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

[amexer]

I am desperate for this to end . Putin maybe struggling with ground forces but what is to stop him bombing Kiev and other big towns

 

[SeagullinExile]

Not sure I agree that he'll go nuclear. I'm not convinced but I suppose we find out when the Kerch bridge is flattened.

I hope you’re right BV.

 

[usernamed]

Not sure I agree that he'll go nuclear. I'm not convinced but I suppose we find out when the Kerch bridge is flattened.

He can’t and won’t. He’s an old bald clown still trying to stay relevant as his health fails and his grip on power weakens. Laugh at him, don’t fear him. He’s ridiculous.

 

[A1X]

I am desperate for this to end . Putin maybe struggling with ground forces but what is to stop him bombing Kiev and other big towns

Ukrainian air and missile defence systems. I hear tell they have some fancy stuff with what looks suspiciously like a US flag scratched off it.

 

[Eric the meek]

He can’t and won’t. He’s an old bald clown still trying to stay relevant as his health fails and his grip on power weakens. Laugh at him, don’t fear him. He’s ridiculous.

I would tend to agree with you.

That said, he is unpredictable. I cannot recall a single decision of his that was in any way sensible or considered, and therefore predictable. Herein lies the danger. As the net closes, who is to say what is in his mind?

 

[Icy Gull]

I would tend to agree with you.

That said, he is unpredictable. I cannot recall a single decision of his that was in any way sensible or considered, and therefore predictable. Herein lies the danger. As the net closes, who is to say what is in his mind?

If he’s not taken out things will get much much worse imo, the guy is mentally unstable. The nightmare scenario the world has long feared, a madman with nuclear weapons at his disposal. Hopefully when push comes to shove there are people in the Kremlin with big balls to put an end to this.

 

[drew]

I am desperate for this to end . Putin maybe struggling with ground forces but what is to stop him bombing Kiev and other big towns

I think we all want it to end but how do you propose it should?

 

[SeagullinExile]

I think we all want it to end but how do you propose it should?

I suggest a boxing match between Zelensky & Putin...15 rounds, bare knuckle.

 

[essbee1]

The gas supply card is a given. We'll have a bad 3-4 months but it won't change anything.

His army is now taking such a battering he'll be lucky to hold onto Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.

No more than my opinion of course.

I agree. I think our best hope is for public opinion re: Russian mothers to start appearing on the streets. I mean
what else have they got to lose ffs. Sad, but true.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

kinda overlooking the gas supply card he is itching to play, cut off gas and oil to Germany and eastern europe to test their resolve over the winter. if he were rational he could have pulled back, negotiated something for Crimea, he probably believes he can take and hold east of Dniper, until army regroups to have another go a Kiev next year.

If reports of 40,000 Russian deaths are accurate, Putin may have to wait another 20 years for the next generation to grow up and replace them!

 

[drew]

I suggest a boxing match between Zelensky & Putin...15 rounds, bare knuckle.

Surely it should be the mayor of Kyiv that represents Ukraine!

 

[Eric the meek]

I agree. I think our best hope is for public opinion re: Russian mothers to start appearing on the streets. I mean
what else have they got to lose ffs. Sad, but true.

I don't think that's a realistic answer. At least not this year.

Don't underestimate the Kremlin's capacity to silence grieving Russian mothers. They quelled the protests in St. Petersburg, several months ago.

But I do think the answer is time. More time for the sanctions to really bite. Hard. Harder than they have already done.

The longer the war goes on, the longer the time for Russia's grieving mothers to organise and go public. The longer the time for Russia's war machine to be drained of resources, morale, food, wages, weapons, equipment and the willingness to carry on in a deeply unpopular war. And - perhaps even more importantly - the longer the time for spare parts off donor planes in hangars to run out. How can Moscow continue to administer the distant regions, if it cannot safely send staff to them?

Kamil Galeev has already predicted the break up of Russia, with local warlords taking advantage of a power vacuum in Moscow.

In less than six months, the war has reduced Russia from a super power that everyone feared, to a world pariah that everyone ridicules.

Time changes everything.

 

[Rowdey]

I agree. I think our best hope is for public opinion re: Russian mothers to start appearing on the streets. I mean
what else have they got to lose ffs. Sad, but true.

