Does anyone else wonder whether these Colonel Blimps know what they're talking about when they say we'll be invaded by Russia in 2030? It's bonkers! Can't they make the leap that Ukraine was invaded because Russia has a claim on it? I don't think even that batty soldier who's spent too long under the sun lamp can think they have a similar claim to the UK.
It is Scrödingers Russia: similtaneously collapsing in chaos due to fuel shortages and unable to occupy a Donbas colliery, and also a major military threat requiring every country in Europe to spend tens of Billions on boy-toys.
It saves the powers-that-be from looking at the real threats.
Russia is a threat, but not in a conventional military sense. The threat comes from its influence on our politics and civil peace from its bots and troll farms, and from cyber attacks on our infrastructure.
And from Russia's (and China's) physical attacks on undersea cables carrying communications, internet and electricity. That's one reason we need more ships for the sodding navy.
Scrap the carriers and build something useful.
Except for the carriers being used, already in exercise to defend the Baltics and Poland.
During the Cold War, the USSR spent incredible resources to try and build systems to locate and destroy carriers. Most of that is long gone - but the fear of mobile air power is evident in a lot of their military publications.
This is why Putin bangs on about RORSAT 2.0 and spends a fortune trying to keep the Oscar class subs going.
Daft Idea. Ground based aircraft can reach anywhere in the Baltics or Poland, and are not handicapped by being on a large floating target.
The point of carriers for land attack is varying the direction the attack can come from. And doing so from a mobile location, not a fixed target.
Which is why both the US, UK and French navies have incorporated them into plans for defending various bits of Europe near the sea since the early Cold War.
Does anyone else wonder whether these Colonel Blimps know what they're talking about when they say we'll be invaded by Russia in 2030? It's bonkers! Can't they make the leap that Ukraine was invaded because Russia has a claim on it? I don't think even that batty soldier who's spent too long under the sun lamp can think they have a similar claim to the UK.
It is Scrödingers Russia: similtaneously collapsing in chaos due to fuel shortages and unable to occupy a Donbas colliery, and also a major military threat requiring every country in Europe to spend tens of Billions on boy-toys.
It saves the powers-that-be from looking at the real threats.
Russia is a threat, but not in a conventional military sense. The threat comes from its influence on our politics and civil peace from its bots and troll farms, and from cyber attacks on our infrastructure.
And from Russia's (and China's) physical attacks on undersea cables carrying communications, internet and electricity. That's one reason we need more ships for the sodding navy.
Scrap the carriers and build something useful.
Yeah, with hindsight buying two carriers looks a bit hubristic. We can't protect them, we can't crew them, and they don't have enough planes. The original rationale was to coordinate with US Navy carrier groups but President Trump has rather put the kybosh on that one.
Does anyone else wonder whether these Colonel Blimps know what they're talking about when they say we'll be invaded by Russia in 2030? It's bonkers! Can't they make the leap that Ukraine was invaded because Russia has a claim on it? I don't think even that batty soldier who's spent too long under the sun lamp can think they have a similar claim to the UK.
It is Scrödingers Russia: similtaneously collapsing in chaos due to fuel shortages and unable to occupy a Donbas colliery, and also a major military threat requiring every country in Europe to spend tens of Billions on boy-toys.
It saves the powers-that-be from looking at the real threats.
Russia is a threat, but not in a conventional military sense. The threat comes from its influence on our politics and civil peace from its bots and troll farms, and from cyber attacks on our infrastructure.
And from Russia's (and China's) physical attacks on undersea cables carrying communications, internet and electricity. That's one reason we need more ships for the sodding navy.
Scrap the carriers and build something useful.
Yeah, with hindsight buying two carriers looks a bit hubristic. We can't protect them, we can't crew them, and they don't have enough planes. The original rationale was to coordinate with US Navy carrier groups but President Trump has rather put the kybosh on that one.
Sell one to Turkey and the other to India.
There are only two countries in the world with more than two aircraft carriers: China (3) and the US (11). Japan, Italy and India currently tie with us.
I was going to say he was good in the Star Wars films, but to my surprise he wasn't in any of them. Apparently he played Peter Guillam in "Smiley's People", which messes with my head because my head insists Peter Guillam is Peter Jayston or Benedict Cumberbatch. Weirdly the 2011 film pointlessly made Guillam gay, and I think the relentless heterosexuality of his appearance in 2017's "A Legacy Of Spies" was LeCarre's rebuff.
