Ukraine Invasion: Part 23

[MagicFox]

Welcome all, thanks for the company

I'd like to see other presidents speaking out like Boris and coming together united
There are holes throughout Europe they need to come together, hard and strong

Yes Hungary is an outlier but then again, they always have been but France and Germany are sending 100's millions of euros of military equipment to Ukraine, the latest is 155mm artillery systems and armoured vehicles.
EU is upping the its overall supply of weapons too, considering 27 very different countries, the EU's stance is very good.

TBH considering the scale of the threat and the rhetoric from Boris Johnson, i was very disappointed in the UK's 300 million, it maybe though we just don't have spare kit? which is perhaps even more worrying.

To put £300m in context, Boris cut the taxes banks pay by £7 billion and the 5p cut in fuel duty will cost a few billion too, so i'd be happy if the 1p cut in income tax was abandoned and the monies given to military and humanitarian aid... an additional £5 billion.

I wonder if the 3 days of Humanitarian Corridors is more to do with Russia having to rethink of what it will do in Mariupol or just just another lie?

The BBC reporter is speaking to the studio with air raid sirens going off around him in Lviv. The sound is chilling, but so is the realisation that it's a sound I think we've got used to over the past couple of months.

Roundup from UkraineNOW, which is an official channel as far as I'm aware

▪️Russians want to ban Facebook and Instagram in the temporarily occupied Kherson region, calling these social networks extremist organizations aimed at destabilizing the situation in the region.

▪️The enemy targets Transcarpathian with missiles that have high-explosive fragments. It is designed to destroy not only objects, but foremost people.

▪️Ukraine and the United Kingdom have legally fixed the abolition of import duties and tariff quotas in a bilateral trade. Due to this, Ukrainian business will be able to increase the export of high value-added goods in the future.

▪️The United Kingdom has imposed sanctions on 63 Russian citizens and companies involved in propaganda. Their assets will be frozen, as will the possibility of traveling to the United Kingdom. Personal restrictions were imposed on 31 people. Also, the biggest disinformation of the Russian Federation has already been removed from the national air of Great Britain — RT and Sputnik TV channels, access to their sites and pages on all social networks has been blocked.

▪️The recent Russian missile strikes on critical infrastructure have not affected the ability to supply military support to Ukraine, and assistance continues to come, according to The Pentagon.

▪️Canadian Ambassador to Ukraine Larisa Galadza will return to Ukraine soon.

▪️The government plans to send 70,000 tons of gasoline and about 40,000 tons of diesel to the market.

▪️Over the past 24hrs, two people were killed and four were injured in the Donetsk region. There is information about the use of phosphate munitions — according to the Chairman of the Donetsk RSA, Kyrylenko.

▪️Russian military forces hit a missile at an infrastructure facility outside the regional center of Kirovohrad region.

▪️The Rashists forbade the directors of the Zaporizhzhya NPP to leave the city, even on business.

▪️The enemy fired mortars at the community of Sumy region 40 times on Wednesday evening.

▪️Russian Sberbank collects data on those who transfer funds to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

⚡️ General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: the enemy lost control over several settlements on the border of Mykolayiv and Kherson regions

▪️The enemy provokes tensions in the Transnistria region of the Republic of Moldova. Carries out regrouping of troops in certain areas, takes measures to replenish reserves. Trying to improve the tactical position of the units.

▪️The Russian military forces continue to shell Kharkiv and reconnoiter the positions of units of the Defense Forces. Artillery and mortar shelling continues north of Izyum.

▪️The enemy units are trying to conduct combat operations in the Lyman, Sieverodonetsk and Popasnyansk areas, but are unsuccessful.

▪️In the Avdiiv and Kurakhiv directions, the enemy continues to shell the positions of the defenders of Ukraine.

▪️In the Mariupol area, the Russian invaders are focusing their efforts on blocking and trying to destroy our units in the "Azovstal" area. With the support of aircraft, the enemy resumed the attack to take control of the plant.

▪️A part of the Russian servicemen of the 38th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 35th All-Military Army of the Eastern Military District, after being withdrawn to the recovery area, due to significant personnel losses, refused to continue participating in combat operations in Ukraine. These servicemen are near the Ukrainian-Russian border and waiting to be moved to Russia.

▪️Units of militants of the 2nd Army Corps of the 8th All-Military Army of the Southern Military District, located in the village of Svativskiy district of Luhansk region, staffed by locals from nearby settlements have low moral and psychological condition, significant problems with weapons and protection equipment to perform tasks.

▪️In the South Buh direction, the enemy did not conduct active combat operations. Fired missiles and bombs at the positions of our troops and shelled the infrastructure of the region.

▪️The Air Force and Land Forces of Ukraine hit 9 air targets: 4 UAVs (2 of them anti-aircraft missile units of the Land Forces) and 3 enemy cruise missiles. 2 planes were also hit. According to the preliminary data — Su-30 fighters. The information is being clarified.

▪️Over the past 24 hours, 11 enemy attacks were repulsed; 5 tanks, 7 units of armored combat vehicles and 5 units of enemy vehicles were destroyed in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Yes Hungary is an outlier but then again, they always have been but France and Germany are sending 100's millions of euros of military equipment to Ukraine, the latest is 155mm artillery systems and armoured vehicles.
EU is upping the its overall supply of weapons too, considering 27 very different countries, the EU's stance is very good.

Very much agree, but there's been a lot of boosterism from certain quarters/certain people which has perhaps created a misleading impression about various countries contributions.

