Russia - threadbanned users in OP

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119096631#Comment_119096631

THE Ukrainian army will not be encircled. Don't get too giddy. A section of it might, but as Russia is the Spurs of world armies, good chance Russia will fůck it up and I wouldn't bet on it happening or lasting long if it did.

20silkcut

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119096533#Comment_119096533

Remember Putin is at war with the entire west. He is militarily attacking Ukraine at the moment but he is at war with every single one of us. Every time you pull up at a Fuel pump or pay an electricity bill or buy food you are paying more because of Putin and it’s his full intention to make sure you pay more and more. And it is his full intention to stay going until he wipes all people like us off the face of the earth so either Ukraine are winning or Putin is getting closer to us and tightening the screw. It’s not going to just drop out of the news. People may lose interest but the existential threat will remain.

rogber

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119096533#Comment_119096533

Yes I think this is a very real risk, however Russia also doesn't have an infinite supply of soldiers and equipment unless they force all men into the army and that brings other risks. So it's hard to know who a long war favours/harms more. Unfortunately it looks like we are going to find out

shivaz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119096741#Comment_119096741

To encircle they must cross the river and we have seen what happened when they tried to construct the pontoon bridge to cross.

Yesterday they blew a bridge that would help achieve an encirclement and then they lost the heavy mortar vehicle that was used to blow it!!.Crazy moves from the russians.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119096887#Comment_119096887

That live shelling, this is where we are RIGHT NOW... you'd hope... would only be better if the journalist was still around when it went BOOM!

BorneTobyWilde

The likes of Germany and France hinting at a ceasefire, and an agreement to give up land to Russian, Ukraine having none of it.

IF a ceasefire is agreed, IF Ukraine gives up land

THEN IS MUST INCLUDE FULL NATO MEMBERSHIP AND FULL EU MEMBERSHIP!

No way can Ukraine agree a deal, just to allow Russian to get established and to rearm and attack a year later, it's bullsh it! Any deal must include Nato and EU deal!!

Field east

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119096830#Comment_119096830

IMO I think that the following is what the RU invasion is all about:-

Overall, Putin/Ru leadership wants to create as much social cum financial hardship;confusion; mis information; conflict , etc , as it can throughout the world as it can on an ongoing basis and AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY. It does not really matter which side wins in any conflict, in elections, in negotiations or wherever as long as it creates decision, conflict , suspicion, etc, etc.

• the overall objective is to weaken the ‘opposition’ as he sees it
• Putin pounces when an opportunity presents itself - he having set it up beforehand by putting ‘ his supporters’into the area . Eg Donbas, part of Georgia, part of Transnistra, Chrimea.
• As an aside the last time ‘ RUSSIA/USSR lost or gained ‘ soverign land’ or under threat - WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN PUTINS BIG AND ONLY ISSUE- is in 1991 when the USSR unilaterally. Decided to split up into 14 ‘independant ‘ states. Russia has not been attacked since Putin came to power or since then . BUT he has GAINED land as described above. And in addition to that RUssia is in ‘ control of a number ox ex states eg Belaruse
• - iMO, Putin is not too pushed if he eventually has to vacate Ukraine - including Crimea. Why? Because:-
• (q) he will have substantially lLEVELLED a significant part of UKR. Including significant infrastructure re steel mil , port facilities , roads , railways, etc, etc, etc. and the cost of rebuilding all of that and the strain that will put on international finances
• (b) the number of deaths and the way that they were carried out and the psychological effect that will have.
• (c) the actual experience of the war and especially on those trying to survive in bomb shelters And the psychological effect that will have
• (d) the whole refugee situation and the cost / disruption that will have on host nations and on Ukr.
• (E)the international issue with regards to the possibility of famine in up to 20 countries and the extra financial cost to some of them
• (f) the disruption of international trade and the extra cost of same

And , well and good if he successfully annex’s part of UKR that he has levelled , in addition to the above, he can leave it ‘ grow weeds ‘ for all he cares , . He will put in his army and populate with Kremlin supporting civilians - and probably financially enticed ones

so the idea of Putin blaming The expansion of NATO for all of this is ABSOLUTE NONSENCE.

pits all about exercising a certain type of power ie. Authoritianism and resetting the clock back to the USSR era. As he said recently the greatest geopolitical mistake made on an international level by any country ever was the break up of the USSR

joseywhales

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119095881#Comment_119095881

I think it's possible that they wanted Russia to invade but obviously they cannot say that openly. It's a great graveyard for the Russian military and a pr win for the Americans.

Field east

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119097448#Comment_119097448

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119097203#Comment_119097203

I wonder what’s their thinking? IMO, it is sticking out by the proverbial mile what Germany and France are at. Given their stance since feb 24 They will be first out of the traps to get back to business as usual with RU. 46241. And they will get very favourable terms . I hope the US has the total opposite point of view.

Given the points I made in post no46241 above Russia MUST BE NEUTERED so that it can never threaten any soverign state again in any shape or form. But let it do what it wants to within its own boundaries. Neutering would also include putting an end to cyber attacks. George Orwell would agree with this - based on his last utterances and NHS’s 1984 novel

threeball

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119097406#Comment_119097406

Putin hasn't and probably won't achieve his goals in Ukraine but he has achieved possibly a greater goal in opening fissures in the EU which I don't know will ever heal.

