... came up in discussion at the dinner table yesterday..
I was the only one who thought Putin would back down.. I believe he is mocking us .. with his display of power..
Didn't Khrushchev play some sort of game with the US.. When Kennedy (?) stood his ground..
at that time Scrumpy, i was playing in a pipeband welcomming the King of Norway to Scotland, there was a Pipe band in every street off Princes Street [the royal mile] we couldnt play forever so while we played the bands in the streets either side of our street rested, then they played while we rested...
we were at rest and i was stood at ease but still in formation, i was deep in thought thinking i had served my army time without hearing a shot fired in anger then here i was doing three years T.A. and we were about to go to war, i was silently cursing Mr Kennedy when the guns in Edinburgh Castle fired a 21 gun salute....if you have ever been on Princes Street at one o'clock you might understand why i almost shit myself !!!! the street shakes when they fire the gun, and for one horrid moment i thought Kruschev had started WW3
Bit on radio news suggested that Ukraine may give up on NATO membership.
Russians are a bit paranoid about getting attacked from the West and after Napoleon and Hitler you can see why.
Quote from: crabbyob on February 14, 2022, 11:07:36 AM
the guns in Edinburgh Castle fired a 21 gun salute....if you have ever been on Princes Street at one o'clock you might understand why i almost shit myself !!!! the street shakes when they fire the gun
Do you know if that gun was what started that well known Highland tradition or does something else predate it?
the one o'clock gun is for the ships in the estury to set their chronometers?
and being an intelligent nation there is a tall building that has a very large ball at the top of a pole and one the stroke of one, as the gun fires the ball drops down the pole as light [sight] travels a lot faster than sound..... but not a lot of folks know that... about the ball falling at one i mean, of course.. :smug:
And every day at a few seconds past one all those poor navigators mutter "Bugger - missed it again" when they hear the gun :grin:
i doubt that pal.... i can see them now binoculars in one hand, their finger poised in the other.... [2090]
Well we need to learn our lesson & keep our noses out of this one.
If Putin wants the Ukraine he can have it so far as I'm concerned.
sadly i agree
If he doesn't invade how can he save face?
He strikes me as a man who would not climb down
and remove his troops without a very, very good
face saving reason.
Maybe if Ukraine signed a pack with him never to
join NATO that might be sufficient ?
I cannot see any other way.
Cannot see see Ukraine giving up on NATO. Anyone's guess the out come. It will be very costly for Russia if they do attack.
If Ukraine gives up on NATO dreams then perhaps this will all end. I hope so, I mean how many refugees from Ukraine can we take ? Eastern European countries are already preparing for an influx if war does break out.
Quote from: Alex on February 14, 2022, 02:13:47 PM
If Ukraine gives up on NATO dreams then perhaps this will all end. I hope so, I mean how many refugees from Ukraine can we take ? Eastern European countries are already preparing for an influx if war does break out.
At least most of them would be Christian, not the Muslim boats arriving each day.
Quote from: hugh on February 14, 2022, 01:04:13 PM
Cannot see see Ukraine giving up on NATO. Anyone's guess the out come. It will be very costly for Russia if they do attack.
It's getting very costly for us, have you seen the price of Diesel lately? :angry:
Well, what do you know..!! Putin is going to pull back his troops..
Just a display of how powerful he is..
hopefully that is the case - but NATO say they will believe it when they see it, as does the Ukraine
Mike🤞🤞🤞
If they do invade Poland will be joining along with other countries bordering Russia in that area.
Poland is already a member of NATO.
As is Lithuania, Estonia? Latvia? NATO has been moving eastwards for years, after promising Russia they wouldn't.
Male Muscle Flexing, who will blink first. :1020:
NATO brought the trouble on it self. Russia been allowed to get away with murder for years and NATO done nothing of any meaning to stop them. I strongly feel they will invade but only take a small piece of Ukraine and sit on it, and wait and see the out come.
Putin is just sitting there.. taunting the West..
Will he ... or wont he..!! I don't think he will..
I hope he doesn't - it could get very messy
Mike
He's made his point without the need imo. He already has the "military exercise" story so can pull out without losing face while leaving plenty of egg on the faces of the west. In football terms I'd put it around 4-0 to Putin.
The man has been in power since 2012, far too long. Time the country had some elections and maybe get a new and nicer leader in.
I don't think that Russia works that way, unfortunately
Mike
There was some sort of farce some years back where he appeared to be taking a back seat while a puppet was supposedly in charge. I don't recall the details though.
I think the voting in Russia is a bit 'iffy' .. Does Putin control it..!!
Paraphrased from Stalin...
It doesn't matter who votes. What matters is who counts the votes.
I doubt anything has changed.
Nor me
Quote from: klondike on February 20, 2022, 11:11:51 AM
Paraphrased from Stalin...
It doesn't matter who votes. What matters is who counts the votes.
I doubt anything has changed.
I'm sure Trump agrees.
:grin: :grin: :grin:
Can't disagree with that...