Digression off the point? Me? Never!
I hate to do this but it’s Michael Jayston, as in the Valeyadd.
I’d never watch the 2011 film
The BluRay of Tinker Tailor/Smileys People is banging
Michae Jayston played Guillam in TTSS, but was unavailable for Smiley’s People so Byrne took the role.
He also played the Minister of Employment, Dudley something or other, in the Yes Prime Minister episode ‘Man Overboard.’
And also played the Irish Guards adjutant in a Bridge Too Far, with the immortal line, ‘how the hell do they expect us to keep to schedule on a road like this?’
Does anyone else wonder whether these Colonel Blimps know what they're talking about when they say we'll be invaded by Russia in 2030? It's bonkers! Can't they make the leap that Ukraine was invaded because Russia has a claim on it? I don't think even that batty soldier who's spent too long under the sun lamp can think they have a similar claim to the UK.
It is Scrödingers Russia: similtaneously collapsing in chaos due to fuel shortages and unable to occupy a Donbas colliery, and also a major military threat requiring every country in Europe to spend tens of Billions on boy-toys.
Let me introduce you the concept of asymmetrical warfare.
Let me remind you that Russia was behind the arson on the properties of the Prime Minister.
Let me remind you on more than one occasion Russia has used biological weapons on the streets of Britain and it it sheer luck that they didn't turn into massive casualty events.
If only we’d had that third aircraft carrier, HMS Duke of York. That would have put on a stopper on Vlad’s shenanigans.
Does anyone else wonder whether these Colonel Blimps know what they're talking about when they say we'll be invaded by Russia in 2030? It's bonkers! Can't they make the leap that Ukraine was invaded because Russia has a claim on it? I don't think even that batty soldier who's spent too long under the sun lamp can think they have a similar claim to the UK.
It is Scrödingers Russia: similtaneously collapsing in chaos due to fuel shortages and unable to occupy a Donbas colliery, and also a major military threat requiring every country in Europe to spend tens of Billions on boy-toys.
Let me introduce you the concept of asymmetrical warfare.
Let me remind you that Russia was behind the arson on the properties of the Prime Minister.
Let me remind you on more than one occasion Russia has used biological weapons on the streets of Britain and it it sheer luck that they didn't turn into massive casualty events.
It's a state terrorism threat rather than conventional war. We need to equp ourselves to be able to fight that.
Does anyone else wonder whether these Colonel Blimps know what they're talking about when they say we'll be invaded by Russia in 2030? It's bonkers! Can't they make the leap that Ukraine was invaded because Russia has a claim on it? I don't think even that batty soldier who's spent too long under the sun lamp can think they have a similar claim to the UK.
It is Scrödingers Russia: similtaneously collapsing in chaos due to fuel shortages and unable to occupy a Donbas colliery, and also a major military threat requiring every country in Europe to spend tens of Billions on boy-toys.
Perhaps we should invade the bastards while they are otherwise occupied and down on their knees. I am sure the Russian population would be happy to be part of Greater Finland. They must be desperate for a MaccieDs.
When I was in St Petersburg for the 2018 World Cup, I did visit the Finland Station to admire Lenin's train and statue of him addressing the crowds. There is a Burger King there, but I didn't see Maccy D's.
There were definitely McDonald's in Moscow in 2008. I will happily admit to eating three meals there in one day when breakfast at the fried dumplings and vodka place (the only other option in walking distance from the hotel) got a bit samey.
Does anyone else wonder whether these Colonel Blimps know what they're talking about when they say we'll be invaded by Russia in 2030? It's bonkers! Can't they make the leap that Ukraine was invaded because Russia has a claim on it? I don't think even that batty soldier who's spent too long under the sun lamp can think they have a similar claim to the UK.
It is Scrödingers Russia: similtaneously collapsing in chaos due to fuel shortages and unable to occupy a Donbas colliery, and also a major military threat requiring every country in Europe to spend tens of Billions on boy-toys.
It saves the powers-that-be from looking at the real threats.
