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

[Is it PotG?]

You still buy Christmas cards?

Yup, my great-aunt said that she couldn't blu-tack my text to her wall.

 

[Triggaaar]

Bluff, but a scary one that probably does need calling. If Putin gets away with this he will be invigorated and won’t stop at Ukraine

That's how I feel. He's telling us to stop helping Ukraine, or he'll nuke us. Imagine what would happen if we actually stopped. He could take over every ex-soviet country, and we'd have to sit and watch them all die. We mustn't do that.

 

[Triggaaar]

Russia's complaints over the West helping Ukraine:

Isn't this basically the same as when China and Russia helped North Vietnam? The US lost that war, but they didn't nuke China and Russia because of it.

 

[Icy Gull]

That's how I feel. He telling us to stop helping Ukraine, or he'll nuke us. Imagine what would happen if we actually stopped. He could take over every ex-soviet country, and we'd have to sit and watch them all die. We mustn't do that.

It IS a massive risk but I’m with you

 

[Is it PotG?]

Just had a pony on at 125s that we get nuked this year.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Just had a pony on at 125s that we get nuked this year.

Right, I'll given Putin £200 not to do it. That's a pony and a bag of hooves.

 

[rogersix]

... post deleted

due to bad temper....... but man ,that Trig bloke is ...erm.... annoying..

not to keen on bullshitters, personally.

whatever you say about trig, he does keep people honest!

 

[KZNSeagull]

Just had a pony on at 125s that we get nuked this year.

How will you collect your winnings?

 

[Hampden Park]

How will you collect your winnings?

Under a cloud?

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Germany is onside with the oil ban;

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/germany-caves-eu-pressure-russian-oil-ban-b997162.html?amp

‘Germany caves to EU pressure over Russian oil ban’

 

[vegster]

Germany is onside with the oil ban;

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/germany-caves-eu-pressure-russian-oil-ban-b997162.html?amp

‘Germany caves to EU pressure over Russian oil ban’

Death of a thousand cuts for Russia.... The finances are getting squeezed, harder to get sophisticated electronics in for spares for armoured vehicles and planes and missiles, upgraded NATO weaponry flowing in to the country including sophisticated Arty, counter battery radar and drones as Russian losses mount and morale weakens....they Russians have been throwing everything at Ukrainians in the South East front and have hardly gained a thing.


Bloomin' heroes !

 

[Eric the meek]

'Russian forces will collapse in weeks, predicts military expert'

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-61252785 16:23

Russia's assault on Donbas has "sort of fizzled" and the battle for the region will be over in two to four weeks, says military expert Dr Mike Martin.
The war studies visiting fellow at King's College London says: "Basically the Russians are gonna run out of troops, and the Ukrainians are going to counterattack."
The Russians have squandered their one chance to take the region, he believes.
"They pulled all of these mauled units out of Kyiv, and then tried to reconstitute them for combat in the east," he explains.
But they were "bruised and damaged" by the battle for the Ukrainian capital and Russia failed to build them up and "do some bold manoeuvre".
And Martin says there has been a "major strategic shift" in the war, with the UK declaring its aim is to clear Russian forces from Ukraine, including Crimea.
He adds that UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is "wrong", however, to say this would take 10 years, insisting: "Russian forces will collapse before that, and we’ll see a coup."
And with the US announcing US$33bn (£26bn) of funding for Ukraine, "that is an extremely clear signal of intent", says Martin.
It also means Nato and the US have decided Vladimir Putin is bluffing about using nuclear weapons if Nato up the ante, he adds.'

 

[Billy the Fish]

'Russian forces will collapse in weeks, predicts military expert'

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-61252785 16:23

Russia's assault on Donbas has "sort of fizzled" and the battle for the region will be over in two to four weeks, says military expert Dr Mike Martin.
The war studies visiting fellow at King's College London says: "Basically the Russians are gonna run out of troops, and the Ukrainians are going to counterattack."
The Russians have squandered their one chance to take the region, he believes.
"They pulled all of these mauled units out of Kyiv, and then tried to reconstitute them for combat in the east," he explains.
But they were "bruised and damaged" by the battle for the Ukrainian capital and Russia failed to build them up and "do some bold manoeuvre".
And Martin says there has been a "major strategic shift" in the war, with the UK declaring its aim is to clear Russian forces from Ukraine, including Crimea.
He adds that UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is "wrong", however, to say this would take 10 years, insisting: "Russian forces will collapse before that, and we’ll see a coup."
And with the US announcing US$33bn (£26bn) of funding for Ukraine, "that is an extremely clear signal of intent", says Martin.
It also means Nato and the US have decided Vladimir Putin is bluffing about using nuclear weapons if Nato up the ante, he adds.'

