Russia invades Ukraine

[Elkyiv]

Huntingwhale, is your wife and her family able to travel outside the Kharkiv oblast? I hear the refugee process into Poland at the Sheguni border crossing is moving somewhat smoothly. My relatives in the L'viv oblast are considering leaving in the next day or so.

[scotty2hotty]

Count me in the camp of:

Ovi is a complete and utter DBag if he doesn’t denounce his buddy.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by scotty2hotty

Count me in the camp of:

Ovi is a complete and utter DBag if he doesn’t denounce his buddy.

What? Why?? There is no way.

You know Ovechkin's family is in Russia right?

This is not his fight and there is no sense in creating more trouble. Ovechkin is not a Political Figure, he is just a hockey player.

[Jordan!]

Originally Posted by scotty2hotty

Count me in the camp of:

Ovi is a complete and utter DBag if he doesn’t denounce his buddy.

Agreed.

I hope he gets a career ending knee injury if he doesn't denounce this.

If the above comment offends you, go take a walk.

[FlameOn]

Originally Posted by scotty2hotty

Count me in the camp of:

Ovi is a complete and utter DBag if he doesn’t denounce his buddy.

I imagine some of the chirping on ice is gonna cause a few fights if he doesn't.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by scotty2hotty

Count me in the camp of:

Ovi is a complete and utter DBag if he doesn’t denounce his buddy.

What took so long? Why wasn't he a complete dbag before when he said Putin was his bro?

[FormerPresJamesTaylor]

Originally Posted by Jordan!

I hope he gets a career ending knee injury if he doesn't denounce this..

Some of you (you specially) are weird.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by scotty2hotty

Count me in the camp of:

Ovi is a complete and utter DBag if he doesn’t denounce his buddy.

He’s a dbag regardless. The fact he was a Putin supporter before confirmed it. This just makes it even worse.

He’ll never denounce Putin. He’ll just say he thinks war is tragic and wants a peaceful resolution or some other BS.

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by Elkyiv

Huntingwhale, is your wife and her family able to travel outside the Kharkiv oblast? I hear the refugee process into Poland at the Sheguni border crossing is moving somewhat smoothly. My relatives in the L'viv oblast are considering leaving in the next day or so.

Their original plan pre-invasion was to head west to Lviv. But Kharkiv oblast is around a day and a half drive from that border crossing. There are multiple checkpoints on the main road outside their village, and as well the main bridge connecting that road towards Kharkov is destroyed. Who knows what other surprises they would find along the way, along with gasoline refills being something to consider.

If they can find a way to get to the border, that is ideal. But getting there is a whole other ordeal. Not quite sure how it's going to go yet.

[scotty2hotty]

Originally Posted by Locke

What? Why?? There is no way.

You know Ovechkin's family is in Russia right?

This is not his fight and there is no sense in creating more trouble. Ovechkin is not a Political Figure, he is just a hockey player.

If his family was legitimately at risk …I’d absolutely agree with you.

But I have a tough time believing that all of the times Ovi batted his lovey lashes at Putin it was because of threats to his family. He genuinely likes hanging with the guy.

Of course, I am completely speculating. And agree that this is brave of me to say sitting on my couch in Canada. But he should just say ‘this is wrong and I don’t support it’.

I highly doubt Putin is watching NHL news just to put out an immediate hit notice on the extended family.

[FlameOn]

Details from VDV assault on Antanov airport emerging show a complete disaster for the Russians. Hope things are going as well for the Russians in Sumy and elsewhere as well.
Guessing most of the 150ish VDV troops killed or captured at this point.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1496987322553876480

CNN witnessed the firefight and had ppl on the ground reporting during the counter offensive

https://twitter.com/user/status/1496981872575844354

[81MC]

People losing their lives because of a few megalomaniacs playing games. It feels terrible to cheer for those loss of these lives; how many of them are fighting for Russian imperialism vs just doing a job that provides for their families and never wanted to engage in the first place.

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by scotty2hotty

Count me in the camp of:

Ovi is a complete and utter DBag if he doesn’t denounce his buddy.

Originally Posted by Jordan!

Agreed.

I hope he gets a career ending knee injury if he doesn't denounce this.

If the above comment offends you, go take a walk.

