Russia v Ukraine

[Fordman1]

Originally Posted by PhilT2

Commenters seem sure that the Russian plan is to encircle Kiev. They don't have to go into the city and do the house to house fighting that will cost lives; they simply have to wait, destroy the electricity and water supply, demolishing the city with long range artillery while they watch the population starve. I just can't see a win for Ukraine here, they are outmanned and outgunned. The aid may be too little and too late. If you want to see what the Russians can do to a city check out some of the pics from the Chechnyan war.

xkxlxm is happy.

WTF is this De Nazification thing ?

Putin is the new Hitler.

[T3rminator]

Originally Posted by Fordman1

WTF is this De Nazification thing ?

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/...-azov-regiment

And read up on some of the claims made in the two regions that have been declared independent. As always, hard to know fact from fiction, best you can do is try get data from different sources and see if they collaborate, that's if you REALLY want to know the answer.

[T3rminator]

Apparently the Russians hold $8b in our government bonds. That means we have to pay interests on them. But we pay through a clearing house in the EU, which won't pay out to Russia due to sanctions. Wow.

The west is effectively stripping / taking (can I say "stealing"?) assets from Russian owners?! That could really tip them over the edge. I'm trying to think of a way that Putin's regime can exit out of this, and I can't. Unless peace deal comes with sanctions being lifted....unlikely? This can only inevitably lead to one outcome. Think I might go hide out in Antarctica for a while....

[zilo]

The longer this goes on the more I am convinced Putin is giving the West a well earned kick up the backside.

[PG2]

Ladies and Gentlemen

Please cut out the name calling and rating what someone's opinion is worth.

It is OK to disagree but there is no need to back it up with insults. If the insults continue, the thread will be closed. There will be no further warnings.

For those of you who may get offended and/or find a post distressing due to your heritage please PM Gaso, Russ or myself and we will look at it on a post by post basis.

[xkxlxm]

I am against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. I was hoping Putin wouldn't do it. It's not worth the Russian lives or the Ukrainian lives being lost. It's not worth the devastation. Now that he has invaded, he has to win. Anything less would be a humiliation for him and Russia.

I was also against the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Iraq was zero threat to the US, the UK, Australia and the one or two other wannabe deputy sheriffs who joined in. The invasion of Iraq was just as much a war crime as Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

[Cav]

[FairmontGS]

Russia is all alone on this now. Chy-na faded into the background so fast that they are now invisible once Putin stuffed up the invasion and the West provided a decisive united front.

Good news is that Taiwan is probably safe for the next 100 years as Chy-na studies the "How to make a dog's breakfast of the annexation of your old territories" playbook as written by Putin.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by FairmontGS

Russia is all alone on this now. Chy-na faded into the background so fast that they are now invisible once Putin stuffed up the invasion and the West provided a decisive united front.

Good news is that Taiwan is probably safe for the next 100 years as Chy-na studies the "How to make a dog's breakfast of the annexation of your old territories" playbook as written by Putin.

Early days to call results on this war as I would not underestimate Russia or China; as the Russian's so correctly stated history repeats itself and the West should understand economic sanctions can and will escalate this conflict.

[wodahs]

Originally Posted by FairmontGS

Russia is all alone on this now. Chy-na faded into the background so fast that they are now invisible once Putin stuffed up the invasion and the West provided a decisive united front.

Good news is that Taiwan is probably safe for the next 100 years as Chy-na studies the "How to make a dog's breakfast of the annexation of your old territories" playbook as written by Putin.

to bad the lesson wasnt prier to the hong kong phoooey event

[CoupeKing]

Originally Posted by FairmontGS

Chy-na faded into the background territories"

They faded into the background years ago, about a few weeks after the covid release.

No world out cry, sanctions or banning products. But hey, Lets buy rapid tests, air purifiers, masks, shields, stickers etc that are made there.

[T3rminator]

US delays ICBM test, originally scheduled for this week, as to not send the wrong message to the Kremlin. Good move. **** I'm glad old sleepy Joe is in charge at the moment. Am hearing the US are extremely concerned with Putin's state of mind.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-...ns-2022-03-02/

[Burnout]

[T3rminator]

Originally Posted by FairmontGS

Russia is all alone on this now.

Interesting dynamics playing out. Some major players abstaining. Even some of the major countries that voted "for", have actually shown actions to the contrary.

Post this conflict, I think we are going to see a tale of two economies, and some will obviously play both sides.

[Tonz]

I would suspect a lot of Absenteeism countries get their pockets supported by Russia or China.
I know the Uganda, Zimbabwe do.

[Syndrome]

This could been avoided if NATO moved quickly after the collapse of the USSR and got troops into all the former Warsaw Pact countries. In the 1990s Russia was in disarray and that was the time to act.

[MITCHAY]

Originally Posted by zilo

The longer this goes on the more I am convinced Putin is giving the West a well earned kick up the backside.

What I am convinced about is Russia is nowhere near as strong as what we thought they were. They'd get proper flogged against NATO.

Putin has achieved barely anything in a week against a weaker opponent but has unified most of world against him. Even got Germany to consider upping their defence budget which is quite some achievement! He believed his own marketing BS so to speak

I admire the Ukrainian resolve in all of this. I'd like to think us Aussies could get together in the same position but who knows. The Chinese and Russian trolls have had quite a lot of success in sowing division in the West, not helped by our own trying to do the same thing.

[GO FURTHER]

Originally Posted by MITCHAY

What I am convinced about is Russia is nowhere near as strong as what we thought they were.

The irony is that Russia is the strongest in an arsenal that they dare not use.

