Russia-Ukrainian War

[Spekulatius]

Another battle of Kursk:

Goal is probably to cut the Russian rail supply lines. I don’t think Ukraine attempts to cut the entire salient, seems too ambitious.

Edited August 8 by Spekulatius

[formthirteen]

Russia on the offensive in Venezuela and Cuba:

https://apnews.com/article/russian-warships-visit-cuba-havana-fcddda9e9406a81b686d648d007b8757

 

Two of the oil and cigar richest countries on Earth.

[John Hjorth]

Reuters - Markets [July 26^th 2024] : Russia's central bank governor Nabiullina on rates, economy and banks.

 

Russia Central bank's key rate up to 18 percent.

 

Bloomberg - News [August 9^th 2024] : Russia War Economy Set for Sharp Slowdown After Second Quarter.

 

Growth is likely to halve in second half of year, analysts say.

Huge government defense spending helped drive wartime growth.

- - - o 0 o - - -

This will soon become very tangible and real to feel for the Russian population. Poor Ms. & Mr. Ivanov [similar to 'Jones' for us]. Russia has a population of ~ 145 million. It's a nation with huge differencies in living conditions based on geografical locations, Living in Moskow or St. Petersburg is materially different compared to large parts of the rest of the country.

 

[UK]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/watch-russian-drives-past-trail-114519189.html

[Spekulatius]

LOL:

 

[Spekulatius]

Pretty good take from Michael Clark on why Ukraine started this incursion:

 

[John Hjorth]

Bloomberg - News (video) - August 6^th 2024] : How This Archipelago Became a NATO-Russia Flashpoint.

 

The story about how the history and the present of the Åland Island [Swedish Finnish] in the Baltic Sea has evolved related to the big neighbour Russia to the East.

 

Reminds me a bit about the relation of Bornholm [Danish, also located in the Baltic Sea, but south of Sweden. The 'forgotten island' in Danish terms and a bad conscience in Danish history, where WWII diden't end at the date of German capitulation, untill about a year later - Russian troops simply did not leave the island untill about a year after, and actually a few island citizens lost their life in that diplomatic mess to solve the issues after the end of the war, which caused Russia to actually bomb the two 'major' [still small] cities on Bornholm.

Edited August 15 by John Hjorth

[John Hjorth]

Reuters [August 14^th 2024] : Germany issues arrest warrant for Ukrainian diver in Nord Stream probe, media report.

 

Maybe some material facts of importance was 'burried' [withheld] by the Danish and Swedish government in the first place, because the release of it would affect public sentiment at the time? [- politicians are soo smart, right?]

 

- - - o 0 o - - -

 

I have my eyes firmly fixed on the Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs Lars Løkke Rasmussen here.

[UK]

https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/nord-stream-pipeline-explosion-real-story-da24839c

[UK]

On 8/14/2024 at 11:11 AM, John Hjorth said:

Åland Island [Swedish]

 

"The Åland Islands, or Åland, is an autonomous region of Finland" 

[John Hjorth]

Oops, fixed factual error about Åland Islands in post above, - thank you, @UK.

Edited August 15 by John Hjorth

[John Hjorth]

War fatigue and what ever, what do I know :

 

 Bloomberg - News [August 15^th 2024] : Ukraine Reports Largest Surrender by Russian Troops of War .

 

At least these - about 100 or so - prisoners of war may likely now  have material improved life prospects,

 

Or not?

 

Yet : How to explain - when home in Russia again - that you have done nothing wrong again Mother Russia while in Ukrainian captivity? - Why did you surrender? - etc.

[UK]

https://www.reuters.com/world/kremlin-aide-says-nato-west-helped-ukraine-attack-russia-2024-08-16/

 

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-mp-says-ukrainian-incursion-could-lead-global-war-ria-reports-2024-08-16/

 

Edited August 16 by UK

[Xerxes]

Looks like I was wrong and way off, the culprit was not Poland. 
 

According to WSJ, it was the ex-Ukrainian general, and few drunken men that decided to blow up Nord Stream. 
 

Read “ex-Ukrainian general, and few drunken men” ==> unsanctioned lose canons and mavericks

Edited August 16 by Xerxes

[John Hjorth]

Thanks, @UK & @Xerxes,

 

I'm  still shocked by reading this. 

 

Not shocked - at all - that Volodymyr Zelenskyy may have signed off on this action and may have supported it on a practical level. Extraordinary times and circumstances may from time to time to require extraordinary measures and may contain an element of Catch-22 and imply Collateral damage.

 

To me, if he has participated in this, he has just done what his people rightfully might have expected of him as their leader and as a patriot. I'm also fine with him not public taking responsibility, when the adversary behaves like in this overall sitiuation. Bullies mostly understand nothing but brute force.

 

I take issue with the Danish and Swedish governments handling of the case, who initiated investigations of what happened back then, only to 'burry' achieved findings and conclusions with a 'confidential' stamp, based on the matters were 'relevant for the safety of the state'.

 

Utter *BS* and hipocrisy in two open democracies.

 

More stinky than fishy - bad odeor all over it.

