20 minutes ago, Chris.B said:

Let them Russkies know not to unpack their suitcases because they ain't going to be there long!  ????

 

Well perhaps a lot longer than tgey actually planned.

Seeing that latest video across the tiny table Putin comes across as a very pathetic dangerous old man. 

 

 

3 hours ago, rudi49jr said:

And more and more Russian soldiers reportedly refuse to fight in Ukraine:

 

https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukraine-treason-soldiers-refusing-to-fight/31806466.html

You can add this to the list and they are arresting the journalist for revealing it.

 

‘I’m waiting to be arrested’: Russian ‘fake news’ law targets journalists

 

The veteran investigative reporter had just published an explosive report: 11 members of the Russian National Guard from his home region of Khakassia had refused to fight in Ukraine, he said, and the military was hiding information about their unit’s casualties from the public.

 

The report matched others about refusenik soldiers and reinforced a narrative that the Russian government desperately wanted to suppress: that the invasion was stalling and Russian troops were ill-prepared to fight.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/21/im-waiting-to-be-arrested-russian-fake-news-law-targets-journalists?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

It’s obviously very easy to fall into the trap of denigrating the population of a nation engaged in an unprovoked and illegal war of aggression as being stupid or worse still complicit.

 

I feel we should resist this natural bias.

 

Don’t fall for absurd idea that  ordinary Russians aren’t able to draw accurate conclusions from the fact that as Russia engages in an illegal and totally unnecessary war with Ukrainian the Russian government blocks access to almost all social media.

 

When they then hear their son, the son of a relative, friend or neighbor has stopped calling home from his military posting…. Well, I’m quite sure they can work it out.

 

8 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

It’s obviously very easy to fall into the trap of denigrating the population of a nation engaged in an unprovoked and illegal war of aggression as being stupid or worse still complicit.

 

I feel we should resist this natural bias.

 

Don’t fall for absurd idea that  ordinary Russians aren’t able to draw accurate conclusions from the fact that as Russia engages in an illegal and totally unnecessary war with Ukrainian the Russian government blocks access to almost all social media.

 

When they then hear their son, the son of a relative, friend or neighbor has stopped calling home from his military posting…. Well, I’m quite sure they can work it out.

 

Here are the results of a poll from Levada.

https://www.levada.ru/en/2022/04/#

The Kremlin forced it to register as a foreign organization. It's not a big favorite of theirs

40 minutes ago, placeholder said:

Here are the results of a poll from Levada.

https://www.levada.ru/en/2022/04/#

The Kremlin forced it to register as a foreign organization. It's not a big favorite of theirs

I'm skeptical of ANY poll of Russians, especially now for obvious reasons.

 

Forget about knowing accurate numbers.

 

But for some context I suggest watching the 1420 Russian street interviews youtube channel.

 

Also on youtube suggest watching this argument video

 

search for 

 

NFKRZ do most Russians

 

Its creator Roman is now exiled in Georgia.

 

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

I'm skeptical of ANY poll of Russians, especially now for obvious reasons.

 

anything about Ukraine that gets published in Russia and doesn't cause the author and/or the publisher to get at least a warning from Russian authorities can be considered fake news.

6 hours ago, rudi49jr said:

And more and more Russian soldiers reportedly refuse to fight in Ukraine:

 

https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukraine-treason-soldiers-refusing-to-fight/31806466.html

that is very good, I hope more and more refuse.

Way to go, Latvia !!

Latvia recognizes Russia's actions in Ukraine as genocide, adopts law to strip citizenship for supporting war crimes.

(link in Russian)

 

The Latvian parliament, following Estonia, on April 21 approved a resolution calling Russia’s aggression and subsequent war crimes against Ukraine an act of genocide. Lawmakers also allowed revoking Latvian citizenship for people with multiple citizenships who support war crimes.

 

 

5 hours ago, Thailand said:

Seeing that latest video across the tiny table Putin comes across as a very pathetic dangerous old man. 

 

 

Don't give Putin such a hard time.

 

The last time he sat at a table that was like 20 meters long so he could avoid corona, assassination attempts and i don't know what.

Now he manned up and sit face to face at a LEGO sized table and he get some flak too.

 

Please realize it's not easy to be Putin.

We should send him some love.

 

In the form of Missiles with a lot of hearts painted on the top.....

Xi delivers devastating blow to Putin as China pulls plug on sanctions-busting deal

XI JINPING has delivered a devastating blow to Vladimir Putin and the Russian economy, after pulling the plug on a sanctions-busting deal.

