Current Affairs Ukraine

[Tennessee Blue Mike]

Sorry, maybe 95.5%

Crimea referendum: Voters 'back Russia union'

Election officials say 95.5% of Crimean voters back joining Russia in a disputed referendum, with half the ballots counted.

www.bbc.co.uk

You can round it to 96% with +-1 deviation.

(Reuters) -The rouble strengthened on Friday but gave up some intraday gains after the Bank of Russia raised interest rates to 13%, a move anticipated by the market as the country battles inflationary pressures exacerbated by its weak currency.

The central bank had hiked rates by 350 basis points to 12% at an emergency meeting last month, responding to the rouble's tumble past 100 to the dollar, and most analysts polled by Reuters had expected Friday's increase.

But as the currency hit six-week highs early this week, some economists, including the CEOs of Russia's two largest banks, had been leaning in favour of a hold.

By 1403 GMT, the rouble was 0.4% stronger against the dollar at 96.92, down from a session high of 96.10.

 

[Noisy noise annoys]

Poland will itself extend a ban on Ukrainian grains into Poland from midnight, the prime minister said on Friday, after the European Union said it would not extend a ban it had imposed.

“We will extend this ban despite their disagreement, despite the European Commission’s disagreement,” Mateusz Morawiecki told a rally in the northeastern town of Elk.

“We will do it because it is in the interest of the Polish farmer.”

Cool story

 

[devogue]

Not been a good week for the Russian Navy

 

[Drico]

Poland will itself extend a ban on Ukrainian grains into Poland from midnight, the prime minister said on Friday, after the European Union said it would not extend a ban it had imposed.

“We will extend this ban despite their disagreement, despite the European Commission’s disagreement,” Mateusz Morawiecki told a rally in the northeastern town of Elk.

“We will do it because it is in the interest of the Polish farmer.”

The Polish government demand that other neighbouring countries sacrifice for Ukraine by giving up trade, pipelines, etc., but have zero interest in sacrificing themselves when there might be an electoral cost to pay. This is a pattern among the eastern states. Kaja Kallas, the prime minister of Estonia, demanded all sorts of restrictions and bans on trading with Russia. Meanwhile, her husband's business continues to trade lucratively with them...

Sadly, it is this kind of double standard that will ensure that EU membership for Ukraine remains an aspiration. In that sense, the likes of Morawiecki damages Ukraine twice over. There are enough cuckoos in the EU nest. Those nations that bankroll the show have taken note...

 

[Bedfordblue]

Not been a good week for the Russian Navy

‘All sea drones were destroyed including one by a direct hit from the hull of the Samum’

 

[davek]

The Polish government demand that other neighbouring countries sacrifice for Ukraine by giving up trade, pipelines, etc., but have zero interest in sacrificing themselves when there might be an electoral cost to pay. This is a pattern among the eastern states. Kaja Kallas, the prime minister of Estonia, demanded all sorts of restrictions and bans on trading with Russia. Meanwhile, her husband's business continues to trade lucratively with them...

Sadly, it is this kind of double standard that will ensure that EU membership for Ukraine remains an aspiration. In that sense, the likes of Morawiecki damages Ukraine twice over. There are enough cuckoos in the EU nest. Those nations that bankroll the show have taken note...

TBF to Poland they've taken in almost 1 million Ukrainians. That'll come at an enormous economic and social cost.

 

[tsubaki]

TBF to Poland they've taken in almost 1 million Ukrainians. That'll come at an enormous economic and social cost.

I very much doubt that - socially there have been almost no problems and I wouldn't expect any, and much of the economic cost is spread out across the rest of the EU. The idea that they might be next on the menu is also something that motivates them a lot, too.

 

[PhilM]

The level of destruction faced here is horrendous and shows that the use of artillery/mortars is widespread. Also..

 

[davek]

I very much doubt that - socially there have been almost no problems and I wouldn't expect any, and much of the economic cost is spread out across the rest of the EU. The idea that they might be next on the menu is also something that motivates them a lot, too.

More housing, more pressures on welfare, health centres, schools, employment competition. How can there be almost no problems resulting from that, regardless of how much the EU chips in to the 8 billion euros this is all costing so far.

You cant just put 1 million more people into another country and things stay the same.

 

[PhilM]

Not been a good week for the Russian Navy

 

[The binman chronicles]

Don’t think the world will shed a tear - the horrible little goblin

Obviously been drinking the wrong tea..

 

[tsubaki]

More housing, more pressures on welfare, health centres, schools, employment competition. How can there be almost no problems resulting from that, regardless of how much the EU chips in to the 8 billion euros this is all costing so far.

You cant just put 1 million more people into another country and things stay the same.

Noone is saying there will be no problems, but as I said theres been almost no reports of "Ukrainian immigrant" disorder in Poland and the help has been provided willingly by hundreds of thousands of Polish families. I think it helps that so many are women and children (or wounded veterans), and that the expectation is that they'll be going back when the war ends. Poland also benefits from never having a Tory government so there is still quite a bit of spare capacity in the areas where over here we are already at breaking point even on a good day.

As an example of class solidarity with the vulnerable it (or at least appears from this distance) to be a very positive one.

 

[davek]

Noone is saying there will be no problems, but as I said theres been almost no reports of "Ukrainian immigrant" disorder in Poland and the help has been provided willingly by hundreds of thousands of Polish families. I think it helps that so many are women and children (or wounded veterans), and that the expectation is that they'll be going back when the war ends. Poland also benefits from never having a Tory government so there is still quite a bit of spare capacity in the areas where over here we are already at breaking point even on a good day.

As an example of class solidarity with the vulnerable it (or at least appears from this distance) to be a very positive one.

Well it's early days.

Polls like this indicate that attitudes are changing:

https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/poles-less-willing-to-help-ukrainian-refugees-poll/

 

[Cool_Blue]

The level of destruction faced here is horrendous and shows that the use of artillery/mortars is widespread. Also..

Someone likened these scenes to the Somme last week, looks more like Nagasaki in 1945 to me

 

[Mutzo Nutzo]

Additive manufacturing has arrived - watch Ukraines drone production go into overdrive