Ukraine

They must be talking to each other about this. They must have at least thought about plotting. But what they do between them? Possibly only bribe the crap out of the army generals to start a coup. Probably haven’t got the cash for that though, ironically.

3) Why are the homes of oligarchs who support Putin still standing in this country

Indeed, although I’d prefer that they were sanctioned and indeed requisitioned to house Ukrainian refugees.

I sent my MP a very angry email a week ago asking him for tougher sanctions. He’s a Tory, but I’ve not yet seen any suggestion that he’s accepted Russian donations but if I do get a response it’ll likely be uncharacteristically bullish and full of vague references to the Labour Party if his last communique is anything to go by.

If Putin wins this war Russia will become another pariah state

We shouldn’t wait that long Reuters – sanctions on Russian owned and leased civil aircraft will be grounded within weeks. Russia has significant foreign currency reserves, but access would seem to be problematic.

volunteering or being voluntold on the Ukrainian side, they certainly don’t have time on their side; makes sense

Lots of Ukrainians have military experience due to being conscripted and taking part in the defence of Lushank and Donetsk regions. Something like 400,000 have military experience.

Just got home from helping sort, pack and load a shed load of stuff onto two 7.5t trucks as well as a Transit plus trailer. Everything from baby food, nappies to meals, first aid kits. Now on their way to the Slovak/Ukrainian border.

Anyone see the report from Sky News crew on their ambush? F me. Crazy.

Just got home from helping sort, pack and load a shed load of stuff onto two 7.5t trucks as well as a Transit plus trailer. Everything from baby food, nappies to meals, first aid kits. Now on their way to the Slovak/Ukrainian border.

Truly, thank you.

Russians deliberately firing at unarmed civilians:

https://news.sky.com/story/sky-news-teams-harrowing-account-of-their-violent-ambush-in-ukraine-this-week-12557585

Offer Ukrainian citizenship to anyone from the west who wishes to join the war to get round the “no foreign troops involved clause”, There’s already 100’s if not 1000’s of foreign mercenaries operating at the front line so let a force in under Ukrainian citizenship with whatever modern weapons they want. (I know…….ridiculous keyboard warrior thought)

They already have something in their constitution that allows foreign fighters in their military, a little like the French Foreign Legion.

@alpin aware of that. Talking about the pictures of very green teens and others undertaking their rather rapid training because they don’t have any experience.

theotherjonv- how true that is and thanks for posting.

What have I missed?

Petrol at £2 a litre, well in a week maybe

Kin cannon fodder, mercenary bastard leaders on both sides.

Nope, one lunatic, one desperate

They won’t be dumped like leaderless sheep and told to advance to be machine gunned. They’ll be attached to people who know what they are doing and be given the crap/dull jobs like guarding, fetching, carrying etc. The risk from shelling isn’t much different to the civilian one and they be fed and watered. They won’t want them on the frontline in real action straight away as they’ll be a liability and as likely to shoot someone on their own side by mistake as shoot a Russian.

If they were using them as cannon fodder the news would be getting out, the Ukrainians still have their phones.

What other choice do they have?

Run and never return?

I doubt if someone came trying to take away everything you knew that you also wouldn’t take up arms.

At the outbreak of WW2 my grandad got refused by the army for being too young. He ended up in the navy at 16.

alpin – thanks for your efforts; my hands-on but remote support starts on Sunday.
I just hope that any of this makes a difference.

Anyone see the report from Sky News crew on their ambush? F me. Crazy.

They are all lucky. Stuart especially.

He needs some ‘press blue’ armour and a helmet asap.

@big_n_daft discussing with some mates tonight the weight of responsibility the serving types in charge of those young men and women must feel; one thing making the right calls to keep your well trained and motivated troops alive, completely different when they’re civilians with weapons.

@alpin, dial it down and re-read. It’s not a criticism of them at all, simply an observation as I stated, if you’re looking for an argument, take it to DM and I’ll happily have it out with you there.

He needs some ‘press blue’ armour and a helmet asap.

I’m sure that would help, they were shouting ‘journalists’ in English and Russian but they kept shooting

Aside from donating to DEC which I’ve done, I’m at a loss as to how to help. Feeling so angry and wish Europe/NATO would do more. If I thought it would help I’d be travelling to Ukraine or supporting countries Poland/Hungary/Moldova at the drop of a hat.

I’d be somewhat surprised if “the Oligarchs” haven’t put a very large price on Putin’s head by now. Collectively, he’s cost them untold billions of dollars and ruined (or certainly heavily restricted) their lifestyle.

This is where I think I see Putin’s reign coming to an end. If a group of like-minded individuals, eg oligarchs, members of his security forces, or those in his political inner circle, can get each other’s trust enough to arrange a hit or coup then maybe it’ll happen.

I see they passed a new ‘law’, spreading misinformation about the military and ongoing operation can land you a max 15year sentence. Calling it a war is a no no.

They’re tightening the information control and fear for sure.

discussing with some mates tonight the weight of responsibility the serving types in charge of those young men and women must feel; one thing making the right calls to keep your well trained and motivated troops alive, completely different when they’re civilians with weapons.

Which clearly the Ukrainians would feel and why the “cannon fodder” line is bollox.

Personally I’d be giving some of them a concentrated battlefield first aid course and use them as medics and stretcher bearers. Probably more dangerous to them individually but also likely to save lives overall. But we don’t know how it’s being organised, the Ukrainians are evolving what they are doing and aren’t daft.

Agreed. Not my line, that sadly is what Putin has turned his conscripts into the utter bastard that he is. They slid in the change in law a few years back to be able to deploy them.

