Russo-Ukraine War Archives

Russian Ruble Now Worth Less than a Penny

August 17, 2023 Buck Banks

>1¢

“The ruble hit a 17-month low against the dollar Monday, highlighting the growing squeeze on Russia’s economy from Western sanctions and a slump in export revenues,” CNN reports.

Ukraine Has Retaken 50% of Territory Seized by Russia

July 23, 2023 Buck Banks

50%

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday that Ukraine has already retaken about 50 percent of the territory that Russia initially seized, stressing that Kyiv’s counteroffensive is still in its “relatively early days,” The Hill reports.

U.S. to Give $1.3 Billion in Military Aid to Ukraine

July 18, 2023 Buck Banks

$1.3 billion

“The United States will announce a new pledge to buy $1.3 billion worth of military aid for Kyiv in its conflict with Russia in the coming days,” Reuters reports. “The previously unreported weapons package includes air defenses, counter-drone systems, exploding drones and ammunition.”

Data Scientists Estimate that 50,000 Russian Men Have Died Since the Ukraine Invasion

July 11, 2023 Buck Banks

50,000

Nearly 50,000 Russian men have died in the war in Ukraine, according to the first independent statistical analysis of Russia’s war dead the AP reports.Two independent Russian media outlets, Mediazona and Meduza, working with a data scientist from Germany’s Tübingen University, used Russian government data to shed light on one of Moscow’s closest-held secrets — the true human cost of its invasion of Ukraine.

Reigning (Raining?) Russians

July 6, 2023 Buck Banks

Was it a coup attempt or a revolution? No one knows.
Now Prigozhin’s back in Russia, testing how the wind blows.
Unless you’re a Rasputin,
There’s no escaping Putin.
Our advice? Hey Yevgeny, keep away from the windows!

Carlson Doubts Trump’s Boast on Ending the War in Ukraine in 24 Hours

May 22, 2023 Buck Banks

“I mean, he couldn’t build a border wall in 4 years. So, you know, there is a gap between promises and delivery.”

— Tucker Carlson, when asked if he believes Donald Trump’s claim he would end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours.

Rubio Distances Himself from DeSantis’ Ukraine Remarks

March 14, 2023 Buck Banks

“I don’t know what he’s trying to do or what the goal is. Obviously, he doesn’t deal with foreign policy every day as Governor. So I’m not sure. I can’t speak to that. I can’t compare that to something else he did or said over the last few years because he doesn’t deal with it every day.”

— Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, distancing himself from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ apparent flip-flop on the war in Ukraine, on the Hugh Hewitt radio show.

DeSantis Criticizes Biden’s Ukraine Trip on Fox

February 24, 2023 Buck Banks

“I and many Americans are thinking to ourselves, Ok, he’s very concerned about those borders halfway around the world. He’s not done anything to secure our own borders here… we have a lot of problems accumulating here.”

— Putative presidential contender Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Fox News while President Joe Biden visited Ukraine on President’s Day, reported by Message Box.

Putin: Ukraine Showed Russia’s Weakness

February 23, 2023 Buck Banks

“It turns out we were completely unprepared. The army is a mess. Our industry is a mess. But it’s good that we found out about it this way, rather than when NATO invades us.”

— Russian President Vladimir Putin, to friends, as quoted by the Financial Times.

Republicans Who Criticize Biden’s Ukraine Trip Are ‘Fools”

February 22, 2023 Buck Banks

>1¢

“The ruble hit a 17-month low against the dollar Monday, highlighting the growing squeeze on Russia’s economy from Western sanctions and a slump in export revenues,” CNN reports.

50%

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday that Ukraine has already retaken about 50 percent of the territory that Russia initially seized, stressing that Kyiv’s counteroffensive is still in its “relatively early days,” The Hill reports.

$1.3 billion

“The United States will announce a new pledge to buy $1.3 billion worth of military aid for Kyiv in its conflict with Russia in the coming days,” Reuters reports. “The previously unreported weapons package includes air defenses, counter-drone systems, exploding drones and ammunition.”

50,000

“I mean, he couldn’t build a border wall in 4 years. So, you know, there is a gap between promises and delivery.”

— Tucker Carlson, when asked if he believes Donald Trump’s claim he would end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours.

— Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, distancing himself from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ apparent flip-flop on the war in Ukraine, on the Hugh Hewitt radio show.

“I and many Americans are thinking to ourselves, Ok, he’s very concerned about those borders halfway around the world. He’s not done anything to secure our own borders here… we have a lot of problems accumulating here.”

— Putative presidential contender Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Fox News while President Joe Biden visited Ukraine on President’s Day, reported by Message Box.

“It turns out we were completely unprepared. The army is a mess. Our industry is a mess. But it’s good that we found out about it this way, rather than when NATO invades us.”

— Russian President Vladimir Putin, to friends, as quoted by the Financial Times.

“It’s really not even worth my brain space to spend time responding to fools. These people know nothing about national security and foreign policy.”

— Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO), in a NBC News interview, responding to the Republicans criticizing President Biden for making a surprise visit to Ukraine.

Poetic Justice

Verbatim

“He’s played through this really old entire playbook where there’s no floor for him in terms of how low he will go. And we should be prepared for that, we should be prepared for the fact that he is not burdened by telling the truth… I think he’s gonna lie.”

— Kamala Harris, on The Rickey Smiley Show, talking about what Donald Trump will do in the debate.

“I have never seen a candidate more determined to blow an election.”

— GOP pollster Frank Luntz, on X, on Donald Trump’s latest vow to use the power of government to imprison his political opponents.

“Cheney and I agree on nothing — no issues. But what we do believe in is that the United States should retain its democratic foundations …. I applaud the Cheneys for their courage in defending democracy.”

— Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), on Meet the Press.

“A series of tests confront Trump heading into Tuesday’s event, about self-discipline, knowledge, his age and acuity, his overall temperament, and how he deals with the issues of race and gender. For the past six weeks, he’s often been failing those tests.”

— Dan Balz

“Donald Trump has risen in the polls the more the people have reacted negatively to his treatment in the courtroom. And if the judge had gone ahead with this, it could have easily been the October surprise.”

— Karl Rove told Fox News that allowing sentencing to proceed in Donald Trump’s New York hush money case could have given Trump a boost in the polls.

Numerati

30%

A new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll found 30% of registered voters said tonight’s debate will help them a great deal or good amount in making their selection for president. Roughly 69% said they do not think the event will help them very much or at all with their decision in November.

$1.3 billion

“The IRS has collected $1.3 billion from high wealth tax dodgers since last fall, the agency announced Friday, crediting spending that has ramped up collection enforcement through President Joe Biden’s signature climate, health care and tax package signed into law in 2022,” the AP reports.

46% to 45%

$48% to 43%

$25 million