Russia has invaded Ukraine

It’s also worth pointing out that ‘don’t poke the bear’ is one of the most successful psy-ops of the 20th and now 21st century, perpetuating the myth of Russia as the all-powerful second greatest military on earth and, so far, helping achieve Russia’s foreign policy aim of limiting western aid to Ukraine because western governments are, on a very deep and visceral level, scared of what Russia might do if provoked.

The reality is, Russia is only the second greatest military in Ukraine, and has achieved minimal gains in exchange for vast losses of men and equipment that for the most part it cannot replace. The whole sorry episode could have been settled long ago had the escalation management obsessives in the Biden administration not been running the show prior to 2025.

And sadly, little will change in the next couple of years unless and until Europe gets over its dependence on America and its irrational fear of Russia and starts to take charge of things. For whatever bizarre and possibly perverted reason, Donald Trump craves Putin’s approval and admiration above all others and no matter what words he utters to appease US Republicans (who by and large do not like Russia, or Putin), he simply isn’t ever going to finally run out of patience or honour any deadline he seems to have set.

[Carth]

I'd much rather have a better NHS, more policing, more 'social' care, and obviously much more affordable (LMAO) housing.

Oh, and some bloody jobs that involve people not AI

Originally Posted by Carth

I'd much rather have a better NHS, more policing, more 'social' care, and obviously much more affordable (LMAO) housing.

Oh, and some bloody jobs that involve people not AI

Funnily enough there were a lot of people demanding social justice - including an NHS - in 1938. Unfortunately, 15 years of foreign policy failure, including appeasement of a genocidal dictator and a negligent attitude to national defence until it was almost too late, meant we couldn’t have an NHS until after we’d fought, and won, a world war.

[1andrew1]

Ukraine's strategy with US intel has been to weaken Russia's energy assets. The country is now carrying out attacks that Biden's regime would not have approved of. It could be regretting its dependence on the energy sector or its wealth.

American intelligence shared with Kyiv has enabled strikes on important Russian energy assets including oil refineries far beyond the frontline, according to multiple Ukrainian and US officials familiar with the campaign.

...Soon after the July call, the four people familiar with the Ukrainian deep strike drone operation said US intelligence with a new level of specificity began flowing to Kyiv. That information has allowed Kyiv to better map Russian air defences and plot strike routes.

At least 16 of the country’s 38 oil refineries have been struck, some repeatedly, disrupting more than 1mn barrels a day of refining capacity, according to Energy Aspects, a research group. Russian social media videos, verified by the Financial Times and independent analysts, have shown numerous large oil and gas facilities in flames.

Zelenskyy on Wednesday said Moscow was importing petrol — “notably from Belarus and China” — and had restricted exports. Russia probably lost up to 20 per cent of fuel production capacity because of the Ukrainian strikes, he added.

https://www.ft.com/content/f9f42c10-...7-3368dd831c8c

And now Trump is considering allowing Ukraine to access Tomahawk missiles in an attempt to get Putin to the negotiating table. I can imagine after the middle East deal, he will be happy to leave others to sort out the details there and move onto Ukraine. Upping the pressure on Russia now would tie in with this.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c93xpqgzkv0o

Putin's strategy seems to be to attack Ukranian energy assets too as Winter gets close

Major Russian strikes cut power in Kyiv and across Ukraine

Overnight Russian missile and drone strikes have caused power cuts in large parts of Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, and eight other regions.

Kyiv's authorities said power was later restored to more than 540,000 consumers in the city - but many households are still without electricity.

Twelve people were injured in the city, said Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko. In the southern Zaporizhzhia region, a seven-year-old boy was killed and seven others injured. Ten people were also injured in the central Cherkasy region.

Russia's defence ministry said its "massive" strike with high-precision weapons - including hypersonic missiles - targeted energy facilities used by Ukraine's "military-industrial complex".

Russia - which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 - has escalated attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities as well as transport infrastructure as winter approaches.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgq2vnxzlvo

[Carth]

I think it's a marvelous thing that both sides are targeting oil, gas and petroleum refineries and installations.

This means there is likely to be less pollution caused by the cars, buses and lorries on the roads.

The huge flames and explosions you see on the horizon will have no effect on a polluted atmosphere, nor will the tanks, planes and missiles of both sides running around blowing stuff up.

What's that Greta whatsit character doing now?

tbf, the Russians are trying to limit the pollution by focusing on civilian targets…