9 votes

Weekly megathread for news/updates/discussion of Russian invasion of Ukraine - December 8

Automatically posted
Tags: russia, ukraine, military conflict, war, geopolitics, 2022 russian invasion of ukraine, recurring.weekly

This thread is posted weekly on Thursday - please try to post relevant content in here, such as news, updates, opinion articles, etc. Especially significant updates may warrant a separate topic, but most should be posted here.

If you'd like to help support Ukraine, please visit the official site at https://help.gov.ua/ - an official portal for those who want to provide humanitarian or financial assistance to people of Ukraine, businesses or the government at the times of resistance against the Russian aggression.

4 comments

  1. [2]
    cmccabe
    Link
    How the Red Cross is spending money in Ukraine https://www.charityintelligence.ca/research-and-news/ci-views/31-disaster-response/708-an-update-on-red-cross-work-in-ukraine

    How the Red Cross is spending money in Ukraine
    https://www.charityintelligence.ca/research-and-news/ci-views/31-disaster-response/708-an-update-on-red-cross-work-in-ukraine

    The war in Ukraine has intensified. But unfortunately, Red Cross's approach has remained the same. Its fundraising total has risen to a massive C$1.3 billion, almost doubling since May. Yet the bleak picture painted below continues.

    Not enough aid is getting inside Ukraine. And not nearly fast enough.

    As of June 3rd 2022, Ukrainian Red Cross had received C$26.1m from Red Cross4, only 2.1% of donations.

    5 votes
    1. cfabbro
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      Sadly, I'm not surprised by this, at all. Various supposedly reputable international relief organizations (but especially the Red Cross) have been repeatedly caught doing similar after they have...

      Sadly, I'm not surprised by this, at all. Various supposedly reputable international relief organizations (but especially the Red Cross) have been repeatedly caught doing similar after they have raised massive amounts of money for other disasters. See: How the Red Cross Raised Half a Billion Dollars for Haiti ­and Built Six Homes (ProPublica + NPR investigation). And I also remember reading about similar happening with the Red Cross funding raised after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami too.

      It's why I won't donate to them anymore, and donate to Doctors Without Borders/MSF instead, since they're incredibly transparent with their spending and results, actually do send the money where you donated for it to go, and they consistently manage to put boots on the ground even in places where most other organizations still won't go. They're also usually first in, last out when disaster strikes too.

      p.s. Relevant to Ukraine - https://www.msf.org/msf-response-war-ukraine

      7 votes
  2. cmccabe
    Link
    US finalizing plans to send Patriot missile defense system to Ukraine https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/13/politics/us-patriot-missile-defense-system-ukraine/index.html

    US finalizing plans to send Patriot missile defense system to Ukraine
    https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/13/politics/us-patriot-missile-defense-system-ukraine/index.html

    Ukraine has been asking for the system for months but the logistical challenges of delivering it and operating it are immense. Despite those obstacles, “the reality of what is going on the ground” led the administration to make the decision, the senior administration official told CNN, noting the continuing intense Russian missile barrages.

    Unlike smaller air defense systems, Patriot missile batteries need much larger crews, requiring dozens of personnel to properly operate them. The training for Patriot missile batteries normally takes multiple months, a process the United States will now carry out under the pressure of near-daily aerial attacks from Russia.

    The system is widely considered one of the most capable long-range weapons to defend airspace against incoming ballistic and cruise missiles as well as some aircraft. Because of its long-range and high-altitude capability, it can potentially shoot down Russian missiles and aircraft far from their intended targets inside Ukraine.

    5 votes
  3. skybrian
    Link
    Pentagon gives Ukraine green light for drone strikes inside Russia (The Times) [...] [...]

    Pentagon gives Ukraine green light for drone strikes inside Russia (The Times)

    The Pentagon has given a tacit endorsement of Ukraine’s long-range attacks on targets inside Russia after President Putin’s multiple missile strikes against Kyiv’s critical infrastructure.
    Since daily assaults on civilians began in October, the Pentagon has revised its threat assessment of the war in Ukraine. Crucially, this includes new judgments about whether arms shipments to Kyiv might lead to a military confrontation between Russia and Nato.

    [...]

    However, Washington does not want to be seen publicly giving the green light to Kyiv attacking Russian soil. Its position on Ukraine’s attacks inside Russia was defined this week by Antony Blinken, the secretary of state, who said: “We have neither encouraged nor enabled the Ukrainians to strike inside of Russia.”

    [...]

    If the US decides to supply Ukraine with longer-range weapons capable of striking deeper into Russia, the fear of potential escalation could increase dramatically. But Pentagon officials have made it clear that requests from Kyiv for longer-range US weapons, including rockets and fighter bombers which could be used for even more effective strikes inside Russia or occupied Crimea, are being seriously considered.

    “Nothing is off the table,” a senior US defence official said.

    4 votes