Russian invasion of Ukraine

[delbert]

No doubt they'll be another open window to pavement human interface along shortly...

[MB]

Sounds like a good proportion of the promised armoured vehicles are now in country and the Ukrainians being trained have all returned home.

Plenty still being said about Bakhmut, but until these counterattacks (and it sounds like it will be attacks in the multiple) have happened it is difficult to judge one part of the battlefield in isolation and how key it is.

Let's hope the counterattacks are a stunning success and it brings an end to things (or at least reduces it to a smaller scale) so the needless deaths on both sides can end.

[Johnny Byrne's Boots]

Russia to offer North Korea food for weapons

Russia is sending a delegation to North Korea to offer food in exchange for weapons, US national security spokesperson John Kirby has said.

Mr Kirby said any arms deal between North Korea and Russia would violate UN Security Council resolutions.

The US has previously accused North Korea of supplying arms to the Russian military in Ukraine and the Wagner group of Russia mercenaries.

Pyongyang has previously denied the claims.

Mr Kirby told a news conference the US had new information about a deal.

"We also understand that Russia is seeking to send a delegation in North Korea and that Russia is offering North Korea food in exchange for munitions," he said.

Mr Kirby said the US was monitoring the situation, and the alleged deal, closely.

more...

Things must be quite bad, in both countries.

[EvilC]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/russias-ec ... wq9fkgbqs9

[Johnny Byrne's Boots]

The worry is their economy will tank so badly they'll feel they have nothing to lose by pressing the big red button.

[The Old Man of Storr]

And this month's [ April 2023 ] United Nations Security Council Presidency goes to........Russia .

https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/presidency

Wimbledon allows Russian and Belorusian players back into the tournament .

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/ ... ent-tennis

Ukraine Orthodox Church leader in Kyiv accused of justifying Russian invasion -

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65148386

[vietnammer]

Security Council's been a joke for decades. It's just the winners of WW2 + a.n. other developing country. Before the 'powers that be' decided to recognise The Republic of China, it was represented as a member by Taiwan.

[The Old Man of Storr]

Security Council's been a joke for decades. It's just the winners of WW2 + a.n. other developing country. Before the 'powers that be' decided to recognise The Republic of China, it was represented as a member by Taiwan.

It does seem rather odd to give Russia the Presidency considering ....

According to the Charter, the United Nations has four purposes:

to maintain international peace and security;
to develop friendly relations among nations;
to cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human rights;
and to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.


MAINTAINING PEACE AND SECURITY
When a complaint concerning a threat to peace is brought before it, the Council’s first action is usually to recommend that the parties try to reach agreement by peaceful means. The Council may:

set forth principles for such an agreement;
undertake investigation and mediation, in some cases;
dispatch a mission;
appoint special envoys; or
request the Secretary-General to use his good offices to achieve a pacific settlement of the dispute.
When a dispute leads to hostilities, the Council’s primary concern is to bring them to an end as soon as possible. In that case, the Council may:

issue ceasefire directives that can help prevent an escalation of the conflict;
dispatch military observers or a peacekeeping force to help reduce tensions, separate opposing forces and establish a calm in which peaceful settlements may be sought.


The UN decided to do none of that and went straight to the financial penalties , economic sanctions and travel bans section .

I find it all so very sad .

[Het-Field]

But that entirely comes down to the actions taken by Russia, and their intentions. They are not going to withdraw without at least getting what they invaded for. And that is not something that could be on the table.

[Francoisvander or else]

But that entirely comes down to the actions taken by Russia, and their intentions. They are not going to withdraw without at least getting what they invaded for. And that is not something that could be on the table.

Handed an exploding statue https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65155075

[Rio]

Handed an exploding statue https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65155075

chat get banged

[Het-Field]

For all the nonsense about NATO 'provocation' in advance of Russia illegal invasion of Ukraine, it appears the only act of genuine provocation (i.e. the illegal invasion), has 'provoked' Finland into joining NATO. Putin's actions have been useful from a PR point of view for NATO.

[EvilC]

For all the nonsense about NATO 'provocation' in advance of Russia illegal invasion of Ukraine, it appears the only act of genuine provocation (i.e. the illegal invasion), has 'provoked' Finland into joining NATO. Putin's actions have been useful from a PR point of view for NATO.

