Russia - threadbanned users in OP

Yes Ireland is now in ruins because of Russia invading Ukraine.

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What are you on about you absolute space cadet?

Right putting aside the fact that I did address those points let's go through them and hold your hand.

1. Civil War in Ukraine. This is nothing but a fantasy in your head which you are attempting to post as some sort of fact. It's so far fetched and based on nothing that not even Russia itself has really talked about this. Your buzz words like "societal collapse", "fracture" and attack each other" are based on nothing but a romance novel of the mind. You have made comparison to Iraq, but it has been pointed out to you, in detail, why that is a pointless comparison. The reason Ukraine has survived and weathered this invasion so well is literally national unity.
2. Russia defences on the ground. No-one said they are irrelevant. You invented that word. What people have said, is that Russia defences are poor, and have proven to be poor, repeatedly, even when people made claims like "They will never breach Kherson's defences", etc. Unlike your claim that Ukraine is somehow on the brink of civil war, for which there's no evidence, there's any amount of evidence that the Russian army is an absolute joke given it's budget and size, and is massively under-performing, to put it mildly.
3. No-one said peace talks are unnecessary. Another word you invented. What people are saying is that Ukraine has no need to enter peace talks on Russia's terms. Why would they? They're beating the brakes off Russia at the moment, figuratively and literally given their small size relative to Russia paper strength. Ukraine can decide when Ukraine wants to enter talks, and they hold that power precisely because they are giving Russia such a bloody nose.
4. Ukraine doesn't need to strike back at Russia internally. As of this second, Russia has been humiliated, it's economy is in tatters, it has literally zero chance of winning in Ukraine. It is the invader, the launcher of an illegal war, the perpetrator of war crimes, the one holding the world to ransom over one pathetic man's imperial vision. Ukraine is the one fighting for survival. From the start this was Russia's war to lose, and they are losing it extremely badly.
5. Your ridiculous claims that Ukraine can only make gains by deploying nuclear weapons. Putting aside the generally brain-dead sentiment of this claim, which flies in the fact of the fact that the UKR army is pumelling Russia, and the fact that Ukraine don't even have nuclear weapons. Why are you saying Ukraine would have to deploy nuclear weapons? As opposed to Russia, which is actually floundering, and actively threatening not just Ukraine but the entire west with nuclear weapons every other day.

Your argument, again, is for reasons unknown speculating the absolutely best and most ridiculously unlikely possible outcome for Russia, while simultaneously predicting the equally most far-fetched pessimistic outcome for Ukraine. It basically amounts to the classic "Ukraine should surrender because they can't win", despite the fact that the entire world is watching Russia lose.....and it is absolutely their war to lose.

Whataboutery.

The Russian world, as they say-

He's out of the loop, and in no position to count bodies, that's why he 'estimates' Ukrainians are in a position to physically count bodies, and according to this, they publish full lists of their losses and don't hide them from relatives or their populace. According to that, the losses are 1:5. If the general was counting civillian deaths as well, then that's a very different matter.

Excellent post and a very accurate summary.

Ukrainian success is so close now that the withdrawal of Western support would be ridiculous.

Signals from exiled Russian journalists are now indicating that Putin is indeed being perceived as a loser and that "beneath the veneer" things are changing among his circle.

Very impressive for a country where conscripts have to buy their own equipment and are issued ancient rusty weapons that need a lot of work. Somhow I doubt they are spending anything on any such thing.

Someone will be rearranging the furniture in their bunker any day now.

No room for Vladimir at any table it seems.

Nothing irritates a Narcissistic Madman more than being put on the ignore list. Putin will soon be using up the last of his toys and then what! will he turn to the drink and fancy smokes?

How about Russia withdraw troops from their illegal occupation of another sovereign state, and then Ukraine can join whatever they damn well please since they are a sovereign state.

Russia need to negotiate their re-entry into the civilized world, and with that there may be room to compromise.

I think full NATO membership ticks all the boxes in a clear unambiguous way that no other instrument can.

No reams of small print, just 4 words - "Don't F With Us"

SF were relatively pro-russia (voting against sanctions), but they've since wiped their press releases and changed to be vehemently pro-Ukraine. Unless they want a public lynching along the lines of mussolini to happen with their leadership, they'll likely remain that way (pro-Ukraine) if in power.

I do wonder how much thought russia is putting into the "ban" lists, given that being on them will be a badge of honour for most folks. If it's an attempt to divide, it doesn't work that well (unless Daly/Wallace are going to be the next Irish leaders :)

People are overlooking that any sort of a 'stalemate' solution with lots of compromises to the regime leaves Russia in a position to regroup and go on the attack again. They invaded Ukraine in February without warning or provocation and in breach of all international laws. With the same dictator and criminal regime in power, they would still pose a huge threat to their neighbours.

Manpower without weapons? I'm not sure that you know much about either manpower or weapons...Thousands of dead and wounded Russians would disagree with you there, now on the other hand, where you have thousands of Russian conscripts with non or poorly functioning weapons or even basic protective gear. And in lots of cases, they do not even have commanders, or if they do, when the fighting starts, they depart and leave the men to fend for their selves. You are mistaking quantity for quality. Quality wins every time, and so far, Ukraine is winning had over fist.

Yes, like I said, I don't think Sinn Fein will deviate from EU Policy. I think Russia probably have an outdated view on them (Pre February 2022). Jerry, The Ra, Feck the Brits etc.