Ukraine

[Kimbers]

Considering that the Organisation has now started building a major Camp, I wonder whether this was all a Scam to root out those "Less Loyal" to Putin and to maybe relocate the Mercenary group to the other side of Ukraine to put pressure on them as they will now have to move defences to the border?

[ramjet]

I can't imagine all the criminals thinking "This is a good gig. I'm going to hang around until I die."

I expect the crime rate to go up sharply in good ol' Ruzzia. 

I think I'm going to get slapped with a "persona non grata" caveat shortly. Sigh......

 

[ChrisJ]

You may need to be logged in to Twitter to see these.

Also, Ukraine claims of Russia using chemical weapons around Bakhmut

 

[ramjet]

So I just read this:

Will Russia 'cease to exist as a people' if it loses the war?

A high-ranking Russian lawmaker warned his nation Sunday that Moscow must win the war in Ukraine or "cease to exist as a people." Pyotr Tolstoy, deputy chairman of the Russian Duma, urged Russians to rally around Putin or face harrowing consequences, according to a translation from Russian Media Monitor.

"Right now, Russia is in a situation where either we win in this war, or we cease to exist as a people and as a nation," Tolstoy said. "There is no stopping, fortifying or entrenching."

Tolstoy said Russia "should seriously be thinking through" how to take Odesa and Dnipro and place Kyiv under siege. 

"How we will go about convincing those who didn't pick up a weapon but put a pot on their head thinking that Ukraine is an independent nation," Tolstoy said. "Either they destroy us or we destroy them!"

And if Putin is true to his word about everything, this guy is off to jail for calling it a war.

[Kimbers]

I see that the Republicans in the US have gone from only 30% disagreeing with getting "Involved in a local dispute with no bearing on the USA" to 70%.

This is partly believed to be down to Putin's quite similarly Right Wing Agenda and many policies that they agree with. "They love what he has done with Russia. They love the way he has dismantled women’s rights. They love his attacks on gay and transgender people. They love his dismissal of western liberalism. Their values align perfectly."

So, lets hope Republicans don't get in!

Talk about blinkered views! Come on America!

[eeyoreish]

These are presumably the same people who appear to increasingly like The Donald the more legal cases are brought against him. Good luck...

[bogle]

I apologize on behalf of America for its 75-year trip backwards in an obviously broken time machine.  It's all about money and power.  A very small minority of America unfortunately has taken control politically to ensure they remain rich and powerful.  This small minority has convinced and brainwashed mostly lower income people that something is terribly wrong with democracy.  Ironically, the idea a supposed billionaire who uses their campaign funds to pay his legal bills doesn't seem to bother them.  It seems a billionaire could afford his own lawyers and litigation fees.  I can't wait until science, facts and democracy become in fashion again.  Once a few higher up Republican conspirators are imprisoned, it might give America the kick start it needs.  

[Kimbers]

On 11/08/2023 at 13:41, bogle said:

I apologize on behalf of America for its 75-year trip backwards in an obviously broken time machine.  It's all about money and power.  A very small minority of America unfortunately has taken control politically to ensure they remain rich and powerful.  This small minority has convinced and brainwashed mostly lower income people that something is terribly wrong with democracy.  Ironically, the idea a supposed billionaire who uses their campaign funds to pay his legal bills doesn't seem to bother them.  It seems a billionaire could afford his own lawyers and litigation fees.  I can't wait until science, facts and democracy become in fashion again.  Once a few higher up Republican conspirators are imprisoned, it might give America the kick start it needs.  

One of my favourite shows is Bill Maher. He considers himself liberal but even he is struggling to support the Democrats. He wouldn't support the Republicans either, but I have noticed a big change in anti "All Polititian" views amongst him, his guests and Liberal people in the US. It's scary what you guys and gals have a choice over (or no choice). Do you go with gun supporting, anti womens rights, right wing or rediculously woke slightly less right wing who go too far the other way and actively support things like letting 5 year old kids identify how they want ay school and even suspend kids who say there are only 2 sexes for being transphobic?