Indeed. For all of the huff and puff about "but NATO/but 'murica", I can't think of much else that would have done more to prevent the invasion than Ukraine being a NATO member.

[Puff Daddy]

The worry is their economy will tank so badly they'll feel they have nothing to lose by pressing the big red button.

Would that be a button on his tunic? it really wouldn't surprise me, one little but, if the geezer hasn't any nuclear weapons

[Loftyhammer]

For all the nonsense about NATO 'provocation' in advance of Russia illegal invasion of Ukraine, it appears the only act of genuine provocation (i.e. the illegal invasion), has 'provoked' Finland into joining NATO. Putin's actions have been useful from a PR point of view for NATO.

Just need Turkey and Hungary to stop blocking Sweden to really rub it in!

[Greatest Cockney Rip Off]

For all the nonsense about NATO 'provocation' in advance of Russia illegal invasion of Ukraine, it appears the only act of genuine provocation (i.e. the illegal invasion), has 'provoked' Finland into joining NATO. Putin's actions have been useful from a PR point of view for NATO.

In Putin's eyes, this is the provocation he's seeing:



The fact the Baltic states are already key NATO members and the talk of Ukraine joining NATO is what he's used as a pre-text for the invasion of 2014.

[The Old Man of Storr]

In Putin's eyes, this is the provocation he's seeing

Good old NATO - I think it's brilliant how within 10 years of WW2 ending NATO welcomed Germany and the countries who fought alongside them into the fold .


There were two major alliances during World War II: the Axis powers and the Allied powers.

The three principal partners in what was eventually referred to as the Axis alliance were Germany, Italy, and Japan. These countries were led by German dictator Adolf Hitler, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, and Japanese Emperor Hirohito. In September 1940, the three countries formalized their alliance through the Tripartite Pact. Five other countries subsequently joined the Tripartite Pact and became Axis powers. They were Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia. Each of Germany’s six European Axis allies participated in the Holocaust by murdering Jews or by transferring them to German custody to be murdered.

Lithuania is the southernmost of the Baltic states. During the Holocaust, the Germans murdered about 90 percent of Lithuanian Jews, one of the highest victim rates in Europe.The Lithuanians carried out violent riots against the Jews both shortly before and immediately after the arrival of German forces. In June and July 1941, detachments of German Einsatzgruppen together with Lithuanian auxiliaries, began murdering the Jews of Lithuania. By the end of August 1941, most Jews in rural Lithuania had been shot. By November 1941, the Germans also massacred most of the Jews who had been concentrated in ghettos in the larger cities. The surviving 40,000 Jews were concentrated in the Vilna, Kovno, Siauliai, and Svencionys ghettos, and in various labor camps in Lithuania.


The Allied Powers were led by Great Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union. These countries were led by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin. They formally allied by signing the Declaration by United Nations on January 1, 1942.

Russia have applied to join NATO on numerous occasions - they were good enough back in '42 when the Allies were up against it , not any more it would seem , they served their purpose and now Germany , Japan , Italy and Lithuania are our Allies .

All those lives lost and for what exactly ?

Like I said , I find it all oh so fu**ing sad .

[EvilC]

You can’t think of why Russia might not make a good NATO member right now? Give me strength.

Lives are being lost right now because Russia has invaded a sovereign nation.

[The Old Man of Storr]

You can’t think of why Russia might not make a good NATO member right now? Give me strength.

Lives are being lost right now because Russia has invaded a sovereign nation.

Not NOW , EC - back in '91 when they applied to join NATO , you know , when the Soviet Union collapsed .

[alf git]

.

Russia have applied to join NATO on numerous occasions - they were good enough back in '42 when the Allies were up against it , not any more it would seem , they served their purpose and now Germany , Japan , Italy and Lithuania are our Allies .

All those lives lost and for what exactly ?

Like I said , I find it all oh so fu**ing sad .

The Soviets who had signed a non aggression pact with the Nazis!
Until operation Barbarossa they weren't on our side.

https://www.britannica.com/event/German ... ssion-Pact

Not that any of that has anything to do with Russia invading Ukraine.