Ukraine

[BillyStubbsTears]

Congratulations to Putin for winning a 5th term in power.

He is such a popular man with the populace of Russia.
Not many great political leaders can achieve that.

Ironic that in the Ukraine "democracy" Zelensky has been continually "postponing" elections.

Ironic that you blame ot all on the west,NATO,etc
Why not throw it all in and blame it on Corbyn and Dianne Abbot?

How many elections did we have between 1939 and 1945? With not so much as a single enemy boot on our territory.

[TonySoprano]

SS

The trick is to put Putin in a box by making sure any other country he wants to think about invading has NATO behind it, so he has absolutely nothing to gain by invading. That requires us and other European countries to be prepared to put serious money into re-arming, and quickly.

Sounds very blood thirsty.

The best solution would be to have a sit down with him, give him donbass and crimea. End the blood shed fast initially.

Then have constant and regular dialogue with him. Eventually bringing him into the fold.

Poking the bear has gotten us nowhere.

Yeah cos that worked really well with the Sudetenland didn't it?

Do you know anything at all about history?

Probably more than you. This situation is nothing like nazi Germany, at all.

What's the definition of insanity? Einstein said it was doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome.

Poking the Russian bear clearly isn't working, unless of course you WANT a war, and WANT to continue feeding the military industrial complex, as many politicians do.

[Bristol Red Rover]

SS

The trick is to put Putin in a box by making sure any other country he wants to think about invading has NATO behind it, so he has absolutely nothing to gain by invading. That requires us and other European countries to be prepared to put serious money into re-arming, and quickly.

Sounds very blood thirsty.

The best solution would be to have a sit down with him, give him donbass and crimea. End the blood shed fast initially.

Then have constant and regular dialogue with him. Eventually bringing him into the fold.

Poking the bear has gotten us nowhere.

<pic of people holding placards>

Confused are you, NC? It's not the same situation. NATO has been expanding for one. Where is that parallel?

[Bristol Red Rover]

Congratulations to Putin for winning a 5th term in power.

He is such a popular man with the populace of Russia.
Not many great political leaders can achieve that.

Ironic that in the Ukraine &amp;quot;democracy&amp;quot; Zelensky has been continually &amp;quot;postponing&amp;quot; elections.

Ironic that you blame ot all on the west,NATO,etc
Why not throw it all in and blame it on Corbyn and Dianne Abbot?

How many elections did we have between 1939 and 1945? With not so much as a single enemy boot on our territory.

BST's WW2 movie seems to be on loop again.

[SydneyRover]

WW2 is not a bad comparison if you look at the bit where the US bailed us out with anything and everything.

[Bristol Red Rover]

WW2 is not a bad comparison if you look at the bit where the US bailed us out with anything and everything.

The US did have boots on the ground in WW2,  which they haven't officially here. Also Russia was taking most of the flak, where here it's Ukraine.

The similarities are wildly tenuous.

[scawsby steve]

WW2 is not a bad comparison if you look at the bit where the US bailed us out with anything and everything.

If Trump wins in November, and it is still possible, there'll be no bailing out by the US in Ukraine.

[SydneyRover]

An interesting article on strengthening bonds ...............

''Could Poland’s promotion to Europe’s top table be a turning point for Ukraine?''

''Poland’s longstanding struggle for a bigger say in European leadership may finally be gaining ground with the revival of the long dormant Weimar Triangle – a diplomatic compact bringing Warsaw together with Germany and France in a regular dialogue on EU affairs.

When the Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, joined the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and the French president, Emmanuel Macron, for a show of unity in Berlin last Friday, they breathed new political life into a format that has the unfulfilled potential to unite northern, southern and central Europe around a common agenda – especially in support of Ukraine'' ...................... cont

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/mar/20/poland-europe-top-table-ukraine-weimar-triangle-france-germany

[Sprotyrover]

An interesting article on strengthening bonds ...............

''Could Poland’s promotion to Europe’s top table be a turning point for Ukraine?''

''Poland’s longstanding struggle for a bigger say in European leadership may finally be gaining ground with the revival of the long dormant Weimar Triangle – a diplomatic compact bringing Warsaw together with Germany and France in a regular dialogue on EU affairs.

