In a recent interview with Moscow’s state-run Russia-1, a clip of which circulated widely on social media Saturday, the newly appointed Colonel-General Andrey Mordvichev said that the war “will not stop here [in Ukraine].”

“If we are talking about Eastern Europe, which we will have to, of course then [the war] will be longer,” he added.

  • Rapidcreek@reddthat.com
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    1 year ago

    NATO has 500,000 active troops, and the largest Navy and Air Force in the world. Ain’t happening, sweetheart. Especially since Ukraine has taken 50% of the Russian combat capabilities.

    • bakeronomous@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Actually NATO has ~3.7 million active troops and another 3.7 million in reserve, which definitely doesn’t turn things in Russia’s favor.

    • TigrisMorte@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      And what happens if 45 returns to power and pulls out of NATO while the alt-reich wack jobs continue to get Voted into power in the EU Countries?

      • withabeard@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I’m not anti US. But given the current state of the Russian forces in Ukraine, the rest of NATO doesn’t need US support to defeat any Russian advance.

        I highly doubt China wants all out war with NATO, so Russia would be largely alone.

        The worst would be if the Cheeto supremo were to try and fight NATO. I’m not sure how much the US military complex would back that though.

        • SoylentBlake@lemm.ee
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          Russia and China are already at loggerheads.

          Russia has rebuked Chinas attempts to negotiate peace, which China desperately wants to do (negotiate, not necessarily the peace) to show the world there’s an alternative to the US ideology.

          China praised Ukraine for what they brought to the table, Russia didn’t even show up. China has asked to be at any and all future proceedings while Moscow is noncommittal to anything.

          To say it another way: Beijing vouched for their homeboy but then come the interview they never showed and it made Beijing look bad in front of his peers, all at the time when Beijing is being consider for a promotion.

          • Edgelord_Of_Tomorrow@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            China are also extremely interested in maintaining the taboo against the use of tactical nukes. China shares a border with 4 nuclear powers.

            They are extremely afraid that Russia using one will break the taboo and it’s not guaranteed they would sit out of making an example of Russia should they do so.

        • Spendrill@lemm.ee
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          I’m not sure how much the US military complex would back that though.

          ‘Hey Don, hey big fella, Donny Don, we booked you a victory parade! Yeah, what you’re gonna do is cruise through Dallas in an open top Cadillac, it’ll be iconic! Aand we’ve clubbed together and got you a yuge surprise, it’s so big it fills Dealey Plaza.’

        • DarkThoughts@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          I’m not anti US. But given the current state of the Russian forces in Ukraine, the rest of NATO doesn’t need US support to defeat any Russian advance.

          Likely not, but it might take much more casualties. I think in such an event we’d want a quick & decisive victory, with a crushing defeat for Russia, instead of a long drawn out war.

          • uint8_t@feddit.de
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            1 year ago

            we’d want a quick & decisive victory

            that’s literally every war, ever

        • Zoidsberg@lemmy.ca
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          1 year ago

          I highly doubt Germany wants an all-out war with Europe, so Austria-Hungary would be largely alone if they attack Serbia.

      • Turun@feddit.de
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        1 year ago

        As if the US would not sell weapons to Europe. Even without sending troops (or rather even if recalling all troops currently stationed in Europe) the US arms industry would not let such an opportunity for extra profits pass. And as we see in Ukraine weapon systems can compensate for a lot of manpower.

        • TigrisMorte@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          Relevance? Under 2025 plan the US would be selling weapons to anyone with cash including Al-Qaeda as long as 45 got a cut.

          • Turun@feddit.de
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            1 year ago

            Relevance? You asked a hypothetical question what would happen if trump got reelected and withdrew from NATO. My answer is that the US arms industry would continue to support Europe, because it would be profitable. I fail to see how you could have read that as not relevant.

            I understand your comment as a counter argument, that the US would sell to anyone, as long as trump gets a cut. So if they sell to Russia and Europe, does it still matter? Yes, because Europe has more money.

            • TigrisMorte@kbin.social
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              and they’d support Russia as well, probably on more favorable terms as 45 is a well known Putin cock holster. Not sure that can be placed in a reliable category. Like starlink…

  • Chup@feddit.de
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    1 year ago

    This is kinda known since the war started and Lukashenko presented a map of the ‘special military operation’ with attack paths into all of Ukraine, as well of Moldova. It was never just a few regions of Ukraine as Russia keeps repeating, it was the whole country and more from the beginning.

