Will Russia invade the Ukraine?

[Screwdriver]

What practical steps we can take here to help the Ukrainian refugees?

[Mussels]

There seems to be a bit more enthusiasm to bring in white Ukrainian refugees than there is Syrian or African ones.

I just see the same faces as usual making those demands in the UK. In Europe it's probably because they share a border.

Lots of people like to play the race card whether it is justified or not

[Dodgy69]

Someone said the other day, these refugees are mainly women and children.

[Hoonercat]

There seems to be a bit more enthusiasm to bring in white Ukrainian refugees than there is Syrian or African ones.

Send 'em back, they're all economic migrants!!!
And they've got mobile phones so they can't be refugees!!!
And they've got nice shoes, look at their shoes!!!

[Noggin]

What practical steps we can take here to help the Ukrainian refugees?

Over here there are locals with contacts in the Ukraine or family/friends that have left and are refugees. As a result there are regular requests for certain sorts of things - originally mostly clothing and (also right at the beginning) pet food. Now there are more specifics - medicines, boots, foods.

What happens here as a community (across a lots of ski resorts and through the valley) is that there are collection points and a handful of people with large vans that drive to and from the refugee points and deliver what is needed.

I guess in this region it's a little easier to give direct and needed help as it's just a long drive. In the uk, I would imagine the way to go would be to find where the few refugees are based and the organiser and then find out what they actually need?

Not sure it's practical to send stuff from the uk anymore.

Apparently AirBnB have waived charges for bookings in the Ukraine, so if you do book, you are supporting someone who is still there - in theory, totally don't know for sure in practice. I have read that people have appreciated this as often they have taken in others that are homeless due to bombing or escaping. No idea how true this is but I hope it is true and that people can help in such a simple way

[Mr Moofo]

As a result of the invasion, apparently Sting has now said he will no longer do private gigs for Russian Oligarchs.

TH , I thinking upping them would be a far better way of making the Russian suffer

[irie]

Just been sent this WhatsApp:

Yet again the US, UK, and Sweden are, because of defence spending, yet again digging the useless pacifist Europeans out of the shit. What a bunch of useless wankers.

Not the way I would put it, but difficult to disagree with it all the same.

[JamJar]

Just been sent this WhatsApp:

Yet again the US, UK, and Sweden are, because of defence spending, yet again digging the useless pacifist Europeans out of the shit. What a bunch of useless wankers.

Not the way I would put it, but difficult to disagree with it all the same.

Fairly easy to disagree with that
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_f ... ainian_War

[demographic]

Just been sent this WhatsApp:

Yet again the US, UK, and Sweden are, because of defence spending, yet again digging the useless pacifist Europeans out of the shit. What a bunch of useless wankers.

Not the way I would put it, but difficult to disagree with it all the same.

Any aid we send is mostly funded by the Russian money we laundered isnt it?


IIRC we have sanctioned a tenth of the amound of Russian companies that the US has and still its cost the Russians more money, kind of shows the huge amounts of Russian oligarch money we've been hiding for them doesn't it.


I heard today that PWC and KPMG were pulling out of Russian operations, thats funny I thought...Pretty sure I remember a podcast by Private eye about them being some of the main companies who were helping Russians hide money in shell companies. Odd that they start developing scruples at this late stage? Or is it that they have basically been caught out now?

[irie]

Just been sent this WhatsApp:

Yet again the US, UK, and Sweden are, because of defence spending, yet again digging the useless pacifist Europeans out of the shit. What a bunch of useless wankers.

Not the way I would put it, but difficult to disagree with it all the same.

Fairly easy to disagree with that
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_f ... ainian_War

The WhatsApp said "defence spending".

Looking at "Countries sending military equipment to Ukraine" that would indeed appear to be the case, although to be fair Sweden's defence spending is about 1.2% of GDP.

...

See above.

[Horse]

I'd be standing up in parliament and asking Yvette Cooper if she's signed up - in fact I'd be asking for a hands-up from the Labour benches to see who has

Time to put (them) up or shut up, literally.

We got a new MP a couple of years ago. I don't know where she lives. But do you think our previous one might find space for a few? This is his house:

[Hoonercat]

Just had a friend on FB post a Russian propaganda vid. A reporter, wearing a face mask, speaking in English from Ukraine with dozens of body bags behind him when one of the 'bodies' adjusts position. "This is what the US and Ukraine are doing to turn people against Putin (or words to that effect).
The video is actually a climate change demonstration in Vienna, cropped to cut out the climate-change banners, shortened substantially and the reporter is speaking German, but easy to dub as he's wearing a facemask.

[DefTrap]

This is quite clever of Boris https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-60701941

He can put that scheme in place and then when very few (and it will be very few) people invite Ukrainian refugees into their own homes, he can stand up in parliament and say that he put the scheme in place but that few British people actually signed up to it.

I'd be standing up in parliament and asking Yvette Cooper if she's signed up - in fact I'd be asking for a hands-up from the Labour benches to see who has

Time to put (them) up or shut up, literally.

