Off-topic posts and replies removed.  Please keep it civil.  

 

 

UK would support countries willing to supply Russian-designed jets to Ukraine

 

Britain would support and provide assistance to Poland or any other central or eastern European country willing to supply Russian-designed jet fighters to Ukraine, the defence secretary has said.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/may/09/uk-support-countries-supply-russian-jets-ukraine-ben-wallace

8 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

UK would support countries willing to supply Russian-designed jets to Ukraine

 

Britain would support and provide assistance to Poland or any other central or eastern European country willing to supply Russian-designed jet fighters to Ukraine, the defence secretary has said.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/may/09/uk-support-countries-supply-russian-jets-ukraine-ben-wallace

I wish they would just stop talking publicly about this.

Russian troops WIPE OUT own unit in friendly fire fiasco

RUSSIAN troops opened fire on their own soldiers in a 'friendly' fire fiasco, killing many colleagues and destroying valuable military hardware.

In a recent firefight, a number of Russian soldiers mistakenly used the deadly TOS-1A flamethrower against their own comrades.

"The Russians annihilated their positions with troops & armour with thermobaric flamethrowers TOS-1A Sunblaze in #Zaporizhzhya province."

 

Daily Mail

 

 

 

 

New UN report out today:

 

Press briefing on Ukraine by Matilda Bogner - Head of UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine

 

We continue to receive allegations of rape, including gang rape, attempted rape, forced nudity, threats of sexual violence against civilian women and girls, men and boys. Women and girls are the most frequently cited victims. During my recent visit to towns north of Kyiv, we documented a number of cases of sexual violence. In one town that we visited a woman was raped and killed allegedly by a Russian soldier.  The same soldier then attempted to rape her neighbour. This woman’s husband intervened, but was then shot by the soldier. He later died.

 

https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-briefing-notes/2022/05/plight-civilians-ukraine

World Health Organization members pass resolution against Russia

 

GENEVA, May 10 (Reuters) - Members of the World Health Organization's European region passed a resolution on Tuesday that could result in the closure of Russia's regional office and the suspension of meetings in the country in response to its invasion of Ukraine.

The special session of the European region passed the resolution, supported by Ukraine and the European Union, with 43 in favour and 3 against (Russia, Belarus, Tajikistan) and 2 abstentions.

 

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-death-toll-thousands-higher-than-reported-un-rights-official-2022-05-10/

Russian troops ill-prepared for Ukraine war, says ex-Kremlin mercenary

 

NEUILLY-SUR-SEINE, France, May 10 (Reuters) - The Russian military's failure to seize the Ukrainian capital was inevitable because in the preceding years they had never directly faced a powerful enemy, according to a former mercenary with the Kremlin-linked Wagner Group who fought alongside the Russian army.

 

"They were caught completely by surprise that the Ukrainian army resisted so fiercely and that they faced the actual army," Gabidullin said about Russia's setbacks in Ukraine.

 

He said people he spoke to on the Russian side had told him they expected to face rag-tag militias when they invaded Ukraine, not well-drilled regular troops.

 

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/russian-troops-ill-prepared-ukraine-war-says-ex-kremlin-mercenary-2022-05-10/

Macrons comments about taking decades for Ukraine to join the EU seems out of kilt with the EU represented leaders.

2 minutes ago, farmerjo said:

Macrons comments about taking decades for Ukraine to join the EU seems out of kilt with the EU represented leaders.

As expected by that EU woman before you have give off a mouthful for support.

3 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

As expected by that EU woman before you have give off a mouthful for support.

The problem starts with the EU being one big border and countries being downgraded to provinces.

In business you would call it top heavy. 

from  kyivindependent.com:

 

 

Quote

'It's not a morgue, it's a dump,' Russian soldier says in intercepted phone call.

Ukraine’s Security Service published a recording of an intercepted phone call from a soldier fighting for Russians to his wife. The soldier is heard saying that Russians are writing their soldiers off as “missing” to hide the high number of the dead. He said that there was a “dump” of dead soldiers’ bodies near Donetsk with piles that are two meters high.

 

Quote

Lithuania recognizes Russia's war against Ukraine as genocide, Russia as terrorist state.

The Lithuanian parliament voted unanimously on a resolution stating that Russia’s intent is to wholly or partially destroy the Ukrainian nation and break its spirit by killing entire families while also abducting and raping people, and that Russia’s armed forces and mercenaries committed mass war crimes on Ukraine’s territory, particularly in Bucha, Irpin, Mariupol, Borodyanka and Hostomel.

