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

[Deportivo Seagull]

Sadly this is where we are now.

Cowering away from Putin just buys time.

It is then Putin's choice as to how long that time is.

The more we cower the more bold he becomes.

Ukraine will be his Afghanistan. As we have seen from recent wars, if you don’t have the support of the vast majority of the people then you are screwed as an invading force.

He has 70% of Russia’s army now in Ukraine because 40% was clearly not enough. That 70% to take on a a very small army and determined civilians. In anyones book that is very poor on the Russians in terms of military might.

He’s now resorting to indiscriminate bombing which will not sit well with many back in Russia, it will also mean that any chance of sanctions being lifted are gone and so the average Russian will start feeling shortages etc very quickly.

If those around putin decide that he’s inflicting too much damage to mother Russia then he will be gone.


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[Insel affe]

I think it's vital that we steel ourselves over the coming days. The west (and particularly NATO) must absolutely not get involved. Whatever Putin does.

It may be horrific to see. It might be the hardest thing we ever have to do. But one NATO round kills a Russian in any context and it's Goodnight Vienna for all of us.

As much as you are right, it is all so bloody wrong, we get to watch innocent people and cities destroyed, mass annihilation of a country. It just seems so wrong, we need divine intervention in other words, a mass breakout of covid in the Russian ranks, torrential downpours to halt the advance.

 

[jcdenton08]

Most in Russia won't know what is going on. It's just state controlled news and they'll just be showing the cheering crowds in Crimea etc.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Ukraine will be his Afghanistan. As we have seen from recent wars, if you don’t have the support of the vast majority of the people then you are screwed as an invading force.

He has 70% of Russia’s army now in Ukraine because 40% was clearly not enough. That 70% to take on a a very small army and determined civilians. In anyones book that is very poor on the Russians in terms of military might.

He’s now resorting to indiscriminate bombing which will not sit well with many back in Russia, it will also mean that any chance of sanctions being lifted are gone and so the average Russian will start feeling shortages etc very quickly.

If those around putin decide that he’s inflicting too much damage to mother Russia then he will be gone.


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Absolutely, all of this ^

 

[ManOfSussex]

YouTube has blocked RT across Europe, including here.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

As much as you are right, it is all so bloody wrong, we get to watch innocent people and cities destroyed, mass annihilation of a country. It just seems so wrong, we need divine intervention in other words, a mass breakout of covid in the Russian ranks, torrential downpours to halt the advance.

There will be no Hollywood ending. There will only be mass slaughter.

Even when the news cycle moves on. We must never forget and never relent with the pressure we can put on Putin's government. He'll die as most tyrants do, with a bullet in his head. All we can do is pile the pressure on his nation to make it as quick as possible

 

[Springal]

I think it's vital that we steel ourselves over the coming days. The west (and particularly NATO) must absolutely not get involved. Whatever Putin does.

It may be horrific to see. It might be the hardest thing we ever have to do. But one NATO round kills a Russian in any context and it's Goodnight Vienna for all of us.

Where is the line drawn in the future then? If the world sits by and watches that, then why not Finland or Latvia in the future?

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

I think it's vital that we steel ourselves over the coming days. The west (and particularly NATO) must absolutely not get involved. Whatever Putin does.

It may be horrific to see. It might be the hardest thing we ever have to do. But one NATO round kills a Russian in any context and it's Goodnight Vienna for all of us.

It's possible that NATO and Russia fight a conventional war and it never goes nuclear. Clearly we don't want to rely on that possibility though

 

[Eric the meek]

Sadly this is where we are now.

Cowering away from Putin just buys time.

It is then Putin's choice as to how long that time is.

The more we cower the more bold he becomes.

Last night, when I heard of the 17 mile convoy, I thought 'this is it'.

Every morning I log on fearing the worst - that Kyiv has been taken and Zelensky killed.
Kyiv and Zelensky have been key targets since the beginning of the invasion.

But the great Russian war machine still hasn't achieved either target.

Putin is throwing everything at this. Why hasn't the convoy made greater progress? The convoy could be stuck, either due to poor logistics (fuel, food) or stiff Ukrainian resistance, or both.
Or it could be something else. I took particular notice that the Kremlin is banning troops from using smartphones. Have the troops on the convoy got wind that their wages will buy 30% less if they ever make it back to mother Russia?

Morale could be waning.

Whatever happens now, I think we can agree that the Russian war machine is actually a bit crap, isn't it?

 

[Bozza]

Where is the line drawn in the future then? If the world sits by and watches that, then why not Finland or Latvia in the future?

It's currently a fight we can't win. The rational can rarely win against someone who is always going to escalate to the next level, pretty much without boundary.

It's like knowing that if a certain bloke punches you, he'll pull out a knife if you hit back. If you counter his knife with one of your own, he'll pull out a gun.