Russia has more nuclear weapons than any other nation on Earth.

They would win and all out nuclear war (where everyone loses), but could lose smaller wars and battles like this.

[MITCHAY]

Originally Posted by GO FURTHER

The irony is that Russia is the strongest in an arsenal that they dare not use.

Russia has more nuclear weapons than any other nation on Earth.

They would win and all out nuclear war (where everyone loses), but could lose smaller wars and battles like this.

No they wouldn't. They might have the numbers but the strength is in second strike capability between nuclear powers. If they both have the same capability then it is MAD.

Sticking to conventional weapons, it appears they might not give a **** going all in dirty and bombing indiscriminately.

[T3rminator]

Anything related to Russia has seemingly been cut off from the western media, so its hard to really know whats going on at the other side. Aljazeera seems to be the only channel doing any sort of coverage, but they need to be really careful as to not give any opportunity for propaganda. There was an interview with a russian general on Aljazeera last night. The general's comment was that war is all based on the art of deception, don't assume anything, and made some other interesting comments. I wouldn't underestimate anything.

Ukraine estimated 6000+ Russian troops had died in the fight so far. The US came out yesterday and estimated 470, with 1600 injured.

On nukes, a mate of mine was saying the Russians have 6000+ nukes but most of them are old, big and probably wouldn't go off. I said, you only need 10% of them to work for the world to end.

[FairmontGS]

I think the 498 estimate was from Russia, not the US?

The true Russian death toll is probably somewhere in between. If that was a NATO/US invasion force things would be all over bar the shouting with about 40 dead.

Russia still fights like it has no regard for it's own soldiers lives.

[T3rminator]

Originally Posted by FairmontGS

I think the 498 estimate was from Russia, not the US?

The true Russian death toll is probably somewhere in between. If that was a NATO/US invasion force things would be all over bar the shouting with about 40 dead.

Russia still fights like it has no regard for it's own soldiers lives.

Yeh you are right. NYT citing 1600 russian casualties from US "inside sources", apparently US are not going to make any public estimates. Certain I heard ABC last night say it was US estimate (the 470), maybe misspoke.

It looks to be a lot more complicated for them than its been made out. Kiyv could have been demolished with air strikes, the "shock and awe" type delivery, if they wanted to be indiscriminate. Would have been all over in 2 days. But they would have killed hundreds of thousands / millions of civilians, some of whom are ethnic Russians. There are stories of Russian convoys being stalled because civilians are blocking the streets.

They gave warning for all citizens of Kiyv to leave 2 days ago, it may possibly absolve them of war crimes for what is about to come. The chinese initially told their citizens not to evacuate, apparently some 1500 of them there, but that has changed. Not a good sign.

Heard 2nd round of peace talks occurred, what happened to that?

[zilo]

A fair bit of nonsense by both sides but I do like the way that the Russian foreign minister handled the media at about the 6 minute mark of this interview.

Regardless of your position on the conflict misinformation abounds.
I am always suspiscious when reporters try and make tradgedies a form of entertainment and he calls it out for what she is trying to squeeze out of it.

The comment about collateral damage is uncomfortable for many.


6 minute mark, or be bored for 23 minutes...

[Trevor 57]

https://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/me..._ep05/13780686

[Citroënbender]

Originally Posted by FairmontGS

Russia still fights like it has no regard for it's own soldiers lives.

There’s an expression in Russian argot, of describing someone as a “Soviet”. It means they manifest some of the older ideals, particularly in relation to putting non-personal benefits ahead of their own situation. It’s quite possible that some of this has carried over both in how troops are utilised and what expectations soldiers receive implicitly from family.

Irrespective, I consider this invasion to have the moral rectitude of a pack rape.

[T3rminator]

I'm reading Baba Vanga's predictions again and its scaring me....

https://nypost.com/2021/12/28/everyt...cted-for-2022/

[MITCHAY]

Apparently a nuclear power plant on fire after shelling. I'm guessing these geniuses didn't bring a fire brigade or maybe it ran out of fuel like the rest

[FairmontGS]

Originally Posted by MITCHAY

Apparently a nuclear power plant on fire after shelling. I'm guessing these geniuses didn't bring a fire brigade or maybe it ran out of fuel like the rest

Europe's largest nuclear power plant on fire after Russian attack, says local mayor

BORODYANKA/LVIV, Ukraine, March 4 (Reuters) - The largest nuclear power plant in Europe is on fire following a Russian attack, Ukraine's foreign minister said on Friday, as he called for a security zone and firefighters to be allowed to tackle the incident.

A generating unit at the plant has been hit during an attack by Russian troops and part of the station is on fire, RIA news agency cited the Ukrainian atomic energy ministry as saying on Friday.

"Russian army is firing from all sides upon Zaporizhzhia NPP, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe," Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Twitter.

"Fire has already broke out ... Russians must IMMEDIATELY cease the fire, allow firefighters, establish a security zone!"

https://www.reuters.com/markets/euro...or-2022-03-04/

Apparently the Russian army is firing upon the Ukrainian firefighters.

[T3rminator]

Sounds like the sanction is in relation to India purchasing weapons from Russia, rather than the act of abstaning from the vote.

US says it is still considering India sanctions after it abstained in UN vote on Ukraine
https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/i...-b2027646.html

[zilo]

Originally Posted by FairmontGS

Europe's largest nuclear power plant on fire after Russian attack, says local mayor



https://www.reuters.com/markets/euro...or-2022-03-04/

Apparently the Russian army is firing upon the Ukrainian firefighters.

It wasn't the Nuclear reactor on fire, it was a training centre nearby.

No..they weren't shooting at firemen...