Will Russia invade the Ukraine?

[Hoonercat]

I agree...but FWIW this whole right wing thing has hardly been brushed under the carpet AFAICT. There have been front page articles about it on the mainstream news sites in the last few weeks for example.

The "nutter" tag for me comes in when people are a)claiming that its a secret that is hidden away and b)Zelensky - a Jew who won a huge chunk of the popular vote - owes his success to their support.

As for Iranian oil and the like. Personally I'd rather pay a higher gas bill, but I know most wouldn't and many can't.

It's not quite mainstream news in western media, although it is there if you look, I know about it from browsing independent news and talking to the Ukrainians at work - yet when I posted about it I had (for example) Irie in disbelief and demanding I prove it, DT saying he'd seen nothing about it and Hoonercat saying it's only a small percentage of them, then a few others chipping in to gaslight me claiming I'm a paranoid weirdo.

There is no virtue signalling, I called out a far-right army in place, well provisioned and fully supported by the west.
I took some shit, but now you accept it. I'm not frothing about it or burning bridges, but if any of you are then that's left with you.

I wouldn't call 10-20% a small percentage, but you originally suggested they would have a lot of influence in Ukraine, my point being that 90-180 ultra-nationalists in a population of 44 million is irrelevant. They (along with other regiments) were formed and funded by Jewish billionaire Igor Kolomoisky (I doubt he had the time to check their political views or ask if they had any tattoos, with Russian troops on their doorstep). They were a bunch of right-wing, well armed thugs who carried out some pretty dispicable horrors (as did their Russian counterparts). No govt wants half a dozen or so private armies carrying out atrocities in their name, particularly a govt who want to join the EU and NATO, and following and a report from Amnesty International report that these militias 'act with virtually no oversight or control' they were incorporated into the National Guard (not the Ukraine army) to give the govt oversight of their actions and to make them accountable (or at least the perception of). The following month, the commander and many other volunteers left to form a polictical party, and since then many 'veterans' have done the same, but there is no denying the regiment's ultra-national roots or that some are still of that persuasion and have links to the political party.
As for their politics, they are completely out of step with the rest of Ukraine. They are anti EU, anti NATO, want an autocratic state with a president who has direct control over the military, but instead got a pro EU, pro NATO Jewish president. Ironically, if it wasn't for their ultra national views, they'd make perfect bed fellows for Putin and would probably be fighting alongside Russian forces.
BTW, the Donbas batallion, also originally funded by Igor Kolomoisky, were accused of similar war crimes before they were incoporated into the National Guard, but you won't hear Putin mention that because the batallion was made up entirely of ethnic-Russian volunteers opposed to Russian rule, which doesn't fit with his 'genocide' agenda'.

[Mussels]

Could UK be a guarantor in Ukraine-Russia peace deal?

NATO membership by the back door?
Sounds good but the US and UK were meant to enforce Russia's last agreement not to attack Ukraine, Russia will just wave the nuke card again next time. I don't see how Ukraine can accept a deal that leaves it unable to defend itself.

The Kremlin has told Russians not to panic buy staple goods such as sugar and buckwheat as prices rise at a record rate and shortages have been reported across the country.

“Russians have absolutely no need to run to the shops and buy-up buckwheat, sugar and toilet paper,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Friday, when asked about reports of panic buying.

“The fuss around supplies in food stores is extremely emotional,” he said.

Bog roll seems to be a global obsession.

[Hoonercat]

I wouldn't call 10-20% a small percentage, but you originally suggested they would have a lot of influence in Ukraine, my point being that 90-180 ultra-nationalists in a population of 44 million is irrelevant. They (along with other regiments) were formed and funded by Jewish billionaire Igor Kolomoisky (I doubt he had the time to check their political views or ask if they had any tattoos, with Russian troops on their doorstep). They were a bunch of right-wing, well armed thugs who carried out some pretty dispicable horrors (as did their Russian counterparts). No govt wants half a dozen or so private armies carrying out atrocities in their name, particularly a govt who want to join the EU and NATO, and following and a report from Amnesty International report that these militias 'act with virtually no oversight or control' they were incorporated into the National Guard (not the Ukraine army) to give the govt oversight of their actions and to make them accountable (or at least the perception of). The following month, the commander and many other volunteers left to form a polictical party, and since then many 'veterans' have done the same, but there is no denying the regiment's ultra-national roots or that some are still of that persuasion and have links to the political party.
As for their politics, they are completely out of step with the rest of Ukraine. They are anti EU, anti NATO, want an autocratic state with a president who has direct control over the military, but instead got a pro EU, pro NATO Jewish president. Ironically, if it wasn't for their ultra national views, they'd make perfect bed fellows for Putin and would probably be fighting alongside Russian forces.
BTW, the Donbas batallion, also originally funded by Igor Kolomoisky, were accused of similar war crimes before they were incoporated into the National Guard, but you won't hear Putin mention that because the batallion was made up entirely of ethnic-Russian volunteers opposed to Russian rule, which doesn't fit with his 'genocide' agenda'.

