Europe War in Ukraine - Thread 3

[CD Xbow]

Article from the Warzone looking at UKR 'drone hunters' who engage the low end Irainian drones using ad hoc and relatively low tech gear.

Ukrainian Teams Hunt Russian Drones With Laser Rifles, Gun Trucks, Apps

Ukrainian volunteers have networks to issue alerts about incoming threats, which mobile teams then move to illuminate and shoot down.

www.thedrive.com

 

[wannabejack]

A timeline of attacks on Russian territory or assets during the war in Ukraine.

Ukraine has often celebrated the attacks but has not officially confirmed involvement in any of them.

www.nytimes.com

I think that if the war "could go on for awhile" then Ukraine will increase the attacks in Russian.

 

[wannabejack]

Lithuania Doubling Pace of Ukrainian Soldier Training

The Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence has announced that it is stepping up the combat training provided to Ukrainian soldiers.

www.thedefensepost.com

To more rapidly strengthen Ukraine’s resilience, the defense ministry revealed that the pace of training would be doubled and that Vilnius would house some 1,500 Ukrainian troops in 2023.

 

[Zidane98]

 

[Aussie in exile]

Putin's interview is quite interesting.


Firstly, he has all but admitted his implied nuclear threats were never a serious one. A nuclear attack first strike on Russia is simply an impossibility. Putin knows this so a nuclear conflict is all but dead now. He knows this but tries again to imply otherwise with his statement of "the risk of conflict is rising".

Secondly, he hasn't said any response to losing large parts of Luhanks and all of Kherson. These were areas that he declared to be part of Russia and he has not addressed the fact thar Russia has given them up. He then goes on about the Sea of Azov being a Russia inland sea in an attempt to deflect from his losses.


Lastly he states that the war "could go on for awhile". Really, a quite pathetic attempt to get Ukraine to bend over to his demands. I think anyone apart from hard core tankies & brainwashed Russians sees straight through this statement.

Putin will likely lose Meliotiopol / Zaporizhia soonish. I believe at that point he will go for the cease fire / negotiation option like he did in Georgia.

He quite clearly he's been on the Vodka

 

[Aussie in exile]

A timeline of attacks on Russian territory or assets during the war in Ukraine.

Ukraine has often celebrated the attacks but has not officially confirmed involvement in any of them.

www.nytimes.com

I think that if the war "could go on for awhile" then Ukraine will increase the attacks in Russian.

They need too and ASAP. Again i say destroy the Russian supply lines into Eastern Ukraine.

 

[Visions]

Interesting he is holding a glass of bubbly. Not like he's hosting a dinner.

Always seems to be grasping something such as a table when he does a speech. As if its to deter from letting everyone know there is something wrong with his arm movements leading to speculation about his health.

 

[Visions]

Quite literally taking the same path of the Nazis at the end of WW2.

Putin Is Preparing to Flee When Russia Implodes, Ex-Aide Says

 

[Visions]

This one must actually have been one hell of a smoking accident.

Even when Russia bombed that shopping centre in Ukraine with a cruise missile, it didn’t cause as much damage as this.

 

[footyfan1978]

Russia's Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said it was looking into the cause of the fire. The head of the Moscow region's emergency services agency said it appeared the blaze was the result of safety regulations being violated during repair work on the building.

Mega had been home to a large number of Western retail chains before the companies' departure from Russia in the wake of the Ukraine conflict, including one of the first IKEA stores in the Moscow area.

Fire rages through shopping mall in Moscow suburbs

Fire engulfed one of the largest shopping malls near Moscow early on Friday, emergency services said, leading to the collapse of part of the structure, which complicated firefighters' efforts to douse the flames.

www.reuters.com

Huge fire engulfs shopping centre near Moscow

At least one person dies in blaze raging through Mega Khimki shopping centre.

www.aljazeera.com

 

[kranky al]

 

[GhostofJimJess]

Russia's Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said it was looking into the cause of the fire. The head of the Moscow region's emergency services agency said it appeared the blaze was the result of safety regulations being violated during repair work on the building.

Mega had been home to a large number of Western retail chains before the companies' departure from Russia in the wake of the Ukraine conflict, including one of the first IKEA stores in the Moscow area.

Fire rages through shopping mall in Moscow suburbs

Fire engulfed one of the largest shopping malls near Moscow early on Friday, emergency services said, leading to the collapse of part of the structure, which complicated firefighters' efforts to douse the flames.

www.reuters.com

Huge fire engulfs shopping centre near Moscow

At least one person dies in blaze raging through Mega Khimki shopping centre.

www.aljazeera.com

Insurance job? We know their shopping centres are all going broke.

 

[footyfan1978]

Insurance job? We know their shopping centres are all going broke.

FMD, that a possibility.

 

[Frank Grimes]

Insurance job? We know their shopping centres are all going broke.

I'd say it's definitely not from a Ukraine attack as it offers Ukraine no strategic benefit at all.

I think you may be on to something regarding the insurance though, however is insurance is even a thing in Russia at the moment? I remember there was issue of Russia trying to get ships to ship their oil because the western countries refuse to insure them. I'm not sure that issue also applies to amenities within Russia (there may be insurance companies within Russia that could insure them or the government may be t he insurer).

There are several other scenarios that is going through my head that could have caused this.