Russia is a threat, but not in a conventional military sense. The threat comes from its influence on our politics and civil peace from its bots and troll farms, and from cyber attacks on our infrastructure.
And from Russia's (and China's) physical attacks on undersea cables carrying communications, internet and electricity. That's one reason we need more ships for the sodding navy.
Scrap the carriers and build something useful.
Except for the carriers being used, already in exercise to defend the Baltics and Poland.
During the Cold War, the USSR spent incredible resources to try and build systems to locate and destroy carriers. Most of that is long gone - but the fear of mobile air power is evident in a lot of their military publications.
This is why Putin bangs on about RORSAT 2.0 and spends a fortune trying to keep the Oscar class subs going.
Daft Idea. Ground based aircraft can reach anywhere in the Baltics or Poland, and are not handicapped by being on a large floating target.
Ground bases can't move. If the enemy does a Bodenplatte on them, you're screwed. In the cold war the RAF practised basing Harriers from clearings in forests and such like, on the assumption their bases would get hit right away. But today's fighters can't do that.
A base that moves, is difficult to find and attack, and can launch low-observable strike aircraft is a huge asset.
Does anyone else wonder whether these Colonel Blimps know what they're talking about when they say we'll be invaded by Russia in 2030? It's bonkers! Can't they make the leap that Ukraine was invaded because Russia has a claim on it? I don't think even that batty soldier who's spent too long under the sun lamp can think they have a similar claim to the UK.
It is Scrödingers Russia: similtaneously collapsing in chaos due to fuel shortages and unable to occupy a Donbas colliery, and also a major military threat requiring every country in Europe to spend tens of Billions on boy-toys.
It saves the powers-that-be from looking at the real threats.
Russia is a threat, but not in a conventional military sense. The threat comes from its influence on our politics and civil peace from its bots and troll farms, and from cyber attacks on our infrastructure.
And from Russia's (and China's) physical attacks on undersea cables carrying communications, internet and electricity. That's one reason we need more ships for the sodding navy.
Scrap the carriers and build something useful.
Except for the carriers being used, already in exercise to defend the Baltics and Poland.
During the Cold War, the USSR spent incredible resources to try and build systems to locate and destroy carriers. Most of that is long gone - but the fear of mobile air power is evident in a lot of their military publications.
This is why Putin bangs on about RORSAT 2.0 and spends a fortune trying to keep the Oscar class subs going.
Daft Idea. Ground based aircraft can reach anywhere in the Baltics or Poland, and are not handicapped by being on a large floating target.
The point of carriers for land attack is varying the direction the attack can come from. And doing so from a mobile location, not a fixed target.
Which is why both the US, UK and French navies have incorporated them into plans for defending various bits of Europe near the sea since the early Cold War.
Maybe military technology and capabilities have moved on a bit in the last 80 years. Better to heed the lessons from a Ukranian war where drones now dominate the battlefield and seas than continue to plan for a hot version of the early Cold War.
Does anyone else wonder whether these Colonel Blimps know what they're talking about when they say we'll be invaded by Russia in 2030? It's bonkers! Can't they make the leap that Ukraine was invaded because Russia has a claim on it? I don't think even that batty soldier who's spent too long under the sun lamp can think they have a similar claim to the UK.
It is Scrödingers Russia: similtaneously collapsing in chaos due to fuel shortages and unable to occupy a Donbas colliery, and also a major military threat requiring every country in Europe to spend tens of Billions on boy-toys.
Let me introduce you the concept of asymmetrical warfare.
Let me remind you that Russia was behind the arson on the properties of the Prime Minister.
Let me remind you on more than one occasion Russia has used biological weapons on the streets of Britain and it it sheer luck that they didn't turn into massive casualty events.
If only we’d had that third aircraft carrier, HMS Duke of York. That would have put on a stopper on Vlad’s shenanigans.
Does anyone else wonder whether these Colonel Blimps know what they're talking about when they say we'll be invaded by Russia in 2030? It's bonkers! Can't they make the leap that Ukraine was invaded because Russia has a claim on it? I don't think even that batty soldier who's spent too long under the sun lamp can think they have a similar claim to the UK.
It is Scrödingers Russia: similtaneously collapsing in chaos due to fuel shortages and unable to occupy a Donbas colliery, and also a major military threat requiring every country in Europe to spend tens of Billions on boy-toys.
