Ukraine

[SydneyRover]

What are you reading? He says 60% + of Russia's wealth is held outside Russia.

''Butler to the World: How Britain Helps the World's Worst People Launder Money, Commit Crimes, and Get Away with Anything
by Oliver Bullough
 4.50  ·  Rating details ·  2 ratings  ·  0 reviews
In his punchy follow-up to Moneyland, Oliver Bullough's Butler to the World unravels the dark secret of how Britain placed itself at the centre of the global offshore economy and at the service of the worst people in the world…''

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58725007-butler-to-the-world

Just listening to Butler being interviewed.

[Metalmicky]

SNP president condemned for ‘crass’ comparison of Ukraine and Scottish independence bid

Mike Russell says past need not dictate future, ‘whether that be rule from Moscow or the result of an eight-year-old referendum’

Mike Russell also alleged that 'dirty cash' from Russia had gone to the Tory party and been 'used against Scotland in the 2014 referendum' CREDIT: Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament/PA

The SNP's president has been accused of drawing "utterly crass" parallels between Ukraine's struggle to repel Vladimir Putin's invasion and Scottish nationalists' attempts to break away from the UK.

Mike Russell used a blog on the party's website to argue that the past need not dictate the future, "whether that be rule from Moscow or the result of an eight-year-old referendum".

The "Yes" campaign lost the 2014 vote by nearly 11 points, but Mr Russell, a former constitution secretary, suggested the Ukraine crisis bolstered the case for a re-run and said the "right of people to choose how they are governed and by whom is an absolute and universally applied".

He also alleged that "dirty cash" from Russia had gone to the Tory party and been "used against Scotland in the 2014 referendum" as well as helping win the Brexit vote.

Amid criticism that the UK Government is doing too little to accept Ukrainian refugees, he claimed Britain would have "achieved more, and moved more rapidly" against Russia had it still been an EU member state.

But British troops have provided training to 22,000 members of the Ukrainian armed forces since 2015 to help them prepare for a Russian invasion, and the UK was among the first countries to send weapons before the conflict started. The EU later made the same decision.

Mr Russell's claims also appeared to be undermined by an intelligence and security committee investigation last year, which found "credible" evidence that the Putin regime tried to help the nationalist rather than Unionist side in the 2014 referendum.

It cited commentary that the Kremlin's attempt to aid the break-up of the United Kingdom was "the first post-Soviet interference in a Western democratic election".

Mr Russell said the right of people to choose how they are governed cannot be "circumscribed by history – just because something was doesn't mean it will always continue to be so, whether that be rule from Moscow, or the result of an eight-year-old referendum."

In an apparent dig at Alex Salmond, who suspended his chat show on a Kremlin-funded TV station last week, Mr Russell said Russian money funded "disinformation in both mainstream and social media and even those who believed they were editorially independent were in fact often being used – wittingly or unwittingly – only as shields or smokescreens".

His intervention came the day after an SNP MSP was forced to apologise for making similar comparisons between Scotland and Ukraine.

Michelle Thomson responded to images of Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, signing an application for Ukraine to join the EU with a social media post stating: "Delighted for Ukraine. It just goes to show what political will can achieve. Remember this Scotland!"

Calling for Mr Russell to apologise, Willie Rennie, the former Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, said: "Likening the longevity of the 2014 referendum result in any way to rule from Moscow is one of the stupider things I have heard from a senior SNP figure.

"It is utterly crass to draw any parallels between what is going on in Ukraine to Scotland's situation, when people in Ukraine are fighting and dying to avoid falling under the yoke of the Kremlin.

"I am astounded that the president of the SNP, a long-standing politician, would seek to draw any parallels to the democratic decision of the people of Scotland."

Ms Sturgeon wants to hold another separation referendum by the end of 2023 and has set out plans to stage her own vote if Boris Johnson refuses to transfer the necessary legal powers and challenge the UK Government to try and block it in the courts.

[Metalmicky]

And there are other idiotic commentators around also..

https://malaysia.news.yahoo.com/cancelling-russian-grand-prix-made-162903076.html

[Sprotyrover]

Just had a look at Adolf on Companies house, it’s someone having a Larf probably some Woke lefty students with a £100 to throw away, however it may cause the Govt to utilise the services of peeps like myself to root out and eradicate… for a substantial fee of course!