The situation seems to have taken a turn for the worse. Putin has recognised as independent states two areas of eastern Ukraine, The self-declared people's republics of Donetsk and Luhansk are home to Russia-backed rebels who have been fighting Ukrainian forces since 2014, and in recent years Russia has apparently issued many Russian passports to ethnic Russians living the in the areas. The worry , because Putin has been talking about 'peacekeeping' operations, is that Russian troops will go in to 'protect Russian citizens' i.e., holders of Russian passports.
Mike
People are nervous of Putin.. Those around him fear him..
The Russian people only hear what he wants them to listen to..
.. and I am wondering if he will be assassinated.. or do a runner.. Stranger things have happened..
according to the news, Putin has 'ordered troops into the two breakaway areas' - doesn't say if teh order has actually been carried out yet
Mike
Quote from: Scrumpy on February 22, 2022, 08:38:17 AM
or do a runner..
He has been in training for that...
(https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1qVLtanHuK1RkSndVq6xVwpXa7/5d-diy-Diamond-Painting-President-Putin-riding-a-bear-Full-square-Embroidery-handmade-Drill-Mosaic-art.jpg)
to me its like ireland invading northern Ireland to protect its citizens....
reasonable analogy to my mind
Mike
Quote from: klondike on February 22, 2022, 09:54:14 AM
He has been in training for that...
(https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1qVLtanHuK1RkSndVq6xVwpXa7/5d-diy-Diamond-Painting-President-Putin-riding-a-bear-Full-square-Embroidery-handmade-Drill-Mosaic-art.jpg)
Good old Yogi..
He has had much work carried out on his face.. Maybe he is changing his profile..
We had someone from Russia trying to penetrate our forum a little while back didn't we.!!
You might laugh.. but... who knows.. !!
i imagine the Germans are very loose bowelled at the moment, i believe they get 100% of their gas from Russia... so how can they threaten them with anything... plus how can the most efficient country in the free world be so stupid to place ALL their dependency on one country, any country never mind Russia... i think Putin sees this as his Ace in the hole... if his hand goes anywhere near the tap then Germany will capitulate...
The German army wouldn't make a ha'porth of difference anyway. The Wehrmacht is no more.
Boris is not talking of sending in the Black Watch, he is threatening them with bank managers...
Putin reckons the west is destroying itself with "Woke" politics he's not wrong about that is he ?
I've read that Germany gets 40% of their gas from Russia, but now this morning they've put the Nord 2 project on ice indefinitely. Does that help Germany ? I dunno.
I know everyone else is against Russia, but sometimes I feel we've been brainwashed since children to fear the USSR and now Russia. But what do I know :grin: :grin: :grin:
Putin bothers me a lot, the man seems to be becoming unhinged more each day. :nooo: IMO he's been in power far too long, time he was removed. AND by removed, I mean any way any means. :angry:
Boris is talking about sanctions on the banks. I think the Premier League should deduct 25 points from Chelsea. That would have more impact on the Russkies.
In support of Putin half of the Ukraine population consider themselves Russian & want to be reunited with Russia & it's none of our godammned business.
He doesn't poke his nose into Ireland.
If I was Putin I'd cut off all gas to Europe & sit back & watch us all go bust or freeze.
I just listened to a 45 minute 'news' broadcast and heard no news at all! The endless speculation about Russia/Ukraine isn't NEWS!! News is when something happens not weeks of pointless speculation as to whether it will or not..
Quote from: zoony on February 22, 2022, 04:56:47 PM
I just listened to a 45 minute 'news' broadcast and heard no news at all! The endless speculation about Russia/Ukraine isn't NEWS!! News is when something happens not weeks of pointless speculation as to whether it will or not..
I totally agree.
Me too
It's news now. Putin says Russia has carried out airstrikes against Ukrainian military installations and infrastructure. The Ukrainian president Zelensky has described the Russian action as a fully fledged invasion.
Mike
Yes Putin has started a war. No idea what this means for the rest of the world but it will mean the end of it for some Russians and Ukranians.
Quote from: klondike on February 24, 2022, 09:13:51 AM
Yes Putin has started a war. No idea what this means for the rest of the world but it will mean the end of it for some Russians and Ukranians.
It doesn't have to mean anything for the rest of the world, unless the rest of the world decides to make it mean something, like it did in 1939.
Will Europe Putin a really big boot on sanctions?
I doubt it.
the Germans are tied to that gas pipeline that Ukrain was siphoning, what might you have done?
and no i am certainly not pro Russia, but Ukraine is not held in high esteem by its neighbours...
when i started down the pit there were a few 'Poles and Ukrainians' and every Pole lothed the Ukrainians.
Why was that crabbyob?
Megalomaniac.
[automatically pruned due to age]
well as one Pole explained it to me
when the Germans invaded the Ukrainians held their hands up "Kamerad, kamerad"
then when the Russians came, the same hands went up "Kamerad...Kamerad"
followed by a descriptive adjective.... from the Poles
Vietnam war springs to mind..
I saw many young men queuing at Sydney airport waiting to go to battle in Vietnam.. A sight I will never forget.. Many didn't come back..
For what..!!!
Very sad.. but keep our nose out.. The worlds leaders seldom are the fighters..