 

wot tak. pravilna.

 

Quote

FM Kuleba: If Ukraine doesn't get EU candidacy status, it means Europe is trying to deceive us.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told the Financial Times that the most important thing for Ukraine right now will be getting the candidate status for the EU membership. Kuleba emphasized that Ukraine is the only place in Europe where people are dying for the values of EU. “I believe that this should be respected,” he said.

sounds like a dramatized sort of blackmail, but he is right.

 

 

24 minutes ago, tgw said:

from  kyivindependent.com:

 

 

wot tak. pravilna.

 

sounds like a dramatized sort of blackmail, but he is right.

 

 

Let's not get carried away. Ukraine is a far freer and more benigh country than Russia. But corruption has been rampant and until that's taken care of, it shouldn't be a member of the EU. Look at the situation in Hungary.

15 minutes ago, placeholder said:

Let's not get carried away. Ukraine is a far freer and more benigh country than Russia. But corruption has been rampant and until that's taken care of, it shouldn't be a member of the EU. Look at the situation in Hungary.

candidate status is not membership.

give them motivation and a reason in improve the situation.

https://uk.practicallaw.thomsonreuters.com/9-503-0144

Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Cyprus and Greece are members. Not so very different from Ukraine, and one can certainly expect big changes after this vile war. A significant part of corruption in Ukraine is part of ex-Soviet culture, and was necessary because the institutions weren't working.

 

Corrupt institutions is what oligarchs strive on, and one of the reasons for this war.

If Russia has working institutions, it would have got ridden of Putin and wouldn't be Ruzzia today.

 

Finland is on the verge of asking to join NATO. Here's why that's bad news for Putin

 

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/05/10/europe/finland-nato-putin-analysis-intl-cmd/index.html

1 hour ago, tgw said:

candidate status is not membership.

give them motivation and a reason in improve the situation.

https://uk.practicallaw.thomsonreuters.com/9-503-0144

Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Cyprus and Greece are members. Not so very different from Ukraine, and one can certainly expect big changes after this vile war. A significant part of corruption in Ukraine is part of ex-Soviet culture, and was necessary because the institutions weren't working.

 

Corrupt institutions is what oligarchs strive on, and one of the reasons for this war.

If Russia has working institutions, it would have got ridden of Putin and wouldn't be Ruzzia today.

 

I wouldn't be citing these countries as a reason to allow Ukraine to be a member. Five objec lessons. I'm guessing that the EU has learned those lessons. That said, you make a fair point about candidate status and the incentive it offers.

4 hours ago, tgw said:

candidate status is not membership.

give them motivation and a reason in improve the situation.

https://uk.practicallaw.thomsonreuters.com/9-503-0144

Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Cyprus and Greece are members. Not so very different from Ukraine, and one can certainly expect big changes after this vile war. A significant part of corruption in Ukraine is part of ex-Soviet culture, and was necessary because the institutions weren't working.

 

Corrupt institutions is what oligarchs strive on, and one of the reasons for this war.

If Russia has working institutions, it would have got ridden of Putin and wouldn't be Ruzzia today.

 

I think some very bad experiences with the countries you list is why the EU will raise its standards for future members.  Ukraine needs to get corruption under control before it will be admitted.

9 hours ago, farmerjo said:

The problem starts with the EU being one big border and countries being downgraded to provinces.

In business you would call it top heavy. 

Actually the problem starts with Russia invading Ukraine and trying to illegally capture its land while at the same time robbing, raping, pillaging and murdering civilians. I hear the Russian military was a little top heavy with generals too but Ukraine is doing a good job in culling.

13 hours ago, heybruce said:

I think some very bad experiences with the countries you list is why the EU will raise its standards for future members.  Ukraine needs to get corruption under control before it will be admitted.

And at a more general level, the more countries in the EU, the less manageable it becomes.

1 hour ago, candide said:

And at a more general level, the more countries in the EU, the less manageable it becomes.

Unless they get rid of the veto, and instead introduce a majority vote. Because now one country can block something for the whole rest of the EU, and I think that is ridiculous. 

10 minutes ago, rudi49jr said:

Unless they get rid of the veto, and instead introduce a majority vote. Because now one country can block something for the whole rest of the EU, and I think that is ridiculous. 

I would like to think Boris said to Zalenkey forget the EU just get to join NATO when this invasion is over. 

