@SouthAsiaIndex Russia to invite Pakistan, China, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, India, Ethiopia & other countries in "Anti Fascist Conference."
■ Grand Conference aims at combating fascism, to be held in Moscow in coming months.
A rather desperate attempt to draw up the boundaries of a new Cold War, with a rather glaring drawback - the Soviet Union purportedly at least had its own driving ideology, not some vague committment against supposed fascism. How can even those friendly to Russia commit to such a cold war attempt when Russia is doign a poor job of extrapolating its personal war in Ukraine with global concerns?
China may attend, UAE and Saudi know where their customers are (the West) Pakistan and India know where the money is (the West)
Just cashed out my Ukraine to win Eurovision at 3.55. +£200 profit.
Well done!
A lot of talk here about what to do with the World Cup qualifier against Ukraine in Glasgow on 24 March.
A lot of Scots consider it grossly unfair to continue with the match when we would effectively be playing a Youth team, as most adult Ukrainian men are serving their country or otherwise prohibited from turning up.
Consensus seems to be that we should concede the match and they get the 3 points, plus donating all the ticket money to war relief.
Why not give Ukraine a bye all the way to the final and let a Ukrainian youth lift the World Cup trophy?
I think “all the way to the final” might be pushing it. To the finals maybe but Ukrainians are a proud sporting people and would rather watch some actual matches.
There are only 3 places left - the winner of Scotland v Ukraine plays Wales or Austria
Mr Dickson was suggesting handing them the trophy, not just a place in the finals.
Precedent for when HYUFD unleashes the doggies of war upon Scotland. It's the only fecking way we'll have a chance at it..
@HYUFD did it's true receive a lot of stick about certain comments pertaining to Scotland and the Westminster Government's reactions to any potential move towards independence, I'm sure many of them being deliberately provocative.
These past few days, however, he has shown that PB fantasy and actual crisis are well-defined in his head; he has been one of the saner posters on the Ukraine situation.
Well, I may not necessarily go that far but I agree that HYUFD may have got a few too many pelters on this issue, despite some crackpot ideas amongst the reasonable ones.
In a strongish field, one of the very worst aspects of this place is the 'with us or against us' wankerism that is never far away.
Isn't "with us or against us wankerism" the philosophical basis for Scottish Nationalism?
Russian advance on Kyiv remains “basically…where it was yesterday” senior defense official told reporters today. "The Russians are not only facing “fuel and sustainment” problems, but are showing signs that they are running out of food, the official claimed. via @MichaelTConte
I've been saying it for days but its absolutely true, it doesn't matter how "big and powerful" your military is, logistics are key to wars.
If you can't feed your army, if you can't pay your army, then you can't win your war.
This is disaster revealing that Russia is not the world power people thought they were. Putin hasn't just united the West, and rebuilt NATO at speed - he's revealed to the world just how decrepit and uninspiring his military actually is. Or what will be left of it, when this invasion is over.
Are you a bit happier with the location of Germany's 'soul' now?
Yes. Very much happier. 👍
I've given credit to Germany repeatedly since they u-turned.
Very pleased to hear that. They will be too when I pass it on.
It’s times like this I really fucking despise Bush and Blair for Iraq.
We’d have so much more moral authority and ability to corral the world to push back against the waging of unprovoked aggressive wars like this.
I really fucking hope Putin fails. And that this is the last aggressive war fought in my lifetime.
That's a very good point. An exact equivalence isn't quite there but 'moral authority' does count for something and that cost 'us' lots of it.
In what respect? Putin doesn't give a shit about Iraq. The limiting factor in our willingness to intervene is not people marching on Trafalgar Square opposing another foreign military adventure.
It's not that he gives a shit. It's that it gives his army of trolls perfect material 24 hours a day, and discredits the west every time it tries to claim any position of moral values.
If you believe that Putin, a murderous despot with an appalling record of human rights, is able to "discredit the west *every time* it tries to claim any position of values" then clearly his army of trolls are pretty effective on people like you I guess?
Iraq was a mistake, but to try and draw equivalence between Saddam Hussein and the legitimate demographic government of Ukraine is a bit fucking outrageous IMO.
Where on earth did I draw an equivalence ? Have you looked at the media in the arab world and latin america ? it's full of people drawing an equivalence, because Iraq gave them that ammunition.
And perhaps because people like yourself in this country parrot it too. You said Putin can "discredit the west *every time* it tries to claim any position of values" which is total bollox and needs to be called out as such. Iraq was a terrible misadventure, but the fact was that the US had been attacked and the thinking at the time (before hindsight came into it) was that dictators like Saddam shouldn't be appeased when they could and would provide sanctuary to terrorists and would help fund them. No serious commentator thought he had no WMDs, and neither did Western governments. It was a failure of intel that overstated his threat, but anyone who suggests he did not pose a threat is an ignoramus. The Iraq war is in no way an excuse or moral cover for Putin's aggression unless you are a Putin apologist because there is no equivalence.
This is just abusive, emotional rubbish. You can't be silenced for pointing out what the view happens to be elsewhere for being a "Putin apologist" or "people like you".
It wasn't abusive, but I can be if you like. I am not suggesting you should be silenced. Quite the contrary. There is a strand of opinion that wants to excuse Putin by pointing to the Iraq war. I imagine Corbyn would. You may or may not be one of those people, but you are doing a good impression of it inadvertently if it was not your intent.
Just cashed out my Ukraine to win Eurovision at 3.55. +£200 profit.
Well done!
A lot of talk here about what to do with the World Cup qualifier against Ukraine in Glasgow on 24 March.
A lot of Scots consider it grossly unfair to continue with the match when we would effectively be playing a Youth team, as most adult Ukrainian men are serving their country or otherwise prohibited from turning up.
Consensus seems to be that we should concede the match and they get the 3 points, plus donating all the ticket money to war relief.
Why not give Ukraine a bye all the way to the final and let a Ukrainian youth lift the World Cup trophy?
I think “all the way to the final” might be pushing it. To the finals maybe but Ukrainians are a proud sporting people and would rather watch some actual matches.
There are only 3 places left - the winner of Scotland v Ukraine plays Wales or Austria
Mr Dickson was suggesting handing them the trophy, not just a place in the finals.
Precedent for when HYUFD unleashes the doggies of war upon Scotland. It's the only fecking way we'll have a chance at it..
@HYUFD did it's true receive a lot of stick about certain comments pertaining to Scotland and the Westminster Government's reactions to any potential move towards independence, I'm sure many of them being deliberately provocative.
These past few days, however, he has shown that PB fantasy and actual crisis are well-defined in his head; he has been one of the saner posters on the Ukraine situation.
Well, I may not necessarily go that far but I agree that HYUFD may have got a few too many pelters on this issue, despite some crackpot ideas amongst the reasonable ones.
In a strongish field, one of the very worst aspects of this place is the 'with us or against us' wankerism that is never far away.
Isn't "with us or against us wankerism" the philosophical basis for Scottish Nationalism?
In other comic relief, when you confuse “the SNP” with “the public”:
EXCLUSIVE: The Scottish Government has refused to say whether it has sought the views of law officers about the competence of the indyref bill, saying it is not in the public interest
Opposition have said "uncomfortable truths" are being kept secret
Given a majority of the Scottish public who voted voted to have a referendum, it's not an unreasonable elision.
They already had one. No point me voting for a referendum on Brexit. We had one. My side lost.
They explicitly voted to have another referendum. Rather less defeatist.
That is the problem with Scottish Nationalism, no sorry nationalism; democracy is good, provided it provides the answer we want.
Tell me, if Scotland had a referendum and separatism won, would you be in favour of another referendum 5 or 6 years later to ask whether they would like to rejoin?
Would you be in favour of some parts of Scotland retaining their membership of UK, rather like some Scots Nats suggested visa vis Scotland and membership of the EU?
You couldn’t make it up. RusNats busy trying to partition Ukraine, so BritNats sharpen the knife to carve up Jockland.
Russian Imperialism and British Imperialism. Two sides of the same dud coin.
Foreskin is the biggest bellend on teh site , a deluded halfwitted cretinous moronic imbecile of the first order.
Senior US defence official says Russia’s advance on Kyiv has made no real progress in the last 24hrs due to fuel and supply shortages - including problems feeding their troops /1
American intelligence also assesses morale is flagging among some Russian units who weren’t told they would be involved in combat and some have surrendered in Ukraine without a fight /2
While Russian progress towards Kyiv appears to have stalled at this point, US intelligence also assesses Russian troops making progress in the south and says Russia now has control of the towns of Melitopol and Berdyansk.
Cold weather, no sleep, no food, rationing fuel, long way from home with no idea why you’re there…
There’s a crucial difference between this army and the Red Army of old. And indeed Hitler’s army. There’s no coherent central ideology binding together the fighting force and giving them a sense of purpose and motivation to suffer extreme hardship. Goodo.
Many of them are young conscripts and national servants, have been away since before Christmas, and were expecting a few weeks of exercises, not sent to invade their neighbours and shoot at their cousins. They definitely weren’t expecting to be met with Molotov cocktails at best, NATO anti-tank weapons and drone strikes at worst.
