Russian invasion of Ukraine

inbetween said:
This will happen quicker than you would think. I can imagine that Putin promised something very quick and swift but it hasn't worked out that way. This is one of the largest superpowers going up against a very average military, they should of had no problem taking the country within a day but it hasn't been so easy and Russia looks horrendous in the world right now.

The longer it goes on the harsher things will get at home. Many of these ogliarchs had half of their money wiped out yesterday in one day and any assets they do have over here will wilt away as it carries on. They no longer have access to foreign finance, they only have the Russian banks who have virtually collapsed. Their cushty lives are going to be made very difficult for the sake of something they probably don't care about.

Putins meeting with them yesterday was very telling, we've even seen protests in Moscow. Let's not pretend that Russia is united against Ukraine, it's quite the opposite.



Click to expand...

He’s a rotten maggot that Putin! Get him on a train and give him a slap!
 
dave_blue12 said:
I haven’t checked the veracity of the list but this potentially puts the importance of Ukraine in an entirely different light


Mind blowing stats, worth a read.

We are all watching the news like hawks... And maybe like the rest of us you are wondering why are Russia invading Ukraine.

For those who ask: “Why does Ukraine matter❓ “
This is why Ukraine matters.

It is the second largest country by area in Europe by area and has a population
of over 40 million - more than Poland.

Minerals:
Ukraine ranks:
⚗1st in Europe in proven recoverable reserves of uranium ores;
2nd place in Europe and 10th place in the world in terms of titanium ore reserves;
⚙2nd place in the world in terms of explored reserves of manganese ores (2.3 billion tons, or 12% of the world's reserves);
2nd largest iron ore reserves in the world (30 billion tons);
2nd place in Europe in terms of mercury ore reserves;
⛽3rd place in Europe (13th place in the world) in shale gas reserves (22 trillion cubic meters)
4th in the world by the total value of natural resources;
7th place in the world in coal reserves (33.9 billion tons)

Ukraine is an important agricultural country: ‍

1st in Europe in terms of arable land area;
3rd place in the world by the area of black soil (25% of world's volume);
1st place in the world in exports of sunflower and sunflower oil;
2nd place in the world in barley production and 4th place in barley exports;
3rd largest producer and 4th largest exporter of corn in the world;
4th largest producer of potatoes in the world;
5th largest rye producer in the world;
5th place in the world in bee production (75,000 tons);
8th place in the world in wheat exports;
9th place in the world in the production of chicken eggs;
16th place in the world in cheese exports.

Ukraine can meet the food needs of 600 million people.

Ukraine is an important industrialised country:

1st in Europe in ammonia production;
⛽Europe's 2nd’s and the world’s 4th largest natural gas pipeline system;
☢3rd largest in Europe and 8th largest in the world in terms of installed capacity of nuclear power plants;
3rd place in Europe and 11th in the world in terms of rail network length (21,700 km);
3rd place in the world (after the U.S. and France) in production of locators and locating equipment;
3rd largest iron exporter in the world
4th largest exporter of turbines for nuclear power plants in the world;
4th world's largest manufacturer of rocket launchers;
4th place in the world in clay exports
4th place in the world in titanium exports
8th place in the world in exports of ores and concentrates;
☄9th place in the world in exports of defence industry products;
⛓10th largest steel producer in the world (32.4 million tons).

Ukraine matters❗
That is why its independence is important to the rest of the world❗.
Click to expand...
Very important post!
 
Churchlawtonblue said:
I see little miss Abramovich has dared to criticise her dad's mate Putin. That will be her million dollar allowance cut by a few grand. Her weasle of a father will now be looking over his shoulder.

We really shouldnt be letting any of these Oligarchs reside in Europe anymore.
Click to expand...
Take the Champions League trophy off him I say!
 
Psychedelic Casual said:
It’s got fucking nothing to do with Russia that Ukraine wants to join NATO. It’s simply Russian paranoia, over the top self-importance, and their total disdain for Ukraine sovereignty that makes them think it’s their business.

The fact that more and more of Russia’s European neighbours have asked to join and have joined NATO tells you more about Russia than it does NATO. There’s an open-door joining policy to NATO; and it’s been Poland, Hungary and Czechia, then Bulgaria, Romania and then the Baltic countries and some Balkan countries that joined, and then potentially Ukraine who have wanted to join. They weren’t bribed or forced or threatened to join, nor were their elections tampered with from NATO, nor were NATO puppets put in their Govts, nor were they invaded.

They all wanted to join NATO. They did that for their own security, being part of a wider string group and through fear of Russia.

Russia had been refusing to turn up to G8 summits, and other conferences when olive branches had been handed out. At one stage there was even discussion in possibly asking Russia to join NATO. In the end they were kicked out of the G8 for fundamentally being untrustworthy dickheads with no intention of being a friendly nation.