To lose their free Lada and a few quid when Sons die in battle..

Weirdly, this is linked to another problem for RU - Battalion commanders are so scared of admitting (human) losses in the field to senior's, that they are not reporting the losses, and still going into battle.. and losing more.. and 'some' RU families are happy enough for their sons death to be 'unreported' (or late..) so the army pay still flows to family..with the Lada to follow in a few months..

 

[essbee1]

To lose their free Lada and a few quid when Sons die in battle..

Weirdly, this is linked to another problem for RU - Battalion commanders are so scared of admitting (human) losses in the field to senior's, that they are not reporting the losses, and still going into battle.. and losing more.. and 'some' RU families are happy enough for their sons death to be 'unreported' (or late..) so the army pay still flows to family..with the Lada to follow in a few months..

That country is in for one hell of a ******g rude awakening. Bring it on - a country so arrogant and backward, it deserves to become the pariah it is. Backward by 40 years for the next 40-50 years. Well done Prickin.

 

[essbee1]

I don't think that's a realistic answer. At least not this year.

Don't underestimate the Kremlin's capacity to silence grieving Russian mothers. They quelled the protests in St. Petersburg, several months ago.

But I do think the answer is time. More time for the sanctions to really bite. Hard. Harder than they have already done.

The longer the war goes on, the longer the time for Russia's grieving mothers to organise and go public. The longer the time for Russia's war machine to be drained of resources, morale, food, wages, weapons, equipment and the willingness to carry on in a deeply unpopular war. And - perhaps even more importantly - the longer the time for spare parts off donor planes in hangars to run out. How can Moscow continue to administer the distant regions, if it cannot safely send staff to them?

Kamil Galeev has already predicted the break up of Russia, with local warlords taking advantage of a power vacuum in Moscow.

In less than six months, the war has reduced Russia from a super power that everyone feared, to a world pariah that everyone ridicules.

Time changes everything.

Fair assessment Eric.

 

[GT49er]

That country is in for one hell of a ******g rude awakening. Bring it on - a country so arrogant and backward, it deserves to become the pariah it is. Backward by 40 years for the next 40-50 years. Well done Prickin.

The challenge for NATO s to bring about that rude awakening - and to do that they need to win the IT war, which the Kremlin, at least within Russia and a few satellite states, is winning hands down.
The facts of the matter, despite what Putin puts out - and has his people believing - is that NATO does not have any territorial ambitions in Russia, or anywhere else. It is a defensive alliance - 'Attack any one of our members and you attack them all' - but that's as far as it goes. If other countries want to join NATO, what harm is that? It just makes them less vulnerable to predatory attacks, because of the consequences of any such invasion.
NATO's IT spooks need to be getting that message across to Russian citizens, and over-ride the Kremlin propaganda and all its (very successful so far) attempts to block any such message getting through..

 

[Pavilionaire]

I don't know how the Russian military can 'get up' for this war on a long-term basis. They must all know Ukrainians personally, it is similar to Scotland getting independence then England bombing the **** out of them even though hundreds of thousands of Scots live in England. And as time goes on those Russians will also know grieving families who have lost soldiers in this conflict, AND the sanctions and inflation will be biting them hard.

There is only so far Putin's propaganda can cover up the truth. Yes, it might take another year to get to that point but the US / EU arms manufacturers will be happy to supply the military hardware, the Western leaders all get political kudos by treating Russia tough and so I don't see this ending well for Russia.

The question is how can Russia withdraw without losing face. It is going to take decades to rebuild Ukraine after the destruction wreaked upon it, there is no goodwill towards Russia yet a weak Russia could be exploited by China.

 

[Icy Gull]

This is madness

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62505815

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

This is madness

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62505815

This nuclear plant is my main worry now.

I'm not bothered about hollow rhetoric about firing nukes, but russian shenanigans at this power station could go very wrong, very quickly.

If it blows - and it can be blamed on some sap local commander - it gives Putin a face saving way to end his disastrous war.

 

[Binney on acid]

This is madness

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62505815

Sadly it's simply collateral damage in the eyes of a deranged psychopath.