Russian invasion of Ukraine | Fewer tweets, more discussion

MadMike said:
We have also seen you not answer the question. Would you go to fight Russians in Ukraine?
Click to expand...

That is quite frankly a daft question. And at the age of 71, doubt they would want me.
So I have answered your question.
The reason I say it is draft is that we have professional armed services.
But let me put it another way so as to be clear.
If it was the UK under attack, I would do anything and everything to defend my country irrespective of my age.
And for most of my working life, I was employed working closely with the RAF supporting their jet fighter engines. And I was very proud of my contribution.
 
JPRouve said:
According to Putin. Ukraine are guilty of destroying russian monuments, turning their back to the Russian Empire, threatening Russia with NATO forces, threatening them with nuclear-weapons(in the near future) and not really being a thing without Russia. Also being ruled by nazis.

It may sound like a joke but that's the gist of it.
Click to expand...
Goodness me … :confused:
 
TheLiverBird said:
I do hate these EU Politicians coming out saying

“we stand by Ukrainians”

Or Urging Putin to withdraw his Troops

You aren’t going too stand by Ukraine, as they are about to get battered militarily, all you’ll do is stand by and watch, that’s really standing with them isn’t it, typical empty Politician words though I guess and I shouldn’t expect anything else

and Putin isn’t going to listen to your withdrawal messages, he won’t suddenly decide…..”oh crap, sorry guys, I’ll withdraw”
Click to expand...

Okay, but what's the alternative? If they try to get involved militarily, that's World War 3. There's a reason the Soviets and the Americans never officially fought directly, and tensions between them were a lot more acute than the west and Russia today.

Militarily, the west can do nothing. Obviously they should do more than just give statements of support, but they will. Sanctions are undoubtedly increasing. At the same time, not giving statements of support would be a terrible decision.
 
So Putin has said that if any countries interfere there will be consequences that have never been seen before.

Sounds like he’s talking about nuclear strikes. Shits just got very real!
 
Sarni said:
Being just behind their border, statements like these are worrying. Basically if he feels like he wants to send a message to Poland, he could and nobody would react? Then what is the purpose of the pact?
Click to expand...

I think that you are different, you are in the middle of the EU and way too close from France and Germany. I would say that you are way more important for key decision makers than Ukraine are.

PS: i know that my position is very cold and maybe wrong.
 
Revan said:
Honestly, there weren't many other choices here. Obviously, the best choice would have been to massively arm Ukraine from 2014 to now. But there wasn't much that could have been done in the last few months.
Click to expand...
I know. I fully appreciate if NATO did put troops into Ukraine the cost of life would be much higher than it will get as the war could easily spill into other countries.

But if I were a Ukrainian and I was listening to this, knowing that they wanted to be part of NATO, I would feel let down.
 
JPRouve said:
According to Putin. Ukraine are guilty of destroying russian monuments, turning their back to the Russian Empire, threatening Russia with NATO forces, threatening them with nuclear-weapons(in the near future) and not really being a thing without Russia. Also being ruled by nazis.

It may sound like a joke but that's the gist of it.
Click to expand...

So all those States who got freedom after the demise of USSR should wait for their turn?
 
Sarni said:
Yeah I reckon being part of NATO is just as important if not more important from the military point of view.
Click to expand...

Definitely more important. EU is all soft power. There is no military deterrent in there, that's all at national level.
 
tomaldinho1 said:
They got rid of their nukes, ironically, as Russia (and some of NATO) would supposedly protect them.
Click to expand...

They(The UN as well) made an agreement to provide assistance if Ukraine was attacked. They are. Just no boots on the ground. So far anyway.
 
Garethw said:
So Putin has said that if any countries interfere there will be consequences that have never been seen before.

Sounds like he’s talking about nuclear strikes. Shits just got very real!
Click to expand...
Was wondering about it actually, would Russia be physically capable of getting any of their nukes to Western Europe etc.? I mean would they be able to launch them and have them successfully go anywhere near any of the countries... Surely there's a way to just shoot them down with the military power that Europe and US have?
 
That'sHernandez said:
Is this necessary? Do we really need to dox a couple of kids who were forced into a war?
Click to expand...
I think it's more to prove they are actually Russian troops and not a fake.

Lots of people are disbelieving it as propaganda.
 
Sarni said:
Being just behind their border, statements like these are worrying. Basically if he feels like he wants to send a message to Poland, he could and nobody would react? Then what is the purpose of the pact?
Click to expand...
It would make a difference.

Besides the fact it would mean Russia edging closer and closer to everyone elses doorstep, like you said it's a pact which everyone in is obligated to act. Not doing so would shatter the entire world.
 
Rektsanwalt said:
??? you really think NATO is a joke?
Click to expand...

No, I think that countries take decisison based on their interests and whether they deem the price worthwile. Particularly when we are talking about a conflict that could easily cost millions of lives and trillions of dollars.
 
Ananke said:
It would make a difference.

Besides the fact it would mean Russia edging closer and closer to everyone elses doorstep, like you said it's a pact which everyone in is obligated to act. Not doing so would shatter the entire world.
Click to expand...