I don’t doubt anyone’s bravery or commitment for one second, I feel for all of them, but most of all I feel for the commanders charged with leading them while trying to liberate their country; pressure is an understatement.

Feeling so angry and wish Europe/NATO would do more

I feel the same, it’s so frustrating!

As things stand countries, other than the two protagonists, are watching the attempted destruction of a democratic country; the commission of war crimes; the use of ‘banned’ weapons; mass murder.
We’re being asked to accept that’s a price Ukraine must accept.
Aid, including military and in whatever form, is taking far too long to get to where it’s most needed.
Sanctions take too long to effect any change when it’s most needed – now; UK sanctions are inconsistent and telegraphed so Putin’s enablers have time to organise their exit.
I wish I could make a meaningful suggestion.
Do we REALLY believe putin would go nuclear or is it a great bluff on his part?
Personally,I think he would – start with tactical to assess response and then, possibly, escalate.
While govs are pontificating…people are dying; putin feels increasingly confident and is taking the lead; media suppression and subversion continues in Russia.
I pray for Ukraine.

That clip was sobering, in a word.

Christ I remember John Simpson in a flack jacket, I don’t remember actual footage of him being ambushed.

So, Coca Cola are going to carry on supplying the Russian invasion forces with sugary drinks.

it's not about taste anymore, but about good and evil. @cocacola chose the latter. @pepsi, time for your counterattack is now

— Ukraine / Україна (@Ukraine) March 4, 2022

Didn’t they do something very similar about 80 years ago for Nazi Gernany??

One more reason to avoid Costa Coffee.

@alpin, dial it down and re-read. It’s not a criticism of them at all, simply an observation as I stated, if you’re looking for an argument, take it to DM and I’ll happily have it out with you there

**** hell, fella…bit touchy? Wind ya neck in.

Nor was it a criticism from my side, more a rhetorical point.

I’ve friends here in Germany who are affected by this whole escapade. Their brothers and fathers are in the front line.

Given the situation I don’t think many of us would do anything different than the Ukrainians right now.

I believe someone in Sweden had proposed asylum for Russian defectors?
Why not take this to it’s logical conclusion?
Any Russian soldiers who surrenders will be interred for the duration in, I don’t know, Australia, and after the war offered EU, UK, US, Canadian, whatever citizenship, no questions asked?
If we could encourage a mass surrender that would help a lot.
Morale appears to be a rubbish. Just need a way of getting the message out and believed.

Feeling so angry and wish Europe/NATO would do more

It’s not like we can roll in with our own troops is it?

Has anyone seen the reports that FSB agents have been tipping off Zalensky about assassination attempts? It’s in the Independent and Washington Post if anyone cares to look.

Seemingly Russians are queuing to get into Finland before lockdown too.

^^ link?

Feeling so angry and wish Europe/NATO would do more

I’m sympathetic, but I can see AWE Burghfield from my house, so I’m in the “within 2km 98% die instantly” bit of the nuclear bomb infographics.

TBH I don’t see any way out of this for the West other than to play the long game. No one wins in war, even if we did send in NATO and even if the conflict somehow remained contained and didn’t become WW3, it’s just throwing the bodies of more young men at it.

We win, Russia becomes a pariah state, Putin is forced out, something more democratic and stable comes out of it, hopefully.

We lose, Russia becomes a pariah state, Putin is forced out, something more democratic and stable comes out of it, hopefully.

The only difference is winning would probably be significantly more bloody than losing.

@squirrelking yeah, that’s really interesting. I imagine western intelligence agencies are using every bit of pull/asset they have to encourage this sort of behaviour.

The reports bring a perspective as to how maybe so many saboteurs have been picked up by Ukrainian forces.

Do we REALLY believe putin would go nuclear or is it a great bluff on his part?

This is the question NATO have to consider when deciding on its response. Sadly I think this particular battle (for Ukraine) is lost – for now. But in the longer term insurgency in Ukraine against Russia and the economic separation of Russia from the global community will I think redress the balance.

Mols – 100%; we don’t have armed forces which align with our perception of the UK’s global role.
Let down by many governments.
I applied to join the Royal Ordnance Corps decades ago – bomb disposal and similar – but didn’t make their grade; lifelong regret.

Didn’t they do something very similar about 80 years ago for Nazi Gernany??

I remember something about this, I’m pretty sure they had a licensed factory in Nazi Germany or something…

It’s not like we can roll in with our own troops is it?

Good point, it’s quite the bind- which is prob why the whole thing feels so frustrating!

Has anyone seen the reports that FSB agents have been tipping off Zalensky about assassination attempts?

Yes, quite shocking. It’s a really bizarre situation for the Russians and the military. It is possible that there is some master plan, but it’s also possible that the military are trying to sabotage Putin through his operation, rather than via a direct coup. Which is a fascinating idea. These are all ‘maybes’ :

1. Possible tip-offs to the Ukranians
2. Abandoning the AAD truck and leaving all the gear running to allow the Ukrainians access to Russian comms
3. Getting their own vehicles stuck, or ordering your troops to do go places knowing they’ll get stuck just to give them an excuse to walk home
4. Deliberately dragging your feet to stall the advance, allow the Ukranians to organise and receive aid and running down your own supplies to make it inevitable that you have to abandon.

Is there any historical precedent for this? An army sabotaging its own war because neither the officers or the troops want to fight it?

Here’s a good read about the history of and challenges associated with enforcing a no-fly zone.

The dangerous allure of the no-fly zone

So in theory could the Ukrainian Air Force park their planes in say Poland and go hunting from there? Safe place to retreat to and NATO protected while parked?

The reason we have Fanta is thanks to the sanctions imposed on Germany. The raw materials for Coca Cola weren’t available. Coca Cola’s German dept created Fanta.