From the ISW:

Key Takeaways

Russian forces engaged in several unsuccessful ground offensives to the south of Izyum and did not significantly advance efforts to encircle Ukrainian troops in the cauldron to the southeast of Izyum and west of the Donetsk-Luhansk frontline.
Russian forces reportedly stormed the Azovstal Steel Plant on May 4 and are likely operating inside the plant’s facilities.
Russian and Ukrainian sources confirmed that a Ukrainian counteroffensive pushed Russian troops back 40 kilometers from Kharkiv City.
Russian forces conducted a number of unsuccessful counteroffensives on the southern axis.

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From Ukrinform:
09:28
Russia will likely seek to inflate threat to Ukraine from military exercises in Belarus - UK Ministry of Defense
Russia will likely seek to inflate the threat posed to Ukraine by military exercises in Belarus in order to prevent the Ukrainian Armed Forces from moving its forces from the north to the east of the country.

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There are increasing reports of Russian attacks on railways and other infrastructure but the US is saying that military aid is still getting through.

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Unconfirmed reports of 30,000 dead and 100,000 wounded in and around Mariupol. No one will really know until some sort of freedom and peace is restored, if then. Given that many Ukrainians have been deported, I wonder if the true totals will ever be known.

... please ignore the crossing out sigh

Former Chief of staff for the British Army has been on Sky this morning saying he believes Putin’s aim will be to ‘snuff out’ the resistance in Mariupol in order to be able to claim victory in securing a land corridor to Crimea on the 9th.

Such a shitbag of a man. Just imagine being probably the most hated man in the world.

today's ukrainian army estimate of Russian losses

I’m honestly not convinced he has the level of self-awareness for that. I suspect he genuinely thinks he’s loved (and he is) within Russia and to him that may as well be the whole world.

Fingers crossed they don't work then!

^referring to the testing of the nuclear weapons in Kaliningrad. Missed a whole page when posting.

Just to clarify nuclear capable missiles, not actual nukes (thankfully!)

I do think that the EU response to the Ukraine crisis has been surprisingly good and effective. Ursula von Leyen is really coming into her own calling for a united front on oil embargoes with gas to follow.
This is crucial in denying Putin his finances to prosecute the war, (sorry special operation) !
I can understand some countries in the Eastern bloc prevaricating over some measures, but the overall drive to hit Putin / Russia where it hurts is encouraging.
And with the US / UK etc following the same policies, the lesson will not be lost on China and their "interest" in Taiwan.

There is talk of the need to turn the EU into a new super power in the vein of the US, Russia and China. I think this is very sensible. We need to get back into the EU, we will find ourselves very isolated and vulnerable if we don't

I’m a big advocate for the EU and have a great deal of experience working within the sphere of its institutions. It’s a wonderful thing but it’s incredibly bureaucratic. Lots of people are lambasting them for the slow response but it is, by it’s very nature, slow.

Ah, well I hope they don't work either. Fingers firmed crossed for Russian military failure all around, and perhaps some heart failure for Putin.

@Igotjelly I wonder if the proposed overhaul would extend to addressing that? I hope so, and I hope we don't stay out

Very good idea
Putin was delighted when Brexiteers won

I think when you have so many, independent, countries coming together as you do in the EU a level of bureaucracy is always going to result. The EU 27 are all very different too with different needs and expectations, and that always has to be carefully managed alongside the desire to work together.

Yes please Britain please come back to the EU! It would be a nice fuck you to Putin and my mum can send me presents again without ridiculous customs charges and hassle.

This Guardian article is about the ex president Lula’s remarks that Biden, the EU, and Zelensky could have avoided war and were equally to blame as Putin.

When the West ‘avoided war’ before isn’t that what lead to Putin taking Crimea and part of the Donbas - and a war still went on in the east of Ukraine for eight years ? Please would someone knowledgeable talk through this?

Excerpt:
The veteran leftist said Biden and European Union leaders failed to do enough to negotiate with Russia in the run-up to its invasion of Ukraine in February.

“The United States has a lot of political clout. And Biden could have avoided war, not incited it,” he said. “Biden could have taken a plane to Moscow to talk to Putin. This is the kind of attitude you expect from a leader.”

The US and EU could have avoided the invasion by stating that Ukraine would not join Nato, he said.
“Putin shouldn’t have invaded Ukraine. But it’s not just Putin who is guilty. The US and the EU are also guilty,” Lula said

Guardian article:
Brazil’s ex-president Lula claims Zelenskiy equally to blame for war | Brazil | The Guardian
www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/04/brazil-lula-zelenskiy-blame-war

What a load of utter shite. Putin didn't invade because of NATO. He invaded because he wants to restore Russian empire.

And yes, EU, UK, US and the rest of the world are to blame for not doing anything 8 years ago. The response to Russia's aggression now - sanctions, military aid - is what should have been done 8 years ago. Instead we just sat and watched.

And Biden could have avoided war, not incited it,” he said. “Biden could have taken a plane to Moscow to talk to Putin. This is the kind of attitude you expect from a leader.”

How the fuck was he inciting it?

And just how long does she think that Putin would respect anythign agreed? He's rather notorious for not honouring his word.

Honestly whether or not you dislike the US and Europe (and they have made a lot of mistakes in the ME) ...... you have to judge Putin by his actions not by his words. His actions are to corrupt, bully, assassinate, invade and bomb.

And Biden could have avoided war, not incited it,” he said. “Biden could have taken a plane to Moscow to talk to Putin. This is the kind of attitude you expect from a leader.”

I can understand differing POV and even the NATO angle BUT the bottom line is that Ukrainian tanks are not in Moscow, Ukrainian troops are not raping Russian women and then shooting them.

Putin put his troops on the border of Ukraine instead of choosing dialogue and the international court system.... Russia is a permanent member of the security council but has behaved like a terrorist state... Putin is 100% responsible for all that has happened & if there is any justice in the world he will end his days like Gadhafi did.