Ukraine

[Spinney]

I think the Wagner group will support whoever continues to pay them. I’m not sure they had any strong allegiance to Prighozin per se.

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

To be honest I thought he seemed incredibly naive to still be moving around Russia. If Putin can get you in Salisbury, he’s certainly going to get you back home. Should have stayed in Africa.

[drdoom]

2 hours ago, Escape said:

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. 

What is all this talk of assassination? Comrade Prigozhin most unfortunately opened the cabin window for some fresh air and caused the crew to lose areodynamic control of the aircraft.

[Escape]

Was it a special aerial operation then? 😛 

[Bibs]

Prigozhin's death seems a little too easy and convenient to me. It does however seem that a way out for him that may have been offered by Putin was to nip to Belarus for a while, keep his head down then fake his death in a few weeks while he slips away to somewhere distant to enjoy retirement. Either that or death would have been on the table and I can't see him just cancelling his mutiny knowing that it only gave him a few weeks before a balcony and long fall was his immediate future, he might as well carried on with it and seen how it played out if getting killed was the solid other alternative. Someone in his position surely would be a little more cautious than flying about on known plans when he knows Putin would be gunning for him. 

[C8RKH]

@Bibs these people live ina world where they believe the normal rules, and other rules, just do not apply to him. He probably thought he was too big to fall.

What will be more interesting to watch is whether this facilitates "break away" separatists splitting away from Moscow. This, and the Ukrainian drone strikes on Moscow, and the incursion into Crimea, will now be making the "special operation" very visible within Russia.

 

[Chillidoggy]

Following Prigozhin’s “accident”, I read a report quoting a Wagner spokesman referring to Putin, saying, “We’re coming for you.” 

[C8RKH]

According to BBC World Service this morning Russia has just cancelled a major training exercise, the suspected reason is a lack of available troops and equipment to make the exercise viable.

[Chillidoggy]

1 hour ago, C8RKH said:

According to BBC World Service this morning Russia has just cancelled a major training exercise, the suspected reason is a lack of available troops and equipment to make the exercise viable.

Can’t imagine why they’re worried, the biggest exercise has been underway since the beginning of last year!

[Escape]

On 27/08/2023 at 18:22, Bibs said:

Prigozhin's death seems a little too easy and convenient to me.

Maybe he was promised a deal to end the rebellion, but Putin changed his mind afterwards? Which makes it more of a warning for others rather than a possibly inspiring martyr's death.

[NAC63]

[bogle]

Wow, they are similar indeed!

 

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

Not anymore, they’re not.

[Sparky]

Well, they've both met their maker.  Allegedly.  In both cases.

[C8RKH]

Which is the most honourable, and has the least to hide? You don't get to be the leader of a global mercenary organisation or the Catholic Church without leaving a trail behind you ...

[Bibs]

Some progress being made, the Ukrainians have broken through some of Russia's toughest defences...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-66686149

[ramjet]

Slightly off-topic, but occurring at the same time as all of this was the lunar landing.

The 77 year old lead scientist was admitted to hospital suffering chest pain etc.

Well several weeks later, he has died of mushroom poisoning.

Has collected mushrooms every Summer, so let's say since he was 25, 52 years without any mishap and then after the lunar failure, he dies of mushroom poisoning.

Sure he did. Maybe his tears obscured his vision.

[bogle]

2 hours ago, ramjet said:

Has collected mushrooms every Summer, so let's say since he was 25, 52 years without any mishap and then after the lunar failure, he dies of mushroom poisoning.

Sure he did. Maybe his tears obscured his vision.

He chose the Novachok mushrooms?  These are not the shrooms you're looking for.

[ChrisJ]

 

[ramjet]

Question:

So if you are in charge of something in Russia. It either does not go well or it fails. You either fall out of a window from a height, or you mysteriously die of poisoning, or your plane loses a wing.

At what point does Putin look in a mirror and go 'You have not done well. You are an embarrassment to the Motherland." and order his own poisoning?

[Bibs]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/craighooper/2023/09/13/why-ukraines-strike-on-sebastopol-naval-infrastructure-is-a-big-deal/

Interesting read but at least Putin has got his North Korean buddy over for KFC and to negotiate buying back some 100 year old guns and bullets from them for a ropey satellite which will probably crash!! 

I'm sure I just read that he got the hump to that the UK has downgraded Russia to no longer a threat after how poor a show their military has made of itself. 

[ChrisJ]

 

 

[bogle]

The Go Pro definitely brings the war to our devices.  The Ukrainian soldiers are incredibly brave and strong fighters.  It does help to broadcast that the war is indeed still very active.  The words "a democracy if we can keep it" is always at the back of mind when I see this footage. 

[red vtec]

I've now heard that the Ukrainians are running out of ammo and the US is getting jittery about supplying more? Meanwhile the Russians are just plodding away. NOT GOOD

[bogle]

1 minute ago, red vtec said:

I've now heard that the Ukrainians are running out of ammo and the US is getting jittery about supplying more? Meanwhile the Russians are just plodding away. NOT GOOD

As an American, I am embarrassed and alarmed by the Republican party doing all that's possible to delay funding for Ukraine.  Protecting democracies across the world is the US most important job.  Of course, it's the MAGA Republicans who recently attempted a coup so their interests in democracy have weakened substantially.  It is my hope that justice will be served up to the responsible individuals for the hate and misinformation that led to Jan. 6th's brutal assault on the Capitol.  It is my belief that once justice has been served to these individuals, faith in democracy can be restored.  It could be a long road for restoration though.