Originally Posted by FlameOn

I imagine some of the chirping on ice is gonna cause a few fights if he doesn't.

I don't get that take completely. What benefit can Ovi have from getting into politics and denouncing anyone? Just so the fans get to feel righteous, give me a break. Like I don't see such a statement helping anyone. The Russian government would just say that he was forced to say those things back home.

Even in a scenario where he actually motivates some of the Russian population to take action, how is it going to help them? They will be beat up and dispersed or jailed for their troubles.

As for fights on the ice, players would chirp each other over anything. Also, half the teams in the NHL have Russian players, so should we label them all traitors now if they don't speak out? Would they need to fight a lot more?

I get you are all frustrated by the inaction of all the governments, but this is ridiculous. I say it as a person that has friends and family in Ukraine, I don't see his statements helping anyone or anything.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Jordan!

Agreed.

I hope he gets a career ending knee injury if he doesn't denounce this.

If the above comment offends you, go take a walk.

Weren't you knocking your knees in fear when a protest was like a mile from your suburban bungalow?

Something tells me if the shoe was on the other foot, you wouldn't be quite brave enough to stand against a dictator with a reputation for killing dissenters and put your family in danger. And how many of us would be, to be honest?

Perhaps we can all leave the pretend internet tough guy stuff in our heads for now while we sit in our comfy little homes.

Actual people are dying and in danger after all. Nobody cares about hockey players today.

[scotty2hotty]

Originally Posted by gvitaly

I don't get that take completely. What benefit can Ovi have from getting into politics and denouncing anyone? Just so the fans get to feel righteous, give me a break. Like I don't see such a statement helping anyone. The Russian government would just say that he was forced to say those things back home.

Even in a scenario where he actually motivates some of the Russian population to take action, how is it going to help them? They will be beat up and dispersed or jailed for their troubles.

As for fights on the ice, players would chirp each other over anything. Also, half the teams in the NHL have Russian players, so should we label them all traitors now if they don't speak out? Would they need to fight a lot more?

I get you are all frustrated by the inaction of all the governments, but this is ridiculous. I say it as a person that has friends and family in Ukraine, I don't see his statements helping anyone or anything.

I’m not in any way saying that every Russian should have to answer for this and make a statement.

I’m saying that a certain high profile individual who has made his bromance with Putin very public in the past should denounce this or be considered a DBag.

Simple enough …and just my opinion.

[tony-soprano]

Can someone confirm the translation?

https://twitter.com/user/status/1496991825768464385

[mivdo]

This reminds me of when covid started. Chinese/asians were being assaulted on the streets. They wanted to punish anyone of chinese(or anyone that look remotely chinese) descent.

They have nothing to do with this nor do they owe anyone anything. like jesus...lets stick to this situation at hand in ukraine.

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by tony-soprano

Can someone confirm the translation?

https://twitter.com/user/status/1496991825768464385

It's mostly correct. It says:

I'm a Russian warship, I propose to lay down your arms and avoid the spilling of blood and unnecessary casualties. If you don't comply you will be targeted by a bombardment

He repeats it a second time. Then asks "How do you read me? roger."
The answer is:

Russian warship go #### yourself

EDIT: Zelensky in his speech said that all the Island's forces were KIA.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by gvitaly

It's mostly correct. It says:

He repeats it a second time. Then asks "How do you read me? roger."
The answer is:


EDIT: Zelensky in his speech said that all the Island's forces were KIA.

Bad ass.

[CliffFletcher]

The notion that Ovechkin has to pretend to be pals with Putin or his family would be at risk is bunk. If he wanted to avoid trouble with the regime, all he would have to do is what 90 per cent of prominent Russian athletes and celebs do and just keep his head down and avoid the subject.

That’s not what Ovechkin has done. He has actively - and by all accounts sincerely - cultivated a friendship with Putin. He has used his celebrity to endorse Putin and his regime. And far from being hostages of Putin, Ovechkin’s parents are themselves well-connected in Russia’s elite and are loyal supporters of the regime.

That doesn’t mean Ovechkin should be vilified or forced to make a statement about the invasion. What does he know about geopolitics? But he is a dumb meathead with even worse judgement than an American athlete who goes out of his way to endorse and pal around with Trump.