They look thoroughly demoralised, after less than a week at the sharp end. Many thousands more Russian troops will be feeling the same,
It’s times like this I really fucking despise Bush and Blair for Iraq.
We’d have so much more moral authority and ability to corral the world to push back against the waging of unprovoked aggressive wars like this.
I really fucking hope Putin fails. And that this is the last aggressive war fought in my lifetime.
That's a very good point. An exact equivalence isn't quite there but 'moral authority' does count for something and that cost 'us' lots of it.
In what respect? Putin doesn't give a shit about Iraq. The limiting factor in our willingness to intervene is not people marching on Trafalgar Square opposing another foreign military adventure.
It's not that he gives a shit. It's that it gives his army of trolls perfect material 24 hours a day, and discredits the west every time it tries to claim any position of moral values.
If you believe that Putin, a murderous despot with an appalling record of human rights, is able to "discredit the west *every time* it tries to claim any position of values" then clearly his army of trolls are pretty effective on people like you I guess?
Iraq was a mistake, but to try and draw equivalence between Saddam Hussein and the legitimate demographic government of Ukraine is a bit fucking outrageous IMO.
Where on earth did I draw an equivalence ? Have you looked at the media in the arab world and latin america ? it's full of people drawing an equivalence, because Iraq gave them that ammunition.
And perhaps because people like yourself in this country parrot it too. You said Putin can "discredit the west *every time* it tries to claim any position of values" which is total bollox and needs to be called out as such. Iraq was a terrible misadventure, but the fact was that the US had been attacked and the thinking at the time (before hindsight came into it) was that dictators like Saddam shouldn't be appeased when they could and would provide sanctuary to terrorists and would help fund them. No serious commentator thought he had no WMDs, and neither did Western governments. It was a failure of intel that overstated his threat, but anyone who suggests he did not pose a threat is an ignoramus. The Iraq war is in no way an excuse or moral cover for Putin's aggression unless you are a Putin apologist because there is no equivalence.
This is just abusive, emotional rubbish. You can't be silenced for pointing out what the view happens to be elsewhere for being a "Putin apologist" or "people like you".
It wasn't abusive, but I can be if you like. I am not suggesting you should be silenced. Quite the contrary. There is a strand of opinion that wants to excuse Putin by pointing to the Iraq war. I imagine Corbyn would. You may or may not be one of those people, but you are doing a good impression of it inadvertently if it was not your intent.
Well then, you've obviously read absolutely none of my posts here over the past week.
I wonder if he has ever even been to Lincolnshire. After all he is only an MP for the place. I am not sure I have actually ever met a Ukrainian here. Sure they must be here by the idea the county is full of them is bloody stupid.
Is the farming elite (very Tory) not rather dependent on them already? Tractors in Ukrainian and all that.
The big (and well integrated) population here is Portuguese. Boston has many thousands. Gives a big boost to support for Boston United FC.
Senior US defence official says Russia’s advance on Kyiv has made no real progress in the last 24hrs due to fuel and supply shortages - including problems feeding their troops /1
American intelligence also assesses morale is flagging among some Russian units who weren’t told they would be involved in combat and some have surrendered in Ukraine without a fight /2
While Russian progress towards Kyiv appears to have stalled at this point, US intelligence also assesses Russian troops making progress in the south and says Russia now has control of the towns of Melitopol and Berdyansk.
Cold weather, no sleep, no food, rationing fuel, long way from home with no idea why you’re there…
There’s a crucial difference between this army and the Red Army of old. And indeed Hitler’s army. There’s no coherent central ideology binding together the fighting force and giving them a sense of purpose and motivation to suffer extreme hardship. Goodo.
Yes ; there was very a good article in the Guardian today from a Russian who had travelled abroad. Essentially it said that there is no coherent values system in Russia at the moment, only an us-and-them. That can be very intimidating - until it's not, because it's also not very deep-rooted , and very fragile.
The shitty trouble is that when it becomes clear to Putin that his military is not up to it, he will go nuclear. Fiona Hill, US RU expert analyst, has told the Telegraph that we mustn't think he will go that far - he will do it.
I am extraordinarily pessimistic at the moment.
Mr Putin said something about Why do we need the world if Russia isn't in it. My major concern is that he now identifies "Russia" with himself:Why do we need the world if I'm not around?
Good evening, everyone. Glad you are all here for me to come back to, but even so I'd much prefer you to still be bickering about Brexit, Covid and Boris' antics.
A decision about banning Russian athletes from the 2022 Winter Paralympics will be made on Wednesday after it was confirmed the full Ukraine squad will take part in Beijing.
BREAKING: Lord Coe, president of World Athletics, says Russian and Belarusian athletes have been banned from competing in all five of the world championships following the invasion of Ukraine.
@SouthAsiaIndex Russia to invite Pakistan, China, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, India, Ethiopia & other countries in "Anti Fascist Conference."
■ Grand Conference aims at combating fascism, to be held in Moscow in coming months.
A rather desperate attempt to draw up the boundaries of a new Cold War, with a rather glaring drawback - the Soviet Union purportedly at least had its own driving ideology, not some vague committment against supposed fascism. How can even those friendly to Russia commit to such a cold war attempt when Russia is doign a poor job of extrapolating its personal war in Ukraine with global concerns?
China may attend, UAE and Saudi know where their customers are (the West) Pakistan and India know where the money is (the West)
I don't see it getting very far.
UAE abstained on the security council vote, presumably for reasons of trying to remain neutral in the war, and protect toursim and property investment by Russians.
Doesn’t mean much, when their credit cards suddenly stop working in the beach hotels though. Given the choice, they’ll be looking West.
Russian advance on Kyiv remains “basically…where it was yesterday” senior defense official told reporters today. "The Russians are not only facing “fuel and sustainment” problems, but are showing signs that they are running out of food, the official claimed. via @MichaelTConte
I've been saying it for days but its absolutely true, it doesn't matter how "big and powerful" your military is, logistics are key to wars.
If you can't feed your army, if you can't pay your army, then you can't win your war.
This is disaster revealing that Russia is not the world power people thought they were. Putin hasn't just united the West, and rebuilt NATO at speed - he's revealed to the world just how decrepit and uninspiring his military actually is. Or what will be left of it, when this invasion is over.
Are you a bit happier with the location of Germany's 'soul' now?
Yes. Very much happier. 👍
I've given credit to Germany repeatedly since they u-turned.
Very pleased to hear that. They will be too when I pass it on.
Mein Gott, Herr Bart ist mit us!
(apols for any inaccuracies, I've been neglecting Duolingo lately)
Check the bio. Current Ukraine’s Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov is one of the best and first private lawyers in the country. In 2000s his firm was named the best law firm in Russia and the CIS by a British financial magazine. He could be elsewhere. Today in Kyiv at MOD HQ https://twitter.com/ngumenyuk/status/1498675580946071555
A lawyer? Had to double check I can be on the same side…
@SouthAsiaIndex Russia to invite Pakistan, China, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, India, Ethiopia & other countries in "Anti Fascist Conference."
■ Grand Conference aims at combating fascism, to be held in Moscow in coming months.
Suspect UAE and the Saudis are being told to think very carefully by us and the US. Also hard to see India and Pakistan sustainably picking the same side.
I do hope most of these sanctions and repisals continue even if a ceasefire is agreed between Russia and Ukraine. The actions are because Russia launched an invasion, they shouldn't just go away because they put down the guns for a time. And since most of its pretexts were specifically about Ukraine itself provoking things (though they have now talked more widely about nukes), Russia can have no grounds to demand sanctions be reduced or reversed as a precondition since that is a decision of others, not Ukraine.
I do hope most of these sanctions and repisals continue even if a ceasefire is agreed between Russia and Ukraine. The actions are because Russia launched an invasion, they shouldn't just go away because they put down the guns for a time. And since most of its pretexts were specifically about Ukraine itself provoking things (though they have now talked more widely about nukes), Russia can have no grounds to demand sanctions be reduced or reversed as a precondition since that is a decision of others, not Ukraine.
Its a fine balancing act, because those most hit by sanctions are of course the ordinary people.
Senior US defence official says Russia’s advance on Kyiv has made no real progress in the last 24hrs due to fuel and supply shortages - including problems feeding their troops /1
American intelligence also assesses morale is flagging among some Russian units who weren’t told they would be involved in combat and some have surrendered in Ukraine without a fight /2
While Russian progress towards Kyiv appears to have stalled at this point, US intelligence also assesses Russian troops making progress in the south and says Russia now has control of the towns of Melitopol and Berdyansk.
Cold weather, no sleep, no food, rationing fuel, long way from home with no idea why you’re there…
There’s a crucial difference between this army and the Red Army of old. And indeed Hitler’s army. There’s no coherent central ideology binding together the fighting force and giving them a sense of purpose and motivation to suffer extreme hardship. Goodo.
