Brexit, for once some facts.
- Thread starter flecc
- Start date
So they can't stop them.
The Russian southern fleet's permanent base is the Crimea in the Black Sea.
However this is academic. The southern fleet doesn't have any key external role in the present conflict and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's friendship with Putin means they are highly unlikely to block the passage of any Russian warship.
Saying is one thing, doing is quite another.
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Ukraine conflict: Putin's war prompts dramatic German U-turn
Germany's new chancellor announces a massive increase in military spending as anti-war crowds gather.
www.bbc.co.uk
There has been a seismic change in attitudes towards defence, Putin, Russia and NATO.
This represents perhaps biggest ever change in German's defence policy.
True, but what a cost this added defence expenditure will be for a Europe already struggling with the huge costs of Covid and very high fuel costs.
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This map shows what I meant the other day with the map I added to in red. You can see how Russia isn't attempting to invade all of Ukraine, just half of it. And it shows the major aim I mentioned, joining Crimea to the Donetsk oblast is three-quarters way achieved already. That strip alongside the Azov Sea through Mariupol is all Putin needs to retain permanently to protect his southern fleet at Crimea:
By that argument he doesn't need to surround Kyiv??This map shows what I meant the other day with the map I added to in red. You can see how Russia isn't attempting to invade all of Ukraine, just half of it. And it shows the major aim I mentioned, joining Crimea to the Donetsk oblast is three-quarters way achieved already. That strip alongside the Azov Sea through Mariupol is all Putin needs to retain permanently to protect his southern fleet at Crimea:
Surround is no good, he's trying to win Kiev since cutting the head off is basic in any conflict.
But it isn't a total loss if he fails to do that but completes the all important southern link between Crimea and Donetsk and manages to retain it.
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FIFA have made a very strange decision. They are allowing Russia to play football in international competitions but only on neutral soil and without any spectators.
All very well, but many countries have said they will refuse to play Russia. The snag with that is that under the rules they will forfeit the games and Russia will win the games by default.
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All very well, but many countries have said they will refuse to play Russia. The snag with that is that under the rules they will forfeit the games and Russia will win the games by default.
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I haven't commented in this thread for a long time. Some of us don't have 24 hour access to the forum due to work restrictions and consequentially anything I feel I want to comment on is usually buried a few pages back by the time I log in for my dose of entertainment. But as this has run for a few days now...
While I do not agree with Flecc's comments about roll over and accept the inevitable and resistance means it's all the Ukrainians fault. Make them a cup of tea instead. (I think we would all probably be speaking German now if Churchill had taken that approach in 1938).
I do agree with Flecc's point of view that Russia's primary objective now is to create a corridor to Crimea. I firmly believe once he has the corridor to Crimea taking in the land south of the Dnieper River he will attempt to show himself as a reasonable man and come to the negotiating table. He will probably offer give any land to the north of Ukraine already taken back in exchange. He will also reiterate his demand that Ukraine never joins Nato. (Not sure how that will pan out). Had the assault gone as he expected I think taking overall control of Ukraine was his original objective but he underestimated the type of war he was entering into and the surprisingly rapid reaction of Europe and the US. Ukraine has every chance of becoming his Afghanistan. Currently he is stretching the Ukrainian resistance across the much of the country giving his forces in the East/South the opportunity to create the link with Crimea.
Either way I think his days are numbered. He is fighting a 20th century war in the 21st century, His latest "Nuclear Alert" is an act of desperation. Facebook, Twitter, Tik Tok and a myriad of other social media outlets means more and more of the general Russian population see him for what he really is and do not support him (But keep quiet due to the consequences of standing up to him)..
The (US) company I an contracted to has plants in both Ukraine and Russia and the solidarity displayed across the companies messaging platform does not indicate the average Russian citizen believes any of the propaganda being peddled by the Russian government.
I think although a very blunt weapon sanctions will ultimately be his downfall. Despite Flecc's comments to the contrary I do not think Europe or the US will allow things to return to how they were before, unless Putin is removed.
TTFN
John
While I do not agree with Flecc's comments about roll over and accept the inevitable and resistance means it's all the Ukrainians fault. Make them a cup of tea instead. (I think we would all probably be speaking German now if Churchill had taken that approach in 1938).
I do agree with Flecc's point of view that Russia's primary objective now is to create a corridor to Crimea. I firmly believe once he has the corridor to Crimea taking in the land south of the Dnieper River he will attempt to show himself as a reasonable man and come to the negotiating table. He will probably offer give any land to the north of Ukraine already taken back in exchange. He will also reiterate his demand that Ukraine never joins Nato. (Not sure how that will pan out). Had the assault gone as he expected I think taking overall control of Ukraine was his original objective but he underestimated the type of war he was entering into and the surprisingly rapid reaction of Europe and the US. Ukraine has every chance of becoming his Afghanistan. Currently he is stretching the Ukrainian resistance across the much of the country giving his forces in the East/South the opportunity to create the link with Crimea.
