Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the Ukrainian Parliament that the “so-called irresistible force of Putin’s war machine has broken on the immoveable object of Ukrainian patriotism”.

Johnson also said “Ukraine will win. Ukraine will be free.”

The full speech is here:

“President Zelenskyy, Mr Chairman, members of the Verkhovna Rada

It is a big honour for me to address you at this crucial moment in history

and I salute the courage with which you are meeting, the way you have continued to meet, in spite of a barbaric onslaught on your freedoms

Day after day missiles and bombs continue to rain on the innocent people of Ukraine

In the south and the east of your wonderful country, Putin continues with his grotesque and illegal campaign to take and hold Ukrainian soil

And his soldiers no longer have the excuse of not knowing what they are doing

They are committing war crimes, and their atrocities emerge wherever they are forced to retreat – as we’ve seen at Bucha, at Irpin at Hostomel and many other places

We in the UK will do whatever we can to hold them to account for these war crimes

and in this moment of uncertainty, of continuing fear and doubt

I have one message for you today:

Ukraine will win

Ukraine will be free

And I tell you why I believe you will succeed, members of the Rada

When they came to me last year, and they said that the evidence was now overwhelming that Putin was planning an invasion

and we could see his Battalion Tactical Groups – well over 100 of them – gathering on the border

I also, I remember a sense of horror but also of puzzlement.

Because I had been to Kyiv on previous visits – and I actually met some of you and I had stood in the Maidan and seen the tributes to those who had given their lives to protect Ukraine against Russian aggression

and I’ve wandered the lovely streets of your capital

and I’ve seen enough about Ukrainian freedom to know that the Kremlin was making a fundamental miscalculation, a terrible mistake

and I told anyone I knew, anyone who would listen that Ukraine would fight and Ukraine would be right

and yet there were some who believed the Kremlin propaganda that Russian armour would be like an irresistible force going like a knife through butter,

and that Kyiv would fall within days

Do you remember they said that? And people rang Volodymyr and offered him safe passage out of the country, and he said – no thanks

and that this Rada of yours would have to be reformed outside Ukraine maybe in Poland or even in London perhaps

and I refused to believe it.

And today you have proved them completely wrong, every one of those military experts who said Ukraine would fall

Your farmers kidnapped Russian tanks with their tractors

Your pensioners told Russian soldiers to hop as we say, although they may have used more colourful language

Even in the parts of Ukraine that were temporarily captured, your populations, your indomitable populations turned out to protest, day after day

And though your soldiers were always outnumbered – three to one it is now – they fought with the energy and courage of lions

You have beaten them back from Kyiv

You have exploded the myth of Putin’s invincibility and you have written one of the most glorious chapters in military history and in the life of your country

The so-called irresistible force of Putin’s war machine has broken on the immoveable object of Ukrainian patriotism and love of country

This is Ukraine’s finest hour, that will be remembered and recounted for generations to come.

Your children and grandchildren will say that Ukrainians taught the world that the brute force of an aggressor counts for nothing against the moral force of a people determined to be free.

They will say that Ukrainians proved by their tenacity and sacrifice that tanks and guns cannot suppress a nation fighting for its independence,

and that is why I believe that Ukraine will win

You have proved the old saying – it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog – which is an old English saying, I’m not sure how well that translates in Ukrainian but you get what I’m trying to say.

And as you turned the Russian army back from the gates of Kyiv, you not only accomplished the greatest feat of arms of the 21st century,

you achieved something deeper and perhaps equally significant.

You exposed Putin’s historic folly, the gigantic error that only an autocrat can make.

Because when a leader rules by fear, rigs elections, jails critics, gags the media, and listens just to sycophants,

when there is no limit on his power = that is when he makes catastrophic mistakes.

And it is precisely because we understand this danger in Britain and in Ukraine – precisely because we are democracies, and because we have a free media, the rule of law, free elections and robust parliaments, such as your own,

we know that these are the best protections against the perils of arbitrary power.

When an autocrat deliberately destroys these institutions,he might look as though he is strong and some people might even believe it,

but he is sowing the seeds of catastrophe, for himself and for his country,

because there will be nothing to prevent him committing another terrible mistake Putin’s mistake was to invade Ukraine, and the carcasses of Russian armour littering your fields and streets are monuments not only to his folly, but to the dangers of autocracy itself.

What he has done is an advertisement for democracy.

On a day when Putin thought he would be in charge of Kyiv, I had the honour of being able to visit your wonderful city,

and I saw the defiance of the people of Ukraine,

I know so much about the terrible price that Ukrainians have paid and are paying for your heroism.

Today, at least one Ukrainian in every four has been driven from their homes, and it is a horrifying fact that two thirds of all Ukrainian children are now refugees, whether inside the country or elsewhere.

So no outsider like me can speak lightly about how the conflict could be settled, if only Ukraine would relinquish this or that piece or territory or we find some compromise for Vladimir Putin.

We know what happens to the people left in the in clutches of this invader.

And we who are your friends must be humble about what happened in in 2014,

because Ukraine was invaded before for the first time, when Crimea was taken from Ukraine and the war in the Donbas began

The truth is that we were too slow to grasp what was really happening

and we collectively failed to impose the sanctions then that we should have put on Vladimir Putin.

We cannot make the same mistake again.

And it is precisely because of your valour your courage your sacrifice that Ukrainians now control your own destiny:

you are the masters of your fate, and no-one can or should impose anything on Ukrainians.

We in the UK will be guided by you and we are proud to be your friends,

I am proud to say our Ambassador, Melinda Simmons, is back in Kyiv to reopen our embassy.

In January of course– just before Putin launched his onslaught – we sent you planeloads of anti-tank missiles, the NLAWS which I think have become popular in Kyiv,

and we have intensified that vital effort, working with dozens of countries, helping to coordinate this ever- bigger supply line,

dispatching thousands of weapons of many kinds, including tanks now and armoured vehicles.

In the coming weeks, we in the UK will send you Brimstone anti-ship missiles and Stormer anti-aircraft systems.

We are providing armoured vehicles to evacuate civilians from areas under attack and protect officials – what Volodymyr mentioned to me in our most recent call – while they maintain critical infrastructure.

And I can announce today from the UK government a new package of support totalling £300 million, including radars to pinpoint the artillery bombarding your cities, heavy lift drones to supply your forces, and thousands of night vision devices.

We will carry on supplying Ukraine, alongside your other friends, with weapons, funding and humanitarian aid,

until we have achieved our long-term goal, which must be so to fortify Ukraine that no-one will ever dare to attack you again.

Here in the UK, in my country, you will see Ukrainian flags flying from church spires and in shop windows

You see Ukrainian ribbons on the lapels of people up and down the country

There are many reasons your country has evoked such astonishing sympathy in the British people

It is a conflict that has no moral ambiguities or no grey areas

This is about the right of Ukrainians to protect themselves against Putin’s violent and murderous aggression

It is about Ukraine’s right to independence and national self-determination, against Putin’s deranged imperialist revanchism

It is about Ukrainian democracy against Putin’s tyranny

It is about freedom versus oppression

It is about right versus wrong

It is about good versus evil

And that is why Ukraine must win

And when we look at the heroism of the Ukrainian people and the bravery of your leader Volodomyr Zelenskyy – we know that Ukraine will win

And we in the UK will do everything we can to restore a free sovereign and independent Ukraine

Thank you all very much for listening to me today, and slava Ukraini!”

George Allison
George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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420 COMMENTS

  1. Johnsonski is milking the terrible war in Ukraine for all it’s worth before the local elections on Thursday. The man responsible for the most savage cuts to the British military since Cameron’s malign 2010 SDSR is now pretending to be Churchill

    Rumours persist that Sunak has told Wallace that the Treasury willl not provide any additional funding for the costs of supporting Ukraine – it’s all got to be paid for out of the current MoD budget. Maybe a few of Johnsons Russian friends should chip in

    • First Lord of The Treasury actually is the PM’s title.

      The kit gifted to Ukraine will be UOR so it is directly paid for by Treasury.

      The would be a massive political storm from all sides of the house if the aid to Ukraine was taken out of MOD running budgets.

        • All Governments have contingencies which you cannot and would not budget for. That said where we are sending kit from stock we will have to re-stock and that might come from the budget. However it is likely that we would get upgraded kit for ourselves so that might be a benefit.

        • We haven’t heard announcements of cuts to programmes or head counts. If it was coming out of MoD budget we would have. If there are no cuts announced in the next few weeks we’ll know for sure.

          • What we have heard is commitments to more F35s. A war focuses minds on the military.

          • Who knows who is paying for it, but I’m pretty sure if there would need to be cuts, that will be kept quiet until the war stops being front page news. No goverment would want to talk about defence cuts at this time.

          • I think it was £16bn, rather than £16, which wouldn’t go very far. This money was not acquired for Defence to aid Ukraine as it was reported in Nov 2020 and pre-dates the conflict. I can’t recall what it was for specifically – I guess mostly to close the black hole in the Equipment Programme, somewhat.

          • £16 bill

            ———————————–

            I can’t recall what it was for specifically – I guess mostly to close the black hole in the Equipment Programme, somewhat.

            That was my guess to and if that money gets spent by Borris by being given away to the Ukraine….

            You get my point now ?

        • I find percentages and pie charts help also. 5% of spending currently goes on defence. Gdp quotes are useful but are misleading aswell.

          https://chart.googleapis.com/chart?cht=p3&chs=700×300&chco=cc0000,4040ff,00cc00,cc8800,66cc00,0088ff,00ff70,ffcc88,808080&chf=bg,s,e8e8e8&chd=t:16,20,9,5,13,4,4,2,19,4&chl=Pensions%2016%25%7CHealth%20Care%2020%25%7CEducation%209%25%7CDefence%205%25%7CWelfare%2013%25%7CProtection%204%25%7CTransport%204%25%7CGeneral%20Government%202%25%7COther%20Spending%2019%25%7CInterest%204%25&chtt=Spending:%20Total%20Pie%20Chart%20for%20%20-%20FY%202023

          • Mate going of the government’s own figures and the figures of that website where you got the graph from. This is what I work out.

            2.3% of GDP £54.5 bill is the claimed spend on defense.

            £5.9 bill is spent on foreign aid.

            £5 bill a year is spent roughly on Trident and funding its replacement.

            2.3/54.5*(54.5-(5.9+5)) = 1.84% of GDP spent on defenes.

            That’s nowhere near enough, I just don’t trust most of the countries in NATO. Germany France and Spain would throw us under a bus the first chance they get if they could profit from it. Even the Yanks, after what they did in Afghanistan, I’m very weary of.

            We need some level of self-reliance a basic ability to defend ourselves 1.84% doesn’t give us that.

            For Christ sakes, NATO is in a full on confrontation with Russia. Who are out right threatening to nukes us. The last time things were this bad was during the early 80’s when the Russians threw a shit fit over the star wars program.

            We spent nearly 5% of GDP on defense back then. That was before Russia mate China turned into arguably a superpower themselves.Them gits need watching as well.

          • Defend ourselves from what? That realistic threat is there that we could counter even with 10%. Russia isn’t a realsitic threat, as they would have to go through the whole of Europe to reach us and yet can’t manage one country in Ukraine. China is way too big to counter and realsticslly isn’t a miltiary threat to the UK, we would be helping an ally rather than taking the lead, in any way involving them.

            It comes back to realsitic usage of our armed forces are counter insurgency warfare and/or piracy prevention. If we were to accept that and redirect funds to gear and soldier numbers required to counter it, then we could be a serious force again.

          • To remain civil we will just have to agree to disagree mate.

            Have a nice day anyway 😀.

          • You sure about that, I think its likely we’ll see a Chinese military base in Argentina in the next 2 decades. It conceivable China could fund Argentine projects including rebuilding its armed forces in exchange for things like fishing rights and natural resources. And if those rights extend into what is currently UK territory and rich fishing grounds that’s better for China. Other motivation would be a distraction in the South Atlantic the same time as a play for Taiwan. Sure, we wouldn’t be facing off directly with China but a China backed proxy with access to Chinese assets. OK you may say unlikely but pre 2014 annexation of Crimea you’d have said a major war in Europe was unlikely, never say never.

          • Chinese ownership of major ports from the Indian Ocean to Greece should ringing alarm bells.

            Truly threatening to our interests.

          • They have taken a leaf out the British empire. Control ports. Control international trade and choke points. Build a navy to defend those maritime trade links.
            The only problem facing China is that there Navy whilst developing rapidly and adding huge numbers of warships and subs and support ships isnt well trained and likely that lack of expertise will tell against them. Plus unlike the RN in 18th, 19th centuries the Chinese navy is facing a unified alliance of nations in NATO, 5 Eyes and AUKUS. So has to factor in building and supporting in deployment a truelly vast navy. Likely theyd need 1.5-2x the size of the current USN to effectively prosecute any expansionist campaign passed the 1st island group. Much much easier for China to head north into a now weakened Russia or west into Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, India.

          • Then again I wonder what effect all the LEO satellites will have on their data collection and intelligence, added to which, how do we vet any stewards(?) On our ships, if we still have them?

            With Chinese in every port and a huge intelligence operation, we should wonder how far ahead we really are.

            Experience, well they sailed to the Baltic with no tugs.

          • Agreeyou do have to watch China and a smokes and mirrors campaign of disinformation and stirring up trouble in multiple locations to distract whilst a takeover of Taiwan is attempted.
            Likely ooints of distraction. Okinawa precinct. Vladivostok. Solomon islands. I dont think Chinese military would attempt the Falklands as too far away. Although you might get a deliberate provocation from a fleet of illegal fishing trawlers that just happened to be Chinese paramilitary coast guard manned. Our response should be swift and clear. Leave uk territorial waters or we will sink you. Eurofighter typhoon with Brimstone flying from Mnt Pleasant would do the job. Or a River Batch 2s 30mm ds30 gun.

          • I completely agree Steve. We have a geographical advantage even compared to Continental sized powers and should exploit that. Our cultural capital – we are still widely respected if not always well understood – means we can make alliances that do not involve any potential ally having to accept our norms; the case in China, Russia’s and even the U.S. becoming your ‘best friend’ is having to give something up. Hence our relationships with a very diverse set of countries worldwide that outrages liberals. Our defence posture should factor in more than technology (but always innovating) and scale. Being on the spot with highly trained, flexible and appropriately armed and supported forces is worth a lot more than scale – see Ukraine!

          • Only when the economy recovers can real military independence be achieved.

            For military independence, all unnecessary expenditures for future wars must be cut
             All but having essential military skills should be excluded from the 1% budget of GDP over the next decade.

            Will sacrifice the future and gain the present?
            Or will sacrifice the present and gain the future?

             can’t have both economy and military power.
             The UK is not the United States.

          • The minimum to maintain essential skills was 3% of GDP. We’re well below that, and you want to slash the budget down to 1%.

            wow

      • I’d have assumed if it was coming from any ministry other than the treasury it would be foreign aid.

