Ukraine

[silent majority]

Interesting developments with Belarus being primed to take part in the final stages of mopping up Ukraine - probably will gain some territory along its southern border.

Romania and Hungary have re-stated claims to the areas in the east of Ukraine that they historically owned - if Ukraine should fail. That supercedes any influence NATO/EU may try to exert. Poland to follow?

Meanwhile Russia very slowly advances all over the frontline,  and is likely very soon to be creating a "buffer zone" in the area north of Kharkiv to protect the Belgorod region in Russia. Also likely this will simply be the beginning of another front as the war continues. .

What planet are you on?

I feel sorry for you, how can you go through life believing everybody's bullshit.

[Bristol Red Rover]

SM,  I think that comment is more for the "I'm right, your wrong and I said so" thread.

[Herbert Anchovy]

I read recently that Russia now commits an incredible 40% of its GDP to it's military and armed forces. By comparison we commit around 2.5% (and that's one of the largest commitments in Europe).

This is absolutely extraordinary and should terrify politicians across Europe....even more so if Trump wins again and begins to withdraw support to NATO.

[normal rules]

I read recently that Russia now commits an incredible 40% of its GDP to it's military and armed forces. By comparison we commit around 2.5% (and that's one of the largest commitments in Europe).

This is absolutely extraordinary and should terrify politicians across Europe....even more so if Trump wins again and begins to withdraw support to NATO.

That’s probably to cover losses of equipment and supply of munitions.

[tommy toes]

Interesting developments with Belarus being primed to take part in the final stages of mopping up Ukraine - probably will gain some territory along its southern border.

Romania and Hungary have re-stated claims to the areas in the east of Ukraine that they historically owned - if Ukraine should fail. That supercedes any influence NATO/EU may try to exert. Poland to follow?

Meanwhile Russia very slowly advances all over the frontline,  and is likely very soon to be creating a "buffer zone" in the area north of Kharkiv to protect the Belgorod region in Russia. Also likely this will simply be the beginning of another front as the war continues. .

We used to rule over large areas of France, so by your logic should we go in and try to reclaim Calais, Burgandy and Aquitaine?

[Bristol Red Rover]

That was more one section of the French ruling over England.

[SydneyRover]

Good to see the EU united in it's support of Ukraine, all 27 countries.

[Bristol Red Rover]

Following it's peace initiatives in Gaza, Yemen, the UK is planning g to bring peace to Ukraine should the situation get worse, "catastrophic", ie Russia continues to occupy Ukraine. Interesting angle as there is nothing whatsoever suggesting Russia will do anything else but take more territory there and wear down the AFU.

https://news.yahoo.com/uk-weighing-contingency-deploy-forces-224700651.html

[Sprotyrover]

Been on the news this morning that the Ukrainian Army is struggling, they are stuck with the same troops who started the Campaign and can’t get any new recruits, so the entire Army has has 2 years of total war with no respite, the Government seems to be realising that you can’t keep troops in the Trenches without rotating or completely replacing them.
A mate of mine who lives in Croatia states the place is awash with affluent Ukrainian and Russian Draft dodgers! The Ukrainian army is having to bring in new laws to enforce Concription.dont’ expect a Ukrainian offensive any date soon!

[Bristol Red Rover]

Until recently Ukraine has been rotating troops. Their main probem is that they have lost so many and despite plans to mobilise further, this isn't happening. That's partly due to lack of funds, partly due to people not wanting to fight, and then the planned laws aagainst draft dodging not being popular.

There was a sharp upturn in mobilisation last year, so there are a great number of their troops not having operated from the begiinning - approx half?

Over recent months there have been "recruiting" squads in operation on the streets, nightclubs, stopping cars. Many vids and reports of this. The upshot from this are that new recruits are not easily forthcoming. The age has been dropped to include 25 years and up, and up to 60, for both men and women. Women are used on the front line.

Without a signficant boost in troops, and ammo, Ukraine doesn't have a chance - as the current front line movements show.

It seems the UK is proposing getting troops into Ukraine. The most likely scenario could be replacing Ukraine police that are getting recruited, however there is resistance amongst police being recruited. Despite what most think on here from the hoorah press, Ukraines know the results of being sent to the front line, especially if they are the meatgrinder food territorials rather than with the more pro brigades.

[Bristol Red Rover]

In the TC interview, Putin strongly suggests the Russian aim is for all land on the left bank of the Dnieper River. The expressed aim of de-Nazification of Ukraine may mean taking more than this initially,  we'll see.

I'm not sure how this on its own would sufficiently subdue Ukraine's military and stop NATO membership - other expressed aims of Russia.

