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

[jakarta]

He knows he’s hated. Reporters covered, before this invasion/genocide, that he won’t touch food or drink offered by other world leaders, and in round table negotiations he insists on being seated a huge distance away from the other leaders.

He’s arranged the murder of people through them touching a grain of radioactive matter, it’s made him personally paranoid.

Also how Herman Goring travelled in WWII. Not a good look for the head of the Luftwaffe to say the least...

 

[NooBHA]

It makes a mockery of Putin's tough guy persona, with the judo, bareback horse riding etc, when he is shit-scared of catching a plane.

Mind you, with sanctions going the way they are, and Russia bastardising grounded planes for spare parts, maybe he's got a point.

An opportunity for western nations I feel. Focus on sanctions which will halt the spare parts for trains....

He is 5ft 6 inches tall. So he it literally a f#ckin dwarf.

He was a skinny b#stard when he was young. I just wish someone had punched the f#cker out years ago before it got to this stage where he has stolen everything he has that he can afford to surround himself with thugs.

If you were to pass him in a dark alley at night one on one. Chances are he would be the one shitting his pants.

 

[Weststander]

My daughter went to see Ukrainian refugees singing traditional songs at the Phoenix Art Centre, The Level this evening. She said it was amazing. Large crowds watching, all English and Polish, with much warmth from all towards the singers.

 

[Igzilla]

'Ukraine-Russia news – live: Putin travelling in armoured train over ‘fear of flying’

Putin travelling in armoured train over ‘fear of flying’ – Ukraine-Russia latest

Russian president is reportedly afraid of being ‘shot down’

www.independent.co.uk

Isn't this wonderful? He is scared to fly, because he judges other world leaders by his own low standards.

​

Having flown Aeroflot to Japan in 2019, they were as dodgy as f*** then. 4 years down the line and a year's worth of western sanctions preventing the Russian aviation industry from doing sufficient maintainence, I'm not surprised Putin's not setting foot on a Russian plane. I wouldn't either.

 

[SeagullinExile]

30,000 Wagner ‘recruits’ killed or wounded according to Western intelligence agencies.

Nothing but cannon fodder.

 

[sparkie]

30,000 Wagner ‘recruits’ killed or wounded according to Western intelligence agencies.

Nothing but cannon fodder.

On the "plus" side the Russians have massively reduced their prison population and no longer have to pay to house lots of prisoners. A big "win" for the kremlin coffers.

 

[Surport Local Team]

Sorry wrong thread

 

[The Clamp]

Reports that China are going to arm Russia. That changes the game considerably. On many levels.

 

[Rugrat]

Reports that China are going to arm Russia. That changes the game considerably. On many levels.

That's as scary as it gets.

I've often been troubled by the apparent lack of diplomatic effort on the part of the US (and NATO). Almost right from the off I saw the role of China as pivotal in this, I never expected them to side with the west but I had thought that every effort would be made to have them remain firmly neutral. Maybe more has been done and it just hasn't been reported, but what little I've seen has been little more than veiled threats and provocative statements for them to not get involved.

Let's hope they stay out otherwise the course of this conflict and the potential for escalation are going to change considerably.

 

[jakarta]

A poke in the eye for the USA after these balloon capers?

 

[Icy Gull]

Reports that China are going to arm Russia. That changes the game considerably. On many levels.

The US threatening China rather than requesting, given that they are supplying arms to Ukraine seems a pretty stupid move to me too.

 

[sparkie]

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

I think if China do provide Russia with weapons we can legitimately start referring to this as the 3rd world war, albeit currently, there is just one theatre of that war.

How to respond?

Do we double down? Send more and more weapons until both sides have blown each other to pieces?
Do we wash our hands? A bit like with Syria. We had a go, but ultimately conclude it's not our country being invaded so not our fight?
Is there some sort of diplomatic / economic middle ground? Where we ostracise China? We haven't seen much success with other efforts of reining China in.

Three appalling options. To me the least bad is to carry on, even if we're in effect fighting China and Russia. The bloodshed will be hideous and the conflict long with high risk of it spilling over. As long as Ukraine still want to fight I think we should accept these risks and carry on helping them.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Reports that China are going to arm Russia. That changes the game considerably. On many levels.

A switch from economic to military domination would be a big policy shift. China has had a relatively free pass with its economic expansion but if they arm Russia we should be disengaging from their companies completely.

 

[sparkie]

Air raid sirens in Kyiv.

With Biden there I don't think the Russians have thought this through.

I'd imagine there is a lot of US assets ready to respond in seconds if necessary.

 

[sparkie]

 

[Eric the meek]

I think if China do provide Russia with weapons we can legitimately start referring to this as the 3rd world war, albeit currently, there is just one theatre of that war.

How to respond?

Do we double down? Send more and more weapons until both sides have blown each other to pieces?
Do we wash our hands? A bit like with Syria. We had a go, but ultimately conclude it's not our country being invaded so not our fight?
Is there some sort of diplomatic / economic middle ground? Where we ostracise China? We haven't seen much success with other efforts of reining China in.

Three appalling options. To me the least bad is to carry on, even if we're in effect fighting China and Russia. The bloodshed will be hideous and the conflict long with high risk of it spilling over. As long as Ukraine still want to fight I think we should accept these risks and carry on helping them.

I would have thought sanctions would be the way to go, rather than any of the options you suggest.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Well done President Biden.

I'm far more reassured having him in the White House than I am any of the other clowns they've had in there during my lifetime

 

[Rugrat]

I would have thought sanctions would be the way to go, rather than any of the options you suggest.

I can't see that sanctions would bother them in the slightest. I'm not entirely sure how much it's impacted Russia either, certainly not much economically although access to equipment and some raw materials perhaps.

I don't think there's any diplomacy that would work with Russia but I think every effort should be made with China before we start thinking 'we' can threaten them too (which is what I regard sanctions as)

 

[sparkie]

I can't see that sanctions would bother them in the slightest. I'm not entirely sure how much it's impacted Russia either, certainly not much economically although access to equipment and some raw materials perhaps.

I don't think there's any diplomacy that would work with Russia but I think every effort should be made with China before we start thinking 'we' can threaten them too (which is what I regard sanctions as)

A lot.

The thing with economic collapse is that it doesn't happen for a long time, and then at a tipping point it suddenly does. A slow travelator to a cliff drop.