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

[Weststander]

Its latest estimate of Moscow’s combat aircraft losses, Ukrainian authorities say they have destroyed 277 Russian jets and 260 helicopters. Losing their only experienced pilots every time.

Mainly before this news and the German IRIS-T defence systems now in Ukrainian hands.

 

[Bold Seagull]

The doc on Mariupol on BBC One right now is absolutely brutal, really brings it home when you see the raw footage.

 

[Weststander]

The doc on Mariupol on BBC One right now is absolutely brutal, really brings it home when you see the raw footage.

I love the human angle … it really drives home the impact on an innocent people.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I love the human angle … it really drives home the impact on an innocent people.

It’s a really tough watch, very real and personal. Great the BBC have made this as it starts to slip from people’s minds.

 

[Weststander]

It’s a really tough watch, very real and personal. Great the BBC have made this as it starts to slip from people’s minds.

I agree. I think most UK people (probably further afield too) simply can’t hack bad news, for their own sanity or a minority who just don’t care beyond personal hedonism/materialism. I’m not too bothered, as long as Sunak, Biden, Macron, Scholz, Trudeau, Rutte et al never relent in their total support.

There was a Ukrainian lady interviewed a couple of weeks back in a northern town near Belarus, bombed since February. With tears in her eyes, she said “Why, we were happy, all we wanted was a peaceful life?”

 

[A1X]

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

And let's hope the withdrawal is as disorderly as possible with the maximum amount of material lost by the invaders

 

[vegster]

I agree. I think most UK people (probably further afield too) simply can’t hack bad news, for their own sanity or a minority who just don’t care beyond personal hedonism/materialism. I’m not too bothered, as long as Sunak, Biden, Macron, Scholz, Trudeau, Rutte et al never relent in their total support.

There was a Ukrainian lady interviewed a couple of weeks back in a northern town near Belarus, bombed since February. With tears in her eyes, she said “Why, we were happy, all we wanted was a peaceful life?”

They were happy, and getting happier..post Russian corruption was being targeted and there was a whole generation of well educated Ukrainians creating a booming tech bubble and prospering. Putin saw them as a threat to him simply because they could offer a far better life than Russia could offer its citizens.

 

[Weststander]

They were happy, and getting happier..post Russian corruption was being targeted and there was a whole generation of well educated Ukrainians creating a booming tech bubble and prospering. Putin saw them as a threat to him simply because they could offer a far better life than Russia could offer its citizens.

Exactly.

There was a great interview with a Ukraine/Russia expert on TalkTV this morning (it’s really not like GBTV), who explained many interesting points. He said that in 2014 many Ukrainians in the border regions weren’t averse to becoming part of Russia. But it’s the complete reverse now, even the vast majority of Russian speakers only want to be part of Ukraine. Why? For peace, tolerance of minorities/genders, true freedom, a forward looking nation, integration with the rest of free Europe, true democracy and anything but the FSB/Putin tyrannical version of Russia.

 

[Eeyore]

And let's hope the withdrawal is as disorderly as possible with the maximum amount of material lost by the invaders

It's a clever move by the Russians. Kherson was the last military offensive by Ukraine. They have clearly thrown everything at it. The Russians, to me, seem to have made the decision to withdraw their forces in tact.

The West are fully aware that the Ukrainians cannot push much further. They are overstreched. The Russians are re-grouping with tens of thousands of reservists on the way.

The Kherson withdrawal looks strategic to me. And the Ukrainians cannot claim a big military victory from it. It's clear from the Ukrainian response that they think something is up here.

 

[essbee1]

It's a clever move by the Russians. Kherson was the last military offensive by Ukraine. They have clearly thrown everything at it. The Russians, to me, seem to have made the decision to withdraw their forces in tact.

The West are fully aware that the Ukrainians cannot push much further. They are overstreched. The Russians are re-grouping with tens of thousands of reservists on the way.

The Kherson withdrawal looks strategic to me. And the Ukrainians cannot claim a big military victory from it. It's clear from the Ukrainian response that they think something is up here.

Amazing isn't is how many Ukrainians speak perfect English and yet try to find one who does amongst the uneducated, Russian
f*****g scum population and you'll struggle. That's because Ukraine is forward thinking. All that c**t Putin wants to do is take Russia
back to the dark ages.

 

[Weststander]

It's a clever move by the Russians. Kherson was the last military offensive by Ukraine. They have clearly thrown everything at it. The Russians, to me, seem to have made the decision to withdraw their forces in tact.

The West are fully aware that the Ukrainians cannot push much further. They are overstreched. The Russians are re-grouping with tens of thousands of reservists on the way.

The Kherson withdrawal looks strategic to me. And the Ukrainians cannot claim a big military victory from it. It's clear from the Ukrainian response that they think something is up here.

A huge blow to Putin, the crown in the jewel in his waging of illegal war, genocide and mass rape. The biggest city by far, now lost.

Ukraine played this masterfully (with free world military advisors), they didn’t make the mistake of throwing in precious manpower to get wiped out in a Stalingrad type battle. Instead cutting off Russian forces west of the Dnipro from supplies, biding their time.

Aside from Kherson Russia continues to lose precious hardware apace, and battalions of men, not that Putin cares about the latter.

 

[Swansman]

Amazing isn't is how many Ukrainians speak perfect English and yet try to find one who does amongst the uneducated, Russian
f*****g scum population and you'll struggle. That's because Ukraine is forward thinking. All that c**t Putin wants to do is take Russia
back to the dark ages.

You're not poorly educated just because you're not bilingual and calling the entire Russian population scum is simply racist.

 

[essbee1]

A huge blow to Putin, the crown in the jewel in his waging of illegal war, genocide and mass rape. The biggest city by far, now lost.

Ukraine played this masterfully (with free world military advisors), they didn’t make the mistake of throwing in precious manpower to get wiped out in a Stalingrad type battle. Instead cutting off Russian forces west of the Dnipro from supplies, biding their time.

Aside from Kherson Russia continues to lose precious hardware apace, and battalions of men, not that Putin cares about the latter.

He'll care alright when he's about to be strung up on a lamppost and effectively drawn and quartered thereafter. Oh how
I would laugh.

 

[essbee1]

You're not poorly educated just because you're not bilingual and calling the entire Russian population scum is simply racist.

Don't be such a prick.

 

[Swansman]

Don't be such a prick.

Dito.

Interesting discussions on this thread. No need to lower the level through labelling entire populations as scum or calling people stupid because they don't speak English.

 

[essbee1]

Dito.

Interesting discussions on this thread. No need to lower the level through labelling entire populations as scum or calling people stupid because they don't speak English.

You mean "Ditto"

 

[Swansman]

You mean "Ditto"

yes

 

[essbee1]

Well done.

 

[Eeyore]

A huge blow to Putin, the crown in the jewel in his waging of illegal war, genocide and mass rape. The biggest city by far, now lost.

Ukraine played this masterfully (with free world military advisors), they didn’t make the mistake of throwing in precious manpower to get wiped out in a Stalingrad type battle. Instead cutting off Russian forces west of the Dnipro from supplies, biding their time.

Aside from Kherson Russia continues to lose precious hardware apace, and battalions of men, not that Putin cares about the latter.

As much as I'd like to see Russia kicked out of Ukraine, I can't help thinking that there is a long winter coming.

The Russians seem focused on drawing Ukraine forces in and this withdrawal seems like a plan to stay intact for the re-grouping. There is no doubt they have suffered a lot of setbacks, but what happens next is the worry.

I'm not sure the Ukrainians can go much further and there's an over whelming force building up in the south-east there.