I think slide 5 onwards here sums it up.
The west has become exhausted, as Putin was bargaining on. And I'm scared of trump getting in, and cutting support for Ukraine etc. Very scared the world will get much worse...
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I think slide 5 onwards here sums it up.
The west has become exhausted, as Putin was bargaining on. And I'm scared of trump getting in, and cutting support for Ukraine etc. Very scared the world will get much worse...
Thanks for the thought provoking posts.
I'm entirely cynical and don't hold much faith in an upcoming Armageddon. They've been threatening it for too many years now.
However I've got to say I've never been so concerned over the current geo political climate. It's a mess. Potential flashpoints in various areas etc
I personally blame a fair bit of it on the sudden and quite bizarre withdrawal from Afghanistan. Like others have already sagely noted Putin and his ilk are like playground bullies and will pounce on any sign of weakness/hesitation. They could have kept a Garrison type set up there and kept a prescence in the area ticking over IMO. The withdrawal to me especially the way it was executed was the equivalent of putting a sign round your neck saying "kick me".
I saw a docu on the beeb a couple of years ago about it and even that wasn't clear over who ordered what. Various factions in the US gov were basically blaming each other over it. Maybe there's more info out there now as I've not looked since.
Out of curiosity does anyone know what the ratio is per ukranian soldier to Russian soldier/s in the arena currently?
I agree totally with the points about the west not doing nearly enough. It's tragic tbh and was always asking for trouble IMO.
You can't back down/defer to bullies in these situations and by the same token you're correct in the view that Ukranine can't really surrender without making things worse also.
It's grim tbh.
I'm entirely cynical and don't hold much faith in an upcoming Armageddon. They've been threatening it for too many years now.
However I've got to say I've never been so concerned over the current geo political climate. It's a mess. Potential flashpoints in various areas etc
I personally blame a fair bit of it on the sudden and quite bizarre withdrawal from Afghanistan. Like others have already sagely noted Putin and his ilk are like playground bullies and will pounce on any sign of weakness/hesitation. They could have kept a Garrison type set up there and kept a prescence in the area ticking over IMO. The withdrawal to me especially the way it was executed was the equivalent of putting a sign round your neck saying "kick me".
I saw a docu on the beeb a couple of years ago about it and even that wasn't clear over who ordered what. Various factions in the US gov were basically blaming each other over it. Maybe there's more info out there now as I've not looked since.
Out of curiosity does anyone know what the ratio is per ukranian soldier to Russian soldier/s in the arena currently?
I agree totally with the points about the west not doing nearly enough. It's tragic tbh and was always asking for trouble IMO.
You can't back down/defer to bullies in these situations and by the same token you're correct in the view that Ukranine can't really surrender without making things worse also.
It's grim tbh.
In the time honoured tradition of 'bad news first'...
...then some interesting news which is sort of good but AFAICT the current theory is that Sokolov is somewhat departed, point of departure may well have been the HQ in Crimea that got hit.
www.icc-cpi.int
And the rewards of collective action
www.aljazeera.com
This latest whinge from Russia after Lavrov tried to set up a meeting with EU reps but they told him to piss off because (in part at least) there was nothing on the agenda except the upcoming pointless Russian elections.
...then some interesting news which is sort of good but AFAICT the current theory is that Sokolov is somewhat departed, point of departure may well have been the HQ in Crimea that got hit.
Situation in Ukraine: ICC judges issue arrest warrants against Sergei Ivanovich Kobylash and Viktor Nikolayevich Sokolov
Today, 5 March 2024, Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court, composed of Judge Rosario Salvatore Aitala, Presiding, Judge Tomoko Akane and Judge Sergio Gerardo Ugalde Godinez (“ICC” or “Court”) issued warrants of arrest for two individuals, Mr Sergei Ivanovich Kobylash and Mr...
And the rewards of collective action
Russia accuses Western ambassadors of meddling in internal affairs
Moscow hit out at envoys claiming they refused to meet with foreign minister, as relations continue to deteriorate.
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And this is something I hadn't even considered. Yikes.
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Next on the list of 'exists thanks to Russia' seems to be... Belgium.
So that's the fancy beers, chocolates and chip sauce under threat
But don't worry! Russia wants to be friends with America...
tass.com
And doesn't want war with Germany
tass.com
even if the Russian foreign minister thinks Germany has not been completely denazified...
www.pravda.com.ua
Russian Foreign policy, the weirdest mix of FFS and WTF you'll ever see...
So that's the fancy beers, chocolates and chip sauce under threat
But don't worry! Russia wants to be friends with America...
