Russia

[badgerx16]

3 hours ago, Trout-Tickler said:

Wonder how many volunteers he'll get after his call for foreign fighters. Wouldn't be surprised if there's a number from the Baltic countries, Poland, and any of the other countries formerly in the USSR.

Putin has his own foreign nutcases joining in - the Chechens have rolled up for a ruck, fighting alongside the Russians in Donbas.

Edited 26 February, 2022 by badgerx16

[whelk]

56 minutes ago, ChrisPY said:

Is it not too simplistic to separate Diane Abbot and a Labour Government when you would have supported a Labour Government at a time that would have included Diane Abbot?

As someone who has views slightly left of centre, I voted Conservative at the last election due to a ‘better of two evils’ approach that I think a majority (whence the result) followed.

Listen to Starmer if you want to know where Labour stand. 

[whelk]

Wonder if Infantino has the balls to stand up to his mate Putin and kick Russia out of World Cup. Both Poland and Sweden refusing to play them so if they don’t Russia automatically qualify. 

[whelk]

3 hours ago, sadoldgit said:

You seem to have morphed from Delldays/Batman into a Putin Cyber Bot spreading anti EU/NATO propaganda. Perhaps you have been a Russian Plant all along?

He seems a little unhinged. Seems to be forever trawling Twitter to find something that excites him. One of these cunts that rather find fault with Biden than Putin.  

[Lighthouse]

6 minutes ago, whelk said:

Wonder if Infantino has the balls to stand up to his mate Putin and kick Russia out of World Cup. Both Poland and Sweden refusing to play them so if they don’t Russia automatically qualify. 

If everyone stands firm and does that, they'll basically win the World Cup by default, without kicking a ball. FIFA wont stand for that kind of embarrassment, they'll probably kick them out to protect their own image.

[badgerx16]

2 hours ago, buctootim said:

They arent former Russian states, at least not in the past 100 years . Too much trading propaganda and not enough history  

Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania were historically parts of Tsarist Russia that declared independence and fought wars of liberation at the end of WW1, but were subsequently annexed by Stalin in 1940 on the pretext of Russia providing defensive assistance.

The Baltic states had been part of the Polish-Lithuanian Union in the late Middle Ages before falling under the influence of Sweden as it, temporarily, became the dominant military power in the region. As Swedish power receeded the rise of Russia led to a change of focus towards Moscow and ultimately absorbtion into that empire, along with Finland.

So in the last 250 years they have been 'independant' for a total of about 50, for the rest they have been efectively "Russian".

( More history, less propaganda 🙂 )

Edited 26 February, 2022 by badgerx16

[buctootim]

56 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania were historically parts of Tsarist Russia that declared independence and fought wars of liberation at the end of WW1, but were subsequently annexed by Stalin in 1940 on the pretext of Russia providing defensive assistance.

The Baltic states had been part of the Polish-Lithuanian Union in the late Middle Ages before falling under the influence of Sweden as it, temporarily, became the dominant military power in the region. As Swedish power receeded the rise of Russia led to a change of focus towards Moscow and ultimately absorbtion into that empire, along with Finland.

So in the last 250 years they have been 'independant' for a total of about 50, for the rest they have been efectively "Russian".

( More history, less propaganda 🙂 )

Another one who doesn’t know the difference between the Soviet Union and Russia 

[badgerx16]

5 minutes ago, buctootim said:

Another one who doesn’t know the difference between the Soviet Union and Russia 

Stop being so bloody pedantic, you are getting close to MLG status. The point is about the independant status of the 3 Baltic states, and as a further point -the Soviet Union was just another incarnation of a Russian empire, same borders, change of leadership. If you think different, do tell us what the difference was.

Edited 26 February, 2022 by badgerx16

[sadoldgit]

3 hours ago, ChrisPY said:

Is it not too simplistic to separate Diane Abbot and a Labour Government when you would have supported a Labour Government at a time that would have included Diane Abbot?

