Ukraine V

[TheDecameron]

Thing is, DimitryZ, it's just rumour and speculation (the weight loss, the alleged constant presence of an oncologist, holding the edge of the table in a funny way, a singular instance of a shaky leg, looking a bit 'peaky', looking a bit 'puffy' etc) - it could just be old age, poor diet, less frequent exercis and lack of sleep. He may well be, but I think a lot of it is either wishful thinking, or disinformation or possibly both. He will die one day, but it is unlikely to happen in a timeframe to have a material effect on this invasion.

I assumed it was largely disinformation or to paraphrase Cilla, justaburrafun. I’m sure though foreign security services will have some info on his personal circumstances. There was a very lengthy piece in a US publication about him having thyroid cancer with lots of circumstantial evidence but again could be the product of talented authors at Langley.
The issue is, when he goes there could be dangerous instability with worse after him.

 

[notaclue]

Russia says jet scrambled as US B-52 bombers fly over Baltic Sea https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023...e-scrambled-a-us-bombers-flew-over-baltic-sea

Will only take one slip for a direct clash.

 

[gustav_errata]

There are multiple threads on Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya on pfm, a simple search will show them. You’ll see widespread opposition expressed to the invasion of Iraq and the tactics used.

And of course, just like in morally equivalent Russia, all those people expressing opposition were swiftly rounded up for re-education in a prison cell.

 

[ks.234]

And of course, just like in morally equivalent Russia, all those people expressing opposition were swiftly rounded up for re-education in a prison cell.

Sounds like you want to restart an argument that had begun to die down.

If you don’t want to discuss Iraq, Afghanistan etc, why do you bring them up?

 

[MikeMA]

Being reported by CNN and other news outlets today that Ukraine may have destroyed a train shipment of Russian cruise missiles in Crimea, links are worth a look too:

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/21/...issiles-destroyed-ukraine-intl-hnk/index.html


CNN —
Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense said late Monday that a strike destroyed Russian “Kalibr” cruise missiles that were being transported by train in the town of Dzhankoi, in Russian-occupied Crimea.

Ukrainian authorities did not directly claim responsibility for the strike but said it serves to further “demilitarize Russia and prepare the Crimean peninsula for de-occupation.”

Sergei Askyonov, the Russian-installed head of the annexed peninsula, confirmed there was a strike and the region’s air defense system was activated. One person was injured and two buildings were damaged, Askyonov said.

Amateur video geolocated by CNN shows a large explosion and resulting fireball. An individual is heard saying off-camera the strike hit the train station. However, the video did not clearly show what had been hit and CNN hasn’t been able to confirm the exact location of the strike.

Two of Russia’s most important military airfields in Crimea are located in Dzhankoi and Gvardeyskoye, Britain’s Ministry of Defense said in 2022.

“Dzhankoi is also a key road and rail junction that plays an important role in supplying Russia’s operations in southern Ukraine,” it said.

 

[DimitryZ]

Russia says jet scrambled as US B-52 bombers fly over Baltic Sea https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023...e-scrambled-a-us-bombers-flew-over-baltic-sea

Will only take one slip for a direct clash.

This has only been happening for over half a century.

 

[Seeker_UK]

This has only been happening for over half a century.

And their Bears do the same to us. All nicely choreographed.

 

[Kirk]

I didn't view that all the way through, but it did seem to me that not all those shots of Putin are of the same individual.

I wish he would get on with it - or step down.

 

[TheDecameron]

The symmetry is remarkable. Chinese President on state visit to Moscow complete with strutting soldiers while Prime Minister of Japan arrives in Kyiv to lay a wreath to Ukrainians slaughtered by Russia in their own country in 2023:

 

[sideshowbob]

I wish he would get on with it - or step down.

Or fall out of a window.

 

[Sue Pertwee-Tyr]

Vladimir Plummitin

 

[palindrome]

I wish he would get on with it - or step down.

Or fall out of a window.

Yeabbut, what then happens to all of his doppelgangers? Do they all go out the window one after the other?

John

 

[sideshowbob]

It would be pretty good if they could all do it together, synchronised swimming style.

 

[TheDecameron]

It would be pretty good if they could all do it together, synchronised swimming style.

Yeabbut, but what then happens to all of his doppelgangers? Do they all go out the window one after the other?

John

That’s the essential problem of taking the job of a dictator’s body double.

 

[mykel]

That’s the essential problem of taking the job of a dictator’s body double.

Something tells me you would not have much of a choice if you were unfortunate enough to pass as a double.

 

[DonQuixote99]

Something tells me you would not have much of a choice if you were unfortunate enough to pass as a double.

 

[notaclue]

I would think everyone here would agree that the doublespeak is horrific, particularly in the case of war. However, it would be more efficient and certainly less tedious if there was a separate thread to catalogue all of the US/Western mistakes and horrors rather than having to mention these things every time something is said about Russia in this thread. And that really is the mindset for some here…we have a misunderstanding of a simple phrase because the desire to counterbalance the Russia talk is so great. Just my opinion.

OK. I will start one. However, please feel free to post bad things about the Soviet Union and Russia on it, if you wish. I won't stop you.

 

[notaclue]

It's going 'nuclear' albeit not in that sense. Yet...

Putin says Russia ‘will respond’ if UK supplies depleted uranium shells to Ukraine
“If all this happens, Russian will have to respond accordingly, given that the west collectively is already beginning to use weapons with a nuclear component.” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...k-supplies-depleted-uranium-shells-to-ukraine

 

[DimitryZ]

It's going 'nuclear' albeit not in that sense. Yet...

Putin says Russia ‘will respond’ if UK supplies depleted uranium shells to Ukraine
“If all this happens, Russian will have to respond accordingly, given that the west collectively is already beginning to use weapons with a nuclear component.” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...k-supplies-depleted-uranium-shells-to-ukraine

He will bluff like that forever until his troops are driven to their own borders. Then he will declare victory - he saved Russia from a NATO invasion.

Depleted uranium doesn't have a "nuclear component."

 

[TheDecameron]

Putin says Russia ‘will respond’ if UK supplies depleted uranium shells to Ukraine

With more Po-210? “We have alternative isotopes”.