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Post by mtrstudent on Jul 9, 2024 22:23:26 GMT
If we “the west” are funding Ukraine to protect themselves…then who’s funding Russias invasion ? Surely they can’t keep fighting this war forever without help🤷🏼♂️ or can they? I remember reading that sanctions would force their hand, so why hasn’t that worked out? The amounts of money you hear on the news is astronomical, so how do Russia match that. I just don’t get it tbh I've followed a lot of the numbers on this and I still don't know the full picture mate! They're getting some cash from exports (oil&gas mostly), but also selling assets and splashing things on the credit card, which will eventually bite them. The sanctions are hurting a lot but need to be tighter. Russia started with absolutely shitloads of tanks, ammo, gold and cash stashed away so they're using that up to look strong now. Gazprom had about $20 billion in cash and Putin stole that wadge in 2022. They did other "special taxes" too. Instead of paying for all new tanks, they took about 3,000 good condition Soviet ones from storage. They've almost run out now, and that's ~$10 billion worth used up. Also about 17 million soviet shells worth $10-30 billion, depending on type. Mostly gone now. Similar for lots of other kit. The National Wealth Fund used to have over 500 tonnes of gold. Last week it was down to ~300 tonnes. They're selling bonds (like using a credit card) but struggling to find creditors even though they've increased the rates they pay from 8.5% to 15.5%. Putin can see the debts will catch up with him and fuck russia. That's why he wants the west to surrender and he's relying on Trump.
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Post by mtrstudent on Jul 9, 2024 22:28:47 GMT
Just one Ukrainian brigade.
Showing almost 50 wrecked russian armoured vehicles on their section of the front.
Amazing work from the defenders.
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Post by sticky on Jul 10, 2024 11:14:00 GMT
If we “the west” are funding Ukraine to protect themselves…then who’s funding Russias invasion ? Surely they can’t keep fighting this war forever without help🤷🏼♂️ or can they? I remember reading that sanctions would force their hand, so why hasn’t that worked out? The amounts of money you hear on the news is astronomical, so how do Russia match that. I just don’t get it tbh I've followed a lot of the numbers on this and I still don't know the full picture mate! They're getting some cash from exports (oil&gas mostly), but also selling assets and splashing things on the credit card, which will eventually bite them. The sanctions are hurting a lot but need to be tighter. Russia started with absolutely shitloads of tanks, ammo, gold and cash stashed away so they're using that up to look strong now. Gazprom had about $20 billion in cash and Putin stole that wadge in 2022. They did other "special taxes" too. Instead of paying for all new tanks, they took about 3,000 good condition Soviet ones from storage. They've almost run out now, and that's ~$10 billion worth used up. Also about 17 million soviet shells worth $10-30 billion, depending on type. Mostly gone now. Similar for lots of other kit. The National Wealth Fund used to have over 500 tonnes of gold. Last week it was down to ~300 tonnes. They're selling bonds (like using a credit card) but struggling to find creditors even though they've increased the rates they pay from 8.5% to 15.5%. Putin can see the debts will catch up with him and fuck russia. That's why he wants the west to surrender and he's relying on Trump. Thanks for the detailed reply, you’re obviously well informed on all matters of this invasion. So what are your thoughts on Trump winning the election in regards to this then? What is he going to do about it all?
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Post by mtrstudent on Jul 10, 2024 14:39:54 GMT
Supposedly F-16s "this summer". September is obviously not summer so I hope they're no bullshitting.
But... What do people actually expect to happen with F-16s?
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Post by mtrstudent on Jul 10, 2024 14:46:05 GMT
Thanks for the detailed reply, you’re obviously well informed on all matters of this invasion. So what are your thoughts on Trump winning the election in regards to this then? What is he going to do about it all? Well I know a shit load less about that. I'm more a numbers guy rather than a people person 😂 He'll be busy seizing law enforcement and the military so that voters can't ever remove him or his chosen successor from power again. Turning the US into a Putin-style dictatorship with sham elections is his #1, #2 and #3 priorities. He wants Putin to win and he despises liberal democracies, but Congress will get a say and after the election he won't necessarily need russian help any more so perhaps a deal could be struck. If the US bows out and Europe stays in, then I'd expect the war to last longer and be bloodier. If the US and Europe stay committed then Ukraine gets fire superiority next year and grinds the russian army to dust. That's what Putin's freaking about. The republicans already blockaded Ukraine aid for six months. Putin was grinning from ear to ear when they did him that solid.