Yes ; there was very a good article in the Guardian today from a Russian who had travelled abroad. Essentially it said that there is no coherent values system in Russia at the moment, only an us-and-them. That can be very intimidating - until it's not, because it's also not very deep-rooted , and very fragile.
The shitty trouble is that when it becomes clear to Putin that his military is not up to it, he will go nuclear. Fiona Hill, US RU expert analyst, has told the Telegraph that we mustn't think he will go that far - he will do it.
I am extraordinarily pessimistic at the moment.
Mr Putin said something about Why do we need the world if Russia isn't in it. My major concern is that he now identifies "Russia" with himself:Why do we need the world if I'm not around?
Good evening, everyone. Glad you are all here for me to come back to, but even so I'd much prefer you to still be bickering about Brexit, Covid and Boris' antics.
Evening,
Seems to be growing evidence that he has gone totally tonto, to use a medical expression.
It’s times like this I really fucking despise Bush and Blair for Iraq.
We’d have so much more moral authority and ability to corral the world to push back against the waging of unprovoked aggressive wars like this.
I really fucking hope Putin fails. And that this is the last aggressive war fought in my lifetime.
That's a very good point. An exact equivalence isn't quite there but 'moral authority' does count for something and that cost 'us' lots of it.
In what respect? Putin doesn't give a shit about Iraq. The limiting factor in our willingness to intervene is not people marching on Trafalgar Square opposing another foreign military adventure.
It's not that he gives a shit. It's that it gives his army of trolls perfect material 24 hours a day, and discredits the west every time it tries to claim any position of moral values.
If you believe that Putin, a murderous despot with an appalling record of human rights, is able to "discredit the west *every time* it tries to claim any position of values" then clearly his army of trolls are pretty effective on people like you I guess?
Iraq was a mistake, but to try and draw equivalence between Saddam Hussein and the legitimate demographic government of Ukraine is a bit fucking outrageous IMO.
Where on earth did I draw an equivalence ? Have you looked at the media in the arab world and latin america ? it's full of people drawing an equivalence, because Iraq gave them that ammunition.
Exactly. It is a global audience this plays out to not just a western one.
Who gives a fuck what Latin America thinks?
And the arab world ?
In fairness, for one thing their own leaders don’t give a fuck what they think.
I do hope most of these sanctions and repisals continue even if a ceasefire is agreed between Russia and Ukraine. The actions are because Russia launched an invasion, they shouldn't just go away because they put down the guns for a time. And since most of its pretexts were specifically about Ukraine itself provoking things (though they have now talked more widely about nukes), Russia can have no grounds to demand sanctions be reduced or reversed as a precondition since that is a decision of others, not Ukraine.
Its a fine balancing act, because those most hit by sanctions are of course the ordinary people.
There's no doubt some that could relaxed, as a gesture, but there needs to be long term consequences. Unfortunately it isn't possible to not hit the people at the same time.
Rutger Bregman @rcbregman Or like @robertwiblin said: 'If what you do gets three billion people killed it doesn't matter that the cause you were fighting for was just.' It almost seems as if we've forgotten nuclear weapons still exist. Even a small chance of nuclear conflict is completely terrifying. 8/9
David Richards former Chief of Defence Staff very downbeat on r4 PM: realistically Ukr going to lose therefore might as well fold now to prevent pointless bloodshed
Just cashed out my Ukraine to win Eurovision at 3.55. +£200 profit.
Well done!
A lot of talk here about what to do with the World Cup qualifier against Ukraine in Glasgow on 24 March.
A lot of Scots consider it grossly unfair to continue with the match when we would effectively be playing a Youth team, as most adult Ukrainian men are serving their country or otherwise prohibited from turning up.
Consensus seems to be that we should concede the match and they get the 3 points, plus donating all the ticket money to war relief.
Why not give Ukraine a bye all the way to the final and let a Ukrainian youth lift the World Cup trophy?
I think “all the way to the final” might be pushing it. To the finals maybe but Ukrainians are a proud sporting people and would rather watch some actual matches.
There are only 3 places left - the winner of Scotland v Ukraine plays Wales or Austria
Mr Dickson was suggesting handing them the trophy, not just a place in the finals.
Precedent for when HYUFD unleashes the doggies of war upon Scotland. It's the only fecking way we'll have a chance at it..
@HYUFD did it's true receive a lot of stick about certain comments pertaining to Scotland and the Westminster Government's reactions to any potential move towards independence, I'm sure many of them being deliberately provocative.
These past few days, however, he has shown that PB fantasy and actual crisis are well-defined in his head; he has been one of the saner posters on the Ukraine situation.
Well, I may not necessarily go that far but I agree that HYUFD may have got a few too many pelters on this issue, despite some crackpot ideas amongst the reasonable ones.
In a strongish field, one of the very worst aspects of this place is the 'with us or against us' wankerism that is never far away.
Isn't "with us or against us wankerism" the philosophical basis for Scottish Nationalism?
In other comic relief, when you confuse “the SNP” with “the public”:
EXCLUSIVE: The Scottish Government has refused to say whether it has sought the views of law officers about the competence of the indyref bill, saying it is not in the public interest
Opposition have said "uncomfortable truths" are being kept secret
Given a majority of the Scottish public who voted voted to have a referendum, it's not an unreasonable elision.
They already had one. No point me voting for a referendum on Brexit. We had one. My side lost.
They explicitly voted to have another referendum. Rather less defeatist.
That is the problem with Scottish Nationalism, no sorry nationalism; democracy is good, provided it provides the answer we want.
Tell me, if Scotland had a referendum and separatism won, would you be in favour of another referendum 5 or 6 years later to ask whether they would like to rejoin?
Would you be in favour of some parts of Scotland retaining their membership of UK, rather like some Scots Nats suggested visa vis Scotland and membership of the EU?
You couldn’t make it up. RusNats busy trying to partition Ukraine, so BritNats sharpen the knife to carve up Jockland.
Russian Imperialism and British Imperialism. Two sides of the same dud coin.
Foreskin is the biggest bellend on teh site , a deluded halfwitted cretinous moronic imbecile of the first order.
Good to see that with a global crisis going on your childish semi-coherent crap still issues forth from your pathetic divisive hate filled fat little fingers. As you really are the most unintelligent life form squirming your way around the internet at the moment let me explain to you that it is not possible, even for you, to be a "cretinous moronic imbecile" as each of these offensive terms are a different category. Were I to use such archaic language I might suggest you are somewhere between the last two, but that would be unkind to morons and imbeciles.
To be honest I am quite surprised at the moment that an apologist for Alex-"bully-and-sex-pest" (according to his QC Salmond who is an apologist for Putin has the audacity to come on here, but then you are such a thick c*nt that you really don't realise how offensive you are.
Senior US defence official says Russia’s advance on Kyiv has made no real progress in the last 24hrs due to fuel and supply shortages - including problems feeding their troops /1
American intelligence also assesses morale is flagging among some Russian units who weren’t told they would be involved in combat and some have surrendered in Ukraine without a fight /2
While Russian progress towards Kyiv appears to have stalled at this point, US intelligence also assesses Russian troops making progress in the south and says Russia now has control of the towns of Melitopol and Berdyansk.
Cold weather, no sleep, no food, rationing fuel, long way from home with no idea why you’re there…
There’s a crucial difference between this army and the Red Army of old. And indeed Hitler’s army. There’s no coherent central ideology binding together the fighting force and giving them a sense of purpose and motivation to suffer extreme hardship. Goodo.
Yes ; there was very a good article in the Guardian today from a Russian who had travelled abroad. Essentially it said that there is no coherent values system in Russia at the moment, only an us-and-them. That can be very intimidating - until it's not, because it's also not very deep-rooted , and very fragile.
The shitty trouble is that when it becomes clear to Putin that his military is not up to it, he will go nuclear. Fiona Hill, US RU expert analyst, has told the Telegraph that we mustn't think he will go that far - he will do it.
I am extraordinarily pessimistic at the moment.
My hunch is that the top three most likely targets are:
1. Ukraine 2. Sweden 3. Finland
… in that order.
Why? All three non-NATO, so NATO don’t need to launch their mass murder weapons back.
Just cashed out my Ukraine to win Eurovision at 3.55. +£200 profit.
Well done!
A lot of talk here about what to do with the World Cup qualifier against Ukraine in Glasgow on 24 March.
A lot of Scots consider it grossly unfair to continue with the match when we would effectively be playing a Youth team, as most adult Ukrainian men are serving their country or otherwise prohibited from turning up.
Consensus seems to be that we should concede the match and they get the 3 points, plus donating all the ticket money to war relief.
Why not give Ukraine a bye all the way to the final and let a Ukrainian youth lift the World Cup trophy?
I think “all the way to the final” might be pushing it. To the finals maybe but Ukrainians are a proud sporting people and would rather watch some actual matches.
There are only 3 places left - the winner of Scotland v Ukraine plays Wales or Austria
Mr Dickson was suggesting handing them the trophy, not just a place in the finals.
Precedent for when HYUFD unleashes the doggies of war upon Scotland. It's the only fecking way we'll have a chance at it..