    • Not a great fan of Boris eh? I think you could argue that Boris is doing his job as he sees it and if at the end of the day the people agree with what he is doing then they will indicate that. Just because it is a terrible war does not invalidate Boris’s strategy of supporting a population who would rather die than live under the tyrenny of Putin. It is also in the interests of the UK as a disastrous campaign in the Ukraine for Putin might just put him off attacking a NATO country will all that entails.

      • If the leaders of America and Britain had done there jobs in 2014 during the previous Russian invasion we wouldn’t be dealing with this now. But the Western leaders back then were weak and scared of Putin and choose to appease him. Now the poor people of Ukraine are paying the price for that.

        • There is much in what you say. It is also true that Ukraine now has a serious leader and a population who are passionate about freedom & willing to die for it. The British can relate to that.

          At that time Cameron had us obsessing over referendums & the Americans were focused elsewhere.

        • There is a little more to it than that. Full support and aid only really started once it was clear Russia wasn’t as big a threat as expected. Not knocking what we or the US did back in 2014, but can’t blame leaders for being worried about starting ww3. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

          • Thats true. Our military aid began. Russia invaded and rapidly we realised Russia’s military was essentially crap and couldnt defeat even ATGW deployed by infantry. Then we began adding to our military aide. Ably and vociferously supported by requests from a very impressive Ukranian president.
            Now NATO (and Russia knows this) has little to no fear of Russia’s conventional military forces.
            That is why they threaten WMD. Those are the only weapons Russia has that makes NATO pause.
            As long as the war in Ukraine is not expanded and Russia doesnt use WMD then the proxy war in Ukraine will remain localised, albeit brutal and horrific, with a likely eventual outcome of Ukranian victory or at least an attritional stalemate whereby Russia is militarily and economically contained.
            I see India has dictated terms to Russia of oil exports being reduced in price to below $70 a barrel.
            Wow just wow. India is using this moment to simply further its own economic interests. This behaviour makes India not a viable dependable ally. China will be sitting on the sidelines just waiting for India to lose its military and political support from Western nations before it attempts again to wrest territory from the country on the line of contact. North eastern India.

      • Boris has a strategy of supporting himself. Fortunately for ukraine the war happened at the same time as so many scandels and his used it as a way to redirect focus. Which has been great for Ukraine.

        • Many people have such a negative view of politicans. Politicians reflect society as a whole and we are all less than perfect. Boris is simply emulating Churchill (who was the least perfect of us all) and to be honest I have little to complain about in his support of Ukraine. Politicians are a necessary evil but I for one will support the ones who get the big decisions right.

          • Big decisions are covid and the economy, both of which Boris and his front benchers got badly wrong, so by that logic I can’t vote for him or the conservatives. Also they got afgan badly wrong, and so many other foreign policy decisions. Getting one thing right after seriously messing up our country is doesn’t balance it out

          • I gave Boris 7/10 for Covid and the economy seems sound. Cost of living is the problem. Short of doing a deal with the devil to lower the cost of gas & oil and ending up sanctioned ourselves I’m not sure how we improve that in the short term. Nuclear power is the solution in the long term but being tough with Putin has it’s price – one Boris should pay on our behalf if you ask me.

        • There’s not a lot of iron about Liz, ironic perhaps. If you mean Patel, she’s too right wing and has shown a consistent lack of judgement on immigration. She’d lose the Tories far too many votes.

          • There are also serious doubts as to Patel’s competence, not to mention that little affair with the Israelis. ….

        • Na she is stuffed also, Boris has put her in charge of brexit, which is a posion chalice, as it’s impossible to deliver on what the ERG etc want. Boris is very cleaver about putting his competitors into positions that will destroy their polictical hopes. If he put as much focus into the economy we wouldnt be in as bad a position as we are Vs the other g7 countries.

      • Did you hear that he is having heating put in to his outdoor pool – it will cost £13k pa to heat. Many people cannot afford to heat their homes properly.

        • How can someone like that who has always lived like that possibly know how to help people who struggle for money or be dependant on benefit due to illness etc. average energy prices are higher than a total universal credit amount. Keep warm, just don’t eat, have internet, phone, tv licence, clothes oh and don’t bother washing or wiping ur bum as u can’t afford toilet paper.
          I hope someone takes a dump in his heated pool

          After the Ukraine crisis instead of U.K. families taking in a Ukrainian family it’s going to have to change to adopt a poor family.

          • I had to laugh at your comment about how we all might use his heated pool! I have lost my admiration for the man due to all the recent stories about him and his wife.

      • Boris pushed him under the bus you mean. Boris position was unsafe and Sunak was looking like the person the party supported and so he leaked all the tax stuff and so destroying his career. Admittedly his wifes tax status is shocking and should not be legal, but realistically it appears to be.

        • He was the same twat beforeas was his wife – some just didnt know.
          Same as Liz (got to ukraine) Truss, Priti (useless) Patel, Savid (savage)Javid . Gavin (go away Putin) Williamson – and their head honcho Johnson …leads by example.
          A veritable shower of shit – all of them …and I’m not even a Labour voter.

          • A veritable shower of shit – all of them …and I’m not even a Labour voter.

            Spot on 👍

          • Its shame Labour can’t get their act together. My assumption is we’ll end up with another useless parliament where no one has outright majority at the next election, with the Lib Dems doing better. Everyone will be just a p1ssed with politicians just blocking each other for the sake of. Sad times. Either way defence will get nothing as usual.

          • I hear that a lot about labour not getting their act together, but don’t really see any basis for it, as their policies for dealing with most of the issues like cost of living etc seem sensible. It just feels that Starmer lacks a larger than life personality of Johnson and the media seem to blindly back the conservatives, plus labour are scared of the B word and don’t want to attack that mess. I don’t trust either party, but right now would vote labour if it meant getting this government out.

          • Cost of living will always go up. But a generation has lived where things have generally got cheaper thanks to mass production and globalisation meaning averagecost of living has risen quite slowly. This is the first time I recall that government is being asked to step. As for policies like windfall tax on Oil companies they make most of there money outside the UK. The headline global profits look great but the UK north Sea is much smaller portion it will do little to impactcost of living, as with all politicians they hope people read the headline and don’t bother with the details. The view I’ve held for some time now is we need a new political party thats not wedded to capitalism or socialism but provides the right solution for the problem.

    • Sunak must know that the decision to supply weaponry to Ukraine is not the MoDs – they just do what they have been told by the PM – he should direct that the FO or the Treasury pay.

    • “Johnsonski”?? I thought he had Turkish heritage not Polish. Can’t see how that is relevant anyway 🤷🏻‍♂️

      BTW just because you want a rumour to be true doesn’t make it so… especially when said rumour is made up of people with the same political axe to grind as yourself.

    • Well thats about as factually correct as something Diane Abbott comes out with.

      Considering the defence budget was increased in 2021 during a pandemic and one of the most expensive years for the government in history I think you should re-look at the numbers before posting.

      • We certainly spend a massive amount on Defence and that £16bn announced in Nov 2020 was unexpected. But our forces are still smaller than they should be to meet Global Britain roles and responsibilities, there are still many capability gaps and the army is not ready for armoured warfare.

    • Johnson needs to get rid of Sunak fast.
      1) he’s a popular choice for Johnson’s successor
      2) he doesn’t understand that his role as number 2 is to find the money, not to decide what to spend it on. It’s like he thinks he’s already PM.

      • Sinak wasa popular choice but he has ‘cooked his goose’ now. It is only Liz Truss who has a chance of being PM in future.

        • Brexit has ended old party loyalties. The Tories can only form a majority government if they keep the red wall seats. They need a beauty contest of their red wall MPs, to find at least one that chimes with the public. Then promote that MP or MPs.

          • And yet they had a reputation as being members of the Bluffer fan club.

            Certainly, several of them have been disabused of their enthusiasm for the clown but, who can lead the Cons?

            Whether in power or opposition, we need strength in both; that leadership needs personal integrity, accountability, truthfulness and moral high standing.

            All major parties need this in their Cabinets and I just can’t see it.

        • Then the UK goes bankrupt?
          (if liz truss going to PM…)

          Remember, even after Chamberlain had managed to patch up the aftermath of the Great Depression and miraculously created a warable financial position, Churchill had 200% of the debt to the British Empire after World War II 
          (and WW2 debt caused tear apart Great British empire)

          The pride of great military power necessarily requires a huge amount of money and it can only be filled with the blood and sweat of the future British people. 

          Sunak, who works for Britain, is better than Liz Truss, even if hated by the British who want to show off their great military power.

        • She’s an empty chalice. Nothing up top except ambition.

          No one in the current Cabinet stands out as the Leadership this country deserves imho.

          • He is perhaps not so well known to the general public, and some might think he does not have much charisma or a photogenic nature, not that that bothers me. Have any SoS for Defence ever made it to PM?

    • And your suggesting what, that a vote for Corbyn at the last election would have seen a historic rise in defence spending. Its all very well having a pop at BoJo but he’s in power because Labour stood behind a man who hated the UK and organisations like NATO. I reviewed Labours presentation at RUSI on defence, it wasn’t a positive direction. I didn’t vote for Boris but I sure wasn’t going to vote for Corbyn on defence grounds.

  2. https://twitter.com/TrentTelenko/status/1521275304593002497 Trent Telenko is good one to follow hes a former DoD in logistics and he highlights all the logistic faults of the Russian armed forces comparing its logistics of 1930’s capability , and from I get from his tweets is for all of the Russian trolls barking about pre 2022 sanctions not having a effect it seems they really did have a effect on Russian’s logistic capability and corruption of course.

        • Russian ATV tyres were purchased from China. Seems they didnt select run flats with XXL load ratings so when put onto armoured vehicles which were then fully loaded and driven on/ limited off road, they got bogged down, run flat or punctured and had glass jaws going completely flacid and useless the minute tyre integrity was compromised.
          Tyres are the one item, alongside brakes and reliable drivetrains that you cant skimp on. Just another example of Russia’s armed forces being large but only superficially capable.

    • Of course, if the Russian’s have any sense they’ll already have taken Mr Telenko’s points on board and if he is as good as you say he is then I hope they’re too pre-occupied or too scared to own up to Putin about their shortfalls and just carry on as they are.

      I do wonder whether some of these pundits forget that they may actually be saying something of use to the Russian’s… Lets hope that there is too much noise for the useful stuff to stand out, eh!

      Cheers CR

      • I see your point but this is regime in so much denial from top to bottom and with so much propaganda it actually believes , as one ex general said this is not a force for learning.

        • Agreed, and that is my hope, but when the dust settles Russia isn’t just going to walk away from its delussions of grandeur and super power status. So perhaps we should be a little bit more reserved in what we put out there…

          I have found myself backing off making some specific observations just in case… and I’m in no a renouned expert but ideas matter.

          Just saying.

          Cheers CR

      • Agree. what we dont want is a competent general to appear who has an ounce of strategy and can deliver combined arms tactics on the battlefield. Fortunately never going to happen as Putin is alleged to have taken full military control on the battlefield. So expect more of the same from the frankly rubbish Russian military.

        • The parallels between Putin and Hilter get ever more stark… Soon Putin will be issuing orders to units that no longer exist…

          What a waste.

          CR

  3. I’d add a bit to that statement. ‘Ukraine will win ish.’ There is no way Ukraine is getting Crimea back but I think Zelensky already knows that. The thing is Putin will declare victory and want to hold on to the Donbass, Kherson and Mariupol. Does Zelensky go along with that ceasefire line or does he attack??

      • Not sure the Russians have thought too deeply about how they might defend & utilise what they have stolen.

        • I’m with you on that and David’s post above. The trouble is that Putin, once he has declared victory and a ceasefire, if then attacked will then probably use a tactical nuke. Hope that isn’t the case but Putin will not risk his army being completely routed.

          • What will happen if he orders his underlings to use a nuke ? The same underlings who have photos of their children and grandchildren on their desk. Does he want to find out ?

          • Sadly I think the underlings will do as they are told:
            1) Ukraine doesn’t have nukes to fire back
            2) They know Putin will have put those photos of their children and grandchildren on the desks of a few of his KGB buddies too.

          • The FSB are literally in a tense situation with Putin due to their failures in predicting the resistance at the start of the war, no doubt any special agents will be having second thoughts of following his instructions if he is likely to be removed form power anyways, so a bit of fence sitting. Let’s not forget even if Ukraine doesn’t have nukes to fight back it would give NATO a good enough reason to bum rush Russia into not Russia with their forces.

          • Hi underlings have already committed the most appaling war crimes – and have embarked on genocide.

          • They’re vile disgusting people who back Putin to line their own pockets but never underestimate an old mans love of his grandkids.

          • I expect the plan is to evict Putin not pursue him. If he is removed it must be by his own people. The west will carefully control the weapons given to Ukraine in order to retain some control. A tactical nuke is a serious possibility but will not alter the determination for Ukraine to remain free and risks an escalation. Putin still controls Russia – he just needs to withdraw.

          • It’s generally said that an army is about 2-3 times as effective defending as attacking. Ukraine has been defending; if it opts to go on the offensive, will it be able to succeed without this advantage?

          • Thats not quite true. In falklands war the British army had a 3:1 advantage in attack vs Argentina. In both gulf wars (Iraq) the allies delivered 5-6:1 advantage in attack.
            Modern weapons actually favour attack. The only viable defensive strategy is a mobile continuously moving continuously patrolling and counter attacking strategy. Static defence is easy fodder for modern weapons like Javelin, Milan, Panzerfaust 3 etc.
            Lets hope Russia does switch to a static defence. They will lose.

          • Yes . There’s a worry that if Putin decides to annex the Southern and Eastern parts of Ukraine that has been occupied and consider them as part of a ‘Greater ‘ Russia then, should Ukraine start to take its territory back, he might use a tactical nuclear weapon against Ukraine or the west on the false narrative that Russian territory was being invaded/attacked.

      • With what? his 200 ancient polish tanks, the ghost of Kiev, and the much vaunted Bayraktars whose “happy time” ended about 2 weeks after the war started.

        Ukraine started the war with more APCs and Tanks than the Uk, France and Germany could field together. Where are these?

        Ukraine won’t win, and the yanks can sit back and sell Europe oil, while Ukrainians die to keep Bidens and the democrats hopes alive that they’ll continue to get the Gas transit dollars they’ve been scoofing for the past 8 years.

        • With surplus NATO kit & new self built modern tech they will fund with loaned cash from the west. Loads of companies with the order books open already.

          • Victory parade scaled to glory of times.

            With one single T90 tank Russian people rule world.

            No need for more.

            Simples?

          • Ho Ho, the usual reply to this subject when you have no answer, name calling.

            I don’t come in and call all the pro Ukrainian commenters here Nazis for supporting a clearly Nazi regime. A Nazi regime that was being called out for it by every western media organisation until about 3 months ago when they suddenly; became angels.

          • Disgraceful and pathetic comment. The only Nazi regime here is Putins Russia, murdering and raping their way through Ukraine. You haven’t a clue.

