Plenty of Belarusian volunteers already fighting alongside the Ukrainian army, mainly in Kyiv. They're called the Kastus Kalinouski Battalion
Please god. Indications are that everyone survived but as yet not fully confirmed by the Ukrainians. Had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach reading about it earlier
Day 2 of the war: 'Looks like tonight is the night for Kyiv'
Day 3: 'Looks like tonight is the night for Kyiv'
Day 4: 'Looks like tonight is the night for Kyiv'
...Day 17: 'Looks like tonight is the night for Kyiv'
'Russia have only committed about half of their troops. Game over for Ukraine when the rest get involved."
'Expect Kyiv to fall within 96 hours'
'Can't see Russia invading the whole country. Most likely they'll move troops just into the Donbass.'
All these sentiments have been expressed, and more, and all have been bang wrong, especially that Kyiv one. I don't own a crystal ball and don't really know what's going to happen, but looking at the situation, it seems that Russia need this war to end as well, not just Ukraine. The Russians may go grander with the weapons they use, but they appear to be in a general malaise vs. the reputation they would have had before this conflict. They've stalled for whatever reason while the Ukrainians dig in, and get enormous amounts of weaponry delivered. If the Russians are still having a hard time taking Mariupol, how the hell do they expect to take Kyiv in anything like a short term time frame?
Supposedly in Mariupol....so Russians making some inroads there
Yes, you are right that many analysts and experts have predicted Ukraine would lose very quickly and were completely wrong. I'll just hope the US/NATO are providing enough of the right supplies and Ukrainian resolve holds.
North Korea has to really fight to keep everyone inside their country that they can. Russia will have issues implementing that again and in any case would simply become a joke of a world power.
Just in the news headlines, survivors are now starting to emerge from the rubble.
Please god most if not all come off unscathed.
Fcukin Russian scum, their depravity knows no bounds!
Often when you face apparent feared evil head on its never as strong or as fearsome as you originally thought. I don’t think the Russian army grassroots have the stomach for this fight. The Ukrainians have it in shedloads. Plus they have very high tech support from abroad if not direct boots on the ground
The sanctions are quite severe, and we know from the Kremlin's rhetoric they are hurting. The Russian stock market is near death as a result of this (they aren't reopening it for a reason). Their economy is expected to contract at least 7% this year, probably more. They'll lose a vast amount of income because their main customer, Europe, is weaning itself off their key exports. It'll take time for them to switch to other customers. The sanctions will probably cause them to default at some stage which foreign investment or loans so much more difficult. The hundreds of billions from the Ru central bank could hypothetically be used to help rebuild Ukraine in a future scenario. The oligarchs aren't gaining anything from this, only losing. It's going to impact every aspect of Russian life pretty much to a greater or lesser degree, it's going to be impossible for the average Russia not to notice something very serious is going on. It's not going to send them back to the stone age obviously, but will put serious financial pressure on Putin's war-machine and ability to fund future conventional war.
All well and good, and I agree with you about what the sanctions intend to do - but we already have examples of similar sanctioned countries in North Korea and Iran. Both of these countries have managed to continue spending a huge amount of money on the military. Both making big advances in these fields. If you think the Russians won't find ways to work around sanctions when North Korea and Iran have, then you're dreaming. Yes, it will hurt. No they won't collapse.
Whats the reason for all those wealthy folks heading towards Dubai? Are they abandoning Putin, or fearful of action against Russia?
Probably just off to McDonald's there, hoping to get a green shamrock shake for St. Patrick's day.
🤣 if only!
I see Britney Griner has her detention extended until mid may.
Putin taking advice from the Ayatullahs now
Usually saving their own arses so possibly yes
hopefully something might happen with Biden and China i still beleive some sort of deal has to happen because Ukraine will not defeat Russia and the sanctions will be got around in time for Russia to survive they still have enough allies to deal with plus others will take advantage to make money somehow .
'av it
Looks like Putin's speech yesterday lit a fire under a few of them. Gonna be a serious crackdown coming in Russia.
I think the greatest loss is the spirit of the Russian soldiers who don't want to be there. They can spread the weakened resolve like a fever. THAT will be far more damaging to the Russian military advance. It's no wonder that Putin has sought help from elsewhere. Chechens are providing support. Belarussians wanted to, but their military is incapable of doing much. Delighted with Kazakhstan's stern "no" when asked to provide troops. Russian mercenaries and syrian troops are filling in where others either cannot or refuse to go.
Is this the beginning of a more "woke" east?
Strong message from Arnie
Are there any advance initiatives being put in place for the rebuilding of Ukraine ?
An international Ukrainian website to accept advance payments that can (say after 5 years) convert to goods supplied or credit against orders made
Accommodation/food provided by available hotels in return for foreign nationals willing & able to excavate, block lay, etc.
Temporary housing structures for Ukrainian citizens wishing to return to the villages, towns & cities they were evacuated from
Contact forums to allow remaining family members to reach out to their wider families, cousins, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, etc.
"Family twinning" - a means by which European/Western families of means could connect and maintain contact with Ukrainian families in need
ALL ASSETS seized from Putin & Oligarchs to go towards humanitarian/restructuring projects in Ukraine
Please add your own ideas, maybe someone (in a position to do something) will hear about them
Probably just want a holiday in the sun and they can't go to Spain right now
Himself, Sly and Chuck Norries heading for the Kremlin ... just imagine the carnage
His paranoid rant about traitors and scum who should be spat out like flies reminded me a lot of how Trump used to talk about opponents. No wonder they got on so well.
But it's kind of funny how he accuses the West of wanting to sow division and discord within Russian society. Word for word the same accusations the West has made against Russia for years now
A decent skin, he obviously put a lot of thought into it
Will he make a difference? - yes
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