Interesting. Could tie in with this, reported in the Telegraph and a few other papers:

Vladimir Putin could announce the mass mobilisation of Russians on May 9, Ben Wallace, the Defence Secretary, has said.

Mr Wallace said that Putin could declare that "we are now at war with the world's Nazis and we need to mass mobilise the Russian people".

He told LBC that the Russian leader had "failed" in "nearly all [of his] objectives".

He added: "We have to help Ukrainians effectively get the limpet off the rock and keep the momentum pushing them back".

Meanwhile, the British ambassador to Ukraine has announced the reopening of the embassy in the capital of Kyiv after it was temporarily relocated days before the Russian invasion began.

 

[GingerBeerMan]

Tactical nuke incoming I reckon. A small warhead would explode the size of a football field, but signal a huge intent. There is no way Russia limp away from this war.

 

[Icy Gull]

Tactical nuke incoming I reckon. A small warhead would explode the size of a football field, but signal a huge intent. There is no way Russia limp away from this war.

And there is no way the West won’t react if that happens. Rock and a Hard place

Is there any chance of a coup or is he that coup proof?

 

[Motogull]

Tactical nuke incoming I reckon. A small warhead would explode the size of a football field, but signal a huge intent.

Are we allowed to nominate where?

 

[Eric the meek]

'Putin visiting depraved brutality on innocent people - Pentagon'

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-61252785 19:51

'The US has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of "depravity and brutality" in his invasion of Ukraine.
Department of Defense spokesman John Kirby said: "It's brutality of the coldest and the most depraved sort," Reuters news agency reported.
He told reporters. "I don't think we fully appreciated the degree to which he would visit that kind of violence and cruelty and as I said depravity, on innocent people, on non-combatants, on civilians, with such utter disregard for the lives he was taking."
He said it was hard to look at what Putin is doing in Ukraine and "think any ethical, moral individual could justify that".

These are strong words. I doubt if the Pentagon would have allowed their publication without hard evidence.

 

[The Clamp]

There is a clear step up in world leaders basically telling Putin to go **** himself. This could indicate they think he is bluffing over using nukes. I think it’s possible they’ve found a way to get to Putin. British and US special forces are clearly running things on the ground in Ukraine and I suspect they are also operating on Russian soil.
I hope they are going to take the ******* out. Too much to wish for? Probably.

 

[Triggaaar]

It IS a massive risk but I’m with you

Is supplying weapons a massive risk? Countries have done it up to this point (not just this war) and no one has ever talked about nuclear weapons being the answer. It just seems like standard Russian threats. If this really is how they want the world to end, no one can stop them, but I'm sure plenty of them want life on earth to continue. And what about China - are they worried this will lead to nuclear war? If so, they need to talk sense into Putin - if not, then presumably they know it's a bluff.

Can we not also say it's a risk to not supply them? I fear for what he'd do if the West showed such weakness and backed down while he committed genocide.

 

[The Clamp]

Is supplying weapons a massive risk? Countries have done it up to this point (not just this war) and no one has ever talked about nuclear weapons being the answer. It just seems like standard Russian threats. If this really is how they want the world to end, no one can stop them, but I'm sure plenty of them want life on earth to continue. And what about China - are they worried this will lead to nuclear war? If so, they need to talk sense into Putin - if not, then presumably they know it's a bluff.

Can we not also say it's a risk to not supply them? If fear for what he'd do if the West showed such weakness and backed down while he committed genocide.

Agree. I’ve heard a few military experts say that Putin is provoked by weakness. He probes and attacks weakness. I think the West is catching on to this. Hence the massive boost in support and also sending troops to bolster NATO defences.
Putin needs to be faced down. If he’s going to use Nukes, as you say, nothing we can do so we may as well show him some strength.