It saves the powers-that-be from looking at the real threats.
Russia is a threat, but not in a conventional military sense. The threat comes from its influence on our politics and civil peace from its bots and troll farms, and from cyber attacks on our infrastructure.
And from Russia's (and China's) physical attacks on undersea cables carrying communications, internet and electricity. That's one reason we need more ships for the sodding navy.
Scrap the carriers and build something useful.
Except for the carriers being used, already in exercise to defend the Baltics and Poland.
During the Cold War, the USSR spent incredible resources to try and build systems to locate and destroy carriers. Most of that is long gone - but the fear of mobile air power is evident in a lot of their military publications.
This is why Putin bangs on about RORSAT 2.0 and spends a fortune trying to keep the Oscar class subs going.
Daft Idea. Ground based aircraft can reach anywhere in the Baltics or Poland, and are not handicapped by being on a large floating target.
The point of carriers for land attack is varying the direction the attack can come from. And doing so from a mobile location, not a fixed target.
Which is why both the US, UK and French navies have incorporated them into plans for defending various bits of Europe near the sea since the early Cold War.
Maybe military technology and capabilities have moved on a bit in the last 80 years. Better to heed the lessons from a Ukranian war where drones now dominate the battlefield and seas than continue to plan for a hot version of the early Cold War.
If either side had air superiority, would drones dominate in the same way?
I think Putin waits until after September elections but maybe there isn't that time luxury?
The sudden closure of the rail borders with Finland and the Baltics is potentially explicable as part of preparations for mobilisation in the near future.
If it's decided that there has to be a crackdown on dissent at the same time as the mobilization - which polling suggests would be epically unpopular - then I guess the September elections don't matter so much.
Edit: The other weird thing that has happened recently is the two-day talks between Putin and Lukashenko, with no official announcement of their content and purpose, followed by Lukashenko travelling to Beijing to talk to Xi. Something is going on. Mobilisation might be part of it, or it could be something else.
MOSCOW, June 30. /TASS/. The Russian government decreed to close several railway border crossings on the state border with Latvia, Finland and Estonia.
"The movement of people, vehicles, goods and cargoes" via the border crossings designated by the government is suspended. The Russian Foreign Ministry was instructed to notify Riga, Tallinn and Helsinki about the decision made by Moscow and effective from July 1.
The closed border crossings include St. Petersburg-Finlyandsky, Vyborg, Vyartsilya, Ljuttja and Svetogorsk (all of them for Finland), Pechory-Pskovskiye on the border with Estonia, and Pytalovo bordering on Latvia.
MOSCOW, June 30. /TASS/. The Russian government decreed to close several railway border crossings on the state border with Latvia, Finland and Estonia.
"The movement of people, vehicles, goods and cargoes" via the border crossings designated by the government is suspended. The Russian Foreign Ministry was instructed to notify Riga, Tallinn and Helsinki about the decision made by Moscow and effective from July 1.
The closed border crossings include St. Petersburg-Finlyandsky, Vyborg, Vyartsilya, Ljuttja and Svetogorsk (all of them for Finland), Pechory-Pskovskiye on the border with Estonia, and Pytalovo bordering on Latvia.
MOSCOW, June 30. /TASS/. The Russian government decreed to close several railway border crossings on the state border with Latvia, Finland and Estonia.
"The movement of people, vehicles, goods and cargoes" via the border crossings designated by the government is suspended. The Russian Foreign Ministry was instructed to notify Riga, Tallinn and Helsinki about the decision made by Moscow and effective from July 1.
The closed border crossings include St. Petersburg-Finlyandsky, Vyborg, Vyartsilya, Ljuttja and Svetogorsk (all of them for Finland), Pechory-Pskovskiye on the border with Estonia, and Pytalovo bordering on Latvia.
It is Scrödingers Russia: similtaneously collapsing in chaos due to fuel shortages and unable to occupy a Donbas colliery, and also a major military threat requiring every country in Europe to spend tens of Billions on boy-toys.
It saves the powers-that-be from looking at the real threats.
Russia is a threat, but not in a conventional military sense. The threat comes from its influence on our politics and civil peace from its bots and troll farms, and from cyber attacks on our infrastructure.