As someone who has views slightly left of centre, I voted Conservative at the last election due to a ‘better of two evils’ approach that I think a majority (whence the result) followed.

She is one person. She is not and was not the Labour Government. As has been said, listen to Starmer if you want to know where Labour stand.

[Turkish]

14 minutes ago, sadoldgit said:

She is one person. She is not and was not the Labour Government. As has been said, listen to Starmer if you want to know where Labour stand.

If a Tory had said that you’d be all over it slamming the government 

[Tamesaint]

7 hours ago, Lighthouse said:

Ukraine are probably a good bet for Eurovision this year.

I now feel really guilty about how we tonked Ukraine in the Euros.

[Whitey Grandad]

11 minutes ago, Turkish said:

If a Tory had said that you’d be all over it slamming the government 

#whataboutery 

[Turkish]

12 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

#whataboutery 

It’s true though 

[badgerx16]

Abramovich handing over 'stewardship' of Chelsea to it's charitable foundation, probably to avoid sanctions.

[badgerx16]

Reports that Russian planners have not allowed for the level of resistance and they are now running low on fuel and food. There is a video of a car driver offering to tow a stalled Russian APC back to Russia ;

From the comments beneath the video...

"They ukranian from the car ask the if the have some issues.

Soldiers: out of fuel

Ukrainian: we can tow you buck to Russia

RU:haha

Ukrainian: where you going?

RU: we don't know

Ukrainian: you going to Kiev. For the moment all is in our side... Your people give up easy...you should to."

Edited 26 February, 2022 by badgerx16

[Weston Super Saint]

10 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

Abramovich handing over 'stewardship' of Chelsea to it's charitable foundation, probably to avoid sanctions.

Presumably he's wiping the slate clean of the £2bn debt the club owes him if he's handing it over to the charity...

[badgerx16]

More videos being put out, this time showing Russian soldiers captured by Ukraine. They say that they were told that this was a traing exercise, in co-operation with the Ukrainians.

[AlexLaw76]

1 minute ago, badgerx16 said:

More videos being put out, this time showing Russian soldiers captured by Ukraine. They say that they were told that this was a traing exercise, in co-operation with the Ukrainians.

The biggest takeaway from this, the information war is more critical then ever. 

[Weston Super Saint]

3 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

More videos being put out, this time showing Russian soldiers captured by Ukraine. They say that they were told that this was a traing exercise, in co-operation with the Ukrainians.

Worst cover story ever.

[badgerx16]

Germany raises it's ban on exporting weapons to conflict zones. Sending a shipment of anti-tank weapons for the Ukrainian forces.

[Whitey Grandad]

2 hours ago, badgerx16 said:

Stop being so bloody pedantic, you are getting close to MLG status. The point is about the independant status of the 3 Baltic states, and as a further point -the Soviet Union was just another incarnation of a Russian empire, same borders, change of leadership. If you think different, do tell us what the difference was.

Soviet Union or Warsaw Pact?

[Lighthouse]

If there’s one thing we’ll have learned the hard way from Iraq and Afghanistan, is how to run an effective insurgency and the kinds of attack an occupying force will dread facing.

[badgerx16]

5 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

Soviet Union or Warsaw Pact?

Soviet Union,  the 3 Baltic states were integral components parts ( SSRs ) of the SU, not allies of it.

Edited 26 February, 2022 by badgerx16

[Turkish]

34 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

Reports that Russian planners have not allowed for the level of resistance and they are now running low on fuel and food. There is a video of a car driver offering to tow a stalled Russian APC back to Russia ;

From the comments beneath the video...

"They ukranian from the car ask the if the have some issues.

Soldiers: out of fuel

Ukrainian: we can tow you buck to Russia

RU:haha

Ukrainian: where you going?

RU: we don't know

Ukrainian: you going to Kiev. For the moment all is in our side... Your people give up easy...you should to."

Does anyone really believe that a county would invade another country without enough fuel to reach its destination? 

