Russian invasion of Ukraine

[Salvo Montalbano]

15 minutes ago, Bairnardo said:

Lots of "diplomacy" type news stories appearing now with Biden getting his neb in.

Time for talks nearing?

Sounds that way but what could Biden/Zelensky/the West offer Putin that would be sold as some sort of win for his domestic audience?

[Todd_is_God]

5 minutes ago, Salvo Montalbano said:

Sounds that way but what could Biden/Zelensky/the West offer Putin that would be sold as some sort of win for his domestic audience?

Lifting sanctions / buying energy / keeping Crimea / Ukrainian neutrality

It would allow Putin to show that he was right about the West not being able to live without Russian gas and that he prevented NATO expansion.

Edited December 2, 2022 by Todd_is_God

[Salvo Montalbano]

25 minutes ago, Todd_is_God said:

Lifting sanctions / buying energy / keeping Crimea / Ukrainian neutrality

It would allow Putin to show that he was right about the West not being able to live without Russian gas and that he prevented NATO expansion.

I guess that's possible but they could have secured that without the deaths and given the massive hoo-ha about the "new regions" I can see that being brought up by the braver Russians out there. 

[The Other Foot]

https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/vladimir-putin-fell-down-stairs-at-home-and-soiled-himself/

 

Is it ok to laugh at an old man shitting himself IF he is personally responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths?

 

The answer is yes. If true, of course.

[Newbornbairn]

Ukraine war: Russia demands annexations recognised before talks

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-63832151

 

[Bairnardo]

7 minutes ago, Salvo Montalbano said:

I guess that's possible but they could have secured that without the deaths and given the massive hoo-ha about the "new regions" I can see that being brought up by the braver Russians out there. 

Yeah but they didn't see it going like this. And of course, the septic involvement in the talks will be less mediation and more "remember what we have held back thus far.... Be a real shame to have to send more....."

I dont think Vlad foreseen a situation where he would have to spin crumbs off Zelenskys table as a win to a population just about ready to kick off. He thought he wpuld have Zelensky in cuffs for a show trial

 

 

[Todd_is_God]

3 minutes ago, Bairnardo said:

Yeah but they didn't see it going like this. And of course, the septic involvement in the talks will be less mediation and more "remember what we have held back thus far.... Be a real shame to have to send more....."

I dont think Vlad foreseen a situation where he would have to spin crumbs off Zelenskys table as a win to a population just about ready to kick off. He thought he wpuld have Zelensky in cuffs for a show trial

I think both sides will be quite keen to avoid a costly, prolonged, war of attrition.

Russia expected a swift victory; the West expected to swiftly crush Russia with sanctions. Neither happened and a way out would be welcomed by both.

[Bairnardo]

Just now, Todd_is_God said:

I think both sides will be quite keen to avoid a costly, prolonged, war of attrition.

Russia expected a swift victory; the West expected to swiftly crush Russia with sanctions. Neither happened and a way out would be welcomed by both.

I have absolutely no doubt that although I believe the intent to decrease reliance on Russia is legit and will continue, purely to act as an even more effective lever if similar happens in future, govts and even more so, big business, will be back into bed with Russia in a flash. 

[Todd_is_God]

2 minutes ago, Bairnardo said:

I have absolutely no doubt that although I believe the intent to decrease reliance on Russia is legit and will continue, purely to act as an even more effective lever if similar happens in future, govts and even more so, big business, will be back into bed with Russia in a flash. 

Of course they will. NS2 would be up and running ASAP.

In the long term, though, it would obviously be wise to diversify the energy supply chain.

[TxRover]

5 minutes ago, Bairnardo said:

Yeah but they didn't see it going like this. And of course, the septic involvement in the talks will be less mediation and more "remember what we have held back thus far.... Be a real shame to have to send more....."

I dont think Vlad foreseen a situation where he would have to spin crumbs off Zelenskys table as a win to a population just about ready to kick off. He thought he wpuld have Zelensky in cuffs for a show trial

 

 

Vlad f**ked it with his “recognize the annexation” demand. He just made almost any deal unpalatable to one side or the other. Biden knows this is just weakening Russia, as does Macron. Western arms dealers are loving the advertising.

I suspect the next moves are improved air defence for the Ukrainians. While the new Northrop Grumman SHORAD is likely too immature and too secret to deploy in Ukraine, there are options like the Stryker SHORAD (though few vehicle are available, but a nice mix of weapons to deal with the Iranian drones) and the Norwegian NASAMS 2 or 3, which works with Patriot. It would be a right shame of a few ATACMS modules happened to get mixed in with a few Patriot missile modules…

[Todd_is_God]

2 minutes ago, TxRover said:

Vlad f**ked it with his “recognize the annexation” demand. He just made almost any deal unpalatable to one side or the other.

Not if genuine referenda at some point in the near future are part of the deal instead.

In the same way that the West will begin with returning to the 2014 borders, neither side is going to open with a position at the very edge of what they will accept.

[welshbairn]

6 minutes ago, Todd_is_God said:

Not if genuine referenda at some point in the near future are part of the deal instead.

In the same way that the West will begin with returning to the 2014 borders, neither side is going to open with a position at the very edge of what they will accept.

How can you have genuine referenda in regions where most of the population have fled? 

[Newbornbairn]

Last referendum.

[Todd_is_God]

13 minutes ago, Newbornbairn said:

Last referendum.

Ignoring that this was 31 years ago, it wasn't a suggestion that the views of any particular region will have dramatically shifted, rather a bargaining chip to end the war.

Pro-Russian parties were relatively successful in the Eastern regions in the 2019 elections, though.

Edited December 2, 2022 by Todd_is_God

[alta-pete]

You know what? In all seriousness and in comparison, we Scots seem supremely ungrateful that, by dint only of geography, we have only a 96 mile (open) border with our friendly (and respectful) English cousins. 

f**k living next to thae c***s. 

Edited December 2, 2022 by alta-pete

[Sergeant Wilson]

2 hours ago, The Other Foot said:

https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/vladimir-putin-fell-down-stairs-at-home-and-soiled-himself/

 

Is it ok to laugh at an old man shitting himself 

 

The answer is yes. If true, of course.

Never not funny.

[MuckleMoo]

Todd absolutely desperate to bend his hoop to the Russians in order to get his hot tub back on. You just know he would have been one of those snivelling shitebags cosying up to what ever invader it may have been in order to fluff his own nest. What an utter c**t!

[Todd_is_God]

4 hours ago, MuckleMoo said:

Todd absolutely desperate to bend his hoop to the Russians in order to get his hot tub back on. You just know he would have been one of those snivelling shitebags cosying up to what ever invader it may have been in order to fluff his own nest. What an utter c**t!
 

Enjoy your hangover

[Melanius Mullarkey]

10 hours ago, Sergeant Wilson said:

Never not funny.

We’ve all been there.

[Hillonearth]

14 hours ago, The Other Foot said:

https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/vladimir-putin-fell-down-stairs-at-home-and-soiled-himself/

 

Is it ok to laugh at an old man shitting himself IF he is personally responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths?

 

The answer is yes. If true, of course.

Honestly, f**k being one of the guards in his dacha. You know this conversation was being had;