Ukraine war mega thread

[HermantheGerman]

Do you understand what political independence means? You even highlighted it.

Skidmark is just plain dumb and harmless. He has no clue what he is posting.

The other two stooges ("Judas Trolls") are *insane.

They still have no clue of what's coming and suffering Putin has/will cause. They will just turn the other way and blame everything on the west.

*in a state of mind which prevents normal perception, behaviour, or social interaction; seriously mentally ill

[NamPikToot]

UK - COBRA meeting going on atm on introduction of sanctions, many saying they should already have been put in place and suggestions they are going to be less than the full range available. You have to wonder why we have let these scum in under the 2008 VISA scheme and i hope they freeze all assets and revoke their VISAs.

To sum up the current situation and moves by Russia - BBC

If you're just joining us, here’s a quick wrap-up of what’s taken place in the last few hours:

* Russian President Vladimir Putin has formally recognised two Russian-backed separatist-controlled regions in Ukraine

*He said he would send Russian troops to those regions - Luhansk and Donetsk - raising fears that this could mark the start of a military incursion

*Putin says those troops will be completing “peacekeeping” functions but the US representative at the UN described that as “nonsense”. The US believes Putin is ready to invade.

*The UN Security Council held an urgent late night meeting in New York following Putin's speech, where multiple nations called for peace and diplomacy efforts to avoid a war

*Russia’s ambassador said the country was open to diplomatic solutions but also repeated
Putin’s accusations blaming Ukraine for escalating aggressions. Ukraine has strongly denied this

*Analysts say Putin in his fiery speech on Monday laid out the rhetorical groundwork for potential military action

*He claimed, falsely, that Ukraine had no history of being a true nation and the country had been created by Russia

*He also accused Ukraine of being a puppet of the US, and said the Western military alliance Nato was threatening’s Russia’s security

*Ukraine’s President Zelensky, in his own response, said Ukraine was not afraid and would not yield

*The US has flagged it will announce further measures against Russia on Tuesday
Article share tools


https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-60454795

[sabang]

In the massive propaganda blitz over Ukraine, there is one place where you can find, in enormous detail, the truth about what is happening in the civil war conflict zone on a daily basis. That is in the daily reports of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Monitoring Mission.

The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe is a brilliant organisation set up to monitor implementation of agreements on human rights and arms control during the Cold War period. It includes Russia, the UK and the USA among its 57 members as well as all EU states. It has been operating in conflict zones for over half a century.


Over 40 member states have monitors in the Ukraine monitoring mission. The head of the mission is Turkish, and almost all members have a military or diplomatic background. There are 700 monitors, and they have been in Ukraine since 2014. Their job is to patrol both sides of the civil war conflict zone and to record infringements of the ceasefire and de-escalation agreements, bringing these to the attention of the relevant authorities.

Their work is very comprehensive indeed, and their detailed daily reports are public. These provide the most fantastic journalistic resource for what is actually happening on the ground – which is why Western mainstream media never use this resource, because the truth is the opposite of the picture they wish to paint.

For example, three OSCE monitors attended the site of the famous “kindergarten missile” attack, to verify what kind of missile was used, where it came from, and then tally this against the OSCE’s detailed record of weapons on both sides in the area and their daily movements. This is, literally, the basic everyday job of the mission. The team of OSCE expert observers – two of whom were from European Union countries – were denied access by the Ukrainian government to the kindergarten when they arrived to determine what kind of missile it was and where it came from. This is in direct violation of the ceasefire accord.

For those of us who saw the kindergarten attack stunt as propaganda to begin with, this is powerful corroboration.

This is from the OSCE’s daily report of 18 February:

Damage to a working kindergarten in Stanytsia Luhanska, Luhansk region
On 17 February, the Mission followed up on reports of damage to a working kindergarten in
the north-western part of Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of
Luhansk), located about 4.5km north-west of the north-western edge of the disengagement area
near Stanytsia Luhanska.
At 22 Depovska Street, about 20m south-west of a two-storey kindergarten building, the SMM
observed a crater in the kindergarten playground, as well as marks assessed as caused by
shrapnel on the inner side of a concrete wall surrounding the building. Also, it observed a hole
(about 1m in diameter), and one shattered window on the north-eastern facade of the same
building, and two shattered windows on the building’s north-west facing wall (on its ground
and first floor).
The SMM assessed the damage as recent but was unable to determine the weapon used or the
direction of fire.
Staff from the Youth Affairs Department of the Stanytsia Luhanska Civil-Military
Administration told the Mission that 20 children had been in the kindergarten at the time of the
incident, but reported no injuries.
The SMM was only able to conduct its assessment from a distance of about 50m from the
north-eastern facade and of about 30m from the south-western facade of the damaged building,
as a law enforcement officer did not allow the Mission to access the site saying that an
investigation was ongoing.

