Assault on Kiev: Russian helicopters swoop above Ukraine's capital

[Chris.B]

10 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

The Wagner group, courtesy of their Nazi leader Dmitry Utkin. Oh well, come on Ukraine, you can do it, more cannon fodder to dispose of:

 

https://twitter.com/DefenceHQ/status/1508542765436706828

 

 

I trust the Ukrainian exterminators will deal with this problem expeditiously. ????

 

 

[Hellfire]

From the Russian pro government website lenta.ru (my translation)

 

Russia will reduce military activity near Kiev and Chernigov

 

Russian Ministry of Defense decided to radically reduce military activity near Kiev and Chernigov

The Russian Ministry of Defense decided to radically reduce military activity in the Kiev and Chernigov direction. This is reported by TASS.

"Due to the fact that negotiations with Ukraine are moving into a practical format, it is decided to reduce military activity at the Kiev and Chernihiv directions at times," said the deputy head of the Ministry of Defense Alexander Fomin.

 

 

https://lenta.ru/news/2022/03/29/ball/

 

 

Edited March 29, 2022 by Hellfire

[Chris.B]

37 minutes ago, Hellfire said:

From the Russian pro government website lenta.ru (my translation)

 

Russia will reduce military activity near Kiev and Chernigov

 

Russian Ministry of Defense decided to radically reduce military activity near Kiev and Chernigov

The Russian Ministry of Defense decided to radically reduce military activity in the Kiev and Chernigov direction. This is reported by TASS.

"Due to the fact that negotiations with Ukraine are moving into a practical format, it is decided to reduce military activity at the Kiev and Chernihiv directions at times," said the deputy head of the Ministry of Defense Alexander Fomin.

 

 

https://lenta.ru/news/2022/03/29/ball/

 

 

Don't believe them!

[Hellfire]

5 minutes ago, Chris.B said:

Don't believe them!

I am sure Ukrainians know this better than anybody else: don’t believe a word that Kremlin says. Still, this could be good news (if true).

[Bkk Brian]

1 minute ago, Hellfire said:

I am sure Ukrainians know this better than anybody else: don’t believe a word that Kremlin says. Still, this could be good news (if true).

Also being reported on the BBC. Yes lets hope its true but we need to see the evidence of the withdrawal first

[tgw]

3 hours ago, Hellfire said:

From the Russian pro government website lenta.ru (my translation)

 

Russia will reduce military activity near Kiev and Chernigov

 

Russian Ministry of Defense decided to radically reduce military activity near Kiev and Chernigov

The Russian Ministry of Defense decided to radically reduce military activity in the Kiev and Chernigov direction. This is reported by TASS.

 

"Due to the fact that negotiations with Ukraine are moving into a practical format, it is decided to reduce military activity at the Kiev and Chernihiv directions at times," said the deputy head of the Ministry of Defense Alexander Fomin.

 

 

https://lenta.ru/news/2022/03/29/ball/

 

truth version:

 

Russia unable to keep fighting near Kiev and Chernigov

 

Russian Ministry of Defense was forced to radically reduce military activity near Kiev and Chernigov

The Russian Ministry of Defense was forced to radically reduce military activity in the Kiev and Chernigov direction. This is reported by TASS.

 

"Due to the fact that Ukrainian troops are utterly destroying our military units in a practical format, we have been forced to retreat military units at the Kiev and Chernihiv directions at times," said the deputy head of the Ministry of Defense Alexander Fomin.

 

[coolcarer]

1 hour ago, tgw said:

truth version:

 

 

Maybe they will change the name to Special Military Retreat. ???? 

[Jingthing]

16 minutes ago, Hellfire said:

A typical discussion on Russian state TV these days:

 

 

Those guys should be in padded cells.

[Chris.B]

27 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Those guys should be in padded cells.

These guys are deluded if they think Russia will survive a nuclear exchange. ????

[rudi49jr]

33 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Those guys should be in padded cells.

In straitjackets and wearing helmets, sedated to the max.

[rudi49jr]

This just from my little country: The Netherlands are going to expel 17 Russian spies. Can only find Dutch language links, so you’re going to have to take my word for it.

