Ukraine

Looking how well his army is doing in Ukraine I doubt invading NATO members is very desirable to him at the moment.

Indeed, apart from having nukes they seem pretty weak, bringing 20th century warfare to a 21st century battle. However on the media front they’ve created a home narrative that has the support of many Russians whilst effectively making opposing views illegal. I’m not sure how you win that one and I can see the issue for social media companies soviet staff facing jail which is another reason for them suspending operations. I can only think putting pressure on more western companies (Amazon, SWIFT etc) to withdraw might make raise the issue more visible with ordinary Russians.

“Looking how well his army is doing in Ukraine I doubt invading NATO members is very desirable to him at the moment.”

You cut out the bit where I said that had he taken Ukraine in 3 days, those countries might have been worried.

Then I went on to make exactly the point you’ve just made.

Having the Russians extended out more than 50 miles from railheads starts to strain their truck fleet. Take that out to 150 miles

Which is why Russia are more focused on taking the (rail stations in) southern cities, and they’ve had a lot more success there.

johnson – lebedev has been an open secret for years with too few people expressing any concerns.
johnson dropping his minders to attend a weekend long lash-up at lebedev’s Italian palazzo didn’t just happen once.
Being seen at Italian airport dishevelled and hung over.
Private Eye is your friend.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the next issue – end of next week – revisited johnson’s relationship with two beards.

You cut out the bit where I said that had he taken Ukraine in 3 days

Oops, I seem to have missed that bit. Soz.

No worries slowoldman!

I think a lot of the conversation around winning/losing is partially irrelevant; he may not be ‘winning’ militarily, but he has stopped a country functioning as a it ordinarily should, caused a humanitarian crisis and reinforced the division of East vs West to potentially a new level.

I can’t help but think he’s well happy with that.

I think I’m going to panic fill up the tank. Should last me a while since I am also going to panic not-drive-anywhere.

Reports that Russian demands have softened in talks.
-change constitution to not allow EU or NATO membership
-recognise crimea and Eastern autonomous regions as Russian

The demilitarisation and denazification has been dropped.

I’m thoroughly ashamed to be British at the moment.

I am very proud to be British, with the efforts made to raise funds and send supplies as part of the humanitarian effort.

I am thoroughly ashamed of the British government, but that’s been ongoing for most of the last 15 years or more.

Yet again, tarring an entire country with the same brush distorts the reality of the situation.

That’s going to be a hard decision ^^

It’s got to be a no. Anything else is a Russian win, ie they come out of it better than started which will only give them time to regroup and try again in a few years. They would know that just threatening a nuclear attack will get them (some of) what they want.
As unpleasant as it is the fight has to continue until they either withdraw completely or Putin is toppled and then they withdraw completely.
This is very easy for me to say as I’m not currently being shelled.

“Here’s what we do to you if you aren’t protected by firm alliances… now, agree not to form firm alliances…” 🧨🙁🔫

The demilitarisation and denazification has been dropped.

Yep, Putin’s plan of remilitarization and renazification is well under way.

Before we get to Wagner itself, lets look at the man himself. Do you see the tattoos on his neck? Those are the Waffen SS rank insignia for a Hauptsturmführer (chief assault leader). And on his chest? That's the Nazi Reichsadler (imperial eagle) badge. pic.twitter.com/R6MD8Comg7

— Idrees Ahmad (@im_PULSE) March 5, 2022

The tankies got distracted with fantasies about NATO being neo-imperialist and missed what was right before their eyes.

In 2018, when Russian journalists tried to investigate Wagern's operations in the Central African Republic, three of them were killed. https://t.co/f1urrNkMFe

— Idrees Ahmad (@im_PULSE) March 5, 2022

Minor point – I’ve read that it’s to recognise DNR and LNR as Independent , not Russian.

Either way, it’s unacceptable, and having seen Lukashenko’s map which showed a planned ‘liberation’ of Transnistria, we can be sure it would just be Putin buying time to regroup, resupply and crack on.

But – it is an interesting climb down from what they were demanding about 3 days ago (regime change and demilitarisation of Ukraine…)

Is it really a climb down? Isn’t splitting Ukraine into smaller controllable/manageable chunks the aim? I can’t realistically see Ukraine coming out of this without being reduced in size, no matter how much we might want otherwise. I suspect the depressing conclusion in Ukraine will be that as well. Even though they know they won’t get real peace if they agree, just a halt to current overt troop advances.

Is it really a climb down?

Yep. Putin’s aim was to reduce Ukraine to a puppet of Russia like Belarus. Acknowledging Ukraine as a legitimate partner to negotiations is a climb down.

Isn’t splitting Ukraine into smaller controllable/manageable chunks the aim?

Yep. Putin isn’t serious about negotiating a peace deal. If he can’t destroy Ukraine, he wants to make it unviable.

Ok, maybe climbdown is overstating it. But still less rigid than the initial gambit.

