Russia-Ukraine War

yagan

Well for all those eco conscious types Russia is burning through their soviet era stock so fast that they'll probably be heading to the front on bicycles soon, #sustainableinvasion

silverharp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122285990#Comment_122285990

the other option <insert blah blah blah> , your concern for Russia now is touching , lets see how it works out

riddles

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122285990#Comment_122285990

lest we forget the Time person of the year in 2007

Putin is not a boy scout. He is not a democrat in any way that the West would define it. He is not a paragon of free speech. He stands, above all, for stability—stability before freedom, stability before choice, stability in a country that has hardly seen it for a hundred years. Whether he becomes more like the man for whom his grandfather prepared blinis—who himself was twice TIME's Person of the Year—or like Peter the Great, the historical figure he most admires; whether he proves to be a reformer or an autocrat who takes Russia back to an era of repression—this we will know only over the next decade. At significant cost to the principles and ideas that free nations prize, he has performed an extraordinary feat of leadership in imposing stability on a nation that has rarely known it and brought Russia back to the table of world power. For that reason, Vladimir Putin is TIME's 2007 Person of the Year.

champions league final 2008 Moscow

Winter Olympics 2014 Sochi

Now fast forward to 2024, millions emigrated - 100s of thousands dead or injured.

Foreign investment gone.

Inflation 17% interest rate 8-9%

Mincing about North Korea trying to find a new friend. 

Slow hand clap for Putins execution of a plan that was years in the making.

keeponhurling

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122286022#Comment_122286022

And the ever looming threat of the Russians doing something very very bad involving the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station.

Either intentionally or accidently.

Wolf359f

**** me, is that the latest talking points. Ukraine should surrender to stop climate change?

Dohnjoe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122286081#Comment_122286081

It's becoming very expensive for the Kremlin, they've already had to hike taxes significantly to pay for it all, there could be a partial collapse of the military, they have a labour shortage due to the war, they are experiencing manpower issues (and are now e.g. looking to Africa for mercenaries), they are being impacted by the first batches of strikes on their energy infrastructure, there could be political issues

Russia is still potent, have a large war machine and can likely drag this out for a good bit longer, but keep in mind they have a GDP smaller than the state of Texas. Shell production is only just starting to get going in Europe and the US, Ukraine will start to receive F16's this summer, they have only just been allowed to use weapons to strike inside Russia, they have only just started to receive US aid after a lull.. none of these are magic game-changers, Ukraine is still in a difficult situation, but all of this is applying heavy pressure to Russia and it's military

Field east

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122286032#Comment_122286032

at least that’s a start but away, away, away,away, —————————-, off the mark!

Pa ElGrande

How do you think the Ukrainian population are going to cope with the onset of winter? The country's electricity generation has been seriously degraded with no chance of significant repair in advance of Winter.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/05/18/world/with-its-energy-network-nearly-destroyed-ukraine-already-fears-winter/

jackboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122286142#Comment_122286142

Yes. Greta must have a word with the Ukrainians.

eightieschewbaccy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122286117#Comment_122286117

So instead of engaging with the points, you just respond like this? It's not exactly demonstrating that you can actually argue this alternative solution. Letting Russia invade Ukraine would have resulted in more genocide and further expansion. It would have been far more destabilising effect globally.

Paddigol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122286022#Comment_122286022

Yeah, it seems crass to mention it given the human toll/ suffering, but the ecological devastation caused, even just for Ukraine's own habitats, is depressing. Its the same with every war, but this is all in the midst of having reached global environmental crisis point. Another thank you card to write to Putin.

Paddigol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122286117#Comment_122286117

Fantastic contributions to the thread. Summed up as basically Russia is bigger than Ukraine so the world should have bent over for Putin. You're entitled to your views but given the lack of any real substance to them don't be shocked by posters being dismissive.

Virgil°

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122286375#Comment_122286375

I think they won't have to cope nearly as hard as all the (Kremlin apologist\Both sides\Ukraine should negotiate) posters have been coping recently. They've been flooding the thread this past while since the Swiss peace summit for some reason.

Don't forget also it was Russia that suffered the most last winter since their infrastructure is crumbling and every penny that could fix all the bursting pipes and breaking dams is being used to send all the maintenance lads to die in Ukraine.

What do you think? Do you think Ukraine could be on to a winning formula soon since they have pretty much all of the worlds most influential countries supporting their peace formula? Meanwhile little bunker boy Vlad has had to prostrate himself in front of North Koreas Pop and Fresh. Is that why all the Kremlin sh*te spewers such as yourself are suddenly so riled up and scuttering up the thread?

Paddigol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122286142#Comment_122286142

No, jesus, that was your take from his post?! Do share your list of permitted talking points why don't you. It was a f**king observation. Don't be so paranoid, or are we back to looking for Reds under the Bed again after a few months where this thread was actually interesting and informative?

jonnreeks

Read an article recently and it mentioned all the major rich oligarchs who support Putin and have a big influence on politics behind the scenes are not happy with the effect of the sanctions, travel restrictions and business opportunities now in place. They feel that the future does not look bright. They would not be happy having to holiday in North Korea or Iran while their children would have to avail of Universities in Pyongyang or Tehran or other unattractive totalitarian countries. Gone are the days that they could avail of the tax havens of the World while sending their sons and daughters to the attractive cities of Europe!

keeponhurling

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122286190#Comment_122286190

This reminds me maybe the ultimate success so far.

