Ukraine

[normal rules]

British intelligence have been listening in to Russian military comms. Some are downing their tools, refusing to soldier and some are scuttling their own vehicles by punching holes in fuel tanks so they cannot advance. Morale is reportedly non existent.

[normal rules]

In my opinion Mad Vlad has nothing to gain now whichever way this War turns out, no one in the world except his poodle in Belarus will consider dealing with him, while ever he is the Russian leader Russia will be isolated fro the rest of the world, the only was this ends is some one assassinates him, or the whole Russian population turn out and overthrow him, then he hangs by the neck until dead

He may have nothing to gain, but equally he has nothing to lose.
And that’s the really worrying bit.
Wounded animal syndrome. Very very dangerous.

[normal rules]

''Ukraine’s Secret Weapon Against Russia: Turkish Drones''

https://time.com/6153197/ukraine-russia-turkish-drones-bayraktar/

18min ago Guardian Live

''Ukraine is set to receive more Stinger and Javelin missiles from abroad, as well as another shipment of Turkish drones, according to Ukrainian defence minister Oleksii Reznikov''

Drone attack on Convoy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyVmySTUkxs

The human element of us all should feel a little for those Russian soldiers who are losing their lives over this. They have been placed in an impossible position.

The drone situation is interesting. No nato boots on the ground in Ukraine  but what’s to stop a handful of Ukrainian soldiers being seconded to RAF Waddington to operate our drones over their airspace? Rent a drone?
Perhaps it’s already happening?

[SydneyRover]

Always the human element NR, there is nothing else.

[normal rules]

Always the human element NR, there is nothing else.

Sadly, I’ve seen too many examples of inhumanity being displayed recently. None less than on football supporter platforms. Not this one I hasten to add

[DonnyBazR0ver]

It's inconceivable the intelligence services aren't watching and listening to every Russian move on the ground and feeding the information to the Ukrainian defenders.

The emphasis being on defence, rather than attack as this will play into Putins hands who will play the victim and accuse the West as being aggressors. For now, launching attacks on Russian forces from outside Ukrainian soil is not on the cards as it will be seen to be an act of war on Russia.

Ukraine has to be seen as defending itself and draw the Russians in, with the hope that the further they get in, they will face even greater logistical problems and get bogged down, leaving Putin to use long range indiscriminate missile attacks.

[River Don]

Putin will end up being assassinated, whether by western secret services or his own people, it’s the only out now

I think internal action (maybe not as severe as topping him) may be the best way this ends. Go back to the 80's and early 90's and leaders like Vlad could completely control information and have the entire country believing he's a white knight claiming back their land. Now with the internet, global news and ease of international communication it's different. Hopefully as more and more Russians see the events through the eyes of the world and not state media then more pressure is applied and his rich mates realise his actions are threatening their bank balances.

You've got to remember Russia is a vast country. There are a lot of people living out in the sticks with very little, having a TV is about as tech as it gets, and Russian TV is completely controlled by Vlad.

In the big cities it maybe different and younger tech savvy people may be getting a different view but is that enough?

[River Don]

6000 dead Russian soldiers and he moves his family to a bunker in the mountains, he’s a f**king coward, Russian lives as well as Ukrainian lives are expendable to him, as long as him and his family are safe from harm

I don't disagree but life is cheap in the Russian army. They've always been ruthless about killing the enemy but they've never been squeamish about taking mass casualties either.

In many ways the attempt to go in with precision strikes and decapitate the government is completely unlike them. Perhaps that's why they were so poor at it.

[SydneyRover]

On Four Corners an Oz Panorama they followed an activist that had joined the electoral commission in Russia to see what happened and how and why people voted for certain candidates. They took postal voting forms and a voting box around a large housing complex where the aged lived. The cameras showed that every person in the block voted for putin's stooge they showed why at the first flat they visited.

The woman said that the carer had given her the heads up of who to vote for and it looked like the care package and possibly her home depended on a tick in the correct box.

not sure you can watch it.

https://www.abc.net.au/4corners/

[idler]

Putin will end up being assassinated, whether by western secret services or his own people, it’s the only out now

I think internal action (maybe not as severe as topping him) may be the best way this ends. Go back to the 80's and early 90's and leaders like Vlad could completely control information and have the entire country believing he's a white knight claiming back their land. Now with the internet, global news and ease of international communication it's different. Hopefully as more and more Russians see the events through the eyes of the world and not state media then more pressure is applied and his rich mates realise his actions are threatening their bank balances.

You've got to remember Russia is a vast country. There are a lot of people living out in the sticks with very little, having a TV is about as tech as it gets, and Russian TV is completely controlled by Vlad.

In the big cities it maybe different and younger tech savvy people may be getting a different view but is that enough?

You now have soldiers from these areas dying and possibly wounded soldiers returning from the front line telling those in Russia how it really is now though.
It will take time but the Russians will wonder what is taking so long to “liberate” a Ukraine that supposedly wants freedom and a much closer union with Russia.

[River Don]

Brent crude has been as high as $116 and has been trading above $110 a barrel all morning.

This is really going to put the squeeze on.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Can you begin to imagine what future historians will make of these times?

Zelezny not half a dozen years ago.

https://mobile.twitter.com/VeraMBergen/status/1498814410911006723

[BillyStubbsTears]

Here is a massive way that we could practically help Ukraine in a long slog with Russia.

