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

[rudi49jr]

1 hour ago, Bkk Brian said:

Now there's a challenge, almost as if he's baiting countries and wants to escalate his illegal war.

 

#UPDATE Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that any country that sought to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine would be considered by Moscow to have entered the conflict.

 

https://twitter.com/AFP/status/1500107383334449156

 

He also said that all the sanctions the west imposed on Russia were like a declaration of war. Looks like he’s somehow aching to involve NATO, or the EU, or the USA. 

[Jingthing]

55 minutes ago, rudi49jr said:

He also said that all the sanctions the west imposed on Russia were like a declaration of war. Looks like he’s somehow aching to involve NATO, or the EU, or the USA. 

Of course he does.

 

 

[Thunglom]

would you stop serving Russians in Thailand? 

If only to get the message through?

[shdmn]

Russian helicopter shot down by stinger.
https://www.bbc.com/news/av-embeds/world-europe-60630352

[Jingthing]

4 hours ago, Thunglom said:

would you stop serving Russians in Thailand? 

If only to get the message through?

With their worthless rubles?

[Berkshire]

10 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

#UPDATE Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that any country that sought to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine would be considered by Moscow to have entered the conflict.

 

As an American who wants to avoid war at all cost....I almost want the US to test this statement.  So US fighters shoot down a few MiGs.  What are you going to do about it Mr. Putin?  Seriously, your move. 

[Bkk Brian]

Top Zelensky aide says Russia starting to realize the real price of its war in Ukraine

 

One of Ukraine’s negotiators in ceasefire talks with Russia says there has been a perceptible shift on the Russian side, after 10 days of warfare that have seen Ukraine put up unexpectedly fierce resistance.

 

Mr. Podolyak said that while the Russian side hadn’t yet altered its demands for a Ukrainian capitulation, he sensed that its attitude was shifting as the war and unprecedented Western sanctions took their toll.

 

“At the very start of the war, they were insisting on total domination. 

 

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-russia-ukraine-war-zelensky-adviser/

[ozimoron]

43 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

As an American who wants to avoid war at all cost....I almost want the US to test this statement.  So US fighters shoot down a few MiGs.  What are you going to do about it Mr. Putin?  Seriously, your move. 

I think the past 5 years have taught the world not to test nut jobs. The are psychotic and don't respond to reason or logic.

[Chomper Higgot]

Tightening the screws down on the Russian economy, visa and Mastercard announce withdrawal of services in Russia:

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/05/visa-and-mastercard-will-both-suspend-operations-in-russia

[Chomper Higgot]

10 hours ago, nauseus said:

Tourism? Omigawd.

It might seem insignificant, but then for ordinary middle class Russians the withdrawal of the freedom to holiday abroad will impact their view of Putin’s actions.

 

 

[Berkshire]

9 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

I think the past 5 years have taught the world not to test nut jobs. The are psychotic and don't respond to reason or logic.

The alternative to "testing" nut jobs is to give them free rein.  How is that working out?  Nevermind.  The international community is fast lining up against Putin, so would be sympathetic to any moves against him.  The more atrocities he commits, the more pressure on the US and west to do "something." 

[ozimoron]

31 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

The alternative to "testing" nut jobs is to give them free rein.  How is that working out?  Nevermind.  The international community is fast lining up against Putin, so would be sympathetic to any moves against him.  The more atrocities he commits, the more pressure on the US and west to do "something." 

Giving them free reign isn't the alternative. Creating a no fly zone isn't the same as removing Putin from power. Inciting him to commit more atrocities isn't the solution.

[ozimoron]

I think think it's pretty obvious what this means.

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Western sanctions were akin to war as his forces pressed their assault on Ukraine on Saturday for a 10th day and the IMF warned the conflict would have a "severe impact" on the global economy.

 

https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/top-wrap-1-europes-largest-nuclear-power-plant-fire-after-russian-attack-mayor-2022-03-04/

[Bkk Brian]

21 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

I think think it's pretty obvious what this means.

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Western sanctions were akin to war as his forces pressed their assault on Ukraine on Saturday for a 10th day and the IMF warned the conflict would have a "severe impact" on the global economy.

 

https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/top-wrap-1-europes-largest-nuclear-power-plant-fire-after-russian-attack-mayor-2022-03-04/

He's a cornered rat and itching to make a move..........

[Hummin]

Another important analysis speach to understand the conflict better. Long but interesting for those who like to digg deeper. In to the conflicts background, and why Putin in first place thought ir was an good idea andcalso why he believed he would be met with less resistence and finely an early caputulation at least in the east Ukraine.