Up next, a two hour minute interview with Biden.

[selby]

  What is this constant Nazi thing and commies get good press, they are both sides as bad as each other, for example North Korea as well as Putin's Russia.
  What do some of you think to their two leaders? better, worse or the same as old Adolf? but never described as Nazi.

[Bristol Red Rover]

For one,  many Ukraine's fought for the Nazis. Some of those are nationally celebrated - note the one cheered by Zelensky in Canada if you don't want to look back at much history. Some of Ukraine's folk heroes, had statues built, celebrated in marches etc were Nazi, out and out, killed other Ukraine's, and especially Jews - they lived that. And they are celebrated in Ukraine culture. And then there's the military wing of this, the Azovs and others, sporting proudly their swastikas - clue,  they're not Hindus. The Azovs celebrated by the Ukraine gov, and western media. And then the Azovs butchered Russian speaking civilians.

Russia would like that section of Ukraine society put in the history section. Fair enough I think.

[selby]

  So you have a war, by the way Stalin might have done quite a bit of helping the Ukrainians turn to Germany by starving millions of Ukrainians earlier in the 1920s/30s after the revolution.
  Must have been his way of gaining popularity in the Ukrainian population. and I suppose you beat yourself up over Cromwell and the potato famine in Ireland being self conscious.

[Bristol Red Rover]

"leaders" eh? Who'd have 'em?

But good you now understand the Nazi angle.

[ncRover]

In the TC interview, Putin strongly suggests the Russian aim is for all land on the left bank of the Dnieper River. The expressed aim of de-Nazification of Ukraine may mean taking more than this initially,  we'll see.

I'm not sure how this on its own would sufficiently subdue Ukraine's military and stop NATO membership - other expressed aims of Russia.

Up next, a two hour minute interview with Biden.

Where did the interview prove that Putin invaded Ukraine due to NATO expansionism?

That’s what the American hard-right likes to think.

[Bristol Red Rover]

Watch the interview.

Your rhetorical hard right reference - what is that based on? Which hard right? Who? Are you generalising? Is anyone else making the point about NATO expansionist? Are you aware of any documented iplan for Ukraine to be invited to NATO?

With that statement, you are intending to make what point exactly?

[silent majority]

Blah blah.

This is the current border situation, including the new bits now that Finland has joined Nato. An expansion caused by Putin himself. What a genius the man is!

[silent majority]

NATO promised Russia it would not expand after the Cold War
FACT

Such an agreement was never made. NATO’s door has been open to new members since it was founded in 1949. This has never changed. No treaty signed by NATO Allies and Russia included provisions on NATO membership. Decisions on NATO membership are taken by consensus among all Allies. Russia does not have a veto.

The idea of NATO enlargement beyond a united Germany was not on the agenda in 1989, particularly as the Warsaw Pact still existed until 1991. Mikhail Gorbachev said in an interview in 2014: "The topic of 'NATO expansion' was not discussed at all, and it wasn't brought up in those years. I say this with full responsibility. Not a single Eastern European country raised the issue, not even after the Warsaw Pact ceased to exist in 1991. Western leaders didn't bring it up either."

Individual Allies cannot make agreements on NATO’s behalf. President Clinton consistently refused Boris Yeltsin's offer to commit that no former Soviet Republics would join NATO: "I can't make commitments on behalf of NATO, and I'm not going to be in the position myself of vetoing NATO expansion with respect to any country, much less letting you or anyone else do so… NATO operates by consensus," he said.

The wording “NATO expansion” is already part of the myth. NATO did not hunt for new members or want to “expand eastward.” NATO respects every nation’s right to choose its own path. NATO membership is a decision for NATO Allies and those countries who wish to join alone.

[Bristol Red Rover]

Yet even the biggest fool knows Russia would not be happy, at all,  with Ukraine being courted by NATO. And you talk of free choices, the US  interfered,  manipulated, as of course it would. It knew Russia would react. It built up Ukraine military over many years. It thought its proxy war would cripple Russia. It hasn't. It has crippled Ukraine. There's taking the apple off the tree handed to you by the US. No surprise really,  except to anyone deluded.

Russia is likely to end up with all on the left bank of the Dnieper. If Ukraine is allowed peace talks without the interference of the US, eg Johnson playing lackey in scuppering previous advanced peace treaties, then it may retain Kyiv, Odessa and most of its west regions. The alternative is a costly fail. Maybe you see a different result? Please suggest how that can be.

[Ldr]

Yet even the biggest fool knows Russia would not be happy, at all,  with Ukraine being courted by NATO. And you talk of free choices, the US  interfered,  manipulated, as of course it would. It knew Russia would react. It built up Ukraine military over many years. It thought its proxy war would cripple Russia. It hasn't. It has crippled Ukraine. There's taking the apple off the tree handed to you by the US. No surprise really,  except to anyone deluded.

