The War starts Putin announces "Military Operation" in Ukraine. Explosions heard in Kyiv

[Dorcus]

Re: The War starts Putin announces "Military Operation" in Ukraine. Explosions heard in Kyiv

There are of course questions to be answered about Russian influence

But there are other more suitable threads to criticise the government

Can we please keep the petty comments about Brexit etc out of this thread. Elsewhere fair enough, let's try to keep this thread free of party politics. It is not about that

Innocent people will be dying in the Ukraine in the next few days and weeks.

Only one man bears respnsibility for that. The Russian President

Let any criticism in this thread be saved for that bastard

Language Timothy! Lol

[jon1959]

Re: The War starts Putin announces "Military Operation" in Ukraine. Explosions heard in Kyiv

I expected Putin to carry out a Crimea-style annexation of the majority ethnic Russian eastern areas of Ukraine, alongside a unification with Byelorussia now the opposition have been suppressed.

But the very recent rhetoric and some of the attacks today suggest a much bigger ambition.

RT is running loads of old 'news' clips (from 3-4 years ago mainly) of alleged attacks on ethnic Russians in the Donbas region - backing up his 'genocide' claims. But the focus is ramping up on the legitimacy and political character of the whole Ukraine - repeating his public statements from years back that Ukraine was subject to a 'fascist' coup and the regime is backed by neo-Nazi militias (the Azov Battalion and others). That is also the theme of state-media coverage within Russia itself, and what the Russian public are soaking up.

Biden was more on the ball than other western leaders in predicting this latest stage, but it feels like all of them (US, UK, EU, NATO) have been caught by surprise. Was Putin's comment (very Trump-like I thought) about retaliation against outside interference a nuclear threat? So far there has been a kind of logic and rationality to his moves - but that (even just a vague threat left hanging) would be pure madness.

[Dorcus]

Re: The War starts Putin announces "Military Operation" in Ukraine. Explosions heard in Kyiv

Of course Russia will roll in and "win" - they are one of the biggest armed countries in the world.
However what Russia has done is invade a country which hasn't been hostile to them, alas when Saddam invaded Kuwait.
They have broken every rule within the UN so sanctions and wrecking them financially will have to happen first. The Russians will be prepared for this surely though so what effect it has who knows. Then where does it stop, does Western europe and America form a coalition military wise (already NATO) as they did with Iraq in 1991 as surely invasions like this can't just happen without consequences. As soon as that happens Putin starts firing ICBM's towards us all then as he sees outside alliances attacking Russia.
The man is mad but he's doing it. He's called everyone's bluff, surely the Russian people don't want this.

My guess and hope is that Putin knows just to what extent he can get away with his incursion into Ukraine and will not breach tacit red lines in the expectation he will get his way with the diplomacy which will inevitably follow. If that's his game then there will be no military action performed by the West.

However, if what some commentators are saying is true then the situation may become very grave. It's reported that Putin is now more concerned about his legacy and wants to reset the status quo. It's thought he is not entirely in command of his thought processes and could be prepared to go further than common sense dictates.

Should he feel bold enough to launch an attack on a NATO state then the repercussions could be awful. If he feels emboldened by his action in Ukraine who knows he might just decide to annexe the Baltic States for example. The potential for utter disaster is clear to see.

[Rock_Flock_of_Five]

Re: The War starts Putin announces "Military Operation" in Ukraine. Explosions heard in Kyiv

I expected Putin to carry out a Crimea-style annexation of the majority ethnic Russian eastern areas of Ukraine, alongside a unification with Byelorussia now the opposition have been suppressed.

But the very recent rhetoric and some of the attacks today suggest a much bigger ambition.

RT is running loads of old 'news' clips (from 3-4 years ago mainly) of alleged attacks on ethnic Russians in the Donbas region - backing up his 'genocide' claims. But the focus is ramping up on the legitimacy and political character of the whole Ukraine - repeating his public statements from years back that Ukraine was subject to a 'fascist' coup and the regime is backed by neo-Nazi militias (the Azov Battalion and others). That is also the theme of state-media coverage within Russia itself, and what the Russian public are soaking up.

Biden was more on the ball than other western leaders in predicting this latest stage, but it feels like all of them (US, UK, EU, NATO) have been caught by surprise. Was Putin's comment (very Trump-like I thought) about retaliation against outside interference a nuclear threat? So far there has been a kind of logic and rationality to his moves - but that (even just a vague threat left hanging) would be pure madness.