 

Video is from the official Chicago university channel year 2015

John Joseph Mearsheimer born December 14, 1947) is an American political scientist and international relations scholar, who belongs to the realist school of thought. He is the R. Wendell Harrison Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago. He has been described as the most influential realist of his generation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Mearsheimer

 

Mearsheimer is the leading proponent of offensive realism. The structural theory, unlike the classical realism of Hans Morgenthau, places the principal emphasis on security competition among great powers within the anarchy of the international system, not on the human nature of statesmen and diplomats

 

Offensive realism, a theory of international relations, holds that states are disposed to competition and conflict because they are self-interested, power maximizing, and fearful of other states

 

 

[Kwasaki]

47 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

I think think it's pretty obvious what this means.

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Western sanctions were akin to war as his forces pressed their assault on Ukraine on Saturday for a 10th day and the IMF warned the conflict would have a "severe impact" on the global economy.

 

https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/top-wrap-1-europes-largest-nuclear-power-plant-fire-after-russian-attack-mayor-2022-03-04/

I would read into what he said as the sanction before towards Russia were not doing much and extra sanctions that have been done this time are taking affect.

[coolcarer]

55 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

I think think it's pretty obvious what this means.

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Western sanctions were akin to war as his forces pressed their assault on Ukraine on Saturday for a 10th day and the IMF warned the conflict would have a "severe impact" on the global economy.

 

https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/top-wrap-1-europes-largest-nuclear-power-plant-fire-after-russian-attack-mayor-2022-03-04/

Putins continuing lack of reality. He maintains his unprovoked attack killing thousands of innocent civilians is a Special Operation, yet economic sanctions against him and Russia are war. 

[Kwasaki]

30 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Another important analysis speach to understand the conflict better. Long but interesting for those who like to digg deeper. In to the conflicts background, and why Putin in first place thought ir was an good idea andcalso why he believed he would be met with less resistence and finely an early caputulation at least in the east Ukraine.

 

Video is from the official Chicago university channel year 2015

John Joseph Mearsheimer born December 14, 1947) is an American political scientist and international relations scholar, who belongs to the realist school of thought. He is the R. Wendell Harrison Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago. He has been described as the most influential realist of his generation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Mearsheimer

 

Mearsheimer is the leading proponent of offensive realism. The structural theory, unlike the classical realism of Hans Morgenthau, places the principal emphasis on security competition among great powers within the anarchy of the international system, not on the human nature of statesmen and diplomats

 

Offensive realism, a theory of international relations, holds that states are disposed to competition and conflict because they are self-interested, power maximizing, and fearful of other states

 

 

In short Ukraine has been a problem for a long time and nobody took any notice until now. 

[ozimoron]

2 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

In short Ukraine has been a problem for a long time and nobody took any notice until now. 

In short Russia has been a problem since WW2 and nobody took any notice until now. Reagan got it right.

[Hummin]

21 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

I would read into what he said as the sanction before towards Russia were not doing much and extra sanctions that have been done this time are taking affect.

For those who had some interest in earlier conflicts, who  know miletary pressure and sanctions have different results, depending on the countries resourches. 
 

We know how Japan reacted to their sanctions in 1939.

Iran we know how they dealing with it and also N-Korea in presens. 

 

If we keep treating putin as a rat, he will react as a crat, and Putin have often told about him self as the rathunter, when he as a young boy cornered a rat that finely attacked him. A life experience and a lesson he contineous have refered to. He will go down in the history as the Rat Man!
 

He have warned us for decades, now we understand
 

 

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, Hummin said:

For those who hadcsome interest in earlier conflicts, know miletary pressure and sanctions have different results, depending on the countries resourches. 
 

We know how Japan reacted to their sanctions in 1939.

Iran we know they dealing with it and also N-Korea 

 

If we keep treating putin as a rat, he will react as acrat, and Putin have often told about him self as the rathunter, when he as a young boy cornered a rat that finely attacked him. A life experience and a lesson he contineous have refered to. He will go down in the history as the Rat Man!
 

He have warned us for decades, now we understand
 

 

But he is a rat. A rat and a war criminal. Anyone that didn't know that before knows it now. 

[Hummin]

4 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

But he is a rat. A rat and a war criminal. Anyone that didn't know that before knows it now. 

It is human behaviour where the fight for resourches and land continue as it have always done. Nothing going to change that. Putin is just another wannabe emperor who goes down in history with bad reputation and a war crimminal. 
 

