They’re completely incompetent and when you add the rock bottom morale and many looking to surrender/switch sides at first opportunity it will be a total fiasco.
Russian invasion of Ukraine | Fewer tweets, more discussion
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
apparently the host cities for 2032 are Moscow, St Petersberg, Kyiv, Tallin, Warsaw and Helsinki
I did think that. The "Italy" of the modern axis.
That's virtually impossible. China is a completely different situation than Russia, where the economic integration is mostly just based on resource exportation. That is a vastly different scenario than China where 50 years of globalism have integrated the Chinese and western economies in such a way across so many sectors that what you suggest just isn't realistic in any way. A world where the west is entirely self-sufficient to the point it could cut all economic ties with China with minimal impact is very far away from the world we live in today.
It's not even desirable really because that integration also serves to keep China aligned more with global prosperity. A China that cut off from the west would have less incentives to keep the peace overall.
You forgot East Berlin.
Only accepting Rubles as payment for gas is their way of propping up their currency exactly because their foreign reserves will only last so long. If other countries agree to this, which they likely won't, they would have to buy Rubles at the respective exchange rate which would stabilise it somewhat.
I'm no economist, but something tells me that exiling the second largest economy will pose a couple of problems.
Nah. Unfortunately we are stuck.
Yes please, just give them the whole of Berlin. No better way to ruin a state from the inside than giving them that preposterous incompetent cash burner.
They should award it to Kyiv. And a special bye into the forthcoming World Cup finals should now also be give to the Ukrainian national team .
The BBC reports:
"Almost all of the town of Irpin, which has seen fierce fighting in recent weeks, is in Ukrainian hands, the mayor of Kyiv has said.
Earlier in March, thousands of residents fled Irpin, which is just 20km (12 miles) north-west of Kyiv, across the remnants of a blown-up bridge as Russian artillery and air strikes pummelled the area.
Vitali Klitschko told journalists Ukrainian forces had pushed back troops there and also in the town of Makariv, west of Kyiv.
He said Ukrainian forces had "destroyed the plan to make a circle around Kyiv".
"Almost all of the town of Irpin, which has seen fierce fighting in recent weeks, is in Ukrainian hands, the mayor of Kyiv has said.
Earlier in March, thousands of residents fled Irpin, which is just 20km (12 miles) north-west of Kyiv, across the remnants of a blown-up bridge as Russian artillery and air strikes pummelled the area.
Vitali Klitschko told journalists Ukrainian forces had pushed back troops there and also in the town of Makariv, west of Kyiv.
He said Ukrainian forces had "destroyed the plan to make a circle around Kyiv".
White phosphorous bombs clearly being used by Russian forces in Irpin as a desperate reaction to losing ground there.
Utterly despicable move from Kremlin. These are banned under the Geneva Convention.
Utterly despicable move from Kremlin. These are banned under the Geneva Convention.
yes but apparently using White phosphorous flairs for night vision (in broad daylight) the remnents of which fall down and burn civilians is totally fine - or at least it was in Falluja
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2... yesterday made their,year on Falluja in 2004.
Its use was also defended in Gaza. Not derailing, but white phosphorous is not the red line people are looking for.
It isn't a red line in terms of a chemical or biological attack. Still illegal and immoral in all the places it has been used.
That’s so powerful. The words also fit the occasion perfectly (google the lyrics of the Ukrainian anthem).
Agreed.
Wonderful to see civilians stand up for their human rights and be heard and moderately respected. 20 years ago those soldiers would have massacred them.
Now less than 120 Rubles for a Pound. Only a 16.63% gain over the last month. Would be really interested in a good clear long-read on what is in play here and what we can expect to see going forward.
Powerful. Mad props to those folks for making the stand.
That would be suicide and I think the soldiers understand that. If they massacre some civilians there, the rest of the City will come after them with everything they have. Their lives depend on the belief of the people that while occupied they won't be mindlessly killed. Otherwise we wouldn't see such relatively peaceful protests but all out guerilla warfare.
