Ukraine

[exile]

Plausible deniability.

The lorry that blew up was travelling from Russia.

Well it would be wouldn't it? Given that Russia claims both sides of the bridge - but I know what you mean.

Having only seen the moment of the explosion once, I am not entirely sure it was the truck that blew up or whether it was something to the immediate right of the truck - as in an incoming missile.

[niemeyjt]

Of course - but officially who has missiles of that range?

[Wilbro]

"An act of terrorism" says Putin. What on earth is what he is doing to Ukraine? The man's off his chump!

[Bayleaf]

And in response, the deluded piece of sh*t is having Kiev bombed. Of course he would. Oh, but that's ok, as that's just a continuation of his "special military operation" and it won't be Russia, as they "don't target civilians". So full of sh*te, that evil waste of oxygen.

[exile]

Three weeks ago the Gas pipelines between Russia and N Europe mysteriously blew up in 4 places.

Last week the telecommunications cable between The Shetland Islands and Faroe Islands suffered a break.

Today the telecommunications cable between The Shetlands and mainland UK also suffered a break.

Trawlers have been blamed for the cable breaks.

Russia has some of the biggest trawlers operating in the northern waters.

Conspiracy theory? Possibly nothing more than that. However.......

[DaveW]

It seems that the gas pipelines were blown apart by underwater explosives, probably torpedoes at that depth.

Hardly fishing, maybe one is in response to the other. We probably will never know

[exile]

I agree about the explosives. It is only the coms lines that it is suggested have been taken out by trawling. If it were Russia it would simply be them showing that they can skin cats in more than one way

[Bayleaf]

2 years ago Russia's "Special Military Operation" began. Like 9/11, I can remember exactly where I was and what I was doing. Two years ago at this time, pruning shrubs in a client's garden in the middle of a sleepy village. The bells rang, and they continued to ring in a most ominous way. When we got home we saw on the news that confirmed what it meant.

And still the the evil one continues his mission that he bragged would only take 10 days. Another murderous b*stard.

I still have a sticker on the van supporting Ukraine, and a sunflower toy sat on the dash board. I was hoping they could have been taken down by now....

[Hotrodder]

It will take more than words of support from the west for Ukraine to save their country. It seems (apart from UK) the early enthusiasm from other countries is on the wane. And if Trump wins in the next election it will all go down like a house of cards.
Anyone notice the photos of that meeting in the US with the likes of L. Truss, Fartage, etc. in attendance? Much like Hitler's groupies bathing in his evil aura.

[Blaze]

Brittany has taken in about 5,000 refugees from Ukraine. About 1,000 have apparently returned to Ukraine. I remember the first ones that arrived in Saint-Malo, shell-shocked and disorientated. Our bénévole interpreters association has done a lot to help them settle in over the last 2 years, particularly the Russian and Ukrainian speakers. The children seem to have settled into school and many of the adults have found jobs and their own accommodation.

But it hasn't all been a bed of roses. Some of them here are pro-Russian and some have come to feel that having everything for free is a right, they've come for a better life. It's not been easy for the interpreters : we normally work with the hospitals but this has expanded to social services and police. There's been many a wasted journey to find that a medical appointment has not been respected. It's beyond the remit of why the association was started 20 years ago, but then you could say it's evolved. There are few professional interpreters in our area with the languages we need so our bénévoles are very precious to us. Naturally we don't want to treat on the toes of the professionals, but then who would pay them ?