Russia has no anti-American sentiments; both countries are not enemies — Peskov
"America is currently the most powerful country in the world," Dmitry Peskov stressed
tass.com
And doesn't want war with Germany
Russia does not want war with Germany, says Kremlin spokesman
"We don’t want to blow anything up and we don’t want anyone to plan to blow things up here," Dmitry Peskov pointed out
tass.com
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman says Germany “not completely denazified”
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said that “denazification” in Germany has not been completed, warning it of “dire consequences” after Russian propaganda leaked secret talks between high-ranking German Air Force officers.
www.pravda.com.ua
Russian Foreign policy, the weirdest mix of FFS and WTF you'll ever see...
That fu,** ng c**t, putin...... 
The head of the Gagauzia region of Moldova travelled to Russia to ask for help which will presumably be provided (definitely not for free, and possibly with 'assistance teams') because they are an autonomous region and therefore potentially easier to split off even if slowly step by step.
www.yahoo.com
And would make for an additional handy spot if for some reason one were to look at having a bit of land on the other side of Ukraine.
Once they are included in the Russian fold she has this kind of event to look forward to
... from one of the seats at the back.
Moldova's neutrality is according to wiki, enshrined in its constitution but that doesn't make it (or particular regions) immune to the arrival of 'little green men' of the sort that appeared in Crimea in 2014.
Though I see yesterday that in tune with Macron taking the surprise lead (having tried and now binned the ultra-diplomatic approach) against Russia
www.lemonde.fr
Hopefully in time to make the sudden arrival of an unexpectedly high number of russian 'tourists' all at the same time and place just that little bit less likely.
Putin promises support to leader of pro-Russian Moldovan autonomous region of Gagauzia
Evghenia Guțul, the governor of Gagauzia, an autonomous region of Moldova, has spoken about her meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin during an unannounced visit to Russia. Source: Evghenia Guțul on her Telegram channel, as reported by European Pravda Details: Guțul said she had...
And would make for an additional handy spot if for some reason one were to look at having a bit of land on the other side of Ukraine.
Once they are included in the Russian fold she has this kind of event to look forward to
... from one of the seats at the back.
Moldova's neutrality is according to wiki, enshrined in its constitution but that doesn't make it (or particular regions) immune to the arrival of 'little green men' of the sort that appeared in Crimea in 2014.
Though I see yesterday that in tune with Macron taking the surprise lead (having tried and now binned the ultra-diplomatic approach) against Russia
France and Moldova set to sign a defense cooperation pact
French President Emmanuel Macron and Moldovan leader Maia Sandu will sign a defense cooperation agreement in Paris on Thursday.
Hopefully in time to make the sudden arrival of an unexpectedly high number of russian 'tourists' all at the same time and place just that little bit less likely.
Noting that the pope's remarks were not taken out of context (as I had thought they might be for clickbaity headlines), he was talking about those facing defeat and in order to prevent loss of life, it's like he has no idea as to who is to blame as for the loss of life, or how many soldiers Russia sacrificed for the sake of capturing the uninhabitable remains of Avdiivka mere weeks ago:
Harsh
But someone with that much influence has a duty to the people he serves to be appropriately informed and the solution really isn't all that complicated.
Harsh
But someone with that much influence has a duty to the people he serves to be appropriately informed and the solution really isn't all that complicated.
Zelensky gives a somewhat more polite response
Specifically this bit
Specifically this bit
Polite - but not without barbs
I predict Putin to win 
Even God tired of Zelenskkyy’s trifling midget a$$
www.theguardian.com
Pope provokes outrage by saying Ukraine should ‘raise white flag’ and end war with Russia
Francis’s failure to condemn Moscow as aggressor decried as ‘shameful’ and ‘incomprehensible’
www.theguardian.com
Collective (but non EU non NATO) ammo procurements continue
As do the grain shipments
euromaidanpress.com
I'll need to check but I don't think the left hand half of the black sea (which contains the shipping corridor) has had any Russian warships in it for a while now.
As do the grain shipments
Over 1,000 civilian ships defy Russia, transit Ukraine's Black Sea "grain corridor" - Euromaidan Press
Over 1,000 civilian vessels have exported around 30 million tons through Ukraine's "grain corridor" in the Black Sea, defying Russian efforts to deter maritime traffic and undermine international support.
euromaidanpress.com
I'll need to check but I don't think the left hand half of the black sea (which contains the shipping corridor) has had any Russian warships in it for a while now.
Didn't I see somewhere that the Russian fleet is basically non-existent now?Collective (but non EU non NATO) ammo procurements continue
As do the grain shipments
Over 1,000 civilian ships defy Russia, transit Ukraine's Black Sea "grain corridor" - Euromaidan Press
Over 1,000 civilian vessels have exported around 30 million tons through Ukraine's "grain corridor" in the Black Sea, defying Russian efforts to deter maritime traffic and undermine international support.