@HYUFD did it's true receive a lot of stick about certain comments pertaining to Scotland and the Westminster Government's reactions to any potential move towards independence, I'm sure many of them being deliberately provocative.
These past few days, however, he has shown that PB fantasy and actual crisis are well-defined in his head; he has been one of the saner posters on the Ukraine situation.
Well, I may not necessarily go that far but I agree that HYUFD may have got a few too many pelters on this issue, despite some crackpot ideas amongst the reasonable ones.
In a strongish field, one of the very worst aspects of this place is the 'with us or against us' wankerism that is never far away.
Isn't "with us or against us wankerism" the philosophical basis for Scottish Nationalism?
In other comic relief, when you confuse “the SNP” with “the public”:
EXCLUSIVE: The Scottish Government has refused to say whether it has sought the views of law officers about the competence of the indyref bill, saying it is not in the public interest
Opposition have said "uncomfortable truths" are being kept secret
Given a majority of the Scottish public who voted voted to have a referendum, it's not an unreasonable elision.
They already had one. No point me voting for a referendum on Brexit. We had one. My side lost.
They explicitly voted to have another referendum. Rather less defeatist.
That is the problem with Scottish Nationalism, no sorry nationalism; democracy is good, provided it provides the answer we want.
Tell me, if Scotland had a referendum and separatism won, would you be in favour of another referendum 5 or 6 years later to ask whether they would like to rejoin?
Would you be in favour of some parts of Scotland retaining their membership of UK, rather like some Scots Nats suggested visa vis Scotland and membership of the EU?
You couldn’t make it up. RusNats busy trying to partition Ukraine, so BritNats sharpen the knife to carve up Jockland.
Russian Imperialism and British Imperialism. Two sides of the same dud coin.
Foreskin is the biggest bellend on teh site , a deluded halfwitted cretinous moronic imbecile of the first order.
It is rather sad that you’ve managed to turn a monumental humanitarian crisis into a shallow petty debate on Brexit. Shame on you.
It was one post
the fact it triggered so many of you suggests it was pretty accurate
Whether accurate or not that is some really stupid logic. If I were to post a comment calling every poster on the left/right criminal psychopaths I'd probably 'trigger' a lot of responses, but that wouldn't speak to its accuracy.
Russian advance on Kyiv remains “basically…where it was yesterday” senior defense official told reporters today. "The Russians are not only facing “fuel and sustainment” problems, but are showing signs that they are running out of food, the official claimed. via @MichaelTConte
I've been saying it for days but its absolutely true, it doesn't matter how "big and powerful" your military is, logistics are key to wars.
If you can't feed your army, if you can't pay your army, then you can't win your war.
This is disaster revealing that Russia is not the world power people thought they were. Putin hasn't just united the West, and rebuilt NATO at speed - he's revealed to the world just how decrepit and uninspiring his military actually is. Or what will be left of it, when this invasion is over.
Are you a bit happier with the location of Germany's 'soul' now?
Yes. Very much happier. 👍
I've given credit to Germany repeatedly since they u-turned.
Very pleased to hear that. They will be too when I pass it on.
Mein Gott, Herr Bart ist mit us!
(apols for any inaccuracies, I've been neglecting Duolingo lately)
Well it's huge, isn't it. It's a 'BigG votes Labour' type event.
All this banter is great, but it still seems to me that Putin is highly likely to win this war.
He’s gonna crush the Ukrainians.
I wish it weren’t so.
No. He's not.
I can’t see a situation in which Putin wins a war. Unless he maintains a permanent Russian military in the country forevermore. Which, after sanctions, I doubt he can afford
David Richards former Chief of Defence Staff very downbeat on r4 PM: realistically Ukr going to lose therefore might as well fold now to prevent pointless bloodshed
Thank God we never went to war with him in charge.
All this banter is great, but it still seems to me that Putin is highly likely to win this war.
He’s gonna crush the Ukrainians.
I wish it weren’t so.
Turning a victory into a pyrric victory would be worth it for the Ukrainians however.
Pyrric victory - what’s that poop? You conning yourself rather than face truth? If we belatedly gave air support like we did in Libya and Kosovo it will turn this into a real victory. The other outcome isn’t pyrrhic with lots of wonderful martyrs, it’s just simply horrible. Horrible to forget. Horrible to live with.
Is there any chance left of something in the middle, without our help?
It is rather sad that you’ve managed to turn a monumental humanitarian crisis into a shallow petty debate on Brexit. Shame on you.
It was one post
the fact it triggered so many of you suggests it was pretty accurate
Whether accurate or not that is some really stupid logic. If I were to post a comment calling every poster on the left/right criminal psychopaths I'd probably 'trigger' a lot of responses, but that wouldn't speak to its accuracy.
It is rather sad that you’ve managed to turn a monumental humanitarian crisis into a shallow petty debate on Brexit. Shame on you.
It was one post
the fact it triggered so many of you suggests it was pretty accurate
Triggered because it was so damned stupid. Not everything needs to be seen through a Brexit prism, no matter how much you disagree with current circumstance.
Quoting Some bampot FBPE Twitter crank is hardly conclusive.
@Scott_xP has posted some very useful information recently and I complimented him yesteday for it, then he comes along and ruins it by reverting to type
It is rather sad that you’ve managed to turn a monumental humanitarian crisis into a shallow petty debate on Brexit. Shame on you.
Nothing reminds you of the lunacy behind Brexit more than the current crisis. We are going to end up as pariahs and deservedly so. The Ukrainians would give their right arms to join. watch how the Poles behave towards their neighbours. The UK and their Faragist government sicken me.
David Richards former Chief of Defence Staff very downbeat on r4 PM: realistically Ukr going to lose therefore might as well fold now to prevent pointless bloodshed
It’s not a game of flipping cards, what does he mean by “fold”.
David Richards former Chief of Defence Staff very downbeat on r4 PM: realistically Ukr going to lose therefore might as well fold now to prevent pointless bloodshed
Thank God we never went to war with him in charge.
We should strip him of his title and pension. For starters.
Russian advance on Kyiv remains “basically…where it was yesterday” senior defense official told reporters today. "The Russians are not only facing “fuel and sustainment” problems, but are showing signs that they are running out of food, the official claimed. via @MichaelTConte
I've been saying it for days but its absolutely true, it doesn't matter how "big and powerful" your military is, logistics are key to wars.
If you can't feed your army, if you can't pay your army, then you can't win your war.
This is disaster revealing that Russia is not the world power people thought they were. Putin hasn't just united the West, and rebuilt NATO at speed - he's revealed to the world just how decrepit and uninspiring his military actually is. Or what will be left of it, when this invasion is over.
Are you a bit happier with the location of Germany's 'soul' now?
Yes. Very much happier. 👍
I've given credit to Germany repeatedly since they u-turned.
Very pleased to hear that. They will be too when I pass it on.
Mein Gott, Herr Bart ist mit us!
(apols for any inaccuracies, I've been neglecting Duolingo lately)
Well it's huge, isn't it. It's a 'BigG votes Labour' type event.
I'm going to have to mull over the theological implications of it being possible to buy back your soul.
Thank you very much to everyone explaining battlefield nuclear weapons. I now know about little boy and fat man too.
This is the pimped personal rocket launcher called the Davey Crocket, with its dinky nuclear bomb stuck on the front.
I saw a play with Davey Crocket in it. Must have been before he went to the Alamo. Fun fact, did you know he had three ears? A right ear, a left ear, and a wild front ear.
It is rather sad that you’ve managed to turn a monumental humanitarian crisis into a shallow petty debate on Brexit. Shame on you.
Nothing reminds you of the lunacy behind Brexit more than the current crisis. We are going to end up as pariahs and deservedly so. The Ukrainians would give their right arms to join. watch how the Poles behave towards their neighbours. The UK and their Faragist government sicken me.
The same government who have been training and arming the Ukrainian for many months, well ahead of what the EU finally decided to do. And in partnership with the US, tried to work with the Chinese to convince Putin to call it off, because of the wide amount of intel we had gathered on the situation.
By all accounts the UK government have been behaving like grown up over this conflict and trying every route to get Putin to see sense.
I am no fan of Boris and his gang, but people in the know have repeated pointed out just how much leg work has been going on for many months now from the UK with constant flights to the Ukraine to supply them.
David Richards former Chief of Defence Staff very downbeat on r4 PM: realistically Ukr going to lose therefore might as well fold now to prevent pointless bloodshed
I heard that too. He sounded defeated. It may be realism, but to me it smacked of appeasement. Because Putin is mad enough to use nuclear weapons the West has to back off was his message.
Putin must be cheering himself to the rafters at the news we have all gone full on Jeremy Corbyn.
So basically what is the point of a nuclear deterrent if they don't deter mad bastards, who in turn are quite prepared to use them anyway?
It is rather sad that you’ve managed to turn a monumental humanitarian crisis into a shallow petty debate on Brexit. Shame on you.
Nothing reminds you of the lunacy behind Brexit more than the current crisis. We are going to end up as pariahs and deservedly so. The Ukrainians would give their right arms to join. watch how the Poles behave towards their neighbours. The UK and their Faragist government sicken me.
