Russia - threadbanned users in OP

Back in the day a lot of Irish were taken as slaves - by Africans - and ended up in the middle east. Maybe Russia too. Hence red-haired Middle Eastern people.

If rumours of surrender negotiations on the Southern front are true, they must have been able to demonstrate superiority.

Perhaps the Russian GROUND forces want to call it a day and the lack of a coordinated surrender is intended to prevent Putin from directing his wrath at any particular section.

Either way, it's all falling apart for Putin, anything could happen (to him) at this stage.

Seems the idea is gaining traction, there has to be some truth in it somewhere

This is definitely unexpected

All likely dating back to the Viking era more than anything

There are red haired people all the way from the Hindu Kush to Connemara with the highest population density of them in Germany. Now can we get back to Putin getting his rear end handed to him on a platter please.

Oh well...

Let them go back to russia...

...after an unspecified time spent working as free labour to help rebuild Ukraine. At least one year.

I wonder is that basic lack of pilot training (i mean he cant even get the thing 20m off the ground), pilot error, or simply poor aircraft maintenance?

The Nazi story is just a cover for the population, always demonise your enemy (i.e the war on terror). The intention behind most wars is usually control of resources or denial of the resources to an enemy. For instance the dismantling of Libya was about denying Chinese expansion. The Russians intention for Ukraine:

• Grab the resources in the east of Ukraine. You think the men that control the oil & gas in Russia would be otherwise. The reason for the Syrian intervention back in 2015 was to eliminate pipeline competition to Europe from Qatar and prevent the area as a base to destabilise the Caucasus region. What do you think Rosneft, Gazprom Neft are doing in middle east?
• Control the Black sea.
• Fold the Transnistria enclave.
• Close the Bessarabian gap
• Control the exit of the Danube should they need to (affect European trade)
• Federalise the remaining Ukraine rump state so it is no longer a threat and more easily controlled like Belarus.

They had reckoned that since the south of the country is primarily Russian speaking (i.e culturally compatible) that any resistance would be quickly eliminated.

I think we are witnessing the end of Putin. There is no way out for him and his corrupt regime.

The Russians may look the other way, and may swallow some **** that is spouted by state TV, but they never struck me as a stupid people. They will oust Putin in due course and replace him, probably with another crony but a crony the West may be able to do business with.

Regardless, victory in Ukraine for Ukraine looks to be inevitable barring some unforeseen event, like mass mobilisation but I don't see Putin doing that because he is too weak politically after these setbacks.

I can see Ukraine take back all of their territories, including Crimea. I also see Ukraine joining NATO in the next few years after the war is done and dusted. There is nothing to stop them from doing so now.

Imagine, the year is 2035, and Ukraine is a member of the EU and NATO. Perfectly reasonable to see this come to fruition.

One thing this war shows the world, for all our 'woke' introspection on the West and how many in the west like to criticise themselves all the time, as a war machine and an economy capable of waging war, 'we' are still number 1.

Which reminds me, I must look to see if there are any Moscow-based glazing firms I can buy stock in. Then again, the sanctions would probably make it difficult.