Ukraine Invasion: Part 33

[MagicFox]

Starting this at 980 on the other thread because it's late and I might miss the tipping point. We're moving fast at the moment, thanks all for the analysis, insight and company

Boris Johnson expected to stand. Hmmmm...sounds as if this was all planned some time ago. Gross.

Hillsmakeyoustrong · Today 13:50

How mortifying

Anyone see Sir Stephen Walker's interview 😅 he could hardly contain himself.

Do you mean when he spoke yesterday? If so, I did. He was eloquent, angry, and what he said seemed so true,Hills

To be fair, I can’t fault Boris when it comes to Ukraine.

DH has thought he would make a come back and be PM again BEFORE he left office.

Neither of us are remotely surprised he's standing again.

@ScrollingLeaves I do! And yes I couldn't agree more!

I get what you saying but his performance re Ukraine was all about him. Not saying it didn't pay off but I'm cynical about his motivation

I said the same @RedToothBrush - not sure if Liz Truss was in on a deliberate plan (can't see why she would be as her reputation is in tatters) but it felt that this was a deliberate political move to me when Boris announced his resignation.

I wouldn't have felt the same had Rishi become PM but absolutely thought Boris would be back when Truss got in.

Trying to take comfort from the fact that at least he was good on Ukraine (although agree that was because it was all about him). We do need strong leadership right now so whether it's Boris or Rishi (or someone else altogether) I just hope they know what they're doing!

Regarding the accidental missile being fired - what happens to that? Did it land in the sea or what happens when a missile is accidentally fired?

@XanaduKira

Regarding the accidental missile being fired - what happens to that? Did it land in the sea or what happens when a missile is accidentally fired?

It will depend on the type. Two basic options that I'm aware of, there might be others:

Generally if they are actually fired off in a forward direction they'll self destruct (warhead will detonate) after a certain time.

If there are simply dumped off the launcher (dropped) they'll behave like a bomb and in this case it will have ended up in the sea.

Thanks @notimagain

Since politics seems to be a hot topic, along with Russian military hardware failures, I thought this piece covered the issue of the potential effect of the midterm elections here on support for Ukraine going forward.

Biden world privately thinks McCarthy could fold on Ukraine aid

TL;DR - Biden may try to pass another big aid package before the end of the year (there's no change from the election until January). The leader of the Republicans in the Senate is strongly in favor of continuing aid. Most Republicans in the House favor continuing aid, but some do not. Those who do not are wary of blowback if aid is cut and it causes setbacks for Ukraine, or disaster if Putin prevails and they get blamed.

My take - wait and see, but this will be manageable. I wonder if they read my email on this to the Ukraine: The Latest podcast staff.

@MagicFox I don’t doubt he was at least partially in it for himself…BUT if he can help bring it to a close, I am all for it.

Igor Sushko
@igorsushko
·
11m
Russian soldiers are reportedly retreating from the nuclear power plant in occupied #Zaporizhzhya in #Ukraine.

Have they remembered to take the toilets with them?

Im sure :D

It would be good news if confirmed, as long as they don't leave traps

Ukraine the Latest podcast analysing Wallace’s speech today. Sense is that the fact we haven’t heard anything is testament to just how serious an incident it was. Their expert considers it significant that Russia have acknowledged a ‘mechanical failure’ rather than doing their usuals deny deny deny. Clear proof that back channel diplomacy is still working at least partly as it should.

It's a special white goods liberation operation.

The washing machines welcomed them with open arms doors and begged to be taken to the Motherland?

and reformed into tanks? after all, they need to get the chips from somewhere :D

Glad you are keeping a level head on this. I have to say US cutting back on Ukraine support over time does worry me (along with Elon's outburst), more so than nuclear talk.

Definitely.
We are currently watching a documentary series called TraumaZone about the fall of the Soviet Union on BBC iplayer and there was a laundrette manager who had been given an annual quota for scrap metal for the laundry which was unrealistically high, so he had to either scrap perfectly good washing machines or spend his time going out foraging for unwanted scrap.

This is in line with the image @DesdamonasHandkerchief posted below about Energodar residents reporting that Russians are packing up the white goods in their military trucks and leaving.

God I hope Ru leave the plant and not just the town.

At the back of my mind, I hope Russia is not planning to bomb the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and blame Ukraine for it.

I read a story (in the Economist, I think) about a German company that imports brass ovens from Russia. There's a factory in Russia where hundreds of people are employed making them by hand. The Germans melt the ovens down for the brass, which is cheaper than just buying brass from a metals company. The Russians could make more by just selling the brass.

It's not supposed to make sense.

mobile.twitter.com/saintjavelin/status/1583060506923139075 excuse the bad language but this portrays a sentiment many of us would echo I am sure

At the back of my mind, I hope Russia is not planning to bomb the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and blame Ukraine for it.

That was my fear too blueshoes.