kyle04

Russia may well end up occupying the major cities, as his army continues to be picked off, I wonder how long it will be before we see Nazi style executions, or more likely arrests and disappearances in occupied areas. Putin now seems to want to stretch his resources even further with attacks on the western part of Ukraine, but the snow will thaw soon and give rise to "Martial Mud" which will mean more convoys stuck and open to attack. Claims from either side will vary, but I think it's generally accepted that at present Russia has lost well over 1200 pieces of equipment and over 10000 men, in a little over 2 weeks. HIs army are exhausted and demoralized, generals are at the frontline, (3 of which have been killed), unheard of in modern warfare. Kyiv may well become the Ukrainians Stalingrad before it falls. Whatever the outcome Putin will claim victory and objectives achieved, even as his own country decays around him.

You'e only got to look at the countrys that are supporting Russia at the moment, China (passively so far), Iran, Belurus, Venezuela, Brazil,Syria, India sort of, and probably North Korea. Not only that, after just over 2 weeks Russia are asking for military assistance from their "allies", this is a country that has reportedly 900,000 active soldiers, 12,000 tanks and God knows what else in it's arsenal (yes we know about the 6000 nukes). Putins cunning plan has gone tits up, I think he's in real trouble.

Never?

True , but Ukraine has MiG's anyway . They haven't attacked Russia with them and very likely never will do. It's a red herring really. Russia could only legitimately attack Poland if air strikes were launched from there with Polish badged aircraft, if the planes attack Russian convoys from Ukraine with their pilots that's fair enough I think. Considering how badly Putins forces are performing at the moment I think a war with NATO is the last think he would want.

"... and speaking to the BBC there was the foreign secretary Mr Whelk"

I think you're probably right, there are far more intelligent and experienced people judging these things than us (no offense!). I would add that the lines are blurred though, after all NATO countries have been supplying "lethal" aid to Ukraine, that have killed thousands of Russians, and will continue to do so. Even if you say each European country is making an independent contribution, not under the NATO flag so to speak, that could have applied to Poland "donating" its MiGs to Ukraine as a supportive gesture. The stumbling block was the US "backfill" of F16's , which could have been kept quiet for a while surely.

What, we'll have to pay more for our sweatshop Nike shirts, why weren't we warned ?

If your country's been invaded and systematically destroyed, I would rate any weapon as "defensive". Not having a pop at you, quoting the official NATO rationale, but an aircraft missile and a Javelin hitting an advancing Russian tank amount to pretty much the same thing. Putins crossed many lines already, indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas, thermobaric and cluster bombs, breaking ceasefires and shelling fleeing civilians, and next on the menu might be sarin laced bombs.

Agree, it seems Putin is a little agitated lately! In WW2 when 3 million Germans were amassed at the Russian border, Stalin refused to believe that they would attack. General Zhukov was sidelined as he (alone) insisted that invasion was imminent , only to be reinstated later as the catastrophe unfolded. Long may the yes men in the Kremlin prevail, feeding Putins ego as his army is slowly demolished (we hope).

There were claims by Ukraine that the Chechen Zalenski assassination team were hung out to dry by the FSB, it seemed a little nonsensical at the time unless there are factions in the FSB that want Putin to fail. I don't know about Hitler, but the shadow of Stalin is hanging over Putin right now, who he probably worships. Disappointed that the US bottled out of the Polish MiG deal, the difference between a few aircraft and 1000's of anti-tank/aircraft weapons and drones already being supplied is semantics really, particularly as the US has just passed a $13 billion "aid" package for Ukraine.

this may indicate they are in some trouble, and this dosen't take into account the latest sanctions, although the figures do seem to suggest some creative accounting : https://companycheck.co.uk/company/01965149/CHELSEA-FOOTBALL-CLUB-LIMITED/financials I know many would like them to fall, but as usual it's the "little people" who get fucked over, the non-playing staff, small businesses supplying the club and their employees etc, I speak form experience the taxman will be first in the queue, then the liquidators, then the 0.005p to the £1 to the rest, if anything.

