Ukraine

[ChrisJ]

3 hours ago, ramjet said:

Maybe Russia has enormous prisons where they can incarcerate thousands of people in a very short time.

FTFY

[ramjet]

So no court then? Straight to the slammer?

[Bibs]

6 hours ago, ramjet said:

why aren't they protesting by the tens of thousands? What are the police and the courts going to do?

Maybe Russia has enormous prisons and an exceptional court system where they can process thousands and incarcerate thousands of people in a very short time.

They've got 705 'Corrective Colonies'...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisons_in_Russia

Not sure I'd like to visit one but a trip is guaranteed now under their new laws that even badmouthing the 'war' will get you a trip there! 

[ramjet]

Well at least there is room now that a heap of prisoners got freed for serving.

How could that be/go bad?

[PaulCP]

No one believes them

https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-russia-war-latest-putin-assassination-attempt-as-kremlin-residence-attacked-by-drones-moscow-claims-12541713

but no doubt it is is mask for some atrocity that Russia is planning

[Bibs]

UK are now suppying cruise missiles to Ukraine. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65558070

[Escape]

That seems like a big step, as those can definitely be considered offensive weapons...

I'm all for leveling the playing field of course, just seems like a line has been crossed. After the MBTs and fighters.

Edited: upon looking up the specs, seems they're not real cruise missiles, but long range air-to-ground missiles fired from aircraft. Which puts things in perspective a bit. Also wondering how easy it really is to fire them reliably from Soviet planes and how many of those Ukraine still has left to actually make a difference. 

[C8RKH]

They have the planes left to deploy them @Escape. The ones the UK are giving are aircraft launched then drop to a very, very low altitude to avoid radar detection and make ground based defences against them less capable. However the same missiles have been used by the French (and at least one other country) and these have been modified to be launched from the ground, or at sea from ships.  

The latest Ukrainian, home developed, unmanned sea drones have really put the shits up the Russian Navy I believe. They are small. Very nimble. Stealthy and hugely capable. It seems that Ukraine is adapting quickly, just like the UK did in WW" in terms of weapons and tactics development. They've got heart, balls, gumption and smarts.

[Spinney]

On 12/05/2023 at 17:30, C8RKH said:

They've got heart, balls, gumption and smarts

They also possess the will and determination to win which, I would suggest, is missing from the vast majority of Russias fighting forces in the region. Probably, for the most part, all the Russian soldiers want to do is survive so they can go back home. 

[drdoom]

Read today that the head of the Wagner mercenaries claims 20,000 lives lost for his side, of whom 10k were "released" prisoners. While most regard prison inmates with scant sympathy this Russian ploy stands as yet another clear crime against humanity, in my view. 

[ChrisJ]

 

[exeterjeep]

Could this be a way to end the war in Ukraine.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-66005256

The head of Russia's Wagner mercenary group has vowed to "go all the way" to topple Russia's military leadership, hours after the Kremlin accused him of "armed rebellion".

[ChrisJ]

 

[Bibs]

I actually just sold a drone to a Ukrainian. He showed me his passport and I said if he was Russian I'd be making a quick exit with it! He got a nice discount too 👍

[Bibs]

7 hours ago, exeterjeep said:

Could this be a way to end the war in Ukraine.

Would be great to see Putin gone but I'm not sure what Russia would look like under a government made up of a mercenary group. 

[bogle]

I just hope no one pushes the nuke button during this phase.

[Bibs]

They're marching on Moscow. 

[drdoom]

The road to democracy? That would be a stretch but whatever troubles Putin and his cabal is fine by me.

 

[PaulCP]

Turned back now😠

What a shame, a nice little civil war in Russia for a few weeks would’ve gone down nicely.
Wonder which hiding place Putin fled to this morning🤔

[Bibs]

I wonder which Putin went into hiding!!

[Sparky]

Very sad to hear of Prigozhin's accidental death in Minsk next month.

[Bibs]

I'm sure I read that the FSB seized $48m of Wagners cash yesterday morning, I wonder if that was a bargaining chip?

[ramjet]

I'm with @Sparky. Lukashenko has just done whatever Putin said to do to get Prigozhin out of the way. Lukashenko isn't capable or allowed an independent thought. There are lots of comments on the internet of Zelensky being a puppet to the West. If that is the case, Lukashenko is Putin's sock with buttons sewn onto it.

Putin has said that he has dismissed all charges against him. Why?

Because Putin wants him out of the way. I give him a month at best. I wonder if he has a food and drink taster by now and a house with no windows. At least none on the second floor.

[ramjet]

I just read a news heading stating that a Russian MP has said that Russia has removed 700,000 children from Ukraine to Russia due to them being orphans or them not wanting to be in danger.

Since the Russian war (aka special military operation, well heck, I don't want Russia to put a warrant out for my arrest. Liz and I had said before this and after we did our trip through Europe, that Russia might be a place we would like to go. Not now. Not ever. Stuff 'em! Anyway, I digress.) does not target civilians, how have all these children become orphans?

[red vtec]

There is a rumor that the "mutiny" was arranged to see who would betray Putin.