Russia - threadbanned users in OP

maebee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120381534#Comment_120381534

Same here. I used to laugh at the Putin's doubles thing but I seriously doubt that it was Putin in Mariupol - driving himself around the city - not credible. That would be way beneath him. Standing close to "locals" - not a hope. The Putin of the looonnnggg table would not do this, imo.

Virgil°

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120381749#Comment_120381749

Even more than that. UAF has shown very recently that they have the ability to reach Mariupol with suicide drones or some sort of longer range missile anyway.

I too believed the body double thing was a bit of a reach until that. Not ridiculous but just a bit of wishful thinking perhaps.

In my mind there's not a chance that Putin visits a city which could be drone stricken or visited by Uncle HIMARS at any moment. Not a chance.

AerLingus747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120381516#Comment_120381516

It is

https://youtu.be/RWhUSdtWePE

RoyalCelt

I like this talk from Polish officials that they would protect Ukraine if needed. At first I can't see them entering the war directly but something like manning the border between Belarus and Ukraine would free up huge resources.

…

….

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120381688#Comment_120381688

That’s stupid talk. Ridiculous notion. Beyond belief. Crazy to think Xi would do this. Unthinkable China would stab Muscovy in the back. Totally incredulous. Very naive thinking. Typical Tankie talk. A Special Military Operation… now, THAT’s a possibility. 😅

cnocbui

While reliable figures of Ukraine’s combat losses in the war remain classified, in an interview with Ukrainian news agency Interfax-Ukraine on March 20, National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Secretary Oleksiy Danilov denied recent media reports of Kyiv losing 100,000 troops killed in action.

“I declare to you with full responsibility that we don’t have 100,000 casualties among military personnel,” said Danilov.

“This is impossible. During the war, this (casualties) is classified information, but 100,000 is entirely false.”

Danilov noted that the exact number is known only to the Ukrainian military and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

According to him, the casualty ratio in the war is currently at 1 to 7, 1 to 8, in some cases 1 to 10 – in favor of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

I really hope that's true. Danilov seems most insistent.

cnocbui

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120381193#Comment_120381193

You can hear the petrol motor of what is probably the Ukrainian domestically produced drone similar to the Iranian Shahids, though I suspect the Ukrainian one would have greater precision.

Funny Chuck Pffarrar going on about the possibility of ATACMS when you can clearly hear the strimmer fly overhead.

cnocbui

https://www.thedailybeast.com/ben-and-jerrys-founder-ben-cohen-funds-campaign-against-ukraine-military-support

Something to boycott.

Rawr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120381688#Comment_120381688

Kinda between a rock and a crap place for those folk. On one hand, yea get away from Moscow's nonsense, but on the other.....Beijing? Same crappy B&B...different wallpaper

Gatling

Kane Te Tai new Zealander who was known from a recent video of a rescued Ukrainian prisoner ,was KIA over the last 24 hours in Ukraine he's the second new Zealander to have been killed in Ukraine,

By all accounts a ferce and feared warrior.

RIP .

https://twitter.com/macergifford/status/1638077783967498240?s=20

https://twitter.com/macergifford/status/1638076204254150657?s=20

paul71

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120381982#Comment_120381982

Why? He owns 0% now. It has been a British owned company for more than 20 years.

Igotadose

Japanese PM visiting Ukraine while Putler's hobnobbing with Xi. Fair play to Japan

https://edition.cnn.com/europe/live-news/russia-ukraine-war-news-03-21-23/h_4ec6afbc40daf655408dddef5ead884a

Francie Barrett

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120381931#Comment_120381931

That guy is clueless, it's clearly as you say, a drone similar to that of a Shahed. There's images of the wreckage on Telegram suggesting it's of Chinese origin.

It's great to see Ukraine turning the tables like this. Make the Russians expend valuable air defence munitions on targets of lesser value.

Wibbs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120381902#Comment_120381902

China plays the long game. They have zero need to invade or any of that. That crap costs money and they have Russia in the bag anyway.

