Ukraine

[MAD87]

Irish armed forces tend only to act when offered roles in films.

[Blaze]

Perhaps the Russians in Russia will have the courage to stand up to the dictatorship when life gets too difficult. The problems seem to be starting already : young people particularly are used to modern technology and appear to be having difficulty paying for thing. If the rouble collapses completely, they will really be in difficulty :
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60558731

Perhaps one way of resolving the situation is revolution from inside Russia.

Sadly Kyiv is unlikely to be able to resist the inevitable onslaught of Russian tanks that are on their way.

[Bayleaf]

It seems much of the commercial world is slamming the door in the face of putin. Not sure he'd listen or care what his own people think. Will it just make him even madder?

I saw that impending line of tanks this morning - words fail me, but the tears keep flowing.

[Blaze]

Opposition in Russia has always been silenced and under the current ex-KGB dictator, just as much so. There have been protests in Russia against war with Ukraine, but as with all opposition to a dictatorial government, they have been silenced.

We can only hope that the economic sanctions are an effective way to bring about change in Russia, and quickly.
From the BBC, Russia now has about 75% of its forces inside Ukraine, though there is no mention of air or sea strength.

According to Al Jazeera, Turkey has taken the decision to close the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus to warships.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/1 ... ine-crisis

This Reuters article explains why Turkey can close the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus :
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-ea ... 022-02-27/

"It is not a couple of air strikes now, the situation in Ukraine is officially a war... We will implement the Montreux Convention," Mevlut Cavusoglu, Turkey's foreign minister, said in an interview with broadcaster CNN Turk.............
The rhetorical shift allows Turkey to enact the articles of the 1936 Montreux Convention that permits it to limit naval transit of its Dardanelles and Bosphorus straits during wartime, or if threatened."

[niemeyjt]

In the past I have mentioned a Russian pharmacist with whom I worked. Her comments:

who speaks out against the war is recorded in the list (as a traitor to the Motherland
many people are simply intimidated, it is impossible to speak. it's probably hard for you to understand
We have freedom of speech, but a person cannot say anything. To be honest, I didn't think it was possible. a man became an enemy of the Motherland, because he does not want war
it is impossible for a normal person to want war (this is blood, this is death, this is grief), it seems to me that this is the absence of brains and propaganda on TV

And like many Russians, she has friends and family in Ukraine.

[Bayleaf]

There's no hope then really. The man is a dangerous, crazy livewire. Wasn't Hitler on all sorts of medication that sent him crazier and super paranoid? Then there was the madness of King George the Third .....

[Blaze]

He's typical of the old style communists from Soviet days, surrounded by people of like mind. He's one of the richest men in Russia with the power and money to quell any opposition. I doubt mental or physical illness have anything to do with his actions - he seems no different from any other dictator - greedy for power and money which are unpleasant human characteristics.

[ExMontpelliérain]

He's typical of the old style communists from Soviet days, surrounded by people of like mind. He's one of the richest men in Russia with the power and money to quell any opposition. I doubt mental or physical illness have anything to do with his actions - he seems no different from any other dictator - greedy for power and money which are unpleasant human characteristics.

The Russians are currently repurposing old communist era jokes:

Умница, why are you reading Isvestia when you are anti-Putin?

I’m reading it for the obituaries.

But Умница, the obituaries are on page 16.

The one I’m looking for will be on the front page.

[Bayleaf]

Oh dog, the bumbling bojo has landed in Poland. Sorry Poland.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-60565392

[Pathca]

Would you rather he stayed in the UK and didn’t do anything?