Russia - threadbanned users in OP

He may even have been misquoted. A Ukrainian speaker on Twitter is suggesting he said 'Well, practically' and not 'Well, almost'.....very easy for things to get lost in translation if English is not being used.

The "West" absolutely should have done more - humanitarian air drops at a minimum, but with an implicit threat that the shooting down of a plane would be met with a response.

This escapade has exposed and weakened Russian capability, thereby giving the "West" a huge advantage in terms of assessment.

I understand the reasons for not enforcing a no-fly zone and I'm only in favour of it now because NATO didn't go in immediately.

Even when that Government was hijacked, and is not a true representation of of the people? Putin's reign was born in blood, 3 apartment blocks blown up, hundreds dead. A 4th apartment was also to be blown up, but the people living there caught the bombers red handed. and they turned out to be FSB. Since then Putin has rode a coach and four through the Russian Constitution every election, stealing them, stuffed ballot boxes, coercion etc. You name it Putin has done it. Putin is no more the genuinely elected President of Russia than I am. See what happens protesters on the streets of Moscow ( or any other Russian City) the present day. If in the past if free fair and democratic elections had been held, so you honestly think Putin would have been elected? Personally I doubt it very much.

Vlad talking about cancel culture now. Doesn't exist in Russia apparently.

He knows how to infinitely cancel people anyway.

Yes and people call Putin a chess player and a genius. Easy be a genius and a chess player when you can murder and ‘suicide’ your opponents at will.

@Curious_Case

Therein lies the problem. NATO/the West are not going to volunteer an intervention, even a humanitarian one, where it risks an escalation, so threatening to retaliate if the mission is shot at risks that very escalation. It's a conservative policy, for sure, but the stakes of escalation in conflict are quite high, to put it mildly. In stark realpolitik terms, it seems they've weighed the risk of that as being more significant than the devastation being wreaked upon Mariupol.

It's more likely that the Russians could agree to more robust humanitarian corridors be put in place and let the Red Cross and such organisations work unencumbered, although they have even resisted that. Given that the Russian tactic appears to be to starve the city into submission, they're going to try to prevent anything getting in any which way.

Why choose to make a comparison with the UK?

All you've said is that 10,000 are expected - they haven't been welcomed yet.

The British response regarding refugees has received much criticism within the UK.

Regardless of the government's sluggishness in this matter, there is considerable support and practical aid from the people.

Unnecessary comments fron a generally well respected poster.

Sky news just had Putin translated as saying.. "... they even cancelled Joe Rogan, who wrote children's books enjoyed by millions throughout the world, because of comments about gender equality.........

That Joe Rogan classic : Harry Pothead and the philosophers stoned

Also, if you look at the context of what he said to other countries, it's not clear at all that it's a criticism or if so, to what degree:

(My emphasis)

He appears to have noticed a few countries in addition to Ireland that aren't quite there yet, and reading between the lines, a number seem further away in his mind than Ireland. Given his situation, I'd be inclined to go easy on the judgements, and remember that Eastern Europeans tend in my experience to be quite blunt and tiptoe around things a lot less than we do.

It also seems that the context is Ukraine's quick accession to the EU rather than a question of military or humanitarian aid.

There seem to be two common responses to his comments:

(1) Abuse because he went off script and failed to tell the Irish how wonderful we are. (Is there a Ukrainian word for "plámás"?) 🙂

(2) Rage at the perceived threat to the neutrality sacred cow.

Or a mix of both.

It is also the fact that Central (including Germany) and East Europeans are direct people, while Westerners are indirect people. I am a Pole so his way od speaking is the most right and effective way, even if it might feel like a rude one to indirect people.

Dashcam footage is the answer to anyone claiming that the Russians haven't produced anything of value in the last 30 years...

😁

Ironic considering the Stalinism he so loves was the Nirvana of cancel culture.

If you survive a fight...

Indeed, I'm struck by how direct and blunt he is - but then again, his city is being bombed daily and there are plenty of people who want him dead, so he has every right to be blunt.