Ukraine (Mod Note & Threadbanned Users in OP)

tooka

Look we don’t know what has happened in this war such has been the propaganda but if Putin wanted he could bomb kiev into the Stone Age

the latest nonsense we are told is Putin has forced 400,000 Ukrainians to enter Russia to be used as hostages

do you believe this codology

The reality is he has not gone postal because he had no interest in this , he wants control of certain assets only, Chernobyl being one, certain ports, certain cities certain areas

end of

growleaves

'Russia mentally and culturally belongs to Asia so this is a natural consequence. We don't want to have anything to do with Russia in our European cultural space, it doesn't belong here, and never did.'

This is too much of an overstatement. Apart from fanatics who have banned Russian ballet and European classical music in the last month, we very much do have something to do with Russia in our cultural space, for good or ill. It is not a wholly Asian country in the sense that Japan is.

VinLieger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118838554#Comment_118838554

Did you really?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118756861#Comment_118756861

Looks like you said nothing of the sort and in fact everyone of your out of your arse predictions were completely wrong.

Also FYI this was from March 9th, 14 days after the war started so you didn't post anything of the sort "when the war started"

McGiver

@liamtech

Looks like Ukrainian army is going into counter offensive in several of places. One more high ranking Russian officer eliminated. I'm mildly optimistic. Last couple of days there have been reports of minor Ukrainian gains.

Russia has effectively stalled and unless they go for large scale destruction, there is no way they can make any further gains.

We can tell by the fact that Russian propaganda (pure lies and delusions) reports that "the first phase of the special operation has been successfully completed"

From now on, Ukraine can only get better and better negotiation position for any negotiations as they liberate previously Russian controlled areas.

VinLieger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118838828#Comment_118838828

The issue for Ukraine comes when Russia are within range to fall back onto their overwhelming rail support infrastructure which should theoretically be able to keep them supplied and reinforced to at least stop loosing ground. But of course this still also depends on the overall morale of the remaining russian forces as well as if they have any supplies left they can move into the region.

McGiver

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118838817#Comment_118838817

No we don't. You have no clue what you are talking about. You and your ancestors didn't live in a country that experienced Russian soldier's boots and occupation. You just cannot comprehend this. I did and my ancestors did.

Also, you have no clue about Russian history (let's say at least last 300 years) whatsoever. You've the typical Western European naive idea that "because they have a few writers and composers and look like us, they must be the same us as". This is false. They're culturally, politically, socially and historically different.

On national, political and cultural level, Russia is a different civilisation and not a part of European civilisation. Never was.

Tchajkovskij and Gasparov don't cut it. That's only a mimicri. It's similar to Turkey, in fact. You can write Latin script, wear European clothes and even have your capital technically located in Europe geographically, doesn't mean you are part of European civilisation.

Brussels Sprout

Wow this thread did numbers since I last checked it, I wonder what happened....

[opens thread]: Ahh, that poster returned. Now I understand.

Anyway, I wonder what is going to happen now in all of the places that are not the Donbas. The thing is that after that announcement yesterday I cannot see any changes. They fired cruise missiles at a region west of Kiev earlier today and 15 minutes ago explosions were heard in Lviv in the far-west (see below). At the same time Slavutych in the far north has had Russian troops enter it only today and nearby Chernhiv continues to be surrounded and shelled in a manner similar to what occurred at Mariupol.

I wonder are the Russians basically going to continue to try and attack all of the places all over the country that they have been doing so all along but pretend that their goal is Donbas in order to create a situation where it makes it harder for their mission to be deemed a failure (for the the domestic audience anyway). If they can occupy and hold places like Chernihiv, all the better, but if they fail - hey they were only ever trying to create a distraction there anyway so no biggie.

https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1507730954894381069

liamtech

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118838808#Comment_118838808

But you are telling us that YOU know? You predicted things, so you have said. You predicted that Putin would concentrate on securing the Donbas- you explicitly said so. When it was pointed out, how hollow the Russian statements are RE 'their main objective' - and that it was 'always their goal'. When we can factually state this is pure spin and utter garbage (using the maps, reports, and the disposition of Russian Forces, relative to their 'goals')

Suddenly you reply saying

Look we don't know what has happened

No @tooka - YOU dont know what has happened. You keep posting nonsense - and when its pointed out AS NONSENSE - you quickly back track and pivot to something else (refugees taking irish homes, the fog of war, Russia could bomb Kyiv). I dont claim military expertise but i cite the evidence that is being reported on mainstream media, and by military analysts - You just rattle away, claim that you were correct all along, and then slink away when this is pointed out