Russia are in no position to invade and occupy any other countries, they simply don't have the manpower.

Dubh Geannain

https://maritime-executive.com/article/ukraine-to-restart-black-sea-ropax-ferry-to-georgia-in-july#:~:text=Ukrferry%20restarted%20its%20operations%20in,Azerbaijan%20on%20the%20Caspian%20Sea.

Ukrferry restarted its operations in July 2023 with its ferry Vilnius (9,341 dwt) operating between Romania and Georgia. 

Additionally, at the end of May, the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority reported that negotiations were underway to also resume a ferry service connection to Baku, Azerbaijan on the Caspian Sea

ToweringPerformance

Putin is just a dictator with nukes and has consolidated power in the last year. Russia is further away from removing him from any other point in his reign imo.

https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2024/0621/1455901-russia-wagner/

fly_agaric

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122286375#Comment_122286375

It is bad, but I think they will survive.

This extensive damage to grid/thermal + power plants Russia managed this year is (partly) a fruit of the stupid NATO/US "non escalation" reactive policy in dealing with Russia wouldn't you say? Also the silly Republican block/strike on providing military aid that lasted for half a year or so.

NATO/US have hemmed themselves in long past sense with all sorts of red lines and tripwires all over the place, where Putin/Russia are free to escalate and adapt/adjust their strategy as they like in Ukraine (and elsewhere), bar perhaps use of nuclear weapons (China/India have said they would not be happy).

nigeldaniel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122286375#Comment_122286375

How is Russia going to cope… Russia up the creek and heading back to the stone age. Putin has destroyed everything Russia built up from 1990 to 2020 thanks to his ill-balanced notion of his own importance. The man is a crazed mafia goon. Russia now depends on North African countries for manpower in the Russian army—North Korea for weapons and by the looks of it, Micky Mouse for a friend.

Avatar in the Post

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122285947#Comment_122285947

Europe (by the very most part) is backing Ukraine, not Russia. You're not making sense.

silverharp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122287109#Comment_122287109

maybe they should have been backing peace

eightieschewbaccy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122287236#Comment_122287236

And what is your vision of peace? Peace amounts to Russia leaving Ukraine. Allowing Russia to take parts of Ukraine would firstly be enabling Russia to engage in expansionism. Nothing was done when Russia took Crimea so it gave them confidence to go further.

This time round, they've gotten resistance. Their military has been decimated and they won't be able to expand. The only complaint most people have is that the West isn't giving them enough military assistance.

You don't end up with peace when a nation invades, takes your sovereignty, kidnaps your children and commits genocide. Peace is Russia leaving, paying reparations and the likes of Putin going on trial for war crimes. Peace is not leaving Russia off.

jmreire

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122285947#Comment_122285947

When you are dealing with mad dictatorships like Putin's, there ARE no "middle" grounds. He wins or he loses, end of story. And if he wins in Ukraine, do you think that will be the end of it? Putins regime has to be obliterated 100%, preferably by outside forces, but change from within at this point would be good too. I'm not a great believer in the mantra that whoever comes after Putin could be worse, yes, that's possible, but what's 100% certain is that Putin has pretty much spent the cash and destroyed much of his military both in terms of manpower and equipment. And what will ultimately finish him if nothing else does is the Russian population themselves. For ordinary Russians, between the sanctions (and yes, they work) increasing interest rates (meaning higher payments on loans) inflation, etc. and now on top of all this, to compensate for the shortage of workers, working hrs are to be increased again, including weekends, but without any increase in salaries.

SoapMcTavish

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122287236#Comment_122287236

And there it is ….. more transparent than glass

ToweringPerformance

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122287236#Comment_122287236

They will eventually.

CorneliusBrown

there’s no hope at all those lads are ever getting crimea back. The sooner a negotiated solution happens the better. It’s not worth the suffering and loss of life.

jmreire

How do you think that the Syrians managed when their infrastructure was badly damaged, and at times completely shut down? I'll tell you. They used generators, thousands of them, small 3,4,5 Kva and upwards for houses etc. businesses used larger ones. During the time when the grid was active, the electricity was shared out in zones, and the OFF zones switched on their generators. They have managed for years like this, and still do at times. Ukrainians will manage too.

johnnyskeleton

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122287236#Comment_122287236

What does this mean in practical terms? Should they have just let Russia take over Ukraine or what are we talking about?

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122287236#Comment_122287236

You were posting meaningless comments yesterday along similar lines, somehow trying to make the US culpable. When asked to spell out the details, to spell out what could have been done differently to protect Ukraine from Russian domination and invasion ... nothing.

Another pro Russian masquerade.

