Ukraine, financially as a country they're about to be crippled. If I'm a middle class Russian citizen, I'd be asking "is this really worth it?". I don't know how Putin survives this, even with his massive power control.

Was texting with some friends pretty much exactly this a couple hours ago.

[Lennys Tap]

I don't know how Putin survives this, even with his massive power control.

This is becoming a pretty popular opinion. Hope it proves to be correct.

[Dr. Blackheart]

It's really been astonishing to watch this play out. In a war being fought on land/sea/air, it seems like it's either going deliberately slow, or very "meh" so far for Russia. On the global battlefield (treaties/policies/financial), Russia is getting obliterated. The war being fought without bullets, Russia has backed itself into a corner. When even the Swiss are going to freeze Russian assets, you know you're in a heap of trouble.

The worry to me is, what's next for Russia? At some point, even if they were to take Ukraine, financially as a country they're about to be crippled. If I'm a middle class Russian citizen, I'd be asking "is this really worth it?". I don't know how Putin survives this, even with his massive power control.

There is a reason he is holed up in Sochi. Watch the generals. When he starts blaming them, it might not go well for him and his KGB oligarchs.

[GB Warrior]

This is becoming a pretty popular opinion. Hope it proves to be correct.

I have to think that makes things all the more dangerous and volatile

[MuggsyB]

I have to think that makes things all the more dangerous and volatile

That's my fear as well.  I mean if you read the transcripts of his last two national addresses you have to ask yourself:  did he really think most of the world would buy his complete nonsense?  Especially his pretext for the "Military Exercise"?  If he's truly delusional it's extremely scary.  Maybe someone takes him out?   

[Skatastrophy]

From the NYT - "The Russian Central Bank more than doubled its key interest rate, banned foreigners from selling Russian securities and ordered exporters to convert into rubles most of their foreign-currency revenues."

Brutal. Unless Putin nationalizes these companies they're going to shut up shop due to cash flow problems.

[Hards Alumni]

From the NYT - "The Russian Central Bank more than doubled its key interest rate, banned foreigners from selling Russian securities and ordered exporters to convert into rubles most of their foreign-currency revenues."

Brutal. Unless Putin nationalizes these companies they're going to shut up shop due to cash flow problems.

They're going full isolationist.  This is jut an attempt to stabilize the ruble... which won't work.

[Hards Alumni]

That's my fear as well.  I mean if you read the transcripts of his last two national addresses you have to ask yourself:  did he really think most of the world would buy his complete nonsense?  Especially his pretext for the "Military Exercise"?  If he's truly delusional it's extremely scary.  Maybe someone takes him out?

To be fair, he was just copying the western playbook.  Not to mention his own successful operation in Crimea.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

It's really been astonishing to watch this play out. In a war being fought on land/sea/air, it seems like it's either going deliberately slow, or very "meh" so far for Russia. On the global battlefield (treaties/policies/financial), Russia is getting obliterated. The war being fought without bullets, Russia has backed itself into a corner. When even the Swiss are going to freeze Russian assets, you know you're in a heap of trouble.

The worry to me is, what's next for Russia? At some point, even if they were to take Ukraine, financially as a country they're about to be crippled. If I'm a middle class Russian citizen, I'd be asking "is this really worth it?". I don't know how Putin survives this, even with his massive power control.

And he's going to take a lot of other dictators down with him or at very least completely neuter them.

If I was Georgia and Moldova I'd move on the Russia backed rebels in their country now.  The thing propping them up is a very badly wounded animal and 80% of Russia's military is in/near Ukraine. 

[ATL MU Warrior]

And he's going to take a lot of other dictators down with him or at very least completely neuter them.

If I was Georgia and Moldova I'd move on the Russia backed rebels in their country now.  The thing propping them up is a very badly wounded animal and 80% of Russia's military is in/near Ukraine.

I've seen a few people say the bolded above and I'm not sure that it is true.  I saw an article that I believe said that 80% of the troops staged at the Ukrainian border had been deployed into Ukraine....not that 80% of Russia's total military was in Ukraine.  Perhaps I misinterpreted that, but I'd have to think that Russia's total military personnel numbers in the millions, not a couple hundred thousand (the last numbers I saw reported for the troop buildup at the borders was ~140k if memory serves). 

[StillAWarrior]

I've seen a few people say the bolded above and I'm not sure that it is true.  I saw an article that I believe said that 80% of the troops staged at the Ukrainian border had been deployed into Ukraine....not that 80% of Russia's total military was in Ukraine.  Perhaps I misinterpreted that, but I'd have to think that Russia's total military personnel numbers in the millions, not a couple hundred thousand (the last numbers I saw reported for the troop buildup at the borders was ~140k if memory serves).

I vaguely recall seeing somewhere recently that it was one million active with another two million in reserve.

[Hards Alumni]

I've seen a few people say the bolded above and I'm not sure that it is true.  I saw an article that I believe said that 80% of the troops staged at the Ukrainian border had been deployed into Ukraine....not that 80% of Russia's total military was in Ukraine.  Perhaps I misinterpreted that, but I'd have to think that Russia's total military personnel numbers in the millions, not a couple hundred thousand (the last numbers I saw reported for the troop buildup at the borders was ~140k if memory serves).

This is correct.

[MuggsyB]

To be fair, he was just copying the western playbook.  Not to mention his own successful operation in Crimea.

So because there's been Western Imperislism in the past and we did nothing in 2008 and 2014 he didn't sound delusional?  Especially his take on Ukranians and their 'Zazi" regime?  WTF  is your point of what countries did in the past?  That we're hypocrites?  That we're exactly the same as China and Russia today?  That we the USA mirrored Hitler, Stalin, Pol-Pot, and other genocidal manics?  That our system, as flawed as it is, isn't vastly superior to a S-Show dictatorship?  Cut the b-crap and deal with reality. 

[Skatastrophy]

This internet thing sure makes wars interesting

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I've seen a few people say the bolded above and I'm not sure that it is true.  I saw an article that I believe said that 80% of the troops staged at the Ukrainian border had been deployed into Ukraine....not that 80% of Russia's total military was in Ukraine.  Perhaps I misinterpreted that, but I'd have to think that Russia's total military personnel numbers in the millions, not a couple hundred thousand (the last numbers I saw reported for the troop buildup at the borders was ~140k if memory serves).

You're right.  I misread.

They have 800,000 active personnel.  So about 25% are deployed in Ukraine.

[ATL MU Warrior]

You're right.  I misread.

They have 800,000 active personnel.  So about 25% are deployed in Ukraine.

To your initial point, it would add a major wrinkle if Georgia and Moldova did as you suggested. 

[Billy Hoyle]

Snake Island sailors confirmed alive. But, they are being held prisoner by Russia.