Either way I think his days are numbered. He is fighting a 20th century war in the 21st century, His latest "Nuclear Alert" is an act of desperation. Facebook, Twitter, Tik Tok and a myriad of other social media outlets means more and more of the general Russian population see him for what he really is and do not support him (But keep quiet due to the consequences of standing up to him)..
The (US) company I an contracted to has plants in both Ukraine and Russia and the solidarity displayed across the companies messaging platform does not indicate the average Russian citizen believes any of the propaganda being peddled by the Russian government.
I think although a very blunt weapon sanctions will ultimately be his downfall. Despite Flecc's comments to the contrary I do not think Europe or the US will allow things to return to how they were before, unless Putin is removed.
TTFN
John
Hey,
A smiley from Polly. My life is complete.
TTFN
John.
A smiley from Polly. My life is complete.
TTFN
John.
I got an agree from POLLY in another thread today, which flabbergasted me. Is that a first? POLLY is pretty eco-minded? Who's a pretty eco-minded POLLY then? POLLY want a Tofu cracker, ickle Birkenstocks?Hey,
A smiley from Polly. My life is complete.
TTFN
John.
If Putin secretly has a terminal disease, the almighty din of Mutually Assured Destruction will accompany his swansong I hope that such rhetoric sufficiently unnerves enough within his ranks to assassinate him. That photo of Putin in the FT, where his security council members were situated about 100ft away from him, is starting to make more sense. His insecurity guards must have been following maximum protection protocols for quite some time.
I hope that such rhetoric sufficiently unnerves enough within his ranks to assassinate him. That photo of Putin in the FT, where his security council members were situated about 100ft away from him, is starting to make more sense. His insecurity guards must have been following maximum protection protocols for quite some time.
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This opinion piece worryingly predict he is very likely to push the button
can well imagine it (what you said about not using oneself as a reference for untethered sociopaths come to mind, I don't think he has ever known how to give a ****). But, as with nazi Germany, I think the Russian state is a cancer the world has to excise.
If Putin's gone full Genghis, he'll send back just the heads of Ukraine negotiators. Nietzsche was right - "One can turn oneself somewhat doolally, trying to understand such unfettered empty creatures" (little known direct quote, and one of my favourites). Putin could choose to use very large non-nuclear bombs, or it'll be a very limited but horrifying nuclear exchange, at worst... just Kyiv, plus a response I expect. "24 hours" might be about as long Zelensky expects to live, or live free. But the reassuring thing is sociopaths and psychopaths know how others of their kind will react, therefore it will cease after a limited nuclear exchange (as a worst case scenario).
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I see Old Tom liked the above. That’s a name not seen for a while.
Turns out Turkey and UK have been supplying Starstreak and NLAW missile systems to Ukraine for past 2 months.
Both systems arguably best/fastest hand held / portable anti tank /anti air missile systems there are.
Putting it in perspective, UK had 7000 Starstreak in stock. We sent 2k last month, another 2k going now. Germany, US, Turkey, NATO all sending similar stuff. This isn't the one sided fight we all assume. If Ukraine are organised and know how to use the stuff???
Think the Molitov cocktail shots are propoganda. Why throw a bottle of petrol at a tank when you can hit it with a tungsten dart travelling at 4 times speed of sound. No wonder those convoys are delayed.
Both systems arguably best/fastest hand held / portable anti tank /anti air missile systems there are.
Putting it in perspective, UK had 7000 Starstreak in stock. We sent 2k last month, another 2k going now. Germany, US, Turkey, NATO all sending similar stuff. This isn't the one sided fight we all assume. If Ukraine are organised and know how to use the stuff???
Think the Molitov cocktail shots are propoganda. Why throw a bottle of petrol at a tank when you can hit it with a tungsten dart travelling at 4 times speed of sound. No wonder those convoys are delayed.
he seems to have gained a large track of land on the South and East of Ukraine.
Heading for partition of Ukraine?
Zelenskyy has made request that Ukraine join EU immediately, under emergency rules via VDL???
english.alarabiya.net
Flecc
I wonder if your support of Putin attempting to get a "corridor" would be same if that corridor was through Italy??
What's the difference? Both countries are Independant democracies?
Would EU go to war with Russia if VDL accepts Zelenskyy's request?
Creating a dilemna for us all.
Zelenskyy demands ‘immediate’ EU membership for Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday urged the European Union to grant his country immediate membership, as Russia’s assault against the
Flecc
I wonder if your support of Putin attempting to get a "corridor" would be same if that corridor was through Italy??
What's the difference? Both countries are Independant democracies?
Would EU go to war with Russia if VDL accepts Zelenskyy's request?
Creating a dilemna for us all.
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