Ukraine Invasion: Part 21

[MagicFox]

Another thread, thank you to all

MIGs spare parts...
Plane with spare wheel shipped separately?

When I think about it, Im not sure what we could have done. Proximity makes a difference. Chechnya is the other side of the Black Sea. Arming the non-Assad Syrians would have led to accusations of US interference with the same fuckups as the 2nd Iraq war and Afghanistan. Russia and China are fanning the flames of resentment of Western 'imperialism' and we didn't do anything to counteract that.

The only thing I could think was telling Putin more firmly that if he invades in Europe the West would take action.

But we cannot take action over everything all over the world. We don't have the right.

the aircraft version of this ?

(need to click image, it didn't show properly)

I mean who the fuck would want to go to Russia in the next century

like a pp, I would have liked to go to Russia sometime (have only been on a day trip from Finland back in 1990!) -a few years ago I saw a programme about the Kolyma highway and Yakutz being the coldest city in the world, and it piqued my interest - and there's a parkrun there. I would have liked to visit :(

"The only thing I could think was telling Putin more firmly that if he invades in Europe the West would take action"

He has invaded Europe?

How much of the Russian army would Ukraine need to destroy to render it inoperable? I found it interesting that Putin was recruiting from places like Syria and (presumably) Ethiopia.

He has invaded Europe?

The Don river was in historic times considered to be the border between Europe and Asia.

@Ijsbear The West did nothing on Litvinenko, Georgia, Crimea, shooting down a passenger Airliner & Salisbury, we courted Putin and excused his behavior, even allowed him to influence Brexit... no wonder he thought we'd do SFA...

We could have carried on trading with Russia, as we did in the cold war but kept a more hands off stance once he started doing bad things & this Oligarchs stuff is criminal.

I think we are making the same mistake with China, far too much reliance.

Your dead right on Syria and Chechnya but it should have acted as a warning to keep clear.

Well England owned 1/3 world once. Ukraine is an Eastern European sovereignty

True Alexandra. It's biting us on the arse now.

A few twitter sources are saying the Azov fighters and marines broke out of encirclement, rescued 500 other fighters, and brought them back to the Azovstal stronghold!

twitter.com/euan_macdonald/status/1516813289937907714?s=21&t=sC_ifOt8UrIwXFoYep-kwA

The Don river was in historic times considered to be the border between Europe and Asia.

Explains a lot about South Yorkshire

Pippin I read that as those in the steel factory have now been reinforced?

... before it happened!

The intelligence agencies knew, and went to Russia to convey Messages, from the information that has come out since. If those messages had been absolute, maybe he would have thought twice.

Though he would have kept on undermining democracy for longer, and I do wonder in terms of global politics and political systems if that would have been even worse. He would have invaded eventually perhaps.

Your dead right on Syria and Chechnya but it should have acted as a warning to keep clear.

Yes, absolutely agreed. And over Salisbury and the Alexander Litvinenko poisoning and the strange numbers of Russian businessmen living in the UK who died. One might not like that they were here but we should have taken notice that they weren't here for the terms of their natural life.

No wonder the oligarchs don't want to openly oppose him. It's not only greed, it's fear.

I wonder if Russia will agree to this?

@TiddyTidTwo yes, it seems to have just happened today - the marines rescued recently helped the Azov guys to rescue a third pocket of fighters. Great that they are all together but I guess that means less food etc to go around?

Looks like the Ukrainian government are getting serious about wanting to negotiate to get them out.

Good Lord pippin. They are the epitome of patriotism and bravery. Let's hope they took supplies in with them.

They are incredible @TiddyTidTwo. All of them. I hope against hope for a miracle. How the powers that be have let things get to this is beyond me though.

Are they all in the steel factory now?

So incredibly brave. True heros all of them.

When this is all over 🇬🇧 and 🇺🇦 will be staunch allies. We will be all the safer for it having such a country as a friend.

Ye gods. They are incredible

What are the chances Russia will allow the release of those trapped in Mariupol? I’m pretty pessimistic / realistic most of the time, but on this one, I’m really working hard to tell myself it might work out for them.

Low I'd say pippin, unfortunately. That small stronghold in Mariupol is holding back major Russian forces. Putin won't stand for that. Also, I believe some of those citizens are the Ukrainian soldiers family members.