Just saw another good point on Twitter. Russia is the 2nd largest arms exporter in the world. How many nations are going to be watching this, wondering if that’s what they want for their army??

I think Zelenskyy will tell them where to stick their new demands.

I think he should agree to a referendum for the eastern regions but also for Crimea. I think at this point Putin would assume it would go his way but I think he’d be unpleasantly surprised.

Not sure who or how it could be overseen though.

Russia is the 2nd largest arms exporter in the world. How many nations are going to be watching this, wondering if that’s what they want for their army??

Yep. Chinese arms merchants will be out there right now promising to supply the same gear as the Russians but cheaper and with new tyres.

I think he should agree to a referendum for the eastern regions but also for Crimea.

Sounds nice. Unless a bunch of Ukrainians have fled the areas over the last few years and a bunch of Russians have moved in. So, sure, do a referendum of the people who lived there in 2014. Assume the ones who were killed by the Russian invasion voted for staying Ukrainian.

I’m thoroughly ashamed to be British at the moment.

I am very proud to be British, with the efforts made to raise funds and send supplies as part of the humanitarian effort.

I am thoroughly ashamed of the British government, but that’s been ongoing for most of the last 15 years or more.

Yet again, tarring an entire country with the same brush distorts the reality of the situation.

I didn’t put it very well did I, you express it much more eloquently. I just find Boris and his cronies utterly shameful.

I think he should agree to a referendum

I’ve gone off referendums of late

It’s got to be a no. Anything else is a Russian win…..
This is very easy for me to say as I’m not currently being shelled.

I hate to agree,but this is probably the “right” answer, poor souls.

I’ve gone off referendums of late

Good point – can you imagine the level of Russian interference?!

you express it much more eloquently

I’ve been accused of a lot of things on here recently, but eloquence is a new one! 🤣

I just find Boris and his cronies utterly shameful

100%. Just be careful not mix up the the actions of the (awful) government with what the British people want. For an extreme example look at Russia and Putin. Even the limited support for Putin’s actions is based on a heavily controlled narrative.

Just watch what you click on in the Wagner twitter thread, there’s some pretty gruesome images of a beheaded Syrian deserter. Utter animals.

Just watch what you click on in the Wagner twitter thread, there’s some pretty gruesome images of a beheaded Syrian deserter. Utter animals.

Yes, apologies for that. I should have warned. I didn’t get far before it got out of my comfort zone. Sorry.

I’m thoroughly ashamed to be British at the moment.

Being British, but mainly English has been toe-curlingly embarrassing for a good few years now, specifically since 24th June 2016.

But even by the standards of Brexit Britain it’s absolutely shameful whats happening at the moment. There was an immigration lawyer on Radio 4 at lunchtime saying that the Home Office is completely unfit for purpose and despite Boris’s bullshit words, they have approved a mere 1% of applications for Ukrainians trying to enter the UK.

I absolutely despise this cold-hearted, inhumane shower of ****s, but there is surely a special place in hell for Priti Patel, as the daughter of immigrants who came into this country under similar circumstances. Talk about pulling up the ladder behind yourself. An absolutely despicable human being!

Chinese arms merchants will be out there right now promising to supply the same gear as the Russians but cheaper and with new tyres.

I dunno about that. Those tyres which are falling to bits are apparently Chinese ones so I would be wanting some good evidence it was bad maintenance to blame.

I think he should agree to a referendum for the eastern regions but also for Crimea. I think at this point Putin would assume it would go his way but I think he’d be unpleasantly surprised.

Can you imagine the level of intimidation and even ethnic cleansing in these regions in the run-up to a vote? Would make the type of polite gerrymandering and voter suppression we see in the West look pretty mild.

Meet Dimitry Utkin

Not sure I want to see the rest of that Tinder profile.

Love that picture of Dmitry Utkin – you just wouldn’t hire him as a babysitter.

As unpleasant as it is the fight has to continue until they either withdraw completely or Putin is toppled and then they withdraw completely

Spoken like a man safely behind his keyboard. I wonder if you’d feel differently if they were shelling your home?

I agree with your sentiment, but we need to be at least a little pragmatic here.

I know what I WANT to happen, but the Ukranian govt needs to work out what is best for them.

I feel any solution needs to be mediated with outside help.

Yes, apologies for that. I should have warned. I didn’t get far before it got out of my comfort zone. Sorry.

It’s fine, I made the mistake of clicking a link assuming a story rather than actual video stills and trophy shots. They certainly have a different level of journalism.

The UK Government is a disgrace.

Poland has accepted over 1 million refugees, the UK has accepted 50.pic.twitter.com/YytQ7xnd1n

— Grant Costello (@GrantDCostello) March 7, 2022

Not my fault…..shameless

Love that picture of Dmitry Utkin – you just wouldn’t hire him as a babysitter.

Doesnt he push trolleys for Simon Skinner?

Doesnt he push trolleys for Simon Skinner?

yarp