I thought we were bad here with our choices but at least we have parties we can vote for to send a message. It was UKIP, but now we have voted to leave the EU the go to protest vote seems to be the Greens, or Lib Dems (thats our centre party). Your 2 party system gives very little middle ground.

We need to start a global "Common Sense Party". 

[Escape]

5 hours ago, Kimbers said:

We need to start a global "Common Sense Party". 

I'll nominate you for president @Kimbers! You'll find a good spot for me as well, wont you? 😉

[bogle]

3 hours ago, Escape said:

I'll nominate you for president @Kimbers! You'll find a good spot for me as well, won't you? 😉

Filip,

At least, it would NOT be necessary to fly to the Azores (alright maybe a local Pub) and kiss the ring for your upcoming spot.  McCarthy made his deal with the "Devil" and is still on his knees.  This is one occasion where a time machine jump ahead by 50 years would be so entertaining to see how things worked out.  I'm sure Vegas is allowing beating on which Republicans go to jail. 

[ramjet]

I'm no expert, but I am struggling to see how it is ok for Russia to fire missiles at the western regions of Ukraine which have nothing to do with the battlefront?

I mean they destroyed a kindergarten, but in their announcements, they rabbit on about how they destroyed every military facility that they targeted.

Even if we do get showered with propaganda that defends the Wests position in all of this, you can't justify what Russia is doing at all.

[bogle]

Why does a dog lick his balls...because he can.  Same logic applies here except Putin knows he can get away with it for now.  He controls the media narratives and the military.  However, there will be a time when the Russian people tire of this non-human entity.  I wouldn't be surprised if they burn him alive on live TV when his reign ends providing, he doesn't get to launch Nukes before he's toast.

[ramjet]

Who’s going to try and topple him though? Anyone that has a crack ends up falling out of a window to the demise. 

[bogle]

They need an inside man in Kremlin to remove him by any means necessary.  Hopefully they can use that drug they used on Navalny or just push him off building or out of a helicopter.  Navalny needs to take over.  

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

1 hour ago, ramjet said:

Who’s going to try and topple him though? Anyone that has a crack ends up falling out of a window to the demise. 

How about feeding him some of Erin Patterson’s special recipe Beef Wellington?

https://news.sky.com/story/woman-who-cooked-deadly-mushroom-lunch-says-she-ended-up-in-hospital-herself-after-meal-12939883

 

[Bibs]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-66551478

F16's are on the way to Ukraine at some point soon. That'll unsettle the Russians, Ukraine are currently using Soviet-era MIGs. 

[bogle]

Can't wait to see the ordinance used on the F-16's hardpoints with all their lovely catch phrases:  Putting Putin in the Past, Daily Dose of Medicine, Kremlin Pain Killer, Moscow or Bust, Takin Out Putin Permanently...oh I'm sure there are so many better than these.  Not my best off the cuff.  

[C8RKH]

"putin the boot in"

"Shoot'n Putin"

"A bigger kick than a Moscow mule"

"Stuffin' a Kiev"

I'm no better than you @bogle 🙄

[ChrisJ]

[bogle]

Even India got their lander to the South Pole of the Lunar surface which is a major feat in itself.  

[exeterjeep]

Has Putin got his own back.....Wagner boss did not jump out of a window but seems to have been shot down north of Moscow.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-66599733

He was believed to be on board the plane.

Earlier, a Wagner-linked Telegram channel Grey Zone reported that the jet was shot down by air defences in Tver region, north of Moscow.

 

[Spinney]

He was always going to get his own back. As BBC reporter Frank Gardner said, Prighozin has been regarded as a dead man walking ever since his failed mutiny. 

[mdw]

Putin isn't even subtle about it I guess it's one way of telling everyone what's going to happen. Next person now knows they've got to go all the way.

[Spinney]

It’s how Putin and the Kremlin regime stay in power. Let it be known to anybody else thinking about challenging them that this is what will happen if you so much as think about crossing us. You might be poisoned, thrown off a tall building or shot down if you fly. 

[Escape]

This does seem to lay to rest the theory that the mutiny was staged by Putin to get his opponent out into the open. Which would have been far worse, with Wagner staging an attack from Bellarus. I can't see the Wagner group supporting the Putin regime after the assassination of their leader.