There is no good and bad in these war games, just bad and more bad who is playing with soldiers and civilian lifes who are tools to use for any price. 

[Jingthing]

3 minutes ago, Hummin said:

It is human behaviour where the fight for resourches and land continue as it have always done. Nothing going to change that. Putin is just another wannabe emperor who goes down in history with bad reputation and a war crimminal. 
 

There is no good and bad in these war games, just bad and more bad who is playing with soldiers and civilian lifes who are tools to use for any price. 

Who invaded Ukraine?

Who is targeting civilians?

Who is risking nuclear meltdowns?

No good and bad you say?

I think your POV is no good.

[Kwasaki]

12 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

In short Russia has been a problem since WW2 and nobody took any notice until now. Reagan got it right.

Well in short the end of WW2 is what I've seen as the start of the problem and the way Germany was devided there's still a problem with East Germany till this day. 

 

Some posts back there was a mention of Patton it was the rhetoric from people like him that started the mis-trust of the west by Russia after losing 27,000,000 people. 

 

The Cold War end was another chance and even then the west govs couldn't see the wood for the trees. 

[Bkk Brian]

24 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

But he is a rat. A rat and a war criminal. Anyone that didn't know that before knows it now. 

Expect the unexpected with a cornered rat, he's already used chemical weapons to murder Novichok and radioactive plutonium to murder Alexander Litvinenko in the UK. 

 

“Every time you think,’ No, he wouldn’t, would he?’ Well, yes, he would,” says Russia specialist and former US National Security Council advisor Fiona Hill. “And he wants us to know that, of course.”

 

He needs stamping on as quickly as possible.

[Virt]

3 hours ago, Berkshire said:

As an American who wants to avoid war at all cost....I almost want the US to test this statement.  So US fighters shoot down a few MiGs.  What are you going to do about it Mr. Putin?  Seriously, your move. 

I guess you are located far from Europe with a post liked that...

 

They might have the next best solution on it's way.

Apparently talking about that Poland can give their MiGs to Ukraine and then US give Poland F-16s in exchange.

 

If it happens it will for sure be an escalation, but not as big as NATO flying the jets in Ukraine.4

 

[jollyhangmon]

 

... another well written article here, apologize if been posted already ...

 

Why China Won't Rescue Russia's Flailing Economy

 

https://www.rferl.org/a/china-rescue-russia-economy/31737915.html

 

 

edit: this one interesting as well, while 'Sawah Press' may sound a bit wonky it's just a summary of a piece Lawrence Friedman wrote for the King’s College London website ...

 

The war costs Putin 20 billion dollars a day… and his money and weapons will run out on the tenth day!

 

 

https://sawahpress.com/en/news/the-war-costs-putin-20-billion-dollars-a-day-and-his-money-and-weapons-will-run-out-on-the-tenth-day/

 

[tgw]

23 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Well in short the end of WW2 is what I've seen as the start of the problem and the way Germany was devided there's still a problem with East Germany till this day. 

 

Some posts back there was a mention of Patton it was the rhetoric from people like him that started the mis-trust of the west by Russia after losing 27,000,000 people. 

 

The Cold War end was another chance and even then the west govs couldn't see the wood for the trees. 

no, it was not "people like Patton" who caused Russians to "distrust" the West.

 

Stalin was the prime reason. Russians are for the most part, sheep. They follow their leader.

 

Patton recognized Stalin for what he was.

Stalin was so bad that he was probably offed by his own people.

[Virt]

59 minutes ago, coolcarer said:

Putins continuing lack of reality. He maintains his unprovoked attack killing thousands of innocent civilians is a Special Operation, yet economic sanctions against him and Russia are war. 

Reality in Russia.....

It's scary how well oiled the propaganda machine is in Russia.

 

Read some articles about Russians located in Ukraine calling their parents in Russia, and told them their cities in Ukraine are being bombed.

 

Parents in Russia didn't believe that.

 

How do you react after your own parents don't believe bombs are dropped on you?

 

[ozimoron]

28 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Well in short the end of WW2 is what I've seen as the start of the problem and the way Germany was devided there's still a problem with East Germany till this day. 

 

Some posts back there was a mention of Patton it was the rhetoric from people like him that started the mis-trust of the west by Russia after losing 27,000,000 people. 

 

The Cold War end was another chance and even then the west govs couldn't see the wood for the trees. 

As much as I'd like to explore these issues further, they are off topic so I won't.