[tgw]

the Russians only targeting military infrastructure did this to the city administation building in Mikolaiev:

 

[heybruce]

5 hours ago, Hellfire said:

From the Russian pro government website lenta.ru (my translation)

 

Russia will reduce military activity near Kiev and Chernigov

 

Russian Ministry of Defense decided to radically reduce military activity near Kiev and Chernigov

The Russian Ministry of Defense decided to radically reduce military activity in the Kiev and Chernigov direction. This is reported by TASS.

"Due to the fact that negotiations with Ukraine are moving into a practical format, it is decided to reduce military activity at the Kiev and Chernihiv directions at times," said the deputy head of the Ministry of Defense Alexander Fomin.

 

 

https://lenta.ru/news/2022/03/29/ball/

 

 

The most likely meaning:  Russia will focus on securing the east of Ukraine and a land corridor to Crimea, then resume attacks on the rest of the country.

[rudi49jr]

4 minutes ago, heybruce said:

The most likely meaning:  Russia will focus on securing the east of Ukraine and a land corridor to Crimea, then resume attacks on the rest of the country.

Afraid I’m going to have to agree with you. Like all narcissistic, megalomaniacal, tantrum throwing despots, I’m betting Putin is a very sore loser. He’s in too deep now, can’t back down or his @ss will be toast. Here’s hoping his @ss will be toast anyway.

[placeholder]

13 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

Russia no longer demanding Ukraine be ‘denazified’ in ceasefire talks

Requests include Kyiv dropping Nato pursuit in exchange for security guarantees and EU membership

 

Russia is no longer requesting Ukraine be “denazified” and is prepared to let Kyiv join the EU if it remains militarily non-aligned as part of ceasefire negotiations, according to four people briefed on the discussions. Moscow and Kyiv are discussing a pause in hostilities as part of a possible deal that would involve Ukraine abandoning its drive for Nato membership in exchange for security guarantees and the prospect to join the EU, the people said under the condition of anonymity because the matter is not yet finalised.

 

https://www.ft.com/content/7f14efe8-2f4c-47a2-aa6b-9a755a39b626

To legitimately bypass ft.com's firewall, all you have to do is copy the title of the article, open up "incognito mode" in Chrome or the equivalent in another browser, paste the title into the search bar, and do a search. Then just click on the appropriate link.

According to the article, even though Ukraine wouldn't be allowed to join NATO, it would be allowed to have individual NATO nations be its guarantors. In other words, individual NATO members could intervene on behalf of Ukraine should Russia invade again. Sound like a way to give Ukraine virtual NATO membership while allowing Russia to save face. If this  agreement is ever ratified, it would put the kibosh on Russian claims that the reason it invaded Ukraine was that it felt threatened by its quest for membership in NATO.

[RJRS1301]

 

The mindset of Putins allies is unfathomable at times.

Perhaps the "warlord" does not want his boots too muddy.

 

 

Ramzan Kadyrov at his speech while wearing what look to be Prada Monolith boots.

https://www.gq.com/story/ramzan-kadyrov-leader-chechnya-boots

 

[thaibeachlovers]

On 3/27/2022 at 10:22 PM, RJRS1301 said:

In 2019, China supplied between 85% and 95% of the global demand for the 17 rare earth powders, half of them sourced from Myanmar.

Australia is also completing a refinery 

I was just saying what was said on Al Jazeera.

Rare earth is apparently common, but extremely polluting to refine.

[thaibeachlovers]

10 hours ago, Chris.B said:

These guys are deluded if they think Russia will survive a nuclear exchange. ????

That's hardly the point, IS IT!

Are you happy to be among millions to be nuked to death by whatever side is firing them?

[Bkk Brian]

13 hours ago, tgw said:

 

truth version:

 

Russia unable to keep fighting near Kiev and Chernigov

 

Russian Ministry of Defense was forced to radically reduce military activity near Kiev and Chernigov

The Russian Ministry of Defense was forced to radically reduce military activity in the Kiev and Chernigov direction. This is reported by TASS.

 

"Due to the fact that Ukrainian troops are utterly destroying our military units in a practical format, we have been forced to retreat military units at the Kiev and Chernihiv directions at times," said the deputy head of the Ministry of Defense Alexander Fomin.

