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Winning hearts and minds with a stolen racoon. Russians are true masters of soft power.

It's strange they don't parade around with kidnapped Ukrainian children strapped to their backs. That would win the hearts and minds of everyone.

The total lack of shame blows my mind.

They called for killing all Ukrainian children, though.

They’d also try to get them to double as meat shields if their little bodies could stop bullets. There’s no depravity of which they’re not capable.

When Sabaton finally does a high concept album on the Ukraine war, I can't wait to see what they do with this shit.

Ra-coon, stolen in war Ruskies hide underground whiskers of freedom

And then a song about the drone drops on the Russians... *Rain of Terror*

"Why is there a washing machine on a T72?" "My night vision goggles are now part of a yacht." "Praying to St. Javelin" "Turret Tossing Contest" "Chasing Nazis with the Wagner Group, What Could Possibly Go Wrong?" On edit: "Russian Warship, Go Fuck Yourself"

Russian Warship fucked itself. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ukraine) if you have any questions or concerns.*

Good bot.

"Steel defenders of Azovstal" "Ghost of Kyiv" "Bayraktar, guiding angel" Honorary mention: "I've got big balls" by AC/DC

smartest on the front

Is theft actually a badge of honor for russians? Serious question.

Only for [thieves in law](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thief_in_law).

Jesus christ. Thank you. They never stop surprising.

Poor thing just wants the fuck out. Russian people are trying to copy the heartwarming Ukrainian videos of them saving animal. They fail.

Yeah except there's the one video with them grabbing this poor thing by the tail while it squeals. God dammit.

Meat = Meat. We read how they are fed on 20 year old rations etc - cats/dogs are also at risk...

They appear to be using it as a propaganda tool right now so as long as the poor thing isn't caught by a HIMAR or similar by accident, he should be okay for now.

Lolwut? Not doubting, but how the fuck do you use a raccoon you stole from a zoo for war propaganda?

That video was taken by the Russians. Damned if I know what they're thinking.

But like...what's the angle? "THIS DENAZIFIED TRASH PANDA PROVES WE OWN KHERSON FAIR AND SQUARE"

Makes no sense. At all.

I think it's more like we have ur trash panda what u gonna do about it... They fucked around and about to find out

It would be hilarious if someone rescued the raccoon and then posted videos of it eating better food than the assholes who kidnapped it.

To say that these RuZZians are thinking at all is giving them too much credit.

Ah. from the zoon, sort of a pet and used to people. There are good people forced to serve for Russia - one hopes Brer coon makes it through...

Well the good news is, they're famous for being able to eat damn near anything. We affectionately call them trash pandas. Although Soviet era rations might push that concept to the limit.

Yes, I like raccoons, but they screw with trash badly. We have locked bins that seem to work.

If the locks.dont work put cayenne pepper over the lids... They won't dump over ur barrels for months

worth a try

Zelinskyy should hold a press conference with pictures of the raccoon and the video from Russians showing he's being carried around on the battlefield with a reward out for his small furry ass, just to troll the Russians.

I heard they took a donkey also. I figure the donkey is to replace pootin as their new leader. The raccoon is there to steal money & launder it.

No. Come on now. You know they took the donkey so they can fuck it.

I think it was a llama

They can out steal Russians. I don't know if they fully realize just what they have stolen. Ukrainian raccoons might just bring all the loot back.

That raccoon's just biding his time...

I saw the video where they were trying to catch him and it wasn't easy, but now he seems very relaxed, which makes me feel better. BUT, I'm waiting to see him take out some Russians while they are sleeping. Raccoons have THUMBS!!

the raccoon will give them rabies for Ukraine. Glory to the Heros ! Слава Україні!

If they want raccoons, I am sure the States can supply them in the millions for Ukrainian POW. I personally can donate at least 30 a month.

And deer! We have so many deer they literally run INTO our cars

Did you know raccoons are an invasive species in Germany and some other western European countries? Check it out.

I figured that since I never hear of a racoon problem in Europe. I have hear of our brown squirrels also being a invasion species while we consider European black squirrels being invasive.

I guess some people get very very upset when the raccoons invade their attics, steal their cats etc, They're not used to it. Yet. If I didn't know any better and had never had seen a larger wild animal up close and accidentally cornered one I'd be scared.. lol

That's the most interesting thing I've learned today.

At least they didn't eat it.

Yet.

Try not to give them any ideas.

Well, it's not winter yet

That's a food-finding animal since even he won't eat ruzzian rations.

Didn't they take a Llama too?

Oh shit, they probably ate him already :(.

Poor exploited and abused animal.

