Russia invades Ukraine

[CliffFletcher]

I expect the Russians are more than happy to let civilians evacuate the contested parts of the country. If their goal was to kill Ukrainian civilians, there would be lots more Ukrainian civilians dead.

[moncton golden flames]

Originally Posted by Pointman

If Russia buys it peacefully from Ukraine, why would Ukraine block water?

This could be one of possible off-ramps. Russia pays a huge sum to Ukraine and keeps Crimea. This would be technically considered as a sale and thus internationally recognized.

What an expensive endeavour to buy Crimea. The amount of off shore resources and coastline that Ukraine would surrender is staggering.

[kn]

Originally Posted by puckedoff

To that guy who's wife is in no rush to leave Siberia, may want to accelerate that. Especially if airplane parts are no longer sent to Russia, the safety of those planes may become an issue.

She has a direct flight to Kazakhstan on the 8th. I get a call around midnight yesterday asking me to try and book an earlier flight. Suddenly there's urgency and the seriousness has now become apparent. I don't know what was the catalyst. I had many flights ready to book over the past week that she rejected. I regret not having booked one of them, although she might have just refused to board. I hate to say this but if it wasn't for my mother-in-law, they'd have been home by now.

Unfortunately, the time has passed to book flights that don't require a lengthy stop in Moscow or St. Petersburg, which she absolutely refuses. Going west for her would be like flying from Toronto to Calgary when you want to get to New York. There aren't a lot of options at this point but I'm still looking.

Then this morning, she gets notification that her flight was cancelled. Somehow she was able to rebook but I guess it's through Russian websites or contacts.

She's also looking at a shuttle service from her city which takes 20 hours to get to Kazakhstan/Nursultan. If that's off, she's going to try and convince a family friend to drive her to the border. I have no idea what's the better option -- leaving earlier by car/shuttle or waiting for a direct flight on the 8th. She'll have to make that choice.

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by Leondros

Hey HW, this could be the reason for the loss of connection:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1499450451779010571

Yeah that might be the reason. Although she's in Kharkov Oblast, that grid probably extends over there.

[FormerPresJamesTaylor]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I expect the Russians are more than happy to let civilians evacuate the contested parts of the country. If their goal was to kill Ukrainian civilians, there would be lots more Ukrainian civilians dead.

Don't think its their but but obviously they don't care. Traditionally a Russian leader hasn't cared about his own population, another countries is an afterthought.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I expect the Russians are more than happy to let civilians evacuate the contested parts of the country. If their goal was to kill Ukrainian civilians, there would be lots more Ukrainian civilians dead.

If the goal is to install a puppet regime, it's definitely easier to pull off if the civilian population is left relatively unscathed. I imagine that ship has probably sailed now considering the civilian damage we are seeing, but it's probably also why the Russians were trying to be a little more surgical about it the first few days.

[puckedoff]

My worry with the evacuation corridors is that once they are open for a while, Putin will use that as a justification to flatten cities since "only military would remain" or some crap like that.

[Pointman]

Originally Posted by kn

She has a direct flight to Kazakhstan on the 8th. I get a call around midnight yesterday asking me to try and book an earlier flight. Suddenly there's urgency and the seriousness has now become apparent. I don't know what was the catalyst. I had many flights ready to book over the past week that she rejected. I regret not having booked one of them, although she might have just refused to board. I hate to say this but if it wasn't for my mother-in-law, they'd have been home by now.

Unfortunately, the time has passed to book flights that don't require a lengthy stop in Moscow or St. Petersburg, which she absolutely refuses. Going west for her would be like flying from Toronto to Calgary when you want to get to New York. There aren't a lot of options at this point but I'm still looking.

Then this morning, she gets notification that her flight was cancelled. Somehow she was able to rebook but I guess it's through Russian websites or contacts.

She's also looking at a shuttle service from her city which takes 20 hours to get to Kazakhstan/Nursultan. If that's off, she's going to try and convince a family friend to drive her to the border. I have no idea what's the better option -- leaving earlier by car/shuttle or waiting for a direct flight on the 8th. She'll have to make that choice.

Is Novosibirsk-Beijing-Vancouver an option? I remember I did a crossover in Beijing at 2017 despite not having a visa. Maybe something changed.