Ukrainians and Russians will pay in blood but we'll pay too via the inevitable economic impact.
i agree Scrumps, i dont think the UK went to war with Korea, our lads were fighting under the UN banner, but it didnt stop them getting killed... we pay a lot of cash to the UN...[or is membership free :?: ] If Boris allows us to be drawn into this I will propose a vote of no confidence, and neither should the Yanks be allowed to fly 'missions' from our country, they refused to allow us to refuel in their country when we were heading into the Southern Atlantic Conflict, they said it might upset their neighbours if they did.... well it would upset me if we allow them to fly from any bases here to Bomb the Russians [because they wont be sending in any foot soldiers]
I didn't know the US wouldn't allow refuelling on their territory crabbyob, see you learn summat every day on here. Mind I wasn't living in UK when Falklands was kicking off. They did supply us with weapons though didn't they ? we're probably still paying for them :smiley:
i think the best known weapon from that conflict was supplied by the French, to the Argies
the Extocette ?
We now have charities wanting the UK to take people from the Ukraine. Where are we suppose to put them, in an already over full wee island. :hmm:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60518801
yes the Exocet anti-ship missile. HMS Sheffield - Type 42 destroyer was struck by one and so badly damaged that she subsequently sank in heavy seas
I had forgotten the disgraceful performance of the BBC - a number of our ships had been struck by bombs which had failed to explode, apparently because they had been released from too low an altitude. The BBC reported the failure of the bombs- the Argentine air force, advised of the problem, rectified it - thereafter the bombs did not fail. Col H Jones, the CO of 2 Para, accused the BBC of broadcasting the imminent attack on Goose Green by his battalion (Jones was killed in the attack and was awarded the VC, sadly posthumously)
The seems to be no doubt that those BBC broadcasts cost the lives of British servicemen, though I have no idea how many. In the words of Admiral Woodward, the task force commander, >>>the BBC is being more concerned with being "fearless seekers after truth" than with the lives of British servicemen.[<<<
I had, as I said, forgotten that - but when you look at the BBC's general attitude, I suppose it is hardly surprising
Mike
Quote from: Raven on February 25, 2022, 12:48:42 PM
We now have charities wanting the UK to take people from the Ukraine. Where are we suppose to put them, in an already over full wee island. :hmm:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60518801 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60518801)
Easy, chuck the dinghy boys out and let the Ukrainians in, no problem.
the world Heavyweight champion has returned to his country to defend his homeland...
i have always liked the guy but he has grown into a giant for me
AlEXANDER USYK our hero
I was listening to him on the wireless this morning crabbyob.. Always liked both him and his brother. Mum did a great job with 'em.
I hear that Russia is to be banned from the Euro song contest.
Why not ban all countries and then we can have a bit of peace and quiet. :grin:
👍👍👍
The Champions League Final has been moved to Paris in May, I'll enjoy that trip more than a trip to Russia :grin:
Quote from: Flying Bomb on February 25, 2022, 05:01:22 PM
I hear that Russia is to be banned from the Euro song contest.
Probably one of the tougher sanctions...
Why should the UK be expected to 'lead the way' in housing refugees from the Ukraine? A number of countries nearer to that unhappy county are all less crowded than the UK. Comparative population densities, expressed in persons per square mile are
UK 701.1
Germany 600.9
France 300.4
Hungary 271.9
Czech Republic 352.2
Austria 274.5
Italy 521.4
Spain 243.5
To be fair, Belgium and the Netherlands, at 973.8 and 1095.8, are even more crowded than the UK – but given those other numbers, why should we be expected to 'lead the way'
Mike
Quote from: Flying Bomb on February 25, 2022, 05:01:22 PM
I hear that Russia is to be banned from the Euro song contest.
Why not ban all countries and then we can have a bit of peace and quiet. :grin:
they will still get more points than us
did they ever find Englebert or did he return to his hometown....Chennai..
Quote from: Michael Rolls on February 25, 2022, 06:01:50 PM
Why should the UK be expected to 'lead the way' in housing refugees from the Ukraine? A number of countries nearer to that unhappy county are all less crowded than the UK. Comparative population densities, expressed in persons per square mile are
UK 701.1
Germany 600.9
France 300.4
Hungary 271.9
Czech Republic 352.2
Austria 274.5
Italy 521.4
Spain 243.5
To be fair, Belgium and the Netherlands, at 973.8 and 1095.8, are even more crowded than the UK – but given those other numbers, why should we be expected to 'lead the way'
Mike
This is interesting reading Mike, what was the source ?
Wikipedia
some of our members can associate with those kids in the subway
what makes us better than a lot of other nations is empathy
certainly some parts are crowded but i am sure the Ukrainian contingent who might be fourth or fifth generation Brits will be offering a helping hand... followed by others...
If they arrive here, I hope they've got family to come to as hotels are full of dinghy people. Council house accommodation is zero (allegedly) and private rental is an astronomical price. Will they have to get in line behind the Afghans who are still waiting for a home ? not forgetting the Hong Kong arrivals.
I am very sad for these people..
Quote from: Scrumpy on February 26, 2022, 08:28:53 AM
I am very sad for these people.. However..
