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[Strongpoint]

Today, Russia nearly hit Zelensky's motorcade with a missile. Oh, and they could also kill the visiting Prime Minister of Greece.

[StrawBarrel]

My reverse image searching tells me that the Shrimp is an ASM Val. Very interesting, I haven't heard of this gun before. Thank you for sharing this photo.

(Rarer weapon than a Val.  The extra siderails makes it a SR-3MP, hence 'Shrimp.'  Like anything decent made in Russia, they can't make hardly any of them.  And, as you'd expect it, these are reserved for basically his bodyguard and murder units.  They do look almost like Vals, though, so calling it one isn't far off.)

(..That particular one was captured, and as I mentioned, you don't see these units fighting in Ukraine anymore.  They buggered off to leave the dying to the serfs.)

Ah gotcha. Thanks for the clarification regarding the firearm.

Edit Ukraine Warcrime Entry March 67, 2024
I like this Al Jazeera article:
Two years later, Ukrainian survivor recounts Russia’s 28-day ordeal
https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2024/2/19/photos-two-years-later-ukrainian-survivor-recounts-russias-28-day-ordeal
Photojournalism is very important.

According to this wikipedia article at least 20 people have died.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahidne,_Chernihiv_Oblast#History
It's very unfortunate that these war crimes have occurred.

[Bumber]

Gender-inclusive demining for sustainable futures in Ukraine
Funding: $4 million
This project from the HALO Trust aims to safeguard the lives and livelihoods of Ukrainians, including women and internally displaced persons, by addressing the threat of explosive ordnance present across vast areas of the country. Project activities include conducting non-technical surveys and subsequent manual clearance in targeted communities; providing capacity building to key national stakeholders; and establishing a gender and diversity working group to promote gender-transformative mine action in Ukraine.

While these weapons may be indiscriminate, the specific threats and impacts vary according to gender, age and other aspects of diversity. It is essential that mine action actors are equipped to apply a gender lens as part of a comprehensive and inclusive approach to planning, implementing and monitoring programmes to ensure protection for all and to ensure that "no one is left behind."

An inclusive and gender-balanced workforce increases the efficiency and effectiveness of mine action activities and benefits the community as a whole by ensuring a more coherent response to the different needs and priorities of women, girls, boys and men affected by contamination.

Somebody please make this make sense.

[nenjin]

They want gender studies in mine removal operations because they believe gender has a bearing on who is affected, how they're effected and whether there are protections in place that consider their specific needs.

Basically civilians may have to clear their own backyards of unexploded ordinance (instead of trained military personnel) and someone in Canada wants to kick $4 million towards making sure someone is thinking about women and displaced persons (those whose home was destroyed by war), the things they need and the risks they particularly face. (Is a woman 2 months pregnant having to clear explosives from an area coated in all the residue from fighting going to be affected differently than a 14 year old boy, who might have their hormones fucked with from breathing in contaminated dirt from a war zone for 6 months?) Instead of just sending everyone in willy nilly and then wondering why there's an increase in birth defects for the next generation, and other health problems in the war generation.

There. I applied basic critical thinking to clearly written sentences for you.

[Strongpoint]

The Embassy is monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts, and U.S. citizens should be advised to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours.

Hmmm. Interesting. 

[Maximum Spin]

It's probably worth mentioning that, over the past week or two, the US government has clearly been reframing domestic messaging to lower expectations on Ukraine, in what looks an awful lot like preparing to pull out. I've seen a lot of this in Politico, for example.

[EuchreJack]

Seems kinda stupid, as I am inclined to vote Biden over Trump over the funding of Ukraine, and I am a Republican.

Pulling out of Ukraine could lose the Democrats the election.

[EuchreJack]

The Embassy is monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts, and U.S. citizens should be advised to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours.

Hmmm. Interesting.

Considering how dangerous it is to be a US citizen in Russia, I am surprised the US Embassy would bother.

[nenjin]

They're probably falling victim to polling around the Presidential election. When Trump invents so many outrages, they run the risk of responding to one or the other. I don't know how support for Ukraine is currently polling. It was 66% in 2022 according to Gallup. O maybe they think Russia is finally out of gas and Ukraine isn't in danger of being overrun anymore? Maybe they know those resources are going to be required somewhere else soon....

[Maximum Spin]

They're probably falling victim to polling around the Presidential election. When Trump invents so many outrages, they run the risk of responding to one or the other. I don't know how support for Ukraine is currently polling. It was 66% in 2022 according to Gallup. O maybe they think Russia is finally out of gas and Ukraine isn't in danger of being overrun anymore? Maybe they know those resources are going to be required somewhere else soon....

Most reporting suggests that support has collapsed. There was an argument in this thread some weeks ago, but the long and short of it is that most polls seem to agree that majorities say America has either "done enough" or "too much".

[MaxTheFox]

I hope Biden is smart enough to not pull out... or someone convinces him not to.

[Maximum Spin]

I hope Biden is smart enough to not pull out... or someone convinces him not to.

We're going to have to see, but it's going to depend more on Congress. I'd say what we're seeing looks like testing the waters of public opinion, and it's possible that just putting the war back in the news may end up driving more support, even if the stories are pretty negative.

[MaxTheFox]

Am not used to systems where the parliament actually matters, oops! 💀

[Maximum Spin]

Am not used to systems where the parliament actually matters, oops! 💀

Understandable. The key point is that Congress has to okay the money.

And, truth be told, as I've said before, the US is not really in a position where it can safely afford to do this right now, so to some degree there is A reason why they aren't... but that doesn't stop them from spending loads of money on other things.

[EuchreJack]

I'm reasonably sure it was just the Media hedging their bets prior to the State of the Union address. They weren't sure what President Biden was going to say, or how it would be perceived.

Now that is over, I would expect a surge in Support for Ukraine.