Russia - threadbanned users in OP

Yes, and it caused such a furor that they set up security to catch anyone doing it, and they did catch some people who. So these people are deep in the DoDo now...

And then the lorry drivers go on strike.

This is how mass movements start. But it actually means getting out there in the first place. Granted Russian police guarrantee would beat the lard out of you but if the people want a difference there has to be movement.

Ireland is not a neutral country. We are militarily not part of any alliance. But we are and have made it very clear we are very much part of the democracies of this world and stand against the oppressive authoritarian dictatorships of which Russia is one.

Its Russia, and forget all that you have considered "normal" here in Ireland, or indeed the west generally. Its hard to fathom just how deep the corruption is unless you have actually been there and experienced it yourself. So, maybe the journalist / bystander gave the policeman some rubles, and then later the policeman had second thoughts about it and took a pic of the journalist / bystander, just in case...you never know.

There will not be any workers going on strike in Putin's Russia, because Putin will consider strikes as an anti-Russian activity, and if there are not any laws presently, (I'm pretty sure that there are) Putin will introduce new laws PDQ, overnight if needed.

I really don't get how some people pretend the current model of the Russian war economy is sustainable.

Russia's GDP is completely average for a country of its size.

Sure, their form of Government means they can pump money into military funding in a way that democractic countries cannot.

But it's finite. There is only so much pushing around of roubles you can do on a limited economy for so long. What are they spending now on military. 30%? That's completely, 100%, unsustainable in even the medium term.

This wierd persistent myth that they're some sort of superpower is perplexing.

I would say the fact they're 2 years into a war against their poor neighbour and faring badly is more or less the ultimate fact of the matter that can't be danced around. I note China, despite its support in some aspects, is shocked at the terrible performance of the Russian army. I say shocked, but to some degree, I would say delighted.

Putin is still going because he has no other choice, no more than Hitler felt he had no choice after 1943. That's pretty much it. There isn't a future for Putin if he admits defeat and withdraws in humiliation. But of course there is a future for Russia, and obviously, a better future.

But Putin won't allow that. Like Hitler he'd likely be content to see Russia burn and spin his tale of woe, betrayal, blame his generals, blame the people, before he'd admit that he made a monumental, for the history books, blunder by invading.

Also the west is never going to supply Ukraine with actual war-winning weapons. It's pretty obvious that the strategy is for Russia to burn out and retreat of their own accord and admit defeat.

Ukraine suddenly getting an influx of war-winning weapons is a receipe for nuclear disaster by a vengeful maniac and not really sure why people don't get that. The goal is for Russia to reach collapse stage and be forced to withdraw.

Not very nice for the people and soldiers of Ukraine but it's realistic.

Willy OAM - quite the update, not looking for Ukraine here , there could be a couple of thousand prisoners when the dust settles here.

Yeah I would have thought that with Bakhmut Russia has won a Pyrrhic victory and be unable to launch a massive offensive again, that they'd be a spent force.

Yet here we are.

Russia has once again proven it can muster up huge quantities of troops and weaponry to push on. Its caused them a lot in both , but they accomplished their goals.

The rumours of a lot of heavy Western equipment and possibly 2000 captured is very worrying. As are chats the Russians continue to advance towards Yor.

As I expected, you try to put a positive spin on it.

And tens of thousands of Ukrainians died or were injured in the failed counter offensive. Both sides suffered horrible losses and are seriously stretched

I get Ardivka has fallen and that’s just war but if they left 2000 men there with loads of equipment and didn’t pull them out in time, well that’s really poor leadership and worrying for the overall strategy and direction of the war.

"A lot of Ukrainians will have died too for the futile defence"

How was it a "futile defence"

Should Ukrainian troops pull back at the first sight of Russian troops? Should they just surrender and let Russia take the country?