Russia - threadbanned users in OP

I'll try find the Twitter thread, but the lads who posted the video claimed two irish lads were in thar group.

This recent clip tells a lot. From the teenage girl warning the other teenage girl they are not allowed criticise Putin but instead say those around him. To the young man being too coy about turning up for registration in the district for voting cards as he knows it's a ploy to grab him for Ukraine. To the young woman working for the civil police and saying she has to vote for Putin as they know which way ballots are cast and by whom. To others saying they just won't vote.

When Ukraine creep forward, metre-by-metre in an offensive, the commentary is that the offensive is failing. When Russia do it, the commentary is 'is this the beginning of the end for Ukraine?'

When or if Russia show signs of actual mobility and ability to advance at pace, that's when you can really say Ukraine are in trouble. Until then, the fog of war is deliberately opaque.

This is a knock-down drag-out war, the horrors of which can only be fully appreciated in the aftermath since there is too much fighting going on right now to soberly catalogue them all. What we do know is that the AFU fights on, which should put to bed the idea that the Ukrainians are being put up to this war by the West. They fight for their country because it is their right to defend their territory from an invader, as it is the right of any country, and we've seen what happens to armies armed by the West who did not want to fight - they fold quickly because will is a a key thing. Probably the most key thing.

Putin has achieved nothing like the aims he set out in the opening days of this conflict, and he has said to Tucker Carlson that the aim remains the 'de-nazification of Ukraine'. The subtext I read, there, is the elimination of any concept of Ukrainian nationhood that would seek to stand separate from Russia. He would tolerate a Ukraine that would act in vassalage to Russia. Nothing else. Now that Ukraine sought alliances elsewhere, it was his judgement that this must be eliminated with as much force as is necessary. So he still wants Kyiv. He still wants Odessa. He still wants Kherson. He won't want to stop until they exist under Russian occupation or are pulverised to dust and built over. From this, you can appreciate why the Ukrainian people do not just give up.

That would invoke Article 5.

The don't want nuclear weapons in Ukraine but they want nukes whizzing over New York. The U.S. will have to do a president Kennedy on this one.

Quote " Too much of a provocation"??? Short of using Nukes, just what else can Putin do? Currently with the anniversary of the invasion coming up plus the election, he's throwing everything he has at Ukraine. And unfortunately, due the US dillydallying over funding, it's looking increasingly likely will succeed in taking at least some if not all of Ardviika. Hit the damn bridge!!!.

Another oil depot hit it seems

And what's very much understated is the nr of serious body blows Russia has been taking. Its like the death of a thousand cuts, and these will prove fatal over time. The next 6-9 mths will tell, and especially when US help is restored 100%. For now, especially in Ardviika, the situation is not good, but neither is it a lost cause.

Think there is an overweight for small countries built into it as well (we get a good few more MEPs per capita than a country like Germany say), but of course not to extent of effectively "1/27th of a say" incl. a full veto on many issues as operates in the Council.