I don't know what the answer is beyond hoping the wide-ranging sanctions prove so restrictive to Russia, that pressure from within triggers change.

 

[Carlos BC]

Ukraine will be his Afghanistan. As we have seen from recent wars, if you don’t have the support of the vast majority of the people then you are screwed as an invading force.

He has 70% of Russia’s army now in Ukraine because 40% was clearly not enough. That 70% to take on a a very small army and determined civilians. In anyones book that is very poor on the Russians in terms of military might.

He’s now resorting to indiscriminate bombing which will not sit well with many back in Russia, it will also mean that any chance of sanctions being lifted are gone and so the average Russian will start feeling shortages etc very quickly.

If those around putin decide that he’s inflicting too much damage to mother Russia then he will be gone.


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I think it may be 70% of the forces that were surrounding Ukraine and supposedly only taking part in exercises. I don't believe it is anywhere near 70% of the total armed forces at that prick's disposal.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Most in Russia won't know what is going on. It's just state controlled news and they'll just be showing the cheering crowds in Crimea etc.

I wouldn't be so sure. This happened a couple of days ago:

[tweet]1497678663046905863[/tweet]

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Last night, when I heard of the 17 mile convoy, I thought 'this is it'.

Every morning I log on fearing the worst - that Kyiv has been taken and Zelensky killed.
Kyiv and Zelensky have been key targets since the beginning of the invasion.

But the great Russian war machine still hasn't achieved either target.

Putin is throwing everything at this. Why hasn't the convoy made greater progress? The convoy could be stuck, either due to poor logistics (fuel, food) or stiff Ukrainian resistance, or both.
Or it could be something else. I took particular notice that the Kremlin is banning troops from using smartphones. Have the troops on the convoy got wind that their wages will buy 30% less if they ever make it back to mother Russia?

Morale could be waning.

Whatever happens now, I think we can agree that the Russian war machine is actually a bit crap, isn't it?

Indeed.

Putin has showcased to the world that his army is a mess.

Too much corruption stealing from the defence budget is my guess.

Well done, Vladimir.

 

[Deportivo Seagull]

I think it may be 70% of the forces that were surrounding Ukraine and supposedly only taking part in exercises. I don't believe it is anywhere near 70% of the total armed forces at that prick's disposal.

You may well be right but militarily it still piss poor.

Having a military convoy that’s is many miles in length is not good military planning. If Ukraine has more drones it will become very messy.


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[Nobby Cybergoat]

You may well be right but militarily it still piss poor.

Having a military convoy that’s is many miles in length is not good military planning. If Ukraine has more drones it will become very messy.


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Presumably the convoy is covered by significant air support

 

[peterward]

I’m feeling like this too….it’s looking desperate. Faint hope though that his ill-prepared, disillusioned and unenthusiastic soldiers really don’t want to be there and the level of resistance (the Russians are sitting ducks at the moment in a very large and slow-moving convoy with no air cover) will be such that there’s a better outcome.

Theres a 40 miles long convoy picked up on satellite, as we speak other eastern EU nations are donating about 20 odd Mig 29 and SU25 as the Ukrainians are used to them. They need to smash that convoy, let every russian moving forward, see what await them. I dont worry for Kyiv right now, Russians are waiting to move troops from East and south first I think, with just missles in mean time, but this is the time to hammer that convoy N of capital.

 

[Springal]

I work in tech / internet industry and there is quite a bit of talk of disconnecting Russian networks from the 'rest of the world' - not sure if it would really happen in full as it is to complex - but if enough did it it'd really constrain bandwidth and make getting internet traffic in / out of Russia pretty tricky I guess.

Ukraine have also requested they are dropped from the central domain name services in Europe - again to many liberal 'freedom of speech' types around in the industry that I Think it is unlikely to get action but some organisations might take things into their own hands.

 

[dazzer6666]

Theres a 40 miles long convoy picked up on satellite, as we speak other eastern EU nations are donating about 20 odd Mig 29 and SU25 as the Ukrainians are used to them. They need to smash that convoy, let every russian moving forward, see what await them. I dont worry for Kyiv right now, Russians are waiting to move troops from East and south first I think, with just missles in mean time, but this is the time to hammer that convoy N of capital.

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.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

You may well be right but militarily it still piss poor.

Having a military convoy that’s is many miles in length is not good military planning. If Ukraine has more drones it will become very messy.


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The logistics are poor too. Several tanks have run out of fuel, including the one the farmer towed away. Captured soldiers are hungry.

 

[raymondo]

Ive spoken to Bozza and he has kindly let me post a link for the JustGiving page I have set up. We own a convenience store and any money raised we will use with our suppliers to buy essential items to send to help the refugees from this invasion.
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/helpforukraine2?utm_term=BaZjrRnnw
Thanks in advance for any donations.

Done...my wife is also Ukrainian.