Ukraine

To be honest I think we are all a bit tense at the moment. I generally find this thread helpful as a bit of a release.

We can all guess what he would or would not do if he was the President in the current situation

Don’t need to guess, here’s what he said : “I went in yesterday, and there was a television screen, and I said, ‘This is genius.’ Putin declares a big portion of the Ukraine — of Ukraine — Putin declares it as independent. Oh, that’s wonderful,” Trump said when asked about the news. “I said, ‘How smart is that?’ And he’s going to go in and be a peacekeeper.”

So that’s cool.

Observation: The Chinese haven’t fought a proper actual war since oooh, about 1979 when they had a go at the Vietnamese. I wonder if they’re looking at how the RF are getting on in Ukraine and quietly closing the “How to Invade an Island Annual 2022” that they got for Christmas

Yes, they have not but keep track of them building more aircraft carriers. That’s the sign.

Anyone seen Zelensky getting a standing ovation when addressing European Parliament just now (via remote link of course)…

Quite dusty in here right now…

That was a serious standing ovation! I’d link the vid but can’t from BBC, and the YouTube versions are all hastily edited and not very good.

A real case of life imitating art if ever there was one!

I find it particularly heartening that individuals such as vasly lomachenko and oleksandr usyk are returning to take up arms. Multimillionaires who could easily hide away in luxury in a safe haven miles away from danger, but are willing to risk it all alongside their fellow Ukrainians

This is why putin won’t win this, not in the long term.

That’s the sign.

Of what?

And then there’s good ‘ol boys, God fearin’ Christians, putting themselves at risk to fight the Nazis.

Can someone please find the grave where irony’s been buried, so I can lay some flowers on its tomb.

https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/footage-shows-american-man-embedded-with-russian-troops-20220301

Of what?

The ability to use aircraft offensively from a mobile base, instead of land-based, which shortens the distance to the target, allowing heavier weapons loads without compromising offensive range due to fuel, and not needing IFR systems.

Just read this, a piece from the point of view of a Russian, about the situation people are living with in Russia. 5200 people arrested, beaten up and jailed by a special police force, for nothing more than walking near a protest, or carrying a piece of paper with a message of protest on it.

And Putin talks about de-Nazifying Ukraine!

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/mar/01/young-russians-putin-digging-his-own-grave-ukraine-sanctions

China’s aircraft carrier production is impressive/foreboding enough… but nothing compared to building whole new islands to launch attacks from.

This is powerful.

Diplomats from around the world stand up and leave as Russia’s Foreign Minister Lavrov begins his speech to UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.pic.twitter.com/z2GNQEGdqF

— Mike Galsworthy (@mikegalsworthy) March 1, 2022

Ambassadors getting up and silently leaving as Lavrov begins his speech at the UN

Ah, Russell Bentley; The Donbas Cowboy, wondered when he’d rear his head again. I did see a post on Reddit but kept scrolling. That crank has been doing this for a while, an old int officer got heckled when he put his videos on at the end of a briefing. Strange chap.

His YT

And then there’s good ‘ol boys, God fearin’ Christians, putting themselves at risk to fight the Nazis.

Can someone please find the grave where irony’s been buried, so I can lay some flowers on its tomb.

https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/footage-shows-american-man-embedded-with-russian-troops-20220301

The ability to use aircraft offensively from a mobile base

I’d predict, given the weaponry available to the Taiwanese that a Chinese carrier would last ooooh maybe as long as minutes in an actual shooting war, and you’d still need to get a million Chinese troops ashore in what would need to be the world’s largest ever seaborne amphibious invasion fleet against the sort of military and preparations that make the Ukrainians look like Sat afternoon amateurs, across a 100 mile stretch of water that’s known the region over as one of the most difficult and treacherous bits of navigable sea and land them all on about 10 possible landing sites some of which are cliff faces that the Taiwanese would’ve known was coming for months beforehand…Look at the trouble the RF have had resupplying their troops across an 80km land border, and add in a hostile sea to that.

I’m not sure who the good guys are in this conflict.