          • A clearly Nazi regime yaaawn Putins excuse being used by yourself, wow? I suppose Russia has no Nazis or fascist at all then?

        • you said…”the much vaunted Bayraktars whose “happy time” ended about 2 weeks after the war started.” = didn’t they just sink a couple of patrol boats?

          • And were all destroyed by Kalibers in their hangars in Odessa a few hours later (three I believe).

            3 precious Bayraktars for 2 crappy patrol boats, that’s a poor exchange. How many “Bayraktar wins” have you seen lately? Not many. Russians now have the measure of them are able knock them down once they break cover.

            It doesn’t make me pro-russian to say that – its a fact.

          • The UAV’s are $2M each and the cost of the patrol boats is $2M each based on CB90 price. Seems a good trade-off for Ukraine as it is receiving an infinite number of free weapons.
            They hit a Russian command centre two days ago killing many top Russian commanders also a Russian air defence unit on the same day. Maybe internet is blocked? try a VPN.

          • So they’ve decided to stick with the smaller DIY UAVs and drones and they are doing a good job killing injuring (and scaring) the ground rapists, and disrupting their freedom of movement! Never have I seen so much footage of Russians running away from all their kit and fixed defences when engaged by Ukrainian arty or lightly armed drones! It’s actually like a benny hill show, the Ukrainians are even adding silly music 😂!

            The Russians have shown themselves to be amateurs, incompetent at every level and operate kit which even if modern (but with old electronic systems) cannot be used to its fullest due to their inability to understand or know modern warfare! We should thank Putin for showing to the world how much of a joke his military is, and that we have been worrying for the last 50 years for nothing!

          • The best bayraktar win was spoiling RFS Moskvas radar suite so they didnt see and didnt react to the sea skimming missiles.
            UAVs like the Bayraktar seem to be the future and havent seen the end of their happy times.
            Its telling after Russia’s foreign minister called Ukraine a jewish nazi controlled state that Israel sided with Ukraine. Israel are ever on guard and wouldnt even have discussions with Zelensky if he was a nazi. Instead they invited him to speak to their parliament.
            Says a lot dont you think?
            Reality is Russia is now the fascist right wing dictator controlled country. Russia is pursuing (and losing) a war of aggression. Douglas you might now know that as you havent left the Kremlin basement for a few weeks. Step outside matey. Breathe some fresh air. Get some sunshine. Should help you to maintain a balanced perspective on events.

        • Here he is, coming out from under his stone as the other sad trolls are keeping a much more low profile since it’s hard to justify rape, murder, torture and looting. Regardless of what agenda you are trying to push, the Russkies are getting shown there arses and the Ukrainians will continue to get NATO support both morally and militarily. The Ukrainians will win even if Putin declared some sort of victory after he has taken 5 square meters of Ukrainian land with 30k plus dead! Pathetic, both Putin and any clown who supports him.

          • Why is it you all resort to name calling, and accusations of trolling when someone has another opinion. I don’t support Putin, and i’m not pushing any agenda. I just don’t agree with the western media’s biased output which is skewing perceptions of what is happening.

            The Ukranians are not a reliable source of information. And neither are the Americans who admitted they were making stuff up to get at the Russians when they were called out on the chemical weapon issue.

            There’s a lot of news sources out there, look at them look at what All sides are saying – they make up your mind. Looking at one side only puts you in an echo chamber.

            As for the Russians getting shown their arses, is that what is happening at the Donbass front just now?. The Russians are destroying the static Ukrainian defenses, and the Ukranians will have 2 choices soon, retreat or get encircled.

            I’ll come back on and say “i told you so” when it happens.

            And lastly, lets not mention the western support of actual real Nazis. Proper Adolf Hitler, SS supporting loonies. Heres the Jerusalem Post from today: Israeli ‘mercenaries’ teaming up with neo-Nazis in Ukraine, Russia says – The Jerusalem Post (jpost.com) We live in a Crazy mixed up world

          • I always find it amusing that eventually the Russians get a little bit of their act together and are able to hammer fixed defences with their OS (which is their doctrine) suddenly the Russians are winning! No, it’s expected by anyone with even a slight bit of military knowledge expected this in regard to the Russians. Everyone, including the Ukrainians, know the Russians will take ground when going back to their doctrine of smashing anything with overwhelming OS them getting their half trained rapists to move forward taking the ground!

            I’m regard to coming back and saying I told you so, two things, that’s firstly a little bit childish and secondly it would appear, by that comment that’s what you would like to see!

            As for pushing the Nazi agenda, go be boring elsewhere, there are Nazis of various levels in every country, FFS look at Russia, their football league and even down to Wagner group! Pushing the boring and very weak Nazi agenda is just lazily following Putins bile!

            As for sources, my source is better than your source! FFS more childlike chuff, sources are like arseholes, we’ve all got one! As for western media being biased, really I suppose RT and Al Jazeera is better?

          • Er, the JP has just reported what they were told by Russia! Russia, that bastion of honesty and free speech, FFS really?

          • Ok Dougie, bun fight over! Keep posting, keep an opinion but be aware that I for one do not support people who make excuses or justification for this illegal invasion! War is shit, war is dirty, nasty and most don’t realise very smelly, smells which you never ever forget, and anyone supporting or justifying an illegal invasion of Ukraine is not on my side! Anyone making excuses for any war is not on my side! The Ukrainians, regardless of outside opinions, are fighting for their county and their people, and seeing what Ukraine could be like under the control of head shed Nazi Putin, then the Ukrainians have my full support! Cheers and take care!

        • Well that’s the biggest load of S**t I’ve heard in this forum so far.
          Maybe familiarise yourself with the inner workings of the RusAF. “One soldiers war in Chechnya” by Arkady Babchenko might raise your awareness as a starting point. Nothing has changed in the decades since.

          • You are entitled to you opinion. Tell me what bit is shit and why it is shit in your esteemed opinion.

            And I thought we were talking about Ukraine, not Chechnya.

            Thought the Chechens have been doing a lot of the legwork for Putin in Mariupol i see.

          • I respect that. However, I don’t believe the location of the battle is pertinent. My point was what the book illustrates , admitedly from one soldiers point of view, about the inner dysfunction of the SAF. I think it reflects a lot of the reporting we are getting from Ukraine.
            You say the russians are destroying the Donbass defences of the Ukrainians? Isn’t that a reflection of your own biases? How do you know this?

        • You said “With what? his 200 ancient polish tanks”… They are T72M1’s mostly and there are 240 of them. So they are same standard as Russian tanks and there are more than two brigades worth or 20 BTG’s worth. Some of these were just upgraded and overhauled so they are probably in better condition than many Russian tanks.
          You said “Ukraine started the war with more APCs and Tanks than the Uk, France and Germany could field together. Where are these?” … There are some rumours that they are amassing around the Kherson area for a big push – lets see.
          You said “Ukraine won’t win”… not sure how you’ve come to that conclusion as the odds seem stacked against Russia.
          You said “and the yanks can sit back and sell Europe oil”. I think that’s the plan, why is that a problem for you?
          You said “while Ukrainians die to keep Bidens and the democrats hopes alive that they’ll continue to get the Gas transit dollars they’ve been scoofing for the past 8 years.” … So are you saying the Europeans should keep giving Russia oil and gas money when they have invaded a sovereign nation rather than give it to the Americans? To us Europeans there is no competition!

          • I think thats wrong in that Germany alone has reserves of 5000 leopard 2/1 series tanks. Not many in frontline service but tons and tons held in reserve after the end of the cold war.

          • The Polish tanks would obviously be of graet use in Ukraine, if they can be transported to their point of use and there are trained crews for them, both of which must be in some doubt now.

            If Ukrain’s armour were located with their BTGs then at the sart abour 25% were Odessa region, 25% Kiev and 50% east of the Dneiper. How many are still operational and where they are now is unknown.

            I can’t see how the odds are stacked against Russia, please explain.

            As to gas/oil, the choice seems to be either give the money to Russia at prices similar to what we are used to of give the money to someone else, maybe the US, at far higher prices.

            The fundamental question the West has to answer is how hard it is prepared to see its standard of living hit? I suspect that the average person on the European street is going to be very unhappy with their politicians in a few months time at the dire situation they are experiencing.

    • At some point we have to take in to account the wishes of people in Donbass and Crimea who probably do not want to be in Russia although god knows how we do that without rewarding Putin for mass murder. Ukraine was politically paralysed with a 50.50 split in population wanting closer ties with Russia and Europe before. I’m sure ultimately zelensky does not want them back in. Getting rid of Putin seems to be the only way it could be done. Like getting rid of hitler then settling the Sudetenland issue.

      • did you meam do NOT want to be or DO want to be .
        I assume with your following statement you meant DO want to be …I;m not sure they do – and where did you get that 50/50 split , I bet its not 50-50 across the country …not now anyway…
        Sure there will be some that do , and Putin has milked and supported that for all its worth, I’m sure hes bused loads of his supporters in – exactly like hes done in Moldovo-he doesn’t fool anyone -surely?

      • The only free referendum ever held voted for independence for Ukraine *everywhere*, in all regions.

        And the result was 90% in favour of independence.

        Admittedly that was pre-Putin, and now that Donbas / Luhansk have been significantly ethnically cleansed since Russia stared its war in 2014, the results may be different.

        The impact of the current extension of Russia’s war is that opinion has swing in favour of Ukraine as an independent country in both Ukrainian and Russian speaking parts of the population.

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1991_Ukrainian_independence_referendum

        • If and it’s a big if ukraine push Russia back to Donbas and Crimea I
          Don’t see what stops them from carrying on up to the border with Russia and retaking Crimea and Donbas. They are parts of Ukraine and if they are winning they may not want to stop at the bits russia took a few years ago.
          Good luck to Ukraine they are fighting very hard against the invaders.

          • Classically any army needs a 3:1 numerical advantage to succeed in Offensive operations. Ukraine has some qualitative advantage by dint of superior morale, training and some better equipment so may not need quite so much as that ratio – but still need a numerical advantage, say well over 2:1 – have they got it?

          • “well over 2:1 – have they got it?”

            I don’t think so and from what I have seen on the news they still have some very useful formations digging in around Kyiv as they have to guard against further incursions from Belarus.

            They may be able to generate local favourable ratios, but I suspect only on small fronts.

            My reading of Ukrainian ‘offensive’ ops so far is that they have refused large scale engagements where possible and used hit and run tactics with ATGW / MANPADS very effectively. Advances appear to be contact pursuits rather than large scale offensives to drive out the Russians.

            Basically, poor Russian planning, rubbish logistics and long term corruption appear to have so weekened the Russian Army that they are incapable of defeating a determined and brave enemy focused on retaining their freedom. That and the Ukrainian tactics are clearly aimed at preserving their military for the long haul.

            I do not think the Ukrianian’s can overwhelm the Russians if the Russians decide to defend what they have gained, not yet anyway. However, the Ukrainian’s could get the job done if supplied with the right offensive kit.

            The West is now talking about supplying Ukraine with heavy weapons and Boris offering artillery locating radar, for example, is significant as it means that the West is supplying the ISTAR and the C2 kit needed to coordinate the new capabilities effectively.

            However, this will all be new to the Ukrainian’s and will take time to learn to use effectively, so Johnson’s comment about this going on for months, possibly into next year is probably right. Then the West’s hoped for disengagement with Russian oil and gas will be hitting Russia’s treasury…

            Complicated ain’t it…

            Cheers CR

          • That’s probably correct in old money. With today’s technology I’m not so sure. The Ukrainian war has mostly been fought during daylight hours, with sporadic groups fighting at night. Only elite Russian units had access to personal night fighting gear. For example, If Ukraine can equip a sizeable force with wearable night version devices, they will have a succinct advantage over the Russians.

          • Davey, those ratios are classic military thinking and 3:1 is for armies of rough qualitative equivalence. I rowed back to 2:1 to allow for Ukraine’s qualtative advantage. You perhaps place too much stock in the advantage of night vision devices – the Argentinians had better night vision kit and more of it but we Brits still defeated them in 1982.
            Ukraine has lost 15% of their country and will have a huge task to eject the invader from all seized territory.

          • I agree that the 3:1 ratio probably still stands. But if we based the findings on what is happening in Ukraine, then is this ratio still valid? Initially Russia had the advantage, even though the World was watching the build up. No one really believed that they would go across the border, it was all “Sabre rattling”.

            At this stage Ukraine hadn’t fully mobilized. So Russia definitely had the 3:1 advantage. But as the days progressed it was seem that the initial surprise was squandered due to Russia’s poor leadership, tactics, training and supply. But I would also add technology.

            Ukraines “green” and “black” forces had been trained by Canadian, British and US since 2014. Ranging from small squad all the way up to a battle group training. They changed from a Soviet leaning doctrine to a NATO. Which includes empowering NCOs to make decisions.

            When the Russian push was trying to encircle Kyiv. It was seen that small mobile teams armed with a plethora of ATGMs constantly ambushed Russian advances and supply convoys. So much so, more than half of the Russian brigade combat teams (BGTs) were less that 50% combat effective, when they pulled back to Belarus. This was also happening in the East, where they tried to get around/through Sumy.

            A lot of the issue for a Russia was compounded by their inability to adapt to the situation. But a lot was that both Western supplied NLAW and Javelin performed significantly better than expected against Russian armour.

            Day after day, there were images of Russian vehicles being towed away by Ukrainian farmers tractors. The West got to see the state of this abandoned and captured kit. It was in a very poor state of maintenance, but perhaps more significantly, it was 20 to 30 years old technology wise.

            Ukraine has shown that it can also go on the offensive, with pushing the Russians back from the city of Mykolaiv.

            Will night vision goggles make a difference? I think they will, based on Russia’s inability to fight 24/7. A better trained force will always do better than an untrained one. The UK for example has always trained at night fighting, even without NVGs.

            I think Ukraine will do better than expected. They have better training and motivation. Can they push Russia’s forces back to their borders? I don’t know, but I wouldn’t underestimate them.

          • The 3:1 ratio assumes opposing forces are of roughly equal quality and meeting in a classic way. Ukraine clearly has higher quality troops so they would not need as much as 3:1. It is a yardstick. Ukrainian ambush tactics are clearly advantageous and you don’t need 3:1 to succeed at conducting ambushes.
            I am not underestimating the Ukrainian forces but the task of winning back huge tracts of land is a tough one when you are outnumbered.

          • Graham. thats simply not true. Falklands war British army outnumber 2.7 to 1 by Argies. Superior training. Superior modern weapons. Superior training delivered victory.

          • When I was in the army that 3:1 ratio was an established classic mantra for forces of rough qualitative equivalence. As the Ukrainian army has superior quality I rowed back to 2:1, but you are right to point to an exceptional but very different operation where those ratios did not hold true.
            I hope that the Ukrainians can ‘do a Falklands’ and eject the invader fully in a matter of weeks, with light casualties and with minimal loss of military materiel and civilian infrastructure. Are we expecting too much? The Ukrainians still seem to be short of huge quantities of cutting edge hardware, have lost 15% of their country, and have little experience of conucting offensive operations on a large scale.

