Even China's relations with non-minority Slavic Russa is pretty shaky. It may get glossed over a bit for utilitarian purposes by each side right now. But no love fest there. I remember- probably it was Gorbachev- was asked if the Soviet Union ever actually considered using nuclear weapons against the U.S. He said: "No but we considered it twice against China." Yeh. Feel the love.
'We will wrest the weapons we need from our enemies!' said Two Fire Herb. A cheer went up. 'Really? How do you actually make them let go?' said Rincewind. -- Terry Pratchett, "Interesting Times"
Here we go again..... Thousands of orthodox Jewish pilgrims defy warnings to travel to Ukraine for Jewish new year As many as 23,000 worshippers are thought to have made their way to Uman to visit the tomb of Rabbi Nachman, a revered 18th-century Hasidic leader. Michael Drummond Sunday 25 September 2022 https://news.sky.com/story/thousand...ravel-to-ukraine-for-jewish-new-year-12705203 Image: Orthodox Jewish pilgrims in the city of Uman in Ukraine Thousands of orthodox Jews have travelled to a city in Ukraine for their traditional pilgrimage to mark Jewish new year, despite the danger of Russian rocket attacks and warnings to stay away. As many as 23,000 worshippers are thought to have made their way to Uman to visit the tomb of Rabbi Nachman, a revered 18th-century Hasidic leader. The city of Uman, which came under fire from Russian artillery earlier in the war, is located around 160 miles northeast of the front lines around Kherson in the south where fierce fighting continues. The annual pilgrimage brings tens of thousands of Hasidic Jews to the city to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year. Fewer devotees were expected to travel to Ukraine for this year's kibbutz, or gathering, after the Russian invasion in February. Both Israeli and Ukrainian officials urged against making the trip. Crowds of pilgrims nonetheless gathered in Uman on Sunday, the start of Rosh Hashanah and the first of the Jewish High Holy days. Why do Jews travel to Uman? The city is steeped in Jewish history. It was the site of a massacre of Jews, Poles and others during an uprising in 1768 and is also associated with prominent Hasidic figure Rabbi Nachman of Breslov. Born in the small town of Medzhybizh in Ukraine, he travelled to modern-day Israel and later returned to live in the Ukrainian town of Breslov. He gained followers and encouraged them to strive to become tzadikim (righteous people) through devotion to God. During his lifetime, thousands of Hasidic Jews travelled to Ukraine to be with him on Jewish holidays, particularly Rosh Hashanah. The annual pilgrimage has continued since his death more than 200 years ago, though the flow of travellers to Uman was stopped after the Russian revolution of 1917. Has the war stopped this year's pilgrimage to Uman? Israeli and Ukrainian authorities have issued stern warnings against travelling to Uman because of the war in Ukraine. The Ukrainian embassy in Israel said: "When the echoes of the Russian enemy explosions on Ukraine don't stop, we must take care of ourselves. "Please, avoid coming to Uman on Rosh Hashanah and pray that peace will return to Ukraine and the blessed pilgrimage will be renewed." The danger of rocket attacks from Kremlin forces has not deterred thousands of pilgrims from making the trip, with some reports putting the number as high as 23,000. Chaim Kramer, a lecturer on Rabbi Nachman's teachings, acknowledged the "reality of the current situation" and said it was up to each individual to do what they feel is right. Nevertheless, speaking last month, he added: "At the moment, we're at the height of preparations to help as many people as possible come and fulfill Rebbe Nachman's words, to come for Rosh Hashanah."
One of the things that gets ugly here (one of many) is that when all the men from one village get mobilized, they usually/often end out being assigned to the same unit. So when that unit has a disastrous day, it is a total disaster for the village back home. In the U.S. the country saw a lot of that during the Civil War when men were raised town by town. A town would go months with no casualties, then wake up to catastrophic news. In WW1, Newfoundland lost an entire generation of men in two days. I suppose that is just side trivia right now. But over time some of these ethnic or rural villages are going to experience some sad frigging stuff. Putin is going to hear about it too. Also because I am not a military genius like Putin, I have to wonder how smart it is to call up men who oppose Russian rule in Crimea- but Putin is the genius here and it is his war. All men in Russian Siberian village mobilized, in some regions it is total https://euromaidanpress.com/2022/09...illage-mobilized-in-some-regions-it-is-total/ A way to get rid of us’: Crimean Tatars decry Russia’s mobilization https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...f-us-crimean-tatars-decry-russia-mobilisation
From Russia: cognitive dissonance Warning: we just tried to pass passport control on Russia-Georgian border. Why no one warned us about the lie detector? We're in shock. Husband 51yo and sons 26yo and 29yo were interrogated and made to take a lie detector test and said that without it they wouldn't be allowed in. The questions were about opinions on the [Russia's] war with Georgia, the "special operation" and Crimea. We don't care about politics! They didn't pass the tests but the worst thing is on the way back on the Russian border the sons were handed the mobilization papers!!!! We're in shock, how can that be? Georgia has betrayed our children. Be careful, we simply don't know what to do, no one likes us, but we're just simply patriots of our country!
US is 'Deadly Serious' About russia’s Use of Nuclear Weapons and Warns of 'Catastrophic Consequences' if It Happens Defense Express September 26, 2022 https://en.defence-ua.com/news/us_i...strophic_consequences_if_it_happens-4337.html CBRN equipment for troops / Open source illustrative photo The issue of nuclear blackmail is a step straight towards the end of civilization The United States is seriously taking the threats voiced by russia that it could use nuclear weapons against Ukraine. American officials have already warned the Kremlin via non-public channels of the US response in case that happens, said White House’s National security adviser Jake Sullivan on CBS television. "It is a matter that we have to take deadly seriously because it is a matter of paramount seriousness – the possible use of nuclear weapons for the first time since the Second World War. We have communicated directly, privately, at very high levels to the Kremlin, that any use of nuclear weapons will be met with catastrophic consequences for Russia, that the United States in our allies will respond decisively. And we have been clear and specific about what that will entail," Jake Sullivan stated. He also added that the USA and allies would continue to support Ukraine in its effort to stand against russian aggression. Although Sullivan disclosed no more details what kind of "decisive response" with catastrophic consequences would be undertaken in such a situation. Open source illustrative photo Importantly, the price russia would have to pay for the use of its nuclear arsenal is of crucial importance in this issue. The thing is, the blackmail we see from the russian federation now, if it has even as little as minimum success, will open the doors for any other nuclear-capable country to act in the same manner. It will also stimulate the rest of the states to acquire nuclear weapons – both for self protection and manipulation on the international arena. This kind of process would put an end to the relative balance of nuclear capability that’d been kept since 1945, even despite the number of nuclear countries growing. And this would be the way towards the end of humanity in general.