Yeah, they're murdering thousands of their own people too.

TBF it's something Trump would probably have dreamt up, Russia seems to be going down the bio/chemical weapon path now, probably because it's armour is getting pasted on a daily basis. Putin's getting a little desperate it seems. Also china is presenting the conflict to its people in a distinctly pro-Russian bias, one abhorent regime quietly backing another, for now.

I'd like to slap his head Benny Hill style just before I pulled the trigger, as only Whelk could put it, "baldy bastard!"

The response from Poland is the polar opposite of the barbarity of Russia. To cope with over a million desperate people flooding in in a matter of days in the organized and humane way they have should be an example to the world. Ordinary Poles are sharing their homes with refugees without hesitation or complaint.

e Indeed, a cynical person may conclude that Russia has a lot of (undisclosed) influence over our government. Our response so far has been , reluctant, shall way say. The Oligarch sanctions will stall just long enough for them to get their money out of the country, the refugee visa system we have in place is just plain inhumane, just let them in and sort out the paperwork later FFS.

Trouble is, there may not be much left of Ukraine if this drags on beyond the summer, it's cities and ports may be largely destroyed and occupied, and even if that happens there could be years of "insurgent" attacks against the occupying Russians from small remaining enclaves or areas of countryside. It's remaining non-combative population will flee (if they can) leaving a ruined shell of a country. I did notice in Bojo's address to the commons yesterday he reinforced the fact that the UK IS supplying humanitarian aid, sanctions, safe haven etc but did not mention military support, which we have supplied albeit in a small way. Have we run out of stuff to give them already or has his arsehole started to twitch at the thought of upsetting the nasty Putin even more?

Regarding the Russian casualties, the numbers will always be disputed and probably never accurately known. The evidence available is mainly subjective. The oryxspioenkop.com documentation of equipment losses seems quite reliable, given there's photographic back up of every entry, and the actual numbers are more than likely a lot higher. How this translates into human deaths is impossible to calculate. Firstly the Russian army is spread over a vast area, their divisions individually may not be being decimated so to the casualties may seem not too bad to the soldier on the ground, but collectively it's a different story. The Russian public of course will be kept in the dark or lied to and may only learn the full extent of their losses years later, if at all. The Russians aren't "stomaching" large losses of they don't know about them. The point of the UK army's relative ineffectiveness against the Russians is irrelevent really, as it wouldn't just be us potentially fighting them, but I agree that our military has been cut back to the point where it's become little more than a supporting role to the US. Do we now massively increase our defense budget?

There was talk of Putin wanting to overthrow Zalensky and replace him with his puppet, effectively taking over the whole country and re-establishing rule form Moscow. Now he's asking for the Crimea (which he has already) and the Donbas, which he effectively has a semblence of control of. Has he backed down a little realizing the current campaign is unsustainable or was he bluffing in the first place, who knows. The invasion has been a shambles from Russia's point of view, the fact they're apparently vaporizing bodies to hide the losses is the latest sick action from a truely sinister regime, their soldiers have families who will just be told KIA, no body.

I wonder what his codename was/is, any suggestions?

Ah good, the US were stalling on their part of the deal, "backfilling" they called it, no new F16's rolling off the production line or something, too lazy to look it up right now. So Ukraine get some combat aircraft their pilots are familiar with and Poland get an upgraded air force. It's not a vast number, 30 or so but Zalensky must be happier right now.

You really are a simpleton aren't you,a humorless disguntled little man unable to distinguish between serious comment and parody. Best leave this topic before you embarrass yourself further, just leave it to the grown ups.

Wars have started over less, better send Ireland some nukes just in case.

Dosen't that constitute an invasion, the embassy would be "Russian soil" ?

You got me there, my poster of old "bollock face" has pride of place in my Nazi memorabilia room. Which part of my post angered you, no, let me guess, the Corbyn bit ?