      • You can be pretty sure a large portion of those that wanted closer ties with Russia have now changed their minds since Russia has bombed and shelled them.

    • If they get supplied with enough AD to protect their Arty and enough shells to fire, he’ll bomb Russia back into another century.

      The victim may well turn into the abuser.

      When that moment begins to happen, I’ll turn off the news and wish Ukraine well.

      Russia needs kicking very hard until they wake up to their rightful place in the democracies of the world, but, it will be a fearsome kicking.

      • Agree DB, it looks like 🇷🇺 only understands “hard” so let’s hope this is “bloody hard”! They’re behaving like bastards and should be dealt with accordingly. Hope the new gear coming in from the West can make a significant difference to 🇺🇦 on the battlefield as soon as possible. Hope something can be done in and around Mariupol to rescue those poor buggers holed up there and even just their population.

        • The only part of Mariupol not under Russian control seems to be the Azovstal plant. The Russians control sufficient territory around it for any rescue attempt to be a pipe dream. The estimated 2000, military and civilians, in the plant are, having been instructed by Kiev not to surrender, there until the bitter end when they run out of food, water and/or ammo. Why they are being told to sacrifice themselves is not known. The Russians have said that if they surrender they will live, might go to jail, but they will live and over 1300 have surrendered in Mariupol over the past couple of weeks.

          • I think its based on evidence of Bucha, but also of people from the safe corridors disappearing.

          • I have seen no reports of civilians escaping the Azovstal plant disappearing. Do you have a link please?

          • Not all that clear why Russian conscripts are being told to sacrifice themselves either.

      • The Ukrainian artillery’s big problem seems to be Russian artillery especially tubed not aircraft so any AD they might get is unlikely to help. The Russians are now just grinding their way forward through the Ukrainian defences by shear weight of munitions. Whilst in many areas the defence lines are holding out, the defenders must be in a terrible state having been under continuous shelling for weeks.

        When you look at the maps the Russians have taken a lot of territory and it will be interesting to see if the Ukrainians have any capability to mount a proper counter attack.

        • In Siberia what have you learnt about the effects of M777 and 140,000 rounds?

          Outranged, Russian arty formations should malleted and I doubt the f.ometre will even quiver from zero.

          Every dead Russian soldier is a good Russian soldier and I doubt the UAF will be as restrained or as… thoughtful… as a Sgt from Royal was in Afghanistan… just saying like.

          • The M777 is a powerful gun but not only do the guns have to get 800 miles to a firing position but so do thousands of tons of special ammo. In today’s Ukraine this is a double challenge.

            I mentioned Russian tube artillery for a reason. Apart from the short range Grad, the Uragan, Smerch,Tornado are all lethal to gun batteries from long range. Unless Ukraine’s now scarce Buk AD are moved to defend them and expose themselves as targets.

            Would you please not say I’m in Siberia etc? I’m in Milton Keynes.

          • Actually, 775 mikes from the SVK border.

            Taken with our Alvis platforms mounted with HVM, they’ll create quite a problem for friends of your good self and myself aka the Russians; add stormer into the mix with former SVK Mig 29s (diki moc Petr) and our good friends are going to have a bad hair day – somewhere between RCZ Russian airforce generals on the wrong end of a telcon with poo tin @airborne frazzled and fried Russian pilots.

            And not a solitary foxtrot will be given from almost anyone on this website.

            Your LocStat? No idea, but, as Airborne pointed out, you’re playing for the other side.

          • Pleased to see that my back of an envelope guess based on my 2013 AA road atlas of Europe was that close.

            Fortunately I’m not playing for anyone. I try to give a view of what is happening that reflects what I read much of which is beyond the reach of western propaganda. Whether anyone here uses it to temper their view is up to them but the view looking west from the Russian border is very different from the view looking east from the Polish border. The actual reality is somewhere in the middle, which is where I try to put myself.
            Edit spelling

    • I also think it will also be a challenge for Ukraine to win the Donbass, Mariupol and the land bridge to Odesa back. Do they have the numbers? You don’t just need good training, morale, and some superior kit.

    • Hopefully Ukraine will absorb Russia’s Donbass offensive, cause high attritional loses on Russia’s armed forces then counter attack with aim of returning all of Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

      • As time goes on the chances of that happening are steadily reducing as Ukraine’s supplies of fuel/ammo are destroyed or used up and its road and rail networks are brought to a halt. Neither of which can be sorted by outside intervention.

  5. TL;DR

    BoJo milking war in Ukraine with pseudo-Churchillian speech to try and pick up votes in upcoming local elections.

    • I think he’s done a good job and as most of the country are for helping Ukraine the obvious person to give a speech is the current prime minister.
      I’ve never heard the well known quote about dogs in a fight before but Boris was brought up in different circumstances to most of the population. Maybe posh boys fight dogs or something

    • I would rather he showed the support he is regardless of the timing of elections. You say this on the assumption Starmer would not attempt to use the situation to an advantage?

      • If Boris had a long established record of integrity and trust with the public then I would be more impressed. What he has done with Ukraine I support but, for me at least, that alone does not undo everything else he’s done/not done. Pity we can’t elect Zelensky instead, but he’s understandably a bit busy right now.

  7. It’s hard to see where the political opportunism of Johnston and Truss end and genuine government geopolitical strategy and psyops begin. That’s the trouble with Tory governments, it’s just so hard to trust people who lie constantly and are so corrupt.

    • Cough, cough Tony Blair cough…..

      Boris might be a bit of a plonker, but let’s not forget Labour under Tony Blair and Brown, who lied, got us involved in never ending unwinnable wars, built a wonderful ‘new country’ on quicksand, entirely with borrowed money and PPI’s and handed back the keys to 10 with a trashed economy..

      Yep wonderful job, they make Boris look like a genius!

      In fact they did such a fantastic job, they almost
      (came very close to splitting the party in two in fact) destroyed Labour because of the lurch it took to the left as a reaction to the New Labour hijack…

      • John, you know I’m Labour, but, the Cons need to change Bluffer – as said before, I’d vote for Tobias Ellwood without question.

          • We’re in a shitstorm of maladministration and it is hard to identify anyone with the gumption to run the country apart from…

            Tobias Ellwood!

          • @airborne can answer.

            For me, he did a complete hatchet job on the armed forces last November – a short term tiktok who keeps bigging up his service without any scruples. Let Airborne answer.

          • Hi, appreciate your feedback, David.
            Problem is, with all the suggestions, it’s just Boris we’re comparing them to. A low fence, I believe.
            Tobias is indeed a good nominee, but has not been forged against any significant international issue. We’re all, ehhm, ‘experts’ on what should be done, but are not called upon to do them, thank C.
            As stated before, our man at No 11 championed defence – before having to find the sponz.
            TBH, I think Gove amongst the most honest and effective Cabinet ministers, with a genuine concern for all stratas of society; so respect to him. However, not sure his forte is PM, considering that’s a sales job essentially.
            Boris’ only redeeming feature should have been selling a concept, but he has proven to be the Bumble suspected by many, in my opinion.

          • One of the things I like the most about this website is that when we engage in a positive way, it brings opposing views to the fore in a way that can be appreciated.

            Airborne, Daniele have some strongly held views very different to mine, but, on some things we agree on. Others we agree to disagree on; this site works best when that happens.

            To your post. Gove? My heartfelt view is Brexit is a disaster, it can not be reversed, it can be ameoriolated and the party that supply that bandage will reap the benefits.

            It is not the current Tory Party.

            Gove prsents as an untrustworthy weasel if a man – trying to skirt a £5 night club entrance fee? Stabbing Bluffer in the back – although that deed or failing – which is worse, he’s not trustworthy.

            Indeed any MP who went on the daily media round to defend Bluffer should be retired to the long grass, their files forever marked: Gifted in sophistry.

            Just my two penneth worth.

          • Well, stabbing Bo = being honest, I my op! Haven’t heard of the £5 report.
            By the way, I will ask, but this deal about B announcing early on to all a sundry that Ukraine would win. Any corroboration outside of himself? If so, prepared to give the credit due, natch.
            Rgs

          • I’d have thought Farouk might find a linky.

            I.m not sure that credence can be given to his claims; krok ste krokem – step by step, the Russians are now winning.

            Add those 155mm pieces and things might change the outcome. In God we pray that this is so.

          • One of my biggest bug bares with Blair, is he came close to destroying the proud Labour party, the massive swing to the right under Blair and the silencing of the left, was responsible for Corybins swing to the left.

            Blair was a snake, no more socialist than Trump, he just hijacked Labour to use it as a route to personal power…

            KS needs a checkup from the neck up bringing Blair back as an advisor in my opinion….

          • If I was advising Labour on how to get into power, I would tell it to do three things. First make a promise to reshore industry to the red wall seats using a sovereign wealth fund & tax breaks. Put tariffs on Chinese imports to pay for it. Second, appeal to Scottish working class voters that Labour will approve all North Sea oil & gas projects that SNP/Greens oppose. Thirdly tell home counties voters that the green belt will not be built on. Southern tory voters do not trust Boris to sell them out to developers for a quick buck.

          • John, good thought process but my first bit of advice would be get rid of all the third rate hangers on sat on the shadow cabinet! Never in the history of politics has such a load of no hoping wastrels sat in opposition!

          • I still want the Upper House to dematerialise. Perhaps that Poo Tin chappy yoy’ve mentioned could oblige? Oh, hold on, the place is already rife with his buddies. Doh.

          • The Mayor of Manchester talks a good fight.

            The Shadow Def Sec is a waste of space. I’d have spit roasted Ben Wallis last year at that Review.

          • Jo Cockburns programme on BBC2 this saffer said exactly the same; can’t disagree with your thoughts.

    • Nowadays, and probably for quite a while, there doesn’t seem to be much difference in the political opportunism of either party. Its not just the Tories, Labour and the rest are as bad. There just seems to be a naked greed for power where the parties just bicker and shout at a personality level rather than discuss the very serious issues we face, inflation, debt, energy and food, picked at random.

      • Very much so. Being in Parliament is Like an exclusive club with strange entry requirements. No normal man on the street will get in. You have to know the secret handshake with the correct people to even get a chance to stand to get a chance of getting in now.
        New political parties may help but that is also a rich man’s game to start. The only party I’ve seen Come from small beginnings in last 40 years is SNP and that maybe because of the Scottish Parliament opening. I’m not a political analyst so not actually sure.

      • Yes democracy is a messy, flawed, and fragile system. But it beats the hell out of the murderous, kleptocratic authoritarianism practiced by Putin.

        • “Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.…”

          Winston S Churchill, 11 November 1947

          Kinda puts Boris’ attempt at Churchillian speaking into perspective, although by today’s standards it wasn’t a bad attempt and I’m no fan of Boris…

          Cheers CR

          • Yes Boris isn’t an eloquent in his speeches as Churchill was. He should perhaps drop the act of pretending to ad-lib his public speaking to give an informal air, has he actually prepares them in advance.
            But it wasn’t bad compared to his contemporaries, though maybe that says more about today’s standard of politicians.

      • You really are in Siberia! Labour expose issues everyday but the Cons need to wake up and elect a decent person – which rules out anyone in the Cabinet and Hunt.

        • I think Hunt would be a decent option.

          There are various others’ around.

          The issue is getting shot of BJ in favour someone who can run a Government; Boris is best as a mascot, and this time (he did better as Mayor of London) has not appointed the right people to the right positions to cover his incompetence, and allow him to be Tigger in the Toybox.

      • It’s not perfect is it, but as an English patriot as you have claimed, do you think Putin and his Nazi methods would be an improvement? Speaking of Putin, any condemnation of Putins illegal invasion of Ukraine yet?

    • At least Boris doesn’t need to ‘sex up dodgy dossiers’ to take the U.K. into illegal wars, unlike the last Labour government…

          • But, you have to love those shiny carriers though… their fully protected, 24/7/365 day, fully manned, equipped, strike capability, is awe inspiring.

            To understand that we have a carrier ready to go leaves me breathless; heavens, money well spent!

        • He was too occupied trying to work out how to destroy the countries economy and sign over as much control to the EU as humanely possible after Blair needed to leave and spend his ill gotten gains before people started asking how he acquired so much wealth.

          Brown certainly attended the same maths school as Abbott, borrow high and sell low clearly being the only classes he attended, or maybes hes just dyslexic and got it the wrong way round, who knows. Definitely got an A* for not having a clue how to balance the books.

          • You know, you’re right, I’d forgotten about the global banking crises as well based on the back of corporate greed and fraud.

            Time does trick the memory, don’t you think?

            The OP had stated that… illegal wars started by the last Labour Govt… my point was Brown had not started any.

            And you play balancing the books, neatly forgetting Bluffer talking about financial responsibility with Susana Reid yesterday vis a woman riding a bus day to keep warm with a bus pass (my idea chirps Bluffer) forgetting the write off of £Bns to covid fraud and the shoite state UK borrowing is in now.

            Care to dance?

        • He wasn’t in power for long enough (less than 3 years to Tony’s 10 years) – and was too busy ‘managing’ the wars in Iraq and Afghan.

    • Pedantically, it ought be impossible to ‘trust people who lie constantly and are so corrupt’, surely?
      Curious to know what politicians you do trust, if any.
      Rgs

  8. On another point, there seems to be lots and lots of night vision equipment, not only from the UK, going in. If the Ukrainians go over to the strategic offensive when is the best time to attack poorly trained troops? That’s right at night. If the Uks can infiltrate these ‘blobs’ of Russian armour and shoot them up at night that would really be a morale collapse point for the Ruskis.

  9. What exactly does he mean by “winning?” If he means that Russia will still control the land they took from Ukraine in 2014 then that is definitely not a win in my book.
    He was right when he said the West, and by that he means Obama and the rest of the Western Powers stood by and did nothing when Russia attacked and confiscated land from Ukraine. Ukraine trusted the West when they gave up their nukes with the promise that they would be protected. I bet they wish they never gave them up now.

    • They weren’t promised protection.

      They were promised ‘respect for their borders’ by all the Permanent Members of the UN Security Council by the Budapest Memorandum for UK/ US / Ru, and unilaterally by Fr / Cn. Which promises Russia laid aside and p*ssed on.

      Agree though that NATO / EU both cocked up badly in not getting Ukr into NATO / EU quickly. On this it is fair to point a finger at France / Germany, but also to acknowledge that on the pandering-to-Putin issue some necessary lessons seem to have been learned.

      On the narrower issue we have also had to learn lessons; we could have pushed much harder for Ukr to be in the EU back around 2008-2014.

      I’m not totally happy, and I’m never happy with French Governments 😉, because they are all too *French*. But we have progress.

      The main concern I have now is probably UVDL at the EU, who is probably the last “made by Merkel” individual in a prominent position, and a serial incompetent who IMO will do anything to cover her Rs.