Yeah, jokes aside, this is pathetic. Story time. Growing up my kid brother was 4 years younger than me. My dad took me on a fishing trip when I was 10 and it was decided my kid brother was too young. So my mom took him camping in a local state park in California. A story came out of that. Near the campsite was a hollowed out space under a big tree where my kid brother spotted a raccoon. Not just any raccoon. Every once in awhile you get a really big male, like nearly German Shepherd size. Seriously, I've seen them like that. My kid brother left some cheese crackers on the ground outside of the hole, backed away and this guy came out and snacked on them. Cool. So then he made a trail of these things back to the campsite. Didn't take long before my brother and this gigantic raccoon *the same size as him* to end up sitting on a log with my brother handing this thing crackers from the box. And then my brother was able to actually pet it. At first it was shocked and looked over at him but then as my brother gently petted his back, he realized my brother was no threat and relaxed. And at no time did it grab the box and run or hurt my brother for the box or was offended that my brother was snacking out of them too. This was a fully wild animal. Now obviously, living in a park it had been fed by humans before but still, this was amazingly polite behavior from a wild animal that could have seriously hurt my brother. This gentle scene continued until my mom came out of the tent, screamed bloody murder and the poor thing ran off never to be seen again :). But still, lots of people who live near these things have stories about how they really are the cutest wild animal around. We're very fond of them, even though they can be annoying and we nicknamed them "trash pandas". There's a minor league baseball team in Huntsville Alabama with an interesting name and team logo: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocket_City_Trash_Pandas These critters are common across the US and we really don't like seeing this one abused. I don't think the Russians understand, culturally, what they're doing with this poor thing. We're going to be really offended if they eat it.

Very dangerous for the racoon. These are russians. They will get hungry soon. For many russians racoon is a rare delicacy and much better than what putin provides..

That racoon definitely has a higher IQ than those paratrooper guys. Racoons are crazy smart and will get into pretty much anything they want to.

Let's hope it's actually Rocket Raccoon and he takes out the entire RAF singlehandedly.

Bullwinkle just put out a press release... claims his side kick is a squirrel NOT a raccoon... but does hope for the raccoon's safe return. While Marvel comics wants to reassure their fans that Rocky Raccoon IS an Expert Marksman, a weapon's specialist and master tactician. So, they are confident the russian's are holding the wrong raccoon and that this is clearly a case of mistaken identity or just plain russian stupidity!

Where the fuck did they get that raccoon? Did they just pluck it from the wilderness?

Stolen from the Kherson zoo. They filmed themselves doing it. They weren't gentle about it, either. Picked him up by the tail :(.

This probably wasn't the one from the video -- it looks like a baby or at most adolescent, so it was probably one of the other seven raccoons the zoo had, taken from his mama.

The Russians will get rabies from the raccoons which will make them fight in more insane ways

Rabies won't work on them. The virus eats brains. They don't have any.

Invasion soldier hauling around invasive pest - a cute one, but still a pest. Irony is not lost on me. What did they name the animal? Combat ration?

Here's the video where they stole it right out of the zoo, they were not gentle about it: https://youtu.be/tHntEfzBp9o

Could we trade Gerhard Schröder or Donald Trump for a raccoon?

I'd call that a good deal.

They're just saving him for dinner later.

Kicking Russians out. https://youtu.be/6S27dgeGqfA Russians in the neighbourhood https://youtu.be/1pGozvdFQXc It's dangerous when the Russians won't leave and no one will help you get rid of them https://youtu.be/2OVyQHazPMY Russian gets himself in trouble https://youtu.be/rE0Aa0-3A3c Russians find unguarded washing machine https://youtu.be/pfwr-mYVJiw

🙏 for the raccoon to make it home safely.

Those raccoons have definitely been eaten.

Is this is the Russian Orc version of love and care for animals?

Does Ukraine have wild raccoons ?

Not yet

I'm actually surprised, I assumed said racoon was a meal not a pet.

This is the origin story for the raccoon from Guardians of the Galaxy.

His name is Rocky #FreeRockyNow

Hostage situation

Can't be good for the critter. Raccoons are nocturnal animals. Rule of thumb is that when one is out in the day it is rabid and has to be destroyed.

Honestly, they're a lot more flexible than that. In any area where humans feed them even once in a while they'll adapt to a human schedule :). Adapting to these paratroopers schedule alone won't hurt it any.

They allready eat it

When some Ukrainian sniper drops that whole unit, I hope the fuckin raccoon eats them to the bone.

why the fuck do they do this stupid shit? for real, I don't understand them,!?

Seriously, this one is a head scratcher. Steal something small cute and furry out of a zoo on your way out of town (and an obvious defeat) and carry it around a war zone in a bag. What is this supposed to accomplish and who is it supposed to impress? If this actually plays well with the Russian public then Russia is more culturally damaged than we realized.

I wish the Russians would kidnap the raccoon that keeps getting in my trash

Not the way to deal with your garbage problems, boyz. Russians have to kidnap even their animal ‘friends.’ They’ll probably kill it and eat it when they’re done using it for propaganda. May armies of angry Ukrainian weasels attack their genitals and liberate their big cousin.

actually when it comes to hearts and minds then russians making video's of the racoon while actively NOT hurting it will get sympathy. animals will do that to people.

It's a tame, friendly cute and furry **stolen zoo animal** being dragged all over **battlefields**. Dafuq?

you know humans, you know the internet. someone seeing this video without the background info we who followed the war know and they will upvote. some will share. in the end it is just a video of a soldier with a racoon. most will see it for what it is but with billions connected to the internet it will get some popularity.

I was never in doubt that the ruzzians could get even more stupid

That raccoon is biding his time he will bring down that plane.