Russia - threadbanned users in OP

If you don't think deploying anti-terrorism squads in armoured vehicles, rubber bullets and tear gas against those protesting the forced vaccine mandates was an overreach, you're very tolerant of authoritarianism.

What we've seen in Australia and Canada in particular would not be out of place in Russia or China. These are facts.

Even better if true, it was one of the ships that attacked snake Island.

https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/ukrainian-navy-garrison-of-snake-island-survived-bombardment

I think it's a mixture of poor training, paranoia and a very different theatre of operations compared to Syria. Russia knows that there is now a pretty strong SAM threat in Ukranian airspace, with both Russian built high altitude units and low level, shoulder-launched systems. There is also a major Overwatch operation of Ukranian and, to some extent, Russian airspace by both NATO and US aircraft with Radar and Signals gathering systems. Yesterday, the US denied that they are giving the Ukranians raw data on Russian movements, but I'd say they are covering their assessments.

Russian pilots train less than 100 hrs a year. They are also not used to multi-aircraft, multi-objective operations. This is why, in Syria, you only saw one or two flying missions.

Finally, Russia do not train in a Red Flag type of scenario ( I'll let you Google Red Flag for a reference..). NATO are much better at launching multiple platform, multi-role and multiple target missions in one foul sweep. Putin knows this. He knows that Nato have everything in place to hit Russia in one night, conventially, that would destroy the Russian military infrastructure. Hence the Nuclear threat.

This is why there is a massive sub hunt going on at the moment. The West needs to account for every single sub at the moment.

It must have been the Indian version of the Jeremy Kyle show you were analysing!

The Ukrainians also have fairly new domestically produced anti ship missile the Neptune. I'm surprised they haven't tried them on the RuSSian naval units yet. Then again it could be like the RuSSian "Wunderwaffen" for parade use only!

Oh ya I'm "very tolerant of authoritarianism" (yawn).

Just because I want people to shut up in an unprecedented crisis and do what the govt. (which in a reasonably well run democracy, is not a dictatorial remote external force out to get us that we all need to be constantly, eternally cynical of) tells them.

What we've seen in Australia and Canada in particular would not be out of place in Russia or China. These are facts.

Well they are your "facts" anyway (and don't know exactly what you are referring to and do not care). Writing such a sentence (comparing Aus/Canada to Russia/China) on a public forum is a bit shameful and just discredits you really.

In fairness, it's not like they were encouraged to openly practice their faith under Soviet rule. They're still Jewish.

If you don't know what I'm referring to, I'll tell you. Australian protesters (mainly tradesman) who were protesting vax mandates and losing their jobs, were shot in the back with rubber bullets by Australian anti-terrorism units driving around in armoured trucks.

Something we haven't even seen from Russian police arresting Russian anti-war protesters. Unfortunately many in the west, particularly middle class liberals who weren't in danger of losing their jobs and were fine in lockdown with their spacious gardens, gave all this a thumbs up.

The way Canada and Australia in particular behaved towards protesters, totally ruined any moral authority the west had over dictatorships. They will never be able to preach about democracy, freedom to protest etc to the likes of China, Iran or Russia again. All those countries have to do is roll the tape of 70year old Australian grandmothers being thrown to the ground and pepper sprayed by two cops.

There are neo-nazis in Israel. Guess where they came from?

This is the problem when you conflate a religious faith with an ethnic group. Presumably Israel has its own definition that it is working with.

It's like two weeks ago. We're not talking about an event 20 years ago. The UK government were the first to really be vociferous about sanctions.

Individual sanctions against Oligarchs is complete nonsense anyway. It's one of those things that blue check journalists and twitter users love. Going after these individuals has absolutely zero impact on Putin and the war machine. It's essentially a massive virtue signal. Additionally the likes of Abramovic has been massively philanthropic and has contributed greatly to the UK economy. Some, like Abramovic, may also be helping in negotiations. The idea that he should be stripped of his assets is ludicrous.

It's such a petty campaign to 'seize the yaughts'

Yes i agree, their is nothing to suggest at the moment that any POW in Ukraine are being mistreated, but thats not to say that it is not happening though.

He did also call on Ukraine to not kill any Russian soldiers and to let them go home instead, so he is also probably trying to look out for his own comrades as well.

But I do wonder why he would mention that, does he think that Ukrainian forces are shooting Russian soldiers rather than taking them captive?

The idea that someone like Priti Patel could be a cabinet minister is shocking. She has all the instincts of a fascist. It shocks me that someone from a proud immigrant background could be so prejudiced. Does she not see the irony?