Ukraine Watch...

[UndercoverElephant]

That's a hell of a lot of cognitive dissonance to deal with.

Meanwhile, back in reality, the only person who is actually experiencing any cognitive dissonance is you. This isn't our war. Unlike yourself, we aren't emotionally invested in it. We aren't Ukrainians.

[invalid]

I know nothing of Ukraine kidnapping unwilling men off the street, but it wouldn't surprise me if that's true...
Bad things happen in war - both sides will be doing what's necessary...

Here you go Marky https://archive.is/9kbFl

[Ralphw2]

Ukraine has conscription. It isn't kidnapping. It is widely used procedure in many countries in times of war. Not least by Russia, although Thier larger population has allowed the level of conscription to be lower , and mostly from the poor, remote provinces out of sight and mind of the relatively wealthy European Russian population that Invalid seems to be familiar with. That did not stop a million Russian men fleeing the country when the first round of conscription was announced.

[Mark]

You're just sore that you've typed loads of posts on this thread, but not moved the dial at all regarding peoples views on the conflict.
You only comment on this thread, which leads us to believe that you're either Russian, or in the pay of the Russians...
The advice would be to just give up...., but maybe you can't if you're paid per post ?

Luckily I'm not having to continue to lie to myself in order to cope withe the fact that, hey, the Russian military isn't collapsing, its economy is doing fine, the decadent West is declining in power and will, and Ukraine is losing badly. And the fact that by supporting the conflict you're cheering on the death of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians in your own self interest.

That's a hell of a lot of cognitive dissonance to deal with.

Ukraine and its people were peacefully existing until Russia invaded them - that's why I (and seemingly everyone else on here) support them
I think the situation is very sad, but it doesn't occupy my every waking moment, as it does yours...
There's plenty of other stuff going on both in this country and the rest of the world...
The Ukrainians have been very brave defending their land.
I'm not 'anti Russia', I'm 'anti Putin's Russia'.....

Incidentally, if I'd have been about during WWII, I'd have supported the USSR when it was invaded by Nazi Germany...
In fact, I believe the UK sent lots of arms and other supplies to keep you going...
All at a time when we were struggling at home with rationing and the like...

[kenneal - lagger]

............. And the fact that by supporting the conflict you're cheering on the death of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians in your own self interest.

That's a hell of a lot of cognitive dissonance to deal with.

We're not cheering on the deaths of anyone. We're absolutely disgusted with the loss of life. We're absolutely disgusted with Vladimir Putin who is solely to blame for this conflict. It is his fear of the success of a western orientated immediate neighbour with close familial ties to Russia that would have destabilised his regime hasd they been allowed to enjoy their success which drove the illegal and brutal invasion.

Putin and his entourage are the ones responsible for all the rape, murder and destruction although many of the individual Russian soldiers are guilty as well.

[BritDownUnder]

I don't think the UKs economic decline is due to decadence but you could argue that wasteful spending on unnecessary imports such as fine wines, spirits, fast cars, foreign holidays, imported luxury items like handbags and perfumes and ... wait for it ... even imported fossil fuels and electricity is part of the problem. I think the UKs membership of the EU under very poor trading conditions have been the greatest damage to the UK economy along with the general 'scrounger' culture that has pervaded the UK for years.
Also I don't think the spending on the Ukraine war is doing it either. I would guess that most of the items sent to Ukraine were British Army weapons that would have sat in warehouses and armouries unless another conflict comes up. You could argue the depletion in stocks will serve the UK poorly if another Falklands style war comes up.

I don't really mind about the deaths. Each Russian death will mean they have fewer soldiers to invade Moldova, Poland or the Baltic States or even Finland in the future. It will also damage their demographics far into the future as WW2 also damaged their demographics in the present day.

[RenewableCandy]

Both Ukraine and South Korea are reporting intelligence that North Korea is preparing to send up to 12000 troops to fight for Russia in Ukraine. Other sources remain skeptical. 12000 well trained troops would be a significant boost to Russia at this phase in a war of attrition.

Lloyd Autin has now acknowledged this is happening.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/23/us/p ... raine.html

[Ralphw2]

Increasing reports that North Korean troops are to join the Russian counter attack in Kursk imminently. The counter attack has reduced the Ukrainian incursion by about 20% but for the usual very heavy losses. Russian interest rates have been raised to 21%, so the economy is overheating as predicted. YouTube videos are suggesting that the Russian middle classes are now fully aware that the Ukrainian special military operation is going badly but also know that speaking publicly would lead to significant sanctions not least being forced to "volunteer" for military service.

Also reported the Musk and Putin have been in direct communication for the last two years. Given that Musk has high level US security clearance this is a significant issue.

[invalid]

Gornyak is now Russian.

[Mark]

Gornyak is now Russian.

The 2 year special military operation is still going well then...
Even if true, it will now only be a pile of good for nothing smoldering ruins, gained by sacrificing a huge pile of Russian bodies...
With Russian cannon fodder now rapidly running out, the next mighty 'victory' will leave a pile of North Koreans...
But what have you had to give Mr Kim in return ??

[invalid]

Selydove too. Prime industrial land. Now Russian.

[invalid]

The 2 year special military operation is still going well then...
Even if true, it will now only be a pile of good for nothing smoldering ruins, gained by sacrificing a huge pile of Russian bodies...
With Russian cannon fodder now rapidly running out, the next mighty 'victory' will leave a pile of North Koreans...
But what have you had to give Mr Kim in return ??

Actually if you were properly following the conflict you'd see that it was taken relatively intact. The Ukrainians are the side short on soldiers, and they are being rapidly encircled at all these points - forcing them to withdraw.

[Mark]

Actually if you were properly following the conflict you'd see that it was taken relatively intact. The Ukrainians are the side short on soldiers, and they are being rapidly encircled at all these points - forcing them to withdraw.

And that's a cause to celebrate ?
Invading a peaceful county, wrecking it, killing and kidnapping a chunk of the population and making the rest refugees...

[invalid]

Increasing reports that North Korean troops are to join the Russian counter attack in Kursk imminently. The counter attack has reduced the Ukrainian incursion by about 20% but for the usual very heavy losses.

It's more like 50%. Oh, and of course the side with overwhelming superiority in every area is suffering heavy losses

[UndercoverElephant]

Oh, and of course the side with overwhelming superiority in every area is suffering heavy losses

The level of delusion you are suffering from is quite spectacular. If Russia was "overwhelmingly superior in every area" this war would have been over in about two weeks. So far it has taken two years and cost about 100,000 Russian lives, and the Russian territorial gains you are presenting as big victories are in fact tiny. At the current rate, it would take about a century for Russia to defeat Ukraine, and several million lives.