That same report records numerous violations of the ceasefire agreement by the Ukrainian government in moving heavy weaponry in to menace separatist held areas and in keeping weaponry outside agreed storage facilities. It equally reports precisely the same kind of violations by separatist rebels. None of which balance has been recorded by the same western media which loves to give detailed accounts of troop movements within Russia. Here is just one tiny example of hundreds of the OSCE information, from the same report of 18 February as the kindergarten visit:

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the
Memorandum and the Package of Measures and its Addendum.
In violation of withdrawal lines, the Mission observed a surface-to-air-missile system in a
government-controlled area of Donetsk region. It also spotted 21 howitzers, five anti-tank guns
(four of which probable) and one probable multiple launch-rocket system, in two training areas
in non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region.
Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites, the SMM saw ten towed
howitzers and two surface-to-air-missile systems in government-controlled areas of Donetsk
region, in two compounds (of which one near a residential area). It also spotted two surfaceto-air missile systems, 12 mortars and 41 tanks, in two training areas in non-governmentcontrolled areas of Luhansk region. (For further information, see the tables below.)
Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone
In government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the Mission saw seven
armoured combat vehicles. In residential areas in non-government controlled areas of Donetsk
and Luhansk regions, it also saw one anti-aircraft gun and two armoured combat vehicles
(including one probable). (For further information, see the table below.)
During the day, the SMM saw a minibus, three minivans, two cars and ten men (age unknown)
wearing military-style clothing and carrying assault rifles in a residential area of Oleksandrivka
(non-government-controlled, 20km south-west of Donetsk).
The Mission also saw a convoy consisting of four trucks (three Ural and one Kamaz type) and
three cars carrying at least seven men in a residential area of Brianka (non-governmentcontrolled, 46km south-west of Luhansk) heading north-west. Later in the day, the SMM saw the same convoy in Alchevsk (non-government-controlled, 40km west of Luhansk).

Three countries have now withdrawn their staff from the OSCE Monitoring Mission in preparation for a coming war – the UK, the USA and Canada. In my view, that speaks volumes about who is actually planning on starting a war here. Extraordinarily, having withdrawn their staff, the western powers are now briefing the media that the OSCE (which has for decades been a key tool of western security architecture) is a biased organisation.

Yet again the parallel to the Iraq War is striking to those of us who recall the rubbishing by the US/UK of the reports of the UN weapons inspection team, in favour of propaganda and outright lies in order to start a war.

https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archi...ormous-detail/

[OhOh]

Another NaGastan press briefing to enjoy the utter lack of clarity exposed by the unamed "official":

Background Press Call by Senior Administration Officials on Russia and Ukraine

February 21, 2022

5:24 P.M. EST

"MODERATOR: Good evening, everyone. And thanks for joining. Tonight’s call is going to be on background, attributed to a “senior administration official,” and contents will be embargoed until the conclusion of the call. Our speaker tonight is [senior administration official]. [Senior administration official], over to you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Great, thanks. And thanks, everybody.

I want to start out by discussing Russia’s recognition of the so-called DNR and LNR regions of Ukraine today. We have long anticipated that Russia might take this action, and as you saw, we were ready to respond immediately.

President Biden has issued, today, an executive order that will prohibit new investment, trade, and financing by U.S. persons to, from, or in the so-called DNR and LNR regions. This EO will also provide authority to impose sanctions on any person determined to operate in those areas of Ukraine.

We will take further measures tomorrow to hold Russia accountable for this clear violation of international law and Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as of Russia’s own international commitments.

To be clear: These measures respond to Russia’s recognition gambit; they are not the swift and severe economic measures we have been preparing in coordination with Allies and partners should Russia further invade Ukraine. We are pleased with the historic coordination we have had with our Allies and partners on developing these measures and will continue to stay closely coordinated in the days ahead.

But I also want to address the speech President Putin made today, because we believe it made clear his true designs. This wasn’t a speech just about Russia’s security, it was an attack on the very idea of a sovereign and independent Ukraine.