[badgerx16]

7 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

If there’s one thing we’ll have learned the hard way from Iraq and Afghanistan, is how to run an effective insurgency and the kinds of attack an occupying force will dread facing.

That might play into Russian memories of Afghanistan.

[buctootim]

12 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

Germany raises it's ban on exporting weapons to conflict zones. Sending a shipment of anti-tank weapons for the Ukrainian forces.

200 rpg launchers  - a token shipment of an outdated weapon

[badgerx16]

3 minutes ago, buctootim said:

200 rpg launchers  - a token shipment of an outdated weapon

Stingers.

But the point is not WHAT they are sending, it is the fact that they are sending it.

Edited 26 February, 2022 by badgerx16

[buctootim]

2 hours ago, badgerx16 said:

Stop being so bloody pedantic, you are getting close to MLG status. The point is about the independant status of the 3 Baltic states, and as a further point -the Soviet Union was just another incarnation of a Russian empire, same borders, change of leadership. If you think different, do tell us what the difference was.

Wow. You're in Weston levels of ignorance. Russia was just one of 15 states in the Soviet Union. Just like Britain was one of 27 in the EU. If you don't know the difference then I suggest you read more instead of throwing a hissy fit at me.   

[badgerx16]

11 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Does anyone really believe that a county would invade another country without enough fuel to reach its destination? 

Logistics. It isn't necessarily that there isn't enough fuel, it is where it is in relation to the vehicles requiring it. Remember that they have been driving round playing war games for the last month, and the Russian army has a history of poor logistical planning. Also, fuel tankers are a priority target. I suspect that the Russian planners counted on capturing Ukrainian supplies, and potentially using civilian filling stations.

For every front line soldier there can be up to 6 logistics and support troops, who also need fuel and food.

Edited 26 February, 2022 by badgerx16

[Jimmy_D]

17 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Does anyone really believe that a county would invade another country without enough fuel to reach its destination? 

Russia were expecting to have control of airspace by now. Failing to secure that, so far, has cut off a huge proportion of the supplies they were expecting to be able to deliver to their forces.

On top of that they've faced more resistance and been bogged down in more fighting than they were expecting.

Russia still have superior forces, and are likely to be able to overwhelm Ukraine's defence eventually, but it seems to only be Putin that really wants this war. If Ukraine can keep holding out, they've got a chance of Putin being forced to give up one way or another.

[Lighthouse]

6 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Does anyone really believe that a county would invade another country without enough fuel to reach its destination? 

Weirder stuff has happened, especially with dictators. People like Putin surround themselves with yes men, scared to speak up if they think something is wrong. Stalin invaded Finland after having a lot of his elite officers executed and replaced with more desirably party affiliates, they got an arse whooping. A couple of Panzer divisions sat scratching their arses for several crucial hours on D-Day, because Hitler liked a lie in and none of his staff were brave enough to wake him up.

6 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

That might play into Russian memories of Afghanistan.

True but our little jolly down there was much more recent and probably fresher in the minds of our military commanders. I doubt many still serving in Russia’s military saw action in Afghanistan.

[Lighthouse]

12 minutes ago, buctootim said:

200 rpg launchers  - a token shipment of an outdated weapon

Officially, that’s what they’re sending. The public will probably never hear about some of the properly good stuff.

[badgerx16]

1 minute ago, Lighthouse said:

True but our little jolly down there was much more recent and probably fresher in the minds of our military commanders. I doubt many still serving in Russia’s military saw action in Afghanistan.

The Russian soldiers might not have been there, but many will be related to, or acquaintances of, those who were.

[buctootim]

Just now, Lighthouse said:

Officially, that’s what they’re sending. The public will probably never hear about some of the properly good stuff.

True. I'm sure there is a lot more going on - but Germany held up supply of weapons for months, prevaricated on Nord stream 2, are still using Nord stream 1, have objected to kicking Russia out of SWIFT and blocked Ukraine from joining NATO - anyone of which might have stopped the invasion. They effectively have blood on their hands and a hell of a lot to make up for imo.    