That's what I thought. Basically throws world into chaos if they don't react. Also realistically, Russia probably would not really last long against NATO unless China gave them direct help, which probably would not happen anyway.
 
Sarni said:
Was wondering about it actually, would Russia be physically capable of getting any of their nukes to Western Europe etc.? I mean would they be able to launch them and have them successfully go anywhere near any of the countries... Surely there's a way to just shoot them down with the military power that Europe and US have?
Click to expand...

There's nukes in Kaliningrad. Whether they could be shot down before hitting major population centres is anyone's guess.
 
Sarni said:
Was wondering about it actually, would Russia be physically capable of getting any of their nukes to Western Europe etc.? I mean would they be able to launch them and have them successfully go anywhere near any of the countries... Surely there's a way to just shoot them down with the military power that Europe and US have?
Click to expand...
:lol: There is no effective defence against nuclear war.
 
JPRouve said:
According to Putin. Ukraine are guilty of destroying russian monuments, turning their back to the Russian Empire, threatening Russia with NATO forces, threatening them with nuclear-weapons(in the near future) and not really being a thing without Russia. Also being ruled by nazis.

It may sound like a joke but that's the gist of it.
Click to expand...

What’s the real reason? What are Russia getting out of it? Genuine question.
 
MadMike said:
There's nukes in Kaliningrad. Whether they could be shot down before hitting major population centres is anyone's guess.
Click to expand...
feck. That is literally next to some of our large cities.
 
Buster15 said:
That is quite frankly a daft question. And at the age of 71, doubt they would want me.
So I have answered your question.
The reason I say it is draft is that we have professional armed services.
But let me put it another way so as to be clear.
If it was the UK under attack, I would do anything and everything to defend my country irrespective of my age.
And for most of my working life, I was employed working closely with the RAF supporting their jet fighter engines. And I was very proud of my contribution.
Click to expand...

I don't think such statements are fair and frankly they're a bit insulting to those facing the actual reality. Most Ukrainians will just want to get on with their lives and that isn't a lack of morals or courage.

Its too easy for certain folks to project this WW2 bravado onto themselves whilst they sit in peaceful comfort.
 
nimic said:
Okay, but what's the alternative? If they try to get involved militarily, that's World War 3. There's a reason the Soviets and the Americans never officially fought directly, and tensions between them were a lot more acute than the west and Russia today.

Militarily, the west can do nothing. Obviously they should do more than just give statements of support, but they will. Sanctions are undoubtedly increasing. At the same time, not giving statements of support would be a terrible decision.
Click to expand...

They have of course got too come out with some sort of supportive statement

but don’t come out with crap such as

“we stand with you” because they bloody don’t

it’s incredibly cringey to see such statements
 
Rhyme Animal said:
What’s the real reason? What are Russia getting out of it?
Click to expand...
From their calculus, probably a lot. No potential NATO missiles in Ukraine, no potential nuclear Ukraine, no potential military balance shifting between Ukraine and separatist regions.

The important point made by an expert is this: for the Russians, inaction might be of greater cost than intervening now.
 
Garethw said:
So Putin has said that if any countries interfere there will be consequences that have never been seen before.

Sounds like he’s talking about nuclear strikes. Shits just got very real!
Click to expand...
Yeah that’s what i read into those statements too. And he’s crazy enough to do it too.
The best outcome would be if someone took him from within his inner circle. Time to step up
 
Rhyme Animal said:
What’s the real reason? What are Russia getting out of it? Genuine question.
Click to expand...

I have no idea. Initially I was convinced that it was about NATO but his speech was way too emotional.
 
JPRouve said:
No, I think that countries take decisison based on their interests and whether they deem the price worthwile. Particularly when we are talking about a conflict that could easily cost millions of lives and trillions of dollars.
Click to expand...

I think and hope you're wrong. NATO to me is something holy and an absolute institution and if it'd be violated by one bit, I'd expect a full scale military operation, and if necessary risking armageddon. That's what we need to think for it to work. It's useless otherwise. And I don't want that to be the case.
 
groovyalbert said:
What else can Nato feasibly do when Ukraine isn't a part of the organization?
Click to expand...
I know and I get why NATO can't. But at the same time seeing a sovereign nation with borders to many NATO countries just get overrun by a thug doesn't sit well with me and if I were Ukrainian I would be hearing this with my head dropping in fear.

Likewise, I know that if NATO did help out military wise that this could easily spill further into Europe and lead to many more dead.

It's just a horrible situation that you didn't think we would see on European grounds again
 
Garethw said:
So Putin has said that if any countries interfere there will be consequences that have never been seen before.

Sounds like he’s talking about nuclear strikes. Shits just got very real!
Click to expand...

So here's another question. I assume that by "consequences" he means nuclear strikes as well.

What then stops him from rocking up in Poland or Romania and using this same threat of nuclear strikes?
 
Rektsanwalt said:
I think and hope you're wrong. NATO to me is something holy and an absolute institution and if it'd be violated by one bit, I'd expect a full scale military operation, and if necessary risking armageddon. That's what we need to think for it to work. It's useless otherwise. And I don't want that to be the case.
Click to expand...
NATO would unquestionably respond with war if a member state was attacked. Or it would immediately cease to exist. It's not a bluff.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.