The Kremlin had hoped to strike a deal with China's UnionPay system as an alternative to Visa and MC and to get around the ban.

However, UnionPay yesterday unexpectedly pulled out of talks with Sberbank and other Russian financial institutions on the West's economic black list.

 

Daily Express

 

7 minutes ago, Chris.B said:

Xi delivers devastating blow to Putin as China pulls plug on sanctions-busting deal

XI JINPING has delivered a devastating blow to Vladimir Putin and the Russian economy, after pulling the plug on a sanctions-busting deal.

The Kremlin had hoped to strike a deal with China's UnionPay system as an alternative to Visa and MC and to get around the ban.

However, UnionPay yesterday unexpectedly pulled out of talks with Sberbank and other Russian financial institutions on the West's economic black list.

 

Daily Express

 

yesterday's news but still good !

 

I guess it's the consequence of VISA and Mastercard and most Western banks threatening to not work with Union Pay anymore if it had cooperated with Russia.

 

https://coffeeordie.com/phoenix-ghost-drone/

 

New drones are on the way, and in same article it says 72 more Howitzers and 144.000 artillery rounds as well.

Keep them weapons coming even if 144.000 artillery rounds can be used in less than a week in a battlefield the size of Ukraine.

 

Hopefully they make a difference. 

 

 

9 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

Doesn't sound that good why not reveal all the report, heard today Putin said block it up that doesn't sound good for those inside does it. 

To "block it up"effectively would require a lot of troops needed for atrocities elsewhere.  An ineffective blockade of the area would allow the defenders to get provisions and continue to challenge Russian control of Mariupol. 

1 hour ago, heybruce said:

To "block it up"effectively would require a lot of troops needed for atrocities elsewhere.  An ineffective blockade of the area would allow the defenders to get provisions and continue to challenge Russian control of Mariupol. 

I wonder exactly is meant by "seal it off so not even a fly escapes" as has been reported in some outlet bulletins. 

Instead, the president tells them to seal it up so even a "fly" cannot escape, and says Russia has control of the strategic port city https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-61157670

 

I am scared they will literally try to seal humans inside the building and concrete over any external entries allowing those inside to stave to death.

 

 

Looks like the Ukraine estimates on Russian forces deaths was near the mark, a rare admission from Russia on current numbers, so we can assume they are even much higher than this.

 

Russian Defense Min starts admitting really casualties numbers. Estimates around 20,400. (7000 MIA + 13400 Verified Dead) And the real fighting is about to begin.

 

A significant risk for Russia is if it sustains heavy casualties in this new offensive. It needs enough troops to hold ground, conduct offensive operations, and to rotate to the rear. If Russia takes heavy casualties, just holding terrain could become less sustainable.

 

DATA: Russian combat power remaining in Ukraine (troops, weapons and military equipment), per a senior U.S. defense official

Feb 24 - 100 percent

March 11 - 90 percent

March 15 - 90 percent

March 22 - 89 percent

April 12 - 80 percent

April 19 - 75 percent

6 hours ago, Chris.B said:

Xi delivers devastating blow to Putin as China pulls plug on sanctions-busting deal

XI JINPING has delivered a devastating blow to Vladimir Putin and the Russian economy, after pulling the plug on a sanctions-busting deal.

The Kremlin had hoped to strike a deal with China's UnionPay system as an alternative to Visa and MC and to get around the ban.

However, UnionPay yesterday unexpectedly pulled out of talks with Sberbank and other Russian financial institutions on the West's economic black list.

 

Daily Express

 

As noted earlier, Biden reminded China who controls the food China needs to import to feed itself.

 

 

2 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

I wonder exactly is meant by "seal it off so not even a fly escapes" as has been reported in some outlet bulletins. 

Instead, the president tells them to seal it up so even a "fly" cannot escape, and says Russia has control of the strategic port city https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-61157670

 

I am scared they will literally try to seal humans inside the building and concrete over any external entries allowing those inside to stave to death.

 

 

I think he was observing its so well defended not even one Russian can get in.

Ukraine has more tanks on the ground than Russia, per Pentagon

 

Ukrainian forces have more tanks on the ground than their Russian counterparts, according to a senior U.S. defense official.

“Right now, the Ukrainians have more tanks in Ukraine than the Russians do … and they certainly have the purview to use them,” the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity under terms set by the Pentagon.