He made clear that he views Ukraine historically as part of Russia, and he made a number of false claims about Ukraine’s intentions that seemed designed to excuse possible military action. This was a speech to the Russian people to justify a war. In fact, he once again explicitly threatened one.

Unfortunately, the sequence of events that Secretary Blinken laid out at the U.N. Security Council appears to be proceeding exactly as we predicted.

Russia has increased the number of false-flag events and provocations over the past few days. Today, it called a dramatic Security Council meeting. That was followed by the recognition of sovereign Ukrainian territory as independent republics, with whom Russia immediately signed so-called friendship and mutual aid agreements.

No one should mistake these theatrics as legitimate statecraft. This is Potemkin politics — President Putin accelerating the very conflict he has created.

Today’s speech from President Putin follows several days of heightened tensions and escalations by Russia in and around Ukraine. Russian troops have continued to move closer to the border in what looks like plans for an invasion at any moment, most likely in response to attacks Russia falsely claims are occurring in the Donbas.

Indeed, just in the last hour, we’ve seen Russia order troops to deploy into the DPR and LPR for so-called peacekeeping functions. We have seen a number of actions that are clear Russian-backed pretexts for further invasion, like explosions at eastern — at eastern Ukraine that just happen to have Russian state media covering them in the middle of the night, or videos of alleged emergency evacuation calls or so-called saboteurs whose metadata show clearly that they were created days before their release. These attempts at disinformation aren’t fooling anyone.

But the human costs of these actions are already accruing. Russian-backed forces are forcing civilians in eastern Ukraine to leave their homes and conscripting men and boys in those regions against their will. The human costs of a further Russian invasion and occupation will be devastating.

Today after President Putin’s speech, President Biden both spoke with President Zelenskyy and held a joint call with President Macron and Chancellor Scholz. In all these calls, the President strongly condemned President Putin’s decision to recognize the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics. We will continue to consult with our Allies and partners about both diplomatic solutions and the consequences we will impose on Russia should it further invade Ukraine.
Russia continues to escalate this crisis that it created in the first place. We’ll continue to pursue diplomacy until the tanks roll, but we are under no illusions about what is likely to come next. And we are prepared to respond decisively when it does.

Thanks. And with that, happy to take any questions.

Q Thank you very much. Thank you, [senior administration official]. I have a question that I’ve been asked on television which is relevant, which is: If the so-call- — if the letter to the U.N. that Ambassador Crocker wrote is correct and based on the intelligence is correct, and if there are lists of people in these categories that might be arrested, even killed, you know, sent to prisons or camps — if we see this happening, if we see Americans at risk as well, will we stand on our — what the President said and has repeatedly said and (inaudible) have said about not sending American troops into Ukraine on rescue missions, about standing on this not being an Article 5/NATO situation. How is that sustainable for President Biden if these dire consequences are, you know, visible to the world? Thank you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thanks, Andrea. So if what was described in our letter transpires, those would be horrific crimes — war crimes, even. We have been warning individuals and groups who we think could be targeted based on our understanding and our knowledge of Russian plans to try to enable them to protect themselves or move to places where they might be safer. But I have nothing to amend in what the President has already said, which is that he has no intention of sending American forces to fight inside Ukraine.

Q Hey, [senior administration official]. You know, in the last hour, obviously, you noted that the Russian government’s decree, Putin decree, sending the troops in, there’s lots of suggestions that there might be, you know, so-called boots on the ground for Russia in parts of Ukraine, that they may cross that border tonight, perhaps tomorrow.

You know, is this not the time? Or are you — are you not under pressure at this point to go ahead and impose the actual sanctions — the full-blown package of sanctions?

And, you know, if not now, I mean, is there a — you know, are you literally going to wait until the first, you know, truck rolls across a particular line? Or how do you guys, you know — I mean, could that be three in the morning? Or what — how will you guys roll that out?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: So, thanks for the question, Mike. Look, as has been the case throughout this crisis, we are going to assess what Russia does and not focus on what Russia says. The actions that we take are very much focused on response to Russian actions, of which there have been some taken up till now and we have calibrated our responses accordingly.
But I want to take a step back here and point out something that may be lost on people who have not been paying attention to this conflict throughout most of the last eight years, which is that Russia has occupied these regions since 2014. It has been Russia’s position that there are not Russian forces present in this part of the Donbas.

The reality, as we pointed out on a number of occasions over these past years, has been quite different. There have been Russian forces present in these areas throughout. And so we’re going to be looking very closely at what they do over the coming hours and days, and our response will be measured according, again, to their — to their actions.