And from Russia's (and China's) physical attacks on undersea cables carrying communications, internet and electricity. That's one reason we need more ships for the sodding navy.
Scrap the carriers and build something useful.
Except for the carriers being used, already in exercise to defend the Baltics and Poland.
During the Cold War, the USSR spent incredible resources to try and build systems to locate and destroy carriers. Most of that is long gone - but the fear of mobile air power is evident in a lot of their military publications.
This is why Putin bangs on about RORSAT 2.0 and spends a fortune trying to keep the Oscar class subs going.
Daft Idea. Ground based aircraft can reach anywhere in the Baltics or Poland, and are not handicapped by being on a large floating target.
The point of carriers for land attack is varying the direction the attack can come from. And doing so from a mobile location, not a fixed target.
Which is why both the US, UK and French navies have incorporated them into plans for defending various bits of Europe near the sea since the early Cold War.
That would be fine if the F-35B we have doesn't have a loaded range of a little over 450 miles while we need to keep the carriers at least 100 miles from the coast.
It's hard to see given or likely adversaries that gives us much in the way of different directions. Are we really going to send a £2bn Carrier with upto 1600 on board North East of Spitzbergen or into the upper Gulf.
Meanwhile Russian Kalibr cruies missiles have arange of over 1,500miles which lets them fly low and reach Faslane from a truck on the Kola peninsula that cost £2m and has four men in it.
MOSCOW, June 30. /TASS/. The Russian government decreed to close several railway border crossings on the state border with Latvia, Finland and Estonia.
"The movement of people, vehicles, goods and cargoes" via the border crossings designated by the government is suspended. The Russian Foreign Ministry was instructed to notify Riga, Tallinn and Helsinki about the decision made by Moscow and effective from July 1.
The closed border crossings include St. Petersburg-Finlyandsky, Vyborg, Vyartsilya, Ljuttja and Svetogorsk (all of them for Finland), Pechory-Pskovskiye on the border with Estonia, and Pytalovo bordering on Latvia.
MOSCOW, June 30. /TASS/. The Russian government decreed to close several railway border crossings on the state border with Latvia, Finland and Estonia.
"The movement of people, vehicles, goods and cargoes" via the border crossings designated by the government is suspended. The Russian Foreign Ministry was instructed to notify Riga, Tallinn and Helsinki about the decision made by Moscow and effective from July 1.
The closed border crossings include St. Petersburg-Finlyandsky, Vyborg, Vyartsilya, Ljuttja and Svetogorsk (all of them for Finland), Pechory-Pskovskiye on the border with Estonia, and Pytalovo bordering on Latvia.
MOSCOW, June 30. /TASS/. The Russian government decreed to close several railway border crossings on the state border with Latvia, Finland and Estonia.
"The movement of people, vehicles, goods and cargoes" via the border crossings designated by the government is suspended. The Russian Foreign Ministry was instructed to notify Riga, Tallinn and Helsinki about the decision made by Moscow and effective from July 1.
The closed border crossings include St. Petersburg-Finlyandsky, Vyborg, Vyartsilya, Ljuttja and Svetogorsk (all of them for Finland), Pechory-Pskovskiye on the border with Estonia, and Pytalovo bordering on Latvia.
MOSCOW, June 30. /TASS/. The Russian government decreed to close several railway border crossings on the state border with Latvia, Finland and Estonia.
"The movement of people, vehicles, goods and cargoes" via the border crossings designated by the government is suspended. The Russian Foreign Ministry was instructed to notify Riga, Tallinn and Helsinki about the decision made by Moscow and effective from July 1.
The closed border crossings include St. Petersburg-Finlyandsky, Vyborg, Vyartsilya, Ljuttja and Svetogorsk (all of them for Finland), Pechory-Pskovskiye on the border with Estonia, and Pytalovo bordering on Latvia.
The first two weeks are to watch the world cup and visit friends in the UK and the last two weeks to go on holiday.
I'm not sure the fates care what you are planning to do with your time off, they simply register that you have time off and rub their evil little hands together.
Dear God. I fear for my cringe. I'm not sure he is grasping the seriousness of our situation, or his. His position is precarious enough, with few ideas, no real mandate and appointing yesterday's men. He really shouldn't be seen doing stuff like this, it will grate and go down like cold sick. Time for this, but no time for questions on his vague plans.