 

https://web.archive.org/web/20220421233212/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/04/21/russia-ukraine-war-news-mariupol-live-updates/

7 hours ago, heybruce said:

To "block it up"effectively would require a lot of troops needed for atrocities elsewhere.  An ineffective blockade of the area would allow the defenders to get provisions and continue to challenge Russian control of Mariupol. 

It's surrounded.

24 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

It's surrounded.

Sounds like it will be surrounded with a lot more corpses from what Azov are saying ????

1 hour ago, Kwasaki said:

It's surrounded.

It may be surrounded but is it blockaded? Are all the entrances and exits being guarded? I don't know the answer to that question. Do you?

Just now, placeholder said:

It may be surrounded but is it blockaded? Are all the entrances and exits being guarded? I don't know the answer to that question. Do you?

And of course, if Russian troops are required to blockade the steel plant, that means they're not being used elsewhere.

1 hour ago, Kwasaki said:

It's surrounded.

It has been surrounded on the maps for weeks.  However the steel complex the defenders are defending covers 11 sq kilometers.  A leak-proof siege requires ensuring every street, alley, footpath, sewer and anything else leading in or out be guarded with enough men and firepower to prevent anyone from leaving or entering.  Doing that will tie up Russian forces needed elsewhere.  If the siege does not use sufficient troops, the defenders can be re-supplied and/or stage a break-out.

3 minutes ago, placeholder said:

It may be surrounded but is it blockaded? Are all the entrances and exits being guarded? I don't know the answer to that question. Do you?

No why would I, have only read BBC report saying Putin's ordered them to seal it so he can use the soldiers in other places.  

13 minutes ago, heybruce said:

It has been surrounded on the maps for weeks.  However the steel complex the defenders are defending covers 11 sq kilometers.  A leak-proof siege requires ensuring every street, alley, footpath, sewer and anything else leading in or out be guarded with enough men and firepower to prevent anyone from leaving or entering.  Doing that will tie up Russian forces needed elsewhere.  If the siege does not use sufficient troops, the defenders can be re-supplied and/or stage a break-out.

There are still civilians inside too, I'm pretty sure one of the reasons he's decided to put in place a medieval siege is because the optics of slaughtering more civilians & not being able to blame Ukrainians. 

8 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

No why would I, have only read BBC report saying Putin's ordered them to seal it so he can use the soldiers in other places.  

Well, you wrote "It's surrounded." But that doesn't mean much if Ukrainian soldiers can bypass Russian soldiers. And if it's not sealed off and given how large the area is, Russia is going to have to keep a lot of soldiers tied up in the effort to cordon off the area.

Ironic that on 9th May they are planning what they are calling a "The Carnival of Victory" in Mariupol, probably the largest war crime scene in Ukraine so far. How sick is that.

 

Since March 23, a grave site near Mariupol has been incrementally expanding Up to 9,000 bodies could be situated in this grave site. A war crime even bigger than Srebrenica. Some voices of refugees who just fled Mariupol: “The city is gone, the city is destroyed." “Everything is in ruins, glass, wires and bodies … They lie there for 3 weeks."  "Everything you’re going to write will constitute a fifth of the reality.”

 

Evacuees from Mariupol recount their escape and the hell they left behind after almost two months besieged by Russian forces. "We were asked in front of the Russian journalists who wanted to go to Russia," says one evacuee. "No one raised their hand"

 

Most of these look like mercenaries. Video, Kadyrov’s right-hand Delimkhanov literally says “the special operation to destroy and cleanse Mariupol” is completed. “Alllahu Akbar.” In front of destroyed, burning buildings.

17 minutes ago, placeholder said:

Well, you wrote "It's surrounded." But that doesn't mean much if Ukrainian soldiers can bypass Russian soldiers. And if it's not sealed off and given how large the area is, Russia is going to have to keep a lot of soldiers tied up in the effort to cordon off the area.

As you say that's why Putin has ordered it to be seal off.

Ukraine has asked for a cease fire and a safe corridor again.

They said there are 500 wounded soldiers and 500 civilians that they want to get out in exchange for captured Russian troops. 

23 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

There are still civilians inside too, I'm pretty sure one of the reasons he's decided to put in place a medieval siege is because the optics of slaughtering more civilians & not being able to blame Ukrainians. 

By blocking them and starving them russia breaks another rule of war, when it involves civilians.

It's not legal to use that method, but i guess russia has stopped caring about the rules a long time ago.