Cancel their national debt.

https://www.openpetition.eu/petition/online/people-around-the-world-demand-imf-to-cancel-ukraines-unjust-debt

Historical note: This is what we did in Britain throughout all the major European wars in the 200-250 years before WWI. We (mostly) stayed out of the large scale fighting. But we acted as financiers of the countries that we wanted to win.

For "UK" now say "The West". The West cannot fight in Ukraine. But it badly need Ukraine to win. Or at least survive. So we should be prepared to take extraordinary financial measures, not just to hurt Russia, but to strengthen Ukraine.

[Colin C No.3]

Signed & donated.

[River Don]

That huge column queuing up outside Kyiv?

Here's what's left at the front of that queue.

[Sprotyrover]

That huge column queuing up outside Kyiv?

Here's what's left at the front of that queue.

Why are they sticking to the Road? It’s weird plus I bet an Ant Can’t Fart without It being picked up by Western Satellite and reported to the Ukraine Armed forces.

[River Don]

That photo shows they are within built up areas so are forced to stay on the highways.

Out in the countryside the infamous Ukraine dark earth has thawed, moving off road is very difficult in the mud. So they are stuck on the road.

 As you can see all that Russian heavy armour just isn't effective against weapons like the MBT LAW.

[BillyStubbsTears]

This is worth looking at.

https://warontherocks.com/2021/11/feeding-the-bear-a-closer-look-at-russian-army-logistics/

Written before this conflict started, its basic premise is that the Russian Army has massive supply logistics problems.
Basically, they cannot quickly re-supply a large army with food, fuel and munitions if the front is much more than 50 miles from stores.

That would explain why they gambled on a rapid, light advance, hoping resistance would crumble quickly and they'd walk into Kyiv.

Now they are in for a very long, drawn out, slow slog.

[Metalmicky]

I have some difficulty in understanding the UAE's support for Putin

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1573996/Vladimir-Putin-news-Russia-UAE-protect-security-Ukraine-war-update

..... unless it's the increase in oil prices, or in support of the large number of Russian hookers in Dubai.

[Metalmicky]

Although they are in good company........

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/jeremy-corbyn-sides-with-russia-again-

https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1574463/john-mcdonnel-news-labour-whip-latest-nato-russia-invasion

[Metalmicky]

A new low.......

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/children-arrested-protests-moscow-embassy-war-russia-ukraine-b985596.html

[drfchound]

LoL. From The Express.

'Russia invading Croatia...' Labour's Diane Abbott in embarrassing Ukraine slip up

LABOUR's Diane Abbott made an embarrassing gaffe on Politics Live by confusing Ukraine with Croatia when discussing Russia's invasion.

[KeithMyath]

LoL. From The Express.

'Russia invading Croatia...' Labour's Diane Abbott in embarrassing Ukraine slip up

LABOUR's Diane Abbott made an embarrassing gaffe on Politics Live by confusing Ukraine with Croatia when discussing Russia's invasion.

And yet Boris Johnson said in parliament today that the UK had settled more refugees than any other country in Europe since 2016, Germany took more in 1 year than we did in 6. But yeah lap up the Diane Abbott story

[drfchound]

LoL. From The Express.

'Russia invading Croatia...' Labour's Diane Abbott in embarrassing Ukraine slip up

LABOUR's Diane Abbott made an embarrassing gaffe on Politics Live by confusing Ukraine with Croatia when discussing Russia's invasion.

And yet Boris Johnson said in parliament today that the UK had settled more refugees than any other country in Europe since 2016, Germany took more in 1 year than we did in 6. But yeah lap up the Diane Abbott story

But both stories are true, so well done for highlighting the Boris one.
But yeah, let’s not tell anything that you’d rather not hear.

[Colin C No.3]

LoL. From The Express.

'Russia invading Croatia...' Labour's Diane Abbott in embarrassing Ukraine slip up

LABOUR's Diane Abbott made an embarrassing gaffe on Politics Live by confusing Ukraine with Croatia when discussing Russia's invasion.

Why have you written ‘Labour’s…’ in capital letters?

[selby]

  You would have to hold Diane Abbott's  hand to put her on the right numbered bus for the club trip to Bridlington.

[drfchound]

LoL. From The Express.

'Russia invading Croatia...' Labour's Diane Abbott in embarrassing Ukraine slip up

LABOUR's Diane Abbott made an embarrassing gaffe on Politics Live by confusing Ukraine with Croatia when discussing Russia's invasion.

Why have you written ‘Labour’s…’ in capital letters?

I didn’t, it was written like that in the article I copied and pasted.
You should take your query up with The Express.

[BillyStubbsTears]

I have some difficulty in understanding the UAE's support for Putin

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1573996/Vladimir-Putin-news-Russia-UAE-protect-security-Ukraine-war-update

..... unless it's the increase in oil prices, or in support of the large number of Russian hookers in Dubai.

It's all about world power. It's about positioning themselves so their oil wealth buys power which will persist once the oil has gone.

There's been an axis of Russia, UAE and Saudi Arabia for years. Trump was up to his orange neck in it. Seth Abramson has been logging the connections for years.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Fascinating how much bile Dianne Abbott brings out of certain people.

[normal rules]

Georgia now asking for immediate EU membership.