MOSCOW, June 30. /TASS/. The Russian government decreed to close several railway border crossings on the state border with Latvia, Finland and Estonia.
"The movement of people, vehicles, goods and cargoes" via the border crossings designated by the government is suspended. The Russian Foreign Ministry was instructed to notify Riga, Tallinn and Helsinki about the decision made by Moscow and effective from July 1.
The closed border crossings include St. Petersburg-Finlyandsky, Vyborg, Vyartsilya, Ljuttja and Svetogorsk (all of them for Finland), Pechory-Pskovskiye on the border with Estonia, and Pytalovo bordering on Latvia.
MOSCOW, June 30. /TASS/. The Russian government decreed to close several railway border crossings on the state border with Latvia, Finland and Estonia.
"The movement of people, vehicles, goods and cargoes" via the border crossings designated by the government is suspended. The Russian Foreign Ministry was instructed to notify Riga, Tallinn and Helsinki about the decision made by Moscow and effective from July 1.
The closed border crossings include St. Petersburg-Finlyandsky, Vyborg, Vyartsilya, Ljuttja and Svetogorsk (all of them for Finland), Pechory-Pskovskiye on the border with Estonia, and Pytalovo bordering on Latvia.
The first two weeks are to watch the world cup and visit friends in the UK and the last two weeks to go on holiday.
I'm not sure the fates care what you are planning to do with your time off, they simply register that you have time off and rub their evil little hands together.
MOSCOW, June 30. /TASS/. The Russian government decreed to close several railway border crossings on the state border with Latvia, Finland and Estonia.
"The movement of people, vehicles, goods and cargoes" via the border crossings designated by the government is suspended. The Russian Foreign Ministry was instructed to notify Riga, Tallinn and Helsinki about the decision made by Moscow and effective from July 1.
The closed border crossings include St. Petersburg-Finlyandsky, Vyborg, Vyartsilya, Ljuttja and Svetogorsk (all of them for Finland), Pechory-Pskovskiye on the border with Estonia, and Pytalovo bordering on Latvia.
The first two weeks are to watch the world cup and visit friends in the UK and the last two weeks to go on holiday.
I'm not sure the fates care what you are planning to do with your time off, they simply register that you have time off and rub their evil little hands together.
Can't see how the Suwalki Gap holds to be honest.
Poles. They are armed to the teeth. They will burn Moscow again if we don't stop them.
'If Labour held a World Cup watch party, what would it be like? “Orange squash. Non-alcoholic beer;” “They’d keep changing venues because they couldn’t make up their minds;” “It wouldn’t be a working man’s club;” “The food would be quite bland. Hummus. Nothing with any flavour.” Who would they be cheering for? “Scotland;” “Ghana;” “Congo;” “They wouldn’t put the England flag up”.
What about the Conservatives’ World Cup party? “It would be on the lawn in Henley;” “The Ritz or somewhere;” “The football is on in the background but they’re actually watching the tennis. Or the golf;” “They’re not watching, they’re too busy networking;” “Prosecco and cucumber sandwiches. They’re talking about polo”. How about Reform UK? “It would be on the White House lawn with Donald. They’re all cheering for America;” “A proper stinking pub. The Dog and Duck. Faces painted with England flags;” “No, I think it would be a private members’ club. The most expensive champagne but a Union Jack tablecloth;” “They’d be cheering for the whitest team. Sweden or someone”.
Would there be a Green World Cup party? “It would be like a festival. They’d all have purple hair and identify as trees;” “They’re cycling round the park to get the TV going;” “They’d cheer for everyone, because everyone’s a winner in the Green Party. You get a medal for taking part”.
MOSCOW, June 30. /TASS/. The Russian government decreed to close several railway border crossings on the state border with Latvia, Finland and Estonia.
"The movement of people, vehicles, goods and cargoes" via the border crossings designated by the government is suspended. The Russian Foreign Ministry was instructed to notify Riga, Tallinn and Helsinki about the decision made by Moscow and effective from July 1.
The closed border crossings include St. Petersburg-Finlyandsky, Vyborg, Vyartsilya, Ljuttja and Svetogorsk (all of them for Finland), Pechory-Pskovskiye on the border with Estonia, and Pytalovo bordering on Latvia.