This war of putin's lasting so long is no doubt pissed Xi off initially as it has revved up NATO and is generally bad for business and I suspect they wanted it over and done because of that. However, things have changed and on the other hand Russia being so isolated which came as a shock, has been a major boon for China. They buy Russian oil at knockdown prices and with their pledges of "help" can leverage even more from Mother Russia now and in the future. China imports a lot of resources, energy and raw materials mostly from not so "friendly" nations, or nations that if they imposed sanctions could really hurt China's economy. eg iron from Australia.

Russia is extremely resource rich. Far more than China. It's also a dictatorship with a declining population who will do what they're told. China can just leverage putin in a way they simply couldn't with a democracy to supply China more and more with oil, gas, wood*, ores etc. "Supporting" Russia also plays well to the various African states where China is already weilding a lot of soft power to economically colonise, and they need cheaper younger bodies to make crap, cheaper, younger bodies they're running out of. At the same time they also need the "West" to keep buying their crap, simply because those outside same don't have the cash to do so. A balancing act. One the Chinese are doing very well at. Far better than the US who are still stomping around thinking they're doing all the driving. Never mind their internal divisions that seem to be gaining pace.

For China it would seem keeping this war going has a few advantages. Namely to set the hook deep in Russia's mouth. On the other hand if they broker a peace deal or the war ends, they've stuck the hook pretty deep already. Win win. Putin so afraid and jealous of not being part of a "multipolar world" and "American hegemony" has bent over and near guaranteed Russia is now China's bitch and under their "hegemony". Worse, Russia had looked towards the "West", especially the EU as his and Russia's best bet. Look where pretty much all of their pipelines went, west, not east. Look at where most of their foreign investment came from. Now that's all gone since the "chessmaster" buggered that up in a pointless local dick waving war with Ukraine.

Putin will go along with this because he has no real choice. Xi's visit is all about making sure the dog knows who the master is. I'd even suggest putin not showing up to meet him at the airport is the last vain attempt of the dog shaking his head to avoid the inevitable muzzle. The Chinese are big on etiquette, proper procedure and "face", but especially with an equal or a threat. IMHO Xi agreeing to hop off the plane and not meet Czar putin shows no fúcks given. A wee dog biscuit to make it more palatable before the muzzle goes on.

*the Chinese was already buying up and hacking down huge swathes of Russian forest in the east Wood is one of China's biggest imports and most is coming from Russia, because - and this is the joke - China started to worry about buggering up their own environment over a decade ago.

rogber

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120380453#Comment_120380453

According to the Ukrainians themselves, pretty much everyone misjudged. This isn't exactly news:

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recalled that when the invasion began, ‘most people who called me – well, almost everyone – did not have faith that Ukraine can stand up to this and persevere.’ National Security and Defence Council Secretary Olexiy Danilov remembered the West believed Ukraine had, ‘almost zero chances to succeed'.

https://www.geopoliticalmonitor.com/how-western-experts-got-the-ukraine-war-so-wrong/

rogber

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120380467#Comment_120380467

I doubt plenty of things the Russians claim. But I do believe Putin is still alive and meeting Xi jinping (who survived that "coup" you believed in!) right now, while you probably think it's a Putin (and Xi?) double, right?

And let me guess, one of your Twitter sources is also predicting Belarus will enter the war this Friday?

Keep up the good work!

cnocbui

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120382081#Comment_120382081

https://www.itv.com/news/2023-01-17/boss-of-unilever-defends-decision-to-retain-business-in-russia

And guess who owns Ben & Jerry's...?

So still worth a boycott.

Timberrrrrrrr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120382508#Comment_120382508

Putin doesn't use doubles

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120382503#Comment_120382503

Thats not what you said,you said wrong about Putins health,running out of ammo,missiles

and you also said experts saying it,i didnt know Zelensky was an expert on war

cnocbui

Ukrainians do this:

https://twitter.com/Lyla_lilas/status/1637973443034447872

F'n Orcs do this:

https://twitter.com/Lyla_lilas/status/1637621743362756616

ejmaztec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120382317#Comment_120382317

China has invested phenomenal wads of money in Russian Arctic ports, and China will no doubt be the biggest earner from this investment. The end result will be that Chinese goods will be shipped to the West through the Arctic ports instead of via the present southern routes. Because of this, I think the Chinese have every incentive to get Putin to toe the line and not have things escalate any further. The Chinese have got most of the planet by the balls, and that includes Russia.

