[Politics] Russia invades Ukraine (24/02/2022)

[Nobby Cybergoat]

It would automatically be determined that those sorties were NATO actions,... ergo escalation... probably not a good idea.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Determined by Putin you mean

 

[Eric the meek]

Further to the report that Belarus have declared war on Ukraine, see this on the BBC at 8.55 am

'Belarus will not join invasion - Lukashenko

The leader of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, has told state media that his forces will not join Russian troops in the invasion of Ukraine.

Lukashenko, who is a close ally of Vladimir Putin, said that the "Belarusian army isn't taking part in military action, and never did".

"We can prove this to anyone. More than that, the Russian leadership never raised this issue with us - our involvement in the armed conflict. And we don't intend to take part in this special operation in Ukraine in the future. There is no need for this."

Fears had been raised on Monday that Lukashenko was preparing to send a military force to join in the attack on Kyiv.

A spokesperson for the US State Department, Ned Price, said on Monday that Russia had "make a mockery" of Belarus' sovereignty by launching its invasion of Ukraine from Belarusian territory.'

 

[Albion in the north]

Done...my wife is also Ukrainian.

Thanks buddy. Hope her family stay safe.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Has anyone got any idea what Putin's end-game is here? Assuming they "win" - they'll have lost thousands of troops and millions of roubles worth of equipment to achieve that, then half their military will need to be in and around Ukraine to prop up some puppet government, yet their economy (which is only the size of Spain's but with 3.5 times the population) is already going to be crippled as these sanctions bite deeper. Even if we take at face value their argument that they are worried about having a NATO state on their border, it doesn't really wash, because they already have NATO states on their border as Kaliningrad borders Poland and Latvia, and Latvia also borders the rest of Russia.

I am just baffled as to what they possibly expect to achieve. The humanitarian cost will go far beyond the poor people of Ukraine - every day Russians are already being deeply affected too.

Lots of people are guessing as to what Putin wants but really only he knows.

My guess is that his mindset is likely to be based around what's best for him rather than Russia. I think he wants more territorial gain, to cement his legacy and has concocted all these grievances to justify that. He has obviously horrifically misjudged the difficulty of this, probably as a result of extreme group think and burgeoning insanity as a result of excessive personal precautions during the epidemic

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Further to the report that Belarus have declared war on Ukraine, see this on the BBC at 8.55 am

'Belarus will not join invasion - Lukashenko

The leader of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, has told state media that his forces will not join Russian troops in the invasion of Ukraine.

Lukashenko, who is a close ally of Vladimir Putin, said that the "Belarusian army isn't taking part in military action, and never did".

"We can prove this to anyone. More than that, the Russian leadership never raised this issue with us - our involvement in the armed conflict. And we don't intend to take part in this special operation in Ukraine in the future. There is no need for this."

Fears had been raised on Monday that Lukashenko was preparing to send a military force to join in the attack on Kyiv.

A spokesperson for the US State Department, Ned Price, said on Monday that Russia had "make a mockery" of Belarus' sovereignty by launching its invasion of Ukraine from Belarusian territory.'

But is this true?

 

[JamesAndTheGiantHead]

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

But is this true?

Precisely what I wondered when I first read that report. It's easy for a liar to lie afterall.

 

[pb21]

But is this true?

Seems to be...

https://www.politico.eu/article/belarus-russia-war-ukraine/

 

[origigull]

Exactly - was just listening to a military guy on the radio saying he really doesn't understand what they're doing - almost asking to get blitzed, bizarre strategy. Let's hope they do.

The Russians have been playing war games prior to the invasion, all it seems in open countryside. That's fine until they enter the cities where they come unstuck. I just hope the Russians don't change their tactics and are still getting stopped when they enter the cities.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

More Patel-Propaganda.

“I am committed to ensuring the UK is as generous as possible to the people of Ukraine.”

We’re still awaiting the news that there will be no visa requirements or restrictions on Ukrainian refugees. It’s disgusting that we’re so far behind the EU on this.

Boris appears to have offered refuge for up to 200,000 Ukrainians.

 

[GT49er]

Further to the report that Belarus have declared war on Ukraine, see this on the BBC at 8.55 am

'Belarus will not join invasion - Lukashenko

The leader of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, has told state media that his forces will not join Russian troops in the invasion of Ukraine.

Lukashenko, who is a close ally of Vladimir Putin, said that the "Belarusian army isn't taking part in military action, and never did".

"We can prove this to anyone. More than that, the Russian leadership never raised this issue with us - our involvement in the armed conflict. And we don't intend to take part in this special operation in Ukraine in the future. There is no need for this."

Fears had been raised on Monday that Lukashenko was preparing to send a military force to join in the attack on Kyiv.

A spokesperson for the US State Department, Ned Price, said on Monday that Russia had "make a mockery" of Belarus' sovereignty by launching its invasion of Ukraine from Belarusian territory.'

But is this true?

Seems to be...

https://www.politico.eu/article/belarus-russia-war-ukraine/

Pretty obviously not then.

 

[faoileán]

First it was Brexit. Then it was Coronavirus. Now it’s the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and whatever that may spiral into. Each episode more depressing than the last, and each one having you pining for the simpler times that went before.