• You dont know what you are taking about
• Your arguments are flawed
• Rather than have the courage to actually admit this - you whatabout us into the gutter
• When facts are presented they are dismissed

You lack all credibility - which is no surprise as you are implicitly Pro Russian - And they lack all credibility too

growleaves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118838854#Comment_118838854

Where are you from McGiver?

liamtech

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118838828#Comment_118838828

I am mildly optimistic too @McGiver - i obviously worry about an all out war situation but the evidence for this is sketchy. A few bloggers and commentators have pointed to evidence that Russian domestic logistics are in ruins. Supposedly Moscow will no longer refuel foreign Jet liners (what few still fly there), so i would speculate that they are having major aviation fuel shortages. which is insane, one would expect they would be well stocked -

2 weeks ago i was going to my brothers wedding, and i was half expecting a Stalingrad like battle to be underway in Kyiv - thankfully, no sign of that. And with reports suggesting that Ivan north of Kyiv is 'digging trenches' - i mean - wtf????

The failure of Russian military execution, is matched only by their failure of planning and logistics - and we can only marvel at the Ukrainian armed forces - they are taking full advantage, which is immense. More than once i have raised a glass to them, and i really hope this trend continues

@McGiver dont know whether you checked out Ward Carroll on YT - he is worth watching - EX US Military and his analysis on several areas of the conflict are very informative - have a look -

iamwhoiam

I have just met a young man from Lviv . He is on his knees sobbing and trying to contact his mother in Lviv . That is the reality , that is what that murdering thug is doing .

McGiver

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118838840#Comment_118838840

Russians have been shown to be incompetent at tactics or logistics so I'd question that logistics part. But yes they've more troops (the Russian phrase - Nas mnogo!) so this could drag on for a long time.

However, the Ukrainians could push them once resupplied by the allies because it seems that Russians are running out of modern gear (Iskander) and have to switch to older/dumber missiles and vehicles etc. So the only thing they can do now is attrition by attacking civilian targets by artillery or missiles fired from the Black Sea. Black Sea ships aren't that safe to Baryaktar drone ambushes etc so they're mostly left with artillery and missile shelling.

Also, Russian morale and motivation are really low now after heavy losses. But the Russian army system is lies and no information to the troops - they don't give a proper operation brief and also lie to them, many times the troops even don't know they're abroad and even are told they're participating in an exercise. So hard to tell if there's any effect on morale really, it's by default low because of the Russian army style.

Russia had 7 generals killed and 1 sacked and ~10-15k troops killed and more wounded in just one month, which is more than the whole decade of USSR Afghanistan war and twice as much than two decades of US losses in the Middle East and Afghanistan. And this is supposed to be some military "superpower"?

VinLieger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118838932#Comment_118838932

Ohh absolutely but that's only once they left the vicinity of their rail network which they heavily rely on within their own borders, that is one of the reason why they failed so exceptionally in that they simply do not know how to operate without it.

Theres a great vid I posted previously with a small bit explaining how integral their rail network is to their armed forces

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4wRdoWpw0w

Manach

Historically, the Russians can start off poorly in a conflict but they learn from their mistakes. From the Napoleonic era to Crimiean War to arguably the Russo-Japanese conflict their armed forces are usally badly lead but improve as poor leaders are killed/replaced. They went from having whole armies kettled in 1941 to strategic feats of excellence that defeated the Axis. Admittedly however, in this current war has seen a woeful and sub-par Russian performent in contrast to a mostly excellent and always brave Ukrainian defence.

corkie

@McGiver Maybe you already mentioned Holodomor?

Few millions died of starvation in Russia during 21-22. Cannibalism and all that. Pretty horrible. Just a collateral of the Bolshevik revolution (military coup really).

And then 10 years later, estimated 3-5 million died in Ukraine famine, which was at least partially (many scholars would say wholly) caused by intentional policies and actions of Stalin. Big part of that was to decimate any sort of nationalist Ukrainian tendencies which Ukrainians always had since the Middle Ages, and increasingly since the 1500s (Cossacks and all that), and russify them.