16 minutes ago, rudi49jr said:

Unless they get rid of the veto, and instead introduce a majority vote. Because now one country can block something for the whole rest of the EU, and I think that is ridiculous. 

Similar to the UN Security Council where Russia blocks with its veto

'Traitor' official who is accused of giving Russians the names of local resistance fighters is led away in handcuffs by Ukrainian special forces

 

A Ukrainian village councillor has been arrested by elite special forces after she was accused of being a Russian collaborator.

Nadiya Antonova, from Kutuzivka near Kharkiv, was swarmed by Alpha Force troops and secret intelligence agents who led her away in handcuffs - and she now faces life behind bars.

The secretary of the local council is accused of betraying her country's defenders by giving away the identities of police, soldiers and counter-terrorism specialists to Putin's invaders.

 

 

Daily Mail

 

 

20 minutes ago, Chris.B said:

'Traitor' official who is accused of giving Russians the names of local resistance fighters is led away in handcuffs by Ukrainian special forces

 

A Ukrainian village councillor has been arrested by elite special forces after she was accused of being a Russian collaborator.

Nadiya Antonova, from Kutuzivka near Kharkiv, was swarmed by Alpha Force troops and secret intelligence agents who led her away in handcuffs - and she now faces life behind bars.

The secretary of the local council is accused of betraying her country's defenders by giving away the identities of police, soldiers and counter-terrorism specialists to Putin's invaders.

 

 

Daily Mail

they should send the "light" collaborators to Russia, jail the others.

 

I really really would like them to find the traitors responsible for giving Kherson to the Ruzzians.

 

 

3 minutes ago, tgw said:

they should send the "light" collaborators to Russia, jail the others.

 

I really really would like them to find the traitors responsible for giving Kherson to the Ruzzians.

 

 

Maybe you would do the same if you were told give us Kherson or we will torture you until you do. 

20 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Maybe you would do the same if you were told give us Kherson or we will torture you until you do. 

aah ... "give us"
very revealing post, thanks !

 

no, the traitors were not under the threat of immediate torture, since they were Ukrainian officials that were in office before the attack, and they organized intact bridges for the Ruzzians.

Kherson whould have been easy to defend if the bridges had been taken care of.

Yesterdays release by the Pentagon of the Military equipment already sent to Ukraine.............. thats without the new $40 billion aid just announced.

https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3027295/fact-sheet-on-us-security-assistance-for-ukraine/

First Russian military to stand trial for killing a civilian in Sumy region - Prosecutor General Irina Venediktova The investigation established that on February 28, 2022. — this 21-year-old Russian military man killed an unarmed resident of the Chupakhivka village in the Sumy region, who was driving a bicycle along the side of the road. He faces 10 to 15 years in prison.

 

The investigation established that on February 28, 2022, this 21-year-old Russian soldier killed an unarmed resident of the Chupakhivka village in the Sumy region, who was driving a bicycle along the side of the road. Before that, the column, in which Sergeant Shishimarin was, was defeated by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Fleeing, he and four other colleagues fired at a private car with machine guns and took possession of it. In a stolen car with punctured wheels, the invaders drove into the village. On the way, they saw a man who was returning home and talking on the phone.

12 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

First Russian military to stand trial for killing a civilian in Sumy region - Prosecutor General Irina Venediktova The investigation established that on February 28, 2022. — this 21-year-old Russian military man killed an unarmed resident of the Chupakhivka village in the Sumy region, who was driving a bicycle along the side of the road. He faces 10 to 15 years in prison.

 

The investigation established that on February 28, 2022, this 21-year-old Russian soldier killed an unarmed resident of the Chupakhivka village in the Sumy region, who was driving a bicycle along the side of the road. Before that, the column, in which Sergeant Shishimarin was, was defeated by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Fleeing, he and four other colleagues fired at a private car with machine guns and took possession of it. In a stolen car with punctured wheels, the invaders drove into the village. On the way, they saw a man who was returning home and talking on the phone.

“One of the military ordered the sergeant to kill a civilian so that he would not inform the Ukrainian defenders about them. He fired several aimed shots through the open car window from a Kalashnikov assault rifle at the head of a 62-year-old victim. The man died on the spot just a few tens of meters from his house” , said the Attorney General.

https://www.perild.com/2022/05/11/in-ukraine-the-first-military-of-the-russian-federation-will-be-tried-for-murder-in-the-sumy-region/

 

I wonder if "I was just following orders" will be a good defense ?