I don't remember British people leaving the country when they had wars.. Families were evacuated to different parts of their own country when bombs rained down on the cities..
Why is it necessary for others to leave their country .!!
So, why has it all changed..!! War is war.. whatever decade it shows it's ugly head..
Apparently when people have been trying to cross the border to get out, men of a fighting age have been turned back and told to fight for their country. Shame some of these middle eastern countries didn't do the same.
The Ukranians seem to be holding their own at the moment, although Putin has the kitchen sink to throw at them they are tough people and no pushover. Will Vlad the Invader think again when he dosen't achieve his objectives? I doubt it mad dogs never do, shame somebody close can't put a bullet in his head.
I doubt anyone could get near to him to put a bullet anywhere.. It would have to be an inside job..
The Ukranians is more motivated than a Russian soldier.
They are fighting for their life and country, the Russian just for his wages.
Putin will be getting nervous as the advance slows.
Great to see World wide demos against Russia too.
I saw a clip of people crossing into Poland and Romania, mostly women and children. The men had stayed home to fight for their country, it's a shame the dinghy boys didn't do the same !
its a shame any of them/us have to...
Quote from: Alex on February 26, 2022, 03:40:01 PM
I saw a clip of people crossing into Poland and Romania, mostly women and children. The men had stayed home to fight for their country, it's a shame the dinghy boys didn't do the same !
A thoughtless statement from me really, as majority of the dinghy boys aren't fleeing wars, they just want what the west has.
TV has a lot to answer for..
I rarely watch TV crabbyob
its ok Alex im not a licence inspector... :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
You sure ? :cool: :cool: :cool:
Be fair though crabbyob, the Ukrainians leaving their country will be seeking safety until they can go back home, whereas most of the young men arriving by boat don't intend to go back to a land that wasn't a war zone in the first place. I didn't form that opinion just from telly :hmm:
I doubt many Ukrainians would return if Russia takes part of their country..
And what will they return to...!!
Woman are leaving their husbands and sons behind..
children their granddads.. Men 18- 65 are not allowed to leave..
Many buildings will be destroyed..
So many will have no homes to return to..
I must admit that I thought it was all posturing with a chance that he may move on the regions who had already pretty much broken away from national contol. I'm guessing they must be places like Tower Hamlets and some northern cities but on the edge of the country rather than in the middle of civilisation.
I just hope we don't get involved with military aid.. That would be very foolish..
We already have sent weapons. Some short range personal anti tank ones certainly. There was a picture somehere I saw which had been provided by the Russians of one they'd found unfired and abandonned.
Picture in the Express. It wasn't the one I saw.
(https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/78/590x/Russian-President-Vladimir-Putin-1572040.webp?r=1645807584389)
Wiki picture of weapon
[automatically pruned due to age]
Scrumpy means boots on the round i think,
i hear this morning that they are calling for a Foreign Leigon, i think any captured by the Russians wont ever be heard of again...
I'm pretty sure that is ruled out. Rightly so. You don't want soldiers from two countries with nukes facing up. Putin might just be nutty enough to use some.
I did mean 'boots on the ground'..
Poking our nose in gets us in bother..
I think they should have ONE battle field.. The leaders/heads of that country should lead their (warriors) chosen from their parliament .. 50 a side..
and toss a coin for choosing which end of the field they stand..
That would solve all problems..
https://hitchensblog.mailonsunday.co.uk/2022/02/peter-hitchens-the-west-acts-tough-with-russia-because-were-just-too-feeble-to-stand-up-to-our-real-.html
Our real enemy IS China !
Mr Putin's a busted flush with or without China. Already a bloody nose and his troops don't seem to be very committed to the cause. China's nobody's fool and won't commit themselves to Russia in any way other than under the table. In my opinion.
Maybe our head of MI6 will give him a handbagging. :grin:
He's put his nuclear system on special alert.
We should put our lunatic asylum on special alert too.
Am I right in thinking that Churchill warned of China in a speech he made after the end of the Second World War.. 'Look to the East'..
Quote from: Alex on February 27, 2022, 02:04:00 PM
https://hitchensblog.mailonsunday.co.uk/2022/02/peter-hitchens-the-west-acts-tough-with-russia-because-were-just-too-feeble-to-stand-up-to-our-real-.html
Our real enemy IS China !
Well with the electronic goodies that I get from China, cheap as chips, China isn't my enemy.
Usual garbage from Hitchens.
Would he dare use nuclear weapons..!!
It seems to be getting bad..
I doubt very much that he'd be stupid enough to use nukes, even small ones. He already has the disapproval of most of the world's nations.
Quote from: Scrumpy on February 27, 2022, 04:04:36 PM
Am I right in thinking that Churchill warned of China in a speech he made after the end of the Second World War.. 'Look to the East'..
I think he did, he also said "we slaughtered the wrong pig" referring to Stalin after the war.
I heard on the news that many of the Russian military thought they were on an exercise..
Ukraine do not hate Russia.. they hate Putin.. as do many Russians..
He was compared to Hitler when spoken about..
I think this MAD dictator will be stopped in his tracks at some point..
Some Russian vehicles have been left by the roadside because they have no PETROL..!!
