Russia - threadbanned users in OP

I don't want to be speak for everyone on the West, but I thought the sense here was that he intends to hang on to power until he's dead. If that's the case, I don't think he needs to show the West that, especially as there seems to also be a widespread assumption that Russian presidential elections are a bit of a sham, made all the more so with Navalny dead and Kara Murza in prison.

He has hesitated to announce full mobilisation for two years. I cannot say he won't in future, but I don't think it's an election thing. He must know on some level what revolt that could bring, and of the decentralised kind where mobs are burning recruitment offices out in the provinces.

Saw that in the guardian. A lot of speculation, maybe she's right, maybe not. In the early months of the war there were constant rumours of mass mobilization and it never happened. I'd be surprised if it happens soon after the election, we'll soon see

Another day, another report of Russian war crimes

No not at all, please don’t mix me up with a Russian bot apologist.

I am more emphasising the point that Putin is going nowhere regardless of whether the people of Russia ever do turn on him so I doubt he cares about victories before an election etc as he will never hold a legitimate one anyway.

I find it saddening amongst aquantances and others here in Ireland during discussions re Russia invasion of Ukraine how sort of indifferent, disinterested they are about it. It seems to be a distance thing. We are far away over here, an Island off the west coast of Europe .. shur why would anybody attack us and shur we are neutral. It will never effect us.

I find it incredible actually. Seems to be far more interest in whats happening in Gazza vs a war raging on our continent. A large disconnect. A few do ask - Oh yeah the war in Ukraine, when will it be over and when will the Ukrainians here go home?

All are unaware of whats going on on the ground and the difficulties that now are happening re arming Ukraine + Russian advances though small. They just never seem to have understood the huge real danger in all of this for all of us inc Ireland and not just Ukraine. And how fast this could unravel, especially in 2024/25

Lets go slightly down the rabbit hole. I previously mentioned delays with F16s and the like, asking why. Then we have the hold ups in the USA. Now here is another albeit smaller delay example:

"The delivery of 100 Bulgarian armored personnel carriers to Ukraine has been delayed as the Bulgarian Defense Ministry asks NATO to cover the transport costs, Euractiv reported on Feb. 20, citing Bulgarian lawmakers and officials."

Part of me is entertaining that there are forces in the background in the WEST, EU and NATO etc that actually want UKRAINE to fail and for Russia to win the day? I have been in discussions with some where the attitude is, Ukraine cannot win this war, Russia is the superpower here, too big to fail. And in certain corridors in Europe some may want Ukraine to fail, russia to win as it may hold off Russia attack on Europe "Proper" for another good while ( Appease )

Anyway there is your rabbit in the hole ..

They don't want Ukraine to fail they just want this war to drag out as long as possible. They'd rather Ukraine win after 6 year's of fighting instead of 3 as it inflicts way more damage on Russia and cripples them economically for longer.

Sad to say here but if the west we're really all in they're would be 100 more HIMARS, 200 Ukrainian pilot's already flying F35's, hundreds more artillery, Taurus, ATACMs, American attack heli's and a thousand of Abrams and Leopards.

Instead they'll drip feed weapons and the rate will depend on how well Ukraine is doing. At the very least with full support Ukraine would have retaken the south by now and cut off Crimea.

I feel sorry for this guy, but his behaviour after the defection was stupid. He should have stayed in Ukraine, or else severed all contacts which could have used to find him and hid in the US or somewhere.

Is there any logic to thinking that Putin has convinced countries to scale back support or he'll cripple infrastructure by snapping the sea cables or anything like that? He has a hold of some sort over many countries, including our own here with the 15 staff still in Orwell road

No rest for the zombies

I have seen rumors that the guy contacted his ex-girlfriend and that's how he was de-anonymized.

We (EU/UK) are at war with Russia, whether we want to admit it or not. Russia wages a special operation in Europe. They hack computer networks, pay huge bribes to European politicians, gather incriminating materials (kompromat) on EU politicians, and let us not forget, assassinate enemies of Putin abroad with virtual impunity. So far, they kill mostly Russian defectors, but there is nothing stopping them from taking a family of, say, the Finnish prime minister, hostage to force him to do something.

You are asking how? The EU is a peacenick paradise, a Russian saboteur can avoid capture by stepping over an EU state border. Unless there is an EU taskforce already assembled, the security is on a national level. Besides, any Russian citizen can freely get a visa to visit touristic sites in Madrid and go on a killing spree, if they feel like it, there is nothing to stop them.

A fractured Russia means a lot of infighting and civil wars - let them kill each other instead of Ukrainians.