    • Winning as in defeated Putin’s war aims of seizing Kyiv, toppling the democratic government, and installing a puppet regime to administer Ukraine until a rigged referendum to rejoin Russia could be arranged.
      Winning as in humiliating Russia’s armed forces, forcing them to retreat from the north of the country.
      Winning as in sinking the pride of the Black Sea fleet.
      Winning as in holding the line against the Russians attempt to break through the east.
      Winning as in killing and wounding an increasing number of Russian generals.

      The Ukrainians can retake all that was lost, including the Crimea.

  10. From BBC news.

    “ Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the West could help end the war in Ukraine by putting more pressure on President Volodymyr Zelensky and halting arms deliveries to his forces.”

    Surely Russia could end the war by stopping the invasion of Ukraine territory.

    He is saying “If Ukraine give in and the West stop supplying weapons this invasion could be over quicker ! – please put pressure on them to give in”

    • We only have 1 x Bty with Counter Bty radar, unless there are a few older set’s knocking about! I’m interested in the “heavy lift drones”?

      • I get the feeling that, starting a few years back, more MOD projects were kept off grid.

        We all got very used to real time announcements of armaments and projects being spun and trailed to a pretty crazy extent.

        Things tightened up a bit after 2014 and a lot more once China started to throw her weight around and at the time of the Huawei trunk fibre ban.

        Whilst it is lovely for us to know most of what is going in and chat about it on here that doesn’t really keep the enemy guessing?

        • In an open democracy our great strengths are our greatest weaknesses. There is no argument. The US example teaches us that only obvious strength works as a deterrent. Having the biggest stick in no ways brings the necessity to use it. Nonetheless peace is maintained by superior firepower.

      • The US sent the first ones back in 2015 and more since. Those that they have the Ukrainians are using very well. Think there are now two different types in use.

  12. I’m amazed nobody has picked up on the new announcement of the U.K. supplying “heavy lift drones to supply your forces”.
    Presumably these are the ones the RN and Army have been evaluating in recent trials. It would be one way to resupply the holdouts at Azovstal that are proving to be such as headache for the Russian military in the south.

    While Russian has failed to take control of the sky, it does have numerical advantage over Ukraine. Which means moving supplies by helicopters, especially near the front is going to be risky. While the West can round up old MIL helicopters to send to Ukraine, the big issue with combat losses will be trained pilots. Drones can help avoid Ukraine putting their limited number of pilots in harms way on supply runs.

    • These drones maybe armed too.
      Any further news on Mariupol? Hope 🇺🇦 can hang on hanging on. Not sure if there’s room or time for a huge counter-attack down there?

      • Not good. After the 100-200 civilians got out the defenders attacked the Russians so the Russians have started attacking again and the perimeter is gradually being reduced. There is zero chance of any relief forces being able to get through, as the Russians now control too much territory around it and also have complete air supremacy over the site. All 8 helicopter relief attempts (trying to extract the leadership) were shot down and no attempts made in the last week. Kiev has instructed that they fight to the bitter end, it is now just a matter of time until supplies run out.

    • The Times reported that it’s the Malloy T150 quadcopters rather than the T600s which were part of the recent trial. The T150s were used in Future Commando trials and this might mean the Marines will get an upgrade to the T400s or T600s.

    • If they were commercial ones they won’t have cost a huge amount, compared to a tank or fast jet, so may have been slipped into an existing budget line?

      • BAES were working with Malloy on the T650, to add military know-how. I imagine that’s where there’ll be a price jump too.

        • Hardening comms and sensors – once you have the onboard cards sorted producing more of them won’t be that expensive?

    • One interesting titbit I saw the other day was that shortly before RU attacked Mariupol the defenders were supplied with 40k meals’ worth of rations.

      • Given the numbers involved that’s probably long gone. Even if it was just to feed the 2,000 or so believed to be holed up in Azovstal now its only 20 days and up till last week there was another 10,000+ military in Mariupol. Food and water, plus ammo, are now serious problems.

          • They are in bunkers designed to protect against a nuclear attack so it isn’t really a surprise.

          • Plus your ground force rapists, looters and murderers are militarily inept, amateurs and dumb, so fuck all to do with bunkers, more to do with Russian incompetence pal. Any condemnation of Putins illegal invasion of Ukraine?

      • Interesting the 40k figure. Apparently the tunnels and bunkers under the Azovstal works were built in soviet times for the workers in the event of war. The workforce at the time numbered 40k.

        • Interesting point Sean. Rhe bunkers might contain a huge ammount of supplies including ammunition and food. I think likely some supplies were stored there but these are probably getting low now.

          • No doubt after 2014, the Ukrainian army surveyed such soviet era shelters and identified those that could be transformed into bastions in the event of further Russian incursions. No doubt they would have stocked it with food and ammunition for a siege situation, though no doubt it’s running low. A tremendous defence has been fought there, on par with Rouke’s Drift it would seem.

          • I suggest that that comment is an insult to the memory of the heroes of Roukes Drift, who were in an open site with simple buildings not a mega concrete bunker complex and didn’t have the benefit of a large number of civilians as human shields.

          • That you think those poor civilians sheltering there are “human shields” just shows how fucking warped your mind is! Perhaps you would suggest they shelter from Russia’s indiscriminate bombing somewhere, perhaps the local theatre?

            You’re a fucking insult to the human race.

  13. Well I’m going to say it as an Aussie – Brit 🇦🇺 🇬🇧. Mr Morris, I’m not sure if you wrote all that yourself but that’s one hell of a bloody good speech!!! Well said! Well read too!! Hope all keeps going well for the 🇺🇦 peoples, their forces and their President!

  14. I know I’m diametrically opposed to some fantastic posters on here but whose views I hold dear, so my apologies in advance.

    This speech is just deflection from a charlatan that hangs onto any straw.

    MoD will have been working behind the scenes to identify equipment that can be sent; that is not the work of Bluffer.

    Bluffer needs to go and a new Con PM selected, their current leader is out of touch with reality.

    • Sadly most of our elected MPs, to include the Islington set of shadow cabinet members, are out of touch of reality!

    • This speech is simply the logical progression of the U.K. arming the Ukraine with NLAW etc BEFORE the invasion (whereas most nations waited until after), and indeed Operation Orbital which has been training the Ukraine military since 2014.

      I know you won’t like it, but you should judge actions on their merit or lack-of, not on your own prejudice against the political views of the person behind them. Even Labour and LibDems have been to occasionally make the right call on something…

      • No Sean, I totally disagree and feel worried for you if you can see a complete charlatan trying to deflect attention from his awful failings as a human bring let alone as a PM.

        I’d suggest he doesn’t need another cheer leader, he has enough idiots in his cabinet for that.

        However, his woeful performance may well see Northern Ireland leaving the Union.

        You’re going to support soneone who potentially broke up the United Kingdom?

        • He’s an opportunist and conniving, and like Bush puts on a bumbling act to engender likability. But he does believe in democracy and capitalism, so that puts him ahead of the idiots in the Labour Party.
          Boris would be behaving exactly the same towards Ukraine if his personal ratings were above those of Jesus Christ. The fact that his backing of Ukraine might be giving him a personal boost is bonus for him.

          Tell me, if the cabinet are full of idiots, why haven’t you run for politics? Surely the pay of a cabinet minister would be appealing? Or maybe you don’t have the required skill set…

          Boris won’t break up the Union. That can only happen if republicans win a border poll, and that depends on a great many complex factors from birth rates in the two communities to the relative standard of living between the U.K. and Eire. But these are probably too complicated for you to appreciate, and it’s easier just to rant about a personality instead 🤷🏻‍♂️

          • You’re the guy playing the man, Boris, rather than the ball, his support for the Ukraine 🤷🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️😆

        • Back off a minute if SF do win over here it doesn’t mean that they have the power to take us out of the Union! That will take a referendum to happen by which time there will probably be a unionist FM back in. By the way it still isn’t a done deal that they will get the FMs job yet anyway.

        • If Northern Ireland leaves it will be Cameron’s fault. He held the referendum without the slightest idea of what he was going to do if it didn’t go his way, then ran off with his mate George, leaving the country in the mire. Boris isn’t a great human being, but I’d take him over his two antecedents, and most of his likely replacements.

          I think he’s getting it right on Ukraine, and I don’t care why. Let the Catholics take on “right deed for the wrong reason” angst. If it turns out Boris has been consulting a magic 8-ball, that’s still fine by me.

          • Useful point, thxs. However, someone proclaimed Brexit done, look at all the benefits. Hasn’t happened.

            And I’ll take your point that SF can’t take NI out of the Union without a referendum, but, I’m in no doubt, that referendum will take place if SF win. Sad state of affairs.

          • The benefits? Well we were able to secure vaccines supplies far faster than the EU did… yes the EU scheme was voluntary, yet all members joined up even though the EU had no experience of negotiating vaccine purchases, an inexperience that came home to roost. Typical EU overreach.

            But now we know. You hate Boris because you’re still sulking over losing a democratic referendum.

          • Still playing the man.

            I’d hold your horses on vaccination rates. Stats out there referenced by the Economist might show you are in error, hey ho. Now if ‘Jonathan’ were to speak on this issue, I’d listen to him.

            So, keep on keeping on, enjoy the results of tomorrow.

          • The Economist stats have usually had the UK pretty much in the middle of the EU league on ‘excess’ deaths.

            It is true that not being members allowed us to move much quicker and without Brussels’ interference as EU thought the key was to buy well rather than to research and manufacture – and Brussels made those 4 countries which were trying to move quickly hand over the project, and publicly humiliated their Health Ministers.

            The cost was probably the deaths of several 10s of k of EU citizens, caused by the resulting 6-8 week delay. My estimate.

          • Yes I’m sure you’ll continue your ad hominem attacks on Boris…

            The approval and delivery of vaccines ahead of the EU is established fact. Hence the EUs petulant attempt to ban vaccine exports to the U.K. before they realised that, in addition to breaking the NI Protocol they were shooting themselves in the foot: an important precursor for the vaccine was only available from a Yorkshire company.

            What results tomorrow? I’d didn’t realise NUFC had a match before the weekend? 🤔

          • You do get a bit OCD on posters. Is all well in your house hold?

            A bit hung up on what you’re told? Without thinking about the info you get.

            Liable to forget the huge numbers of OAPs sent to care homes, upon which, 40,000+ – thats fourty thousand plus for the hard of thinking – died.

            That this Govt. led by Bluffer lied and oversaw the deaths of loved ones due to the incompetence of this govt. and then this Govt. partied.

            Right, I understand you’re a really well balanced individual.

          • Well baiting idiots like yourself gives me a break from battering conspiracy theorists on social media.

            Again you screw up, or are you disingenuous. You’re implying all those deaths in care homes were from hospital discharges, when in fact some would have been from staff carrying in the virus. And you totally overlook the fact that many more would have died if they’d been kept in hospital when beds and staff were needed for the pandemic.
            BTW – you realise England did far better with regards to deaths in care homes compared to many other countries, Scotland being an obvious example.

            I’m extremely well balanced, I would let be able to rollerblade marathons or mountain bike if I wasn’t 😆

            Some advice, give up. You’re too stupid to realise by yourself that you’ve been beaten.

          • Exactly, what did I say wrong? I asked him to play the ball not the man. He chose not to.

            However, I note your disapproval.

          • Personally I’ve always viewed Brexit as a long term project – 10 years before we can even begin to judge.

            Even the fishing transition is 5 years, and most of our new trade agreement arrangements don’t kick in until the second half of 2022, and a majority have to be developed beyond simple rollovers. Agreements on services will be key.

            OTOH from ‘benefits have not happened’, neither have house prices or employment collapsed, and growth is in lockstep with major EU economies over the Covid period.

            Once we get CBTPP membership in place, we will have a wider network of agreements in place than we did via the EU, with the ones where Brussels has been frozen for years to work on.

            Interesting that I had an elderly-ish Southern Irelander for lunch (metaphorically) yesterday, and his main comments were:

            1 – That he would vote not to accept NI into a united Ireland, because all the NI parties are load of “*&^%$£”-s.
            2 – UK food prices need to rise significantly, as they are too cheap to allow our farmers an unsubsidised living. He is right in some respects there – we have traditionally had food prices way below the EU average.

          • Over here we have a power sharing executive so you can bet that one thing that will unite unionists would be a no vote for a border poll

          • Let’s not get carried away. Some perspective. The UK has only included NI since 1921. The Union of England and Scotland dates from 1707. England as a sovereign state dates from the acclamation of Aethelstan in 927AD; Scotland as a sovereign state dates from 843AD; the all Ireland armies of Brian Boru were victorious against the invading Danes in 1014.
            Northern Ireland is to the UK what Algeria was to France, a colonial hangover. But De Gaulle had the good sense to get out. Day of the Jackal was a great film though.

  15. Bojo clown 🤡 lives in a fantasy!
    The Russians new strategy is working and they no longer are suffering losses in the frontline like before since a new commander has taken over . In fact they are winning with the storming of Azovstal. They are being more surgical now going at slower pace reducing casualties yet gaining ground . Boris should be more worried how Germany has a much larger defence budget he can’t match because his Treasury during the pandemic emptied the coffers unlike Germany which saved always for a rainy day.

    • Sorry Jameskov but the Russians new strategy isn’t working. They’re still bogged down in the east, and if they have a new commander it’s either because the Ukrainians, or Putin, shot the previous one. Most of the ‘new’ BTG deployed from the failed northern front have been cobbled together from previous ones that were rendered combat ineffective due to losses.
      This is all before the majority of new military donations; artillery, tanks, etc arrive from NATO.

      Azovstal is still resisting, preventing the Russians control over Mariupol and the main road along the south coast that borders the plant.

      Germany’s finance ministry spent just as much during the pandemic, indeed most nations did, which is why the debt levels aren’t a concern.

      Clearly you don’t know what you’re talking about, 🤡

      • So a bunch Azov battalion neo Nazis will save Ukraine? I don’t think so! The BBC CNN New York Times I could go on and on called Azov neo Nazis for years ! Suddenly when the war started they turn into heros ?? And everything about them put under the carpet ! Support for extremism on this forum is nothing new, but I can’t stomach anti Semite Azov!! They must be distinguished from the general Ukrainian army!! Anyone that supports Azov is anti Semite and has no respect for those that died to fight fascism period !

        And Germany? Germany spend more than the UK during covid yet has not gone broke because Germany has export surplus in the hundreds of billions annually unlike the UK . Even if it spends more than the UK on defence they still have a surplus budget annually, it’s an economy that lives not off debt like the UK simply if you know anything about economics which I doubt

        • Well Jameskova you’ve obviously been watching too much Putin tv. The Azov battalion was originally formed as a private far-right militia as a reaction to Russia’s original invasion in 2014. The Ukrainian government wisely decide this this couldn’t be allowed, so they subsumed them into the regular Ukrainian military, which then allowed them to dismiss the far-right leadership and replace them with regular army officers.
          As for anti-Semites, look to Russia and the lies Lavrov etc peddle. This isn’t something new. Back in the 1940’s Stalin argued that fascism was a Semitic plot, and it seems Putin seem to be continuing that narrative.