How I admire these people..
It's not how big the dog is.. It's the fight in the dog that counts..
I don't know if it is true but one report said that the Russian soldiers needed food and were asking the Ukrainians!
I think this (battle) will be the downfall of Putin.. The enemies don't hate each other enough..
I certainly hope so
Mike
From what I read I predict that Putin's downfall could be be swift, as the Russian economy is in an uncontrolable downward spiral which is crippling the finances of the oligarchs that keep him in power.
I hope your right. The man is seriously unhinged. :no:
[automatically pruned due to age]
i doubt it very much if you think the very rich keep their cash as Roubles..
Putins billions will be in Dollars without a doubt, as will most of the megga rich...
I suspect Putin is more concerned with power than cash anyway. I have no idea how he retains it. I suspect the west in general don't either. Probably the most worrying thing for him so far is exclusion from the Eurovision song contest.
Time will tell.
i hear englebert refused his offer
Forty miles of Russian military vehicles lined up on Ukraine boarder..
WOW.!!! The mind boggles...
Yes and there's a vigil at the Town Hall tonight :cool: I maybe cynical - yes I am no maybe about it , BUT what good will a vigil do, or lighting of candles ? Will Mrs Shevchenko in Vasylkiv see or hear it? probably not...... :shh:
Never understood the concept - all it does is make the participants feel good about themselves - has bugger all effect
Mike
Didn't some women get arrested or beaten up by police while on one for the victim of the rapist copper? Don't recall details.
this was the vigil in memory of Sarah Everard, murdered by a police officer (not in the course of his duties) held on Clapham Common March last year. There was a lot of unhappiness at the high-handed police action with the police excuse that the numbers gathering were a risk to public health and a judge refusing to rule in advance of the event as to whether or not it would contravene Covid regulations. Not for the first time, there were calls for the resignation of Cressida Dick.
Mike
0h, and to my mind this vigil was a very long way removed from the pointless vigil about the Ukraine situation.
Mike
I don't get all these 'lighting candles' where the Ukraine is concerned..Other than making the 'waver' feel better.. Mass protesting in areas where the world sees what you are doing is more effective ..
Boris has certainly had his work cut out for him.. BREXIT... COVID... RUSSIA...
He is doing ok as far as I'm concerned..
The man has earned his glass of wine..
Agreed
GLOBAL WARMING on his plate too
And bringing up a new baby.
I'm sitting here wondering why the Iron Dome, which successfully knocks out thousands of Palestinian rockets headed for Israel, couldn't be used in Ukraine.
Is it equipment that could be airlifted into Kiev, where I believe the TV tower has recently been attacked. ?
Lots of collections going on to help the Ukrainian people. Our local (and other) Dunelm Store is acting as a hub. I'm going to get a few of the small items on the list. Won't cost much, but better than lighting a candle IMO. These people don't deserve what is happening to them.
[automatically pruned due to age]
We have a collection point near here.. My daughter and her friends are picking up donations to take there.. People have been very generous..
No candles or vigils here.. Candles burn out in time.. and lighting them does not get the baby fed..
That's great Scrumpy, well done your daughter.
I agree with what Boris is saying.. We can not get involved with any fighting by putting our men out there.. We are too close for comfort..
At this present time I would prefer to be living in Australia or America..
Also I heard on the news that China is not too pleased with Russia for it's actions..
Putin's hole is getting deeper and deeper.
Which is scary...
Very sad to read about Cargo200 (Diasi mentioned it).. Identifier for transporting bodies from battlefield .. Cargo200 ignites terror among the Mothers of Russian soldiers..
Many of the young Russians thought they were going on manoeuvres .. and are damaging their own vehicles ...
Quote from: Alex on March 01, 2022, 08:54:38 PM
I'm sitting here wondering why the Iron Dome, which successfully knocks out thousands of Palestinian rockets headed for Israel, couldn't be used in Ukraine.
Is it equipment that could be airlifted into Kiev, where I believe the TV tower has recently been attacked. ?
Google is wonderful and I found this today, unbelievable though it is.
"Israel halted an attempt by the US to transfer several batteries of the Iron Dome defense system to Ukraine over worries it would damage its relations with Russia. The Ukrainian government officially asked the Biden administration to transfer Patriot and Iron Dome missiles to Ukraine last spring.
At the time, when then there were no worries of a possible Russian invasion, both Democratic and Republican lawmakers supported the transfer.
However, due to Iron Dome being a joint Israeli-American project, a sale to a third party cannot take place without the approval of both developer countries."
Source Times of Israel.
Reasons in part were due to the Israel's complicated relationship with Moscow, and Russia"s position in Syria.
I'm shocked. Israel of all countries knows what it's like to be under constant attack,
India is also body swerving anything to do with Russia
the Russians were very generous to India with Covid Vacs....
They are calling it Putin's War..
Pity he isn't engaging personally then...
Quote from: crabbyob on February 28, 2022, 11:50:21 AM
i doubt it very much if you think the very rich keep their cash as Roubles..
Putins billions will be in Dollars without a doubt, as will most of the megga rich...
It doesn't matter what currency or where it's kept, it's being seized & they can't move it around & they can't get funds to run their businesses.
