Just to put this “very simple” project into perspective.
Ireland, with its status as a corporate tax haven, is one of the locations taking center stage in this fiasco. Leasing companies based in the country account for US$4-5bn of the estimated US$12bn in leased commercial aircraft now involved. AerCap, the world’s largest lessor of commercial aircraft, is based in Dublin.
AerCap itself has, according to the Times, 152 planes – the most of any leasing company, according to consultancy IBA – valued at about US$2.5bn in Russia and Ukraine. Its customers include Aeroflot and Rossiya who hold, by value, about 5 percent of AerCap’s fleet as of December. (https://airwaysmag.com/industry/repossessing-aircraft-crisis/?fbclid=IwAR2bzhf8klSqYhddsroCjsjuyeDhpuzl-0HqK_memZzKURGSpIDjv9PzSOo)
"Putins curren whereabouts has me concerned, with a slight pinch of optimism. If true, that he is hiding out in the Altai Mountains, then it seems that he is preparing for the worst."
He's probably as scared of his own people as anybody else!
We got bin laden we will get him
An old but effective weapon. Lethal against light armor and very useful in house to house fighting as you can create an entry point with it and suppress the defenders on the inside. And like most things of that era works in all conditions
The Ukranians need this guy fast. He will take out the whole Russian army with his advanced weapons.
They don't need to close the borders; and they don't really have the personnel or equipment to do so anyway.
They'll likely just surround cities and larger suburban areas to make sure nothing can get in or out and just try to pound and starve them into submission. Russia has form for this during the Second Chechen War and the Battle of Grozny. Granted Kyiv is significantly larger than Grozny but I think even just the possibility of another Grozny will be enough to force Ukraine to capitulate long before then.
I think that's an important point to make..a lot of people this week feigning shock at this war.Putin has form as history shows,he is battle hardy and is no novice to war.
In the south of Ukraine the Russians seem to be heading towards Odesa and Rybnyy Port ( contains large quanties of oil and grain)
Once they have captured all of Southern Ukraine, the will head North to close all of Ukraines Westerly borders to the outside World.
This might be their tactic to stop and Arms or Aid coming into Ukraine
I think it's clear the invasion hasn't gone exactly as the Russian's planned it; nor has it gone the way many analysts seemed to think it would.
However I think it's unrealistic to expect that once they have shored up their supply lines and consolidated their positions in Ukraine that they can't exert huge pressure on Ukraine's populace both militarily and economically.
How long will Kyiv, a city of around 2.5 million people, be willing and able to hold out against complete isolation from the outside world and sustained bombardment by munitions which are so heinous they're banned by the Geneva convention?
Putins curren whereabouts has me concerned, with a slight pinch of optimism. If true, that he is hiding out in the Altai Mountains, then it seems that he is preparing for the worst.
To give you some perspective, the area he is said to be currently residing in is called Altayskoye Podvorie. This is a small resort-like area right in the foothills of the mountain. They key thing here is how far he is from Moscow.
Putin is over 4000km from his centre of operations! It takes hours to fly there or 55 days if you're driving. I
It's in an area that would be extreme well protected, whatever the weather conditions, should there be Nuclear fallout and you can bet that his bunker is built similar to NORAD in the US.
However, this also means that whomever he left behind is running the show. I hope the US et Al are discussing means and ways to connect with these surrogates behind Putins Back, so to speak. It would be a good exercise to monitor any flights operating to or from the nearest airport to Putins granny flat over the coming days.
Here's a few pics to put it into perspective. He couldn't get further away from the theatre of operations. Christ Russia is vast...
I suppose the more pertinent questions are:
I'm not sure anyone really knows the answers to any of those questions; other than to say that an extremely small and insignificant portion of the population has engaged in relatively peaceful demonstrations against the war and ended up in jail for their troubles.
People seem to be forgetting that they can ignore anyone claiming to be pro-russia or pro-putin. Anyway, they are not pro anything, for God's sake.
They are all basically bored keyboard Simps, working normal jobs in a normal part of the Country with limited experience of the world around them. They're not influential, they do not have any connection, either politically or economically to Russia nor have never set foot on Russian soil. The people you are wasting your time arguing with probably spend most of their free time reading obtuse articles, live at home with their Mums or by themselves ( they definitely do not have a family or kids) and either work in Aldi or in a lower paid Civi Service job, like a Library.
I find it hard to believe what's going on won't filter down to people in Russia. There's millions of Russians living abroad that can relay what's going on. Russia isn't North Korea.