When the Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, joined the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and the French president, Emmanuel Macron, for a show of unity in Berlin last Friday, they breathed new political life into a format that has the unfulfilled potential to unite northern, southern and central Europe around a common agenda – especially in support of Ukraine'' ...................... cont

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/mar/20/poland-europe-top-table-ukraine-weimar-triangle-france-germany

https://uk.images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=AwrFE4rI4vpld48R8gzw3olQ;_ylu=c2VjA3NyBHNsawNpbWcEb2lkA2NiNzY5YWQyMmM2Nzk1YWVmNDU2NzE1ZjdkNWE3N2MzBGdwb3MDNDAEaXQDYmluZw--?back=https%3A%2F%2Fuk.images.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3DPoland%2B1939%26fr%3Diphone%26fr2%3Dpiv-web%26_tsrc%3Dapple%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D40&w=1142&h=1200&imgurl=pbs.twimg.com%2Fmedia%2FDnCnLpYWwAE_wIw.jpg&rurl=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FJakubKumoch%2Fstatus%2F1040516680441647105&size=410.5KB&p=Poland+1939&oid=cb769ad22c6795aef456715f7d5a77c3&fr2=piv-web&fr=iphone&tt=Jakub+Kumoch+on+Twitter%3A+%26quot%3BSoviet&b=0&ni=21&no=40&ts=&tab=organic&sigr=P1.4gMj8zMYH&sigb=o3DGXEmDwZRA&sigi=Lg96xIUeftNE&sigt=wxXaycqyCL5l&.crumb=gaA/4rqplKU&fr=iphone&fr2=piv-web

[Bristol Red Rover]

Significant French troops reported in Odessa. Seem to have been there a while but recently increased. Some of them having been targeted by recent Russian strikes. Unclear what they are being used for - possibly the upcoming Ukraine attempt to move into south Kherson/Crimea?

[Sprotyrover]

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2024/03/19/russian-spy-chief-claims-france-planning-to-send-2k-soldiers-to-ukraine-a84537
Just noticed this re BRR’s on French Troops, 2,000 would ne a reinforced Battle Group!
Ukraine lost more territory yesterday , I wonder if this indicates that there is an impending Collapse, of Ukrainian resistance in the South and the French
Have been deployed to protect Odessa from falling to the Russians in the very near future?

[normal rules]

The French troops will be in Moldova. Whose border is very very close to Odessa. Moldova have this month signed some form of defence treaty with France.
I’d be surprised if French troops step foot in Odessa. That would be stepping over a big red line.

[BillyStubbsTears]

The French troops will be in Moldova. Whose border is very very close to Odessa. Moldova have this month signed some form of defence treaty with France.
I’d be surprised if French troops step foot in Odessa. That would be stepping over a big red line.

But Russian troops setting foot in Mariupol, Kherson and other places isn't?

[Sprotyrover]

The French troops will be in Moldova. Whose border is very very close to Odessa. Moldova have this month signed some form of defence treaty with France.
I’d be surprised if French troops step foot in Odessa. That would be stepping over a big red line.

But Russian troops setting foot in Mariupol, Kherson and other places isn't?

They stepped over that when they attacked Hostomel Airport on Day 1

[Sprotyrover]

News today showing Ukraine is busy digging a new defensive line from the Polish border to the Black Sea, what does that tell you?

[ravenrover]

They've imported some Irish navvies?

[Bristol Red Rover]

The French troops will be in Moldova. Whose border is very very close to Odessa. Moldova have this month signed some form of defence treaty with France.
I’d be surprised if French troops step foot in Odessa. That would be stepping over a big red line.

Interesting to see what happens with Transnistria now. A potential extra flash point for escalation.

There have been French troops in Ukraine already mostly acting as "advisors" and operating systems. Upcoming elections and Macrons dire ratings will be partly behind this - pulling on the nationalist heart strings. I wonder if Sunak thinks it's worth a shot?

[silent majority]

What nonsense!

[Sprotyrover]

Did anyone one watch the BBC 2 Documentary last night 25/03/2024 9pm!
From what I saw , the Ukrainian army is f*cked, it follows a company defending a Railway line through a Forest which the Russians are desperate to capture.
This unit was deployed for a period of time 7 weeks, in which they lost 10 dead and 66 seriously wounded from a total of 99.
They are basically staffing 2 forward OP’s with 10 men in the OP’s at a time to get to the OP’s they have to run the gauntlet on a route several hundred yards long to get to the Bunkers and shelter, The Russians constantly send troops to try and take the OP’S you get the impression that it’s is in front of a very fluid front line, the troops constantly moaning about no replacements.
I’m surprised that the Ukrainian Government allowed them to film.
It just shows how dire things are!
Not for the faint hearted as you see troops getting killed and wounded.
Reminds me of the German bunker in Cross of Iron but far worse!
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2024/mar/25/ukraine-enemy-in-the-woods-review-bbc

[tommy toes]

Yes I did.
The real life horrors of war.
It was a hard watch.