[badgerx16]

27 minutes ago, buctootim said:

Wow. You're in Weston levels of ignorance. Russia was just one of 15 states in the Soviet Union. Just like Britain was one of 27 in the EU. If you don't know the difference then I suggest you read more instead of throwing a hissy fit at me.   

For most people "Russia" and "Soviet Union" are, and have been for the last 100 years, synonymous. You know and understand the point I was making and are deliberately being obtuse. Is Vladivostock in Russia or Siberia ? The answer in general acceptance is both. If you had asked that question in 1940, the answer would have been the same.

Either way, the Baltic states have not been independant for the majority of the last 250 years.

Also, the SU was an Empire, controlled centrally, managed and perceived as a single entity. The EU, as in your flawed comparison, is an economic alliance of independant nations states.

 

Edited 26 February, 2022 by badgerx16

[Turkish]

14 minutes ago, Jimmy_D said:

Russia were expecting to have control of airspace by now. Failing to secure that, so far, has cut off a huge proportion of the supplies they were expecting to be able to deliver to their forces.

On top of that they've faced more resistance and been bogged down in more fighting than they were expecting.

Russia still have superior forces, and are likely to be able to overwhelm Ukraine's defence eventually, but it seems to only be Putin that really wants this war. If Ukraine can keep holding out, they've got a chance of Putin being forced to give up one way or another.

Yeah I get all that but come on, an invasion being halted because they ran out of petrol? This isn’t some 18 year old girl going to the shops in her corsa, it’s a military operation run by highly skilled people with years of training. 

[Jimmy_D]

Just now, Turkish said:

Yeah I get all that but come on, an invasion being halted because they ran out of petrol? This isn’t some 18 year old girl going to the shops in her corsa, it’s a military operation run by highly skilled people with years of training. 

It's not the entire invasion being halted, just reports of a few units that have ended up isolated from expected fuel supplies, probably due to successful attacks on supply lines.

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, Jimmy_D said:

It's not the entire invasion being halted, just reports of a few units that have ended up isolated from expected fuel supplies, probably due to successful attacks on supply lines.

Yes Jimmy I’m fully aware the entire operation hasn’t ground to a halt. I’m just saying it would be incredible incompetence to allow that to happen.

[buctootim]

Just now, badgerx16 said:

For most people "Russia" and "Soviet Union" are, and have been for the last 100 years, synonymous. You know and understand the point I was making and are deliberately being obtuse. Is Vladivostock in Russia or Siberia ? The answer in general acceptance is both. If you had asked that question in 1940, the answer would have been the same.

 

For you they might be - but that's because you don't know history. Some of the most influential leaders of the Soviet Union weren't Russian. Stalin was Georgian, Brezhnev was Ukrainian and Kruschev was also an ethnic Ukrainian born 10 miles inside Russia  

[AlexLaw76]

13 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Yes Jimmy I’m fully aware the entire operation hasn’t ground to a halt. I’m just saying it would be incredible incompetence to allow that to happen.

What we get in the news, the Guardian, Mail, RT, and more importantly in this conflict - Twitter/social media, is part of the action taking place. 

No idea what is false, staged or true. 

Edited 26 February, 2022 by AlexLaw76

[Jimmy_D]

1 minute ago, Turkish said:

Yes Jimmy I’m fully aware the entire operation hasn’t ground to a halt. I’m just saying it would be incredible incompetence to allow that to happen.

A quick Google tells me Russian tanks have a fuelled range of 150-250 miles, so fuel supply was always going to be needed.

As far as I can tell, they went in expecting Kyiv to fall within 24-48 hours, and resistance to crumble after that. They weren't expecting a slog and it seems that they overextended, with attacks stretching further than supply lines could reach, and resistance successfully cutting off supply lines better than expected.

