Current Affairs Ukraine

[Neiler]

I am fully aware that both side's in any conflict will use propaganda for their own use.
But particularly in this case one side has the whole free worlds media focused in reporting on the "special operation " the other side has endorsed a total media blackout , even for its own citizens.
There's many news feeds that give a balanced view if you choose , although there's plenty not to be trusted.
Then we form our own opinions , my opinion is Putin waited for the optimum time to start this through world events over the past recent years. Again my opinion is he did not expect the west to unite in the way it has. Nor Ukraine to give such stern resistance.
To me its quite obvious it has not gone to plan and dont believe he wants a long drawn out war and is prepared to escalate things by using thermobaric , cluster bombs & hiting hospitals , nuseries and civilian housing.
The longer it goes on his own country's system is breaking down and losing support of people as the sanctions hit hard.
My hope is he gets taken out of the equation before we reach the point of no return.
Its what we are all praying for.

Wouldnt agree with a lot of that for the reasons i mention in my posts mate bar the opportune time in world events, but all good. Hopefully hes caught with his pant down like you say and you have the right of it.

 

[bluebud]

 

[Bruce Wayne]

 

[cooperman]

There's stuff on Twitter

This is the problem with that line of thinking though - the use of nuclear weapons by Russia would guarantee their defeat, not avoid it.

If Putin uses nukes, it's because he knows he's defeated and he wants to take as many people down with him.

Another consideration here is Putin's vast wealth.

The nuclear option destroys everything for him.
He may take a route out that allows him to retreat to his palace and never been seen again

 

[cooperman]

No chance the way things are unraveling

 

[Mrk]

There's stuff on Twitter

Another consideration here is Putin's vast wealth.

The nuclear option destroys everything for him.
He may take a route out that allows him to retreat to his palace and never been seen again

Indeed - pretty much everything he's worked for (in the loosest sense) will be taken away. Russia will cease to exist. He will cease to exist. His family will cease to exist. It would be the very definition of suicide on the part of Putin and Russia.

 

[Noisy noise annoys]

Indeed - pretty much everything he's worked for (in the loosest sense) will be taken away. Russia will cease to exist. He will cease to exist. His family will cease to exist. It would be the very definition of suicide on the part of Putin and Russia.

Hitler and Goring like this
Basically, if, like Nazi Germany, the end is nigh, they may as well end it all, not just them selves but everyone!

 

[PhilM]

No chance the way things are unraveling

The Russians would be annihilated if they took NATO in a conventional conflict.

 

[Donegal blue]

A kremlin full of nutters all whispering in one another's ears is a dangerous recipe.

 

[Xizor]

Is that Tuckeя Carlsov?

 

[Simon Buttle]

The Russians would be annihilated if they took NATO in a conventional conflict.

Agree, however I know there has been some suggestions that once they get to Odesa (close to there now) they might go after Transnistria which is the rogue state in Moldova, its Russian speaking, doesn't want to be a part of Moldova and is seen as a bit of a smugglers haven at the moment.

 

[Spadge Vernacular]

I do agree with that, but I think a lot of Russian action here has been almost certainly designed to make it clear the rules based order has never existed, that the US and it’s allies have repeatedly broken them (and they are not wrong to say that).

If we are looking to call their bluff then I think going down the rules based route is the best way to do it - frame it as a ceasefire because of the potential impact on food stocks globally for example, say that if there is a peace with redrawing of borders that the countries who need Ukrainian food / other resources can have a stake in that preserving the peace. Anything that makes them (Russia) look threatening to smaller nations.

Getting involved in ever-increasing sanctions whilst hoarding food / profiting from food prices is only going to harm us and strengthen them.

I agree that we, the people of the west live under a regime that aspires to be representative and democratic but does not always deliver, and the wests foreign policy has for many years been a sham when held up against our values.

I really do hope that there is a way that you have discussed through the last week or so but cannot help but feel that with Putin at the wheel, and with the aims of Xi that they will continue strive to set the agenda going forward if allowed and that maybe as inconsistent as we are the west is a better alternative than that offered by Putin and Xi. We just need to get a grip on our political class failures in foreign policy. If we had done so previously maybe we would not be in this mess.

We, as a global people have been let down over and over by poor leadership and the current decision makers do not leave me with any sort of confidence that things are going to get better in the short term.

Totally agree about the absolute catastrophe that is ahead when you consider a global food shortage and how this will impact developing nations. This has the potential to have a higher cost in lives than Putin's best efforts in Ukraine. When you look at the impact Covid has had and then throw this nonsense into the mix it is really quite alarming!

• Russia and Ukraine account for around 25% of the world’s wheat exports and are significant suppliers of corn, barley, and vegetable.
• More than 276 million people faced severe hunger prior to the conflict, and this number could nearly double as a result of the war and other impacts.
• The World Food Programme gets nearly 50% of its wheat from the Ukraine-Russia region.

How Russia's Invasion of Ukraine Could Force 500 Million People Into Acute Hunger

Russia and Ukraine are two of the world’s leading food producers.

www.globalcitizen.org

 

[jaspercabbage]

I'm pretty sure that Putin never intended to stop at the Ukrainian borders, it was going to the first stop on the tour. Given that his previous invasions were unopposed by the West he was not expecting the reaction that this one has received, nor the resistance from the Ukrainians.

 

[Spadge Vernacular]

A screenshot from a video posted on the Shvabra (‘Mop’) Telegram channel on March 4, 2022, showing a Task Force Rusich fighter giving a Nazi salute.

Male State: The Russian Online Hate Group Backing Putin’s War - bellingcat

Male State channels on Telegram are riddled with antisemitic slurs, openly neo-Nazi terms and calls for Ukrainian leaders to be executed.

www.bellingcat.com

 

[bluerobert]

View attachment 158854
A screenshot from a video posted on the Shvabra (‘Mop’) Telegram channel on March 4, 2022, showing a Task Force Rusich fighter giving a Nazi salute.

Male State: The Russian Online Hate Group Backing Putin’s War - bellingcat

Male State channels on Telegram are riddled with antisemitic slurs, openly neo-Nazi terms and calls for Ukrainian leaders to be executed.

www.bellingcat.com

Make State sounds like Russia’s answer to Grinder