Current Affairs Ukraine

[peteblue]

yes, his leadership will make the Welsh reconquest more realistic than its been in 1500 years

Even his detractors have had to admit that in terms of COVID, Furlough, U.K. economy, Ukraine etc, Boris is playing a blinder. It’s only the bitter left wing Remainers in the U.K. and the SNP who don’t. Boris has put the U.K. back on the world map. Could you see that empty vessel Starmer doing this, no nor I……

 

[Goat]

Even his detractors have had to admit that in terms of COVID, Furlough, U.K. economy, Ukraine etc, Boris is playing a blinder.

Are you honestly really this dense?

Honest question Pete, not just name-calling, I honestly want to know if you really think any sane person is giving Boris any credit for anything?

Covid - Terrible response, shaking hands, partying while people died
Furlough - Ask anybody self-employed how it worked out
UK Economy - Now this is trolling
Ukraine - what?

So speaking as very much a detractor, no, hes not playing a blinder.

 

[orchard]

Even his detractors have had to admit that in terms of COVID, Furlough, U.K. economy, Ukraine etc, Boris is playing a blinder. It’s only the bitter left wing Remainers in the U.K. and the SNP who don’t. Boris has put the U.K. back on the world map. Could you see that empty vessel Starmer doing this, no nor I……

You trying to spew more [Poor language removed] than Johnson every day or wot lid?

 

[tsubaki]

Even his detractors have had to admit that in terms of COVID, Furlough, U.K. economy, Ukraine etc, Boris is playing a blinder. It’s only the bitter left wing Remainers in the U.K. and the SNP who don’t. Boris has put the U.K. back on the world map. Could you see that empty vessel Starmer doing this, no nor I……

No they haven't pete - as you keep saying, we are his detractors and we never say that.

In fact just on COVID alone, I'd have thought he proved how absolutely unfit he was for public office - we are already at #6 on the "disasters by death toll for the UK", and another bad variant this winter could easily see us pass the 1918 pandemic (edit: at #4) which is remarkable given the advances in medicine since then. What has he learned from it as well? Absolutely bugger all, judging by the more than a thousand people who died this week after a positive COVID test.

As for the UK economy - it is bad now and in a few months time could be absolutely in the gutter; lets not forget that since your lot got in the national debt has more than doubled in ten years in exchange for no assets (in fact assets have been sold off) and scarce few investments. By the time Johnson faces his next election in 2024 (and if the country still exists) they could have put another £500 billion on top of that. As economic performances go it would best be described as extremely sub-Brownian.

I agree though that I couldn't see Starmer doing any of that.

 

[Chewbacca]

Even his detractors have had to admit that in terms of COVID, Furlough, U.K. economy, Ukraine etc, Boris is playing a blinder. It’s only the bitter left wing Remainers in the U.K. and the SNP who don’t. Boris has put the U.K. back on the world map. Could you see that empty vessel Starmer doing this, no nor I……

Seriously seriously drunk

Eurovision party has got out of hand

 

[peteblue]

Seriously seriously drunk

Eurovision party has got out of hand

Talking of which it appears we are back in favour across Europe…good old Boris…..

 

[peteblue]

Haters gotta hate……

 

[Bluerover]

I really do despair of statements like this.

Johnson's entire career is littered with instances were he has said something, people have lapped it up and then found out it isn't true / he isn't doing any of it / he never intended to do any of it. Even that article acknowledges it, but goes on to say something along the lines of "yes, but lets give him the benefit of the doubt".

This country may be facing a very difficult time - increased global disorder, financial problems, food and energy shortages, climate change. He has prepared the country for precisely none of these problems, nor will he ever do so. His government's response to energy problems was to stop onshore wind because it might ruin people's view. His response to the increased cost of living problems was to tell departments to cut more. There has still, nearly 3 months into this war, been no reversal of defence cuts.

Far too miserable and sensible a post mate!

 

[Deleted member 48881]

Russian President Vladimir Putin likely intends to annex occupied southern and eastern Ukraine directly into the Russian Federation in the coming months. He will likely then state, directly or obliquely, that Russian doctrine permitting the use of nuclear weapons to defend Russian territory applies to those newly annexed territories. Such actions would threaten Ukraine and its partners with nuclear attack if Ukrainian counteroffensives to liberate Russian-occupied territory continue. Putin may believe that the threat or use of nuclear weapons would restore Russian deterrence after his disastrous invasion shattered Russia's conventional deterrent capabilities.

