Ukraine (Mod Note & Threadbanned Users in OP)

I'm no geopolitical genius but I think if it were me....I'd go in and hit him with everything I've got.

That's why I'm not in charge I suppose.

Part of me thinks that's the only language a thug/bully understands.....and that's always been my (deeply satisfying) response in a one on one situation but the stakes are vastly higher with potentially millions and perhaps more lives at stake if the West decides to go in........I'm willing to bet if any rational person with a shred of empathy had to make the decision to escalate it wouldn't be something they could do without huge levels of doubt/worry etc etc

Just goes to show you what Putin is, he can make a decision that will mean thousands/possibly hundreds of thousands/ possibly more will lose their lives.........maybe fighting fire with fire is the only way.

This is the problem. Its all about nerve to a certain extent. But beyond that, its about willingness to take responsibility for the consequences

Hypothetically - The west/NATO stands up to Putin - No Fly Zone

• Outcome A: He backs down. In the face of escalating to World War 3, he either backs down, or is forced domestically to back away from the brink. His regime may or may not end, its irrelevant for this hypothetical
• Outcome B: He Doubles down. Nato planes shoot down Russian Planes. Russia retaliates by attacking NATO's airfields. NATO responds by taking out the russian planes bases. Putin backed into a corner, issues a Nuclear threat to the western hemisphere. Committed at this stage, NATO stands eyeball to Eyeball. No one blinks. Russia Launches. America Launches. Millions die in the short term. Potentially Billions from fallout. End of civilization as we know it

Every fiber in my being wants to see Putin fall. I wake up every morning for the last week, hoping to switch on and find he is gone, dead, or dying. I want to stand up to bullies, and in life, i frequently have. But where the consequences are what they are (Nuclear Armageddon, end of civilization as we know it) - Can we really call his bluff. What if it is not a bluff. There are a few points in the above where he could also back down, but i reiterate the question. What if he doesn't?

That whole "only thing the bully understands" thing is often bollx. Often the bully knows he is bigger than you or can at least knock you senseless before the rest step in.

This bully can cause WW3 or the nuclear apocalypse if you are wrong

Yes, NATO hitting the Chinese embassy in Moscow with guided weapons like they did in Belgrade in 1999 would be unhelpful at this time.

Not trying to be weird - genuinely - but do you have a link for this?

Im getting more and more curious about it (yes by all means take the mic no pun intended) - Initially it seemed to be a stretch to suggest something bogus about the video - but who knows at this stage - two weeks ago i would have denied that this invasion was going to happen - it honestly seemed impossible that

• Russia is spotted moving a large force to Ukrainian Border
• Its publicized
• They deny it - officially from the Moscow government, and via all media
• Boom - they invade
• 
  

People think Russia will fail. They won't fail like you think. If they were at a stage where they were in big trouble economically they would be easy pickings for another country to ally up to. Considering they are anti west they will go all in with China ect. Having a subjugated Russia as an ally with all its nuclear and energy power will be very useful. All they need to do it keep its market's open to them.

Europe will be shafted either way because when the suckers end up fighting, which they will, it will set it back decades. Just because they tried to stick it to Putin.

Nothing like a friendly reminder who's top dog ,

I believe there was alot more to that than we will ever know publicly.

Could be worse Russia fired cruise missiles at anti Assad forces.in Syria and hit Iran instead ,and we wonder why they are taking heavy losses in Ukraine ....

Imagine the combined 30 countries of nato vs Russia , the Russians would be anilated in days

Can't go to China while India refuses to condemn them. Then they lose India and billions in a arms deal. He really has snookered himself.

Best for everyone if India continues as they are doing. Because it actually works against Russia.

Italian Air force has landed in Eastern Poland.

No prizes for guessing what's on board.

Eventually some EU countries will split, as in when the war is over and when Russia gets a new leader it will be open for business again.

Even it Putin died tonight someone will inherit a very powerful country ie unlimited energy/Nuclear resources. They won't be willing to let that go to the West to easily. Diplomacy is the only option to us having a peaceful future.

For the first time in history a major war is being waged in a country with multiple nuclear reactors and thousands of tons of highly radioactive spent fuel.