You've ripped that straight off Wiki, but ok, let's say it's all true, that's like Richard Branson arming the Millwall Bushwackers with automatic weapons and anti-tank missiles, because Chelsea are only around the corner, then Boris Johnson arranging for the SAS/MI5 to train them, and then incorporating them into the Territorial Army because he can better keep an eye on them.

Then when he's had enough he disbands them and tells them to behave and keep out of trouble.

No risks there then

Lol, none of it came from Wiki, it's from various sources which look deeper into the origins of the volunteer regiments in Ukraine. But if it makes you feel better about making daft analogies, knock yourself out

[slowsider]

Could UK be a guarantor in Ukraine-Russia peace deal?

NATO membership by the back door?
Sounds good but the US and UK were meant to enforce Russia's last agreement not to attack Ukraine, Russia will just wave the nuke card again next time. I don't see how Ukraine can accept a deal that leaves it unable to defend itself.

The Kremlin has told Russians not to panic buy staple goods such as sugar and buckwheat as prices rise at a record rate and shortages have been reported across the country.

“Russians have absolutely no need to run to the shops and buy-up buckwheat, sugar and toilet paper,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Friday, when asked about reports of panic buying.

“The fuss around supplies in food stores is extremely emotional,” he said.

Bog roll seems to be a global obsession...

... for when the shit hits the fan.

[DefTrap]

Proper journalists?
If you were John Pilger I might listen to you, but I don't think you and me agree on what proper journalism is.

IMO you're more intelligent than average, so I'm not saying you're a mug and there is little point in us arguing about who is the most able to see beyond the spoon feeding - from my side it took a couple of wars and a couple of decades seeing other parts of the world until I finally saw the corruption of the narrative I'd been raised on.

This is too kind.

I don't think it's a question of who is fick, more of motivation to delude or remain unenlightened. What's a journo driven by? His paymasters or are they on a mission to inform and tell the truth? We have plenty enough journalists on the ground in Ukraine (at least 50 UK according to sources) from all the usual suspects and including Vice and even freelancers. I don't believe they're all blind to the other side of the coin.

I'm happy to be spoon-fed, I don't really have the time or inclination to sift through the non-mainstream alongside the easily accessible. I'm just not convinced the majority of journos aren't actively engaged in a scoop rather than trotting out the spooge.

[Asian Boss]

This has turned white-hot!

Let's keep it at the top.

[Dodgy69]

The 'No's' are up to 5 with 17%. A few more and it'll all be over.

[Greenman]

The 'No's' are up to 5 with 17%. A few more and it'll all be over.

Just selected no to get it to 25%...

Come on people if you all use your 15 alias accounts to vote you can end the war, do the right thing, be an internet voting nerd and end the madness that Putin has put upon us!

[Mussels]

Russians board space station in Ukrainian colours

This one surprised me, there must have been a few people involved to make it happen. Russian people are really making objections known.

[Cousin Jack]

Russians board space station in Ukrainian colours

This one surprised me, there must have been a few people involved to make it happen. Russian people are really making objections known.

Maybe, just maybe, this Ukrainian war may be a step to far from Putin.

[Screwdriver]

Russians board space station in Ukrainian colours

This one surprised me, there must have been a few people involved to make it happen. Russian people are really making objections known.

Wow. I hope they survive reentry...

[Asian Boss]

I don't think anyone should be claiming they have the authority, credibility or wherewithal to void other people's opinions. Certainly not on the basis of dropping out of higher education, a short spell in prison, a longer period in the lower ranks of the armed forces followed by some itinerant toolgoonery.

[Asian Boss]

[Screwdriver]

US are apparently sending a fair few toys for Ukrainian forces to play with, among them 100 “Switchblade” suicide drones.

Human ingenuity never fails to amaze me when it comes to weapons, those drones are absolutely terrifying….

[Mussels]

I've seen a report that cheap Turkish drones have been very effective for Ukraine's defence, they are slow and noisy but it doesn't seem to matter.

[Screwdriver]

I've seen a report that cheap Turkish drones have been very effective for Ukraine's defence, they are slow and noisy but it doesn't seem to matter.

Bayrakar. They are a more typical large remote control platform for launching weapons and/or spying etc.

The Swichblade is more sinister, it is a cheap death. They’re only about £6k for a start that means not only very affordable but also you can buy a LOT of firepower for your money. Cheap and light, they fit into a backpack and can be launched in minutes. Their trick is to loiter, just hang around in the air looking for a target or until it spots a preprogrammed target, like a tank or (one assumes) a person/persons.

A small squad equipped with these weapons could literally launch a swarm of guided/autonomous killer drones.

This was Sci-Fi a few years ago, now it’s here. Absolutely horrifying.

Apparently the Russian also have a similar weapon, one of them fell on a building in a civilian occupied area of Ukraine but failed to go off. Packed with ball bearings….

Bastards!

[Yambo]

I've seen a report that cheap Turkish drones have been very effective for Ukraine's defence, they are slow and noisy but it doesn't seem to matter.

Not that cheap but considerably cheaper than US Reapers. Used successfully in Syria and a couple of other campaigns. The Turks are quite proud of their Bayraktar TB2.

[Asian Boss]

Well put.

[Mr Moofo]

^ I bet that'll make Putin alter his views

[ogri]

Nuke the fekkers, what could possibly go wrong