You are not for peace. You are for Russian tyranny. Pro Russian atrocity. Pro Russian war crimes. Pro Russian victory. A Russian peace is the peace of the grave. You would reward Russia with Ukrainian territory by your refusal to condemn them, that is not a recipe for peace but for more illegal aggressive wars of conquest and plunder and atrocity.

Virgil°

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122287346#Comment_122287346

God there's a lot of these types showing up lately right? The Kremlin apologists are getting properly riled up for some reason. Russia must be getting pretty desperate. This is great news! 😁

Raoul Duke III

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122287346#Comment_122287346

After all, Ukraine is a faraway country of which we know little, right?

johnnyskeleton

corneliusbrown Not worth it to whom? Its the Ukrainians who sre fighting and dying for their country and they consider it worth it.

If its not worth it for the Russians, they can just go back home whenever they want

Field east

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122286733#Comment_122286733

of the 150m of a population all that is needed is one man/woman with a gun or whatever to do the needful so I would not be too dispondent - I’d take the risk of he being replaced by someone worse. But I’d say that his replacement would have learned his lesson by just observing what has beeen going on and decide that it’s best that Ru cooperates with the west, et al. This could take 10 years +++ to achieve

Raoul Duke III

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122287390#Comment_122287390

The entire national identity of Russia would need to drastically change in order for this to happen. (As drastically as Germany did post 1945)

Field east

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122287236#Comment_122287236

What was wrong with the peace in UKr after UssR broke up in 1991 .
OR , for that matter , what was fundamentally wrong with the peace that existed in UKr up to 2014? The level of peace that existed in Russia after 1991 has nothing to do with Ukr

Dubh Geannain

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122287236#Comment_122287236

So you're saying Europe should have invaded Russia.

wildefalcon

I wonder how Russia will cope having to import oil and fuel, after the Ukrainians decimate the Russian ability to refine oil.

gw80

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122287236#Comment_122287236

Europe has always backed peace!

Are you suggesting that secretly Europe have been pushing for war with Russia all along?

While also being their number one buyer of gas and oil,making them filthy rich,so rich they could have built their army to be one of the most powerful armies on the planet and destroy Europe within weeks, and also investing in infrastructure and helping them to come into the 21 century, but all this time Europe have wanted war with Russia, that was very sneaky of Europe.

Paddigol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122287236#Comment_122287236

What a glib, hollow comment.

Paddigol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122287346#Comment_122287346

Another patronising new account. Oh look, they're for 'peace' and 'settlement'.

scottser

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122287236#Comment_122287236

Europe did back peace. Merkel was instrumental in making Russia more European-facing in the 90s and 00s - after all, it was better to have Putin inside the tent pissing out than outside pissing in. We built infrastructure to buy their oil and gas and they bought European luxury goods by the container-load in return. Europe's only mistake was to believe that Putin would start to respect international law and democracy. So this is all on Putin. All of it. There is absolutely no point in 'backing peace' when Putin's very livelihood depends on continuing the war. The time for peace has gone, so pick a side or sit down. And if you pick Russia, well I can point you to several videos of conscripts either being blown to bits in trenches by drones dropping grenades, or the same shooting themselves in the mouth with their own rifles rather than be brutalised by their own troops.

RGARDINR

I see there is a video out yesterday of Russia using FAB 3000. Seems to be 1st time they used that. Would not want to be near that when it hits.

silverharp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122287731#Comment_122287731

What did America back? everything is just a giant game of Risk to them, it would be funny if 30 years down the road it becomes common knowledge that it was just a US Op after Op by the geographically challenged

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122287816#Comment_122287816

Conspiracy theory nonsense. Everything is just a game of bash the US to you, that is obvious.

"It would be funny"?

You have no more consideration for the people of Ukraine than Putin does. A post of absolute moral and intellectual bankruptcy.

scottser

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122287816#Comment_122287816

Whatabout whatabout whatabout whatabout what? What why who with the what now? Shift those goalposts to right over there. A bit more. No, a bit more. Good man, well deflected. Shame those Russian conscripts can't deflect those FPVs as well, eh?

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122287749#Comment_122287749

Alas, seeing as they are as likely to use it on a Supermarket as on a military installation the Ukrainian civilians can't do much about avoiding it.

Dubh Geannain

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122287816#Comment_122287816

So you're now saying. America, not Europe should have invaded Russia then we'd have peace. Gotcha.

RGARDINR

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122287900#Comment_122287900

V true.

Paddigol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122287816#Comment_122287816

Wow… you've really jumped the shark today.

You're understanding of how global politics has worked for centuries appear threadbare… US is far from perfect, but then the alternative powers we have are who? Russia? China? A Petro State? Compared to the powers that ruled the world during two world wars, colonisation and the slave trade, the US today is doing a pretty good job of trying to keep bad actors sitting down and allowing free global trade. Meanwhile, the alternatives putting their hand up for consideration?

This old mantra of BAD USA is really getting tired, but there's always someone new to parrot the same message like a broken record, while the sit here in the West reaping the fruits of democracy and capitalism.