Please use this thread to continue discussing the war in Ukraine.
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Original thread:
There you go ranting again and making stuff up.
I completely condemn Russia but still acknowledge that some Russians resist and deserve recognition. These 2 things are not mutually exclusive.
I want Ukraine to win as much as anyone, but also believe posting wild and unfounded rumours and attacking anyone who sticks to reliable sources as a "contrarian" or "Russian" (then disappearing when asked to provide evidence) contributes nothing. Slander and sniping is all you have for people you disagree with.
Anyway, enough, I'd rather get back to events out in the world
Here is one I read this morning (from the Economist a few months ago - archive link). https://archive.ph/p7Fve
Some of the graphs are interesting, they suggest China (directly) is 1/2 of the source of massively increased inputs for the expanded Russian war industry. Looks like other half is from busting the Western sanctions and obtaining the key Western products they need with help of 3rd parties like Turkey, Gulf states.
After China the next biggest single source of inputs is listed as Hong Kong (!), likely sanctions evasion as well. This is really China too. Think the "claims" might have come true and Russia really could be almost finished by now (militarily) without this critical help and support they are getting from allies like China, Iran and North Korea (which IMO is China, by the back door!).
Zelensky vows response and negotiations about use of long range weapons still ongoing, let's hope for a breakthrough, Ukraine has to be allowed hit back as hard as Russia hits them:
I find the Economist reporting on the war excellent, always balanced and based on facts. And yes, China has a lot to answer for, alongside Iran obviously and North Korea, though NK is really scraping the barrel
And a second spot too
The EU must have been delighted to satisfy the massive new demand from Kyrgystan too. Completely unrelated to any world events 🤣
European Union Exports to Kyrgyzstan - 2024 Data 2025 Forecast 2000-2022 Historical (tradingeconomics.com)
So in effect what we now have is a proxy war between the West and China.
Russia not getting a good enough result, at least keeping what it has.
Will be a severe strategic loss for China.
It would be great and I think they'd be better cutting Korenevo off but I'm not sure if there's much substance to this particular claim. Fingers crossed though.
In a way you can't blame them. Ukraine means fuk all to those countries off in another continent in the same way we are happy to trade with the likes of USA, France and the UK.
You would really have to question was a war worth it if you are relying on North Korea for trade.
Sure a bit of Polyfilla will have that up and running in no time.
These are not tactics employed by a powerful nation. This sends the message that Russia is desperately low on man power to sustain the war they started.
The longer this conflict goes on, the longer Russia is digging its own grave.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg58mj7mzrdo
That is an insane amount of oil to burn over such a short time.
The bigger picture for that, will be just how detrimental that is going to be to the environment.
Hoping it was tested over something Russian
Well, things could get very interesting now. If Ukraine is allowed to use them, Russia could be in for a taste of their own medicine.
How the ordinary people of Russia live under such a tyrannical regime is beyond me. We need to remember that the average Russian just wants to go about their life, like everyone else. Itnis the power hungry loonies who create this mess.
*Rapist* and killer of an 85 year old.
That story needs to be spread far and wide, especially in Russia.
The oil was still going to find itself converted to water and CO2, just over a longer time frame.
According to the Ukrainians they now control around 100 settlements in Kursk and 1,294 square km
Better off burning in russia than in the skies and fields of Ukraine.
Gentlemen,You can't fight in here!
This is the War room!
Just like that
Trying to steal our precious fluids..
Its obviously welcome , but unlikely to be a huge deal , ballistic missiles are expensive and complicated to make, it's gonna cost a couple of million a shot to make these , and probably slow to make , and starting from scratch.. so no stockpile built up in easier times ,
And obviously Russia can take out some in mid air with s400, the further away the target is the longer an s400 has to line up on one ,
But the good points,
likely way better range than atacms delivered to Ukraine - so even the threat will draw away even more of those scarce s400s ,+ the pantsirs needed to protect them ,
No need to ask the US for permission to use ..😁
Probably a big payload , hopefully with a variety of warheads for different targets .
The 'no permission' point is the big seller for me. Here, Uncle Vlad, suck on this…
I get what you mean (both parties need outside support to fight on) but am allergic to calling it that (given the Russian propaganda talking point that Ukraine is somehow used as a "proxy" by the US/NATO to fight Russia).
Ukraine is not the aggressor. Ukraine (and the countries backing it now) did not want a war, Ukraine didn't do anything to Russia to deserve this, and both Ukraine and its supporters did as much as they could diplomatically to try and prevent the war IMO.
Russia as a Chinese proxy is also debatable.
Lavrov must MUST feel like a fool, having to spout this stuff in polite society.
https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2024/0827/1466855-ukraine-russia-war/
Ukraine hunts drones with helicopters and hunts helicopters with drones.
Why would China give a damn about a war in Europe. They're making money selling to both sides.
Did we wring our hands when European countries were supplying the US war effort in the Middle East?
That is a bit disingenuous.
They sell some consumer drones and parts and stuff to Ukraine.
They sell dual use stuff, turnkey machinery for kitting out weapons factories, as well as non lethal military aid to Russia.
The kind of thing governments keep quite a tight reign on I think, because it is dangerous and has military uses.
There is just no way they would provide that stuff to Ukraine in my opinion, even if Ukraine wanted to buy it!
There is geopolitics behind why China supplies Russia with the help it does, it is not about China's commercial sector & profits.
They certainly do give a damn about the outcome of this war IMHO, they don't want Putin/Russia to lose basically.
So far they are not prepared to stick their necks out for Russia as much as Western countries have backed Ukraine, and the invasion (and how disasterously it has gone for Putin) is allowing them to increase their control and influence over Russia.
Would be interesting to see what happens to their support if it ever looks like Russia is suffering a reverse/and their military effort in Ukraine might collapse etc.
How do you know they don't want Putin to lose? Is it just because they sell stuff to Russia?
Hard to say this is a proxy war between China and the West when the West is selling bullets and missiles and China is selling factory machinery. I would imagine Russia is getting more military equipment from the West through proxies than they're getting from China.
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