@Raoul как твой русский? потому что я не говорю на нем, так что какой-то перевод был бы хорош
Don't speak it either. From what I surmise, its Vladimir Solovyov's TV show where he gets a group of propagandist clowns to discuss Putin's flavor of the moment propaganda narrative. If true, it would appear to suggest the government may be greasing the skids for a potential negotiated settlement in Ukraine.
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Yeah that's the point I'm making. Times have changed. Humanity comes first. Maybe it's unique to Russia-Ukraine but hopefully we see more scenes like this in other conflict areas where the brotherhood of man triumphs over lines on a map.
I think your view is far too optimistic. The Russian army simply has lost a lot of it's fear factor. Control of civilian unrest works mostly due to fear. The occupier needs to project an evil and fearsome image so no one dares resisting them.
It's simply a balance of power and terror between both sides that currently allows the Russians to be present but not to brutal, while it allows the Ukrainians to protest but not resist forcefully.
Brazil has had this in the past too
. If it's landlords and service providers I think you just kind of stiff them and there isn't a lot of recourse for them except for cutting services. The key is still being able to pay the diplomats. Otherwise the CIA will be more than willing to pay wages for those that know certain things.Brazil has had this in the past too
Just sell off one of the oligarch mega yachts and the embassies should be back in business.
Like I said, it may be unique to this conflict. Ukrainians and Russians share a closeness as peoples. Many of the Russian troops are not fully trained and battle hardened and may be less likely to engage in brutal acts due to a lack of indoctrination. Civilians are aware that social media had given them power that maybe has not be wielded before in a conflict. Other factors may also be in play, such as the earlier post that suggests a large number of Dagestani recruits are there. Maybe they don;t fully believe in Russia's objectives, maybe a large number of troops don't.
I don't think a lost fear factor is an influence, at least yet. The Russian army isn't Manchester United at Old Trafford in 2022. The soldier in full armor with a kalashnikov looks pretty frightening. In the not too distant past, putting a bullet in one or more of those Ukrainians would be the default response. Something has changed because he clearly wants to intimidate them but he's not willing to kill them. That's massive.
Israel blocked Ukraine from buying Pegasus spyware, fearing Russia’s anger
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/23/israel-ukraine-pegasus-spyware-russia
Israel blocked Ukraine from buying NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware for fear that Russian officials would be angered by the sale of the sophisticated hacking tool to a regional foe, according to people familiar with the matter.
The revelation, following a joint investigation by the Guardian and Washington Post, offers new insight into the way Israel’s relationship with Russia has at times undermined Ukraine’s offensive capabilities – and contradicted US priorities.
The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has been critical of Israel’s stance since Russia launched its full and bloody invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, saying in a recent address before members of Israel’s Knesset that Israel would have to “give answers” on why it had not given weapons to Ukraine or applied sanctions on Russians
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/23/israel-ukraine-pegasus-spyware-russia
Israel blocked Ukraine from buying NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware for fear that Russian officials would be angered by the sale of the sophisticated hacking tool to a regional foe, according to people familiar with the matter.
The revelation, following a joint investigation by the Guardian and Washington Post, offers new insight into the way Israel’s relationship with Russia has at times undermined Ukraine’s offensive capabilities – and contradicted US priorities.
The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has been critical of Israel’s stance since Russia launched its full and bloody invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, saying in a recent address before members of Israel’s Knesset that Israel would have to “give answers” on why it had not given weapons to Ukraine or applied sanctions on Russians
I did think a couple of weeks ago that Israel's response was muted, and I wondered whether they were worried about the potential trouble Russia could cause in Syria. That may explain this?
I think its a poor attempt at Bennett attempting to play the fence. He knows the US won't not support Israel, and is attempting to leverage that by staying on Russia's good side as well, thereby positioning Israel as having support from both. Its a poor strategy that will backfire in the end if Putin gets deposed, leaving Bennett looking like a two faced schmuck who gambled and lost in his first high stakes international politics adventure.
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Both Israel and Turkey are attempting to maintain the decent relations they’ve established with Russia since Russia made itself the main power broker in Syria (for some reason Israel’s stance is receiving a lot more publicity than NATO-member Turkey’s). America will complain that these two allies are not fulfilling their part of the bargain, they will respond that by abandoning Syria to Russia, America has left them little choice.