          The U.K. hasn’t gone broke.

          Maybe if you bothered to get a better grasp if the facts you wouldn’t be so hysterical?

        • Why do you associate Azov with the neo nazis? Is it the insignia?
          Also, they are one battalion of the brigade in Mariupol. The other two battalions were not Azov. one was a marine battalion. You seem to be painting everyone with the same brush. Should we assume if the commander in chief wears the wrong insignia, the rest of the military are all automatically associated with it?

      • Once you take into account that the Ukrainians are in one of the most comprehensive, well planned and deep defensive lines ever constructed I’d say that the Russians aren’t doing too badly with their ‘grind away with artillery’ plan. It is slow but their area is increasing every day. It is virtually inevitable that they will overcome an army that is now so depleted of equipment and especially diesel, that it seems not to be able to put a proper counterattack together. It is not just the Russians having to improvise but the Ukrainians too as they replace their lost manpower. Whether all the NATO aid will make any real difference must be an open question.

        Mariupol is not as you describe. Only the Azovstal plant is in Ukrainian hands and they are bottled up in it unable to influence much around them. Russian traffic is able to use other roads through the city avoiding the plant.

        • “Once you take into account that the Ukrainians are in one of the most comprehensive, well planned and deep defensive lines ever constructed….”

          Comical Johnski, that is so different to what you posted just before the invasion when you stated that a Ukrainian army of frightened conscripts would be almost powerless against a technically and numerically superior Russian military. How wrong you were back then, as you are now. You really need to be more circumspect with that rubbish Dmitry Peskov feels you with.

          • Back then it was not clear on public forums just how well the defenses had been constructed or the quality of the troops manning them. It is now much clearer just what has been built.

          • Or , as is more likely, you were simply regurgitating the pro Putin rubbish that Peskov feeds you. As you still are.

        • You’re hilarious, you should be on tv or work the stand-up circuit.

          Your troops aren’t advancing , they’re just sat behind their artillery, destroying Ukrainian towns and villages.
          Meanwhile around Kharkov the Ukrainians are on the offensive, retaking towns and villages, and pushing your troops back. A repeat of what happened in the North.

          • We are both influenced by what we read and see. The opinions we form are based on that and how we interpret it but we both know that much of the information out there is subject to spin. So we are in positions where we both believe that what we have concluded is as close to reality as is possible. But it is very different.

            The Russians are using their artillery in ways that are designed to minimise their casualties. Yes, it is destructive and increases Ukrainian casualties but they are certainly moving forward, albeit slowly.

            Just what is actually happening north of Kharkov is unclear. It seems possible that some of the villages they have claimed to have retaken were never occupied by the Russians.

          • Oh it’s easy to tell if villages have been occupied by Russians, just look for the innocent civilians, hands bound at the wrists and shot dead in cold blood.

          • You are influenced by what your told to say, you disgusting supporter of rape, murder, torture and looting.

          • Disregard spin? As someone who has stated you have never served, how do you know the Russians are using their Arty in a way to minimise casualties? Come on, have the balls to at least answer that simple question?

          • Very simple answer as I clearly said, which you might have missed, that it was Russians minimising their casualties not Ukraine’s. They do it by destroying as much of the enemy as possible by artillery barrage.

          • You also might have missed the question any condemnation of Putins illegal invasion of Ukraine?

    • James wrote

      Bojo clown 🤡 lives in a fantasy!

      To many (including myself) he does come across as something of an out of touch clown, but tell me how does supporting the Ukraine and giving them hope come across as a fantasy, that said it is easy to see how you arrive at such a conclusion via your Nihilist mindset.

      The Russians new strategy is working and they no longer are suffering losses in the frontline like before since a new commander has taken over .

      Is it? The repositioning of all its forces to the Eastern and Southern Fronts, doesn’t excuse the fact that in the North they have been totally removed, suffering such heavy casualties in men, equipment and moral , that those forces no longer can be classed as an effective fighting force.

       In fact they are winning with the storming of Azovstal.

      You mean that Ukrainian holdout of a few square miles surrounded on all sides by Russian forces for over a month.

      Boris should be more worried how Germany has a much larger defence budget he can’t match because his Treasury during the pandemic emptied the coffers unlike Germany which saved always for a rainy day.

      And what has that Non sequitur got to do with the British PM stating that the Ukraine will win. Nothing, as I mentioned above you appear to subscribe to a Nihilist mindset, which I can’t help but notice, takes great offence at anybody who appears to be happy, content or as in this case is willing to help somebody else.

      • The Russians if they wanted to invade Ukraine fully they would have sent in 300k plus, every US general has said you don’t invade a country with the numbers Russia has sent in. Those forces near Kiev were to pressure the regime in Kiev and not to invade Nd thode Turkish drones helped not the Russians clearly. Russia can easy close Kiev airspace with the firepower they have and turn the city to like Aleppo! Putin never wanted Kiev an important place for Russians to be destroyed.

        The Russians switched away from the Soviet tactics since command change as it caused casualties in the frontlines. Ukrainian are clearly fighting to the death and In wars the Invading forces often suffer more casualties than the defending forces , however those countries that sabbotaged the peace talks in Turkey and want to prolong the war clearly don’t have Ukrainian civilians at heart and care only about to weaken Russia . I would say confront Russia directly then if they are that weak rather than barking from the sidelines and putting Ukraine under a bus!

        Those that instigated this war if you followed things before the clock started at sky news of the BBC should end this war that will kill more civilians only needlessly. It will end with talks as outcome so the sooner the better. Or do some want a decade long war in Ukraine?

        • Utter bollocks.

          The reason why the Russians went in with insufficient forces is because in his autocratic isolation, Putin and his cronies actually believed their invasion forces would be welcomed by cheering Ukrainians. That’s why they told their poor troops in the ground.
          Regime change by way if a decapitation attack on Kiev was the plan, that’s why they used airborne forces against Hostomel as a springboard to raid Kyiv. Instead their elite airborne troops got wiped out.

          The West doesn’t need to confront Russia, Ukrainian is steadily dismantling Russian’s military while we dismantle its economy through sanctions. It’s only a matter of time before Russia becomes incapable of fighting.

          BTW you need to improve your grammar, etc if you want to try and pass as a native English speaker.

        • James,
          Without wanting to come across as abusive, your entire post is tosh, it is based entirely on misinformation, propaganda and emotion and not fact  allow me to expand on that:

          The Russians if they wanted to invade Ukraine fully they would have sent in 300k plus, every US general has said you don’t invade a country with the numbers Russia has sent in

          Yet the salient fact is…they did, on the mistaken belief that the Ukrainian military would capitulate at the first sign of trouble as they did in 2014 when Moscow annexed the Crimea. Huge mistake

          Those forces near Kiev were to pressure the regime in Kiev and not to invade

          Right and the 1500 man Chechen Special Forces task force whose mission statement on the first day was to strike hard and fast into the capital and take out the Ukrainian government, do explain how they fit into your statement. You know that special task force from the 141st Motorized Regiment of the National Guard of Russia led by General Magomed Tushayev who found out the hard way that the aluminium armour of BMP3s is as effective as a chocolate fireguard.

          Russia can easy close Kiev airspace with the firepower they have and turn the city to like Aleppo!

          For Moscow to achieve that aim, would entail them using their heavy Bombers on mass like they did in Aleppo (I actually followed the Syria war somewhat religiously) and for some very strange reason Moscow has failed to utilise its heavy bomber force as so called military experts claim they can. Which begs me to ask the question why, and why should I look to Georgia in 2008 in which to find the answer.

          The Russians switched away from the Soviet tactics since command change as it caused casualties in the frontlines.

          And yet Moscow has suffered more casualties in 10 weeks, than the Soviet Union did in 10 years in Afghanistan, meaning they learnt squat

           However those countries that sabotaged the peace talks in Turkey and want to prolong the war clearly don’t have Ukrainian civilians at heart and care only about to weaken Russia.

          It never fails to amaze me how so many apologists for Moscow, suddenly care about civilians after the invasion of the Ukraine became stalled , for the life in me, I have yet to see one express outrage at the invasion, the mass ethnic cleansing of people (5 million Ukrainians have left the country) The numerous cities which have been bombed into the stone age,  I mean after the Moskva was sunk , which Moscow tried to pass off as a tragic accident , and nothing to do with a Ukrainian attack , why did Moscow launch a country wide ballistic missile attack , if I didn’t know better , I would say it was a hissy fit born out of anger and frustration, tell me. Where was your concern there?

          • Bravo to what ? Ukrainians put under the bus by the UK to face the Russian war machine? You should stand up to the Russians yourself rather than instigating wars and arming Ukraine to prolong the war and enjoy watching the evening news of death Ukrainians. You should advocate for peace and Diplomacy that is more honourable . Russians and Ukrainian have more in common with each other culturally linguistically religiously than they do with the US or UK, so there is good ground for peace talks as per Turkey talks to be resumed

          • We pushed Ukraine under a bus? ROFLMAO. Was this the Number ’14 “special” to Kiev calling at Crimea and Donbas? The one Mr Putin is driving?

            If only we hadn’t signed exactly the same memorandum as Russia, respecting its territorial integrity, we could have just let them welcome the bus with the strewn flowers it deserved.

            Of course, poisoning a Ukrainian president and British nationals on UK soil hasn’t endeared Mr Putin in either country.

          • You, you, you? I take it you actually arent British, as your third person terminology proves it. Yopu also used the term “Brits” in another post, maybe learnt your English in NI?

        • Your posts are so bad that I for one cannot be bothered to even challenge your utter incoherent chuff. You have no military knowledge, and your grasp of reality is very “Putin spoon fed”.

    • Ha ha ha ha haaaaaa brilliant, not often do we read such amusing chuff, please keep it up Jamie boy, as we need a laugh now and then and your posts provide them in spades.

  16. Boris should be made to define a win for Ukraine. It could be anything from taking the newly gifted Leopard MBT’s and storming the Kremlin. To having something of his country left when peace is declared.
    Ukraine is akin to the old Yugoslavia and should be divided along ethnic lines, in the first instance. Simply to stop genocide by the extremists on both sides.

    • Both sides? If there’s a time to be even handed, this isn’t it. Russia is in the wrong.

      Carving up the Ukraine is just an invitation for Putin to take the bits he can. Like with Georgia, he wants to make sure that nations bordering him are no threat to his cleptocracy. He’d prefer control but will be okay with destruction as a second best. Exactly the kind of destruction you are advocating.

      It might be better for the rest of the world to carve up Russia.

      • I would not disagree with carving up Russia, except there seems to be little internal strife, revolution or other unrest. Even the islamist Chechens have calmed down and are now fighting in support of Putin in Ukraine.

        Like you I detest Vladimir Putin and would easily believe any charge leveled against the man. He is the product of his KGB training and even spent time as an advisor to the dreaded Stasi in East Germany. Short of a Gestapo officer voluntarily attached to the Einsatzgruppen. I cannot think of a more despicable career path. Of course he is taking advantage of the situation to expand his sphere of influence, using every method in the book. One of them is mastery of propaganda. Using half truths mixed with know facts and downright lies. Confusing everyone as to what has actually happened. But do not forget, Ukrainians also had the same training as part of the KGB.

        Nazi extremism in Ukraine is widely documented, with its roots stretching back well before the breakup of the USSR/Warsaw Pact. To claim otherwise is silly. Not simply the Azov battalion as downplayed by Western media but many other groups both political and militia. As to how deeply extreme fascism has penetrated Ukraine in general is genuinely debatable.

        Just prior to 2014, there were moves to outlaw use of the Russian language in areas predominantly ethnic Russian. Same with Polish, Romanian, Romany, Yiddish and Rusyn languages. Enforced by Right-wing thugs akin to Brownshirt SA who patrolled the streets. All to promote Kev-Rus (Viking – aryan) identity of Ukraine.
        In Sevastopol and Crimea, the ethnic Russian majority of 70% plus. Were allegedly excluded from voting in local elections incase they returned pro-Russian officials. Reports differ from official policy to local intimidation. It was clearly racial/ethnic persecution, which incidentally is the trademark of Nazism and how the holocaust started.

        The people who found themselves stranded in Ukraine after 1992 were not at fault. They had lived there for generations, all equally downtrodden as part of the soviet union.

        Now is always the time to be evenhanded. Especially if a long lasting solution is to be found.

        • There doesn’t “seem to be” dissent in Russia, because not only is dissent illegal and can get you jailed, reporting on dissent is also dissent.

          Yes there’s extremism in the Ukraine, there is everywhere including the UK, but the Azov generals failed to get a parliamentary seat at the last elections, so it’s not exactly overwhelming. For comparison I think Marine le Pen’s party got about 10 seats in France. I was always cheered in the 70s and 80s when the National Front polled fewer votes than the Monster Raving Loonies. To me, that’s the sign of a sane society.

    • Almost every nation on earth has ethic groups that may be disadvantaged.

      The point is that using an ethic group as a reason to invade and annex another county or part of another county is as old as the hills. Russia is using this, the key issue is that one county takes part of another county by force is not a compromise.

      • Isn’t that what the British did in Ireland? 🤔 Australia? Of wait that does not count ! The aboriginal democratically welcomed the British on their soil to colonise them . I dont like hypocrisy regardless even if my countrymen do that. Ukraine was always a redline for Russia eastwards expansion and we can’t deny that fact . Now we have war in Europe that can go any direction all just because of Ukraine wanting NATO membership and NATO making false promises. People never learn.

        • James, ref learning from mistakes. After the Cold War ended quite suddenly with a resounding wet pHart. Many of the soldiers I served with, had great hope (not faith because we brits are cynical by nature) that the entire Warsaw Pact would slowly join with us in one great strategic alliance. A mutual protection pact like no other. Not NATO but something much bigger and better. Starting with Russia to win over those who distrusted the west. Take a moment to imagine what the world would be like now.

          It could have happened if our politicians had been up to the task. Or more realistically the public and military had pushed them that way. Rather than behaving like sheeple and obedient puppies respectively. By giving the Russian moderates all the help they needed to bring it’s people into the modern world. We stood a great chance of winning the peace. However, it was not to be. Western democracies are very short sighted and blew the best chance for centuries. Rarely if ever do our governments look past the next election cycle.

          Now we have a war, which if not handled very carefully could escalate into something much bigger. My sons may fight the third world war in Europe that my generation was supposed to have prevented.

          Historical actions of our nation and others were not my responsibility. I feel no guilt or obligation because of them. If one wants to play the history game then the Italians/Romans, Danes/Vikings, French/Normans etc etc owe us more than they can ever repay. We can only deal with today and tomorrow. Yesterday only serves to teach lessons from our mistakes.

          • Hi George,

            That was a very nice, balanced and well reasoned post. A nice read.

