Mad Vlad has encouraged Russian women to have 7 or 8 children, presumably thinking ahead to the cannon fodder of the mid 21st Century. “Many of our peoples maintain the tradition of the family, where four, five or more children are raised,” he said. “Recall that in Russian families our grandmothers and great-grandmothers had both seven and eight children. Let us preserve and revive these traditions."
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67722252 The EU is going to hold membership talks with Ukraine. Pretty big win for the Ukrainians, I reckon.
Not so sure. I think it's largely symbolic. Membership talks take years and ultimately every country has to ratify accession. There's currently zero chance of Hungary doing that.
This isn't exactly a laugh a minute but it's well worth watching. In fact it should be compulsory viewing https://20daysinmariupol.com/
Journalist records what Russian invasion has done for the once prosperous, Watford sized city of Bakhmut. https://x.com/iaponomarenko/status/1737450372489195607?s=46&t=oqOMSJXE_g7J5C7kNPG9LA
110 missile strikes on Ukraine today, including this one on a block of flats. Straightforwardly a war crime. https://x.com/igorsushko/status/1740634304173228235?s=46&t=oqOMSJXE_g7J5C7kNPG9LA Up to date reporting. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-67838996
Republican House Intelligence Chair Mike Turner has asked President Biden to declassify an emerging Serious National security threat. The threat is believed to emanate from Russia and could involve a new weapon or space technology or potentially plans to attack allies. Interesting that this comes from a Republican, given that we know how their likely candidate feels about Russia.
Nukes in Space sounds like one of those Netflix B movies that suddenly appears in their top 10 recommended and then just as quickly disappears again.
I can imagine the pitch meeting. What’s this movie of yours got? Well, there are nukes, but this time the Russians have put them in space. Will there be t!tty? (Apols to B Hicks) (Shrugs) Sure, we can do that. I like the sound of this film boys! Here’s a cheque, now bring me my nukular t!tty film.
Netflix is probably pitching a little high. I think it sounds like the films shown on Blaze or Legend none of which have an IMDB score above 2.9.
"Support for Ukraine among Europeans remains broad, but nearly two years after the full-scale invasion barely 10% now believe it can defeat Russia, according to an EU-wide survey – with some form of “compromise settlement” seen as the most likely end point." Anyone here amongst the one in 10 who still believes Ukraine can defeat Russia? It's odd because according to all the news reports, Russia has suffered catastrophic defeat on humiliating reverse on blasted by valiant Ukrainian freedom fighters. Yet it seems after spaffing gazillions of dollars and experiencing huge bloodshed including many innocents, they're no nearer defeating the evil Russkie. Now it seems many support the compromise and negotiated settlement I was assured was completely impossible a short while ago.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that a ‘compromise’ settlement is really anything approaching a compromise. It would solidify ethnic cleansing of Ukrainians from the Donbas and wouldn’t end anything. Ukraine would still face a destabilising imperial neighbour seeking to undermine it militarily and socially. There is no guarantee Russia would accept the solution and then let Ukrainians decide their own future, for example within the EU or NATO. There is no good solution here and attempts to portray this as obvious or easy are wide of the mark. It would probably just be a pause.
"There is no guarantee Russia would accept the solution" Well a compromise would obviously require negotiation. There's no absolute guarantee either side would comply with what they've agreed in any negotiated treaty. But that applies to all treaties and agreements anywhere. It absolutely wouldn't be easy, but even if they paused while they give it a go it would be something. As for being menaced by a big expanding power on your borders, that is also the complaint as I understand it, of the Russians with regard to the EU and NATO creeping ever nearer. Maybe if Ukraine agreed to not join EU and NATO and to clamp down on neo-nazi activity then something could be achieved? A de-escalation. A disarming on both sides.
It’s sad to see you still using these lines three years in. Russia can claim NATO or EU menace, but the only side to attack in Europe at the moment is Russia. And as for Nazis, did you take a peek at the Russian Wagner forces? Pure Neo-Nazis. Maybe there would have been fewer Nazis in Ukraine had there been fewer planning to invade them from the East. Sure, Ukraine had its problems, but if democracy vs fascism was the issue, without question there was more democracy in Ukraine. There may be other reasons why the EU is feared in Russia, in that it represents not a military threat, but a threat of social change to the Putin clique and Oligarchs who control Russia for their own financial benefit. As for Russia disarming? Pipe dream. The situation has no obvious good solution right now. If Ukraine wants to negotiate or fight on, that’s up to it.
I think it's sadder to hear people still advocating still more war and killing and still arguing against a peaceful solution. Of course Russia will not disarm completely - it has many enemies. I'm talking about demilitarising the border zone. I don't know what's possible, but I agree with those in the survey who think it will have to end with negotiation and a settlement and so they might as well get on with it before more horror. The quicker the better. That is what I've been saying for 2 years and am still saying now. Yes, if Ukraine would like to continue warring then that is their right of course. But the rest of the world do not need to encourage them with billions of funding and supplies of terrible weapons.
So in 1942 could the position of the UK be described as ‘advocating more war’ rather than just defending itself? Peace would be fantastic, but what if giving Russia what it wants ends up with more war later? That’s the question along with where are the millions who don’t want to live under Russian rule going to live if the Donbas goes to Russia? 3 out of 6.5 million have already left. Maybe a million more would leave if the Russians took over. Is that a price worth paying to appease Putin?
**** gets real as Russia tells Britain it can no longer fish for Haddock in the Barents Sea, putting fish and chips under threat. This ends a deal signed with Khrushchev in 1956 ‘Lose weight and get smarter’ the Russian Parliament’s Speaker tells Brits, seemingly oblivious to how losing a large proportion of his weight in prison on half rations didn’t help Alex Navalny. https://news.sky.com/story/fish-and...s-out-of-deal-signed-with-uk-in-1956-13078051
Interesting to read your difference in view on this thread vs your regular updates re: Cuba thread. There you mock the idea of the US being threatened by increasing Chinese influence in Cuba. If the US invaded Cuba giving the justification that they felt "threatened", would you think Cuba shouldn't fight back, should just give up vast swathes of its territory, agree to breaking ties with China so as not to upset the US anymore and that none of the international community should encourage/fund Cuban resistance? And as a basic point of principle, surely it's up to the Ukrainian people whether they want to join the EU and NATO, not the President of Russia?
Of course Cuba already has Imperial occupation of its soil through the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. It’s reasonable to draw a parallel between this and Crimea.
Looks like Ukraine is readying a peace initiative for the Spring. Clearly, this can’t be without the loss of territory as Russia has its boots on most of the Donbas and Ukraine does not have the power to move them.
Another turn of events as two areas of Western Russia become active combat zones, around Kursk and Belgorod after attacks by anti-Putin Russian ‘Patriotic’ Forces. The Kremlin is trying to portray this as simply Ukraine attacking, but there is clearly an element of disaffected Russians and Chechens. https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/russia-belgorod-kursk-attacks-ukraine-1.7143755
Interesting piece from Swedish TV about how Russian disinformation is laundered through social media before reaching the mainstream. https://www.svt.se/special/how-pro-russian-disinformation-is-laundered/
Hopefully, Speaker Mike Jackson will replace Boris Johnson as Ukraine's favourite right wing western politician.......
