Current Affairs Ukraine

[Old Blue 2]

Ukraine war: Russia investigating reports of SAS 'sabotage' in western Lviv region​

Russia's main federal investigating authority says it will look at whether - according to a media report - the SAS has been sent in to "assist the Ukrainian special services in organising sabotage on the territory of Ukraine".

Ukraine war: Russia investigating reports of SAS 'sabotage' in western Lviv region

Russia's main federal investigating authority says it will look at whether - according to a media report - the SAS has been sent in to "assist the Ukrainian special services in organising sabotage on the territory of Ukraine".

news.sky.com

One has to say: It has taken this long for the suggestion to surface that the SAS are in Ukraine? They've probably been in there almost from the start of the conflict.

We just need to wait to see how much longer it is before it surfaces that the US Seals are in there as well...

 

[Spadge Vernacular]

No western hatred with me buddy. Straight down the middle, just can’t do with the fony faux outrage.

Thanks Barry. I get that you are a principled chap so wonder what is your position on the Sichuan Massacre and the Yangzhou Massacre of 1645 committed by the Chinese?

Also the Asiatic Vespers and the Hamidian massacres, too?

How about the massacre of the Latins in Constantinople?

What is your position on the massacre of the Rhineland Jews?

And the Chios Massacre by the Ottoman Empire and the Cyprus Massacre of 1570 again by the Ottomans?

How about the massacre of Praga committed by Russian monsters?

And let us not forget the Chinese Massacre of 1639?

 

[Mutzo Nutzo]

Thanks Barry. I get that you are a principled chap so wonder what is your position on the Sichuan Massacre and the Yangzhou Massacre of 1645 committed by the Chinese?

Also the Asiatic Vespers and the Hamidian massacres, too?

How about the massacre of the Latins in Constantinople?

What is your position on the massacre of the Rhineland Jews?

And the Chios Massacre by the Ottoman Empire and the Cyprus Massacre of 1570 again by the Ottomans?

How about the massacre of Praga committed by Russian monsters?

And let us not forget the Chinese Massacre of 1639?

I can just picture Bazza googling away like a demon right now.

 

[CharliePotato]

Thanks Barry. I get that you are a principled chap so wonder what is your position on the Sichuan Massacre and the Yangzhou Massacre of 1645 committed by the Chinese?

Also the Asiatic Vespers and the Hamidian massacres, too?

How about the massacre of the Latins in Constantinople?

What is your position on the massacre of the Rhineland Jews?

And the Chios Massacre by the Ottoman Empire and the Cyprus Massacre of 1570 again by the Ottomans?

How about the massacre of Praga committed by Russian monsters?

And let us not forget the Chinese Massacre of 1639?

Nice use of google buddy.

 

[CharliePotato]

I can just picture Bazza googling away like a demon right now.

If I could be arsed.

 

[Mutzo Nutzo]

If I could be arsed.

 

[PhilM]

Thanks Barry. I get that you are a principled chap so wonder what is your position on the Sichuan Massacre and the Yangzhou Massacre of 1645 committed by the Chinese?

Also the Asiatic Vespers and the Hamidian massacres, too?

How about the massacre of the Latins in Constantinople?

What is your position on the massacre of the Rhineland Jews?

And the Chios Massacre by the Ottoman Empire and the Cyprus Massacre of 1570 again by the Ottomans?

How about the massacre of Praga committed by Russian monsters?

And let us not forget the Chinese Massacre of 1639?

Only the west do bad things, isn't that right?

 

[Lobster Johnson]

I can just picture Bazza googling away like a demon right now.

At some point he's gonna get up to the rape of Nanking, the Russo Japanese wars and the Iran Iraq war and his head'll fall off.

 

[Yarrgh]

Thanks Barry. I get that you are a principled chap so wonder what is your position on the Sichuan Massacre and the Yangzhou Massacre of 1645 committed by the Chinese?

Also the Asiatic Vespers and the Hamidian massacres, too?

How about the massacre of the Latins in Constantinople?

What is your position on the massacre of the Rhineland Jews?

And the Chios Massacre by the Ottoman Empire and the Cyprus Massacre of 1570 again by the Ottomans?

How about the massacre of Praga committed by Russian monsters?

And let us not forget the Chinese Massacre of 1639?

Them Ottomans were a right bunch of sods.

 

[Runub]

 

[RAFUH]

I'm getting fed up with Asians in this country regarding this war. Don't get me wrong, I get along with them very well but almost all Asians I've spoken to regarding this Ukraine war, mostly sit on the fence and come out with crap such as "we don't really know what's going on" etc and they refuse to condemn Putin and Russia. I've come across quite a few blaming Britain and US for the war.

At first I thought it was a few Asians but it seems like it's all of them. Could they be influenced by the stance India, Pakistan and Bangladesh who have more or less sided with Russia?

Those damn Asians here and their governments and peoples don't believe us

I haven't blamed Asians. All the Asians I've come across, at the very least, even refuse to acknowledge Russian barbarism. Most all blame the West.

“The Asians” are not a monolith. To use it the way you have is pushing the boundaries of acceptable behavior….even in CA.

 

[CharliePotato]

Only the west do bad things, isn't that right?

Who said that?