            Thanks CR

          • You have made some good points , however NATO was created to protect against the Soviet threat , but the Soviets collapsed ceased to exist.. why does NATO still exist?? Against whom are NATO nukes directed at ? Against Bolivia ? Indonesia? Of course not, it’s against Russia ! So the Russians have legitimate concerns after being excluded from NATO and the EU and watch Washington destroy Afghanistan Iraq Libya Syria Yemen etc This Ukraine war pushed neutral India towards the Russian camp even and is bringing India China and Russia the BRIC countries closer than ever before, even the Indians and Chinese started to talk again. The global majority just had enough of constant wars started by Western states since the last 20 years.

            Recent peace talks in Turkey had a breakthrough , but Zelensky was pushed by the US and UK to not accept any deals with the Russians to end this war which, it’s host Turkey confirmed and accused some states for wanting to prolong this war just to weaken Russia . That is the sad truth . Nobody that is sane wants to see this war continue, and I do not believe any Briton wants to start over Ukraine world war 3 which some in Washington and London are pushing for which certainly most UK senior military men are against. The only way out is diplomacy

          • Well James, I deliberately steered clear of the points you have raised for good reason. Not only did short sighted Western Governments blow the best chance in centuries to have peace and an alliance with Russia/Warsaw Pact, ALL OF IT! But there were other interested parties who decided to take advantage of the situation and power vacuum for their own reasons. Chief amongst them being greed and profit.

            I would like to blame Russian and Ukrainian oligarchs for taking advantage of the culture of corruption in all eastern black nations. Unfortunately they were not the only ones to blame. Many people in the West made fortunes profiting from the Cold War and it’s numerous proxy wars. Some of them very powerful and influential. Not bound by any election cycle and able to play the game long term, by different rules. Backing politicians and calling in favours being one method. (Hunter Biden and certain Ukrainian powerbrokers come to mind.) Some in the East wanted to emulate their Western counterparts and profit from conflict too.

            Being British and proud of the fact. It would be nice if BoJo was so rabidly anti-Russia, because Putin authorised (Via Wagner Group) the use of nerve agent on British soil. Also for poisoning one former citizens with radioactive material. Unfortunately there is much more to it than that. Things best not written here on the internet.

            This latest engineered war will have far reaching consequences. Only one of which will be increased military spending and hopefully a revitalised British weapons industry.

          • Before Putin went nuts, there was serious talk of inviting Russia to join NATO. When Putin attacked Georgia, occupied Crimea & Eastern Ukraine, that all went out the window. If Putin is isolated from NATO, he only has himself to blame.

          • Himself and those who back him. Little things like oil pipelines through the caucuses or preventing the same, had a major influence in Georgia. It’s too complex an issue to cover in these comments. The vectored forces pressing on all players in the game. made predictions about the eventual direction almost impossible. Only afterwards have we been able to ascertain which proved dominant.

          • The truth is this: Russia has been in a state of war against the west for the past 25 or so , carrying out radiological and chemical attacks against targets on Western soil. It has regularly conducted hostile air and maritime activities against Nato members , and has been responsible for countless cyber attacks on Western democracies. Nato and the West have never had a threat posture against Russia, beyond what is required for basic defence. No, what threatens Putin is Western style democracy, , a free press, freedom of expression, freedom of travel, state accountability, economic development etc. The only people pushing for war are the Russians, they began their invasion on a blatantly false pretext. They could end it tomorrow by withdrawing back to their border and allowing independent nation state to make their own destiny. Russia never owned Ukraine, and Ukraines future is not for Putin to decide.

        • The right of a country, any country to decide its direction is nothing to do with Russia. NATO and the EU were never any threat to Russia. It’s freedom and democracy Putin fears, that’s why he began his catastrophic war.. Dictators never learn.

          • When you have nukes facing you if that is not a threat i don’t know what a threat is!
            NATO agreed not expand eastwards and they broke that promise and are pushing as far as Ukraine now which is a redline for the Russian Federation. What if Russia China had Mexico join their alliance and they base their military in Mexico? How would the reaction be like ?

            The US and other western countries are screaming about the Solomon Islands security pact with China an washing calling that s redline despite being so far away ! Lol The era of the US dictating things are over the tables are turning to a multipolar world which some in the west that enjoy a power monopoly for 3 decades can’t accept which in reality they would have to live with this new reality

          • Well if they didn’t promise President Gorbachev, they probably promised Foreign Secretary, Shevardnadze. And who was he? It’s not like he became President of the Ukraine or anything, right?

            Putin said that his promise to the Ukraine doesn’t count in the Donbas because its a new country, not the Ukraine at all. So why he bitches about what may or may not have been said to the leaders of the Soviet, I don’t know. Russia is a different country, Vlad!

          • Sorry but James is correct. The article you quote was from 2014, long before documents surfaced after the expiry of disclosure time limits across NATO. This is the full text from the US Archives. There are other documents from our archives bringing us into it. My highlight.

            “Even with (unjustified) redactions by U.S. classification officers, this American transcript of perhaps the most famous U.S. assurance to the Soviets on NATO expansion confirms the Soviet transcript of the same conversation. Repeating what Bush said at the Malta summit in December 1989, Baker tells Gorbachev: “The President and I have made clear that we seek no unilateral advantage in this process” of inevitable German unification. Baker goes on to say, “We understand the need for assurances to the countries in the East. If we maintain a presence in a Germany that is a part of NATO, there would be no extension of NATO’s jurisdiction for forces of NATO one inch to the east.” Later in the conversation, Baker poses the same position as a question, “would you prefer a united Germany outside of NATO that is independent and has no US forces or would you prefer a united Germany with ties to NATO and assurances that there would be no extension of NATO’s current jurisdiction eastward?” The declassifiers of this memcon actually redacted Gorbachev’s response that indeed such an expansion would be “unacceptable” – but Baker’s letter to Kohl the next day, published in 1998 by the Germans, gives the quote.”

            https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/document/16116-document-05-memorandum-conversation-between

          • What is bizarre here is that Russians treat NATO as a country and not a collective. I remember when Putin even suggested they might join NATO. I wonder what would have happened if they did.

          • Wrong. There has never been any nuclear weapons stationed in Ukraine that were threatening Russia, nor were there any plans for such. In actual fact, Russia has more to fear from the SSBN launched nuclear weapons than anything based on NATO territory. Russia has more nuclear weapons aimed at NATO countries than anywhere else and is actively threatening to use them as it is losing its war in Ukraine.

            There was no agreement by NATO not to expand eastwards , NATO is not some separate entity, it is a defensive alliance of like minded and democratic and peaceful states, other countries have a sovereign right to join if it is their wish. It is Russia that has been doing the threatening over the past 20 /25 years, causing more countries to apply for membership (Sweden, Finland). Russia has no right to any red lines on this.

            Russian and Chinese troops in Mexico ? A complete non sequitur, an absolute false analogy. As for the Solomon Islands, that’s a separate issue and has no relevance to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

          • Sorry but that is wrong and wrong.

            First, James did not say that there were nuclear weapons in Ukraine and no-one knows where Russia’s nukes are aimed, just as we don’t know where ours would go.

            Second, the documents have now surfaced, after 30 year rules etc, much to NATO’s embarrassment, that there were promises made to the Russians about no eastward expansion. See my full reply above.

            Russia has, from a position of weakness, been complaining about NATO’s moves for decades. It is only know when it is economically and militarily strong that it has been able to do something about it. It told the US/NATO last year that if things didn’t chyange it would act. The US basically maintained its stance telling the Russians to pound sand.

            When combined with the bio-labs and Ukraine’s threat to develop nuke weapons then Russians had had enough. It acted.

          • It’s not wrong. Ukraine was NEVER a military threat to Russia, and he did infer that nuclear weapons being aimed at Russia (from Ukraine) were a threat “….then I don’t know what a threat is.”
            We know exactly where Russian nuclear weapons are aimed at – Western capitals etc, don’t be so naive and disingenuous to think they’re not. You’re absolutely wrong on the Ukrainian threat about developing nuclear weapons and that specious rubbish about bio labs, that is pure Kremlin propaganda. There are bio labs near where I live, hospitals have them, universities etc. It doesn’t mean anything sinister.

            NATO has no need to be embarrassed about non binding discussion or policy documents that someone has ‘discovered ‘ . The fact is, there was no binding or legal or otherwise treaty that precluded other sovereign states from joining a defensive military alliance, especially those states whose populations knew what it was like to live under Russian rule and who had seen Russian hybrid warfare against Western states expand over the past 20 years .As I’ve said in a previous post, it’s not really NATO that bothers Putin, it’s Western liberal democracy, freedom of expression, independent courts, journalistic freedom, state accountability etc that he fears because it is these freedoms that he denies to ordinary Russians. Heard anything from the thousands of Russian anti war protesters that were locked away in February?? I doubt it. Remember, you can post here criticising NATO etc, but you won’t get 15 years in jail for doing so from a corrupt court system. This invasion had nothing to do with NATO, or nazis, but everything to do with Putins attempt to strangle freedom and to re constitute old imperial Russia. It is not and never will be within Russia’s purview to dictate how other sovereign nations can choose their destiny.

            Russia has shown by its actions so far that it is neither economically or militarily strong, quite the opposite in fact. It may temporarily capture a few towns and regions, but in every sphere it is facing strategic defeat. As you say, it acted and as a consequence committed warcrimes and genocide against the Ukrainian nation and you still cannot bring yourself to condemn those attacks on innocent citizens. Shameful.

          • My, that hit a raw nerve. In February Ukraine was a real threat to Russia with their build up to a planned attack on Donbas and Crimea that could have gone straight through to Rostov.

            You must have missed Zelensky’s comment about nukes at the NATO meeting in February as well as Nuland’s comments on bio labs to Congress in March.

            Its a sad world when all the leaders of the World agree and then cheat and lie. At that level of World leadership, the spoken word should have the same power as the written. My word is my bond should still be a valid mantra and it is a sad reflection on trust in a society if it isn’t.

            You misread the situation, Russia is extremely strong. The US/NATO clearly do not want to engage it directly, the EU is over a barrel on energy, fertiliser and food and the ruble is now the strongest it has been for over 2 years.

          • You’re still spouting Kremlin lies and deflections. Ukraine was never a threat to Russia, there was no planned building up to an attack Russia, that is absolute rubbish. Your early posts on the build up to the invasion are full of sneers about poorly armed Ukrainian conscripts going up against a technologically superior Russian military, and how Russia could subjugate Ukraine using ballistic missiles and without crossing the border. The Ukrainian military was not set up, or equipped for a combined land and air campaign against Russia, it occupied defensive positions only. You need to get your facts and narrative straight, you continually deflection and change your tune, @Airborne highlighted earlier just how much and often . Even if what you said was true, so what if they were positioned against Donbas etc, it’s Ukrainian territory, they’ve every right to take it back.

            As for world leaders cheating and lying? Better bring that up with Lavrov and Putin, they have been lying about their intentions in Ukraine and cheating the Russian population of their freedom and human rights not to mention the atrocities being committed by their military forces in Ukraine. They’ve been cheating and lying and threatening on the world stage for years, it’s what dictators do.

            It’s wishful thinking on your part if you think Russia is strong, at best it’s now a fading regional power, whose military has been shown up as utterly inept, economically, financially and diplomatically a pariah state, unable to access international markets or finance and its domestic industries are suffering. No one cares what the rouble is worth, or ever did, it isn’t going to help Russia.

            The EU will shortly ban Russian oil imports, so I don’t think Russia has anyone over a barrel.

          • He has now reverted to type, kept a low profile for a while but now back to his Kremlin directed vomit.

          • FFS here you go again waffling shite! I will ignore all the crap you have spouted as its boring, but your comment “Russia is extremely strong” ha ha ha ha bloody hell you talk Kremlin directed crap don’t you. And, once more for all the contributors to this site, we would like to know, any condemnation of Putins illegal invasion of Ukraine yet?

        • I think you will find that questions of history are a great way to distract from the evil of today…… Japan and Germany undertook some of the greatest evils ever less that a century ago, I don’t hold that against them, America’s as a nation destroyed the Native American culture, the Spanish destroyed and supplanted south and Central America cultures. The french and Spanish were happy to use Ireland as a bridge to Protestant England to destroy every sinner. The sins of the great grand farther, grand farther or father are not the fault of the son.

          The geopolitical question of which nations should or not be in NATO are complex. But it does not remove the fact that Putin is a brutal authoritarian who has attacked a nation without any cause other than his own idea of what a greater Russia should look like, based around history and not what the Population of that county wants. In effect it would be just like the U.K. invading Ireland because it was once part of the union and it matches with the U.Ks self identy and removes a security issue on our boarder. There is no excuse for the actions of Russian and making moral equivalence with historic acts just excuses evil. Sorry but it’s true, no actions can remove tragedy of the deaths of past wars we can only deal with and judge what happens in this our moment to be alive.

        • James wrote:

          Isn’t that what the British did in Ireland? 🤔 Australia? Of wait that does not count ! 

          It never fails to amaze me how so many morally righteous people fall back onto the far past (British Empire) in which to excuse the current machinations of Putin, whilst ignoring the salient fact that Ireland and Australia became independent from London over 100 years ago. In all that time no threats have been made by the Uk on their existence, in contrast during the past 100 years Moscow has invaded and annexed:
          Armenia (1920)
          Azerbaijan,(1920)
          Georgia (1921)
          Baltic states (1939)
          Moldova (1939)
          Poland (1939)
          Finland (1939)
          And all of the above as well as Hungary, Bulgaria, East Germany bar Finland since 1945 until 1991.
          However and a big however is in 1991 Moscow went to the UN and demanded the right to be able to police former CIS nations which contained Russian populations. This was refused, which saw Moscow take no notice and saw the rise of breakaway enclaves fully supported by Moscow . This was noted by former soviet states with largish Russian Populations (looks at Baltics, Ukraine and Georgia) who applied to join NATO for their own security. In 2008, Moscow invaded Georgia in a war of its own making (kind of explains why the Russian 58th Combined Arms Army turned up in Georgia hours after the separatists started it)

          In a nutshell there is no equivalence between the actions of the British Empire from over 400 years ago and the current belligerence and empire building from Moscow other than a moral righteous one promoted by Russian apologists who seem to leave out of the equation that whilst the Uk has been shedding its empire these past 100 years, Moscow has been building its own and going out of it way to hang onto it or even as we are currently seeing , to get some of it back.

          • So Australia gets invaded then you plant Brits there then say Australia became independent 100 years ago? You can’t make that one up! 🤣😂👍 So Moscow can then invade Finland implant Russians and some day they can claim Finland became independent from Moscow? Under Elizabeth realm we still were colonising countries Nd she still lives to tell that tale. The era where we could dictate to others is over. We must coexist in a peaceful world without military alliances designed to destroy or bully others. The alternative is war that we can’t win against powerful nuclear armed states

          • James wrote:

            “”So Moscow can then invade Finland implant Russians and some day they can claim Finland became independent from Moscow?”

