Ukraine

Well, the company slack group for our Kyiv staff safety makes for sobering reading.

From putin's visible anger and his appeals to the Ukrainian army, you have to feel that his war isn't going as well as he expected it to.
Surely he didn't expect them to welcome the Russians in as an army of liberation?

Klitschko brothers and Usyk apparently returning to Ukraine to bear arms and join the fight.

Surely he didn’t expect them to welcome the Russians in as an army of liberation?

When you live in an echo chamber.

Surely he didn’t expect them to welcome the Russians in as an army of liberation?

He honestly looks so far gone that god only knows what he's thinking. Nothing rational, thats for sure?

Whats interesting is what the Russian armed forces are thinking? What on earth must they think they're doing this for? For some madman to shore up his presidency, protect the illegally acquired riches of a bunch of gangsters and drag the world into a conflict with seriously terrifying potential

Not much of a hill to die on, is it?

Klitschko brothers never left Ukraine; Vitali has been mayor of Kyiv since 2014.

Well, the company slack group for our Kyiv staff safety makes for sobering reading.

Glad they still have internet.

Hardly 4D chess from the Putinistas.

I think these past few weeks, Putin has appeared to be more Mugabe than Machiavelli. And that does beg the question how much of his brilliant tactician image has just been propaganda, is his mental state in decline or is this what he always was a bitter delusional man lashing out to cover up his insecurities.

The past decade or so has highlighted again and again that leadership in politics, finance and business is much more about luck, opportunity and greed (whether greed for wealth or power or both) and actual talent comes a long way down the list of skills exhibited by the "masters of the universe". Putin could just be another example, with an more advanced state propaganda machine at his disposal.

I have to say whilst I think the Russian army will ultimately prevail, I am just so full of admiration for the Ukrainian armed forces, people and their leader.

Unlikely that we'll find out but...how's putin's health?
If he knows he's got limited time this could be his attempt to go out a blaze of glory - or something.

You can't imagine that any of the oligarchs will let it go too far, if they think putin is going off the grid something will happen. The last thing these rich people want to happen is to live in a nuclear wasteland

From putin’s visible anger and his appeals to the Ukrainian army, you have to feel that his war isn’t going as well as he expected it to.

There's already anti war protests. He might get tacit support for "protecting" Russians in small enclaves, but an unjustified invasion of a peaceful neighbour, with Russians coming home in body bags, is a real threat to his support in the military and the wider population.

Too many Russians remember the Afghan occupation.

The last thing these rich people want to happen is to live in a nuclear wasteland

They can just live in another country. That’s the thing about being insanely rich.

I just watched a 14yr old girl riding her bike getting her legs blown off. I’m going to step away from the social media for a bit, it’s too horrific, you can literally see people being massacred real time

I see mad Dobby the House Elf is now threatening Sweden if it joins NATO. Not sure at what point he can be accused of war crimes.

I think he's already exceeded the threshold.

timbog160
Full Member
I have to say whilst I think the Russian army will ultimately prevail, I am just so full of admiration for the Ukrainian armed forces, people and their leader.

Got to admit I became a bit emotional when I read about those 12 Ukrainian border patrol guards that got wiped out on that tiny island off the coast of Odessa today as they wouldn't surrender.

I just watched a 14yr old girl riding her bike getting her legs blown off. I’m going to step away from the social media for a bit, it’s too horrific, you can literally see people being massacred real time

....

Anyone else feel like this is heating up a bit with the statements made at the NATO press conference

Got to admit I became a bit emotional when I read about those 12 Ukrainian border patrol guards that got wiped out on that tiny island off the coast of Odessa today as they wouldn’t surrender.

Same. The room got very dusty for a while there

I'd like to head down to Downing St tomorrow to show my support, and if I get as far as making a banner it's def going to say 'Russian warship, go **** yourself'

I'd encourage anyone who hasn't experienced stuff like that or knows they have a strong constitution to be very careful what links and videos you watch.

This conflict is probably going to be unprecedented in terms of the volume of media coming out. There is some really brutal stuff out there already.

I just watched a 14yr old girl riding her bike getting her legs blown off. I’m going to step away from the social media for a bit, it’s too horrific, you can literally see people being massacred real time

 

Anyone else feel like this is heating up a bit with the statements made at the NATO press conference

I think they're making strong statements but like Ben Wallace this morning it's very clear there will be no armed force use unless the Russians do something stupid. What's notable is how Poland, Estonia etc aren't being mentioned while Finland, not in NATO is subject to Russian threats if they contemplate joining. Turns out being in the bloc is quite a good deterrent.