We’ve taken a number of actions today, including the President’s executive order. We’ve indicated that we have further actions to take tomorrow. Beyond that, I’m not going to get into any more details.

Q Hi, [senior administration official]. Thank you for doing this. Interfax says that armored columns already are entering Donbas, and there’s reports on the ground of that as well just on social media. Has the U.S. verified that there are additional troops — have moved into Donbas? Does it believe that forces are rolling out now? And will the new — will the U.S. not react if this is limited to Donbas? I mean, these would be armed forces entering this area. Is that okay and, you know, something else has to happen to trigger the sanctions package?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thanks, Ellen. So I have no other information to provide on the troop movements that you described. As I said, we’ll be watching very closely the actual actions that Russia takes, including the type of action that you just mentioned and that is apparently in these reports.

In terms of your question of whether we will not react if Russia take steps in the Donbas, that’s sort of the opposite of what I said; I said we would react based on actions that Russia takes. We’ve already said, including in our statement that we put out today in response to the action that President Putin took, that we would have additional steps to roll out tomorrow. And I’m not going to get ahead of those announcements, but we will be taking additional action.

And, certainly, to your question about whether it is okay, the answer is absolutely not.

Q Thank you, [senior administration official]. I have a follow-up to the series of questions that are being asked about this. Well, first of all, to — just to make sure I understand what — the steps, the measures you’ve imposed today are basically a ban on investment and trade with the two regions — right? — Donetsk and Luhansk, and then the authority to impose economic sanctions on people in that — in those two regions, correct?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yes, that’s correct.

Q Okay. But you’re saying you will — you will impose additional steps tomorrow?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: That’s also correct. (Inaudible) and our statement said — that we’ve already published, under Jen Psaki’s name, that we will take additional steps as soon as tomorrow and going forward.

Q And those will be sanctions — economic sanctions?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I don’t think the statement specifies that, but there will be, I strongly suspect, sanctions activity related to this.

Q Strongly suspect sanctions activity.

It looks like — very much like that Russian troops are moving, if not already, in Donbas, according to Interfax, armored columns. Would Russian troops moving into Donbas consist of a — of an invasion — in your words, in your view — such that it would trigger the sanctions?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Again, I think you’re just citing the same report that the previous question asked about. And I said I don’t have anything to, sort of, verify or confirm. But I did say that we are going to be carefully observing and assessing Russian actions and responding accordingly.

But I do also want to remind you and everyone on the call that the Russian troops moving into Donbas would not itself be a new step. Russia has had forces in the Donbas region for the past eight years. Their narrative has been that they do not; our, you know, certain knowledge has been that they have. And they are now — they’re apparently now making a decision to do this in a more overt and open way. But this has been the state of affairs in that region and a big part of why it has been so unstable since 2014.

Q Hi, guys. Thanks for doing this. It’s actually Cecilia Vega with ABC.

[Senior administration official], can you say anything more about the proposed Biden-Putin summit in the wake of what’s happening right now and/or today? Does this — does this make it not happen? Or does it — what’s the effect on that?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, we’ve said a few things about this all along that I think remain true. One is that we were open to further engagements between the two leaders if we thought it made sense and could have a beneficial impact on the crisis, but there were a number of predicates to a meeting like that. One being — one critical one being that Russia does not take further military action inside Ukraine. And so, we are going to — again, as I said in response to previous questions — have to continue to assess what Russia is doing.

Our strong sense based on everything that we are seeing on the ground in the areas around the Ukraine — to the north, to the east, to the south — is that Russia is continuing to prepare for military action that could take place in the coming hours or days. And so, certainly can’t commit to a meeting that has as a predicate that Russia won’t take military action when it looks as imminently like they will.

Q Yes, hi, [senior administration official]. Thanks for doing this. I want to double check on something. So, were you saying because Russian troops have been in the Donbas for eight years that if Russian troops were to enter there anew, that would not necessarily trigger sanctions or you would not consider it a renewed invasion?

And then two is: There’s now calls for having a U.N. Security Council meeting. But of course, you’re well aware that Russia has a veto, so what would the utility of that meeting actually be? Thanks.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: So, I was not saying that, Alex, in response to your first question. What I was saying — and I’ll — I said it a couple times, but I’ll say it again — is that we will observe and assess what actions Russia actually takes and respond accordingly. We have already said we’re going to take additional sanctions actions tomorrow. And if Russia takes further actions, I suspect there will be further responses to those actions. That’s how we’ve handled this up until now, and that is how we will continue to handle things going forward. We have a number of options at our disposal.