The first two weeks are to watch the world cup and visit friends in the UK and the last two weeks to go on holiday.
I'm not sure the fates care what you are planning to do with your time off, they simply register that you have time off and rub their evil little hands together.
Can't see how the Suwalki Gap holds to be honest.
Poles. They are armed to the teeth. They will burn Moscow again if we don't stop them.
They are just starting their buildup.
Putin may be about to go Even Fuller Tonto.
If he thinks the situation is personally existential, what does he have to lose.
Grabbing a land corridor to Kallingrad might keep the windows closed for him, for example.
MOSCOW, June 30. /TASS/. The Russian government decreed to close several railway border crossings on the state border with Latvia, Finland and Estonia.
"The movement of people, vehicles, goods and cargoes" via the border crossings designated by the government is suspended. The Russian Foreign Ministry was instructed to notify Riga, Tallinn and Helsinki about the decision made by Moscow and effective from July 1.
The closed border crossings include St. Petersburg-Finlyandsky, Vyborg, Vyartsilya, Ljuttja and Svetogorsk (all of them for Finland), Pechory-Pskovskiye on the border with Estonia, and Pytalovo bordering on Latvia.
MOSCOW, June 30. /TASS/. The Russian government decreed to close several railway border crossings on the state border with Latvia, Finland and Estonia.
"The movement of people, vehicles, goods and cargoes" via the border crossings designated by the government is suspended. The Russian Foreign Ministry was instructed to notify Riga, Tallinn and Helsinki about the decision made by Moscow and effective from July 1.
The closed border crossings include St. Petersburg-Finlyandsky, Vyborg, Vyartsilya, Ljuttja and Svetogorsk (all of them for Finland), Pechory-Pskovskiye on the border with Estonia, and Pytalovo bordering on Latvia.
Comments
Which is why both the US, UK and French navies have incorporated them into plans for defending various bits of Europe near the sea since the early Cold War.
There are only two countries in the world with more than two aircraft carriers: China (3) and the US (11). Japan, Italy and India currently tie with us.
He also played the Minister of Employment, Dudley something or other, in the Yes Prime Minister episode ‘Man Overboard.’
And also played the Irish Guards adjutant in a Bridge Too Far, with the immortal line, ‘how the hell do they expect us to keep to schedule on a road like this?’
The main symptoms of infection include loss of appetite, weight loss, cramping, bloating, increased gas, nausea and fatigue
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/parasite-diarrhea-us-outbreak-cyclosporiasis-b3006191.html
Need more detail.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/17/fda-suspends-quality-control-food-testing-staff-cuts
April 2025
As as a rule I bold the headline and italicise the bits from the article.
I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy.
At first it started in the attic then moved to the basement.
I spent 3 days living in the bathroom.
I had to ask my father to drive all the way to London to look after me and bring supplies.
Patient being tested for suspected Ebola virus at Glasgow hospital
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jun/30/patient-being-tested-for-suspected-ebola-virus-at-glasgow-hospital
Also, why are you getting health news from a betting site? Am I missing something?
Also, norovirus whilst camping on an island. Thankfully, it's a 48 hour wonder.
To either make it stop or kill me.
A base that moves, is difficult to find and attack, and can launch low-observable strike aircraft is a huge asset.
WarMonitor🇺🇦🇬🇧
@WarMonitor3
I think Russia is about to declare a large mobilisation...
https://x.com/WarMonitor3/status/2072046671001686496
I think Putin waits until after September elections but maybe there isn't that time luxury?
If it's decided that there has to be a crackdown on dissent at the same time as the mobilization - which polling suggests would be epically unpopular - then I guess the September elections don't matter so much.
Edit: The other weird thing that has happened recently is the two-day talks between Putin and Lukashenko, with no official announcement of their content and purpose, followed by Lukashenko travelling to Beijing to talk to Xi. Something is going on. Mobilisation might be part of it, or it could be something else.
MOSCOW, June 30. /TASS/. The Russian government decreed to close several railway border crossings on the state border with Latvia, Finland and Estonia.
"The movement of people, vehicles, goods and cargoes" via the border crossings designated by the government is suspended. The Russian Foreign Ministry was instructed to notify Riga, Tallinn and Helsinki about the decision made by Moscow and effective from July 1.
