Russia - threadbanned users in OP

Yes, the geology around ireland in particular makes shale extraction totally unviable. Shale gas deposits are in unstable geological formations and cannot be extracted. Advocates of fracking always seem to leave that bit out.

Poland have today (finally) officially requested permission to export Leopard 2s to Ukraine

We're getting a textbook example of how a modern fascist dictatorship would handle a 21st century war and what propaganda angles it would take.

There appears to be plenty of gas in Europe.

The problem is of course greenies, particlarly the stupid German variety, who were funded by Gazprom and were created to do away with clean nuclear so Germany could be made dependent on Russian gas and used to manipulate the EU. Gerhard Schroder was rewarded for enabling all this with a Gazprom Directorship and a lot of money.

Gerhard Schroeder and his wife adopted Russian girl from President Putin’s hometown

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3572122.stm

How sweet. /s

Coup don't hear anything about a coup or Calls for one ,the military and people are firmly behind Zelensky,a coup would completely disrupts the plans in defense,

It's only a matter of time before we see Russian Zombies doing kamikaze runs at Ukrainian units with nothing more than 20kgs of explosives draped around their bodies. It's truly starting to resemble some deprived apocalypse war movie. can those Russian become any crazier?

they are all completely 100% stark raving nuts.

Not for lack of metal, but lack of affordable metal.

Look at the amount of all sorts of precious and common metals that russia supplied to worldwide markets - now imagine what happens to a market when one of the biggest providers is suddenly locked out? Although to date, not all russian metal products have been sanctioned, because we are so reliant on them as a worldwide supplier. US is still buying titanium by the bucket load, aluminium and certain types of steel are as of right now, unsanctioned. Will it remain that way? Who knows

If we are not to trust reliance on russian gas, then reliance on russian metals should surely be treated the same way too

Ukraine will just fly Kamikazi drones into them.

I hope Polands PM is suitably enraged, he might do something sensible, in the heat of the moment.

The insanity continues:

Russian authorities have again adjusted the domestic continuing airworthiness procedures to help operators cope with sanctions.

The Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) has formally given approval to aircraft cannibalization, meaning that parts from grounded airframes can be re-installed on in-service aircraft.

The legislative amendments were approved Dec. 26, 2022, although the provisions related directly to cannibalization remain classified. Citing sources from Russian airlines, Moscow-based newspaper Izvestia reported that a part taken from a grounded aircraft should be tested in order to receive airworthiness approval tags, and then tested again after being installed on a different aircraft.

Rosaviatsia is now allowing the installation of non-original spare parts on Russian-operated foreign-made commercial aircraft, without seeking approval from the type-certificate holders.

The new provisions mark another step in the reorganization of the country’s continued airworthiness standards, moving it further away from Western norms. 

For decades, Western-made commercial aircraft operated in Russia have been registered in foreign jurisdictions, mostly Bermuda and Ireland. The airworthiness maintenance of the aircraft was regulated by the authorities in those countries.

The situation changed in March 2022 when Western countries banned aircraft deliveries and services to Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, which began Feb. 24. In response, the Kremlin transferred about 600 Western-made aircraft to the local registry, entrusting Rosaviatsia to take care of their continued airworthiness.

The agency automatically extended the airworthiness certificates of these aircraft until the end of 2022. It also expanded the list of Russian MRO providers which could maintain and repair Western-made jets to replace suspended EASA and Bermuda Part 145 certificates. 

Russian carriers appear to have found alternative ways to obtain aircraft spare parts, while Rosaviatsia allowed the installation of parts approved by two dozen foreign authorities, including FAA and EASA, as well as Aruba, Brazil, Bermuda, Canada, China, Egypt, India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Jordan, Mexico, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, the UAE, the UK and Uzbekistan.

From September to December 2022, Rosaviatsia inspected 90% of the Russian-operated aircraft that were previously registered abroad to prolong their airworthiness certificates for another term.

How long can they keep this up for? Those aircraft (that they stole from leasors!) would only be able to fly internally only. They haven`t a hope of getting parts (power generation equipment etc) as these are made repaired by western companies (I work for 1 such company). It really makes no sense and one of the most stupid moves ever made.

Maybe some but they haven`t a hope with some of the technologies.