Re: Russia has invaded Ukraine
 

BREAKING: Kremlin shockingly admits for the first time to outside world that it’s suffered heavy losses: Kremlin spokesman Peskov has reportedly told Sky News, “We have significant losses of troops and it’s a huge tragedy”.

Sky News, went on to say: “His admission stood in stark contrast to repeated statements from Moscow that have sought to minimise estimations around the number of casualties its forces have suffered.” - Sky News

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NEW: A senior European official has called the expulsion of Russian diplomats from Baltic States, Lithuania and Latvia, a "major disruption" to Russia's intelligence, potentially a permanent one. - Washington Post.

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BREAKING: EU's embargo on Russian coal to start in August.

The fifth package of the EU sanctions also includes a ban on Russian vessels with several exceptions; a ban on Russian and Belarusian road transport with a number of exceptions; further export and import bans. - Kyiv Independent.

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JUST IN: President Zelenskyy reacts to train station missiles attack in Kramatorsk in which 30 civilians were killed, loads more injured:

“Lacking the strength and courage to fight with us on the battlefield, they (Russians) are cynically destroying the civilian population. This is an evil that has no limits. And if it is not punished, it will never stop.” Kyiv Independent.

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U.S Defense Secretary: Putin ‘probably given up’ on capturing Kyiv, shift focus to east and south.

Lloyd Austin said that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin “thought he could rapidly take over the country of Ukraine, very rapidly take over the capital city. He was wrong.” - Kyiv Independent

Re: Russia has invaded Ukraine
 

Re: Russia has invaded Ukraine
 

BREAKING: Slovakia sends S-300 air defense system to Ukraine.

“We believe that this system will help save as many as possible innocent Ukrainians,” Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger said on April 8. - Kyiv Independent.

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NEW: Ukraine Minister of Defence pleads to allies for additional weapons, Olenskii Reznikov Says:



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UK imposes sanctions on families of Putin, Lavrov.

British assets of Vladimir Putin’s alleged daughters – Katerina Tikhonova & Maria Vorontsova – as well as the possessions of Sergey Lavrov’s daughter Yekaterina Vinokurova, are frozen.

They are banned from entering the UK.- Kyiv Independent.

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BREAKING: For the first time since 1994, Legendary Rock group, Pink Floyd release a new single as Humanitarian effort for Ukraine. They announced today via Twitter:

Re: Russia has invaded Ukraine
 

Germany is scrapping hundreds of Marder light tanks as we speak, can think of better uses for them

Re: Russia has invaded Ukraine
 

Scholz holds up German tank deliveries to Ukraine
https://www.politico.eu/article/scho...ry-to-ukraine/

No idea if these were the 'scrapped' ones, as quite a few are being/have been upgraded. Article does mention . .

Re: Russia has invaded Ukraine
 

JUST NOW: Al Arabiya: Russia, Ukraine willing to hold talks in Turkey.

A Turkish official told Al Arabiya news outlet that “both Russia and Ukraine are willing to hold talks in Turkey, but they are far from agreeing on a common text” after Russia massacred Ukrainian civilians in Bucha. - Kyiv Independent.

If I was a negotiator trying to arrange peace talks, with essentially the “Devil”, I’d set some pre-conditions before even confirming to commit to such a meeting:

Immediate ceasefire on all sides. Russia must stop its bombardments from Belarusian soil, Black Sea.

Release of Ukrainian Civilians reportedly kidnapped and taken to Russia, that it is if they are even alive.

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UPDATE: Death toll rises to 50, including 5 children killed in Russian attack on Kramatorsk train station.

According to Donetsk Oblast Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko, 98 people, including 16 children were hospitalized. - Kyiv Independent.

We all know Russia is crap one on one with Ukrainian military so the murdering cowards, go for easy targets instead.

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BREAKING: Prime Minister Boris Johnson, has just announced from 10 Downing Street, after a meeting with new German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that he will send a further 100 Million pounds worth of military equipment to Ukraine, including Starstreak hardware. Boris Johnson decried: “The Europe we knew just 6 weeks ago, no longer exists.”

Re: Russia has invaded Ukraine
 

Re: Russia has invaded Ukraine
 

JUST IN: The United States will reposition one Patriot missile system in Slovakia to backfill the Russian-made S-300 air defenses sent to Ukraine today, U.S Secretary of Defence, Lloyd Austin said.

The US battery in Slovakia will be manned by US troops. The US has Aegis Ashore in Romania and soon in Poland. - Jack Detsch, Foreign Policy.

Re: Russia has invaded Ukraine
 

So Ukraine is beginning to get the weapons it needs if it’s to press attacks against Russia in the occupied south and east. Many of the experts I’m reading are stating that comprehensive anti-air defence (much more than the low-altitude systems they have had so far) are what will be required if the Ukrainian army is to go on the offensive. The S-300 is just such a system, designed to defend against high-altitude fast jets. Meanwhile the UK is sending Starstreak, which can destroy jets and helicopters that try to avoid high-altitude defence systems by flying low.

Re: Russia has invaded Ukraine
 

Following Ukrainian Map Intel backs up U.S Defence Secretaries assessment that Putin appears to have given up on Kyiv, the Ukrainian Capital:

Day 21, 16th March 2022:

https://www.cableforum.uk/board/atta...1&d=1649436948

Day 43, yesterday, 7th April 2022:

https://www.cableforum.uk/board/atta...1&d=1649436973

Re: Russia has invaded Ukraine
 

U.S President Joe Biden responds to Train Station attack earlier today:

Re: Russia has invaded Ukraine
 

How is this going to end?

Realistically Putin needs a face-saving reason to exist but at the same time any concessions will reward him for the invasion and encourage him to do it again. Ideally, we would keep sanctions applied but I see Russia demanding the most effective sanctions are removed and several EU countries being willing to remove them in return for an end to the war due to their own domestic concerns.

Russia probably has the resources to keep a low-level war going for years. They can't be totally defeated. Do we just keep this going until Putin dies or what?

Re: Russia has invaded Ukraine
 

I'm not sure Russia can keep this going for years, war is expensive, sanctions more so. It's not an economic super power like the USA.

Assuming Ukranian success, the question is whether Ukraine will be allowed to retain the the Crimea which Russia gained in 2014 and also the status of the nominally independent republics of Donetsk and Luhansk. I think previously Ukraine's line has been that the lives lost in regaining these territories would not be worthwhile, but that view could obviously change.

If Russia lost the Crimea, I can't see Putin surviving in power. So could there be pressure on Ukraine by the West to get this back?

Re: Russia has invaded Ukraine
 

BREAKING: Ukraine's General Staff: More than 80% of Russian troops in some units refuse to fight.

Russian commanders reportedly refuse to accept applications for the dismissal of military personnel, even from those whose contracts have already expired. - Kyiv Independent.

Re: Russia has invaded Ukraine
 

The EU's Commission President Von der Leyen visited Bucha today and she this to say.

https://www.politico.eu/article/von-...0aWQfBXIwRWk7I