It's hurting them massively.
Quote from: Alex on March 02, 2022, 12:56:17 PM
Google is wonderful and I found this today, unbelievable though it is.
"Israel halted an attempt by the US to transfer several batteries of the Iron Dome defense system to Ukraine over worries it would damage its relations with Russia. The Ukrainian government officially asked the Biden administration to transfer Patriot and Iron Dome missiles to Ukraine last spring.
At the time, when then there were no worries of a possible Russian invasion, both Democratic and Republican lawmakers supported the transfer.
However, due to Iron Dome being a joint Israeli-American project, a sale to a third party cannot take place without the approval of both developer countries."
Source Times of Israel.
Reasons in part were due to the Israel's complicated relationship with Moscow, and Russia"s position in Syria.
I'm shocked. Israel of all countries knows what it's like to be under constant attack,
"
Reasons in part were due to the Israel's complicated relationship with Moscow, and Russia"s position in Syria.
I'm shocked. Israel of all countries knows what it's like to be under constant attack,"
The Jews have always had the 'we're the chosen Children of God & all that matters is we're alright' attitude.
It's this attitude during the Germany depression in the 1920s that made themselves targets for the Nazis.
The Pakistanis are as bad as they've just done deals to buy Russian oil & wheat, no doubt at knock-down prices.
Has anyone seen any footage from the front line yet or actual fighting ?
No.. Only destroying of buildings..
I spoke to Cassandra today.. It is big news out there.. but he wonders if it is all for real.
' Ukraine everywhere here of course, but as always so little truthful news and accounts on what's really going on.'
I wonder if it's all for real too. I watched a documentary from the last trouble in Ukraine, think it was 2014. It was an eye opener, filmed by a French team so it's sub titles, but I watched it all !!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfD_CaSIxmQ
So , do you think it is just a ploy to get loads of Ukrainians into Poland. !!
I forgot to put the link up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfD_CaSIxmQ
I really don't know Scrumps, but something isn't right about the whole thing. Apart of course Putin had no right to attack . Maybe it's my age I don't trust anyone :yahoo: :yahoo:
One thing I have learned in this life, is many things are not what they seem. Have they all got ulterior motives, but your life they have but the Ukranian guy look genuine to me, and who would trust Putin? But I don't think the poor people would flee for their lives for nothing.
The video clips of Ukraine in 2014 & 2016 have bugger-all to do with Putin's illegal war except that they show it's always been his intention.
Any suggestion that this war is stage-managed & isn't actually happening is an insult to the term conspiracy theory which always have some degree of credibility.
I am very sad for them.. Seeing the faces of the people fleeing their country is heartbreaking.. The children in their colourful bobble hats holding a cuddly toy .. not knowing what is happening.. This is not just a 'few days off school'...
It looks as though Putin is going to get away with this - and if he succeeds in the Ukraine, might he then think about reclaiming Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia for a rebirth of the USSR?
Mike
I hope not. All NATO members.
(https://i.postimg.cc/6QHWS6Zd/ww3.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
I often wonder what my Mum or Sam would think of all this had they been here..
me too
I was thankful in a way about my mum not being here during covid as it would have scared her so much, now this I am begining to wish I wasn't here either.
You're a long time dead....
the good news is that Covid dont seem to be as important as it was, nor is politics it seems, 27% turn out in Erdington
Why would Russian forces attack a nuclear power station ? ok it was only the Admin buildings affected, but it does seem a risk and surely Putin knows this act would only draw further NATO support for Ukraine.
Shutting off the power to an area would shut down mobile phone networks and probably stop the water too. Making things a whole lot more difficult for any defenders would certainly be a war aim.
Quote from: Alex on March 04, 2022, 03:31:46 PM
Why would Russian forces attack a nuclear power station ? ok it was only the Admin buildings affected, but it does seem a risk and surely Putin knows this act would only draw further NATO support for Ukraine.
Why wouldn't they? Denying defenders power is a sensible aggressor's objective. Of course, the risk of nuclear contamination doesn't seem to bother Putin
Mike
Quote from: Michael Rolls on March 04, 2022, 04:22:29 PM
Why wouldn't they? Denying defenders power is a sensible aggressor's objective. Of course, the risk of nuclear contamination doesn't seem to bother Putin
Mike
If the actual reactors were hit, surely any fallout would cover Russia too ?
I would have thought depending on just how mad is the man - that omelette and eggs come to mind
Mike
Ukraine asking for no fly zone is asking for WW3.
As I understand it - unless things have changed in the last 2 days - it has been rejected by NATO. To enforce it would mean NATO a/c shooting down Russian a/c - recipe for escalation
Mike
Does Ukraine have its own air force to intercept any Russian jets ?