Really? You think the presence of this teeny load of arseholes makes the Ukrainians the “baddies?” You need your bumps feeling you ridiculous troll….sorry Edited to say: son of a silly person (in an outrageous French accent )

Did you know there was a SS unit made up of English fascists in the 2nd World War? You can read about their pointless existence here Does that make you unsure who the good guys were in that war as well?

Really? You think the presence of this teeny load of arseholes makes the Ukrainians the “baddies?” You need your bumps feeling you ridiculous troll.

Sure there was a “please play nicely” thread recently….

Yep MCTD you’re right, I’ll edit my post to be more polite

all talk of a10/drones etc with regards to the large convoys of russian vehicles, think I’d go for the simpler Jihadi route of mines, road side bombs and IED’s. Would cause havoc with all those soft skinned vehicles. Obviously a bit late the deploy now though.

Note the information on here (is that a US badge top right?) – most notably that Moldova has an invasion force shown.

I assume the link scoffcake has just supplied is a link to a ukranian ultra nationalist paramilitary group. They exist and are indeed involved in the long running conflict in the eastern provinces, fighting Russian backed militias. 10,000 have died since 2014

Think of it like Nortern Ireland, communities at loggerheads and the worst scumbags nutters and extremists from each community get given the guns. Doesn’t mean everyone on each side is like that. That is why there is as much sympathy for the Russian conscripts as their is.

Many ethnic Russians in the East and Crimea welcomed the Russians in 2014 but are experiencing buyers remorse. They thought joining Russia would improve their economic situation but it hasn’t. Instead they’ve had 8 years of living in a police state, a stagnant economy, external media being switched off and in Crimea they’ve watched as their entire island has been turned into an arms dump. Russia promised infrastructure investment, (of course they did, they need all the new roads to move all the tanks around).

Putin knew he wouldn’t be welcomed in western Ukraine but what he didn’t bank on is the different mood in the Russian population now as compared to 8 years back. They voted for ‘Brexit’ and many now regret it.

I assume the link scoffcake has just supplied is a link to a ukranian ultra nationalist paramilitary group.

Whatever it was, I assume enough people took umbrage as it appears to have disappeared… 🤷🏻‍♂️

Just listened to the bunker podcast. 30 mins with John Sweeney in Kiev right now. It’s quite encouraging and v v entertaining. He seems unbelievably chill as well

To be honest I think we are all a bit tense at the moment. I generally find this thread helpful as a bit of a release.

Definitely the case for me. I don’t generally have the radio on when working but the last few days I’ve been turning it on for the news bulletins as the thought of not knowing anything about what is happening right now is just pushing my anxiety through the roof. Every time I hope to hear the announcement that Putin has capitulated or been assassinated while also praying it’s not the emergency announcement!

It’s not a relaxing state of affairs.

Behind a paywall but relates to the convoy north of Kiev/claims

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2022/02/28/russias-17-mile-convoy-thwarted-road-kyiv/

Not sure there’s a none paywall version out there?

Definitely the case for me. I don’t generally have the radio on when working but the last few days I’ve been turning it on for the news bulletins as the thought of not knowing anything about what is happening right now is just pushing my anxiety through the roof. Every time I hope to hear the announcement that Putin has capitulated or been assassinated while also praying it’s not the emergency announcement!

It’s not a relaxing state of affairs.

Same for me but opposite, I’ve been reading too much – even a simulated central London nuclear bomb blast – and it driving me nuts. Ignorance appears to be bliss for me. On that point, after saving for six months Jnr just has Occulues Quest delivered, its very good and I found sitting in a virtual quiet beach resort for 5 mins very relaxing.

Matt out and about – that badge is the us 1st Air Cav (cavalry). Maybe they’re intending to go in with Wagner playing Robert Duvall style…

@vinnyeh translation?