WE are going to end up as pariahs? Would you like to unpack that?
The evidence shows the west coming together with us as a big part of NATO and any other European defence. I also see us and the EU dropping our petty differences and there’s hope this will help us become the strong regional partners we should be.
Russian advance on Kyiv remains “basically…where it was yesterday” senior defense official told reporters today. "The Russians are not only facing “fuel and sustainment” problems, but are showing signs that they are running out of food, the official claimed. via @MichaelTConte
I've been saying it for days but its absolutely true, it doesn't matter how "big and powerful" your military is, logistics are key to wars.
If you can't feed your army, if you can't pay your army, then you can't win your war.
This is disaster revealing that Russia is not the world power people thought they were. Putin hasn't just united the West, and rebuilt NATO at speed - he's revealed to the world just how decrepit and uninspiring his military actually is. Or what will be left of it, when this invasion is over.
Are you a bit happier with the location of Germany's 'soul' now?
Yes. Very much happier. 👍
I've given credit to Germany repeatedly since they u-turned.
Very pleased to hear that. They will be too when I pass it on.
Mein Gott, Herr Bart ist mit us!
(apols for any inaccuracies, I've been neglecting Duolingo lately)
Well it's huge, isn't it. It's a 'BigG votes Labour' type event.
Thank you very much to everyone explaining battlefield nuclear weapons. I now know about little boy and fat man too.
This is the pimped personal rocket launcher called the Davey Crocket, with its dinky nuclear bomb stuck on the front.
I saw a play with Davey Crocket in it. Must have been before he went to the Alamo. Fun fact, did you know he had three ears? A right ear, a left ear, and a wild front ear.
Cpt James T Kirk also had three. A right ear, a left ear and space - the final front ear.
David Richards former Chief of Defence Staff very downbeat on r4 PM: realistically Ukr going to lose therefore might as well fold now to prevent pointless bloodshed
I heard that too and thought he was very good. I have a couple of caveats regarding his thesis.
First, how current is his information and to what extent is it based on military rather than economic considerations?
Second, Ukraine has begged us to intervene. How could we possibly refuse to help them as much as we have? That would be poiltically intolerable, here and throughout the free world.
You notice however that at the end he said he thought Putin was toast, within a year at most, whatever he does now. Would have been nice to hear him elaborate on that a bit, but time was short.
Russian advance on Kyiv remains “basically…where it was yesterday” senior defense official told reporters today. "The Russians are not only facing “fuel and sustainment” problems, but are showing signs that they are running out of food, the official claimed. via @MichaelTConte
I've been saying it for days but its absolutely true, it doesn't matter how "big and powerful" your military is, logistics are key to wars.
If you can't feed your army, if you can't pay your army, then you can't win your war.
This is disaster revealing that Russia is not the world power people thought they were. Putin hasn't just united the West, and rebuilt NATO at speed - he's revealed to the world just how decrepit and uninspiring his military actually is. Or what will be left of it, when this invasion is over.
Are you a bit happier with the location of Germany's 'soul' now?
Yes. Very much happier. 👍
I've given credit to Germany repeatedly since they u-turned.
Very pleased to hear that. They will be too when I pass it on.
Mein Gott, Herr Bart ist mit us!
(apols for any inaccuracies, I've been neglecting Duolingo lately)
Well it's huge, isn't it. It's a 'BigG votes Labour' type event.
I'm going to have to mull over the theological implications of it being possible to buy back your soul.
I sold mine very cheaply. I reckon I could buy it back.
Quoting Some bampot FBPE Twitter crank is hardly conclusive.
@Scott_xP has posted some very useful information recently and I complimented him yesteday for it, then he comes along and ruins it by reverting to type
Shame really
Yes I saw you did and you were right. Since the commencement of the conflict he has generally posted useful stuff from Twitter. It was too good to last.
Thank you very much to everyone explaining battlefield nuclear weapons. I now know about little boy and fat man too.
This is the pimped personal rocket launcher called the Davey Crocket, with its dinky nuclear bomb stuck on the front.
I saw a play with Davey Crocket in it. Must have been before he went to the Alamo. Fun fact, did you know he had three ears? A right ear, a left ear, and a wild front ear.
David Richards former Chief of Defence Staff very downbeat on r4 PM: realistically Ukr going to lose therefore might as well fold now to prevent pointless bloodshed
It’s not a game of flipping cards, what does he mean by “fold”.
Fold was me, not him
Negotiate an outcome not worse than the one which would in his view be the end result of carrying on the war. Which basically means allow themselves to be annexed.
Just cashed out my Ukraine to win Eurovision at 3.55. +£200 profit.
Well done!
A lot of talk here about what to do with the World Cup qualifier against Ukraine in Glasgow on 24 March.
A lot of Scots consider it grossly unfair to continue with the match when we would effectively be playing a Youth team, as most adult Ukrainian men are serving their country or otherwise prohibited from turning up.
Consensus seems to be that we should concede the match and they get the 3 points, plus donating all the ticket money to war relief.
Why not give Ukraine a bye all the way to the final and let a Ukrainian youth lift the World Cup trophy?
I think “all the way to the final” might be pushing it. To the finals maybe but Ukrainians are a proud sporting people and would rather watch some actual matches.
There are only 3 places left - the winner of Scotland v Ukraine plays Wales or Austria
Mr Dickson was suggesting handing them the trophy, not just a place in the finals.
Precedent for when HYUFD unleashes the doggies of war upon Scotland. It's the only fecking way we'll have a chance at it..
@HYUFD did it's true receive a lot of stick about certain comments pertaining to Scotland and the Westminster Government's reactions to any potential move towards independence, I'm sure many of them being deliberately provocative.
These past few days, however, he has shown that PB fantasy and actual crisis are well-defined in his head; he has been one of the saner posters on the Ukraine situation.
Well, I may not necessarily go that far but I agree that HYUFD may have got a few too many pelters on this issue, despite some crackpot ideas amongst the reasonable ones.
In a strongish field, one of the very worst aspects of this place is the 'with us or against us' wankerism that is never far away.
Isn't "with us or against us wankerism" the philosophical basis for Scottish Nationalism?
In other comic relief, when you confuse “the SNP” with “the public”:
EXCLUSIVE: The Scottish Government has refused to say whether it has sought the views of law officers about the competence of the indyref bill, saying it is not in the public interest
Opposition have said "uncomfortable truths" are being kept secret
Given a majority of the Scottish public who voted voted to have a referendum, it's not an unreasonable elision.
They already had one. No point me voting for a referendum on Brexit. We had one. My side lost.
They explicitly voted to have another referendum. Rather less defeatist.
That is the problem with Scottish Nationalism, no sorry nationalism; democracy is good, provided it provides the answer we want.
Tell me, if Scotland had a referendum and separatism won, would you be in favour of another referendum 5 or 6 years later to ask whether they would like to rejoin?
Would you be in favour of some parts of Scotland retaining their membership of UK, rather like some Scots Nats suggested visa vis Scotland and membership of the EU?
You couldn’t make it up. RusNats busy trying to partition Ukraine, so BritNats sharpen the knife to carve up Jockland.
Russian Imperialism and British Imperialism. Two sides of the same dud coin.
Foreskin is the biggest bellend on teh site , a deluded halfwitted cretinous moronic imbecile of the first order.
Good to see that with a global crisis going on your childish semi-coherent crap still issues forth from your pathetic divisive hate filled fat little fingers. As you really are the most unintelligent life form squirming your way around the internet at the moment let me explain to you that it is not possible, even for you, to be a "cretinous moronic imbecile" as each of these offensive terms are a different category. Were I to use such archaic language I might suggest you are somewhere between the last two, but that would be unkind to morons and imbeciles.
To be honest I am quite surprised at the moment that an apologist for Alex-"bully-and-sex-pest" (according to his QC Salmond who is an apologist for Putin has the audacity to come on here, but then you are such a thick c*nt that you really don't realise how offensive you are.
Got your panties in a bunch dearie, watch that blood pressure. Dangerous for fat old gammons to get too excited.
All this banter is great, but it still seems to me that Putin is highly likely to win this war.
He’s gonna crush the Ukrainians.
I wish it weren’t so.
Turning a victory into a pyrric victory would be worth it for the Ukrainians however.
Pyrric victory - what’s that poop? You conning yourself rather than face truth?
What's gotten up your backside? I hope the Ukrainians can achieve a proper victory. I'm merely pointing out to ping that even if the Russians are able to take territory, the cost of achieving it and holding onto it may make that victory pretty ephemeral.
And I would not agree that that does not make it pyhrric for the Russians, only horrible, in that scenario. There are often only various different horrible options, and some are more horrible than others. One could argue a hard fought victory for Ukraine would be horrible, in how many lives it will have cost, but it would clearly be better than a loss. Likewise, a Russian victory which is sustainable would obviously be worse than one where they could not hold onto things.