Also, going after the Oligarchy money from the start was an incredibly smart move.
I see Lukoil are calling for an end to the war.
Pressure is building on Putin. A long drawn out war won't cut the mustard this time out.
To be fair I don't think they have any choice but to fight defensively now and for who knows how long. The longer they hold out and inflict serious damage on the Russians the better as it also allows more time for more arms and weapons to arrive and get to the right places. The next few days look scary though for the Ukrainians as it looks like the Russians are more and more each day looking to just bomb and level Ukraine's cities. How and or in what shape will the Ukrainian military and resistance be after that will be telling.
OP is well-intentioned but irrational, and either doesn't know the principle & purpose of NATO or refuses to understand it.
This Russian war is very quickly running out of steam and completely exhausted. Kharkiv, Mariupol and Sumy still in Ukrainian hands.
The massive negative is the Ukrainians only fight defensively. To end this war they will need to learn to attack Russian held areas.
Young Russian soldiers are being massacred in droves. Mariupol is now a tragedy on both sides. Russians refusing to enter urban areas as the soldiers are mere cannon fodder.
Lukashenko now coming under extreme pressure from inside, from pro independence and possible incursion by Ukrainian forces.
Putin cannot be ousted in a political coup. It will have to be military with the support of the oligarchy. Oligarchy unhappy with sanctions and progress in a war which will become more expensive due to corrupt military spending.
Civil unrest will soon erupt in Russia. Mothers not hearing from Russian soldiers, Putin can't hide the exchange rate, no facebook, no twitter, harsh policies on protests.
If curbs/sanctions are put on oil and gas the net will close in. Military will put him on a one way ticket to The Hague (in flight meal - paltry cyanide pill - more than what young Russian soldiers are getting.
The number is still so small as to be negligible.
Always one bus crash away from decimation.
There was not much content in the post, hyperbole and panic.
Russian forces are going through a meat grinder now, still unable to take small cities like Sumy.
He is using classic Putin bot distraction and disinformation, trying to big up Russia and smear others.
See no Evil, Hear no Evil
BBC News - China State media censors Paralympics official's plea for peace.
There are hundreds (~450 as of 2017, which by all accounts rose sharply after Trump took over) of disclosed white supremacist groups, which each have hundreds of members, and then of course there's all the undisclosed groups.
Also particularly interesting that you picked out that one line of the chaps post, completely ignoring the actual point of the post itself. Comes across like you didn't want to deal with the actual content of the post, so instead picked whatever you could to deflect with.
I may as well re-add it here; "Right now the invasion is a far far far bigger issue. When Russian troops leave the Ukraine entirely it can get discussed. Till then no one actually gives a f and this is just an attempted distraction from Russia invading."
Warmonger Putin has had a new table delivered to the Kremlin. Like the previous one it's also long, but more conducive for negotiations a spokesperson said.
The US has a Nazi problem you say.
One of the largest Nazi groups in America has 500 members, in a country of 330 million.
Is the problem for you that there are so very few?
You probably are one..considering the language you use
Sounds like aload of bollex to me....
Link please.
Edit: have found several now
Just read a story involving a Russian professor who was close to putin reckons he and his family are hunkered down in a bunker. Deep in the siberian mountains ..he describes it as a smalll sprawling city built 10 years ago ..to withstand a nuclear fall out...it doesn't sound good..has putin decided what the outcome of the Ukraine invasion. Will be .chilling
You seem to be permanently banging the same pro putin drum.
What's your point? That you reckon Putin was right to invade, bomb the **** out of and ethnically cleanse an entire nation because of a relatively small number of far right interests? Germany has similar far right groups, England has far right groups, even goddamn Russia has some far right groups even working for Putin on his Soviet era fantasies of recreating the USSR.
https://en.respublica.lt/signs-of-neo-nazi-ideology-amongst-russian-mercenaries
You like videos? Here is a video of far right elements in Russia - these ones differ from the Wagner group only in they don't seem to be fans of Putin. Maybe he should go after them first before using the existence of far right groups elsewhere as an excuse for attacking others
You "don't know"?
That's certainly not what you say in that same comment
"Be realistic - what is more likely? Russian "hit squads" dropped behind Ukrainian lines? Or panicked, ill-disciplined civilians with guns shooting at cars they don't recognise in an environment where they are terrified of Russian "saboteurs"?"
I think you can drop the pretence there.
Fair play to her and the camera man - said a few days ago, so much Russian money in London...Johnson gives with one hand and takes with another
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