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Post by Northy on Jul 10, 2024 14:50:58 GMT
Supposedly F-16s "this summer". September is obviously not summer so I hope they're no bullshitting. But... What do people actually expect to happen with F-16s? Viper likes this Help to target the Russian attack helicopters and bombers, targeted attacks on trenches they want to take back, shoot down a few drones ?
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Post by mtrstudent on Jul 10, 2024 14:57:27 GMT
Supposedly F-16s "this summer". September is obviously not summer so I hope they're no bullshitting. But... What do people actually expect to happen with F-16s? Viper likes this Help to target the Russian attack helicopters and bombers, targeted attacks on trenches they want to take back, shoot down a few drones ? I'd love to see more videos of russian jets falling out of the sky again! Let's hope for that, I would be so happy to see russian jets wrecked. I spoke to an F-16 engineer in Tucson for a bit about what they can do, all the different models (or "blocks") etc, and still don't know what to expect.
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Post by sticky on Jul 10, 2024 16:04:13 GMT
Thanks for the detailed reply, you’re obviously well informed on all matters of this invasion. So what are your thoughts on Trump winning the election in regards to this then? What is he going to do about it all? Well I know a shit load less about that. I'm more a numbers guy rather than a people person 😂 He'll be busy seizing law enforcement and the military so that voters can't ever remove him or his chosen successor from power again. Turning the US into a Putin-style dictatorship with sham elections is his #1, #2 and #3 priorities. He wants Putin to win and he despises liberal democracies, but Congress will get a say and after the election he won't necessarily need russian help any more so perhaps a deal could be struck. If the US bows out and Europe stays in, then I'd expect the war to last longer and be bloodier. If the US and Europe stay committed then Ukraine gets fire superiority next year and grinds the russian army to dust. That's what Putin's freaking about. The republicans already blockaded Ukraine aid for six months. Putin was grinning from ear to ear when they did him that solid. On the face of it, it looks like we (the west) are using the Ukraine to drag this out for as long as possible to weaken/bankrupt Russia, to the point where they won’t be as much of a “superpower” in the future? maybe I’m wrong but that’s how it seems, and as horrific as that it is for the Ukrainian people, it just seems to me that’s what’s happening. I sort of get why they can’t fire weapons (or certain weapons) into Russia (although that seems completely ridiculous when you’re being attacked) but surely they can’t be expected to just sit around and wait to be attacked, the whole situation is horrific. I suppose after listening to snippets of news reports and dropping on here now and again I assumed this would have ended years ago. How will it end? What are the realistic options?
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Post by bayernoatcake on Jul 10, 2024 22:46:00 GMT
Keir 😎
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Post by mtrstudent on Jul 11, 2024 0:44:03 GMT
Good lad. Johnson and Sunak were no slouches when it came to Ukraine either. Props to them too from me and it's good when politicians don't create stupid fights over important stuff 👍 One thing Labour could do is promise to transfer our Warrior IFVs to Ukraine when we replace them soon. I'll be writing to my MP about this!
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Post by essexstokey on Jul 11, 2024 3:19:26 GMT
The only way to defeat putting is ucrain membership of national But this and major support like jets with potty putting puts of ever closer to ww3 We need China to step up and have a word with Russia to evert ww3 and I don't think they will
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Post by professorplump on Jul 11, 2024 3:45:48 GMT
The only way to defeat putting is ucrain membership of national But this and major support like jets with potty putting puts of ever closer to ww3 We need China to step up and have a word with Russia to evert ww3 and I don't think they will Has Benji Biscuit hacked your account?
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Post by lawrieleslie on Jul 11, 2024 6:06:16 GMT
The only way to defeat putting is ucrain membership of national But this and major support like jets with potty putting puts of ever closer to ww3 We need China to step up and have a word with Russia to evert ww3 and I don't think they will Has Benji Biscuit hacked your account? Genuinely Essex has eyesight issues. Should cut him some slack mate.
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Post by drippinggoatsnob on Jul 11, 2024 6:14:42 GMT
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Post by butlerstbob on Jul 11, 2024 6:49:29 GMT
Yup, should have been agreed months ago if not earlier!
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Post by bayernoatcake on Jul 11, 2024 6:53:30 GMT
Absolutely not. If we had any balls at all we’d be providing goalkeeper services like we did for Israel.
