Russian invasion of Ukraine

[jakedee]

It really doesn't matter what George Galloway has to say about anything.  He will always be remembered most for pretending to be a cat on Big Brother.

Not by me he wont, he'll be remembered for backing Tory candidates. Scumbag.

[SweeperDee]

I think we could be in for a nuclear sunrise in the near future.

[sophia]

On 15/03/2022 at 21:25, sophia said:

 

@Elixir

@Blue Brazil Forever

@Firefoxer

@steve55

@Captain Saintsible your name will also go on the list 

[RandomGuy.]

7 minutes ago, SweeperDee said:

I think we could be in for a nuclear sunrise in the near future.

A Russian minister was seemingly on some American news channel 30 minutes ago saying they can only use nuclear weapons if Russia itself is under threat, so presumably Putin can't just chuck them about in a hissy fit.

I enjoyed the replies from Americans demanding a nuclear holocaust regardless though, as ending humanity is a better price to pay than letting a ageing, dying, bully win.

[Silvio Tattiescone]

Read an interesting thing elsewhere that the reason we're not seeing a lot of Russian social media stories and info-war stuff is they're pointing it towards Asia and Africa. Apparently they're getting the full-on deNazification angle with lots of stuff about Russians bringing humanitarian aid to poor, oppressed Ukrainians. Would make sense and explain why what we're seeing is very one sided. 

[BFTD]

2 minutes ago, SweeperDee said:

I think we could be in for a nuclear sunrise in the near future.

We just watched Threads last night. Bit eerie. The main difference seemed to be that the US were way more aggressive and assumed the Russians were bluffing.

Spoiler: they weren't.

It's inevitable we'll end up with a couple of absolute bawheeds in charge of America and Russia eventually, so it might as well be now, I suppose.

[welshbairn]

3 hours ago, ICTChris said:

That is an interesting article.  There were reports that a column of Chechen National Guard troops were hit by a TB2 strike which may account for casualties and they were involved in the fighting at Hostomel, although the initial fighters who took heavy losses were VDV, likely non-Chechens.  I've seen it said that most of the Chechens aren't on the front lines, interesting to see that article say that data backs that up.

I think the authors are overplaying the level of threat to Kadyrov's rule as well.  The question is who is going to challange him - the war in Chechnya is over.  The initial rebels, independence fighters, were defeated by Russia and then worn down in the guerrila phase.  The Chechen rebels who remained pivoted towards radical Islam, many left the Caucausas to join the Islamic State and were killed in Iraq and Syria.  I don't think there is any active rebel activity in Chechnya itself at all.  A lot of people defected to Kadyrov just out of practicality, they couldn't keep fighting so they took the least worst option.  A lot of Chechens were also turned off by the move from nationalism to radical Islam.

So the rebel movement inside Chechnya is weak or likely non-existent, the threat would have to be internal but there is nobody within Kadyrov's fighters who could step up and take over from him, everyone's loyalty is to him.  Any commanders with sufficient followings have been eliminated.  The only thing I'd say is that maybe if they took even heavier losses, if their senior commanders were killed they might be at risk of mutiny but I doubt even that.  Paradoxically, it's more likely that Kadyrov himself mutinies against Moscow, for example, if Putin was no longer leader and Kadyrov didn't like the successor.

In addition to the Kadyrov battalions and the anti-Russian fighters in Chechnya, there were reports a week or so ago that fighters from a Chechen rebel group based in Syria had travelled to Ukraine to fight the Russians - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajnad_al-Kavkaz is the group.  Again, no discussion of it since.  There are certainly nationalist/Ichkerian fighters for Ukraine, the Dudayev Brigade.

I don't think Kadyrov is invincible, anyone who has been so brutal isn't, it could be simple revenge for a son or father, daughter, mother, and suicide bombing isn't unknown in these parts. Even Putin might think he's outlived his usefulness and become an embarrassment. We live in hope, the man's an utter c**t.

[ICTChris]

I don't think Kadyrov is invincible, anyone who has been so brutal isn't, it could be simple revenge for a son or father, daughter, mother, and suicide bombing isn't unknown in these parts. Even Putin might think he's outlived his usefulness and become an embarrassment. We live in hope, the man's an utter c**t.

I don’t think Putin will ever move against Kadyrov. They are each other’s closest allies and Kadyrov has tens of thousands of troops loyal to him. Federal agencies don’t really operate in Chechnya, it’s all Kadyrovs men.

[Miguel Sanchez]

I have now googled the phrase "ian botham penis" so that's something

Looks like one of those faces Chris posts

[RedEd]

Looks like the Ukrainian army has advanced further than we thought. 

[ICTChris]

I have now googled the phrase "ian botham penis" so that's something
Looks like one of those faces Chris posts

[doulikefish]

Some reports that Ukrainian forces are now encircling Russian forces in various towns/ positions 30 odd kms from Kiev and are advancing well 

[eez-eh]

4 hours ago, Captain Saintsible said:

I think more likely that unvaxxed folk are more sceptical of what their governments and the MSM tells them whereas folk like you believe everything they’re told and bend over and take it right up the arse

More likely the same people feel the need to always go against consensus no matter what to make themselves feel superior because underneath they’re actually really fucking stupid.

[Silvio Tattiescone]

 

 

This is well worth watching. Very informative but the last 3 minutes are chilling. 

[Theroadlesstravelled]

14 minutes ago, eez-eh said:

More likely the same people feel the need to always go against consensus no matter what to make themselves feel superior because underneath they’re actually really fucking stupid.

They label the truth as fake news and build their own reality where Covid is fake, climate change is false and Russia are defending themselves from Nazis.

[ICTChris]

Here’s some footage of the Sheikh Mansur Battalion that I just saw, they are one of the anti-Russian Chechen groups fighting on the Ukrainian side.

 

[Fullerene]

1 hour ago, Theroadlesstravelled said:

They label the truth as fake news and build their own reality where Covid is fake, climate change is false and Russia are defending themselves from Nazis.

Bunch of total nutters. 

Meanwhile on P & B, a more serious discussion is taking place on Ian Botham's anatomy.

[welshbairn]

29 minutes ago, ICTChris said:

Here’s some footage of the Sheikh Mansur Battalion that I just saw, they are one of the anti-Russian Chechen groups fighting on the Ukrainian side.

 

Looks a bit more real than the one a couple of days ago of Kadyrov's boys firing heavy machine guns single handed at a tower block, not bothering about cover.

[Granny Danger]

2 hours ago, RandomGuy. said:

A Russian minister was seemingly on some American news channel 30 minutes ago saying they can only use nuclear weapons if Russia itself is under threat, so presumably Putin can't just chuck them about in a hissy fit.

I enjoyed the replies from Americans demanding a nuclear holocaust regardless though, as ending humanity is a better price to pay than letting a ageing, dying, bully win.

We need a “Things you wished you’d done before the nuclear holocaust” thread.  Or “Which P&B posters would you want/not want to share a nuclear shelter with?”

 

 

[blackislekillie]

A Russian minister was seemingly on some American news channel 30 minutes ago saying they can only use nuclear weapons if Russia itself is under threat, so presumably Putin can't just chuck them about in a hissy fit.
I enjoyed the replies from Americans demanding a nuclear holocaust regardless though, as ending humanity is a better price to pay than letting a ageing, dying, bully win.

MAGA. Ooops. What was that flash and why are my eyeballs melting?