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

[GoldstoneVintage]

Thanks for helping with my christmas present list - I’ve read a couple of them, but not all. Currently reading Midnight in Moscow by John Sullivan, the US Ambassador in Moscow in the years leading up to and including the start of the invasion (sorry SMO). I’m not very far into it but it gives an interesting insight into what it was like working for Trump and the exceptional challenges for foreign diplomats in Russia.

You're most welcome and thanks for your tip. My favourites were the Timothy Snyder books. A brilliant historian and genuine expert in that part of the world.

 

[peterward]

You're most welcome and thanks for your tip. My favourites were the Timothy Snyder books. A brilliant historian and genuine expert in that part of the world.

More about USA than Russia/Ukraine, but Snyders latest substack is chilling.

Decapitation Strike

Preserving America from Trump's Appointments

snyder.substack.com

 

[Eric the meek]

Lots of activity in Russia overnight, in Briyansk, Tula, Belgorod, Voronezh and Rostov. At least 8 Atacms said to have been used with 2 shot down. Azov South twitter.

 

[Eric the meek]

More about USA than Russia/Ukraine, but Snyders latest substack is chilling.

Decapitation Strike

Preserving America from Trump's Appointments

snyder.substack.com

Chilling is the right description.

I suspect we only know about a subset of the Russian hybrid war on the west. There is going to be a lot we don't know, and a lot that people are afraid to voice for fear of being ridiculed.

 

[cunning fergus]

That's a good article and more needs to be done to stop the oligarchs, but are you seriously suggesting that the sanctions are doing nothing and Russia's economy is all fine and dandy?

I never suggested it was fine and dandy I asked if it was genuinely being crippled by sanctions?

Putin’s best weapon to pay for the Ukraine war is not oil; it's VAT

Sanctions on Russia are barking up the wrong tree. The Kremlin’s Achilles’ heel is not its dependence on oil export revenue. Russian President ...

search.app

https://search.app/hmZu8G7jk7sZa48W9

More importantly applying sanctions are not a one way street, whilst Russians enjoy rock bottom energy prices in the virtuous UK our prices are in the top 10 internationally for being expensive. That is a factor crippling our economy, and why for example, the U.K. now produces less steel domestically than Egypt.

Furthermore, if you really want sanctions to work then we should be heading down the US route, OFAC have sanctioned more than HMT have, and HMT have sanctioned more than the EU have.

Russian Aluminium is a good example, the UK and US have banned imports, the US can source elsewhere, we have essentially ceased to be a manufacturing power that needs vast quantities of it.

The EU not so and whilst Aluminium imports into the EU have dropped the reality is industrially the EU cannot operate without it as it cannot be sourced as cheaply elsewhere. Economically, the EU would be crippled if you like.

 

[cunning fergus]

Check out the Moex today, for a snapshot of how Russia's finest companies are doing.

If you think the sanctions aren't working, go ahead and fill your boots. Snap up all those bargain shares.

Let us know how you get on.

Yeah, on the other hand the UK’s economic miracle is delivering record levels of taxation and taking benefits from pensioners while we continue to bankroll Ukraine. Keep on drinking the Kool aid.

 

[Eric the meek]

Yeah, on the other hand the UK’s economic miracle is delivering record levels of taxation and taking benefits from pensioners while we continue to bankroll Ukraine. Keep on drinking the Kool aid.

Did you actually look at the MOEX and see that it is a sea of red, not just yesterday, but over the past year?

No, of course you didn't.

The sanctions are working. Sure Russia has done what it can to get round them.

 

[Triggaaar]

I never suggested it was fine and dandy I asked if it was genuinely being crippled by sanctions?

Yes fair enough. Russia fights on, so I wouldn't say it's crippled, but their economy is struggling.

More importantly applying sanctions are not a one way street, whilst Russians enjoy rock bottom energy prices in the virtuous UK our prices are in the top 10 internationally for being expensive. That is a factor crippling our economy, and why for example, the U.K. now produces less steel domestically than Egypt.

We've been closing our steel industry. Do we need to produce steel?

Russian Aluminium is a good example, the UK and US have banned imports, the US can source elsewhere, we have essentially ceased to be a manufacturing power that needs vast quantities of it.

I'm not sure what you're referring to here, we haven't been a manufacturing power for a long time.

 

[Triggaaar]

Yeah, on the other hand the UK’s economic miracle is delivering record levels of taxation and taking benefits from pensioners while we continue to bankroll Ukraine. Keep on drinking the Kool aid.

What record levels of taxation are you referring to?

Russia are attacking democracy in Europe, and you want us to do nothing about it? I want us to support a democratic country in Europe which is defending itself from an evil dictator, and you think that stance is drinking kool aid

 

[fly high]

Yeah, on the other hand the UK’s economic miracle is delivering record levels of taxation and taking benefits from pensioners while we continue to bankroll Ukraine. Keep on drinking the Kool aid.

There are times you really wish the thumbs down was still available. Come on Russia, so we can all be rich again.

 

[dangull]

A nuclear strike could end the global warming crisis we hear so much about anyway.

 

[Blues Guitarist]

.

 

[Carlos BC]

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Good point

 

[A1X]

Guardian reporting UK Storm Shadow missiles have been fired at targets within Russia for the first time

 

[sparkie]

Guardian reporting UK Storm Shadow missiles have been fired at targets within Russia for the first time

Excellent news.

Eat Storm Shadow, Vladimir.

 

[amexer]

I find it disturbing that missiles are fired into Russia with GB label and not with agreement of all of European countries exception of Hungary

 

[Eric the meek]

This might be rather significant.

 

[essbee1]

I find it disturbing that missiles are fired into Russia with GB label and not with agreement of all of European countries exception of Hungary

I don't 100%.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

I find it disturbing that missiles are fired into Russia with GB label and not with agreement of all of European countries exception of Hungary

I realise this isn't the most mature or considered response, but in this particular case I don't give a shit what European countries think.

 

[Triggaaar]

I find it disturbing that missiles are fired into Russia with GB label and not with agreement of all of European countries exception of Hungary

Why? We don't need the agreement of a single European country. We're allowed to supply weapons to other countries to defend themselves against invasion.