Russians are realising Crimea is 'not a place for them', says Zelenskiy

[Lasher]

Source: The Guardian

Ukrainian president’s comments come as thousands of Russians flee Crimea after strikes on peninsula

Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has said that panicking Russians have realised that Crimea is “not a place for them” after three mysterious and devastating strikes on the peninsula over the past week, thought to have been carried out by Ukrainian operatives.

In his latest video address Zelenskiy said long queues of cars streaming across the Crimea Bridge leading to the Russian mainland proved that the “absolute majority” of Russian citizens had got the message. At least 38,000 cars crossed on Tuesday – a record.

The mass exit came after an ammunition dump and electricity sub-station blew up near the town of Dzhankoi, a significant railway hub. Another apparent Ukrainian strike took place outside the regional capital Simferopol, where a Russian airbase was destroyed.



Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/aug/17/russians-are-realising-crimea-is-not-a-place-for-them-says-zelenskiy

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Crimea has become a popular beach hangout for Russians, but maybe not anymore. After Ukraine's recent attacks there, a lot of them flocked back home across the bridge.

[paleotn]

1. Well no. The Ukrainians keep blowing stuff up there.

[Lovie777]

2. 38 thousand or so cars left Crimea by bridge......

Russia closed the bridge shortly thereafter only letting military and officials and of course the rich leave.

[Grokenstein]

7. Putin using his own citizens as hostages/human shields.

Not exactly unexpected but still revolting.

[OMGWTF]

9. That's why the Russians are taking hold in nuclear power plants. One does not dare blow that up.

A sane one, that is.

[Grins]

12. Now blow up the bridge.

Putin built it for one purpose and it wasn’t so Russians could enjoy the beach.

[Igel]

16. Perhaps.

You'll find few more anti-Putin folk than me, but the previous record was only slightly less, on 8/16/2020.

What happened in 8/2020? Nothing. But the end of summer vacation.

Suddenly a very, very slightly larger number on 8/15/2022. But that's *entirely* due to the war.

So ... What caused the previous record? And when does summer vacation end in 2022?

Now, I'm sure that the attacks in the last few days of summer vacation 2022 caused an outflux. (Then again, I'd not have been there.) How much larger it *would* have been than the *usual* outflux is what's at issue. The claim is that "end of summer vacation = normal day" is crazy. Nobody's interested in the *actual* difference (or the mathematically derivable difference).

You think that an attempt at the difference would matter. My math chops won't allow it.

[Roc2020]

3. Yah. Crimea does not belong

to Russia. Ukraine is making that clear.

[patphil]

4. Hey, surprise, you're in a war zone!

If no Ukrainian city is safe, then there shouldn't be any safety in Crimea.

I hate to put civilians in danger, but Putin has all of Ukraine in his sights, and killing civilians means nothing to him, even though he says they're all Russian citizens.

[TomSlick]

5. If you're a Russian in any occupied Ukrainian territory,

you gotta figure that when the Russian army finally leaves, Ukraine may not be terribly hospitable to any Russian civilians left behind.

[Warpy]

6. Not much of a hangout

I pointed out the other day that there were few people on the beach, nobody swimming, no umbrellas or beach towels, no life guard, no paddle boards, no concession stands. There didn't seem to be much point to going to a Crimean beach.

Likely these people leaving are all the families of the military stationed there for the last eight years.

[Layzeebeaver]

13. And the best way to keep troops alert (Actually the worse)

is to keep their families near the front of the battle.

They might revolt a bit, but those who do will be killed along with their families and a few random ones without remorse.

If that happens, the troops might begin surrendering in droves (with their families if possible) or attacking their own direct HQs.

It could get messy really fast.

[machoneman]

8. The Ukes need to completely destroy all rail and vehicle bridges. Russian armor, artillery, ammo and

even soldiers will be trapped and after awhile would surrender. Better, the Ukes get all the left behind military equipment that hasn't been torched by the Russkies.

[Warpy]

10. Crimea as a Russian possession is just not tenable

because all the fresh water has to come from Ukraine and they cut it off some time ago. Russia has had to bring it in by tanker.

I've thought for a long time that massive sabotage on the peninsula was overdue, it's been a major staging area for most of the Russian eastern offensives. Whether this is happening via special forces or domestic sabotage by Crimean people who think Russia has vastly outstayed its welcome is anyone's guess at this point. It does seem to have spooked civilians and military dependents into leaving.

[EndlessWire]

11. The Russians need to consider whether

that bridge will remain viable. They all need to leave.

[2naSalit]

14. I was hoping this would happen...

Months ago. Glad it's on now, though.

[LiberalLovinLug]

15. I love how Zelensky is always ahead of the game

He's calling Putin's bluff. He's not only reacting to Russia's attacks after the fact, he's also projecting their ultimate loss for them. Broadcasting it loud and clear, and going further than even the rest of the world believes. ie...the return of Crimea. Psychological warfare.

It may be all propaganda but I can't help but relate this to Democrats MO over the last decade or two. They don't use propaganda ahead of time, and so are usually always in reaction/defensive mode. They don't want to frighten Americans I guess with any predictions about what horrors await Americans in allowing Republicans to continue to circumvent laws, both criminally, and ethically, from the Bush years on. Yes they have been slowly ramping up the rhetoric, but its always behind the curve. Following the curve. And using Republican sacrificial lambs like Liz Cheney as cover.

I'm so tired of it always being Republican actors raging on TV about the horrors in store if Democrats are gong to get away with such and such. Democrats should be able to express what most of us are feeling about the danger to democracy that Trump and company are to the country. If they "go over the top" and say, declare the Republican party as a "terrorist organization" so be it. Its up to the MSM to tamp it down, pull it back. Like they usually do with Republican extremists. ie.. claims the Jan 6 riots were "antifa" were quickly shown to not be the case. Its not up to a political party to measure their words and be worried about upsetting people. Not any more. It should be the other way around. The press should be trying to reign in angry upset Democrats. D reps should be projecting like hell right now. "Patriotic, law abiding Americans are realizing that the modern day criminalized Republican party is not for them"

I know, some will say they are doing that, as best they can. But I just think they could go further.