Microsoft: Russia invasion of Ukraine ‘unlawful, unjustified’ Microsoft is decrying what it calls the "tragic, unlawful and unjustified invasion of Ukraine" by Russia, and vowed to continue protecting the country from cyberattacks and state-sponsored disinformation campaigns. The software giant added it will support humanitarian efforts as Ukrainians try to fend off an invading Russian …
I'm no expert, but something tells me the quartermasters of the Russian army aren't using any version of Windows that can be so simply killed.
The Russians are many things, and yes they are quite often stupid (this whole war, for instance, is an act of almost unbelievable foot-shooting idiocy on Putin's part - joke's on me, all this time I thought he was clever), but if there's one thing they do know it's security.
>this whole war, for instance, is an act of almost unbelievable foot-shooting idiocy on Putin's part
Yes.
Now, call me paranoid, but is it too idiotic?
I mean - leaving the Ukrainian airforce at least semi-functional (MiGs and drones); leaving the comms and power networks up; neglecting to ensure that logistics keep pace with frontline units, leading to those units running out of fuel & supplies; lining up your mobile units in a "40 mile long" convoy (according to latest reports) where they're a sitting duck for aforesaid drones; dropping clusterbombs on civilian areas... surely these are what might be termed schoolboy errors? OK, with the exception of that last one, because Putin has previously shown that he doesn't give a rat's anus about the Geneva Convention or international norms.
Is Putin planning something very, very devious? Is all this just a distraction while he does the "real" stuff somewhere outside the gaze of the world's media? Is he winding the West in to his trap, waiting for the right time to say with a straight face "NATO is fighting against us in all but name, they have cornered us, this is the final battle for the Glory Of Mother Russia(TM), I am entirely justified in going nuclear"? Is he willing to tolerate making his armed forces look feeble in the short term, knowing that there will be a "payoff" that will make everyone forget the last five days' struggle?
"I mean - leaving the Ukrainian airforce at least semi-functional (MiGs and drones); leaving the comms and power networks up; neglecting to ensure that logistics keep pace with frontline units, leading to those units running out of fuel & supplies; lining up your mobile units in a "40 mile long" convoy (according to latest reports) where they're a sitting duck for aforesaid drones; dropping clusterbombs on civilian areas... surely these are what might be termed schoolboy errors? OK, with the exception of that last one, because Putin has previously shown that he doesn't give a rat's anus about the Geneva Convention or international norms."
It's almost as if he wants to lose, isn't it?
According to the Russian (State) TASS news service, the Russians are now targeting buildings in Kyiv and have advised people living near hardened targets to leave. They’ve dropped the sham statements that they weren’t targeting civilians.
https://twitter.com/polinaivanovva/status/1498648659487076362?
The people of Ukraine need All the help anyone can give.
What exactly would "going nuclear" gain him?
No, Putin made a number of gambles that looked to him like good bets, and they mostly turned bad. That happens to the best of us from time to time, but we usually have more sense than to wager our entire country on them.
I've no doubt that Putin will eventually identify some silver lining, and then he'll pretend that was all he really cared about all along. That's how unprincipled opportunists, like both him and his friend Trump, maintain their reputation for smarts. But so far he's managed to achieve everything he least wanted - including, worst of all, making his own army look incompetent. That's one of the few things that could cost him his job, and quite possibly his life, in a matter of days. Generals tend to have limited tolerance for that particular brand of blunder.
Even in Stalin's day, Zhukov trumped Beria. It's not an easy thing to do, to police the army.
The last time the Soviet army attempted a coup was in 1991, but it was closely involved in politics again in 1993 (when it stormed the offices of the Supreme Soviet), and I doubt it's completely forgotten about that.
Apparently, the EV chargers around Moscow stopped working and started showing pro-Ukraine messages, such as 'Putin is a D-head'.
From what was reported - by a Russian source - this was due to the units being sourced from a Ukrainian business that happened to have a 'back door' into the units... and decided to take advantage of that.
That does suggest the Russians weren't covering all bases when they decided to go after one of their infrastructure suppliers home turf...
Anonymous decided to join in last week declaring Cyberwar against Russia. Over the Weekend targeted Russian TV, the Russian government amongst other things.
https://twitter.com/youranonone?lang=en
It feels wrong for me to be saying this but, more power to their keyboard, I hope they do much more damage like that to Russia in the coming days.
@Andre Carneiro
I find this hard to believe. This is a thread about an appallingly tragic situation, and your 10 pennorth worth is to have a go ar Apple? Words fail me.
For what it is worth, not that it will enough for you, Apple have halted all sales in Russia.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/03/apple-halts-all-device-sales-in-russia-in-response-to-invasion-of-ukraine/
@idiot
I am sorry that you feel offended by my post. I was merely pointing out that I found it out of character that whilst most tech companies were indeed making a statement, Apple wasn't.
And yes I am aware that they eventually followed suit so my post is now moot, but thank you for the update anyway.
"... where the Ukrainian government and many other organizations and individuals are our customers."
Here's what you do.... create some software then advertise it to the world that it's being used in the Congo or wherever (but not the Congo as that's not currently trending). Don't actually help, just trend it to get your name in the pot of companies that "care".
With the money Microsoft has, they could hire a serious amount of mercs. to go help the fight. Of course, that would be taking sides and that's well out of scope of advertising.
Both Apple and MS need to think about how Russians get their internet and news.
Yes they could kill switch everything. But then no truth will come out of Russia and their people will not see the truth from the rest of the world.
But all credit to MS for taking a lead in defence on the internet.
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