Ukraine

[Parkins left foot]

Situation is a very dark one, people again pleading for a no fly zone in western Ukraine. A no fly zone simply means NATO aircraft shooting down Russian planes. Makes it pretty pointless refugees fleeing Ukraine and heading west to a place under severe threat of Nuclear attack.
It’s a shitty choice but do the maths standby and watch many deaths in Ukraine? Or Get stuck in and risk the lives of billions worldwide and life as we know it?
Anybody who says “he won’t go that far” really? Or “someone will take him out” can you be sure on that?
We’re in the most dangerous point of human history since 1962.
Difference then very skilful diplomacy on both sides was used and Khrushchev whilst making a huge error in Cuba had some sense to pull back from the brink.
I know my post won’t cheer anyone up, even still for the worse to happen a lot more still needs to go wrong.

Agreeing to a no fly zone hampers the Ukrainians as well (and from what I can read from reputable sources they are putting up a decent show) plus Nato airforces downing Russian planes clearly escalates the whole thing massively & none can know what Putin does then as he's clearly not rational.

We do need to supply Ukraine with the neccessary military material including donating warplanes - cost to us is irrelevant in this situation.

This will be the end of him ultimately though that will take time as complete supression of opposition in Russia (including young children protesting being rounded up & jailed) will get worse - only real chance is others near the head of the Russian Government decided that it is too far & dealing with him. Not sure that there is anyone who has the stomach to do that just now.

 

[The Saturday Boy]

Russia takes Ukraine eventually, it is inevitable. Then he can split the country in two and give Western Ukraine back after installing a government in the East. That happens if West Ukraine agrees not to join NATO. Russia puts permanent troops in the East, South (Crimea) and the North (Belarus).

 

[jd1981]

Russia takes Ukraine eventually, it is inevitable. Then he can split the country in two and give Western Ukraine back after installing a government in the East. That happens if West Ukraine agrees not to join NATO. Russia puts permanent troops in the East, South (Crimea) and the North (Belarus).

Ukraine becomes the new East and West Germany and a key trigger point for WW3.
Best case scenario Russia flounder and Putin is ousted from power via uprising or a coup.
Worst Case WW3 eventually leading to nuclear War.
Probable outcome is a Russian occupation having to deal with regular uprisings or installation of a puppet government that’s pro Kremlin.
Best and worse scenarios are unlikely, whatever happens we’re returning to a Cold War state with Russia which isn’t good.
Just to remind everyone Russia doesn’t accept the “D” part of MAD.

 

[leedswolf]

Splendid isolation...

 

[sycophantia]

BBC have had to suspend output by their journalists inside Ukraine as Putin has threatened to arrest anyone spreading 'fake' news.

 

[Parkins left foot]

BBC have had to suspend output by their journalists inside Ukraine as Putin has threatened to arrest anyone spreading 'fake' news.

Not really for spreading 'fake news' just stuff he doesn't like - not the same thing really

 

[WolfMan]

This whole thing just really scares the shit out of me. When I put my little boy to bed we've got a sort of routine where I hold him up to the window and we draw his bedroom curtains together whilst I say something like, oh look how how dark it is outside, everyone is going to sleep now.

Can't imagine what it must be like looking out the window seeing flashes in the distance thinking that's coming here in a few days. It's all really so sad, there'll be poor people in Russia getting their lives destroyed by the sanctions as well. Don't know what the answer to any of it is to be honest, humans are just fucking idiots aren't they.

 

[Keef]

Splendid isolation...

View attachment 5108

Like a sims game character waiting for instructions

 

[sycophantia]

Well, some slightly better news this morning, Russia allowing a temporary cease fire to allow civilians to leave Mariupol and another city. Hopefully it will be extended to other cities under seige but I won't hold my breath.

 

[Del Woppio]

Wouldn't be surprised if they attack lines of evacuees and blame it on Ukraine

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Well, some slightly better news this morning, Russia allowing a temporary cease fire to allow civilians to leave Mariupol and another city. Hopefully it will be extended to other cities under seige but I won't hold my breath.

I'm not sure it's entirely good news, I'd imagine they're using the evacuation line as a cover for what they really want, a pause to resupply. Also, if you let the civilians leave you can hit even harder at the second attempt, less collateral damage and damnation from onlookers.

 

[pr0sl0]

They did the same thing in Syria before leveling the cities. Allowed them to claim that anyone left behind was by definition an enemy combatant.

 

[sycophantia]

I'm not sure it's entirely good news, I'd imagine they're using the evacuation line as a cover for what they really want, a pause to resupply. Also, if you let the civilians leave you can hit even harder at the second attempt, less collateral damage and damnation from onlookers.