Wibbs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120382812#Comment_120382812

They have to play a balancing game too. Covid showed up the West(and others) over reliance on China with things like PPE, even medicines and if Xi pushes too hard he could face the West bringing more and more manufacturing back "home", or away from China anyway, to places like India, Vietnam etc(already happening). regardless of the ports Xi uses the stuff is still being mostly sold to the "West" or Western alligned nations.

Wibbs

The Ukrainians really know how to troll. Pic of what's left of Chinese made drone that helped hit Russian targets in Crimea.

😂

Gatling

Depleted uranium anyone,

Claims the UK will transfer Depleted uranium ammunition to Ukraine ,I believe tank rounds, famously known from the gulf war can literally kill/vaporise any armoured vehicles in one shot, also known for leaving behind radiation and contamination that seeps to the ground for years to come ,

Not 100% on this one myself..

https://twitter.com/WarMonitors/status/1638158377044901890?s=20

Danzy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120382812#Comment_120382812

The Chinese also have incentives to see it continue or escalate.

From a long term position. Greater incentives.

Xi has had 5 meetings with Putin in 12 months, some admittedly Tele meetings but a day long chat is still a big deal. He is showing clear backing for the comrade in the Kremlin.

Benefits to China from war going on.

US and West occupied in Eastern Europe. While China focuses on buying leaders, resources and infrastructure across Asia and Africa.

Longer it goes on the more damage to NATO, understocked and under resourced is the glaring fact for most NATO armies, especially in Western Europe. Nor does the will to change that appear to exist in most countries.

Much of the West will get war weary, Washington, London, the Baltics and Poles are in for the long haul, most of the rest of Europe?? Many of them were carried along so far by pressure.

We always hear how China is dependent on the West to buy exports, it's very important but 90% of China's economy is domestic or with countries it borders. This isn't 2001 anymore.

Who knows what China will do but Xi is a much tougher, brutal and ruthless man than Putin is and the only question in his mind is how can he use this to advance Chinese global power above the West.

Xi might be a little sore that Russia didn't storm through Ukraine and have Moldova taken now as well. He'll adapt and carry on.

fly_agaric

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120382812#Comment_120382812

Can't see much goods for the EU shipped to those Russian ports for a long time given what they have done in Ukraine.

There's a large swathe of the EU that wants nothing to do with Russia now, it is a generational rupture I think.

Would disagree - there are no signs at all the Chinese will push the "friend" to "toe the line" beyond perhaps telling Putin they would really prefer he didn't use WMD on the Ukrainians (a low bar)!

The only problem the Chinese have with what happened last Feb. and is still happening in Ukraine is they, like a lot of people, misjudged Russia's military strength.

thomil

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120382939#Comment_120382939

From my understanding, the issue with depleted uranium shells is not so much that they're radioactive, as the radiation they emit is actually relatively weak, at least when compared to fuel-grade or weapons-grade uranium. I mean, those shells can basically be handled without protective equipment. The big issue is that the uranium is pulverized by the force of the impact on a target, and the resulting uranium dust is easily ingested or breathed in. And even a weak source of radiation can still be harmful or lethal when it's inside your body.

fly_agaric

Given there are many clips/pieces of translated insanity and depravity from Russian state media posted here taken from Twitter (usually Julia Davis [author of piece], and occasionally BBC), may as well post below. 

In it she catalogues examples of dehumanising & openly genocidal Russian state media rhetoric against Ukrainians, aired while propagandising the war over the last year or so. Trying to be optimistic, hopefully we'll see such details appear as evidence some day.🤞

https://cepa.org/article/morality-shouldnt-get-in-the-way-russias-genocidal-state-media/

Wolf359f

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120382736#Comment_120382736

Amazing how gas can be cheaper when you have reliable suppliers that don't throttle supply to manipulate the price.