David Richards former Chief of Defence Staff very downbeat on r4 PM: realistically Ukr going to lose therefore might as well fold now to prevent pointless bloodshed
It’s not a game of flipping cards, what does he mean by “fold”.
Fold was me, not him
Negotiate an outcome not worse than the one which would in his view be the end result of carrying on the war. Which basically means allow themselves to be annexed.
I tell you what fold is, letting a genie out a bottle we can’t put back in.
All along I have been asking why. Why? And if we knew why we could tackle it. And then I remembered the other day, Soviet flag on Russian tank, and wondered if we can explain why that is there, does it explain why this is happening?
Soviet Flag on Russian tank. What does it mean? I mean, what does it mean to them?
What do you think?
All the military and Russian leadership are open about their love for Lenin and Stalin? Don’t they remember the horrors of the Communist rule - they were poor, a basket case, no prestige or place in this world till they overthrew that.
Do they think of that era fondly now, for reasons we can’t comprehend, and wish to turn the clock back - you know, are they thinking they are going to take back control, take back what they think belongs to them, to make Russia great again?
Just cashed out my Ukraine to win Eurovision at 3.55. +£200 profit.
Well done!
A lot of talk here about what to do with the World Cup qualifier against Ukraine in Glasgow on 24 March.
A lot of Scots consider it grossly unfair to continue with the match when we would effectively be playing a Youth team, as most adult Ukrainian men are serving their country or otherwise prohibited from turning up.
Consensus seems to be that we should concede the match and they get the 3 points, plus donating all the ticket money to war relief.
Why not give Ukraine a bye all the way to the final and let a Ukrainian youth lift the World Cup trophy?
I think “all the way to the final” might be pushing it. To the finals maybe but Ukrainians are a proud sporting people and would rather watch some actual matches.
There are only 3 places left - the winner of Scotland v Ukraine plays Wales or Austria
Mr Dickson was suggesting handing them the trophy, not just a place in the finals.
Precedent for when HYUFD unleashes the doggies of war upon Scotland. It's the only fecking way we'll have a chance at it..
@HYUFD did it's true receive a lot of stick about certain comments pertaining to Scotland and the Westminster Government's reactions to any potential move towards independence, I'm sure many of them being deliberately provocative.
These past few days, however, he has shown that PB fantasy and actual crisis are well-defined in his head; he has been one of the saner posters on the Ukraine situation.
Well, I may not necessarily go that far but I agree that HYUFD may have got a few too many pelters on this issue, despite some crackpot ideas amongst the reasonable ones.
In a strongish field, one of the very worst aspects of this place is the 'with us or against us' wankerism that is never far away.
Isn't "with us or against us wankerism" the philosophical basis for Scottish Nationalism?
In other comic relief, when you confuse “the SNP” with “the public”:
EXCLUSIVE: The Scottish Government has refused to say whether it has sought the views of law officers about the competence of the indyref bill, saying it is not in the public interest
Opposition have said "uncomfortable truths" are being kept secret
Given a majority of the Scottish public who voted voted to have a referendum, it's not an unreasonable elision.
They already had one. No point me voting for a referendum on Brexit. We had one. My side lost.
They explicitly voted to have another referendum. Rather less defeatist.
That is the problem with Scottish Nationalism, no sorry nationalism; democracy is good, provided it provides the answer we want.
Tell me, if Scotland had a referendum and separatism won, would you be in favour of another referendum 5 or 6 years later to ask whether they would like to rejoin?
Would you be in favour of some parts of Scotland retaining their membership of UK, rather like some Scots Nats suggested visa vis Scotland and membership of the EU?
You couldn’t make it up. RusNats busy trying to partition Ukraine, so BritNats sharpen the knife to carve up Jockland.
Russian Imperialism and British Imperialism. Two sides of the same dud coin.
Foreskin is the biggest bellend on teh site , a deluded halfwitted cretinous moronic imbecile of the first order.
Come on - you can do better. 5/10
Made old gammonny foreskin have apoplexy, shoiuld be more than a 5
Senior US defence official says Russia’s advance on Kyiv has made no real progress in the last 24hrs due to fuel and supply shortages - including problems feeding their troops /1
American intelligence also assesses morale is flagging among some Russian units who weren’t told they would be involved in combat and some have surrendered in Ukraine without a fight /2
While Russian progress towards Kyiv appears to have stalled at this point, US intelligence also assesses Russian troops making progress in the south and says Russia now has control of the towns of Melitopol and Berdyansk.
Cold weather, no sleep, no food, rationing fuel, long way from home with no idea why you’re there…
There’s a crucial difference between this army and the Red Army of old. And indeed Hitler’s army. There’s no coherent central ideology binding together the fighting force and giving them a sense of purpose and motivation to suffer extreme hardship. Goodo.
Yes ; there was very a good article in the Guardian today from a Russian who had travelled abroad. Essentially it said that there is no coherent values system in Russia at the moment, only an us-and-them. That can be very intimidating - until it's not, because it's also not very deep-rooted , and very fragile.
The shitty trouble is that when it becomes clear to Putin that his military is not up to it, he will go nuclear. Fiona Hill, US RU expert analyst, has told the Telegraph that we mustn't think he will go that far - he will do it.
I am extraordinarily pessimistic at the moment.
My hunch is that the top three most likely targets are:
1. Ukraine 2. Sweden 3. Finland
… in that order.
Why? All three non-NATO, so NATO don’t need to launch their mass murder weapons back.
Pour encourager les autres.
What's your view on the SNP's policy on NATO, Stuart?
Senior US defence official says Russia’s advance on Kyiv has made no real progress in the last 24hrs due to fuel and supply shortages - including problems feeding their troops /1
American intelligence also assesses morale is flagging among some Russian units who weren’t told they would be involved in combat and some have surrendered in Ukraine without a fight /2
While Russian progress towards Kyiv appears to have stalled at this point, US intelligence also assesses Russian troops making progress in the south and says Russia now has control of the towns of Melitopol and Berdyansk.
Cold weather, no sleep, no food, rationing fuel, long way from home with no idea why you’re there…
There’s a crucial difference between this army and the Red Army of old. And indeed Hitler’s army. There’s no coherent central ideology binding together the fighting force and giving them a sense of purpose and motivation to suffer extreme hardship. Goodo.
Yes ; there was very a good article in the Guardian today from a Russian who had travelled abroad. Essentially it said that there is no coherent values system in Russia at the moment, only an us-and-them. That can be very intimidating - until it's not, because it's also not very deep-rooted , and very fragile.
The shitty trouble is that when it becomes clear to Putin that his military is not up to it, he will go nuclear. Fiona Hill, US RU expert analyst, has told the Telegraph that we mustn't think he will go that far - he will do it.
I am extraordinarily pessimistic at the moment.
Perhaps his nuclear weapons won't work either. Not that we want to take a chance on it.
David Richards former Chief of Defence Staff very downbeat on r4 PM: realistically Ukr going to lose therefore might as well fold now to prevent pointless bloodshed
It’s not a game of flipping cards, what does he mean by “fold”.
Fold was me, not him
Negotiate an outcome not worse than the one which would in his view be the end result of carrying on the war. Which basically means allow themselves to be annexed.
I tell you what fold is, letting a genie out a bottle we can’t put back in.
All along I have been asking why. Why? And if we knew why we could tackle it. And then I remembered the other day, Soviet flag on Russian tank, and wondered if we can explain why that is there, does it explain why this is happening?
Soviet Flag on Russian tank. What does it mean? I mean, what does it mean to them?
What do you think?
All the military and Russian leadership are open about their love for Lenin and Stalin? Don’t they remember the horrors of the Communist rule - they were poor, a basket case, no prestige or place in this world till they overthrew that.
Do they think of that era fondly now, for reasons we can’t comprehend, and wish to turn the clock back - you know, are they thinking they are going to take back control, take back what they think belongs to them, to make Russia great again?
David Richards former Chief of Defence Staff very downbeat on r4 PM: realistically Ukr going to lose therefore might as well fold now to prevent pointless bloodshed
I heard that too and thought he was very good. I have a couple of caveats regarding his thesis.
First, how current is his information and to what extent is it based on military rather than economic considerations?
Second, Ukraine has begged us to intervene. How could we possibly refuse to help them as much as we have? That would be poiltically intolerable, here and throughout the free world.
You notice however that at the end he said he thought Putin was toast, within a year at most, whatever he does now. Would have been nice to hear him elaborate on that a bit, but time was short.
Yeah
Not trying to make this all about me, but I am contemplating trying to dig myself out of my Boris is toast tomorrow betting positions with a VPITT punt, so his views on timescales would have been innerressing.
ETA slightly less frivolously I agree his views may be a bit narrowly militaristic
Russian advance on Kyiv remains “basically…where it was yesterday” senior defense official told reporters today. "The Russians are not only facing “fuel and sustainment” problems, but are showing signs that they are running out of food, the official claimed. via @MichaelTConte
I've been saying it for days but its absolutely true, it doesn't matter how "big and powerful" your military is, logistics are key to wars.
If you can't feed your army, if you can't pay your army, then you can't win your war.