@DT78 I don't know if I watched the same video but it purportedly showed a cyclist being hit by a shell but it was obviously faked with cheap plugins.

I reckon we should send Boris to Moscow with a nuke in a mofo'ing clown car.

There's a video of the aftermath, not the CCTV and it's certainly not doctored.

Breaking news, Russia has been banned from the Eurovision3 Song Contest.

That'll learn 'em.

I saw that and snort laughed. If Ukraine compete they'll be a shoe in for winning.

Jokes aside, they're in for a rough night I reckon.

Breaking news, Russia has been banned from the Eurovision3 Song Contest.

That’ll learn ’em

I stuck a fiver on Ukraine winning the Eurovision at 13/1 yesterday

I have absolutely no idea what their song is like but them winning is it absolutely nailed on!

I stuck a fiver on Ukraine winning the Eurovision at 13/1 yesterday

I have absolutely no idea what their song is like but them winning is it absolutely nailed on!

If They do win, I’ll donate any winnings to a refugee charity

I always bet on Eurovision, based purely on geopolitical factors

Russian warship, go **** yourself’

Don't hold back, go full Vlad...!

Russian warship, get in the sea!
FIFY.

Oh, hang on..

Echoing others. Utmost admiration for President Zelenskyy, the Klitschko brothers and the other leaders standing to fight. While our leaders pretend they thought a pissup was a meeting, these proper leaders are enlisting and arming themselves to fight alongside their people. I hope when this is all over that we remember this.

Anyone else feel like this is heating up a bit with the statements made at the NATO press conference

Like I said earlier, dominoes are starting to be placed ready to be knocked over. Putin is deliberately setting things out so that all options lead to what he wants, which may or may not be all-out war. Only he knows and I really don't want to find out.

I’d encourage anyone who hasn’t experienced stuff like that or knows they have a strong constitution to be very careful what links and videos you watch.

This conflict is probably going to be unprecedented in terms of the volume of media coming out. There is some really brutal stuff out there already.

I'm deliberately avoiding any raw footage, using the mainstream news outlets (BBC, Guardian, ITV etc) to keep the really nasty stuff away from me. As just reading this:

I just watched a 14yr old girl riding her bike getting her legs blown off.

has shocked me, let alone seeing it.

Andrey rublev (Russia pro tennis player) wrote "no war please" on a camera lens at the Dubai open. This is a small example of not all people in Russia supporting this war, and hopefully the anti war sentiment will grow.

While our leaders pretend they thought a pissup was a meeting, these proper leaders are enlisting and arming themselves to fight alongside their people

There’s just been a female MP on channel 4 news who very eloquently explained now she’d got a Kalashnikov and was going to fight. You could tell that she meant it too

Meanwhile, we have Instagram Liz and her private jet flights

This was probably discussed some pages back but could Ukraine have done a better job of pacifying Putin without totally submitting to all his demands? Did their foreign office sit in the fence to long?

I'm really hoping this runs its course quick but I can't see it, the Ukraine are putting up a hell of a fight

Was carrying my two toddlers into the house earlier and just couldn't imagine people with young children and families are going through there at the moment, to either escape or stay and fight

Some very brave Russians making their view of the invasion clear.

Some very brave Ukrainians standing up to the invading forces.

Putin on the other hand is the biggest coward going. Just look at him. Spineless shit.

It’s just going to escalate isn’t it. Putin going to push and push for more, already mentioning Sweden and Finland. China will be watching ever-so closely, they’ll see Putin getting away with it (relatively) and will think as nothing will happen to them they’ll invade anywhere they want to.

The photos and stories coming out of Ukraine are heartbreaking. Aside from those already mentioned above I’m also finding the pictures of people fleeing with their pets upsetting too

Wonder how belligerent the pentagon is feeling, and what they are saying to Biden. Perhaps not feet on the ground but I'm sure the US Airforce would love to see what's what with current Russian kit.

Perhaps not feet on the ground but I’m sure the US Airforce would love to see what’s what with current Russian kit.

One tiny wee mistake and such a move would turn into the shit show to end all shit shows. Would you rather evidence of US weapons, a downed jet or a pilot being paraded on TV?

Just look at him. Spineless shit.

I just watched the televised announcement he gave today. He looked truly unhinged.

Terrifying!

They may conclude they'll end up in a shooting war sooner or later if the Russians have it all their own way in the Ukraine. (latvia and Estonia having envoked Nato Article 4)

See China has pulled some financial services from them and the hacking group Anonymous have waged war.

Odd that a group of civilians could potentially do more damage than nato...

So, do we hammer frozen sausages into Vlad's front lawn or not?