OV9

Maybe. But would Putin dare to invade a NATO country?

He’s going to have to if he wants all the former USSR states back.

It seems like a very long winded way to make an "I can see clearly now Ukraine has gone" joke...

The potential of Ukraine joining nato which could mean nato troops are closer to the Russian borders is part of the "justification" for the invasion. Ironic that taking over Ukraine also moves borders closers to nato.

I imagine none nato countries such as Finland are concerned.

It is very difficult as we're deeply reliant on Russian gas, wheat and money. Sanctioning a couple of oligarchs and Russian banks has no meaning or impact, so mostly for show. Harder sanctions like cutting them out of Swift and other international systems would hurt them, but would also hurt us.

Wonder if he's been planning this since Crimea. Possibly emboldened by China asserting their power in the South China Sea with little resistance.

There's been a big development in the Ukraine situation, not even on the main news sites yet: France have surrendered.

We get about 3% of our gas from Russia, 2nd lowest in Europe. Other countries depend much more heavily. Apparently Boris has been pushing for SWIFT disconnection but Germany, Italy, Cyprus and other objected.

No surprises but Trump is still completely batshit. I just read this on the Guardian site:

"He had also become confused on the Laura Ingraham show last night, appearing to believe that US troops were landing in Ukraine (rather than Russian ones) – and saying he thought that that news should be kept secret."

Simon wrote: Thu Feb 24, 2022 5:36 pm We get about 3% of our gas from Russia, 2nd lowest in Europe. Other countries depend much more heavily. Apparently Boris has been pushing for SWIFT disconnection but Germany, Italy, Cyprus and other objected.

Not sure that's quite right. AIUI Russia supplies something like 30% of European supplies, and c40% of our gas comes from those European supplies. If that supply is cut or limited then EU demand on their other sources will massively affect us

We import via pipelines mostly from Norway and via lng tankers from Qatar, the USA etc; we also export quite a lot but that’s based on the vagaries of agreed price export contracts and spot sales.

Uk’s problem is we have very little storage capacity relative to consumption.

Friend from St. Petes posted an anti war message on social media. It broke my heart to think of him being arrested and taken from his wife and kids over it.

There are good and brave people all over and may they keep safe.

The backlash within Russia is far bigger than expected and probably the biggest chance of stopping all this.

Dave!

BBC News wrote: Mr Blinken also reiterated US President Joe Biden's position that the possibility of expanding existing US sanctions to target Mr Putin directly was still "on the table", if the situation were to escalate.

Err, how much more escalation do you want? Why wouldn't this be the first thing they did?

All these sanctions seem very mild, basically they want to be seen to hurt Russia a bit without really bothering them too much. I presume for fear of the cost to us.

Freezing a few assets of a few billionaires is a waste of time really, a minor inconvenience at best.

duncs500 wrote: Fri Feb 25, 2022 5:40 am Freezing a few assets of a few billionaires is a waste of time really, a minor inconvenience at best.

I know levity isn't all that appropriate but I read that last sentence in the Pitchmeeting voice.

V8Granite wrote: Fri Feb 25, 2022 4:02 am The backlash within Russia is far bigger than expected and probably the biggest chance of stopping all this.

Dave!

I can't find anything of any scale in the media Dave!, where have you seen that?

RobYob wrote: Fri Feb 25, 2022 6:07 am

duncs500 wrote: Fri Feb 25, 2022 5:40 am Freezing a few assets of a few billionaires is a waste of time really, a minor inconvenience at best.

I know levity isn't all that appropriate but I read that last sentence in the Pitchmeeting voice.

I have no idea what that means.

duncs500 wrote: Fri Feb 25, 2022 6:22 am

RobYob wrote: Fri Feb 25, 2022 6:07 am

duncs500 wrote: Fri Feb 25, 2022 5:40 am Freezing a few assets of a few billionaires is a waste of time really, a minor inconvenience at best.

I know levity isn't all that appropriate but I read that last sentence in the Pitchmeeting voice.

I have no idea what that means.

it's a youtube channel, reviewing films as if they were pitching them to producers to be made - the guys catchphrase is "super easy, barely an inconvenience" whenever there's a bit of plot that seems ridiculously convoluted or impossible.

duncs500 wrote: Fri Feb 25, 2022 6:19 am

V8Granite wrote: Fri Feb 25, 2022 4:02 am The backlash within Russia is far bigger than expected and probably the biggest chance of stopping all this.

Dave!

I can't find anything of any scale in the media Dave!, where have you seen that?

I watched on AlJazeera that 1400 had been arrested for rallies against the war. A brave thing to do in Russia.

Dave!

V8Granite wrote: Fri Feb 25, 2022 6:59 am

duncs500 wrote: Fri Feb 25, 2022 6:19 am

V8Granite wrote: Fri Feb 25, 2022 4:02 am The backlash within Russia is far bigger than expected and probably the biggest chance of stopping all this.

Dave!

I can't find anything of any scale in the media Dave!, where have you seen that?

I watched on AlJazeera that 1400 had been arrested for rallies against the war. A brave thing to do in Russia.

Dave!

It is, and probably life is over for those people. I just don't know if it's enough to bother Putin.

duncs500 wrote: Fri Feb 25, 2022 7:02 am

V8Granite wrote: Fri Feb 25, 2022 6:59 am

duncs500 wrote: Fri Feb 25, 2022 6:19 am

I can't find anything of any scale in the media Dave!, where have you seen that?

I watched on AlJazeera that 1400 had been arrested for rallies against the war. A brave thing to do in Russia.

Dave!

It is, and probably life is over for those people. I just don't know if it's enough to bother Putin.

I can tell you how much it bothers him. Not at all. He doesn’t need the people to stay in power, he can do it himself- don’t forget he did this in 2020 https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/2020/7 ... ident-2036 so he can stay president as long as he wants