[Filo]

I watched it, and got the impression far more Russians were killed than Ukrainian, but it makes you think how lucky we are to live in the UK and on an island with Nukes as a deterrent

[Sprotyrover]

I watched it, and got the impression far more Russians were killed than Ukrainian, but it makes you think how lucky we are to live in the UK and on an island with Nukes as a deterrent

75% Casualties in 7 weeks isn’t good going, they are losing an entire generation, plus the ones left will have PTSD. No ammo, didn’t see any medium machine guns, and they making bombs by dismantling Artillery shells. Plus 100 Artillery shells is one days ammo for one artillery Gun!

[Bristol Red Rover]

Mobilisation in Ukraine is being changed in the coming days. Was going to be dropped from 27 years to 25 but reports of that being dropped to 18 - which makes sense from the perspective of needing troops to try to stem the retreats, as well as the US "encouraging" it.

Along with this, demobilisation happening for people who have served for a long period with a mobilisatoin exemption for 12 months.

[ncRover]

Belarusian President Lukashenko has been discussing a possible attack on the Suwałki Gap.

"They shouldn’t be behaving like this. But now you will have to confront the Baltic republics... And you will take part of Poland," Lukashenko says upon learning the width of the Gap (42 km as the crow flies).

Lukashenko then asks the military commander whether he can hold the territory with "his troops". Naumenko assures him that "all actions have been planned, issues of combat readiness are being worked out, and personnel are being trained".

The Suwałki Gap – a land corridor between Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad – is considered a very likely place of attack in the event of a potential Russian war against NATO’s eastern members.

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/03/26/7448273/index.amp

[Bristol Red Rover]

Belarusian President Lukashenko has been discussing a possible attack on the Suwałki Gap.

&quot;They shouldn’t be behaving like this. But now you will have to confront the Baltic republics... And you will take part of Poland,&quot; Lukashenko says upon learning the width of the Gap (42 km as the crow flies).

Lukashenko then asks the military commander whether he can hold the territory with &quot;his troops&quot;. Naumenko assures him that &quot;all actions have been planned, issues of combat readiness are being worked out, and personnel are being trained&quot;.

The Suwałki Gap – a land corridor between Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad – is considered a very likely place of attack in the event of a potential Russian war against NATO’s eastern members.

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/03/26/7448273/index.amp

Got any other links that aren't Ukraine?

[TonySoprano]

Does anyone think ukraine can win this war ? What would winning look like, and how would they do it?

[Iberian Red]

Belarusian President Lukashenko has been discussing a possible attack on the Suwałki Gap.

&quot;They shouldn’t be behaving like this. But now you will have to confront the Baltic republics... And you will take part of Poland,&quot; Lukashenko says upon learning the width of the Gap (42 km as the crow flies).

Lukashenko then asks the military commander whether he can hold the territory with &quot;his troops&quot;. Naumenko assures him that &quot;all actions have been planned, issues of combat readiness are being worked out, and personnel are being trained&quot;.

The Suwałki Gap – a land corridor between Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad – is considered a very likely place of attack in the event of a potential Russian war against NATO’s eastern members.

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/03/26/7448273/index.amp

Got any other links that aren't Ukraine?

It's not really a case of winning is it,more a case of defending it's territory from a racist dictator and his little military operation.

[TonySoprano]

Can they push russia out of their territory?

[Bristol Red Rover]

Without a significant change in aid,  eg more munitions than the west can produce,  more hardware, better hardware, and more bodies, then there is only one way this war is going. The longer a peace deal is delayed, the more territory Ukraine will cede, and the worst the terms will be for them.

Quite likely that in a month or two Russia will be increasing its manpower on the front line, will be taking one or all of Zaporozhia, Kharkiv, Odessa and Kyiv.

Id be interested to hear what scenarios others can see and how they will be funded.

[Iberian Red]

You're not toeing the official line here BRR,it's not a war ìts a special military operation against Nazis