If we do manage to avert WW3, anyone got any money on an alien invasion being up next?

I'm not sure simpler times have ever existed, it's just that now we have people live streaming rocket attacks to the world from their phones. Fortunately I was only a child during the Cuban Missile Crisis but people must genuinely have felt that we were on the cusp of extinction. And I grew up against the backdrop of Vietnam, industrial strife, Bloody Sunday, the Falklands, etc.

 

[Albion in the north]

Boris appears to have offered refuge for up to 200,000 Ukrainians.

I just watched the interview in Prague and what he actually said was that the relaxing of the family visa scheme could mean up to 200,000 more Ukrainians could be eligible and that they are also looking at other ways of determining eligibility. What all that means, we will see in the future.

 

[Eric the meek]

Further to the report that Belarus have declared war on Ukraine, see this on the BBC at 8.55 am

'Belarus will not join invasion - Lukashenko

The leader of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, has told state media that his forces will not join Russian troops in the invasion of Ukraine.

Lukashenko, who is a close ally of Vladimir Putin, said that the "Belarusian army isn't taking part in military action, and never did".

"We can prove this to anyone. More than that, the Russian leadership never raised this issue with us - our involvement in the armed conflict. And we don't intend to take part in this special operation in Ukraine in the future. There is no need for this."

Fears had been raised on Monday that Lukashenko was preparing to send a military force to join in the attack on Kyiv.

A spokesperson for the US State Department, Ned Price, said on Monday that Russia had "make a mockery" of Belarus' sovereignty by launching its invasion of Ukraine from Belarusian territory.'

I've just spotted the pretty big clue that this is likely to be false. See the highlighted.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Boris appears to have offered refuge for up to 200,000 Ukrainians.

And people need to be putting them up in the short term. We need to create some scheme, rent free, but simple expenses covered by the taxpayer. DBS checks needed for all of course, it will be women and children

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

I just watched the interview in Prague and what he actually said was that the relaxing of the family visa scheme could mean up to 200,000 more Ukrainians could be eligible and that they are also looking at other ways of determining eligibility. What all that means, we will see in the future.

I'm trying to stay away from my natural inclination to not believe anything Boris says as at the moment, we need to unite as a nation, but if this is one of his "sounds great, but hidden detail stops it working in practice" then he has gone to new depths of sickening insincerity. I'm hoping i'm totally wrong in the above statement.

 

[beorhthelm]

pretty sure i saw some report about Belarus units moving south to near the boarder. identified as an airborne unit which seems odd for a convoy of trucks... and in any case they'll just join the back of the traffic jam to Kyiv. if they do enter Ukraine and dont go a a more western route, i'll start to think this is all a hoax as no army would be that stupid?

 

[Silverhatch]

Has anyone got any idea what Putin's end-game is here? Assuming they "win" - they'll have lost thousands of troops and millions of roubles worth of equipment to achieve that, then half their military will need to be in and around Ukraine to prop up some puppet government, yet their economy (which is only the size of Spain's but with 3.5 times the population) is already going to be crippled as these sanctions bite deeper. Even if we take at face value their argument that they are worried about having a NATO state on their border, it doesn't really wash, because they already have NATO states on their border as Kaliningrad borders Poland and Latvia, and Latvia also borders the rest of Russia.

I am just baffled as to what they possibly expect to achieve. The humanitarian cost will go far beyond the poor people of Ukraine - every day Russians are already being deeply affected too.

Putin is a dinosaur of the USSR, cold war era. He is like MANY current global politicians that belong to a different analogue age. He is also a huge benefactor of the dissolution of the Soviet Union along with the Oligarchs. Russia, like every modern 21st Century state, needs new politicians who are rooted in the digital age and can envision a world for a generation or twos time - NOT trying to defend institutions and borders from the late 19th and early 20th century. The world needs new politics and new economic models. All the time these old, entitled, establishment dinosaurs have their hands on the levers of power and their corrupt snouts in a cess-pit of self-interest - this sort of madness will continue. Just thank **** the MAGA isn't anywhere near Washington.

 

[Baldseagull]

The idea of Ukrainian pilots flying sorties from polish bases seems like a foolish idea but currently much of it seems based on speculation. I assume for the Polish to agree to it would require NATO backing

So long as they don't use Polish personnel, it is not much different to supplying missiles or ammunition.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Putin is a dinosaur of the USSR, cold war era. He is like MANY current global politicians that belong to a different analogue age. He is also a huge benefactor of the dissolution of the Soviet Union along with the Oligarchs. Russia, like every modern 21st Century state, needs new politicians who are rooted in the digital age and can envision a world for a generation or twos time - NOT trying to defend institutions and borders from the late 19th and early 20th century. The world needs new politics and new economic models. All the time these old, entitled, establishment dinosaurs have their hands on the levers of power and their corrupt snouts in a cess-pit of self-interest - this sort of madness will continue. Just thank **** the MAGA isn't anywhere near Washington.

Not at the moment. The nightmare scenario is that he wins a second term. He's likely to win the GOP nomination. Putin will walk through Eastern Europe if Trump wins the White House again