It has some 225 a/c, currently the 7th largest in Europe (Wiki). Many, however, are relics from the days of the USSR and are inoperable. According to that article only 115 are combat a/c and as they are all Soviet types presumably the 'inoperable' tag applies to some, although the article doesn't specify. Even if all 115 are in tip-top condition they are vastly outnumbered
Mike
Quote from: Michael Rolls on March 05, 2022, 09:41:36 AM
It has some 225 a/c, currently the 7th largest in Europe (Wiki). Many, however, are relics from the days of the USSR and are inoperable. According to that article only 115 are combat a/c and as they are all Soviet types presumably the 'inoperable' tag applies to some, although the article doesn't specify. Even if all 115 are in tip-top condition they are vastly outnumbered
Mike
But they must have enough to inflict some serious damage on the halted 40 mile Russian tank convoy.
Standard practice for a potential soft target is air cover. I doubt that has escaped Russian thinking
Mike
looking at the 40 mile long convoy and considering the damage the 'Stukkas' did in the retreat to Dunkirk, one wonder if they have any palanes at all..
of course its easy directing fire from Doncaster
Quote from: Michael Rolls on March 05, 2022, 11:57:39 AM
Standard practice for a potential soft target is air cover. I doubt that has escaped Russian thinking
Mike
Well they were accomodating enough to allow aerial photos to be taken.
Were they aerial photos or satellite photos? I haven't seen them. They could even be Russian propoganda photos too I imagine.
Quote from: klondike on March 05, 2022, 06:37:40 PM
Were they aerial photos or satellite photos? I haven't seen them. They could even be Russian propoganda photos too I imagine.
Good point.
The Ukrainians do have a fleet of their own 'Punisher' drones that can't be detected by radar & are so small & quiet they can't be spotted at their flying height of 1,300 ft.
They can carry 3kg of high explosives.
wow so it wouldnt be hard to set it up to drop a hand grenade.... mmm... a whole new ball game.
Quote from: crabbyob on March 06, 2022, 10:31:33 AM
wow so it wouldnt be hard to set it up to drop a hand grenade.... mmm... a whole new ball game.
This is the Punisher & the Russian troops would seem to have got a shit-load of trouble.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e8afOSRJhw
Looks good. Not on Amazon or AliBaBa yet. I'll check again next week.
Quote from: klondike on March 06, 2022, 11:15:53 AM
Looks good. Not on Amazon or AliBaBa yet. I'll check again next week.
I've already clicked on Amazon's 'notify me when in stock' link.
I want one for when ITV scrap Emmerdale & Corrie to show football as I can then fly it to the Ukraine, let them load the 3kg of high explosives & then bomb some Russian tanks.
Hope there's a discount - I saw £150k mentioned but I'm guessing that was just for a few days so they can claim a big reduction. They'll get a lot of free advertising and demand if it gets used and is as good as the advert.
Alibaba will be cheaper of course but could take weeks to arrive and you might get clobbered for import duty and VAT. Might be fakes too.
Quote from: Diasi on March 06, 2022, 11:19:38 AM
I want one for when ITV scrap Emmerdale & Corrie to show football as I can then fly it to the Ukraine, let them load the 3kg of high explosives & then bomb some Russian tanks.
It might be a mission in Call of Duty Sixty Four.
Quote from: klondike on March 06, 2022, 11:25:35 AM
It might be a mission in Call of Duty Sixty Four.
Lol. :grin:
Quote from: klondike on March 06, 2022, 11:22:54 AM
Alibaba will be cheaper of course but could take weeks to arrive and you might get clobbered for import duty and VAT. Might be fakes too.
Yeah, knowing my luck I'd get one with a faulty bombing circuit that set it to drop the bomb on the return home sequence.
:grin: :grin: :grin:
i think they could be the reason for theforty mile ytraffic jam..
I knew there'd be a queue to get them but that's worse than they were for Buzz Light-year. You'd think they make sure of stocks before they run the adverts...
Putin is a bastard.. I hope someone gets him soon.. If I had a gun.. I could easily shoot him.. and look him in the eye..
Got that off my chest..
Quote from: Scrumpy on March 07, 2022, 08:41:00 AM
Putin is a bastard.. I hope someone gets him soon.. If I had a gun.. I could easily shoot him.. and look him in the eye..
Got that off my chest..
I bet there's more than a few feel that way, myself included. But you can bet the Scunner is well protected and nobody will be able to get near. :cry:
There is always someone up for the job.. Even the 'protectors' are capable of that..
Anything to save their own skins..
Even Caesar had the knives out for him.. and the Italians hanged Mussolini who was adored by the people at one time .. Yet another dictator..
Even in this country over the centuries PRINCES and KINGS have been done away with..
Loyalty is very Fickle.. In the fight for POWER..
As I posted on another thread, assuming he doesn't back track, I'll be very surprised if Putin is still alive in 3 months time.
I can't see him back tracking....
Quote from: Diasi on March 07, 2022, 10:31:23 AM
As I posted on another thread, assuming he doesn't back track, I'll be very surprised if Putin is still alive in 3 months time.
Let the count down begin...
THURSDAY 7th of July... 95 days and counting..
we are all ranting about Putin
do any of you know 'why'
Time made a suggestion why....
(https://i.postimg.cc/Qt1X8j3Z/putin.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
.. and therein lies the story.
Quote from: crabbyob on March 07, 2022, 04:14:55 PM
we are all ranting about Putin
do any of you know 'why'
Maybe because he's invaded a sovereign country & is bombing it's civilians out of existence.
