A Reuters investigation into Russian soldiers who were in Bucha discovered that one particularly astute creature (I’m loathe to call him a man) scrawled his Instagram handle on the wall of a house (sadly it looks like it was a little girl’s bedroom). Unsurprisingly, his Instagram account now has lots of new comments on it…
Latest score coming in from the Black Sea: Country without navy 2 - 0 Russia https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...hip-admiral-makarov-ukraine-war-b2073007.html
Polacks not f**king about at Russian war memorial: https://twitter.com/Piotr_Halicki/status/1523605244353347584 https://twitter.com/irgarner/status/1523610393884643328
Russians apparently lost upwards of 50 armour units in on day after failing to bridge a river three times, getting repelled by Ukrainian resistance/artillery. Horrendously inept, and there's ample video evidence it's real.
Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) report* on corruption in Russia's armed forces: https://rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/corruption-russian-armed-forces *Wear my academic hat - for something that's been published by such an 'august' body as RUSI that's a shocking piece of writing.
https://twitter.com/visegrad24/status/1524089064445644803 Post-parade storage of the War Heroes' portraits: https://twitter.com/O_Ostapchuk/status/1523645425479131141
....and Irish unhappiness with this plan is all de Pfeffel's fault: https://twitter.com/francis_scarr/status/1525925744056143878
I think the honourable gentleman's career in Russian state broadcasting is over: https://twitter.com/francis_scarr/status/1526293852704890882
I saw that thread but it’s interesting that some are claiming that NOTHING gets on state tv without approval - ie that the public is being prepared for a scaling down of Russian ambitions in Ukraine. As pointed out, there is no criticism of Russia’s motives, nor of the army or its operations and strategy, in his comments.
In a fuller clip of the show he was fully taken to task by the other guests and the host for his lack of 'doublethink'.
Interesting article on Ukrainian Roma fighting and what they hope for when the war's over: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/4/26/ukraines-persecuted-roma-community-joins-war-effort To get an idea of what life's like for most East European Roma (Lithuania's population was about 4000 and they lived in a shanty town* alongside Vilnius airport come ascension to the EU they,pretty much literally, disappeared 'overnight') just over Ukraine's border is Slovakia's 2nd city of Ko*ice. *A couple of French guys en service were sent to Taboras to prepare a report for the Embassy. They left the camp wearing just their underpants - the only reason they weren't stolen was that the two guys **** themselves.
Short piece on Transnistria where a lot of the pro-Russian Ukrainian diaspora end up: https://unherd.com/2022/05/transnistria-is-too-old-for-war/
Interesting thread of how a lot of the same people keep appearing in Putin's meet & greets/walkabouts: https://twitter.com/GlasnostGone/status/1529778219389444096
At some point everyone will need to get around the table. As strong as the temptation will be to fight on, if it’s clear the East is lost (I’m not saying I believe or know this) then it will be in everyone’s interest to end it as soon as possible. However, it’s not clear to me what the plan is to defend or retake it.
Lengthy and informative thread of recruitment/ethnic make up of the 'Russian' army: https://twitter.com/kamilkazani/status/1530895135826927616
Has Putin slinged a nuke yet? This forum is the only internet access I have and updates have been scant lately.
It's a proxy war , and if you take sides then more fool you . The human cost is catastrophic. No doubt . History won't look kindly on those who have taken a side .
It’s not really a proxy war as Russia is actually fighting it, rather than just their separatist proxies. There is lots that is problematic about the Ukranian side, the dodgy nationalists, the US’s schemes, but a Russian victory would be horrific. They are wiping out populations, setting them to flight or removing them. They are looting, raping and torturing. If they come to dominate Ukraine, insurgency and war will be endless, with neighbours brought into it. Russia should ceasefire, withdraw from forward positions and negotiate. If they won’t, we must hope they will be beaten. Ukraine is not the same as Russia and not equally culpable. It’s tanks and troops are not on Russian soil. That’s notwithstanding any bad things Ukranians do, of which there will be many. No one takes having their cities carpet bombed well.
The Ukraine is being used as a proxy for the USA\West . It is a continuation of WW2 . But carry on reading what you want to believe in the newspapers. It is amazing to me that people say "don't believe what you read " but parrot MSM if that suits them. Stunning. And brave .
But Russia (aka the Soviet Union) were on "our side" in WW2 and many Ukrainians collaborated with Nazi Germany. Are you suggesting that Russia is genuinely attacking Ukraine because they are still Nazi sympathisers? And the US/West are fighting to protect Nazis? You do know that Zelensky is Jewish? I suggest you watch the excellent Ross Atkins explanation of the reality when it comes to Putin's "Nazi" claims. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-europe-60853404
Oh I see, just one side is a proxy for bigger players. That’s not a proxy war then. Nor is the point you’re making as profound as you seem to think. It’s hardly as if there’s any secrecy about the actions of the West/NATO in arming Ukraine while opting not to commit their own men to the battle. Nor is their motive hidden - the US Sec Def has literally said they’re in it to degrade Russia’s military capability so they can’t do this again. Our government has said similar. You can disagree with the aim but it doesn’t seem like an example of saying one thing while meaning another. What do you think the UK’s policy should be then and what do you think the ideal outcome would have been with us sitting this one out?