It was intended to be a thinly veiled threat, coupled with the test-firing of intercontinental ballistic missiles a few days ago. But I doubt even Putin is THAT mad to actually carry out the threat.

[Rjk]

Re: The War starts Putin announces "Military Operation" in Ukraine. Explosions heard in Kyiv

https://mobile.twitter.com/JulianRoepcke/status/1496854817767145478?t=5Gnil-qsST7CW9ieSzWfmw&s=19

[ToTaL ITK]

Re: The War starts Putin announces "Military Operation" in Ukraine. Explosions heard in Kyiv

Not being funny, but get some cash under the mattress. There will definitely be cyber attacks on banks and infrastructure if the west turn the financial screw.And look what happened under a pandemic..No bog roll and pasta.

[Wash DC Blue]

Re: The War starts Putin announces "Military Operation" in Ukraine. Explosions heard in Kyiv

Hopefully cut Russian organizations from SWIFT.

[Elwood Blues]

Re: The War starts Putin announces "Military Operation" in Ukraine. Explosions heard in Kyiv

Hopefully cut Russian organizations from SWIFT.

It seems that Germany and some other European countries are against this

[chris lee]

Re: The War starts Putin announces "Military Operation" in Ukraine. Explosions heard in Kyiv

I am not his biggest fan, and thought he should have gone during party gate. But does anyone else feel satisfied with Boris managing this situation. Listening to him speak today, this is his type of politics and what seems to spark him into life. Much like his hero Winston, maybe not the best peacetime leader, but comes to life when a strong hand is needed.

[The Lone Gunman]

Re: The War starts Putin announces "Military Operation" in Ukraine. Explosions heard in Kyiv

I am not his biggest fan, and thought he should have gone during party gate. But does anyone else feel satisfied with Boris managing this situation. Listening to him speak today, this is his type of politics and what seems to spark him into life. Much like his hero Winston, maybe not the best peacetime leader, but comes to life when a strong hand is needed.

You’re joking, right?

[Hilts]

Re: The War starts Putin announces "Military Operation" in Ukraine. Explosions heard in Kyiv

I am not his biggest fan, and thought he should have gone during party gate. But does anyone else feel satisfied with Boris managing this situation. Listening to him speak today, this is his type of politics and what seems to spark him into life. Much like his hero Winston, maybe not the best peacetime leader, but comes to life when a strong hand is needed.

Im not sure if this is serious but no.

The sight of Raab , Dorries etc alongside makes it worse.

[JamesWales]

Re: The War starts Putin announces "Military Operation" in Ukraine. Explosions heard in Kyiv

His speech at 5pm in parliament was pretty good and I like the bit of Ukrainian language at the end.

Geopolitics is definitely something that interests him more. Whether hes good at it is another thing, but it does fire up his passions.

Ukrainian minister was on radio 5 earlier specifically thanking the UK PM for a speech the other day. We shouldn't be afraid to offer praise where it's due.

[Elwood Blues]

Re: The War starts Putin announces "Military Operation" in Ukraine. Explosions heard in Kyiv

Im not sure if this is serious but no.

The sight of Raab , Dorries etc alongside makes it worse.

I can't see the conservative party having a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister in the current circumstances

[The Bloop]

Re: The War starts Putin announces "Military Operation" in Ukraine. Explosions heard in Kyiv

His speech at 5pm in parliament was pretty good and I like the bit of Ukrainian language at the end.

Geopolitics is definitely something that interests him more. Whether hes good at it is another thing, but it does fire up his passions.

Ukrainian minister was on radio 5 earlier specifically thanking the UK PM for a speech the other day. We shouldn't be afraid to offer praise where it's due.

He's in his element when there's something to distract him from the mess being created under his watch within our own borders.

[chris lee]

Re: The War starts Putin announces "Military Operation" in Ukraine. Explosions heard in Kyiv

His speech at 5pm in parliament was pretty good and I like the bit of Ukrainian language at the end.

Geopolitics is definitely something that interests him more. Whether hes good at it is another thing, but it does fire up his passions.

Ukrainian minister was on radio 5 earlier specifically thanking the UK PM for a speech the other day. We shouldn't be afraid to offer praise where it's due.

this is the point I was trying to make, you worded it much better