Ukrainian invasion part 13

[Alexandra2001]

Seems to be required.

What do you think is overstated @MarshaBradyo

It was always overstated!

People want to believe the Russians are making a mess of it, so every single fart is being described in support of that premise.

Look at the convoy 'aren't they stupid, all bogged down' until one night it moved into battle readiness. Slow escalation of force, applying more when resistance is met is just as valid an approach as shock&case.

And I think the Russian side always intended this to be a long campaign. Most commentators seem to have forgotten the events and type of warfare in Europe during 1992-2002, but it's bloody plain the Russians haven't.

@Alexandra2001

What do you think is overstated *@MarshaBradyo*

Pretty much as mpsw has posted, said better than what I was about to post

@mpsw

People want to believe the Russians are making a mess of it, so every single fart is being described in support of that premise

and a “like” and an “I’m inclined to agree.”

Well it just gets better and better: Russia to deepen links with North Korea - twitter.com/abarbashin/status/1504353518232166401?s=21

That is a good post mpsw. Like it or not we are being fed a narrative on aspects of this war, just as the Russians are being fed a narrative, although to a lesser extent in our case (hopefully) as we have more access to social media and news sources.

How to get at the actual truth is the tricky part.

I want RedToothBrush as my MP !

Its very good that Biden has come out and called Putin what he is - A War Criminal.

Its pissed Russia off, excellent! which shows the power of words, Putin isn't so angry that the US is sending 100's of billions of military hardware to Ukraine.

As for the narrative on what we are being fed, look at where the refugees are heading?

It isn't towards Russia.

For my part, it's not so much that the Russian side is gaining ground but that the Ukrainians have not yet lost. On paper, the disparity was vast.

I genuinely expected it to be over by now.

Most people have survived attack on Mariupol theatre - MP

Hugo Bachega, BBC News, Lviv

More than 1,000 women and children are in the bomb shelter in Mariupol theatre, an MP from Mariupol has said.

The theatre was attacked by Russians and the number of casualties is unknown.

MP Dmytro Gurin, whose parents are trapped in the city, told the BBC: "The [theatre] building is destroyed, we have more than 1,000 women and children in the bomb shelter, in the basement.

"Minutes ago we had an information that the bomb shelter survived and people there survived.

"We don't know yet whether we have wounded people, or killed people. But it looks like most of them have survived and are ok."

I agree with everyone saying that the consequences are going to be long lasting and uncertain. Once the initial wobble over nuclear war passed it is this that has caused me the greatest anxiety. How are the geopolitical pieces going to fall?

For those that are still struggling with anxiety please do speak to your Dr (meds are starting to ķick in for me and it makes a difference!) But also focus on what you can/can't do. I am worried about geopolitical consequences but we have to accept that most of us are not politicians or diplomats with direct influence over them. What i can do is donate to charities- the aid organisations but also those doing human rights works (Or whatever you value most). Today I am going to buy tickets to Mykolaiv Zoo - no chance of visiting any time soon but the money is apparently still reaching them.

@Alexandra2001 - nearly 143,000 displaced people from Ukraine have gone to Russia and 1500 to Belarus. The vast majority have gone west instead, but 143,000 is not an insignificant number.

From BBC:

10:52
BREAKING
UK to deploy missile system in Poland and 100 troops
The UK is to deploy the Sky Sabre missile system in Poland, along with 100 troops, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has said.

Earlier this week, at least 35 people were killed in a Russian airstrike on the Yavoriv training base, near a major crossing point into Poland used by refugees from the conflict.

We'll bring you more details when we have them.

And further on that missiles to Poland story:

Posted at 10:5610:56
UK protecting Polish airspace from Russian aggression - UK defence secretary
More now on news the UK will deploy the Sky Sabre missile system and 100 troops in Poland.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace made the announcement on Thursday during a visit to Warsaw.

It comes as Nato moves to bolster the security of its eastern flank following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Wallace told a news conference: "We are going to deploy the Sky Sabre medium-range, anti-air missile system to Poland with about 100 personnel to make sure that we stand alongside Poland, protecting her airspace from any further aggression by Russia."

@CaveMum it is rather worrying

It might be worth keeping an eye on what is going on with P&O ferries

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60779001
P&O Ferries has paused its services "in preparation for a company announcement" later on Thursday.
The ferry operator said it was not going into liquidation but all ferries had been instructed to stay in port.

This has been tweeted
twitter.com/haggis_uk/status/1504409049470836743?s=21

Jim Shannon on P&O ferries not sailing today

I understands that 40% of the holdings of P&O Ferries is held by a Russian company"

Russian mothers

You rarely hear from mothers of Russian soldiers. This lady came up to us at an anti-war protest in Moscow, desperate for the safety of her 22 yr old son. She told us there were only 10 men left in his regiment. If there are voices Putin fears, it’s these

twitter.com/jamesaalongman/status/1504382524503609348?s=21

@DuncinToffee I thought that P&O was owned by DP World, the business arm for Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed. At least they certainly owned it in 2020 as it was cited in the court case between him and his wife.

This from The Telegraph dated March 2020, of course he could have sold part/all of it in the meantime:

"Through his company DP World, the Sheikh has a huge maritime presence in the UK. Last year, the firm acquired P&O Ferries for £332 million. They own and operate ports in Liverpool, Southampton and Essex, as well as the ferry lines across the Channel and across the Irish Sea."

Are P&O ferries and P&O cruises owned by the same person/company?

@purpleboy

Are P&O ferries and P&O cruises owned by the same person/company?

Never mind it's owned by carnival

@CaveMum

And further on that missiles to Poland story:

Posted at 10:5610:56
UK protecting Polish airspace from Russian aggression - UK defence secretary
More now on news the UK will deploy the Sky Sabre missile system and 100 troops in Poland.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace made the announcement on Thursday during a visit to Warsaw.

It comes as Nato moves to bolster the security of its eastern flank following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Wallace told a news conference: "We are going to deploy the Sky Sabre medium-range, anti-air missile system to Poland with about 100 personnel to make sure that we stand alongside Poland, protecting her airspace from any further aggression by Russia."

What does this mean? It sounds bad.

Some weird stuff going on about Russian aircraft on the move via Twitter. @RedToothBrush what do you make of this? twitter.com/gerjon_/status/1504361948619673603?s=21

RMT Union suggesting that P&O are planning to sack all UK workers on the spot. No idea if this is true or if it has any connection to Dubai/Russian ownership.

Just read that twitter thread. Not liking the sound of that.

I can't keep up with the current position of this war now. There seem to be lots of streams to what is going on, unsurprisingly.

If anyone is able to give a very lay person update on the latest chat on this thread. I'd be grateful.

Still wondering what happened to the 40m long tank convoy.