More than 150 senior Russian officials sign open letter condemning Putin's invasion of Ukraine as

[Quixote1818]

More than 150 senior Russian officials sign open letter condemning Putin's invasion of Ukraine as 'an unprecedented atrocity' and warn of 'catastrophic consequences' while urging citizens 'not to participate'

Over 150 municipal officials have signed open letter condemning Vladimir Putin
Warned invasion was 'an unprecedented atrocity' and there was no 'justification'
Russia today invaded Ukraine in series of attacks from the north, south and east

By LAUREN LEWIS FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 06:49 EST, 24 February 2022 | UPDATED: 11:34 EST, 24 February 2022

More than 150 senior Russian officials have signed an open letter condemning Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine as 'an unprecedented atrocity' and warning of 'catastrophic consequences'.

The deputies said they were 'convinced' Russian citizens do not back the war and blamed Putin 'personally' for ordering troops into Ukraine in an attack 'for which there is no and cannot be justification'.

Putin in the early hours of today gave the order to attack, delivering an extraordinary address to the Russian nation in which he declared a 'special military operation' to 'de-militarise' and 'de-Nazify' Ukraine in what amounted to a outright declaration of war.

More: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10546799/More-150-senior-Russian-officials-sign-open-letter-condemning-Putins-invasion-Ukraine.html?ito=facebook_share_article-top&fbclid=IwAR0wuW0yE2qLpbfrWtnbzNHNY_0Lbv2mBR3GLBfFVakiHVrrPYKhNWNdei0

[Hoyt]

1. Hope it's the start of something, but am pessimistic in these things.

[turbinetree]

2. If the Russian troops back down he's in trouble....because it is being reported that some

will not kill Ukrainians....

[Tomconroy]

3. I've been reading a few.of the expert military commentators

and they make some interesting points:
Putin doesn't have.the forces to do what he is trying to do
Russian soldiers are poorly trained and poorly led. Most are one year conscripts.
Russian motivation is low. Ukrainian motivation is high.
The longer it goes on in some form the more difficult for russia it will be.

No idea. We shall see.

[Quixote1818]

5. Hell, why not just surrender and then defect to a democracy? nt

[DENVERPOPS]

15. Maybe because it is as difficult for them

to defect as it is for most Republican U.S. House members and Senators to defect from the Republican Party......NOT LOL

[uponit7771]

25. They might have family in Russia

[Quixote1818]

6. Seems like for them it might feel like a US Citizen attacking Canada.

Think of how that would feel to our soldiers. You don't really think they are a threat and they have always been your friends. So yes, seems like there would be a HUGE motivation problem.

[AllyCat]

8. I keep pulling up this analogy and being told it isn't accurate

So I am glad to see someone else saying this.

[MFM008]

11. or California attacking

Nevada...

[cilla4progress]

10. So typical when an external State invades,

those fighting for their homeland have many times the motivation!

Why I'm hopeful.

[calimary]

22. Hmmm... sounds like we have somebody not operating from a position of strength.

That is MOST interesting, Tomconroy.

I’ve heard analysis here and there that suggests Putin may have bitten off more than he can chew this time. Conditions that made taking Crimea possible, like the ones you’ve listed, are not present in this case.

[uponit7771]

24. This is what I'm seeing here (link inside) and US paratroopers would've never given up an airport

... that fast.

https://democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=16395081

[PortTack]

4. Another chink in the armor?

[Deuxcents]

7. One can hope

What’s gonna happen to the 150 Russian officials?

[peggysue2]

9. I could easily be wrong but . . .

I don't recall this ever happening before in Russia or the former Soviet Union. Russian officials and the military have always been in lockstep to the 'beloved' leader. Yeltsin was thrown out but he was a hopeless drunk and the country was in a chaotic transition.

Unprecedented atrocity? Wow. I wouldn't accept any drinks from strangers after that. Or lean against windows.

If enough of the Russian population, officials and military begin to reject Putin's nonsense, this could be an absolute game changer. And Ukraine could/might escape devastation.

I'm beginning to believe in prayer circles!

The opposite effect, of course, would be Putin driven to even more extreme measures--the Mad King prepared to take the world down with him.

The unknowables are terrifying.

[PortTack]

13. There are huge demonstrations in Moscow and St. Petersburg..and mean 10s of thousands

https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdSyQ6TP/

[peggysue2]

19. Saw that earlier, PortTack

Think the report said demonstrations in something like 45 Russian cities. Amazing really bc people know what the brutal response will be.

Ukraine's courage appears to be contagious.

Speaking of which (actually speaking of the opposite) the initial Russian report was people protesting were being dispersed bc of Covid violations.

Really?

Putin's propaganda has become very lame.

[TeamProg]

18. Would Russian underlings really want to key the nuke buttons

for Putin, a guy out of step with much of their country?

I’m hoping ‘no’.

[peggysue2]

23. I certainly hope not

I recall reading we were saved once before by a Russian who decided not to key in a counterstrike after a false alarm indicated we (the US) had sent missiles their way.

Stanislav Petrov, the man who saved the world.

Gotta hope there are more Petrov figures out there.

As for Putin? I have no hope for him.

[TheBlackAdder]

12. Follow-up, more than 150 senior Russian officials were blackbagged and sent to Siberia.

[C Moon]

14. I wonder if pootin is having mental problems.

[TeamProg]

20. That's what Macron was hinting at. nt

[Eyeball_Kid]

27. Cognitive decline from Parkinson's? n/t

[uponit7771]

26. That's what this NYT article is hinting at, he turned into a MAGA with nukes during covid (link)

https://archive.fo/RWnWt

[DoBotherMe]

28. He's a lunatic

[Captain Zero]

29. I think he may be taking steroids

There are rumors of Parkinson's Disease.
He is very puffy faced cf to several years ago.

A treatment for Parkinson's is steroids.
Steroids can make you puffy looking.
Steroids can make you a little crazy too.
At least with long term use and /or combined with trying to reduce their use.

A depression with some schizo affects.
Schizo-Affective Disorder?

[Duppers]

16. I fear for their lives.

Putin is insane.

[NCjack]

17. Gutsy move. There could be a mass suicide of 150 people jumping

out of windows of towers.

[sakabatou]

21. How long until those officials are jailed by Putin?

[macwriter]

30. how come no american media are reporting this

I haven't seen it on cable news or online. The same goes for the report that a russian platoon commander surrendered to the Ukranian army because "we ddin't come here to kill ukranians."

Were these false stories or are they being ignored. anybody know?