Ukraine Watch...

[adam2]

The Daily Mail is reporting on rumours that Putin has died, following on rumours that he had a heart attack. Of course, this is not news, just wishful thinking.

Various on line sources of doubtful reputation suggest that putin IS dead, but AFAIK, No reputable sources are reporting this. Still one might hope

I wont believe it unless reported by the BBC, or independant UK based TV news, or by a qaulity newspaper.

[Forever_Winter]

I thought this story was quite funny:

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/18 ... ent-health

From the Express so probably BS, but interesting all the same. For example, how many doppelgangers are running around pretending to be Putin right now?

[Default0ptions]

The Daily Mail is reporting on rumours that Putin has died, following on rumours that he had a heart attack. Of course, this is not news, just wishful thinking.

There’s a saying that’s probably apt here: “be careful what you wish for”.

Russia in chaos might not turn out to be the better option really

[Catweazle]

If you were an ambitious Russian looking to take the reigns from Putin then now would be as good a time as any. You could take credit for the rest of the campaign which could easily swing in your favour.

[Default0ptions]

The defunding, or at least a serious re-examination of the continued funding of Ukraine is pretty much on the cards now.

“Congress Headed For Showdown Over Ukraine, Israel Funds As Massie And Greene Say 'NO' To All”

“Speaker Mike Johnson, who hand-delivered a report to President Biden with a list of demands. In particular, the list - written by Rep. Mike Garcia (R-CA), informs Biden that Congress won't authorize any additional funds for Ukraine unless the administration answers a dozen questions about the path forward.”

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/con ... say-no-all

[invalid]

Ukraine president warns against expecting too much success too quickly
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said: “The modern world is set up in such a way that it becomes accustomed to success too quickly. When the full-scale aggression began, many in the world did not think Ukraine would endure,” in his nightly video address on Tuesday.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/ ... ng-support

This Joker's fond of a strawman! Just keep sending us billions, and we'll keep losing (and sacrificing our male population).

[clv101]

The Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, was caught admitting that world leaders are tired of the Ukraine war and looking to strike a deal with Moscow during a call with Russian pranksters.

“I see that there is a lot of fatigue — I have to say the truth — from all the sides. We are near the moment in which everybody understands that we need a way out,” she told Vladimir Kuznetsov and Alexei Stolyarov, who were posing as African diplomats. “The problem is to find a way out which can be acceptable for both without destroying international law,” she added.

“The counteroffensive of Ukraine is maybe not going as they were expecting,” Meloni said in the recording. “It is going, but it didn’t change the destiny of the country. Everybody understands it could last many years if we don’t find solutions.”

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/33bb ... 2a2179af55

[Default0ptions]

The Ukraine tragedy is pretty much over. Totally avoidable loss of life on both sides. This didn’t need to happen

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/ ... seek-peace

[Default0ptions]

US Rolls Out 50th Weapons Package For Ukraine:

But…

‘the situation in Ukraine is becoming increasingly bleak. The top Ukrainian defense official told the Economist outlets that the war has reached a stalemate. Additionally, an aide to Zelensky said corruption was rampant, and Ukrainian officials were stealing "like there is no tomorrow."’

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/ ... ge-ukraine

[invalid]

There is no sign whatsoever of either Ukraine or its western backers being prepared to end this war. Russia remains on the back foot.

I can't be bothered to have this discussion. I don't know how you arrive at the conclusions you arrive at, and I don't care. You are perpetually clutching at straws.

Perceptive as ever...

[Ralphw2]

Ukraine has started moving armoured vehicles across the Dnipro river, to strengthen its bridgeheads on the left bank. This is still small scale attacks, but it shows Russia does not have the hardware to effectively defend the entire front line, Ukraine is not giving up yet.

[Default0ptions]

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/the ... gedies-our

(Glenn Greenwald was the journalist who got much of the Edward Snowden leaks published in the Guardian; whether you think that was good or bad)

“Tucker Carlson and Glenn Greenwald discuss these two interwoven issues at length, noting first the West's palpable war-fatigue, manifesting in a reluctance to further "fund this war," while on the ground in Ukraine, human resources are dwindling.”

"The West is just tired of funding this war... they're now dragging 45 and 50 year olds off buses and sending them to the front," adding that "NATO seems to have acknowledged that this is not actually going to work."

Still. It seems that we’re going to play this out to the bitter end. Or to the last Ukrainian.

[Default0ptions]

Ukraine has started moving armoured vehicles across the Dnipro river, to strengthen its bridgeheads on the left bank. This is still small scale attacks, but it shows Russia does not have the hardware to effectively defend the entire front line, Ukraine is not giving up yet.

“Ukraine is not giving up yet”

Do you really imagine that the Ukraine can ‘win’ in any meaningful way here, Ralph?

Perhaps you could start by defining what a Ukrainian ‘win’ would look like. What exactly are the objectives of this war for the Ukraine and ‘the West’? How will we know when those objectives have been achieved? Are those objectives actually achievable? Will the situation then be stable - or will it have to be continuously reinforced? Who will pay for that continuing reinforcement? In human lives and money?

With that in mind it’s interesting to go back to the first post in this thread by Lord Beria. Surprisingly prescient way back in 2014

Ralph from way back on that first page: “ I don't think anybody can claim Crimea as their ancestral home. I think we need to take the interests of the current locals into account. Ukraine in its current boundaries is a modern invention, and I don't see it lasting. Stirring up nationalism in a fractured nation is a short cut to bloody civil war.”

[Ralphw2]

Crimea was not the reason that Russia invaded 2 years ago. It had been in defacto control for a decade, and Russia had enacted ethnic cleansing to Russify the population, deporting large numbers of tartars and actively encouraging Russian nationals to move there. Ukrainian governments and the international community never recognised that invasion, but there was no prospect of conflict in that area.

Now, however Ukraine has been given international support to regain its internationally recognised territorial boundaries, and that includes Crimea. With the Russian naval fleet shown to be extremely vulnerable to both missile and drone attack, it will be a very difficult territory to defend if Ukraine manages to regain the Kherson region.

[Default0ptions]

How about “ Ukraine in its current boundaries is a modern invention, and I don't see it lasting.”?