Or maybe because he's threatened nuclear reprisals.
Who knows.
My 'why' referred to 'why is he doing it',
as far as i know the main reason was the gas pipe.... the contract was signed allowing the pipe to cross the Ukraine, then the Ukraine came back with demands, then secretly tapped into the pipeline siphoning off copious amounts of the gas without payment... now non of that may be true but it is what i remember reading, then the demands got greater and greater, which is why Herr Putin calls them the Mafia... and hidden in there among the snowflakes is the President of Americas family rubbing their greedy little spotlessly clean hands demanding 'the world' step in and protect their 'investment' no not Americas investment the Bindens... but of course i am often wrong.. :angry:
Regardless what the Ukrainian government did or didn't do I can't see any justification for shelling and bombing cities full of civilians. I imagine he is more pissed off by the west shoehorning in a politician in favour of NATO membership than the gas though.
He said he doesn't want US missiles on Ukraine soil, ok so it's not his decision. But the US was quick to react when the Russians placed missiles on Cuba so what's the difference ? Putin has just gone too far.
can someone post the casualty numbers?
i am shocked at the Russian Casualties, if the numbers i heard were true...
It's a war. You'll get total BS and never know.
Quote from: crabbyob on March 08, 2022, 02:08:56 PM
can someone post the casualty numbers?
i am shocked at the Russian Casualties, if the numbers i heard were true...
Based solely on the fact that the Russian military planned on the invasion being done & dusted in around 4 days, but are nowhere near to their objective, I would estimate that any of the quoted numbers of between 2,000, 4,000 & even 11,000 Russian casualties could be in the right area.
The Russian soldiers aren't fighting the Ukranian army, they're fighting the Ukranian nation.
It's also estimated that Russia can't sustain the present rate of aircraft losses for more than another fortnight.
Ukraine have more to fight for.. Russia just wants a fight..
Very brave people..
Russia Putin just wants a fight..
Quote from: klondike on March 08, 2022, 04:49:02 PM
Russia Putin just wants a fight..
But he's not out there fighting, he's nice and safe in Russia. [2030] [1090]
Quote from: Diasi on March 08, 2022, 04:09:45 PM
right area.
The Russian soldiers aren't fighting the Ukranian army, they're fighting the Ukranian nation.
And one gets the strong impression that that the Russian soldiers don't like it one little bit.
Quote from: Raven on March 08, 2022, 04:59:54 PM
But he's not out there fighting, he's nice and safe in Russia. [2030] [1090]
Possibly not as safe as he was before he started this...
and even the Russian public after being spoon-fed all his propiganda, dont seem to like it much either
given long enough the Soviet 100 year trial could end.... but only if the yanks dont try to stir the pot..
Has everyone seen the clip of this poor woman going back to her flat in Kiev ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-wS_Zio8Mg
I watched it.
Playing her piano so beautifully, for the last time. Before they had to leave their life behind.
Poignant....
That'd be a bit loud in a block of flats, I think that would driven me out before the shelling did.
Plus, playing the piano one last time wouldn't have been my priority in a room that could be shelled again.
Lol. :grin:
Maybe it was her neighbours who asked the Russians to bomb her to stop the incessant noise?
Quote from: Dayjo on March 14, 2022, 08:03:14 PM
I watched it.
Playing her piano so beautifully, for the last time. Before they had to leave their life behind.
Poignant....
I agree. Amongst the ruins...😥
The lady plays beautifully .. Music speaks in all languages..
So here we are nearly a year on from this topic was started. Our unelected PM has said everything is on the table, does he mean sending planes to Ukraine ? I certainly hope not, he is setting UK up to be on the receiving end of Russian retaliation, so we should step back from this proxy war.
Have you changed your opinion in the last 12 months ?
I still think that the west cannot allow Putin to win. Considering the recent reports that our own armed forces are in a very parlous state I'm inclined to think that our own assistance should be leaning more towards moral support than material support.
It is probably better for us to support Ukraine and let them wear down the Russians than it is for us to get dragged into supporting France as the Russians attack them from their bases in Germany. I certainly believe that if they take Ukraine they are very unlikely to stop at that.
From their progress so far though I doubt that they could do any of that. Corruption seems to have hollowed out their armed forces to the point it may take them as long as a week to wait for ours to run out of ammo before traipsing all over them.
Quote from: Alex on February 09, 2023, 05:36:38 PMSo here we are nearly a year on from this topic was started. Our unelected PM has said everything is on the table, does he mean sending planes to Ukraine ? I certainly hope not, he is setting UK up to be on the receiving end of Russian retaliation, so we should step back from this proxy war.
Have you changed your opinion in the last 12 months ?
No, he will send aircraft, because you can reliably treat everything he says as a gainsay. He is a spineless apparatchik entity who castes no shadow and just exists to agree with everyone from his wife and inlaws down.
Reminds me of the hapless Uriah Heep from the Dickens novel David Copperfield - "I'm ever so humble sir".
I don't think 'humble' is in his make up
I think your probably very right Mike! Perhaps he's a just sort of Indian variation of Archie Andrews?
:grin: :grin: :grin: