(11-24-2025, 05:33 AM)RickyD Wrote: Can you link the claims of oligarchs fleeing Russia or Russian gold reserve sales? Are all of these reports only to be found in western media?
I do believe that this war has put strain on Russia's economy just not to the level the western media makes it out to be. China buys plenty of oil and gas from Russia and India told the west to kick rocks in regards to sanctions on Russian oil and gas too. Nothing Ukraine has done with strikes is remotely crippling almost all have been drone strikes and the way these facilities are built if a pipe bursts or fire is detected everything shuts off. So while they make a big flaming show you would need multiple hits on specific places to "destroy" something like oil refining facilities...you need a cascading failure.
Also wouldn't mind taking a look at whatever sources you have for Russia sending Ukrainian citizens to the front. That makes literally no sense from any angle...they'd be a liability at the least and a security issue if motivated. Its not like they would fight their own country against their will...even under threat of death the likelihood is that they would get droned anyway. How long would you fight your country if forced if you knew it was highly likely you'd die anyway?
I also saw where China has decreased their oil imports from Russia by 38%. Very worrisome for Putin, I would imagine.
As for Russia sending Ukrainian citizens to the front, that is just another war crime to add to the list and that is why Putin added that there will be no accountability (no war court) to his 28 point surrender plan. And it was a Russian plan because it was originally written in Russian and the translated to English then given to Trump along with a bribe which he happily accepted.
There is now a counter peace plan from Ukraine/EU. They are basically still surrendering their land to Russia. What's missing is that Ukraine promised to hold elections immediately, I'd like to see the same in Russia.
"1. Ukraine's sovereignty to be reconfirmed.2. There will be a total and complete non-aggression agreement reached between Russia and Ukraine and NATO. All ambiguities from the last 30 years will be resolved.
(Point 3 of U.S. plan is deleted. A draft of that plan seen by Reuters said: "There will be the expectation that Russia will not invade its neighbours and NATO will not expand further.")
4. After a peace agreement is signed, a dialogue between Russia and NATO will convene to address all security concerns and create a de-escalatory environment to ensure global security and increase the opportunity for connectivity and future economic opportunity.
5. Ukraine will receive robust Security Guarantees
6. Size of Ukraine military to be capped at 800,000 in peacetime.
7. Ukraine joining NATO depends on consensus of NATO members, which does not exist.
8. NATO agrees not to permanently station troops under its command in Ukraine in peacetime.
9. NATO fighter jets will be stationed in Poland
10. US guarantee that mirrors Article 5
a. US to receive compensation for the guarantee
b. If Ukraine invades Russia, it forfeits the guarantee
c. If Russia invades Ukraine, in addition to a robust coordinated military response, all global sanctions will be restored and any kind of recognition for the new territory and all other benefits from this agreement will be withdrawn.
11. Ukraine is eligible for EU membership and will get short-term preferred market access to Europe while this is being evaluated
12. Robust Global Redevelopment Package for Ukraine including but not limited to:
a. Creation of Ukraine Development fund to invest in high growth industries including technology, data centres and Al efforts
b. The United States will partner with Ukraine to jointly restore, grow, modernize and operate Ukraine's gas infrastructure, which includes its pipeline and storage facilities
c. A joint effort to redevelop areas impacted by the war to restore, redevelop and modernize cities and residential areas
d. Infrastructure development
e. Mineral and natural resource extraction
f. A special financing package will be developed by the World Bank to provide financing to accelerate these efforts.
13. Russia to be progressively re-integrated into the global economy
a. Sanction relief will be discussed and agreed upon in phases and on a case-by-case basis.
b. The United States will enter into a long-term Economic Cooperation Agreement to pursue mutual development in the areas of energy, natural resources, infrastructure, AI, datacenters, rare earths, joint projects in the Arctic, as well as various other mutually beneficial corporate opportunities.
c. Russia to be invited back into the G8
14. Ukraine will be fully reconstructed and compensated financially, including through Russian sovereign assets that will remain frozen until Russia compensates damage to Ukraine.
15. A joint Security taskforce will be established with the participation of US, Ukraine, Russia and the Europeans to promote and enforce all of the provisions of this agreement
16. Russia will legislatively enshrine a non-aggression policy towards Europe and Ukraine
17. The United States and Russia agree to extend nuclear non-proliferation and control treaties, including Fair Start
18. Ukraine agrees to remain a non-nuclear state under the NPT
19. The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant will be restarted under supervision of the IAEA, and the produced power shall be shared equitably in a 50-50 split between Russia and Ukraine.
20. Ukraine will adopt EU rules on religious tolerance and the protection of linguistic minorities.
21. Territories
Ukraine commits not to recover its occupied sovereign territory through military means. Negotiations on territorial swaps will start from the Line of Contact.
22. Once future territorial arrangements have been agreed, both the Russian Federation and Ukraine undertake not to change these arrangements by force. Any security guarantees will not apply if there is a breach of this obligation
23. Russia shall not obstruct Ukraine's use of the Dnieper River for purposes of commercial activities, and agreements will be reached for grain shipments to move freely through the Black Sea
24. A humanitarian committee will be established to resolve open issues:
a. All remaining prisoners and bodies will be exchanged on the principle of All for All
b. All civilian detainees and hostages will be returned, including children
c. There will be a family reunification program
d. Provisions will be made to address the suffering of victims from the conflict
25. Ukraine will hold elections as soon as possible after the signing of the peace agreement.
26. Provision will be made to address the suffering of victims of the conflict.
27. This agreement will be legally binding. Its implementation will be monitored and guaranteed by a Board of Peace, chaired by President Donald J. Trump. There will be
penalties for violation.
28. Upon all sides agreeing to this memorandum, a ceasefire will be immediately effective upon both parties withdrawing to the agreed upon points for the implementation of the agreement to begin. Ceasefire modalities, including monitoring, will be agreed by both parties under US supervision.
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Also that deadline of this Thursday is now not a thing as Marco Rubio has slowed down this runaway train heading for a trainwreck.
Lt. Gen. Hodges seems to think that the EU has what it takes to bring Putin down to his knees.
