Ukraine (Mod Note & Threadbanned Users in OP)

paul71

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118695843#Comment_118695843

It could and I agree with the sentiment on Blackwater but Russia simply do not have the ability to touch Blackwater, unless it is through Iranian proxies.

Yellow_Fern

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118695493#Comment_118695493

I think Russia could invade Moldova. Not in NATO, Russian minority.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118695858#Comment_118695858

Plenty of Americans would like to see the end of the likes of Blackwater, BTW. They have been (and may still be) used to sidestep congressional rules surrounding use of approved weapons in combat; they provide cover in other words for a corrupt MIC with money to burn.

Anyway, didn't mean to sidetrack.

Latest protest info I can find is:

1 PM Rathgar

2 PM O'Connell Street

Anyone else confirm?

paul71

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118695986#Comment_118695986

I would personally like to see the end of Blackwater too, but in terms of what they have done they are not a patch on Wagner group and it is also a deflection.

This week is about Russia not the US, the Wagner group is out there. It is exposed in several different parts of the world, they are a Russian government sponsered group, they are commiting human rights abuses and it is a vunerable target that could be taken out by NATO that would not be an escalation against uniformed Russian soldiers.

Pete_Cavan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118695907#Comment_118695907

They may have intended to but I doubt they will now. I think they didn't expect such resistance from Ukraine or simply thought themselves to be stronger than they are. They are probably suffering more loses than they expected and they will have to devote ongoing resources there for a long time to keep manners on the Ukrainians. I don't think they are in any position to invade anyone else. I also think other nations will be inspired by the Ukrainians and will put up a good fight also (with plenty of western backing).

Even domestically, I doubt there is any support for more of the same. I think Putin started believing his own bs and now the illusion he created for himself/his country is shattered.

Field east

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118695660#Comment_118695660

Tks for reply

lulublue22

Street to street fighting in Kyiv. Zelensky staying put. Hoping the Ukrainian’s can hold out.

https://twitter.com/zoyashef/status/1497427858519916549?s=21

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118684399#Comment_118684399

And we should have. Multiple wrongs never made a right.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118694840#Comment_118694840

Not surprised re China but India & UAE also choosing to sit on the fence?? With UAE, you'd have to think it's about protecting their financial empire - scum!

Brussels Sprout

If, like me you feel powerless to help the Ukrainians then there is always the option to send financial assistance:

I have followed this Ukrainian born trade negotiator for years so I trust that this is legit.

The link allows you to donate to various causes such as to help the refugees or you can even donate directly to the Ukrainian army if that's your wish.

https://twitter.com/DmitryOpines/status/1497487832285339648

paul71

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118696105#Comment_118696105

I won't be going racing anywhere this year that has an Al Maktoum horse running at the meeting. That means pretty much any Irish flat racing meeting.

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118695986#Comment_118695986

Out of curiosity are these protests specific to this war or are they anti-NATO protests? if PBP are involved it'll be the latter. I know that Jeremey Corbyn and Stop The War are holding an anti-NATO protest in London today. Contemptible stuff.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118696240#Comment_118696240

God I hope they are not anti-NATO as that won't be the time or place for counterpoints, but maybe some of that crowd will turn up, no idea. I am anti-bully and anti illegal invasions. From my understanding they are being driven by Ukranians, Georgians, Moldovans etc. I don't do politics, but I expect there will be representatives from various parties.. I saw a tweet from some Labour TD about the protest in Rathgar.

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118696261#Comment_118696261

"Anti-Bully"....that's a perfect way to describe it. I am the same. I was incensed by the Iraqi invasion in 2003 and I am incensed by this now. If those protesters are driven by people from those countries I can't imagine they'll have much time for the anti-NATO expansion stuff.

sligeach

There have been some protests in Russia, with the police heavily and violently clamping down on them. 1,700 arrests on Thursday and 1,000 on Friday. Some Russian celebrities are speaking out as well. I wouldn't trust the Russian media and social media though to portray an accurate picture of all the events. But maybe, the best hope of ending the invasion is if the Russian people rise up and turn on Putin.

Edit: I hear now that Russians have been blocked access to Twitter. What a #### Putin is, he doesn't want the people knowing the truth.

Headshot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118696333#Comment_118696333

That's why there's no free press in Russia, the best way to control you population is not letting them know the truth. This is why Journalism one of the most dangerous professions in the world at the moment from Russia to Mexico.

iamwhoiam

I just saw a photo of a mother carrying a baby out of Kyiv . She had the same hat on as my granddaughter . It made me cry for them . My god its horrendous to watch and feel helpless

Dempo1

I see Canadian off Licences withdrawing Russian Vodka from their shelves in solidarity with the Ukranians, pretty much sums up the limp support being afforded Ukraine generally.

Have to say, I'm surprised Putin went beyond the 2 states he recognised as independent, Kyiv was a possibility for take over from an administrative point of view, temporarily but he's miscalculated generally.

With all the world's media in situ its actually very surprising there's been very little evidence of actual combat so really difficult to know for sure what is going on, beyond the bombings.

The Ukraine President, honestly comes across as a complete clown (albeit I suppose he was a comedian in a previous life)

Utterly perplexing what Putin is up too , he's still going to have NATO on his doorstep even if he succeeds in taking over Ukraine.