On the U.N. Security Council session of — you know, I would say a few things. Russia cannot necessarily veto the holding of a meeting; they can veto a Security Council resolution. We see value in the U.N. Security Council, which is the sort of foremost international body charged with maintaining peace and stability in the world confronting what is, right now, the most significant challenge to peace and stability anywhere, which is what Russia is doing on the border of Ukraine and making Russia answer for the actions they took today and that it looks very likely to take additionally in the hours and days ahead.

We’ve done that a number of times during the course of this crisis. And given the steps that took place today, we think it would be appropriate for that to happen again.

Q Hey, [senior administration official]. Thanks for doing this call. Sorry to beat a dead horse here, but I just want to go back to this question over what constitutes a new invasion, because you said at one point that Russian troops moving into the Donbas would not be a new step. So would Russian troops have to move past the Donbas, or what’s the exact line that they would have to cross in eastern Ukraine to constitute a new invasion from that angle that you guys would consider a new invasion?

And then my second question is: Will Secretary Blinken still be meeting with Foreign Minister Lavrov on Thursday as of now? Thank you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: So, again, Kylie, I’ll repeat what I’ve said up until now, which is: We are going to observe and assess what Russia does in the hours ahead and overnight, that we are going to respond to any actions that Russia takes in a way that we believe is appropriate to the action. And we’ve already said that there will be additional steps taken tomorrow — again, I said earlier on this call will likely to be sanction steps. And if Russia takes further actions, I suspect we would take further actions in response to that.

And so, I think that’s basically how we see it. And I’m going to leave it there.

I also reminded people, separate from that consideration, that there have been Russian troops in the Donbas for eight years now and that, you know, Russia has denied this. Now Russia looks like its going to be operating openly in that region, and our — and we are going to be responding accordingly. And we’ll have more steps to announce tomorrow.

Remind me of your second question though, Kylie? Sorry.

Q Yeah, just the Secretary Blinken —

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Secretary Blinken/Lavrov. So I would refer you to the State Department on that question. I think they’re going to have more say about that than I will on this call.

MODERATOR: Thanks, everyone. That’s all the questions that we have time for. With that, the embargo is lifted. And friendly reminder that we are on background, attributed to the “senior administration official.”

Thank you.


Access DeniedA waste of every ones time I suspect. The media will not like the indecisiveness/ambiguity of the POTUS and his "advisers".

No doubt the western media will select what they wish, to placate their corporate sponsors line.

[OhOh]

Yet another from at least a named spokeswoman:

Statement by Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Russian Announcement on Eastern Ukraine

February 21, 2022


We have anticipated a move like this from Russia and are ready to respond immediately. President Biden will soon issue an Executive Order that will prohibit new investment, trade, and financing by U.S. persons to, from, or in the so-called DNR and LNR regions of Ukraine. This E.O. will also provide authority to impose sanctions on any person determined to operate in those areas of Ukraine. The Departments of State and Treasury will have additional details shortly. We will also soon announce additional measures related to today’s blatant violation of Russia’s international commitments.

To be clear:

These measures are separate from and would be in addition to the swift and severe economic measures we have been preparing in coordination with Allies and partners should Russia further invade Ukraine.

We are continuing to closely consult with Allies and partners, including Ukraine, on next steps and on Russia’s ongoing escalation along the border with Ukraine.

Access Denied

Sanctions or, depending on "allies", nothing.

When will the "alliance" confirm Russia as invaded Ukraine?

In another 8 years?

[sabang]

Jeez, take your meds Herman.

[David48atTD]

Ukraine Foreign Affairs Ministry says 'quasi-entities' will have no legal standing

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ukraine has issued a statement on social media condemning Russia's recognition of two separatist-held region's as independent states.
The ministry issued the statement just before 8am local time.
"Ukraine condemns the Russian Federation's decision to recognise the "independence" of the quasi-entities it had created in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, the so-called Luhansk People's Republic and Donetsk People's Republic," it said.
"The Russian Federation's decision to recognise the so-called Luhansk People's Republic and Donetsk People's Republic will have no legal implications."

[sabang]

But obviously the violent Maidan revolution has 'legal standing' according to the same party. Yada yada.