Putin’s timeline for annexation is likely contingent on the extent to which he understands the degraded state of the Russian military in Ukraine. The Russian military has not yet achieved Putin’s stated territorial objectives of securing all of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts and is unlikely to do so. If Putin understands his military weakness, he will likely rush annexation and introduce the nuclear deterrent quickly in an attempt to retain control of the Ukrainian territory that Russia currently occupies. If Putin believes that Russian forces are capable of additional advances, he will likely delay the annexation in hopes of covering more territory with it. In that case, his poor leadership and Ukrainian counteroffensives could drive the Russian military toward a state of collapse. Putin could also attempt to maintain Russian attacks while mobilizing additional forces. He might delay announcing annexation for far longer in this case, waiting until reinforcements could arrive to gain more territory to annex.

Ukraine and its Western partners likely have a narrow window of opportunity to support a Ukrainian counteroffensive into occupied Ukrainian territory before the Kremlin annexes that territory. Ukraine and the West must also develop a coherent plan for responding to any annexation and to the threat of nuclear attack that might follow it. The political and ethical consequences of a longstanding Russian occupation of southeastern Ukraine would be devastating to the long-term viability of the Ukrainian state. Vital Ukrainian and Western national interests require urgent Western support for an immediate Ukrainian counteroffensive.

 

[ds3000]

Are you honestly really this dense?

Honest question Pete, not just name-calling, I honestly want to know if you really think any sane person is giving Boris any credit for anything?

Covid - Terrible response, shaking hands, partying while people died
Furlough - Ask anybody self-employed how it worked out
UK Economy - Now this is trolling
Ukraine - what?

So speaking as very much a detractor, no, hes not playing a blinder.

Maybe his definition of ‘blinder’ is having one’s eyes closed.

 

[PeregrineT]

Russian President Vladimir Putin likely intends to annex occupied southern and eastern Ukraine directly into the Russian Federation in the coming months. He will likely then state, directly or obliquely, that Russian doctrine permitting the use of nuclear weapons to defend Russian territory applies to those newly annexed territories. Such actions would threaten Ukraine and its partners with nuclear attack if Ukrainian counteroffensives to liberate Russian-occupied territory continue. Putin may believe that the threat or use of nuclear weapons would restore Russian deterrence after his disastrous invasion shattered Russia's conventional deterrent capabilities.

Putin’s timeline for annexation is likely contingent on the extent to which he understands the degraded state of the Russian military in Ukraine. The Russian military has not yet achieved Putin’s stated territorial objectives of securing all of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts and is unlikely to do so. If Putin understands his military weakness, he will likely rush annexation and introduce the nuclear deterrent quickly in an attempt to retain control of the Ukrainian territory that Russia currently occupies. If Putin believes that Russian forces are capable of additional advances, he will likely delay the annexation in hopes of covering more territory with it. In that case, his poor leadership and Ukrainian counteroffensives could drive the Russian military toward a state of collapse. Putin could also attempt to maintain Russian attacks while mobilizing additional forces. He might delay announcing annexation for far longer in this case, waiting until reinforcements could arrive to gain more territory to annex.

Ukraine and its Western partners likely have a narrow window of opportunity to support a Ukrainian counteroffensive into occupied Ukrainian territory before the Kremlin annexes that territory. Ukraine and the West must also develop a coherent plan for responding to any annexation and to the threat of nuclear attack that might follow it. The political and ethical consequences of a longstanding Russian occupation of southeastern Ukraine would be devastating to the long-term viability of the Ukrainian state. Vital Ukrainian and Western national interests require urgent Western support for an immediate Ukrainian counteroffensive.

The problem with Putin making a nuclear thread on territory they just seized, is that hes made nuclear threats so many times over the past few months, handing them out like halloween candy, that I dont think anyone still believes him. I think other countries believe Russia will launch a nuke if they tried to take over Russia itself, but I dont think any believe that he would, or could even convince his military to launch a nuke over Ukraine fighting for its land back. The problem with making constant threats is at some point they become background drivel to the hearers.

