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

[A1X]

As all good parents will know, red lines, are ... red lines.

My kids learned that when I said something I meant it, but you must be careful to make sure you can, and do, carry out the consequence (threat) of crossing the red line.

In simple terms: mean what you say and say what you mean.

Exactly, Russia’s “red lines” are now essentially meaningless as they’ve proclaimed them so often and then ignored when it’s happened. No need for Ukraine and the US to do the same. They have a clear goal (Russia out of Ukrainian territory) and have stuck to it. Everything else is just noise.

 

[Eric the meek]

Explosions reported in Kursk. Source says Atacams were used. See Tendar twitter.

 

[Seagull58]

Pretty sure he meant that the Russian economy would collapse (like it did in the 90s) to the extent that internal issues would trump continuing a war outside its borders (as happened with the Roman Empire).

Whether he's right on the figures, I have no idea, but this is the general point that a few of us have been making - if the Russian economy does collapse, and they can't afford to pay their troops, then surely the war effort collapses too?

I wonder how China feel about it all? Will they be fine with Russia losing, and as they collapse internally, China getting old land back? Or do they want to spend big to try and help Russia win?

I doubt the Chinese would make that call. It seems rather stupid.

 

[peterward]

Explosions reported in Kursk. Source says Atacams were used. See Tendar twitter.

 

[raymondo]

Ukraine contracts 1.8 million drones for army for next two years - Euromaidan Press

Ukraine's defense ministry contracted 1.8 million drones worth 147 billion hryvnias ($3.6 bn) for 2024-2025, marking a significant expansion of its unmanned aerial capabilities.

euromaidanpress.com

 

[Eric the meek]

As Russia looks behind the sofa for a bit of spare cash, keep an eye out for increasingly bizarre attempts to keep the show on the road.

It is already delaying payments to troops, including death benefits to the families of dead soldiers, to gain interest on them.

Putin has just passed a law banning people from 'childfree ideology' propaganda (?), and will fine anyone who breaks the new laws. (He wants more babies born so that they can fight in future wars).

Now, he wants the west to pay for.........air. This may be a nod to India and China, who suffer from poor air quality, even though it is self-inflicted.

 

[Triggaaar]

Ukraine contracts 1.8 million drones for army for next two years - Euromaidan Press

Ukraine's defense ministry contracted 1.8 million drones worth 147 billion hryvnias ($3.6 bn) for 2024-2025, marking a significant expansion of its unmanned aerial capabilities.

euromaidanpress.com

Where are these being manufactured?

Up until now I'd heard that China were supplying drones to both sides, but that doesn't seem ideal for Ukraine

 

[Triggaaar]

Putin has just passed a law banning people from 'childfree ideology' propaganda (?), and will fine anyone who breaks the new laws.

'Hi, do you have children?'
'No'
'Oh, why not?'
'I'm not sure I'd be a great parent, I like to be independent and travel'
'Guards!'

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

What's even more nauseating are idiots like Simon Jenkins, who say nothing about 14000 projectiles fired at Ukraine, mainly into civillians, but claim 20 missiles at Russia military installations is a massive escalation.

Who claim as you suggest [that we must not escalate, as] Putin is crazy and unpredictable, but at the same time we should be seeking negotiations with this crazy and unpredictable person.

Simon Jenkins never found a free democratic country that he didn't want to sell down the river to an aggressive neighbour. Total unmitigated arse of a man.

 

[raymondo]

Where are these being manufactured?

Up until now I'd heard that China were supplying drones to both sides, but that doesn't seem ideal for Ukraine

The article had some ambiguities, the best I could understand: many/most will be manufactured in Ukraine, the rest in Europe (it has been reported before somewhere ) that there's a drone coalition, (Baltics, UK, Netherlands?) and I believe many are being manufactured in Latvia. Not certain.

 

[raymondo]

As Russia looks behind the sofa for a bit of spare cash, keep an eye out for increasingly bizarre attempts to keep the show on the road.

It is already delaying payments to troops, including death benefits to the families of dead soldiers, to gain interest on them.

Putin has just passed a law banning people from 'childfree ideology' propaganda (?), and will fine anyone who breaks the new laws. (He wants more babies born so that they can fight in future wars).

Now, he wants the west to pay for.........air. This may be a nod to India and China, who suffer from poor air quality, even though it is self-inflicted.

Happy for them to have a small credit for their forests, but I'm afraid it's an enormous debit for their melting permafrost (methane release), and an even bigger debit for all the weaponry strikes the past 30 months.

 

[peterward]

As Russia looks behind the sofa for a bit of spare cash, keep an eye out for increasingly bizarre attempts to keep the show on the road.

It is already delaying payments to troops, including death benefits to the families of dead soldiers, to gain interest on them.

Putin has just passed a law banning people from 'childfree ideology' propaganda (?), and will fine anyone who breaks the new laws. (He wants more babies born so that they can fight in future wars).

Now, he wants the west to pay for.........air. This may be a nod to India and China, who suffer from poor air quality, even though it is self-inflicted.

Ruble exchange rate/cash problems, what problem!

 

[Eric the meek]

What's this? A dead cat bounce? Russian central bank on double time doing a spot of fire-fighting over the weekend?

1 USD = 102.855 RUB

1 RUB to USD - Russian Rubles to US Dollars Exchange Rate

Get the latest 1 Russian Ruble to US Dollar rate for FREE with the original Universal Currency Converter. Set rate alerts for to and learn more about Russian Rubles and US Dollars from XE - the Currency Authority.

www.xe.com

 

[raymondo]

What's this? A dead cat bounce? Russian central bank on double time doing a spot of fire-fighting over the weekend?

1 USD = 102.855 RUB

1 RUB to USD - Russian Rubles to US Dollars Exchange Rate

Get the latest 1 Russian Ruble to US Dollar rate for FREE with the original Universal Currency Converter. Set rate alerts for to and learn more about Russian Rubles and US Dollars from XE - the Currency Authority.

www.xe.com

Damn...a buying opportunity missed

 

[raymondo]

Hard to police this globalised world

 

[fly high]

Hard to police this globalised world

Not sure how you can stop them getting into 'wrong' hands. Would think though that this should be a clear signal to South Korea that it needs to step up & supply missiles to Ukraine as they suggested they would a few weeks ago.

 

[Eric the meek]

The Russian aviation industry is suffering from sanctions and Russian attempts to circumvent those sanctions:

 

[Sirnormangall]

What's this? A dead cat bounce? Russian central bank on double time doing a spot of fire-fighting over the weekend?

1 USD = 102.855 RUB

1 RUB to USD - Russian Rubles to US Dollars Exchange Rate

Get the latest 1 Russian Ruble to US Dollar rate for FREE with the original Universal Currency Converter. Set rate alerts for to and learn more about Russian Rubles and US Dollars from XE - the Currency Authority.

www.xe.com

It was probably a market response to my post a couple of days ago when I said I was trying to open a Revolut ruble account

 

[raymondo]

 

[raymondo]

Lots of internal debates between US Republicans about Ukraine. Here's a senator who strongly supports Ukraine.