Russia - threadbanned users in OP

Ukraine has apparently increased it's military aircraft fleet after receiving military aid from an undisclosed state,

America sent a few wings and other parts literally a few bits but no complete functional aircraft,but someone sent something that flys

Good news. But far too late. This should have happened weeks ago. But still, they will be put to good use.

While the aircraft are probably soviet era ones that UA pilots can fly, i wonder if the armaments' have also been upgraded!

Did we give Ukraine our airforce ?

I think you are overestimating the role of Irish embassies abroad. If an Irish citizen chooses to buy a house in Russia and now cant sell it or get the roubles home then thats on them, not the Irish state. If they lose their passport they will issue an emergency one so they can get back to Dublin to replace it with a new one. If an Irish citizen is imprisoned a third secretary will visit them to make sure they have legal representation but they cannot subvert local laws. Thats pretty much the extent of their role for Irish citizens living abroad.

Plus there are over 100 countries in the world that do not have an Irish embassy or consulate. Adding one more wouldnt make any difference because if you need assistance for an emergency passport then the Department of Foreign Affairs will tell you to go to the local British embassy. They provide Irish consular services in countries where there is no Irish consulate. Many Irish passports abroad are collected in British embassies.

I would not be opposed at all to NATO forces entering Ukraine in order to push Russian forces out of Ukraine. Not in principle at least. Making it clear that this was a defensive campaign that only went up to the Ukrainian border would be the best bet to prevent it ballooning into something far bigger, but this is in no way a given when taking into consideration how Putin is acting. I wouldn't expect him to go, "Ah yeah, fair enough..." on that.

But the big problem would be that NATO cannot and should not fight in Ukraine where Russia can fire rockets at them from inside Russia, or artillery when NATO got closer to the border, and NATO can't respond. That stuff would need to be neutralised by someone and that would mean attacking Russia directly.

I remember seeing this a few years ago, don't now how they would match up against Russian Migs though

Takeoff and land from any wide enough street or avenue

Imagine just as it's been recommended to rebrand the air corp to the Air Force our few armed planes end up elsewhere

The fact Ireland doesn't have many embassies or consulates is purely a function of Ireland's size and demographics. We are an overwhelmingly (or certainly until recently have been) western European nation with a population of some 5 million. Our diaspora is largely confined to the Americas, Britain, and Australia. So the fact that Ireland has an embassy at all in Russia should tell you that there is a demand for it.

As for your assertion that it's "not the Irish state's problem" you're partially right; but the point is that Irish citizens may not be able to just up and leave Russia at a moment's notice. They may require time and support to unwind their Russian assets and try to return back to Ireland without being a further drain on Ireland's public services. Public services which are already stretched amid a housing crisis and war in Europe by the way.

You're also ignoring services for Russians who might want to escape Russia and work in Ireland.

Let me try a different approach: what exactly does shutting down the Irish embassy in Russia and the Russian embassy in Ireland achieve?

It's about giving them as much as possible while, plausibly, saying that they're not taking part. This has been getting ramped up for weeks and could eventually become a proxy war but actually involving Russia. NATO gets the equipment used in combat to reduce the Russian war machine, better than any exercises. While it's hard to see what the west can do to stop russia rolling into a non-NATO country, It's equally difficult to see what limit russia can put on the weapons being supplied against them, most country's are ignoring their threats now, not so a few weeks ago.

It has gone nowhere near to plan for putin.

If an Irish citizen in Russia needs consular assistance then they will still get it, all they have to do is ring the DFA on Stephens Green and ask to speak to the Russia desk. Theres no difference between doing that and walking into the Irish embassy in Moscow because ultimately they will still get assistance in so far as any embassy working abroad can do it. If they need an emergency passport the British embassy will supply it, an arrangement that has been in place for decades and works perfectly well.

As for your question I would ask does Ireland as a nation state really want diplomatic relations with another nation state whose leader has no scruples in his army murdering civilians, raping women and sexually abusing children? Im not alright with that and nor should the Irish State be. Its a waste of time keeping an Irish ambassador in Moscow with his phone bugged and all the rest, its not like he is going to convince Putin to end the war.

Germany have prioritised protection of their economy and wealth over the lives and welbeing of Ukrainians In the face of a country that uses war crimes as SOP and doctrine. They are atrocious; tiny and far less resourced Baltic states have done far more. And what really underlines the moral paucity of your'e defending them is the large numbers of Germans who are angry and embarrassed at their governments unhelpfulness the shenanigans of saying one thing and doing another that's been going on, which has been contemptible.

Are you for real trying to paint the Ukrainians as being muddle headed? They have prosecuted an extraordinarily well run military conflict against a previously thought to be unbeatable foe that has surprised the world and not put a foot wrong, but they aren't smart enough to be able to tell which countries have been helpful and which haven't? Zelenskyy has been universally praised, he's got the Germans sussed to a 't'.

Your appraisal is complete nonsense.

It shuts down a key hub of Russia's espionage and intelligence networks in Europe. Calling it an embassy is is a disgrace. That intelligence centre is assisting Russia's war effort and working against Ukraine's. In doing so it's playing a part in killing Ukrainians and enabling the commission of huge numbers of war crimes.

Basically any 4th Gen fighter would wipe the floor with Mig-29's. Most air-conbat nowadays is conducted BVR ( Beyond Visual Range) and the Gripens and associated AMRAAM's are excellent in this regard.

Migs, while simple and practical in construction, and with some having avionics upgrades, are only as good as their pilots and available weapons systems. Plus their radar is abysmal.

Another poster below mentions thrust-vectoring. Impressive to look at in an airshow display, not much good in a BVR dust-up. Did any Russian aircraft enthusiasts go to RIAT the year Mig displayed their Thrust-Vectoring proof of concept aircraft? It was before the concept was installed on the Su-34's. What an aircraft! Here's a vid of the display. Impressive at close quarters in a dogfight, but pretty useless against 5th gen fighters ( some of whom incidently also have TV) who can dispatch you from over100km away.

Anyone here at RIAT the year of this display? Anyone going this year?

https://youtu.be/BdVJPZAKAQE