This is disaster revealing that Russia is not the world power people thought they were. Putin hasn't just united the West, and rebuilt NATO at speed - he's revealed to the world just how decrepit and uninspiring his military actually is. Or what will be left of it, when this invasion is over.
Are you a bit happier with the location of Germany's 'soul' now?
Yes. Very much happier. 👍
I've given credit to Germany repeatedly since they u-turned.
Very pleased to hear that. They will be too when I pass it on.
Mein Gott, Herr Bart ist mit us!
(apols for any inaccuracies, I've been neglecting Duolingo lately)
Well it's huge, isn't it. It's a 'BigG votes Labour' type event.
I'm going to have to mull over the theological implications of it being possible to buy back your soul.
Russian advance on Kyiv remains “basically…where it was yesterday” senior defense official told reporters today. "The Russians are not only facing “fuel and sustainment” problems, but are showing signs that they are running out of food, the official claimed. via @MichaelTConte
I've been saying it for days but its absolutely true, it doesn't matter how "big and powerful" your military is, logistics are key to wars.
If you can't feed your army, if you can't pay your army, then you can't win your war.
This is disaster revealing that Russia is not the world power people thought they were. Putin hasn't just united the West, and rebuilt NATO at speed - he's revealed to the world just how decrepit and uninspiring his military actually is. Or what will be left of it, when this invasion is over.
Are you a bit happier with the location of Germany's 'soul' now?
Yes. Very much happier. 👍
I've given credit to Germany repeatedly since they u-turned.
Very pleased to hear that. They will be too when I pass it on.
Mein Gott, Herr Bart ist mit us!
(apols for any inaccuracies, I've been neglecting Duolingo lately)
Well it's huge, isn't it. It's a 'BigG votes Labour' type event.
I'm going to have to mull over the theological implications of it being possible to buy back your soul.
I sold mine very cheaply. I reckon I could buy it back.
Never sell your soul. This crystallises a profit, incurring a tax liability, immediately.
Instead naked short *someone else's* soul, with proper financial structuring.
Done right, you cheat the Devil and make a profit.
Trafigura approve of this message and offer an exclusive soul market opportunity to forward looking investors
All this banter is great, but it still seems to me that Putin is highly likely to win this war.
He’s gonna crush the Ukrainians.
I wish it weren’t so.
Turning a victory into a pyrric victory would be worth it for the Ukrainians however.
Pyrric victory - what’s that poop? You conning yourself rather than face truth?
What's gotten up your backside? I hope the Ukrainians can achieve a proper victory. I'm merely pointing out to ping that even if the Russians are able to take territory, the cost of achieving it and holding onto it may make that victory pretty ephemeral.
And I would not agree that that does not make it pyhrric for the Russians, only horrible, in that scenario. There are often only various different horrible options, and some are more horrible than others. One could argue a hard fought victory for Ukraine would be horrible, in how many lives it will have cost, but it would clearly be better than a loss. Likewise, a Russian victory which is sustainable would obviously be worse than one where they could not hold onto things.
“ What's gotten up your backside? “
You are right. I shouldn’t post here if in such frustrated sad mood with short fuse.
I will log out till I can post more thoughtful and constructively.
Marine Le Pen's party is binning its 8-page electoral tract, which features a picture of her shaking hands with Vladimir Putin. Apparently that's not a vote-winner any more! 1.2 million copies had been printed."
Just cashed out my Ukraine to win Eurovision at 3.55. +£200 profit.
Well done!
A lot of talk here about what to do with the World Cup qualifier against Ukraine in Glasgow on 24 March.
A lot of Scots consider it grossly unfair to continue with the match when we would effectively be playing a Youth team, as most adult Ukrainian men are serving their country or otherwise prohibited from turning up.
Consensus seems to be that we should concede the match and they get the 3 points, plus donating all the ticket money to war relief.
Why not give Ukraine a bye all the way to the final and let a Ukrainian youth lift the World Cup trophy?
I think “all the way to the final” might be pushing it. To the finals maybe but Ukrainians are a proud sporting people and would rather watch some actual matches.
There are only 3 places left - the winner of Scotland v Ukraine plays Wales or Austria
Mr Dickson was suggesting handing them the trophy, not just a place in the finals.
Precedent for when HYUFD unleashes the doggies of war upon Scotland. It's the only fecking way we'll have a chance at it..
@HYUFD did it's true receive a lot of stick about certain comments pertaining to Scotland and the Westminster Government's reactions to any potential move towards independence, I'm sure many of them being deliberately provocative.
These past few days, however, he has shown that PB fantasy and actual crisis are well-defined in his head; he has been one of the saner posters on the Ukraine situation.
Well, I may not necessarily go that far but I agree that HYUFD may have got a few too many pelters on this issue, despite some crackpot ideas amongst the reasonable ones.
In a strongish field, one of the very worst aspects of this place is the 'with us or against us' wankerism that is never far away.
Isn't "with us or against us wankerism" the philosophical basis for Scottish Nationalism?
In other comic relief, when you confuse “the SNP” with “the public”:
EXCLUSIVE: The Scottish Government has refused to say whether it has sought the views of law officers about the competence of the indyref bill, saying it is not in the public interest
Opposition have said "uncomfortable truths" are being kept secret
Given a majority of the Scottish public who voted voted to have a referendum, it's not an unreasonable elision.
They already had one. No point me voting for a referendum on Brexit. We had one. My side lost.
They explicitly voted to have another referendum. Rather less defeatist.
That is the problem with Scottish Nationalism, no sorry nationalism; democracy is good, provided it provides the answer we want.
Tell me, if Scotland had a referendum and separatism won, would you be in favour of another referendum 5 or 6 years later to ask whether they would like to rejoin?
Would you be in favour of some parts of Scotland retaining their membership of UK, rather like some Scots Nats suggested visa vis Scotland and membership of the EU?
You couldn’t make it up. RusNats busy trying to partition Ukraine, so BritNats sharpen the knife to carve up Jockland.
Russian Imperialism and British Imperialism. Two sides of the same dud coin.
Foreskin is the biggest bellend on teh site , a deluded halfwitted cretinous moronic imbecile of the first order.
Come on - you can do better. 5/10
Made old gammonny foreskin have apoplexy, shoiuld be more than a 5
I'm not American, giving out 11/10 for vague efforts. If you want a 9, you need to earn it.
It is rather sad that you’ve managed to turn a monumental humanitarian crisis into a shallow petty debate on Brexit. Shame on you.
Nothing reminds you of the lunacy behind Brexit more than the current crisis. We are going to end up as pariahs and deservedly so. The Ukrainians would give their right arms to join. watch how the Poles behave towards their neighbours. The UK and their Faragist government sicken me.
The same government who have been training and arming the Ukrainian for many months, well ahead of what the EU finally decided to do. And in partnership with the US, tried to work with the Chinese to convince Putin to call it off, because of the wide amount of intel we had gathered on the situation.
By all accounts the UK government have been behaving like grown up over this conflict and trying every route to get Putin to see sense.
I am no fan of Boris and his gang, but people in the know have repeated pointed out just how much leg work has been going on for many months now from the UK with constant flights to the Ukraine to supply them.
The amazing thing of the past week, is how the whole of Europe has become united.
Governments of left and right politically,
Members and non-members of NATO,
Members and non-members of the EU,
It puts the stupid domestic squabbles about trivia into some context, as everyone has turned their focus to the much bigger picture and the common enemy.
David Richards former Chief of Defence Staff very downbeat on r4 PM: realistically Ukr going to lose therefore might as well fold now to prevent pointless bloodshed
I heard that too and thought he was very good. I have a couple of caveats regarding his thesis.
First, how current is his information and to what extent is it based on military rather than economic considerations?
Second, Ukraine has begged us to intervene. How could we possibly refuse to help them as much as we have? That would be poiltically intolerable, here and throughout the free world.
You notice however that at the end he said he thought Putin was toast, within a year at most, whatever he does now. Would have been nice to hear him elaborate on that a bit, but time was short.
Yes. The flaw in his argument is that it assumed that our providing support was encouraging more to fight. Whereas if the Ukrainians would fight anyway, but with inferior weapons and old kit, his argument falls, since the better equipped they are, the fewer their casualties. Although I guess he would argue back that a more evenly matched war will last longer and kill more in total.
David Richards former Chief of Defence Staff very downbeat on r4 PM: realistically Ukr going to lose therefore might as well fold now to prevent pointless bloodshed
Thank God we never went to war with him in charge.
I didn't hear this interview, but it is not an entirely stupid way of looking at the situation. How are Ukraine ultimately going to hold out against this attack without vast loss of life and destruction of property etc through the bombing that has started going on? Its only ultimately going to end one way.
Why not just let Russia march in to Kiev, put all their flags up, declare victory, and then take them all down and start fighting back?
Just cashed out my Ukraine to win Eurovision at 3.55. +£200 profit.
Well done!
A lot of talk here about what to do with the World Cup qualifier against Ukraine in Glasgow on 24 March.
