One sad and often forgotten tragedy of such affairs, is that insurance policies do not generally pay out for acts of war. So when you see these smouldering apartment blocks and houses destroyed by Russian shelling, that is someone’s life’s work quite literally going up in smoke.
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[Politics] Russia invades Ukraine (24/02/2022)
- Thread starter vegster
- Start date
One sad and often forgotten tragedy of such affairs, is that insurance policies do not generally pay out for acts of war. So when you see these smouldering apartment blocks and houses destroyed by Russian shelling, that is someone’s life’s work quite literally going up in smoke.
Could be a brainwashing thing - the longer you've been exposed, etc, etc.......................
SHIT THE BED!
Sky News team's harrowing account of their violent ambush in Ukraine this week
https://news.sky.com/story/sky-news...-violent-ambush-in-ukraine-this-week-12557585
Sky News team's harrowing account of their violent ambush in Ukraine this week
https://news.sky.com/story/sky-news...-violent-ambush-in-ukraine-this-week-12557585
- Aug 24, 2020
- 7,095
Then you should be answering your own question.
Given you are in favour of reparations, and that you say (probably correctly) that it can't happen without regime change, are - you - prepared for how it will pan out?
- Aug 24, 2020
- 7,095
Does anyone understand the back story to that bar chart?
You are seeing a shift in economic power. Not military power. But economic and financial power.
The real power is not now in Washington, and certainly not in London.
It's in Brussels. And the EU are wielding it.
vegster
Sanity Clause
- May 5, 2008
- 28,272
- Thread starter
- #3,908
Lots of evidence of Russian morale collapsing in the face of severe unexpected resistance by the Ukrainian military. Additionally, many reports of poorly maintained and supplied vehicles being abandoned by the Russians.
The Ukrainian military is flexible and hard hitting and far more motivated than their attackers. If the West can keep a pipeline of ammunition and anti tank and anti aircraft weapons open they have a fighting chance
The Ukrainian military is flexible and hard hitting and far more motivated than their attackers. If the West can keep a pipeline of ammunition and anti tank and anti aircraft weapons open they have a fighting chance
‘kin’ell.
No - looks like it didn't work there ............................
jakarta
Well-known member
I'm not particularly in favour of reparations - we didn't get anything back from West Germany in 1945 - in fact they got Marshall aid.
I'm afraid the only way Putin is exiting the Kremlin is in a wooden box having being bumped off by a 21st Century Zhukov (unlikely) or as toast by us and the Americans in a general nuclear war (hopefully VERY unlikely).
Our lack of sanctions activity isn’t actually as big a deal as some are trying to claim (mostly to score political points). Once a company or individual is sanctioned (particularly by the US or EU) any transactions with UK banks are effectively captured anyway - because the banks are bound by those sanction regimes (if they want to continue to operate in the US, in USD, in the EU etc).
It does make our leaders look like a bunch of apologists though
- Aug 24, 2020
- 7,095
Our lack of sanctions activity isn’t actually as big a deal as some are trying to claim (mostly to score political points). Once a company or individual is sanctioned (particularly by the US or EU) any transactions with UK banks are effectively captured anyway - because the banks are bound by those sanction regimes (if they want to continue to operate in the US, in USD, in the EU etc).
It does make our leaders look like a bunch of apologists though
Throughout this whole process, I've been highly impressed with the EU, or to be more precise, Ursula von der Leyen. She got Hungary on board, is sending weapons to Ukraine, leading the sanctions etc. Boy, are those sanctions working. This isn't a Brexit thing, so no points scoring from me on that front. Britain, rightly or wrongly, is now on the sidelines. That's where we are.
Wish we could give them a couple of hundred heavily armed drones to sort of those convoys out. Ideally, all the military vehicles would be destroyed with the Russian teenagers and young men escaping back to their Mums in Russia.
I watched the press conference this afternoon with her and Blinken (US Sec of State). Calm, measured, authoritative and 100% aligned.
As regards the sanctions, when this ends, Putin has ensured that Russia is absolutely ****ed for a very, very long time.
Yep, their unity is impressive ----------------------------- they're one of us .....................
https://reliefweb.int/report/ukrain...nian-crisis-exposes-deep-rooted-racist-policy
vegster
Sanity Clause
- May 5, 2008
- 28,272
- Thread starter
- #3,917
The convoy North of Kyiv that is pretty much stalled is mostly full of logistics. The Ukrainians are happy to leave them there but take the odd pot shot because they are going nowhere. They are focusing on the offensive weaponry of the Russians rather than the baggage car.
- Aug 24, 2020
- 7,095
It can end no other way - if he stays in power.
But if there is a regime change (and I'm not hopeful on that one), I would like to think that the west would give the Russian people an off-ramp. A way out of the sanctions, after they have paid reparations. Time off for good behaviour if you will.
But until that happens, there must be a cost to Russia for their war, and a price for continuing it. And the more the west deprive Russia of its war chest, the lower the chance of it happening again.
This has to be the primary aim - to disable the Russian economy. Not destroy it entirely. Just disable it so it can't build another world military power (that gets stuck in the mud).
Words fail me
- Aug 24, 2020
- 7,095
That's a very good point.
I was reading the BBC article 'Why doesn't Ukraine attack the Russian convoy?' (link below), but your comment makes the most sense.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-60617145