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Post by drippinggoatsnob on Jul 11, 2024 7:46:20 GMT
Yup, should have been agreed months ago if not earlier! This isn't a game. Putin is unhinged with the biggest nuclear collection in the world. Maybe you can tell your kids it was worth it but I can't.
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Post by Northy on Jul 11, 2024 7:59:19 GMT
Yup, should have been agreed months ago if not earlier! This isn't a game. Putin is unhinged with the biggest nuclear collection in the world. Maybe you can tell your kids it was worth it but I can't. Putin is using equipment supplied by China and North Korea, he's hardly one to speak how bad it is.
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Post by RichieBarkerOut! on Jul 11, 2024 8:10:02 GMT
Yup, should have been agreed months ago if not earlier! This isn't a game. Putin is unhinged with the biggest nuclear collection in the world. Maybe you can tell your kids it was worth it but I can't. If history has taught us anything it's that Russia only backs down to greater force. It's not just about Putin, it goes back to the middle ages.
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Post by mtrstudent on Jul 11, 2024 14:35:03 GMT
One of the supply roads in north Kharkiv where Russia attacked early May. They're just getting wrecked and taking huge casualties even just bringing food and ammo. Hcstokie was spot on; Very strange place for them to attack. Penned in on both sides by rivers, lakes, hills and forests. I wouldn’t fancy being part of that Russian assault group, they’ll be in a shooting gallery (again).
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Post by mtrstudent on Jul 11, 2024 14:48:03 GMT
Not confirmed but kinda funny, kinda sad. Recruitment QR codes on utility bills. I chatted a bit with someone from Khabarovsk a while back. It's about 5,000 miles to Kharkiv by car. I know Russia is big but damn.
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Post by chuffedstokie on Jul 11, 2024 14:57:37 GMT
Not confirmed but kinda funny, kinda sad. Recruitment QR codes on utility bills. I chatted a bit with someone from Khabarovsk a while back. It's about 5,000 miles to Kharkiv by car. I know Russia is big but damn. Some serious brainstorming behind the scenes going on there, surreal.
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Post by mtrstudent on Jul 11, 2024 14:57:42 GMT
I suppose after listening to snippets of news reports and dropping on here now and again I assumed this would have ended years ago. How will it end? What are the realistic options? I don't know how it'll end except that it's gonna be decided by what happens on the battlefield and with support for Ukraine. If NATO suddenly met and guaranteed ramped up support for years then Putin would look for an out. If the US cuts off support then Ukraine will keep fighting and I don't know which way it'll go. If Trump gives the go ahead to China to support Russia then I think Ukraine's fucked - in that case their best hope is probably to drag out a negotiated settlement while putting together nuclear weapons to save what's left of the country. Putin's current surrender demands for a cease fire (before negotiating peace) is that Ukraine hand over major cities, accept russian claims and begin dismantling their army. He needs to be educated by the Ukrainian army.
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Post by hcstokie on Jul 11, 2024 16:30:50 GMT
One of the supply roads in north Kharkiv where Russia attacked early May. They're just getting wrecked and taking huge casualties even just bringing food and ammo. Hcstokie was spot on; Very strange place for them to attack. Penned in on both sides by rivers, lakes, hills and forests. I wouldn’t fancy being part of that Russian assault group, they’ll be in a shooting gallery (again). I’m no military expert, but anyone with half a brain would look at that area and attack vector and think ‘bad idea’.
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Post by bayernoatcake on Jul 11, 2024 17:35:01 GMT
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Post by backintheday on Jul 11, 2024 21:57:03 GMT
The tourists from the kgb?
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Post by mtrstudent on Jul 11, 2024 23:36:04 GMT
A Ukrainian mate has just published a comic book!It tells the story of a village near where he grew up in early 2022. He loved comics as a kid and thought it could be a way to share with people how the first days felt for his friends and family. If anyone wants a copy, first 3 people to DM me with a UK or US address get one 👍
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Post by bayernoatcake on Jul 12, 2024 6:19:01 GMT
Why are we so soft with these cunts?
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Post by mtrstudent on Jul 12, 2024 14:48:36 GMT
😂
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Post by mtrstudent on Jul 12, 2024 14:52:35 GMT
Sounds like Starmer was wrong. I read that because of export laws etc we need approval from France and another unnamed country to allow storm shadow strikes inside Russia.
Also we can't have many left now. Where are the orders for new missiles?
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