I think the other problem is he may not even be able to make that threat. Hes told the Russian people over and over again a series of lies, to then say hes annexing the territory that was really just a "special operation" and is now going to put the world in nuclear war for any fighting over that would cause instant alarm among a large amount of people who had believed his lies. Thats an escalation they will be alarmed by. Putins threats and escalation attempts in the past would just be aimed at the outside world, but with the precarious position he is now in in his own country he has to be mindful of how any move and statement is viewed at home.

 

[Noisy noise annoys]

Even his detractors have had to admit that in terms of COVID, Furlough, U.K. economy, Ukraine etc, Boris is playing a blinder. It’s only the bitter left wing Remainers in the U.K. and the SNP who don’t. Boris has put the U.K. back on the world map. Could you see that empty vessel Starmer doing this, no nor I……

For 18 my maths we had the second highest death rate in the world
“Blinder”

 

[Deleted member 48881]

The Ukrainian destruction of significant elements of a Russian motorized rifle brigade that tried to cross a pontoon bridge over the Siverskyi Donets River on May 11 has shocked prominent Russian milbloggers. Those bloggers have begun commenting on the incompetence of the Russian military to their hundreds of thousands of followers. The attempted river crossing showed a stunning lack of tactical sense as satellite images show (destroyed) Russian vehicles tightly bunched up at both ends of the (destroyed) bridge, clearly allowing Ukrainian artillerymen to kill hundreds and destroy scores of vehicles with concentrated strikes. The milbloggers who have hitherto been cheering on the Russian military criticized Russian armed forces leadership for failing to learn from experience in the war. They also expressed the concern that the constant pushing of Russia’s propaganda lines was making it hard for them to understand what was actually going on.

The effects of this change in tone and discourse by these milbloggers are uncertain but could be potent. People living under tightly censored regimes often trust individuals who seem to be independent of but generally aligned with the government more than the government line (even more than do citizens of democratic societies). The commentary by these widely read milbloggers may fuel burgeoning doubts in Russia about Russia’s prospects in this war and the competence of Russia’s military leaders (at least).

The destruction of the motorized rifle elements may also severely disrupt Russian efforts to isolate Severodonetsk and Lysychansk from the north. Russian troops made no attempts to advance in that area in the last 24 hours.

Russian forces continued operations to set conditions for the Battle of Severodonetsk from the south, however, advancing on the town of Zolote, roughly 30 km south of Severodonetsk. Russian troops likely seek to secure the highway north from Zolote to Severodonetsk for their advance, but they may also seek to cut the last highway linking Severodonetsk with the rest of Ukraine via Bakhmut. They could try to strike northwest across the country from their current positions to cut that highway closer to Lysychansk and Severodonetsk. The Russians are extremely unlikely to be able to take Bakhmut but they may be able to cut or render unusable the highway from Bakhmut to Severodonetsk if they can advance far enough along either of these possible routes.

Ukrainian forces will likely conduct counteroffensive operations to dislodge the Russians from around Izyum, according to Ukrainian officials. We have previously noted that Russian artillery fire directed to the west from around Izyum was more likely intended to disrupt such a counter-offensive than to set conditions for a Russian attack.

Russian forces continued their withdrawal from Kharkiv Oblast but will likely seek to hold a line east of Vovchansk to secure the ground line of communication (GLOC) running from Belgorod through Vovchansk to Izyum. The terrain in this area generally favors the defender, and the Russians have other GLOCs with which to supply Izyum, so the Ukrainians may not try to advance much farther to the east at this time.

Ukrainian defenders continued to fight in the Azovstal Plant in Mariupol despite horrific conditions and continued Russian attacks. The Ukrainian defense of Azovstal is still tying down Russian combat forces and inflicting casualties.

 

[Tramps_mate]

Even his detractors have had to admit that in terms of COVID, Furlough, U.K. economy, Ukraine etc, Boris is playing a blinder. It’s only the bitter left wing Remainers in the U.K. and the SNP who don’t. Boris has put the U.K. back on the world map. Could you see that empty vessel Starmer doing this, no nor I……

Are you 'kin insane!!!! ???

Or completely pissed again...

 

[devogue]