On that point, after saving for six months Jnr just has Occulues Quest delivered, its very good and I found sitting in a virtual quiet beach resort for 5 mins very relaxing

Nice idea.  Modern life is great at bombarding us with stuff the demands attention.  NIce to use technology in another way

Runs off and presses buy

Nice idea.  Modern life is great at bombarding us with stuff the demands attention.  NIce to use technology in another way

Runs off and presses buy

In the meantime, if you can get YouTube on your tellybox, Google Deerfield Beach for sun and sand (and their underwater cam is great for fish!) – mute the telly, turn the tunes up. :)

Kryts – you were sat on a quiet beach and you only stayed there 5 mins?! I’d be living there at the moment!! 😀

@nickc Regarding Taiwan. Just to clarify that the cliff edged coast is on the east side of Taiwan (the furtheset away from mainland China). The west coast is mainly completely flat with marsh land. I know because I used to live there.

Not sure there’s a none paywall version out there?

I’ve just emailed the Telegraph asking them if they could drop the paywall on the Ukrainian articles. Seems worth asking.

Just listened to the bunker podcast. 30 mins with John Sweeney in Kiev right now. It’s quite encouraging and v v entertaining. He seems unbelievably chill as well

Thanks for that. I’ve been trying to avoid looking at any news report, not just because for example the tabloids are doom mongering with very unsettling and unhelpful descriptions of nuclear war, but also trying not to see how bad things are.

That’s the first actual news report I’ve seen in days. And as you say, quite encouraging.

The BBC is taking me on an emotional rollercoaster, last night there was a 40 mile long line of tanks and artillery ready to flatten Kyiv and end everything in a single night. Now it is a rag tag collection of vans which can’t make it down the road without braking down. Can’t help wondering if these snippets are being orchestrated to maximise the level of support and feeling of urgency in getting supplies to Ukraine. Excellent job if so.

BBC live feed at 4:31 today:
Some clarity on that massive Russian armoured column heading south towards Kyiv.

Close analysis of the latest satellite images by McKenzie Intelligence Services reveals the following:

The convoy is not 40 miles long, it’s a series of logistical ‘packets’ strung out along a major highway from the Belarus border, aiming to link up with Russian units on the northern outskirts of Kyiv.
The convoy appears to be hampered in several places by broken down vehicles.
The column consists of some armour (tanks) and infantry fighting vehicles but mainly logistical vehicles, implying plans for more than just a brief battle.
Separately, the imagery examined by McKenzie Intelligence Services shows a Russian parachute battalion dug in to the area of Hostomel airfield – Ukraine’s most important international cargo airport and a key military airbase near Kyiv.

But their artillery is assessed to be outside the range of most of the capital.

The analysts say they have noted very little Russian progress over the past 24 hours.

The balls on these people (and ovaries). On seeing some Russian tanks and soldiers do they run, or hide? No, they grab their car keys and some Molotov cocktails.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-molotov-cocktails-russia-tanks-b2025849.html

Ref the convoy – apparently it is not 40 miles long, but is a series of packets of vehicles – a significant number none the less. A large number are thought to be soft skinned logistics vehicles, suggesting a)they are anticipating a long stay b)not worried about air attacks…

So the question is when will the big assault come? I would imagine the Ukrainians are using their time to fortify the city. Further East one of the cities reports tramlines being chopped up and welded to make anti tank obstacles. Is it really 2022, or have we somehow gone back to 1942?

Fueled (appropriate name) beat me to it. As others have said though it is still very early days.

I just heard about a joke that is supposedly doing the rounds in Moscow:

‘Have you read the book A Special Military Operation and Peace by Leo Tolstoy?’

Hope it’s true :)

The balls on these people (and ovaries)

I saw that today on YT. Thought it incredibly brave.I’m a bit teary eyed over this TBH.

It’s being reported that Russia is planning to lay siege to Kyiv.

Bombard/ starve them into submission magically.

I’m guessing that will please the hell out of I scoff cake.

A Russian businessman has put a $1million bounty out on putin.

I just heard about a joke that is supposedly doing the rounds in Moscow:

‘Have you read the book A Special Military Operation and Peace by Leo Tolstoy?’

Hope it’s true

Ha! I’ll bet it is.

There was a famous joke back in the 70s – “What do you give a Soviet cat for dinner? A mouse coupon…”