Russia - threadbanned users in OP

I'm reading that state TV has stopped showing maps of the Donbass region and southern / eastern Ukraine on its daily broadcasts, as it is painfully obvious that the army is making absolutely zero progress in the region.

One wonders when the penny will start to drop with the Russian public that the war is being lost. They will surely smell a rat at some point.....we're two months into the war and the regime has made virtually zero progress.

As well as that the German gas situation is a convenient mud guard for many EU countries. I’m sure most of them are happy enough that Russian gas is still pumping into EU energy supply with the Germans taking all the political flak. You won’t hear any complaints from them about German policy.

I have a funny feeling that if russia and the russian people dont get to grips with the fact they are NOT a world power ...and their military is weak ...karma will happen.

They have a lot of neighbors who don't like them who are ...less moral than some. If they sense weakness....it will haunt them nukes or no nukes there are many ways to skin a cat

Do we think Ukraine can actually kick the russians out and get them to stop bombing by air eventually without giving territory? oooorrr

I mean will russia give up in a year or so??? Putin will get a hobby like?

im not sure that is a way to win but more like hoping your enemy gives up ....

All of this is so very true. But they can just lie and say there are nato troops there.

I don't think it would help much. I think will see them doing more. Feels like a long time ago given how much has happened since, but the starting position pre war was that German govt. was not going to provide any weapons to Ukraine or even allow others to re-export their German sourced weapons. Seems to be disputes in the govt. over it (the "large" weapons), public wants more done too I think I've read.

The UK govt. is the only one that might castigate Germany publically e.g. saw an opinion piece in the Daily Telegraph arguing for trade sanctions to be extended to Germany. Crazy on face of it, but sometimes that newspaper reflects the Tory party politicians' thinking on issues.

On the energy trade embargo, well just feel very doubtful it can be cut off tomorrow morning as demanded without economic crisis and effects of this rippling out all across the EU. Including here. Now there is an argument that the price is worth it - that we're basically in a new cold war with Russia in all but name and citizens of all EU member states will just need to accept what this means + how they are going to suffer for it for some time to come.

Would almost like to see Germany actually try and do it (immediate embargo)...the crying and wailing around Europe + potential politcal explosions if I'm right in my feelings about impacts when it starts to hit home (including here) could be quite something to behold. I am a bit sceptical of extent of desire to suffer for a higher purpose. The Irish public apparently (think I read this morning), wants a cap instituted on the Ukrainian refugees...enough is enough and would Putin be a good lad now and stop it as far too many have now come for us to cope with (20-25k or so?).

Putting Germany + China and India all into the same box...I suppose this is the way with an echo chamber where the comments just get more and more extreme as time passes + no one (as far as I can see) says, well, hold on a sec lads?

"Germany" is not in support of Russia here edit: even if it can be argued they are not doing enough for Ukraine.

For all the talk (assuming there is not a sudden cut off done at EU level?) it will be interesting to come back and see what countries manage to successfully work to decouple themselves from Russia after a few months + get the energy monkey off their own backs, what countries are just going along to get along + even start quietly bending the sanctions to make a few more bob etc.

Sigmar Gabriel, ex Vice Chancellor and served as Foreign Minister under the Merkel regime.

He is threatening to Sue the New York Times for writing about his meetings with Russians Govt officials.

That went well until loads of photos started appearing showing him at lots and lots of meetings and social events.

Including a day out with Matthias Warnig, ex Stasi officer, who worked with Putin in Eastern Germany, targeting financial institutions for spies and was so trusted by Vlad that he sent his daughters to him in the early 90s.

He is the managing director of Nordstream AG. He has long standing connections in the CDU, especially in Pomerania, Merkel's base and the SPD.

This could well be the scandal of the century, for 20 years the top jobs in German Govt have all been for people who were solid and unquestionable servants of Putin's Russia and that's why they advanced up the ladder in their parties.

That last sentence is scary to me for some reason.

This is funny when you consider the economic sanctions the Tories have inflicted on Britain.

Germany is the only significant ally of Putin this side of India and China.

While sanctions won't be applied to Germany, Berlin must be told to change sides and quickly. Who doubt's if a small EU country was the lynchpin in the attempted destruction of another democracy in Europe that sanctions would be the mildest part.

Countries are aware that they are talking to Berlin but it is Moscow that answers.

I've been watching quite a few vox pop videos from the streets of Moscow and it's striking how many people feel disconnected from what's going on in Ukraine and powerless. It's as if they are not "citizens" of Russia at all, more like tiny, irrelevant cogs in the machine - very much totalitarian state territory. No sense that they feel have any say whatsoever about their country or its future.