Posted on 08/22/2022 3:38:53 AM PDT by Timber Rattler
Nearly six months into the war in Ukraine, the Kremlin still refers to its invasion as a “special military operation” while trying to maintain a sense of normalcy at home.
But a series of Ukrainian attacks in Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that President Vladimir V. Putin illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014, is puncturing that narrative.
And as Ukrainian attacks mount in the strategically and symbolically important territory, the damage is beginning to put domestic political pressure on the Kremlin, with criticism and debate about the war increasingly being unleashed on social media and underscoring that even what the Russian government considers to be Russian territory is not safe.
On Saturday, a drone slammed into the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in Crimea, sending a plume of smoke over the port city of Sevastopol. Separately, in western Crimea, Russian troops launched antiaircraft fire at unidentified targets, the region’s Russian governor said.
Local Russian officials blamed the drone attack on Ukraine and urged residents and beachgoers not to panic, while insisting there had been no injuries and that Russian air defenses were functioning properly.
But as images of antiaircraft fire streaking through the blue Crimean sky ricocheted through social media, the visceral reality of war was becoming more and more apparent to Russians — many of whom have rallied behind the Kremlin’s line, hammered home in state media, that the “special military operation” to save Ukraine from Nazi domination is going smoothly and according to plan.
“People are beginning to feel that the war is coming to them,” Andrei Kortunov, director general of the Russian International Affairs Council, a research organization close to the Russian government, said in a phone interview. “I think this is serious.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Civil wars are never easy.
Kiev was the capitol of what is now Russia,
not too many years ago.
Idiots. Country must be full of Democrats.
If the best that the West can do to Russia is a puff of smoke over a building, I’d say it’s not very much.
You funny misster ¿
Uh...Kyiv stopped being the capital of Russia in AD 1240 when the Mongols sacked it---you know, like 800 years ago.
Like that puff of smoke over the Pentagon on 9/11, Comrade Bob?
⚡️BREAKING NEWS⚡️
Murder case of Daria Dugina is SOLVED, the crime was prepared and COMMITTED by Ukrainian Special Services, perpetrator of the murder is a Ukrainian who fled after the crime to Estonia.
Hide your daughters and do not let them drive! The Ukrainians are coming with the NWO!
As the pressure mounts , I doubt the Russians will stick to their allowing grain transport to continue.
Huge bombs about to be used.FAOB.
“Like that puff of smoke over the Pentagon on 9/11, Comrade Bob?”
I’ll concede some of the earlier hits were substantial, but if you think that latest attempted drone hit on the headquarters building was comparable to 9/11, you’re spending way too much time on Western media.
Its those second hand puffs of smoke that will kill you. Russia is in big trouble.
My point is they are the SAME people!
They are killing each other.
That is usually called a civil war.
First the America-hating and Russian disinformation, now these lies from you
do you ever post anything honest?
(give the lightning bolts a rest, troll)
Uh, no they're not. You do know that Ukrainians have a different history and language than Mother Russia, right?
Ukrainian and Russian: How Similar Are These Two Languages?
They are the same just like the English and the Dutch are the same...
I’ve been enjoying your posts. Keep up the good work.
Civil wars are within the same border. This is an invasion of a sovereign country.
Wow, hot news, yellow decorations, you forgot the blue, you also forgot to include any link for what should be visible news of such an important announcement. Go back to Russia or wherever you are working from and learn how to do your business more successfully, what a failure of communication! I am sure your bosses will be disappointed.
Yellow lightning bolts, I didn’t make that connection in my comment. Obviously a Nazi symbol used by a supporter of totalitarian rule. We don’t want Nazi posters here at Free Republic. Go back to Russia, unless you are already there. If you are, go home in shame for being stupid enough to use the very symbol your bosses say they are fighting a special military operation against.
“Murder case of Daria Dugina is SOLVED”
Heard it had been arranged by her father which is super sick!
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