Very sad and as always its the people who suffer.

MFPM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118696240#Comment_118696240

There is a No to War in Ukraine protest in London on March 2 organised by STWC and Corbyn among others are speaking. It's far from contemptible. No right thinking person who opposés the war can think that NATO are the answer.

Markcheese

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118695907#Comment_118695907

Russia wouldn't dream of invading moldova - as long as the Moldovans do as they're told by Russia , and keep their mouths shut ...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118696410#Comment_118696410

What nonsense.

Every business being affected will cause ripples back to the power brokers, in Moscow.

Zelenskyy is playing an absolute blinder and is showing what a real tough guy is. His bravery, in the face of Russian death squads hunting him, is holding the Ukrainian resolve together.

He's turned down a helicopter evac from the Americans and Polish, and is an absolute thorn in Putin's plans

MFPM

The impotence of the West is quite stark here. Sanctions won't work in the short term, they may in the medium term but it's really all they have in their armour. The parallels with Iraq are striking, then the US and the UK ignored the international community, and destroyed Iraq and Afghanistan with huge casualties but nothing could be done to stop them, they weren't even hit with sanctions. Putin has learned well from them.

Ukraine will fall, and Putin will declare victory as Bush and Blair did but like them it will be a pyrhicc victory. Despite claims that he will go after other states I think that's fanciful in the way that Bush was going to go after the so called 'axis of evil' it never really happened although Obama did destroy Libya later.

Putin has made a huge error here and he'll likely be moved on relatively soon and quicker if he tries to move further.

Good to see ordinary Russuans taking to the streets...if that grows Putin's days could be over quicker but they face a tough task there.

eeepaulo

Did we get a vote at the un security council, i thought we were on it for 2 years at the moment

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118696439#Comment_118696439

You think so 🤔

Playing a Blinder 🙄

I'm not doubting his or indeed fellow Ukranians bravery (Albeit, Ukranian citizens experiencing far greater hardship, I'd wager)

We all of course know exactly how this will end.

Putin will wreak Havoc, secure the two states , perhaps other areas. Nato will do nothing. Things will calm down .

Roll on a few weeks, Talks, EU leaders will Q up to meet Putin, kiss his arse.

Pipeline back on Track, Sanctions lifted and all the while Russia reaping additional Revenues and profits through high Gas and Oil prices.

And of course, Ukraine left to rebuild and pretty much forgotten about.

We've been here before, Crimea and Georgia.

Markcheese

Apparently there's fighting on the streets of Ukraine - this is now where the conflict gets awful awful -if the general population fight back from those high buildings then the Russians can fight hand to hand building to building , with huge losses for everyone ..

They can bombard the city from a distance like Grozny .

Of besiege it ..which is awful for those inside and leaves Russia's supply lines exposed ..

None of which are great for anybody - will the world stand by and watch a modern city be bombed into the stone age - when the pictures go up on line ..

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118696455#Comment_118696455

Precisely my point , we've seen a few burned out army vehicles, Bomb damage In residential areas , nothing of a Major offensive, CNN, BBC and Sky news practically have their entire staff in Ukraine and essentially reporting gun fire and a few explosions miles away.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118696487#Comment_118696487

We did and utterly Meaningless

Markcheese

I'm assuming that since the war started because Putin marched himself into a corner that there's no chance of him saying -"oh , our bad let's go home "

Mores the pity ...

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118696408#Comment_118696408

Looking at sky news and BBC news live shots, the only thing invading Kyiv are crows and sun shine.

johnnyskeleton

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118696408#Comment_118696408

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118696455#Comment_118696455

Kyiv is only 100km from Belarus, with only a few towns in between. The Ukrainian army took the tactical call not to try to defend the border as it would be hopeless, so they are mounting the defence outside, and ultimately in, large cities like Kyiv.

The Russians believed that they would have taken Kyiv by now. As matters stand, they are not in the city itself. They tried to take the airports and failed. They suffered significant casualties getting to Kyiv (expecting there to be little or no casualties along the road). They have carried out a large scale bomb and missile assault on the Ukraine, which has caused some civilian casualties and successfully damaged the air defences, but hasn't significantly damaged the Ukrainian army or government's ability to defend their country.

So when you ask which is it and pose a false dichotomy of either "the Russians are at the Kiev gates" or that the Russians are being held back more than they thought they would be, in reality it is both. But if you have to pick one, it is that the Russians are being held back. The phrase "the Russians are at the Kiev gates" is evocative of the fall of Rome, where the enemy forces arrive at the largely undefended city which, once it is taken, the nation/empire falls. But that is not the case. If Kyiv falls, the rest of Ukraine is likely to keep fighting on. It is also clear that Kyiv is well defended, and Russia will find it very difficult to take Kyiv.

There are lots of videos of the wreckage if you care to google it or even watch Sky News. They show footage of Ukranian forces inspecting the aftermath of battles outside Kharkiv and Kyiv. But we won't have confirmation of exact numbers etc until much later. That said, I'm sure the Ukrainian statements that they have killed, wounded or captured 3,500 Russian troops, destroyed 80 tanks and shot down 10 fighter jets is an exaggeration. But the fact that there have been significant casualties on both sides seems reasonably clear