Yanukovych gaoled all opposition leaders after the 2010 election and when Ukraine had agreed to join the EU in 2013 he refused to sign the papers on Russian orders, and instead went with the Russia-Belarus-Kazakhstan customs union despite even the more pro-Russian Donbas region being mostly against that move never mind Ukraine as a whole (no area of even Eastern Ukraine was more than 22% positive of that move, with even the most pro-Russian areas being 30% positive of joining the EU). Also there were reports from the OSCE and US universities in 2014 looking back at the 2010 Ukraine election that showed information of election fraud. He then applied 46% of the Govt’s budget to the Donbas region despite that region only being 11% of Ukraine’s total population.

The violent coup you mention with no context as to why it came about (as if you think it was uncalled for and came out of nowhere) came after all this. Then, after protestors demanded Yanukovych to resign after the above were met with violence from the Police, it then escalated into riots. He was then ousted and he fled to Russia.

The detail paints a very different picture to what you suggest happened!

Russia were not given guarantees because they’ve not been shown to be trustworthy for a long time, they’ve been shown to be spreading misinformation, not turning up to summits and conferences when invited before or because they made their puppet Ukraine leader go against the wishes of the Ukraine public when they wanted to join the EU, and invaded Ukraine over 8 years. Why should NATO talk to Russia about Ukraine’s own sovereign choice anyway? It’s not Russia’s say, it’s Ukraine’s.

NATO talking to Russia about Ukraine joining would be like NATO talking to the UK about Ireland joining NATO.
Click to expand...
I don’t disagree with much of and I’m aware of all that.

Doesn’t change my opinion that if NATO didn’t exist or even that if Trump would have taken the US out of NATO, there wouldn’t be a war today.
 
blueinsa said:
Again it’s not fair or true to say this.

Ukraine government has never asked for military help on the ground and they understand why it could never be given.

The world is pretty much united in its condemnation of Russia and sanctions are huge with more to come.

They are not alone.
Click to expand...
Well 2 hours ago President Selenskyj called all Europeans with combat experience to come to Ukraine and help defending freedom.
 
Corky said:
No point sending in unarmed soldier with sky blue berets to keep the peace in a war zone, as there is no peace to keep.

The whole point of the UN is to keep prevent war not get involved in fighting.
Click to expand...
Well they have unanimously failed once more to avert conflict.

Additionally if that was the case why did it only take the UN one day to pass a resolution condemning the invasion of Kuwait and to sanction direct military intervention with its backing.
 
bluesteel said:
I don’t disagree with much of and I’m aware of all that.

Doesn’t change my opinion that if NATO didn’t exist or even that if Trump would have taken the US out of NATO, there wouldn’t be a war today.
Click to expand...

If NATO didn’t exist you would be living under a Putin regime right now ffs as the old USSR would have literally done what Hitler couldn’t and take over the whole of Europe.

I refuse to accept you are this stupid and I just think you are attention seeking now tbh and best ignored.
 
bluesteel said:
I don’t disagree with much of and I’m aware of all that.

Doesn’t change my opinion that if NATO didn’t exist or even that if Trump would have taken the US out of NATO, there wouldn’t be a war today.
Click to expand...
And you’d be drinking vodka within months or have to but some sunblock 3000. Putin is a madman, unless he’s taken out then my fear would be if he starts to lose the war and face then he pushes the button, he strikes me as the type of bully who if he can’t have it then no one can, he will take us all with him.
 
blueinsa said:
History, even our own very recent history tells us that conventional armies and forces do not win against opponents that take to the streets and shadows like Ukranians will.
Click to expand...
There must be near 20 million adult men in the Ukraine. At least 15 million at an age that could (to some degree) fight.

Even if Russia get a quick control over Kyiv’s government, they’ll be constantly picked off from the sides by gorilla warfare over the coming months.
 
DrBlueBob said:
What solution is the one you'd opt for? It all sounds rather damned if you do and damned if you don't.
Click to expand...
Not at all, he's saying one option is painful, other options are even more painful.

If you have gangrene in your toe, do you cut it off there and then? Do you wait until it has spread throughout your foot? Or leave it and hope for the best until it kills you?
 
Is there any news on the status of Ukraine’s Air Force at the moment ?

I thought the Russians had taken out there air capacity on the first night of strategical strikes and yet saw the Ukranian mig take out that SU fighter this morning - very surprised if they are still operational
 
AlgarveBlu said:
Is there any news on the status of Ukraine’s Air Force at the moment ?

I thought the Russians had taken out there air capacity on the first night of strategical strikes and yet saw the Ukranian mig take out that SU fighter this morning - very surprised if they are still operational
Click to expand...

Sounds like that was a fake video afterall.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top