Russia - threadbanned users in OP

I do hope you're right.

I simply said I wouldn't criticise a company for supplying baby food to russia

I don't see why not.

Sanctions may have to go up a notch, and "baby food" and medicines and medical devices may be next on the table.

It's a war, very bad things happen, all these very bad things can't just be placed on the shoulders of the Ukrainians.

Putin forgetting the first law of holes - When you're in a hole, stop digging. Now is not the time for Putin to be disappearing top-level members of his cabinet. Arguably there's never a good time, at least not if you're the one getting disappeared, but the kind of resentment and paranoia that type of thing breeds is just another source of pressure for a Russian government already under huge strain.

People who think dictators are strong men need to realise the inherent weakness of dictatorship, which is that dictators create a climate of fear and end up getting told only what they want to hear. When you have no-one questioning your decisions, you will invariably make some some really stupid ones. I don't believe that Putin was always a dictator, but he has worked to dismantle democracy in Russia and we now see him locked in the tunnel vision that dooms all dictators.

Not providing infant formula is hardly a minor inconvenience.

I am all for sanctions, but at some point you have to draw a line. Medicine, infant nutrition, etc, it should go without saying that there shouldn't be a question of providing these things to Russia.

But do they really? Surely four weeks on we should be dialling back expectations of the Russian military.

He's not wrong

Unfortunately they will suffer from it whatever their personal opinions of Putin or this war. Aim here has to be for Western countries to try & wreck Russia's economy (without blowing up their own ones too). Waging very large wars on your neighbours takes alot of resources and costs a lot of money. Has been comments here that sanctions can't destroy a country or remove the leadership/dictator + examples of Iran or N. Korea etc. but they can certainly cripple it so it is less dangerous. That will cause suffering in Russia mainly as a byproduct. After all if they did fully succeed in what they are at here [that is looking unlikely now I suppose], it is very possible a few small countries in the EU could be on the menu next for a Russian attack once they've taken a breather for a while and rebuilt forces etc (which would be much easier & faster with no sanctions) after Ukraine.

I mean he's only "not wrong" mostly because ever since Ukraine's dismal showing in 2014 they've received extensive training and support from NATO. And even before that NATO had been engaging with them to align them more closely with NATO and European doctrine.

As much as I admire Zelenskyy and appreciate the enormous pressure he must be under I do think he could maybe tone it down a little.

Rook to B6

Only if your from Tipperary.

Just as there is no reason to believe that anything will change on that score. They have done everything badly and have had ample time to address that, now of course, with 10% of their invasion force gone.