The closed border crossings include St. Petersburg-Finlyandsky, Vyborg, Vyartsilya, Ljuttja and Svetogorsk (all of them for Finland), Pechory-Pskovskiye on the border with Estonia, and Pytalovo bordering on Latvia.
https://tass.com/politics/2153709
Parties to the right of centre: 49.3%
Parties to the left of centre: 45.1% (not including SNP, PC because they aren't included on the page)
https://electionmaps.uk/polling/vi
I can't remember the right of centre parties being as high as this on this measure.
It is Scrödingers Russia: similtaneously collapsing in chaos due to fuel shortages and unable to occupy a Donbas colliery, and also a major military threat requiring every country in Europe to spend tens of Billions on boy-toys.
It saves the powers-that-be from looking at the real threats.
Russia is a threat, but not in a conventional military sense. The threat comes from its influence on our politics and civil peace from its bots and troll farms, and from cyber attacks on our infrastructure.
And from Russia's (and China's) physical attacks on undersea cables carrying communications, internet and electricity. That's one reason we need more ships for the sodding navy.
Scrap the carriers and build something useful.
Except for the carriers being used, already in exercise to defend the Baltics and Poland.
During the Cold War, the USSR spent incredible resources to try and build systems to locate and destroy carriers. Most of that is long gone - but the fear of mobile air power is evident in a lot of their military publications.
This is why Putin bangs on about RORSAT 2.0 and spends a fortune trying to keep the Oscar class subs going.
Daft Idea. Ground based aircraft can reach anywhere in the Baltics or Poland, and are not handicapped by being on a large floating target.
The point of carriers for land attack is varying the direction the attack can come from. And doing so from a mobile location, not a fixed target.
Which is why both the US, UK and French navies have incorporated them into plans for defending various bits of Europe near the sea since the early Cold War.
That would be fine if the F-35B we have doesn't have a loaded range of a little over 450 miles while we need to keep the carriers at least 100 miles from the coast.
It's hard to see given or likely adversaries that gives us much in the way of different directions.
Are we really going to send a £2bn Carrier with upto 1600 on board North East of Spitzbergen or into the upper Gulf.
Meanwhile Russian Kalibr cruies missiles have arange of over 1,500miles which lets them fly low and reach Faslane from a truck on the Kola peninsula that cost £2m and has four men in it.
Peter
Can't see how the Suwalki Gap holds to be honest.
I am told that one does not need to be a lawyer to be on Scotus.
https://x.com/andyburnham/status/2072022100018188295
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5EiVP-rT14
If corner is awarded when it should be a goal kick then VAR will intervene.
If it's a corner but a goal kick is awarded then VAR will not intervene.
Basically they are looking to avoid goals being scored from wrongly awarded corners.
What about the Conservatives’ World Cup party? “It would be on the lawn in Henley;” “The Ritz or somewhere;” “The football is on in the background but they’re actually watching the tennis. Or the golf;” “They’re not watching, they’re too busy networking;” “Prosecco and cucumber sandwiches. They’re talking about polo”. How about Reform UK? “It would be on the White House lawn with Donald. They’re all cheering for America;” “A proper stinking pub. The Dog and Duck. Faces painted with England flags;” “No, I think it would be a private members’ club. The most expensive champagne but a Union Jack tablecloth;” “They’d be cheering for the whitest team. Sweden or someone”.
Would there be a Green World Cup party? “It would be like a festival. They’d all have purple hair and identify as trees;” “They’re cycling round the park to get the TV going;” “They’d cheer for everyone, because everyone’s a winner in the Green Party. You get a medal for taking part”.
https://conservativehome.com/2026/06/30/lord-ashcroft-who-is-this-person-my-focus-groups-on-the-starmer-burnham-transition/
Admittedly the Germans were poor. But the Dutch put 5 past Sweden...
Putin may be about to go Even Fuller Tonto.
If he thinks the situation is personally existential, what does he have to lose.
Grabbing a land corridor to Kallingrad might keep the windows closed for him, for example.
I'm on a France Argentina final again.
You may be interested to know that FixEdit's similar adaptation of "Red Storm Rising" is on archive.org . I'll DM you the links