France and Germany have proven themselves to be totally unreliable and self interested partners.

The Eastern block won't have any faith in them going forward and after our experience of the crash, we should be wary of them too. Both countries get a pretty free ride within the EU from a criticism viewpoint but that really needs to change. They both benefit from being large countries right at the heart of the Union but they're not happy having that advantage. They also want to minimise any advantages more peripheral countries eek out for themselves.

The smaller countries need to start sewing it to these two and the situation in Ukraine is the first item they need to be called out on.

Strazdas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119097617#Comment_119097617

I would disagree that the invasion has damaged the EU. Yes, there has been a difference in emphasis in reactions between Germany and France and other nations to the invasion, but it is far from a schism and there haven't been big public rows over it. Saying that it has led to big divisions in the EU would be hugely overstating the issue - apparently recent emergency EU summits on Ukraine went off reasonably well and without major rancour.

Dyr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119097617#Comment_119097617

If by fissures you mean that the France and Germanys interests tend to dictate the EU decisions, then yes, they won't ever heal because they have been there since the get go.

Danzy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119096558#Comment_119096558

Russia has not changed that much, it is a softer and much more open society than under Communism but that's not saying much.

threeball

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119097663#Comment_119097663

That was my point, the smaller countries are reluctant to criticise either of them regardless of how far off the European script they stray. I think its pretty obvious that the official EU stance and those voiced by France and Germany are not compatible and quite contrary. They may say once thing at the meetings with their EU hats on but their position on a personal level are very different.

threeball

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119097673#Comment_119097673

Yes and they need to be challenged. The EU is far more than Germany and France in 2022.

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119097774#Comment_119097774

The war has been a bit of a disaster nfro showcasing Russian arms. Well made point in the article about the potential pr catastrophe losing a SU-57 would be. Given the known issues it has with its engines and questions about it's overall stealthiness, it makes sense they haven't employed it.

I'd love to see more details on Russian tactics re: bomber employment. It seems wholly amateurish in comparison to the strike packages NATO / US would employ.

jackboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119097792#Comment_119097792

With Britain gone it has never been more than for Germany and France. There is literally no one left to challenge them.

RGARDINR

I know when the war ends whenever it does what way will this have on both countries populations. I mean Ukraine might go through a baby boom afterwards if they win the war but in regards to Russia will them mean a bigger population decrease in regards people killed but as well as that there might not be a population increase afterwards especially if they loose this war.

zv2

Not everyone is Russia is brainwashed https://twitter.com/olex_scherba/status/1528324181758291968?s=20&t=cjhA2lc5nAHTmdluUzhJAQ

zv2

I think this is aircraft #205 downed https://twitter.com/Hromadske/status/1528399032422367237?s=20&t=cjhA2lc5nAHTmdluUzhJAQ

Strazdas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119098003#Comment_119098003

One wonders if we'll see more of this in Russia this summer as the war drags on. There have been a few similar incidents to this reported this week and shown on social media. The regime was surely never planning for a long, drawn out war on its borders.

Dyr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119097792#Comment_119097792

Oh aye, the only counter balance to Germany and Francle leaving certainly cracked over that fissure.😂

Note with interest that the EU quietly climbed down on allowing members to pay in roubles for gas. Just like Germany wanted.

The reality is that if it had been up to the EU, Ukraine would have fallen no matter how hard they fought, because France and Germany would have preferred that. Its the UK and the US thats' kept the Russians at bay.

zv2

Germany steps up at last Rheinmetall from Germany prepares the supply to Ukraine of 88 Leopard 1A5 tanks and 100 Marder IFVs | Defense News May 2022 Global Security army industry | Defense Security global news industry army year 2022 | Archive News year (armyrecognition.com)

Wolf359f

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119098458#Comment_119098458

German company steps up.... We've seen this numerous times before but then Scholz blocks the export.

threeball

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119098458#Comment_119098458

The small detail of when it will happen doesn't seem to feature. Germany have dropped massively in my estimation as a result of their response to this war. Never thought much of France to start with but I thought Germany had a bit more about them

jmreire

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119098333#Comment_119098333

Except that had Ukraine fallen, that might only be the beginning of it... I think that now all of the EU are aware of the threat that Russia Poses, and not only the EU, but the whole world. No, Putin has overstepped the mark, and its ripples are spreading throughout the world. He will need to be stopped, and de-fanged at the least.

jmreire

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119098275#Comment_119098275

Or an ever increasing Nr of their soldiers arriving ( or not) home in body bags....

Field east

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119097663#Comment_119097663

I would suggest that any apparent fissure within the EU can only be massively counterbalanced by Finlands ans

d Swedens application re NATO - although behind the scenes the hopeful fissure caused by Putin will bring him some joy and the NATO thing is just a smokescreen that he pulls out of the hat when he is looking for an excuse to invade

josip

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119098696#Comment_119098696

But they don't arrive in Moscow. And Moscow puts out the information. And all remains well.

Field east

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119098458#Comment_119098458

This means Absolutly nothing until this equipment is on Ukraine soil and the UKr army is trained to operate all of it