[Wormius]

Coop is removing all Russian-produced products from the liquor store. Also made a point to say that some with Russian sounding names are not made in Russian.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by kn

She has a direct flight to Kazakhstan on the 8th. I get a call around midnight yesterday asking me to try and book an earlier flight. Suddenly there's urgency and the seriousness has now become apparent. I don't know what was the catalyst. I had many flights ready to book over the past week that she rejected. I regret not having booked one of them, although she might have just refused to board. I hate to say this but if it wasn't for my mother-in-law, they'd have been home by now.

Unfortunately, the time has passed to book flights that don't require a lengthy stop in Moscow or St. Petersburg, which she absolutely refuses. Going west for her would be like flying from Toronto to Calgary when you want to get to New York. There aren't a lot of options at this point but I'm still looking.

Then this morning, she gets notification that her flight was cancelled. Somehow she was able to rebook but I guess it's through Russian websites or contacts.

She's also looking at a shuttle service from her city which takes 20 hours to get to Kazakhstan/Nursultan. If that's off, she's going to try and convince a family friend to drive her to the border. I have no idea what's the better option -- leaving earlier by car/shuttle or waiting for a direct flight on the 8th. She'll have to make that choice.

More and more flights are going to get cancelled.

If it were me, I would get in the car and go

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I expect the Russians are more than happy to let civilians evacuate the contested parts of the country. If their goal was to kill Ukrainian civilians, there would be lots more Ukrainian civilians dead.

Problem is not every Russian troop is going to have the same mindset if they see herds of civilians in the open.

Like HW said, some soldiers passing through were just looking for food and directions and weren't bothersome.

Others were more hostile and they shot a young woman for no apparent reason.

Even if commands are to leave residents be, there's no guarantee that every soldier will abide by that if they feel their life might be threatened, out of paranoia or otherwise (since they're already in hostile territory where troops are dropping like flies).

[Fuzz]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1499419987047587840


Sure feels like it's time to go if she needs to leave.

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by puckedoff

https://twitter.com/user/status/1499157917399977987

To that guy who's wife is in no rush to leave Siberia, may want to accelerate that. Especially if airplane parts are no longer sent to Russia, the safety of those planes may become an issue.

Not that aircraft safety was ever a concern in the USSR, Tuplov's would routinely fall out of the sky killing all on board, not flying in the old Soviet Union was standard advice to western travelers their aircraft were so badly built and maintained.

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by Wormius

not made in Russian.

Not picking on you … I’ve seen quite a few instances online of Russia and Ukraine being called Russian and Ukrainian and am wondering if that is just a common typo/autocorrect or does it come from translation from those languages. Just a random question.

[kn]

Originally Posted by Pointman

Is Novosibirsk-Beijing-Vancouver an option? I remember I did a crossover in Beijing at 2017 despite not having a visa. Maybe something changed.

There are flights but not until March 29.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[wwkayaker]

Originally Posted by kn

Then this morning, she gets notification that her flight was cancelled. Somehow she was able to rebook but I guess it's through Russian websites or contacts.

https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/e...tware-service/

Sabre Corporation sells a widely used airline reservation software service. The company cancelled its contract with Aeroflot which is likely the reason for the flight cancellations.

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by bob-loblaw

The US is now communicating directly with Russia so that they don't accidentally attack each other.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1499451600229875719


The Ukrainian army is now attacking that long convoy.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1499390932457857030

This convoy is a monumental screw up. If you’re going to leave all your vehicles parked in a nice line for days on end wouldn’t you at least have 24/7 combat air patrol in addition to your AA?

[FormerPresJamesTaylor]

At least Canada'a convoy actually made it to their destination

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by Pointman

I'm still in Moscow. There's no collapse. Yet. Ruble lunged, but prices didn't really jump, at least yet. People are terrified. Future is uncertain. I was to enroll my daughter into first grade of English school, to start at September first, but they said they put enrollment on hold. I also still can't renew the US passport which expired when she turned 5, over a year ago. Other than this, I feel no collapse. Yet

We wish you personally good luck as times get harder.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by FormerPresJamesTaylor

At least Canada'a convoy actually made it to their destination

2022's word of the year is...Logistics.