Russia - threadbanned users in OP

I wonder how much rupees would buy a few patriot missiles or equivalents?

I think young people have heard of VPNs. They can get around these things

Russian Federation Naval group in the Black Sea now in full combat readiness, looks like an amphibious attack on Odessa is imminent

No. Have you never heard the saying - "When life gives you Yemen, give Yemen aid"

(Stolen from a Frankie Boyle joke)

I'd love nothing more than waking up, some morning in the immediate future and reading an RTE push notification that Putin was assassinated. As Kevin Keegan said (for those old enough to remember when Newcastle were challenging for the title) "Id love it"

The damage that this man is doing to Ukraine is astonishing. I spoke to a woman this week who's son is working on a farm in Ukraine. He was told to "Get the fcuk out of the country or you wont be able to leave"

He packed his jeep and left in a hurry. He told his mother he drove over dead people that were killed by snipers along the road. He couldn't stop along the same stretch for fear he'd be getting it next. That's not something that will ever leave you. Its alright talking shite on the Internet but it's another to actually live through that

PS. Hat tip to the mods for cleaning the arseholes off the thread

Having used Chinese built machinery and equipment previously myself, I'd reckon the Russians have more to fear here than the Ukrainians.

I'm no IT techie, but as I understand it, when using a VPN, there are several providers you can choose from, right? What happens if the FSB control them? Bit like the Guard's setting up a checkpoint down the road from a cul-de-sac, and just sit tight and wait for the law breakers to hand them selves in after seeing the checkpoint up ahead, and turning off the main road to avoid them.

Yeah, genuine fakes everywhere.

They are knock offs of western innovation.

China are not going to risk getting sanctioned to help the Russians. More than likely they will string Putin along for a while whilst making the West second guess them.

It suits them more to have a weakened Russia next to them. Makes the resource rich country far easier to manipulate.

21 sick Ukrainian children flown to the UK for treatment.

Long time reader, first time poster. Apart from the shills, angry trolls and uneducated conspiracy theorists with no friends or sex lives, this has been a mostly excellent thread for information and insight.

Superb piece below on potential outcomes and the choices China now has, written by a Chinese foreign policy think tank. I can't post links as I'm not here long enough, but if you search for the following it will take you to the article:

"uscnpm hu wei ukraine China choice"

Key points are this war will eventually lead to a resurgent and unified West (already being demonstrated) and China fence-sitting or backing Russia will only lead to their isolationism (doesn't align to their long term strategy). The advice to Xi to cut ties with Putin now is clear and rational.

The quicker they actually move into Kiev the better. There's two possible outcomes there.

1. They get absolutely hammered with javelins, nlaws and molotov cocktails from every conceivable angle.

2. They make slow progress and putin loses his patience and starts shelling which will end up killing his own too. The already terrible morale will plummet.