Russia - threadbanned users in OP

I see Putin was mocking Carlson's intelligence. He expected sharper questions. Yet he is afraid to sit down with the likes of the BBC who will give him a proper grilling, unlike Carlson who let him in engage in monologues without interruption. He was openly mocking him during the interview too.

Saddam's intelligence service used to test if it did within his inner circle by planting the idea of a western coup in the minds of those closest to him. As regards Putin, being en ex spy he is likely even more paranoid. He likely has an insurance policy as you say that if anyone moves against him their nearest and dearest will get it. They also benefit from his rule, so they won't contemplate making a move while that lasts. If the CIA really wanted to they could probably get to him, but given the enormous potential ramifications they will never do it.

I wonder could Zaluzhny have the last laugh on Zelensky yet. If Ukraine don't make notable gains this year Zelensky's popularity might well wane domestically.

What more can he possibly do to help Ukraine on the battlefield??

I dunno how the west welcomes every made in China, while China supports Russia. The West have a lot of leverage over China, time to use it. Already I'm seeing BYD cars everywhere

Maybe because everything is made in China, and to China, this war is as far from them as the Iraq war was from us.

Very few people in Europe were boycotting American products during the second Gulf war.

I presume in your eyes the Independent is also in on this smear campaign?

And this outlet too must be pro Kremlin according to you?:

Probably not much. I also think Zelensky has generally done an excellent job and showed great heroism and did so much to bring Ukraine together and get foreign support.

I'm merely reporting what's written in reliable sources: politics are moving again in Ukraine and there are some divisions. This is inevitable, especially in a democracy

This probably merits another thread? Pretty damning stuff too ..

"Now Ireland is again considering how best to deal with Russia, its sprawling Dublin embassy and the nefarious activities of its intelligence services on Irish soil amid warnings from western governments concerned about the potential for war on Europe’s eastern border.

The government is also coming under pressure from Europe to protect and police the waters off the Irish coast containing undersea cables amid fears of Russian interference ... The concern across Europe and Nato focuses on Ireland’s unwillingness to confront Russia and acknowledge the scale of the threat its spying agencies pose, and its inability to defend its own interests.

.... They ( defence forces, Garda ) also know Russia’s Federal Agency for Government Communications and Information (Fapsi) is spying here, deploying vans full of equipment that can intercept private communications. More recently, Ireland has been warned Unit 29155, an elite GRU unit that conducts sensitive foreign operations including assassinations and targeted attacks, might be operating here."

"I have no doubt Ukraine losses are not to far off the reported russian losses of about 300,000???"

I'm confused by your post. You mention hearing of a ratio of losses of 7 to 1 on part of the front yet you then go on to claim to have no doubt Ukrainian losses are not far off losses among the moskovytes. 7 to 1 is not that close a number between the two armies and you would need the ratio to be in favour of putin's troops in many areas to balance the type of ratio I remember being mentioned in relation to the assaults putin's forces were making on Bakhmut before Ukraine pulled its troops back to save lives in its armed forces.

The figure recorded by the armed forces of Ukraine for losses in putin's forces is over 400,000 and is clearly shown in my previous post yet you claim a number 100,000 less. Sounds to me like you are trying to inflate the losses of Ukraine's armed forces and reduce the estimated number of losses in putin's forces just to fit your theory that there is going to be a sudden shift in the conflict in favour of putin's terrorists. While I do think putin's terrorist state is a huge threat to Europe I can't see Ukraine allowing putin to have any sort of victory and will continue the slow bleed of his resources as we have consistently seen over the last two years of the more widespread war in Ukraine.

If it was 1939 Daly would be on defending the Nazi Soviet pact and the right of them to dismember Poland and murder.

She is absolutely morally and intellectually bankrupt.