[gfp]

That was such a great WSJ article - it's like everyone talked!  And now I know that "combat dolphins" are a thing that exists.  Highly recommend the article -

 

https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/nord-stream-pipeline-explosion-real-story-da24839c?mod=Searchresults_pos3&page=1

[Castanza]

Nord Stream Sabotage is going to be one Hell of a movie that's for sure. 

[Xerxes]

50 minutes ago, John Hjorth said:

Thanks, @UK & @Xerxes,

 

I'm  still shocked by reading this. 

 

Not shocked - at all - that Volodymyr Zelenskyy may have signed off on this action and may have supported it on a practical level. Extraordinary times and circumstances may from time to time to require extraordinary measures and may contain an element of Catch-22 and imply Collateral damage.

 

To me, if he has participated in this, he has just done what his people rightfully might have expected of him as their leader and as a patriot. I'm also fine with him not public taking responsibility, when the adversary behaves like in this overall sitiuation. Bullies mostly understand nothing but brute force.

 

I take issue with the Danish and Swedish governments handling of the case, who initiated investigations of what happened back then, only to 'burry' achieved findings and conclusions with a 'confidential' stamp, based on the matters were 'relevant for the safety of the state'.

 

Utter *BS* and hipocrisy in two open democracies.

 

More stinky than fishy - bad odeor all over it.

Yeap. it is war.
He is got to do what he is got to do. 
 

 

[changegonnacome]

1 minute ago, Xerxes said:

He is got to do what he is got to do.

 

with EU allies like Zelensky - who needs enemies?...blowing up a key energy conduit into Europe precipitating an energy crisis and now effectively condemning a generation of European energy intensive industry offshore to the USA or Asia is quite the neighborly thing to do......especially to an economic trading bloc your eager to join!

 

Reminds me a bit of Bibi.....who's seems quite happy to pull forward a regional conflict in the Middle East where the USA is gonna be forced to commit extraordinary resources in a war they have no interest in starting.

 

Sometimes in the alliances......the tail starts wagging the dog......if the dog isnt careful to remind the tail who's the boss sometimes!

[Gregmal]

Yup...remember too all the usual suspect media outlets blaming Putin and demanding more Ukraine aid? Fuckin pieces of shit as always. 

[Xerxes]

11 minutes ago, changegonnacome said:

 

with EU allies like Zelensky - who needs enemies?...blowing up a key energy conduit into Europe precipitating an energy crisis and now effectively condemning a generation of European energy intensive industry offshore to the USA or Asia is quite the neighborly thing to do......especially to an economic trading bloc your eager to join!

 

Reminds me a bit of Bibi.....who's seems quite happy to pull forward a regional conflict in the Middle East where the USA is gonna be forced to commit extraordinary resources in a war they have no interest in starting.

 

Sometimes in the alliances......the tail starts wagging the dog......if the dog isnt careful to remind the tail who's the boss sometimes!

I draw a distinction between Z and B. 

 

it is not news to this forum, of what I think of B. He and his cronies and their Hamas counterparts are nothing but first class racist a-holes. 
 

B is desperate to remain PM but appears to have a strong hold on the US Congress. My view of B pre-dates 10/07. 
 

That said on Z, I have nothing but admiration. He has his issues, but he gets a pass from me. 
 

What they do have in common is that both of their countries were savagely attacked. 

[changegonnacome]

5 minutes ago, Xerxes said:

I draw a distinction between Z and B. 

 

As do I.....I shouldnt have put them in the same paragraph......history will be kind to Zelensky........Bibi.....well....the less said about Bibi the better!

[backtothebeach]

CIA to Zelensky: We need to tell you that you should not do this wink wink.

 

Zelensky to Zaluzhniy: You should not do this.

 

Zaluzhniy: What if I do it anyway?

 

Zelensky: I’ll make you UK ambassador.

[John Hjorth]

1 hour ago, Gregmal said:

Yup...remember too all the usual suspect media outlets blaming Putin and demanding more Ukraine aid? Fuckin pieces of shit as always. 

 

As a European CoBF member, I just have to say, I cringe out of embarrasment by reading your post, - for my part, not yours. 

 

Europe as such should naturally be able to stand on its own feet and defend it self against foreign agressors, which it - as a fact - isen't at the moment. [ How lame is that? - It's just such a bad joke.]

 

However the general European sentiment is we will improve on that, but it will take time. Ramping up military spending is big deal involving a lot inertia, based on bureaucrasy and such.

 

- - - o 0 o - - -

 

Basically, it is al about preserving Western values of life in European societies, which I hope you agree is the right thing to invest in.

[Gregmal]

6 minutes ago, John Hjorth said:

 

As a European CoBF member, I just have to say, I cringe out of embarrasment by reading your post, - for my part, not yours. 

 

Europe as such should naturally be able to stand on its own feet and defend it self against foreign agressors, which it - as a fact - isen't at the moment. [ How lame is that? - It's just such a bad joke.]

 

However the general European sentiment is we will improve on that, but it will take time. Ramping up military spending is big deal involving a lot inertia, based on bureaucrasy and such.

 

- - - o 0 o - - -

 

Basically, it is al about preserving Western values of life in European societies, which I hope you agree is the right thing to invest in.

Depends on the definition of western values. One of those values used to be independent thinking. Now? Not so sure anymore.