[DonnyOsmond]

Just had a look at Adolf on Companies house, it’s someone having a Larf probably some Woke lefty students with a £100 to throw away, however it may cause the Govt to utilise the services of peeps like myself to root out and eradicate… for a substantial fee of course!

You don't know what woke means.

[normal rules]

And there are other idiotic commentators around also..

https://malaysia.news.yahoo.com/cancelling-russian-grand-prix-made-162903076.html

Ecclestone is deluded clearly.
Putin would probably have wanted to go to the GP. I can’t see it being staged in St Petersburg either next year. Every single sanction will make the Russian public sit up and consider the actions of their leader. Every single bit helps to push his own against him.

[Filo]

I can only think that either the vast majority of Russians are not aware of whats happening, or don’t care, or there would be much larger demonstrations and unrest in Russian City’s

[Filo]

“ Lavrov wants Russia and Ukraine to negotiate as equals
Sergei Lavrov has also said that Russia will sit down with Ukraine to negotiate, "but only on one condition that it has to be equal parties negotiating".
It is understood that Ukraine and Russia are due to pick up talks again, after last week's appeared to come to nothing.”


Get out of Ukraine then you f**king war monger

[Metalmicky]

Oh yes.... Putin's loyal doom mongering attack dog Lavrov...... what a despicable character.  Definitely not someone that engenders trust, integrity or the slightest piece of sincerity.... 

[SydneyRover]

With questions being constantly raised about putin's sanity, it may be down to paranoia as the US have predicted his every move so far.

[Filo]

Oh yes.... Putin's loyal doom mongering attack dog Lavrov...... what a despicable character.  Definitely not someone that engenders trust, integrity or the slightest piece of sincerity.... 

Lavrov = Von Ribbentrop

[Metalmicky]

Anyone think that Putin is getting a bit paranoid...... and the tables even longer

[BillyStubbsTears]

Just had a look at Adolf on Companies house, it’s someone having a Larf probably some Woke lefty students with a £100 to throw away, however it may cause the Govt to utilise the services of peeps like myself to root out and eradicate… for a substantial fee of course!

You don't know what woke means.

I did try explaining that to him last night that "Woke" now seems to mean "things that are too complicated for me to understand but that I don't like."

But he didn't seem to understand or like my post.

[normal rules]

Well done to the french. They have just seized Igor Sechins luxury Yacht in Marseille.which was making hurried attempts to prepare for setting sail by all accounts.

[normal rules]

Anyone think that Putin is getting a bit paranoid...... and the tables even longer

I’ve read that he keeps his distance due to covid fears. Perhaps it’s now fear of being stabbed in the back. Literally. Pics of his military commanders sat near him recently have been likened to persons sat at a funeral , such was the grim expressions.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Anyone know exactly how many of the London-based kleptocrats our Govt has taken action against so far?

How about...let's see...zero?

Who'da thought it? What with all these...words coming out of Govt mouths about how we are planning resolute action to hit them, yadda, yadda, yadda...

[normal rules]

There does seem to be a lot of talk. And not a lot of do.

[Colin C No.3]

Former MI6 boss John Sawer explains the situation well to Oxford Students.
https://youtu.be/Yw5lzKVn3sc

His most significant point for me is that Putin  should be allowed a way out of this. We must not make him the cornered rat, he might do that himself of course.

Thanks for that excellent link nr. John Sawer tells the same story about Putin cornering the rat that I’ve shared elsewhere & his conclusion that Putin must somehow be ‘allowed a way out’ is absolutely right because not to do so could lead Europe down a very dark path.

[drfchound]

Anyone know exactly how many of the London-based kleptocrats our Govt has taken action against so far?

How about...let's see...zero?

Who'da thought it? What with all these...words coming out of Govt mouths about how we are planning resolute action to hit them, yadda, yadda, yadda...

I suppose that there has to be a cast iron legal right to seize property etc.
If they tried it and were found to be doing so illegally then it would be worse than doing nothing.