Yeah, guess so, but hopefully a lot of civilians will get out.....I'm so bloody naive at times, I just don't understand people like Putin.

 

[sycophantia]

And there you go, the evacuation has been postponed due to Russia shelling the routes according to sources inside Mariupol.
FUCKING BASTARDS.
I'm starting to feel that WW3 is inevitable, NATO is going to have to take action at some point.

 

[Derby Wolf]

Tiny, tiny tidbit, last night at work anything produced in Russia or owned by Russian companies was put on Remove and Hold and blocked from sale. All of the major supermarkets are doing likewise.

 

[pr0sl0]

And there you go, the evacuation has been postponed due to Russia shelling the routes according to sources inside Mariupol.
FUCKING BASTARDS.
I'm starting to feel that WW3 is inevitable, NATO is going to have to take action at some point.

I was sceptical about the probable effectiveness of sanctions, but it's looking like Russia is facing a situation more like North Korea than Iran. And unlike NK, it doesn't look like China is going to be willing to sink limitless resources into propping up the regime just for the sake of it (even if they'll probably still be trading more so than the West does). If we finally get an overdue push to switch to renewables across Europe - one that aims to do it in years, not decades -

It's also kind of incredible how ineffective the Russian military has been relative to expectations (and its reputation). Crippling logistics issues on the ground, an air force which seems incapable of asserting control of the skies, and a navy cut in two by Turkey closing the Bosporus. And how on earth will things improve when they can't ship in key replacements parts manufactured abroad for engines, guns, etc, while casualties rack up and it becomes harder and harder to maintain the propaganda fiction that the war is going badly?

The energy and food price shocks are going to be a nightmare for us, of course, but I hope that we can push this to some kind of resolution that doesn't require full-out war with NATO, as long as we're able to hold our nerve.

 

[sycophantia]

I was sceptical about the probable effectiveness of sanctions, but it's looking like Russia is facing a situation more like North Korea than Iran. And unlike NK, it doesn't look like China is going to be willing to sink limitless resources into propping up the regime just for the sake of it (even if they'll probably still be trading more so than the West does). If we finally get an overdue push to switch to renewables across Europe - one that aims to do it in years, not decades -

It's also kind of incredible how ineffective the Russian military has been relative to expectations (and its reputation). Crippling logistics issues on the ground, an air force which seems incapable of asserting control of the skies, and a navy cut in two by Turkey closing the Bosporus. And how on earth will things improve when they can't ship in key replacements parts manufactured abroad for engines, guns, etc, while casualties rack up and it becomes harder and harder to maintain the propaganda fiction that the war is going badly?

The energy and food price shocks are going to be a nightmare for us, of course, but I hope that we can push this to some kind of resolution that doesn't require full-out war with NATO, as long as we're able to hold our nerve.

I was sceptical about the probable effectiveness of sanctions, but it's looking like Russia is facing a situation more like North Korea than Iran. And unlike NK, it doesn't look like China is going to be willing to sink limitless resources into propping up the regime just for the sake of it (even if they'll probably still be trading more so than the West does). If we finally get an overdue push to switch to renewables across Europe - one that aims to do it in years, not decades -

It's also kind of incredible how ineffective the Russian military has been relative to expectations (and its reputation). Crippling logistics issues on the ground, an air force which seems incapable of asserting control of the skies, and a navy cut in two by Turkey closing the Bosporus. And how on earth will things improve when they can't ship in key replacements parts manufactured abroad for engines, guns, etc, while casualties rack up and it becomes harder and harder to maintain the propaganda fiction that the war is going badly?

The energy and food price shocks are going to be a nightmare for us, of course, but I hope that we can push this to some kind of resolution that doesn't require full-out war with NATO, as long as we're able to hold our nerve.

Thanks for that, given me a bit more optimism

 

[AndyWolves]

I read that the Ukraine have claimed / captured as many Russian military vehicles in this war as Ukraine themselves produced in the last 8 years

 

[Alan]

So many tech companies have now pulled their services out of Russia that it is being referred to as the "New Iron Curtain".

 

[AndyWolves]

A bit of a shower thought but I wonder if Russia / Russians have an inflated sense of how big they actually are. On most maps the size of Russia is way bigger than it actually is. It's still big, but nowhere near as big as it would appear.

Mercator Misconceptions: Clever Map Shows the True Size of Countries

The world map you know is totally wrong. Check out this clever graphic, which helps put into perspective the true size of countries.

www.visualcapitalist.com