Holodomor

That famine has been mentioned before in the thread, and because of this war, no wheat been grown in Ukraine this year, could possibly lead to another famine there and in neighbor EU Countries with refugees?

fryup

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118839115#Comment_118839115

am i right in saying the old Russian army of the past consisted mainly of Georgian & Ukrainians?

liamtech

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118839033#Comment_118839033

fantastic video - and i know historically that the Soviets used similar tactics in WW2 - didnt they convert the gauges in Poland in 1944/5? in preparation for the attacks on Berlin? I think 'the world at war' covered it but i remember reading it too - Red Army Engineers rushed to convert the gauges as soon as an area was occupied, which is why the Germans began ripping up the train lines as they retreated

StringerBell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118837760#Comment_118837760

We should support, as best as possible all people who face oppression & have their borders breached by aggressors. Simple enough logic right? What you can do may differ depending on the circumstance. You have absolutely no idea what I do to protest the genocide in Yemen or support I've given & will continue to give to a multitude of charities & organisations who do try to make a difference or anything else I do for that matter, but feel free to stamp your feet with your fingers in your ears all you want. It may come as a shock to you, but some people can manage to hold two thoughts in their head at the same time.

It seems you are only capable of viewing people through your own world view, I always laugh though that when making a blanket statement about someone you don't know that it doesn't tweak anything in your head to question any of your nonsense? It takes a special kind of delusion, its one to be pitied tbf and I do hope one day you can find some inspiration for self examination.

I understand the point of your post was simply to obfuscate and deflect as you have no answer to anything I raised, I didn't expect any different don't worry. As I said, transparent.

tooka

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118839800#Comment_118839800

I have no idea what you have done to help yemen

but considering I have not seen you post before today about it , it’s pretty low on your radar if even on it

don’t worry plenty of posters on here like that, it’s all about the bandwagon

Most posters on This thread can be best summed as

Chinese oppression of Uyghurs - don’t know

qatar building football stadiums on the dead bodies of cheap labour - don’t know

Saudi Arabia - don’t know

Ukraine - know everything and a complete expert, Russia must die and we must house at least 200,000 Ukrainians.

how we pay for this - dont know and it is racist to ask that

too many of ye have gone unchecked on here, that stops now

VinLieger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118839895#Comment_118839895

The thread is about Ukraine so just stop with your constant whinging whataboutery. If your so concerned about Yemen make a seperate thread to discuss it, that's how a discussion board works.

tooka

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118839965#Comment_118839965

if you are so concerned with Yemen make a separate thread to discuss it

the above says a lot about this thread

yemen not sexy enough for you?

fly_agaric

Well Yemen is not in Europe. Saudi Arabia is also not Europe. Neither border the EU. Ireland is an EU member. Ukraine borders the EU. The Law of Geography and all that. The 2 main countries responsible for "arming up" Saudi (UK & USA) and deeply involved with various other trouble in this region of the world over the years (going back to Iraq war etc.) are also not in the EU funnily enough. So yes, the wars in the ME are not as relevent to us here.

ilkhanid

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118837760#Comment_118837760

The richest countries on earth are within mere hundreds of miles of Yemen. They share a language and culture. I would think they could provide a hundred thousand homes for the Yemenis without breaking a sweat.

hotmail.com

Worrying comments from Biden about possible regime change in Moscow.

The White House immediately had to clarify his remarks.

From an Irish point of view, this will increase pressure to end the Shannon American troops stopover.

jmreire

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118835380#Comment_118835380

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118835380#Comment_118835380

What else can you expect from the Factory of Lies that is the Kremlin.....????

jmreire

Fighting Tao

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118840375#Comment_118840375

What is worrying about it? Stating that there should be regime change when there is a dangerous person in charge is correct.

Why would it increase pressure on Ireland?

Christy42

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118840375#Comment_118840375

Why would it do that? Russia has threatened multiple other countries at this point. While he has the capabilities to attack a country Putin is a risk to nearby countries. Economic sanctions may need to stay in place until Russia has a new leader.

corkie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118839142#Comment_118839142

https://www.irishexaminer.com/world/arid-40837640.html

... stressing the dependence of many African countries on food supplies from the Black Sea region.

“I think we should be very worried. The impact on food prices and hunger this year and next could be substantial. Food and energy are the two biggest items in the consumption baskets of poor people all over the world,” Okonjo-Iweala said.

“It is poor countries and poor people within poor countries that will suffer the most.”

So it's not only EU Countries effected by this WAR?

Dark times a head for the whole planet.

Was going to edited my quoted post, but it would have been lost in the thread.

jmreire

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118838242#Comment_118838242

What ever will happen in this war, and how and when it will end, Russian is going to be whittled down to a shadow of its former self. This is the last Russian invasion the world will see, for a very long time, if ever.