A lot of Scots consider it grossly unfair to continue with the match when we would effectively be playing a Youth team, as most adult Ukrainian men are serving their country or otherwise prohibited from turning up.
Consensus seems to be that we should concede the match and they get the 3 points, plus donating all the ticket money to war relief.
Why not give Ukraine a bye all the way to the final and let a Ukrainian youth lift the World Cup trophy?
I think “all the way to the final” might be pushing it. To the finals maybe but Ukrainians are a proud sporting people and would rather watch some actual matches.
There are only 3 places left - the winner of Scotland v Ukraine plays Wales or Austria
Mr Dickson was suggesting handing them the trophy, not just a place in the finals.
Precedent for when HYUFD unleashes the doggies of war upon Scotland. It's the only fecking way we'll have a chance at it..
@HYUFD did it's true receive a lot of stick about certain comments pertaining to Scotland and the Westminster Government's reactions to any potential move towards independence, I'm sure many of them being deliberately provocative.
These past few days, however, he has shown that PB fantasy and actual crisis are well-defined in his head; he has been one of the saner posters on the Ukraine situation.
Well, I may not necessarily go that far but I agree that HYUFD may have got a few too many pelters on this issue, despite some crackpot ideas amongst the reasonable ones.
In a strongish field, one of the very worst aspects of this place is the 'with us or against us' wankerism that is never far away.
Isn't "with us or against us wankerism" the philosophical basis for Scottish Nationalism?
In other comic relief, when you confuse “the SNP” with “the public”:
EXCLUSIVE: The Scottish Government has refused to say whether it has sought the views of law officers about the competence of the indyref bill, saying it is not in the public interest
Opposition have said "uncomfortable truths" are being kept secret
Given a majority of the Scottish public who voted voted to have a referendum, it's not an unreasonable elision.
They already had one. No point me voting for a referendum on Brexit. We had one. My side lost.
They explicitly voted to have another referendum. Rather less defeatist.
That is the problem with Scottish Nationalism, no sorry nationalism; democracy is good, provided it provides the answer we want.
Tell me, if Scotland had a referendum and separatism won, would you be in favour of another referendum 5 or 6 years later to ask whether they would like to rejoin?
Would you be in favour of some parts of Scotland retaining their membership of UK, rather like some Scots Nats suggested visa vis Scotland and membership of the EU?
You couldn’t make it up. RusNats busy trying to partition Ukraine, so BritNats sharpen the knife to carve up Jockland.
Russian Imperialism and British Imperialism. Two sides of the same dud coin.
Foreskin is the biggest bellend on teh site , a deluded halfwitted cretinous moronic imbecile of the first order.
Come on - you can do better. 5/10
Made old gammonny foreskin have apoplexy, shoiuld be more than a 5
I'm not American, giving out 11/10 for vague efforts. If you want a 9, you need to earn it.
Will try harder , been a tough day at work, I am trying to relax. Will go have my one beer which will be more appropriate.
Comments
I don't see it getting very far.
Anna Jakubova has just burned her Russian passport in protest at President Putin’s invasion of Ukraine at a demonstration in Edinburgh
https://twitter.com/GlennBBC/status/1498718098974777349/photo/1
Video reportedly from Kharkiv.
https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1498712824482340872?s=20
They look thoroughly demoralised, after less than a week at the sharp end. Many thousands more Russian troops will be feeling the same,
Good evening, everyone. Glad you are all here for me to come back to, but even so I'd much prefer you to still be bickering about Brexit, Covid and Boris' antics.
https://twitter.com/BBCSport/status/1498719724296806401
https://twitter.com/zakon_agency/status/1498695932585652231
Latest: https://trib.al/QTC8as2
📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1498720253798457347/video/1
- “A [Labour] party source said…”
- “A Scottish Labour spokesperson said…”
- “A Scottish Tory spokesman said…”
Why?! Hardly a topic of burning controversy.
And why no SNP person interviewed? The Record has really reverted to type.
https://twitter.com/emeicen/status/1498686519632146435
Doesn’t mean much, when their credit cards suddenly stop working in the beach hotels though. Given the choice, they’ll be looking West.
(apols for any inaccuracies, I've been neglecting Duolingo lately)
Winding up Brexiteers is a bonus.
Quoting Some bampot FBPE Twitter crank is hardly conclusive.
Seems to be growing evidence that he has gone totally tonto, to use a medical expression.
Rutger Bregman
@rcbregman
Or like
@robertwiblin
said: 'If what you do gets three billion people killed it doesn't matter that the cause you were fighting for was just.'
It almost seems as if we've forgotten nuclear weapons still exist. Even a small chance of nuclear conflict is completely terrifying. 8/9
https://twitter.com/rcbregman/status/1498673331352088580
He’s gonna crush the Ukrainians.
I wish it weren’t so.
To be honest I am quite surprised at the moment that an apologist for Alex-"bully-and-sex-pest" (according to his QC Salmond who is an apologist for Putin has the audacity to come on here, but then you are such a thick c*nt that you really don't realise how offensive you are.
1. Ukraine
2. Sweden
3. Finland
… in that order.
Why? All three non-NATO, so NATO don’t need to launch their mass murder weapons back.
Pour encourager les autres.
the fact it triggered so many of you suggests it was pretty accurate
Is there any chance left of something in the middle, without our help?
Shame really
Tricky
Rumours of thermobaric weapons deployed in Kharkiv. Sound on for the video.
This is the pimped personal rocket launcher called the Davey Crocket, with its dinky nuclear bomb stuck on the front.
I saw a play with Davey Crocket in it. Must have been before he went to the Alamo. Fun fact, did you know he had three ears? A right ear, a left ear, and a wild front ear.
By all accounts the UK government have been behaving like grown up over this conflict and trying every route to get Putin to see sense.
I am no fan of Boris and his gang, but people in the know have repeated pointed out just how much leg work has been going on for many months now from the UK with constant flights to the Ukraine to supply them.
Putin must be cheering himself to the rafters at the news we have all gone full on Jeremy Corbyn.
So basically what is the point of a nuclear deterrent if they don't deter mad bastards, who in turn are quite prepared to use them anyway?
The evidence shows the west coming together with us as a big part of NATO and any other European defence. I also see us and the EU dropping our petty differences and there’s hope this will help us become the strong regional partners we should be.
First, how current is his information and to what extent is it based on military rather than economic considerations?
Second, Ukraine has begged us to intervene. How could we possibly refuse to help them as much as we have? That would be poiltically intolerable, here and throughout the free world.
You notice however that at the end he said he thought Putin was toast, within a year at most, whatever he does now. Would have been nice to hear him elaborate on that a bit, but time was short.
Negotiate an outcome not worse than the one which would in his view be the end result of carrying on the war. Which basically means allow themselves to be annexed.
And I would not agree that that does not make it pyhrric for the Russians, only horrible, in that scenario. There are often only various different horrible options, and some are more horrible than others. One could argue a hard fought victory for Ukraine would be horrible, in how many lives it will have cost, but it would clearly be better than a loss. Likewise, a Russian victory which is sustainable would obviously be worse than one where they could not hold onto things.
All along I have been asking why. Why? And if we knew why we could tackle it. And then I remembered the other day, Soviet flag on Russian tank, and wondered if we can explain why that is there, does it explain why this is happening?
Soviet Flag on Russian tank. What does it mean? I mean, what does it mean to them?
What do you think?
All the military and Russian leadership are open about their love for Lenin and Stalin? Don’t they remember the horrors of the Communist rule - they were poor, a basket case, no prestige or place in this world till they overthrew that.
Do they think of that era fondly now, for reasons we can’t comprehend, and wish to turn the clock back - you know, are they thinking they are going to take back control, take back what they think belongs to them, to make Russia great again?
If I’m right, a genie is out a bottle.
What's your view on the SNP's policy on NATO, Stuart?
Guess which leader this party supports.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist_Party_of_Belarus
Not trying to make this all about me, but I am contemplating trying to dig myself out of my Boris is toast tomorrow betting positions with a VPITT punt, so his views on timescales would have been innerressing.
ETA slightly less frivolously I agree his views may be a bit narrowly militaristic
Instead naked short *someone else's* soul, with proper financial structuring.
Done right, you cheat the Devil and make a profit.
Trafigura approve of this message and offer an exclusive soul market opportunity to forward looking investors
You are right. I shouldn’t post here if in such frustrated sad mood with short fuse.
I will log out till I can post more thoughtful and constructively.
@spignal
Marine Le Pen's party is binning its 8-page electoral tract, which features a picture of her shaking hands with Vladimir Putin. Apparently that's not a vote-winner any more! 1.2 million copies had been printed."
https://twitter.com/spignal/status/1498636902639017985
Governments of left and right politically,
Members and non-members of NATO,
Members and non-members of the EU,
It puts the stupid domestic squabbles about trivia into some context, as everyone has turned their focus to the much bigger picture and the common enemy.
What's new? Sky which is normally useless has had better coverage of the crisis as has ITV. GB News has had far superior analysis.
Why not just let Russia march in to Kiev, put all their flags up, declare victory, and then take them all down and start fighting back?