Presumably they'll give the same plausible excuse that Boris will do when he also doesn't host Ukrainian refugees in (one of) his home(s)? I don't think not being able to participate makes you a massive cnut, you can count me out for starters. For example - I bombed out of a charity event at work because I wasn't prepared to try and raise the, expected, 5k per team member from friends and family. It's just unrealistic.

As much as BJ is the biggest buffoon since trump to walk the earth, The scheme might work for the minority who want to help in this way, it might be enough.

[Asian Boss]

This is quite clever of Boris https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-60701941

He can put that scheme in place and then when very few (and it will be very few) people invite Ukrainian refugees into their own homes, he can stand up in parliament and say that he put the scheme in place but that few British people actually signed up to it.

I'd be standing up in parliament and asking Yvette Cooper if she's signed up - in fact I'd be asking for a hands-up from the Labour benches to see who has

Time to put (them) up or shut up, literally.

Presumably they'll give the same plausible excuse that Boris will do when he also doesn't host Ukrainian refugees in (one of) his home(s)? I don't think not being able to participate makes you a massive cnut, you can count me out for starters. For example - I bombed out of a charity event at work because I wasn't prepared to try and raise the, expected, 5k per team member from friends and family. It's just unrealistic.

As much as BJ is the biggest buffoon since trump to walk the earth, The scheme might work for the minority who want to help in this way, it might be enough.

They were talking about it on Radio 4 yesterday, the scheme for people to take refugees into their homes.

It sounded like quite a lot were up for it and had volunteered. They tended to be the intellectual left, affluent liberals, scientists, the monied chattering classes etc. While the small time tories, fear zoners and tooleygoons sounded more like they wanted to Brexit them away so they could focus on defending the statues and naysaying BLM.

[Yambo]

Putin seeks foreign volunteers to fight in Ukraine

Putin admits that his own troops are not up to the job!

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60705486

[Hoonercat]

They were talking about it on Radio 4 yesterday, the scheme for people to take refugees into their homes.

It sounded like quite a lot were up for it and had volunteered. They tended to be the intellectual left, affluent liberals, scientists, the monied chattering classes etc. While the small time tories, fear zoners and tooleygoons sounded more like they wanted to Brexit them away so they could focus on defending the statues and naysaying BLM.

It's good to see some support for Boris's brilliant idea, but what a shame that the institutionally racist intellectual left, affluent liberals, scientists and monied chattering classes have only now mobilised to take white Ukrainians in.

Yebbut it's less wear & tear on the carpets, innit?
It's human nature to feel more empathy towards those we can relate to, and like it or not, Europeans can relate to other Europeans more than they can with those from the Middle East. The media have been far more thorough in showing the human cost of this conflict, whereas certain UK media outlets villainized Syrian refugees. The UK public are particularly ignorant when it comes to the people of the Middle East and the average Jo is more than happy to digest whatever nonsense the likes of the Mail and Sun throw their way. If you want to imply racism and hypocrisy then feel free, but at least point your finger in the right direction. There was some on here regularly throwing out quotes from the Dublin Regulation during the Syrian refugee crisis who have gone very quiet recently, I'm pretty sure none of them are liberals

[Asian Boss]

They were talking about it on Radio 4 yesterday, the scheme for people to take refugees into their homes.

It sounded like quite a lot were up for it and had volunteered. They tended to be the intellectual left, affluent liberals, scientists, the monied chattering classes etc. While the small time tories, fear zoners and tooleygoons sounded more like they wanted to Brexit them away so they could focus on defending the statues and naysaying BLM.

It's good to see some support for Boris's brilliant idea, but what a shame that the institutionally racist intellectual left, affluent liberals, scientists and monied chattering classes have only now mobilised to take white Ukrainians in.
Most of these intellectuals and affluent people built their universities and made their money from slavery and the exploitation of less developed nations, so perhaps that's why they haven't previously mobilised in the same way to take in brown people from war stricken countries.

I'm afraid you are incorrect in your various assumptions and keenness to accuse people helping others of being racist in order to support your own questionable narrative and self justification.

They have been doing it for some time. Most recently taking Afghan refugees. The woman who I heard speak the most said she's taken between 20 and 30 refugees into her home to live (one at a time!) and most were Afghans. She said despite the cultural differences (her family were Jewish, most of the refugees were Islamic) they generally got on really well, it was a great success and she was very happy to continue doing it.

This was the programme: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0btl6d1

I don't think it's "Boris's brilliant idea" either; as it's been going on for some time.

[Cousin Jack]

I heard today that PWC and KPMG were pulling out of Russian operations, thats funny I thought...Pretty sure I remember a podcast by Private eye about them being some of the main companies who were helping Russians hide money in shell companies. Odd that they start developing scruples at this late stage? Or is it that they have basically been caught out now?

Big accountancy firms? Scruples?

Does not compute

[Kneerly Down]

Putin seeks foreign volunteers to fight in Ukraine

Putin admits that his own troops are not up to the job!

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60705486

Either that or he doesn't want the 'Ukrainian' chemical attack to take place against his own troops?

[Mussels]

Everything changed, now they have gone too far.

US to impose consequences for journalist's death - official

Apart from there not being much left in the way of consequences I don't think anyone is sure which side shot him and he put himself into a danger zone deliberately. Why is he so important?