            It really would help your argument if you read up how in 1939 after annexing the Baltics, Moscow demanded to Helsinki that they hand over a large tract of land to them or else. Problem for Moscow was the Finns chose ‘or else and whilst losing the Winter war, inflicted huge losses on the Russians. who proceeded to annex a large area of Finland which they still hold to this day, after WW2, Moscow forced Finland to do as it was told or else, that became known as Finlandization. So in answer to your presumably farfetched mocking retort regards Finland, it actually happened and is why Helsinki is currently looking at joining NATO

          • Yes Finland was held at complete risk by the USSR after WW2 and only survived by towing the line. Equally the USSR did not formally invade and annex Finland because it was not willing to expend the blood and treasure after getting burned once. But the USSR effectively used massive levels of military blackmail to manage the destiny of Finland. It’s why they are so fanatical about their defence and independence. Anyone sticking an army in Finland will get it hand back to them in pieces ( it’s entire adult population is effectively mobilisable as part of its armed forces and it has some of the best geographical and climatic conditions for defence anywhere.

          • James,
            I have to ask why do you claim to be British, I quote:

            Under Elizabeth realm we still were colonising countries Nd she still lives to tell that tale.

            when you started that entire post in the third person:

            So Australia gets invaded then you plant Brits 

            Going back to your first quote above, the Queen was born in 1926, could you be so kind as to name the country colonised by the Uk since then?

          • James wrote:

            The era where we could dictate to others is over. 

            Would you care to remind us all who is trying to dicate to whom in the Ukraine?

          • Oh dear English not your first language. You need to work harder to back up the other trolls son.

        • A sovereign nation does what its people want. It is for the people of Ukraine to decide if they want to be in NATO &/or the EU. It is not for Russia (or anyone else) to tell Ukrainians what to do.

          • The people of Ukraine certainly have the right to ask NATO if they can join. But under NATO’s constitution no country has a right to join, they can only be invited and only if all NATO countries concur.

            I could be wrong but I believe that the Russian Government has been telling the US/NATO that they can’t invite Ukraine to join, mainly due to two signed OSCE agreements, without consulting Russia.

          • Russia has broken its deal, that if Ukraine handed back its nukes to Russia, then Russia would respect Ukraine territory & never invade it. Russia is in clear & blatant breach. The Russian government are liars. You cannot trust them. They must be isolated like a cancer from the rest of the world for fifty years if need be. Total, unwavering sanctions on Russia for many decades to come.

          • In Russia’s eyes that agreement ceased when the legal Government of Ukraine was overthrown by the coup in 2013/4.

            The sanctions have a finite life as Russia’s resources are in too much demand.You are aware that even now only a limited number of countries have signed up? Plus all kinds of companies, Boeing, Airbus as examples, are desperately trying to get optouts.

            Just wait until the populations of the EU wake up to the fact that they didn’t need to pay the current horrendous prices for energy, that is also about to feed into food. You are aware that Hungary are currently paying around 24% of its neighbouring countries for gas, as it went back to contract pricing from Gazprom?

          • Hungary will have to decide if it wants to be Russia’s poodle or part of the West. It cannot be both. Selective history is what the dear leader Putin is good at. Russia is & remains forever 100% wrong in attacking Ukraine. No re writing of history will ever change that. Putin & those who support him will face an international court for their war crimes. With a bit of luck, the West will wake up & build enough energy of its own to never buy any gas, oil or coal from Russia ever again. Russia must be sealed off from the rest of the world for at least 50 years. Nothing & no one in or out.

  17. Ukraine is already a comprehensive exhibition hall of all European weapons (including the Soviet Union).

    Ukraine insists that they can do anything because they are excellent with support.

    However, if Ukraine can master all European and American weapons, all efforts to unify standards and equipment (especially the United States) to reduce the number of military supplies in the world are nothing.

    Everyone believes Ukraine is justice and good, but I don’t believe in that. (Russia is definitely a villain)

    The weapons driven to Ukraine will surely bring back the scourge of Europe and the United States after the war.
    (Even if people like Ukraine by beating Russia)

    • Very informative and a nice break from the Ukrainian headache. No that far off topic because the world is now a more dangerous place.

  19. The end game has got to involve putin looking like he’s won or else god knows what he will do.The guy is unhinged and we have to give him some kind of respect.

    • Not necessarily. There are some very likely outcomes that leave Putin either with egg on his face and defenceless or leaves a Russia free of Putin. The Oligarchy propping him up and those of equal guilt in Ukraine are a different story. Any solution to the current war will need to placate or obliterate the oligarchs. That is why I favour a solution based on ethnicity. With each self governing region in charge of its own destiny.

        • I know it gives the Ukrainian Nazis and nationalists what they want, a racially pure Ukraine. But the fact remains that friction between the various ethnic groups is the very centre of this conflict. Old grudges and hatred left to simmer for generations. Therefore separating the antagonists seems the most likely short term solution.
          What is the alternative?
          Back one side, arm them to the teeth and let them slaughter the others. You can be certain that once all Russian forces are pushed back over the border. The ethnic cleansing will resume with added fervour. Remember Yugoslavia.

  20. Ukrainian troops reporting they are not getting significant quantities of promised heavy weapons in east. So jt would appear that Russian strikes on infrastructure, principally railways, are having an effect. Not surprising, really. That said, does not appear that Russia is making effective use of it’s shorter lines even now. Thus, still must be possible to negate Russian aims for the most part, by the looks.
    See Belarus is rattling its cage. Playing the Italian card? Wait to see who looks to have advantage, then climb on band wagon.
    With this week being so historically significant to Russia, Ukraine could no doubt do with another clear triumph. Time to sink some more naval units and take out the Azov bridge to Crimea perhaps.
    Also note Ruskies complaining of (special military operation?) crimes against their forces. Don’t really doubt it in the heat of battle. Just a thought, but how about they go back home?

    • The Russians are definitely taking the risk of NATO supplies more seriously. Another 6 railway electrical substations were destroyed by the Russians last night bringing the total to 14, probably forcing Ukraine Railways to use diesels in the west. Over the weekend they hit the rail bridge south of Odessa again rendering it U/S and a rail tunnel further north thus preventing imports of military gear and exports of foodstuffs via Romania.

      Yes, just as the gas continues to flow through Ukraine to the EU so have grain exports found their way out. A ship carrying 95,000 tons of corn left Constanta last week.

      • Dicy period right now, for sure. And US admitting it’s becoming difficult to keep on top of Ukrainian weapon requests to boot.
        Hence Volodymyr could do with that other spectacular, I feel.

      • Well, pleased to say I’ve been called wrong. Latest from BBC this morning saying Put’s infrastructure disruption is having negligible influence.
        Rgs

          • I’d have thought the same. Still, the counter is out there so let us hope.

            Latest reports from Ukraine are that they do not think a major counter attack is available to them before June, say, depending on training sufficient troops on new weapon systems.

            In the meantime, I’d like to see Ukraine achieve another successful hit on a major Russian asset, as l’ve previously mentioned. May the 9th would be nice.
            Rgs

  21. The man is trying to show he is something he is not. Reading Politico article that interviewed various US foreign policy & defence experts. They all say it’s making no difference in their assessment that the UK is now relatively irrelevant. They say France, Germany and Ukraine are the key from their point of view.

    I don’t share their assessment of the UK, but question Johnson’s motives and actions as a deflection from Partygate and his other infractions.

    • We are relatively irrelevant from the US perspective as we generally act like a 51st state so can be counted on, often going beyond a minimum like now. Unlike France and Germany who usually need persuading. Ukraine is relevant as it is a US tool to attempt to weaken Russia with.

      • Yaaaawn stop answering a fellow bot, oh look he arrived here not long ago, 22 posts! FFS you lot are morons.

  22. Looking at the posts Guys one thing I am sure we all agree on is that this war is pointless and must stop 🙏

  23. I see a few more Putin bots have arrived.
    What always surprised me was the Russian bot standard operating procedure:
    Use an Anglo-Saxon name (maybe they were so ashamed to be Russian?). (this has changed to Scandinavian names re-Finland, Sweden and NATO). even though it’s obvious your not Scandinavian or Anglo-Saxon and will probably blow your cover.
    Always add into the conversation the following even if it’s completely out of context; Zionists, sleepy joe, Bojo, Nazis, Brexit etc. even though it’s nonsense and will probably blow your cover.
    Always find a reason why one NATO state is pulling a fast-one over another NATO state. even though it’s nonsense and will probably blow your cover.
    Always associate NATO with the USA and empire expansion even though it’s nonsense and will probably blow your cover.
    If we (Russia) are losing militarily or in the thread; mention Nukes and 6,000.
    Use the phrase “Special Operation”, even though it’s nonsense and will probably blow your cover.
    Remind everyone how powerful Russias conventional military is. even though it’s laughable and will definitely blow your cover and may cause some to spit their tea out.
    Mention superweapons and add the word… Hypersonic. even though it’s nonsense and will probably blow your cover.
    Keep mentioning Donbas and atrocities committed by Ukraine since 2014; even though it’s nonsense and will probably blow your cover.
    Don’t forget to mention the de-militarisation of Ukraine even though it’s probably the most ‘militarised’ place on earth right now that we (Russia) has thrown 200,000 troops at it.
    Have I missed any?

    • Never ever, condemn Russian war crimes or say Putin has lost the plot, even though it will blow your cover. Oooh, ooh ooh, never admit huge Russian losses.

    • I think you missed NATO aggression and the fact we had an empire once means we are morally corrupt and can’t make any statement about wars crimes without being hypocrites, even if it was related to something our great great grandparents did in a different world.

    • Ah, the good old Reds under the beds fear. Bless.

      Anyone who says virtually anything contrary to the prevailing view of some here is branded a bot, virtually regardless of how much validity, or dare I say it facts, there is in the comment.

      Maybe, just maybe, what those who pop their heads above the parapet say may contribute to the conversation. It is certainly better for this site if there is a more balanced view in the comments as it is likely that more will be attracted here.

      • That point of view might hold some integrity if you were able to condemn the Russian war crimes against Ukrainian civilians and the very fact of the unprovoked war against Ukraine. Any independent thinker with morals, integrity and intellectual rigour would have no problem with that. Instead, all you really do is comment here with your sneering and misplaced sense of superiority, gaslighting and deflecting with Kremlin lies about nazis, bio labs, nukes, and whatever other rubbish you picked up from Russia Today.

        Do you really think that alternative views are permitted in Russia?? Ask the thousands of jailed dissidents, ask the families of murdered Russian investigative journalists and political activists, the exiled citizens. Your words defend and support that system, if you can’t see that, then you’re no better than those nazis you defend.

      • Well, you are guilty of using the ‘N’ word. No harm in expressing one’s opinion, after all you are speaking on a free forum and you are entitled to your opinion. The problem some of us have is that all too often it is clear that it is not the opinion of the poster but that of a state sponsored department. You are posting in a UK defence forum, so you can expect a fairly biased group of people who are probably ex military and using the ‘N’ word here makes the poster sound either ignorant or stupid. Remember that a good deal of the people here have relatives who defended and died for the UK (and others) to rid us from the Nazi’s, some of which died on the convoys carrying massive amounts of supplies to the Soviet Union (ironic isn’t it, that now it’s Ukraine being supplied). I guess that if I blunder on to the RT forums I can expect a rough time, but then again, why would I bother unless I wanted to stir up the cr@p.

        • Forgive my ignorance but what is the ‘N’ word you refer to?

          I am one of those you mention, both my parents were in the Air Force in WW2.

          • OK, one was in the WRAF the other the RAF, both in roles that monitored the Luftwaffe.

          • Well therein lies the irony. The RAF played an instrumental role in the defeat of nazi Germany , and here you are supporting and defending Russian nazis and disseminating their propaganda.

          • Whilst you are content supporting Ukrainian Nazis? They are the group I have most problems with.

          • Ha ha !! That’s fairly desperate as a response, you’re really flailing around there!!
            It takes a really twisted mindset to ignore the expansionist nature of Putins invasion, his mafia gangster state, the contempt for any culture that isn’t nationalist ethno Russian, the execution of civilians, the deliberate targeting of civilian areas, the forced abduction of Ukrainians into Russia, the filtration camps, the use of foreign and Chechen death squads etc and then conclude that it is Ukraine that is nazi.

            You are beyond delusional. Your parents must be so proud.

          • Sorry to hear that. But I am puzzled as to why an individual such as yourself, supposedly resident in Milton Keynes is so concerned about the activities of a few far right headbangers on the other side of Europe. Surely the EDF would concern you more?

          • What’s wrong with that company? Their gas and electric is expensive but….. 😂👍

          • Why do you have a problem with Ukrainaian Nazis and not Russian Rapists, looters and murderers?

          • Good point. Seems like being a rapist, looter or murderer appears acceptable to some, but being a nationalist and having a badge which resembles a Nazi symbol (if you squint a lot and have a wide imagination) is a step too far! I see the Russians never mention that their Wagner group has right wing tendencies either.

          • Agreed, and those Wagners are a group of even worse trained muppets! 50% never served in Russkie mil (just do the Wagner course), 45% are ex Russkie mil (not that it means much) and 5% serving Russkie mil in command and specialist roles. Give or take it vast majority are “I’m dead hard as i punch myself in the face the hardest” sort of moronic peasants! Absolute shite, bullies and dullard cannon fodder for sure! Anyway even their name is right wing! Cheers!

          • I want to know where all these Nazis have come from. Have we had a sudden mass influx of Nazis? The spin by Putin that they are up against Nazis is just seen as ridiculous in the West and we see this as more than insulting as our relatives died fighting the Nazis in WW2. Every country has a right wing element including Russia, some would call them nationalists. If you automatically label the Azov battalion in Ukraine as Nazis because they are right wing, then you also have to label the Wagner group with the same label as they are also right wing.

          • He won’t answer mate, but now he reads that I said he won’t answer, he may, but it won’t be a direct answer to your post, just more bile and Putin spin.

      • Delivery, Graham.
        Lacked the fluidity that Churchill would have imbued into same, being conscious that his announcement was for home consumption and international, principally at that time United States.
        One could argue that Boris’ saving grace was his ‘sales technique’, but on this occasion came across as amateurish, indeed so for someone we’re given to understand has seen himself in the Churchillian mould.
        OK, he may, say, have been tired. But I would hazard much less than Zelinsky right now who stands up every night to fulfil a similar role.
        For transparency, I’ll admit never having any regard for Boris; though a Conservative to date.
        Regards

      • That said, just watched the Putin fiasco. Almost a fully fledged stumble-bumble himself. Just a bit more fluffing and he’ll be qualified for the medal.

        His backdrop consisted of militia all of whom looked like they would rather be somewhere else – and the troops / spectators likewise unconvinced.

        Notice the objective seems to have become liberating the Donbas, now; apparently always Russian territory. Bloke’s a has been.
        Kind Rgs

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