[AlexLaw76]

1 minute ago, Jimmy_D said:

 

As far as I can tell, they went in expecting Kyiv to fall within 24-48 hours, and resistance to crumble after that. They weren't expecting a slog and it seems that they overextended, with attacks stretching further than supply lines could reach, and resistance successfully cutting off supply lines better than expected.

Who is telling you that?

[badgerx16]

20 minutes ago, buctootim said:

For you they might be - but that's because you don't know history. Some of the most influential leaders of the Soviet Union weren't Russian. Stalin was Georgian, Brezhnev was Ukrainian and Kruschev was also an ethnic Ukrainian born 10 miles inside Russia  

You arrogant cock !

Im know all of that, I learnt it at school in the 1970s. Now go out into the street and ask the first 20 people you meet whether Stalin was Russian. I bet 90% of the time the answer would be yes.

In the general public perception, Russia stretches from St Petersburg to Vladivostock, from Mumansk to Sevastopol.

Edited 26 February, 2022 by badgerx16

[Turkish]

9 minutes ago, Jimmy_D said:

A quick Google tells me Russian tanks have a fuelled range of 150-250 miles, so fuel supply was always going to be needed.

As far as I can tell, they went in expecting Kyiv to fall within 24-48 hours, and resistance to crumble after that. They weren't expecting a slog and it seems that they overextended, with attacks stretching further than supply lines could reach, and resistance successfully cutting off supply lines better than expected.

And a quick google tells me that’s exactly the distance from Russia’s border to the Kiev. So we are expected to believe that they set off with half a tank of fuel and hope for the best are we?

[buctootim]

4 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

You arrogant cock !

Im know all of that, I learnt it at school in the 1970s. Now go out into the street and ask the first 20 people you meet whether Stalin was Russian. I bet 90% of the time the answer would be yes.

In the general public perception, Russia stretches from St Petersburg to Vladivostock, from Mumansk to Sevastopol.

Stop trying to claim its okay to not know what youre talking about because you assume everybody else is as ignorant as you. 

I made this statement "They arent former Russian states, at least not in the past 100 years " which is incontrovertibly true. You tried to be smug and correct me, got it wrong and now are trying to backtrack. Get yourself some balls like the Ukrainians, apologise and then stfu.  

 

Edited 26 February, 2022 by buctootim

[Jimmy_D]

1 minute ago, Turkish said:

And a quick google tells me that’s exactly the distance from Russia’s border to the Kiev. So we are expected to believe that they set off with half a tank of fuel and hope for the best are we?

So it's tanks on the shortest route from the border to Kyiv that have been reported as running out of fuel then?

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, Jimmy_D said:

So it's tanks on the shortest route from the border to Kyiv that have been reported as running out of fuel then?

I didn’t say it was, you mentioned tanks not me. Either way if a military vehicle runs out of fuel on a 200 mile trip that’s pretty incompetent don’t you think?

[badgerx16]

8 minutes ago, buctootim said:

Stop trying to claim its okay to not know what youre talking about because you assume everybody else is as ignorant as you. 

So, you truly are an arrogant cock. I know exactly what I am talking about, I am fairly certain that you do as well, but your superiority complex won't let you admit it.

Edited 26 February, 2022 by badgerx16

[kyle04]

Shame the Ukrianians don't have a few of these :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOyRh17lzJU

 

[Jimmy_D]

Just now, Turkish said:

I didn’t say it was, you mentioned tanks not me. Either way if a military vehicle runs out of fuel on a 200 mile trip that’s pretty incompetent don’t you think?

It's not like they turn the engine off if they have to stop and fight. If they're fuelled as far as they can go, and use up that fuel, and the supply line that's supposed to refuel them is stopped by the enemy, it's not like they could have done anything differently themselves.

You could call it incompetence to underestimate the resistance they'd face and not secure their supply lines better I guess. Failing to secure the airports severely hampered them. They'll be a key target and it'll be far more difficult for Ukraine in areas where Russia manage to secure airports.