[David48atTD]

Russia blames Ukraine for Donbas incursion, accuses West of 'egging on' Ukraine towards conflict

Russia's Vasily Nebenzya is speaking on behalf of his country, accusing Ukraine of being the aggressors in the conflict.

"I'll leave the direct verbal assaults against us unanswered.

"From the statements of our colleagues one may get the impression Russia's recognition of the DPR and LPR happened suddenly. That is not the case."

He says it happened in 2014 but Russia only recognised them now.

He has reiterated Mr Putin's claims of an attempted erasure of Russians in Donbas.
Mr Nebenzya alleges it is Ukraine, not Russia, that violated the Minsk agreements, doing so by not speaking openly with Russia.

In all other conflicts we all demand and call for direct dialogue between the parties. It's only Ukraine that is for some reason an exception to the rule."
...
"Russia is not a party to the Minsk agreements."
...
"We remain open to diplomacy but allowing a bloodbath in the Donbas is not something we are prepared to do."

He accuses the US and other Western nations of "egging on" or "nudging" Ukraine "towards an armed provocation towards Donbas".

[David48atTD]

But obviously the violent Maidan revolution has 'legal standing' according to the same party. Yada yada.

Humm, the "Maidan revolution"

A grass roots uprising to protest against the Russian Puppet of the then Prime Minister/President of the Ukraine after he personally rejecting the Ukrainian-European Association Agreement which was a free trade agreement.

An agreement which would have turned Ukraine towards the free-trade orientated Europe and away from Russia.

He currently lives in exile in Russia.

Surprise, Surprise ... Yanukovych served as the governor of Donetsk Oblast, a province in eastern Ukraine, from 1997 to 2002.

[NamPikToot]

^ Putin is doing an excellent Trump impression.

[sabang]

So then, it's OK if We do it- but not OK if They do it!! Gotcha!

I mean, why on earth did we bother inventing this thing called the Rule of Law in the first place. It's rule of the Good guys (Us) over the Bad guys (Them). Problem is, They think the same thing. But that doesn't matter. 'cus they are the Bad Guys. Isn't life great, in a Hollywood western? The Good guys always win.

[NamPikToot]

the meds not kicked in Sab?

[panama hat]

Russia has diplomatically recognised the two breakaway Republics

By sending in troops . . . too stupid even for you

[bsnub]

the meds not kicked in Sab?

He needs more than just meds at this point.

[sabang]

Don't worry, who needs laughing gas with you guys around.

[sabang]

Would you prefer some of the Ukrainian neo-Nazi militias sent in as Peacekeepers PH? Yep, that's about stupid and naive enough for you.

[David48atTD]

You can feel it in this thread.

If you feel it in your fingers, in your toes ... in Ukraine, it's probably frostbite!

One time when I was there in May ... it was still snowing.



EDIT ... dammit ... wrong thread!

[S Landreth]

Russian GDP

How’s that Russian stock market doing? https://twitter.com/DavidInglesTV/st...16634686971904

[NamPikToot]

The former UK ambassador to Russia says a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine crisis will be impossible as long as Vladimir Putin remains in power.


Sir Andrew Wood told the BBC, Putin cannot "recognise what a diplomatic solution would be" and noted "his word is obviously worth nothing".


"A diplomatic solution for him would be not just us saying that we aren't going to invite Ukraine into Nato, it would be accepting his total control of that country," Sir Andrew said.


Addressing the question of sanctions, Sir Andrew called for a full package of measures to be imposed against Moscow immediately.


He urged western leaders to target Russian banks and to bring an immediate end to plans to make the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline operational.


He added that the recognition of separatist regions marked a dangerous moment for Putin, noting that "the people of Russia do not want war" and said that "they are not as enchanted with Putin as they once were".

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-60454795

[sabang]

Putin is mortified- he had absolutely no idea that might happen!

^ Seriously, these days who on earth cares what the poms have to say? We already know. Pabst lite.

[David48atTD]

Seriously, these days who on earth cares what the poms have to say? We already know. Pabst lite.

Apart from the Russian backed Belarus (Belarusian) ... who else (which country) is supporting the Russian invasion of Ukraine?

[sabang]

The people they are protecting, obviously. Reckon they might be celebrating. Reckon some Russian soldiers might be in for a nice bonk too! But no doubt you will describe that as rape.

[NamPikToot]

The people they are protecting,

[harrybarracuda]

Apart from the Russian backed Belarus (Belarusian) ... who else (which country) is supporting the Russian invasion of Ukraine?

According to Hoohoo's map, Moldova.