Ukraine operates 15 nuclear power units, including six of them at the biggest European nuclear power plant - Zaporiz'ka NPP (6000 MW) which also has an on-site open-air spent nuclear fuel storage.

The Russian army has it in their plans to gain access to its facilities. On 2 March 2022 brave citizens of Enerhodar (satellite town to Zaporiz’ka NPP) came out to stop the invaders from entering the city and consequently didn’t allow a direct route to the NPP.

As you may know, the occupation forces captured Chornobyl NPP. This is an act of nuclear terrorism. Russia is using the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone to place their weapons, so Ukraine couldn’t strike back. The presence of weapons is already a great risk for the radioactive situation at the station.

Ukraine has already called on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to immediately appeal to NATO to enforce a ‘no-fly zone’ over its nuclear facilities (the so-called A2/AD zone) and to step up effort to prevent further acts of nuclear terrorism by Russia.

Nuclear power plants might be targeted with the aim of:

* widely dispersing radioactive material;

* disrupting the electricity supply;

* setting up an additional launch site for Russian missiles knowing that the Ukrainian military won’t retaliate fearing the worst outcome;

* using the seizure of NPPs as a bargaining chip during the “peace talks”;

* using them as a “fail-safe” - destroying during retreat to cause significant damage and additional chaos.

1. None of the Ukrainian NPPs (as well as any NPPs in the world) is designed to withstand an act of war, and radioactive emissions from a missile hit in an operating nuclear power plant can exceed those from Chornobyl and Fukushima.

In the worst case scenario, the reactor can be destroyed as well as the cooling system. In this case the radioactivity of both the reactor and the fuel pool could escape into the atmosphere. It could make a large part of the European continent uninhabitable for at least many decades and over a distance of hundreds and hundreds of kilometres.

2. A loss of off-site power could also be an issue of serious concern.

NPPs require constant electrical power for cooling even when shut down. When the electricity grid fails and the reactor is in a station black out, there are backup diesel generators and batteries, but their reliability over a longer period of time cannot be guaranteed.

Fighting could disrupt off-site power plants or transmission lines servicing the reactor, and could also prevent diesel fuel from reaching the plant to replenish standby generators.

3. NPPs require a complex support system, including the permanent presence of qualified personnel, power, access to cooling water, spare parts and equipment. Such support systems are severely compromised during a war.

Therefore, a swift and powerful response from the EU and the world is required to stop the war started by Russia and make sure that military activity around NPPs doesn’t lead to a new planet wide catastrophe, and that operating nuclear units are duly protected and overseen.

We are asking NATO member states and Ukraine-friendly countries to close the airspace over Ukraine and establish an effective no-fly zone which will not only save the lives of our citizens, but will also significantly reduce the risks of enemy missiles hitting Ukrainian NPPs.

Importantly, even as the war rages on, Energoatom and the Ministry of Energy are working to ensure that nuclear power plants are in a safe working condition and that Ukrainians have a stable supply of electricity. 

RUSI Director-General Professor Michael Clarke and the Atlantic Council's Ben Judah - on LBC

Its from 2 days ago so in theory its old - It is very good in my view

• Discussion on the International Security Situation in the west -
• NATO Expansion discussion in relation to Ukraine
• The ACTUAL military situation
• The 'Air-force' question -
• A very pessimistic discussion on 'Gestapo' tactics which are predicted to be employed to remove possible 'trouble makers'

I think it speaks to many of the questions we have discussed (if i missed something and this was already posted apologies -)

Your concern for the west is very touching comrade.

By the time we are finished you will be mooching around Moscow with a half stone of rubles trying to find a shop that is still open . The oligarchs/ mafia already know how putin will die it's just a matter of then rounding up his henchmen and eventually his apologists.

If you would be so kind,

Please help us raise funds for the Irish Red Cross who are helping people on the borders of Ukraine. It's winter time and these people need any support we can get to them. Food, clothes, medications, shelter etc. I just want to try help them, the Irish Red Cross could do a lot for these people and their children with these funds.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-ukraine-people-irish-redcross-050322