-an arson attack due to the hardship caused by the war in Ukraine. Though you'd expect the attack to be in a government building.

-squatters. A lot of businesses are going broke and somebody may have been living in an empty tenancy. Plus it is winter there, so it may explain a heat source to start the fire from someone trying to keep warm.

-poor maintenance and safety on the site. Let's face it, you wouldn't expect Russia to follow strict maintenance and safety procedures. Look at their military as case and point.

 

[Zidane98]

Will Putin allow these people the freedom to pursue independence?

 

[Zidane98]

I'd say it's definitely not from a Ukraine attack as it offers Ukraine no strategic benefit at all.

I think you may be on to something regarding the insurance though, however is insurance is even a thing in Russia at the moment? I remember there was issue of Russia trying to get ships to ship their oil because the western countries refuse to insure them. I'm not sure that issue also applies to amenities within Russia (there may be insurance companies within Russia that could insure them or the government may be t he insurer).

There are several other scenarios that is going through my head that could have caused this.

-an arson attack due to the hardship caused by the war in Ukraine. Though you'd expect the attack to be in a government building.

-squatters. A lot of businesses are going broke and somebody may have been living in an empty tenancy. Plus it is winter there so it may explain a heat source to start the fire from someone trying to keep warm.

-poor maintenance and safety on the site. Let's face it you wouldn't expect Russia to follow strict maintenance and safety procedures. Look at there military as case and point.

Yep. Russian oil tankers can not get insurance cover - this is mostly offered by western companies. Likewise aircraft insurance.

Russia of course have tried to offer their own cover. I'd be checking the PDS of that policy personally if I were a customer.......

 

[wannabejack]

West warns Russia and Iran are moving toward full 'defence partnership', NATO warns Ukraine war could spread

A British envoy says Moscow is seeking hundreds of ballistic missiles and offering unprecedented military support to Iran, while the head of NATO says fighting in Ukraine could spin out of control and become a war between Russia and NATO.

www.abc.net.au

"In return, Russia is offering Iran an unprecedented level of military and technical support. We're concerned that Russia intends to provide Iran with more advanced military components, which will allow Iran to strengthen their weapons capability."

So how far would Russia go? Would it include a nuclear deal and if it does how does this affect the relation between Israel and Russia.

Analysis: Increased Israel-Iran confrontations risk war

Regional tensions will continue even if the nuclear deal between Iran and the West is restored.

www.aljazeera.com

Israel's balancing act between Russia and the West complicated by Russia's use of Iranian drones

The Iranian-made drones that Russia sent slamming into central Kyiv this week are complicating Israel's balancing act between Russia and the West.

www.pbs.org

Israel has stayed largely on the sidelines since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last February so as not to damage its strategic relationship with the Kremlin. Although Israel has sent humanitarian aid to Ukraine, it has refused Kyiv’s frequent requests to send air defense systems and other military equipment and refrained from enforcing strict economic sanctions on Russia and the many Russian-Jewish oligarchs who have second homes in Israel.

 

[Zidane98]

Being a friend of Iran is hardly going to help Russia in the world of politics.

As much as Putin hates to admit it Russia needs trade & political ties to Europe.

 

[Harro59]

Being a friend of Iran is hardly going to help Russia in the world of politics.

As much as Putin hates to admit it Russia needs trade & political ties to Europe.

Real cross roads moment for Iran. Get closer to Russia or start to work again with the US and get the Nuclear deal back on the table with the end goal being lifting sanctions.

I was reading that the US and Iran were taking again a few weeks back. I'd be surprised if they were tth Russian route to be honest.

 

[Zidane98]

Real cross roads moment for Iran. Get closer to Russia or start to work again with the US and get the Nuclear deal back on the table with the end goal being lifting sanctions.

I was reading that the US and Iran were taking again a few weeks back. I'd be surprised if they were tth Russian route to be honest.

US removing trade sanctions on Iranian oil into the world market combined with the Russian oil price cap would be devastating for Russia.

 

[Harro59]

US removing trade sanctions on Iranian oil into the world market combined with the Russian oil price cap would be devastating for Russia.

I did read that he US were keen on having talks with Iran and Venezuela to bring them back into the fold. A massive amount of ground to cover to get back but bringing them back into the fold, but yes the impacts on Russian oil would be devastating

 

[Mobbs]

Interesting posts and discussion re the shopping mall, thanks everyone.

My only 2c I can add is that maybe, with a number of stores no longer operating and therefore maybe some dormant shop spaces, perhaps a fire risk builds over time in unused parts of the centre. (apologies if that's already been said/dealt with)

 

[footyfan1978]

Will Putin allow these people the freedom to pursue independence?

Yes, please...

 

[Zidane98]

Yes, please...

Mobbs would know more but my understanding is plenty of Ukranians live in Belgorod oblast.

Might be time for them to start up the "Peoples Republic of Belgorod". Ukraine to come in and save them of course.

 

[Mobbs]

Mobbs would know more but my understanding is plenty of Ukranians live in Belgorod oblast.

Might be time for them to start up the "Peoples Republic of Belgorod". Ukraine to come in and save them of course.

I only know what I read once earlier this year, but yeah they say that Belgorod and region has a high Ukrainian population. However it's less so these days than it was last century (just from what I read).