 

[Deleted member 48881]

Looks like they are stuck

April 24;

Russian offensive operations in eastern Ukraine made minor advances around Severodonetsk on April 24, seizing several small towns and establishing a pontoon bridge across the Krasna River west of Severodonetsk. Russia’s offensive in eastern Ukraine continues to follow the pattern of their operations throughout the war, using small units to conduct dispersed attacks along multiple axes rather than taking the pauses necessary to prepare for decisive operations. Russian forces continued to bombard the remaining Ukrainian defenders in Mariupol’s Azovstal Steel Plant and may be preparing for renewed assaults on the facility, which would likely lead to high Russian casualties. The military situation in southern Ukraine did not change in the last 24 hours.

Key Takeaways

• Russian forces continued to pressure Ukrainian defenders in the Azovstal facility in Mariupol.
• Ukrainian sources report that Russian troops are preparing to conduct renewed assaults on Azovstal that would likely prove costly—possibly to meet a Kremlin-imposed deadline to clear Mariupol—but ISW cannot independently confirm these reports.
• Russian forces secured limited gains northwest of Severodonetsk but remain unlikely to be able to launch massed offensive operations.
• Additional Russian forces are deploying to reinforce unsuccessful attacks on the Izyum front.
• Ukrainian civilians in occupied Kharkiv Oblast are reportedly organizing volunteer movements to resist Russian occupation measures, similar to previously documented actions in southern Ukraine.

Why doesn't he take the L and call quits?

 

[Martin Alvito]

Looks like they are stuck

April 24;

Russian offensive operations in eastern Ukraine made minor advances around Severodonetsk on April 24, seizing several small towns and establishing a pontoon bridge across the Krasna River west of Severodonetsk. Russia’s offensive in eastern Ukraine continues to follow the pattern of their operations throughout the war, using small units to conduct dispersed attacks along multiple axes rather than taking the pauses necessary to prepare for decisive operations. Russian forces continued to bombard the remaining Ukrainian defenders in Mariupol’s Azovstal Steel Plant and may be preparing for renewed assaults on the facility, which would likely lead to high Russian casualties. The military situation in southern Ukraine did not change in the last 24 hours.

Key Takeaways

• Russian forces continued to pressure Ukrainian defenders in the Azovstal facility in Mariupol.
• Ukrainian sources report that Russian troops are preparing to conduct renewed assaults on Azovstal that would likely prove costly—possibly to meet a Kremlin-imposed deadline to clear Mariupol—but ISW cannot independently confirm these reports.
• Russian forces secured limited gains northwest of Severodonetsk but remain unlikely to be able to launch massed offensive operations.
• Additional Russian forces are deploying to reinforce unsuccessful attacks on the Izyum front.
• Ukrainian civilians in occupied Kharkiv Oblast are reportedly organizing volunteer movements to resist Russian occupation measures, similar to previously documented actions in southern Ukraine.

Why doesn't he take the L and call quits?

Because it invites a leadership challenge. The leaders of democratic countries find this very difficult to do even when the situation was not entirely of their making (eg: LBJ). The leaders of authoritarian countries almost never do what you suggest, because the consequences of losing their grip on power are so often fatal.

The only thing standing between Putin and getting handed over to Ukraine for war crimes prosecution (rather than the ICJ in the Hague since Russia is a non-signatory) is whoever holds power in the Kremlin. The moment he leaves, he becomes someone else's bargaining chip. He's not going to do that voluntarily, and his best chance of retaining power is to orchestrate some sort of face-saving exit. The best way to do that is to win in Donbas, at which point he can at least claim that he did exactly what he set out to do by destroying Ukraine's ability to make war and protecting/liberating ethnic Russians in Donbas.

His minimum strategic objectives are now obvious - seize Donbas, establish a land corridor to Crimea, put a stranglehold on the Dnieper so he can twist Kyiv's arm at will, and make it all stick in the peace settlement. In an ideal world (from his perspective), he would run his sway all the way over to Transnistria, but that seems impossible at this point. The plan seems obvious enough as well - systematically choke off Donbas from multiple sides and render it impossible for Ukraine to resupply, at which point it's only a matter of time as it presently is in Mariupol.

 

[Deleted member 48881]

Because it invites a leadership challenge. The leaders of democratic countries find this very difficult to do even when the situation was not entirely of their making (eg: LBJ). The leaders of authoritarian countries almost never do what you suggest, because the consequences of losing their grip on power are so often fatal.

The only thing standing between Putin and getting handed over to Ukraine for war crimes prosecution (rather than the ICJ in the Hague since Russia is a non-signatory) is whoever holds power in the Kremlin. The moment he leaves, he becomes someone else's bargaining chip. He's not going to do that voluntarily, and his best chance of retaining power is to orchestrate some sort of face-saving exit. The best way to do that is to win in Donbas, at which point he can at least claim that he did exactly what he set out to do by destroying Ukraine's ability to make war and protecting/liberating ethnic Russians in Donbas.

His minimum strategic objectives are now obvious - seize Donbas, establish a land corridor to Crimea, put a stranglehold on the Dnieper so he can twist Kyiv's arm at will, and make it all stick in the peace settlement. In an ideal world (from his perspective), he would run his sway all the way over to Transnistria, but that seems impossible at this point. The plan seems obvious enough as well - systematically choke off Donbas from multiple sides and render it impossible for Ukraine to resupply, at which point it's only a matter of time as it presently is in Mariupol.

One poster on this tennis forum I visit wrote this, this may well be true as well

Putin cannot allow war to end.

If relations with Russia 'normalise' and information channels open up, those Russians who have been successfully lied to would be a tad upset. Perhaps even 1.25 tads upset.
Plus, calls for Putin to be tried for war crimes might also be a negative for him.

From now on, until the end of Putin's reign, Russia needs to be fighting a war.