    Any search engine will do for: Lukashenko map attack

    • Sigmatics@lemmy.ca
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      It was never just a few regions of Ukraine as Russia keeps repeating, it was the whole country and more from the beginning.

      How could anyone even believe that when they invaded Kiev on the very first day? Why invade the capital if not to overtake the country?

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    1 year ago

    The article links to this tweet here as a source.

    I don’t speak Russian, but I’m transcribing the English subtitles:

    Interviewer: How long will the war last?

    Mordvichev: I think there is plenty of time to spend. It is pointless to talk about a specified period. If we are talking about Eastern Europe, which we will have to… of course, then it will be longer.

    Interviewer: Ukraine is only a stepping stone?

    Mordichev: Yes, absolutely. It is only the beginning. I think all kinds of ideologists and instigators of this war will not stop here.

    Since he’s a Russian general, I assume that by “instigators and ideologists of this war” he means someone higher up in the US or NATO. Certainly he’s not referring to Putin or the Kremlin. And he’s saying they will not stop here.

    • Piers@beehaw.org
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      1 year ago

      Iirc the Russian military has a huge number of generals. This might be more like “random local council representative spouts off about national politics” than “senior military leader states top level policy.”

    • 0x815@feddit.deOP
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      It’s not that I think you’ll understand given your ‘assumption’, but as Russia is the aggressor here and it was Russia that invaded Ukraine, your comment doesn’t make any sense.

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        It does imo. The headline suggests that the general plans to invade europe. But actually in his (fucked up) worldview he frames the west of wanting to invade russia. Would be a completely different story. That Russia IS the aggressor is irrelevant to the generals subjective view, ain’t it?

        • clutchmatic@lemmy.world
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          Russia always pushed the narrative to Russian-speaking people that they were going to “save” ethnic Russians in Donbas and Crimea from the “Nazi” Ukrainian oppression. Nothing new here in Russian government worldview department…

          • Fushuan [he/him]@lemm.ee
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            Yeah, but what the comment is explaining that the general’s subjective viewpoint, who he might be referring to given his subjective context. OP’s response is simply wrong and is acussing the original commenter for no reason.

            So, what the general is saying is that, for TheWestTM, Ukraine is only a stepping stone in the manipulation and instigation scheme against TheMotherlandTM. He believes that if they completely invade Ukraine, then other eastern countries will start actively participating “If we are talking about Eastern Europe, which we will have to”.

            Ukraine is only a stepping stone? * for the west*

            Yes, absolutely. It is only the beginning. I think all kinds of ideologists and instigators of this war will not stop here. * Yeah, the west will keep trying to force this war for longer*

            For context, I completely disagree with what he is saying, but stating that he admits that Ukraine is the stepping stone to invade Europe is factually incorrect, he is NOT saying that.

      • MelastSB@sh.itjust.works
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        1 year ago

        The commenter isn’t saying Russia didn’t start the war, he’s saying that the Russian general is supposed to believe Russia didn’t start the war

  • vzq@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    Even assuming it’s true (for the sake of argument) why would you say such a thing?

    Especially if it’s true.

    • Tar_alcaran@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      For internal consumption.

      Just keep saying you’re winning massive victories and planning to rename the streets in Amsterdam, and some Russians might be dumb enough to believe it

      • vzq@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        1 year ago

        Hehe, I guess it is the kind of thing that you would not say if it’s true, so that means it’s not true because they said it.

        Or something. It gets confusing fast.

        • Honytawk@lemmy.zip
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          Or they say it just so you think that isn’t their plan, while it actually is their plan all along.

          Russian is good at propaganda.

    • MrMakabar@slrpnk.net
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      1 year ago

      To get the country behind the idea of fighting a long hard war. That is needed right now fighting Ukraine and much more of it is needed, if they would fight the EU.

    • MentalEdge@sopuli.xyz
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      Because things have gone south so hard, that self-sabotage might be the easier way out, by now.

  • rustyfish@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Good thing you stumbled over that stepping stone and broke your neck like a fucking idiot.

  • magnetosphere @beehaw.org
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    1 year ago

    If this were just a video game, or something without actual lives at stake, I’d tell Putin to go ahead and try. Russia’s loss would be quick, decisive, and thorough. Russia’s ineptitude has been so complete that future generations will have a hard time believing it.