[wilts rover]

Genuine question. Does the fact that Putin knows that the West is sh*t scared of him make him more dangerous or less dangerous?

The West is being seen by some Ukrainians as simply standing by and doing nothing to help them. Are we doing the right thing?

That's a great question. I guess that book that Colin C mentioned might give a few clues.

[drfchound]

I can only think that either the vast majority of Russians are not aware of whats happening, or don’t care, or there would be much larger demonstrations and unrest in Russian City’s

Apparently all protests have to be sanctioned.
Even if sanctioned protests go ahead I read that peaceful protestors could find themselves with an eight year jail sentence and it a protest gets violent then the punishment would be fifteen years in jail.

[normal rules]

One less oligarch to worry about.
Ukrainian born Russian tycoon Michael Watford has been found hanging in his garage in his £18 million pad in Surrey.

Suicide, or something else ?

[normal rules]

Kremlin now considering imposing martial law on its own citizens.

[wilts rover]

Anyone know exactly how many of the London-based kleptocrats our Govt has taken action against so far?

How about...let's see...zero?

Who'da thought it? What with all these...words coming out of Govt mouths about how we are planning resolute action to hit them, yadda, yadda, yadda...

I suppose that there has to be a cast iron legal right to seize property etc.
If they tried it and were found to be doing so illegally then it would be worse than doing nothing.

So why did Johnson say at PMQ's yesterday then that we were leading the world on imposing sanctions on oligarchs? Are you suggesting he was lying...

[wilts rover]

Kremlin now considering imposing martial law on its own citizens.

Putin isn't afraid of the west. Was he is afraid of is his own people turning against him.

[drfchound]

Anyone know exactly how many of the London-based kleptocrats our Govt has taken action against so far?

How about...let's see...zero?

Who'da thought it? What with all these...words coming out of Govt mouths about how we are planning resolute action to hit them, yadda, yadda, yadda...

I suppose that there has to be a cast iron legal right to seize property etc.
If they tried it and were found to be doing so illegally then it would be worse than doing nothing.

So why did Johnson say at PMQ's yesterday then that we were leading the world on imposing sanctions on oligarchs? Are you suggesting he was lying...

Wilts, I don’t watch PMQs, so i had no idea what was said, therefore I’m not saying that he was lying ….  Or anything else either.
He could still be right i suppose, not all sanctions are going to be put in place at once are they?
My post was simply something that I thought of.

[KeithMyath]

Anyone know exactly how many of the London-based kleptocrats our Govt has taken action against so far?

How about...let's see...zero?

Who'da thought it? What with all these...words coming out of Govt mouths about how we are planning resolute action to hit them, yadda, yadda, yadda...

I suppose that there has to be a cast iron legal right to seize property etc.
If they tried it and were found to be doing so illegally then it would be worse than doing nothing.

So why did Johnson say at PMQ's yesterday then that we were leading the world on imposing sanctions on oligarchs? Are you suggesting he was lying...

"Leading" in that they (The Uk Gov.) started the powder puff sanctions from a european point of view. Purely because we are no longer in the EU and didn't need to ask all member states to approve. Ultimately the sanctions that then came from Europe were and are far more hard hitting. Where as ours are laughable. However in BoJos point is in some ways true that they lead the first sanctions in Europe even if those sanctions were limited at best. He is a snake, Slippery and without shame.

[KeithMyath]

Listening to Dr Anna Bradshaw on the Law society EU committee. She says that any talk of lawyers being at fault for sanctions being brought have zero basis. There is no legal precedence for a nation not to approve sanctions, especially one of its own soverign nation (Unlike the EU that needs all states to agree). So we have a possible benefit of Brexit (Finally), but we are not using it because the Tory party is a wash with Dirty Russian money. There is no other reason. Im now so ashamed of this Government, I no longer consider them to be fit for any purpose.

[Ldr]

No politician is fit for any purpose

[BillyStubbsTears]

There was solicitor on R4 this morning. He has a number of kleptocrats on his list of clients. He said he's amazed that no action has been taken to freeze their assets, and that he's advising them how to get assets out of the country or otherwise protected.