 

UK agrees with that.....................

https://twitter.com/DefenceHQ/status/1508904940181372936

 

[ozimoron]

A spokesperson for Mariupol's Mayor says almost 5,000 civilians — including 210 children — have died in Mariupol since Russia's invasion began, with the UN adding weight to the claim, saying there could be "thousands of deaths" in the besieged city

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-30/ukraine-russia-live-war-updates-/100950004

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, Bkk Brian said:

UK agrees with that.....................

https://twitter.com/DefenceHQ/status/150890494018137293

 

I posting sometime back along similar lines to your post and it was laugh at. 

[Bkk Brian]

15 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

I posting sometime back along similar lines to your post and it was laugh at. 

Link to your post?

[placeholder]

9 hours ago, placeholder said:

To legitimately bypass ft.com's firewall, all you have to do is copy the title of the article, open up "incognito mode" in Chrome or the equivalent in another browser, paste the title into the search bar, and do a search. Then just click on the appropriate link.

According to the article, even though Ukraine wouldn't be allowed to join NATO, it would be allowed to have individual NATO nations be its guarantors. In other words, individual NATO members could intervene on behalf of Ukraine should Russia invade again. Sound like a way to give Ukraine virtual NATO membership while allowing Russia to save face. If this  agreement is ever ratified, it would put the kibosh on Russian claims that the reason it invaded Ukraine was that it felt threatened by its quest for membership in NATO.

Of course, these proposed terms are only revelatory if Russia actually sincerely wants to negotiate and is not just playing for time. Which is a dubious proposition.

[Kwasaki]

On 3/26/2022 at 5:49 PM, Kwasaki said:

BBC world report Russia says it first part of the mission has finished and they are to concentrate on the east.

 

Here it is one of the similar posts and I am not an apologist for Putin.

 

[Chris.B]

9 hours ago, placeholder said:

To legitimately bypass ft.com's firewall, all you have to do is copy the title of the article, open up "incognito mode" in Chrome or the equivalent in another browser, paste the title into the search bar, and do a search. Then just click on the appropriate link.

 

Nice one!

[Bkk Brian]

25 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Here it is one of the similar posts and I am not an apologist for Putin.

 

Here was my reply to that post:

 

BBC world also carries this:

 

Escalating up would mean either rebuilding the army from scratch or "opening up a can of worms" by resorting to chemical, biological or nuclear weapons.

"Either they escalate down or escalate up, but what they have now can't do the job,"

[metisdead]

A post commenting on moderation and a reply has been removed.  

[LosLobo]

On 3/29/2022 at 3:39 PM, Bkk Brian said:

Russia no longer demanding Ukraine be ‘denazified’ in ceasefire talks

Requests include Kyiv dropping Nato pursuit in exchange for security guarantees and EU membership

 

Russia is no longer requesting Ukraine be “denazified” and is prepared to let Kyiv join the EU if it remains militarily non-aligned as part of ceasefire negotiations, according to four people briefed on the discussions. Moscow and Kyiv are discussing a pause in hostilities as part of a possible deal that would involve Ukraine abandoning its drive for Nato membership in exchange for security guarantees and the prospect to join the EU, the people said under the condition of anonymity because the matter is not yet finalised.

 

https://www.ft.com/content/7f14efe8-2f4c-47a2-aa6b-9a755a39b626

"Security guarantees", what a joke!

 

In 1996 Ukraine returned all of its nuclear warheads to Russia in exchange for security assurances. From Crimea in 2014 and now in Ukraine, it is obvious that Russia can not be trusted to ever keep any agreement.  So what has changed now?
 

Ukraine war: what is the Budapest Memorandum and why has Russia's invasion torn it up? (theconversation.com)

 

[RJRS1301]

Ukrainian mother ‘repeatedly raped’ by drunken Russian troops as son sobbed nearby

https://www.news.com.au/world/europe/ukrainian-mother-repeatedly-raped-by-drunken-russian-troops-as-son-sobbed-nearby/news-story/5e4afb9150d634c6c5a8de46944c568c

[Jingthing]

38 minutes ago, rudi49jr said:

Are you perhaps one of those? Just me being curious.

Dollars to donuts