I'll need to check but I don't think the left hand half of the black sea (which contains the shipping corridor) has had any Russian warships in it for a while now.
Pretty much (as regards the black sea at least) since they can't get anything through the bosphorus to replace anything sunk and it looks like it's the Russian black sea shipping that is now suffering instead
Vital Russian Supply Lines In Black Sea Cut By Ukrainian Drones - Naval News
Ukraine's maritime drones are shaping the war in the Black Sea. These robotic boats, termed USVs, have sunk an impressive number of Russian Navy ships. But their mere presence is having a greater, possibly more strategic, impact. Russia is having to shift its supply lines. And as the invasion of...
www.navalnews.com
I'm sure I had a 'ships scorecard' somewhere... this one from 5/3/24 +/- whether or not I need glasses...
With additional ref and info about location (as a number aren't there but in the mediterranean or undergoing refit a long way away) on the wiki page which looks like it's keeping a full record of it, right now there's 322(!) footnotes/references and no I did not check them all
Black Sea Fleet - Wikipedia
en.m.wikipedia.org
TBH too much to process for us mere mortals so I'm now wondering if there's an adjusted version of the scorecard that also shows active/inactive or if that's going to have to be a DIY effort...
Brilliant. I love that the bigger ones are no morePretty much (as regards the black sea at least) since they can't get anything through the bosphorus to replace anything sunk and it looks like it's the Russian black sea shipping that is now suffering instead
Vital Russian Supply Lines In Black Sea Cut By Ukrainian Drones - Naval News
Ukraine's maritime drones are shaping the war in the Black Sea. These robotic boats, termed USVs, have sunk an impressive number of Russian Navy ships. But their mere presence is having a greater, possibly more strategic, impact. Russia is having to shift its supply lines. And as the invasion of...
I'm sure I had a 'ships scorecard' somewhere... this one from 5/3/24 +/- whether or not I need glasses...
View attachment 2809070
With additional ref and info about location (as a number aren't there but in the mediterranean or undergoing refit a long way away) on the wiki page which looks like it's keeping a full record of it, right now there's 322(!) footnotes/references and no I did not check them all
Black Sea Fleet - Wikipedia
TBH too much to process for us mere mortals so I'm now wondering if there's an adjusted version of the scorecard that also shows active/inactive or if that's going to have to be a DIY effort...
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FSB is back at it
As regards genius plans to 'solve the Ukraine problem' and bring peace by stopping the aid...
Official report on interview, no English transcript yet but the in-browser translation does corroborate the above remark, albeit in the form of "It's now. to negotiate on our part because their bullets are over, - it's kind of ridiculous on our part."
Interview being a bit of a strong word, it was about as challenging as that recent chat show appearance he did with that ex TV presenter guy.
Putin also does a bit of history suggesting Poland might assist Ukraine with the Belarus border and then not leave because obviously some of Ukraine historically belongs to Poland and repeats the 'Johnson scuppered the talks' thing because it's a lie that took hold and he knows isn't going away any time soon and something of a favourite for the fans.
Official report on interview, no English transcript yet but the in-browser translation does corroborate the above remark, albeit in the form of "It's now. to negotiate on our part because their bullets are over, - it's kind of ridiculous on our part."
Interview being a bit of a strong word, it was about as challenging as that recent chat show appearance he did with that ex TV presenter guy.
Putin also does a bit of history suggesting Poland might assist Ukraine with the Belarus border and then not leave because obviously some of Ukraine historically belongs to Poland and repeats the 'Johnson scuppered the talks' thing because it's a lie that took hold and he knows isn't going away any time soon and something of a favourite for the fans.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opin...avalny-yulia-navalnaya-putin-russia-election/
New piece from Yulia Navalnaya
New piece from Yulia Navalnaya
A recording of the call between Macron and Putin has been (re) highlighted - February 2022, a French TV company was doing a documentary on Macron's EU presidency so were there to record not just the call but the reactions of the advisors (in a separate room who listen in and advise/comment to Macron via text).
All subtitled thank fck, in French and English.
Macron really earning his wages there - anyone not into watching (only eight minutes!) can just savour the first bit (visible in the preview?) where Macron is somewhat uncharitable about Putin's lawyers.
Guilty of misjudging Macron previously, I doff the proverbial hat to him on this.
All subtitled thank fck, in French and English.
Macron really earning his wages there - anyone not into watching (only eight minutes!) can just savour the first bit (visible in the preview?) where Macron is somewhat uncharitable about Putin's lawyers.
Guilty of misjudging Macron previously, I doff the proverbial hat to him on this.