Russia is likely to end up with all on the left bank of the Dnieper. If Ukraine is allowed peace talks without the interference of the US, eg Johnson playing lackey in scuppering previous advanced peace treaties, then it may retain Kyiv, Odessa and most of its west regions. The alternative is a costly fail. Maybe you see a different result? Please suggest how that can be.

Have you seriously just referred to yourself as “the biggest fool”?

[ncRover]

Watch the interview.

Your rhetorical hard right reference - what is that based on? Which hard right? Who? Are you generalising? Is anyone else making the point about NATO expansionist? Are you aware of any documented iplan for Ukraine to be invited to NATO?

With that statement, you are intending to make what point exactly?

The most likely political group to not want to send aid to Ukraine are the MAGA America First republicans.

And the likes of Tucker Carlson, if you could describe him politically? Why do you think Putin accepted him for an interview?

https://x.com/rpsagainsttrump/status/1757856690244862375?s=46

That or the irrelevant conspiracy addled RFK jr followers.

The majority of the interview I understand was justifying the war from an historical and geographical angle. Unless you can timestamp me the part where he blames NATO expansionism. Because I’m not sitting through 90 mins of an imperialist dictator explain why he invaded a sovereign state.

[ravenrover]

Mostly made up history

[Bristol Red Rover]

Mostly made up history

"Mostly" is an exaggeration. But for sure some finer points were portrayed to suit his narrative.

[Bristol Red Rover]

NC, every "group"  has its agenda. MAGA has its, and they might be right in that persuing the same old style of US imperialism doesn't work these days. Just because someone doesn't buy into US imperialism doesn't make them MAGA fans. I'm sure you don't fall into both or neither of those regions of that Venn diagram?

Putin knew Tucker was easy meat and big publicity. A good journalist would ask more, be more incisive. Most would stay stuck on a western/US propaganda narrative, not acknowledge points that were kicked back or fully answered,  preferring to be on the attack. Such journalists/interviewers are 10 a penny and just there to back their narrative.

Conspiracy - have you not advocated the fear of Russian expansionism? Have you not advocated Israeli justification for murdering tens of thousands of civilians? You choose your conspiracy, mainstream or fringe.

More than he has blamed NATO for the expansion eastwards, its a no brainer issue when it gets to Ukraine. There wasn't a signed doc/treaty, but it does seem there was a verbal agreement. Counts for nothing... except when it's violated, as it has been. Pretty intentional on behalf of the US don't you think?

[ncRover]

NC, every "group"  has its agenda. MAGA has its, and they might be right in that persuing the same old style of US imperialism doesn't work these days. Just because someone doesn't buy into US imperialism doesn't make them MAGA fans. I'm sure you don't fall into both or neither of those regions of that Venn diagram?

Putin knew Tucker was easy meat and big publicity. A good journalist would ask more, be more incisive. Most would stay stuck on a western/US propaganda narrative, not acknowledge points that were kicked back or fully answered,  preferring to be on the attack. Such journalists/interviewers are 10 a penny and just there to back their narrative.

Conspiracy - have you not advocated the fear of Russian expansionism? Have you not advocated Israeli justification for murdering tens of thousands of civilians? You choose your conspiracy, mainstream or fringe.

More than he has blamed NATO for the expansion eastwards, its a no brainer issue when it gets to Ukraine. There wasn't a signed doc/treaty, but it does seem there was a verbal agreement. Counts for nothing... except when it's violated, as it has been. Pretty intentional on behalf of the US don't you think?

Are you saying the fear of Russian expansionism is a mainstream conspiracy theory?

And what has US imperialism got to do with defending Ukraine?

No eastern bloc country is forced to join NATO. Why do you think they choose to? Are you thinking along the lines of NATO will invade Russia? I’m struggling here.

Israel / Palestine and Ukraine / Russia are completely different by the way. You’re intelligent enough to know that I thought.

[Filo]

Navalny dies in prison, polonium milkshake anyone?

[Bristol Red Rover]

 NC, US imperialism is why Ukraine became an issue. Either the US would take Ukraine, or Russia would react and become significantly weaker. Neither happened, but still for ordinary people the cost is immense. The elites play their games.

[Bristol Red Rover]

Are you saying the fear of Russian expansionism is a mainstream conspiracy theory?.....

Give me the evidence that it is fact.

[BessieBlue]

Forget all that guff you keep peddling BRR - don't you need to start explaining to everyone why Putin's political opponents keep getting chopped?