USSR invades Ukraine. (12 Viewers)

skybluetony176

Well-Known Member
Me thinks conscription would not work. Interestingly, one of my nieces was in tears at the prospect of being called up. I can’t imagine any of the under 30’s volunteering for war. But they risk their own freedoms by refusing. Not that Putin would worry about that. Most would step back a few feet. Our society is diverse. Many people in this demographic hold different core values to their great, great grandparents generation.

I guess most of the West would be the same. Our message to Putin will therefore be something along the lines of ‘hit me, I’m not going to hit back.’
The funniest thing was watching a bloke who hid in a fridge to avoid being asked a question writing in his newspaper column that he would be ready to fight for his country if he’d been conscripted.
 

skybluetony176

Well-Known Member
Bad day for Putin today. Firstly the EU rubber stamp €50 billion aid package for Ukraine and it looks like a Ukrainian drone attack has just sunk another Russian warship.
 

duffer

Well-Known Member
It doesn’t surprise me. I recall when Russia was massing its forces on the Ukrainian border ahead of its attempted full invasion. The British forces held an LGBTQ day and no end of people including so called right wing commentators and wannabe politicians pointing to Russia saying look at them, they’re not having a day to celebrate LGBTQ, that’s how a military should operate. Just before they got their arses handed to them on a plate by an ill prepared Ukraine making Molotov cocktails in the street expecting a guerrilla warfare. Their was no shortage of people in this country salivating at the prospect of Russia having a quick decisive victory showing the woke west how it’s done.

Ironically I was reading an article the other day how LGBTQ Ukrainian soldiers fighting on the front line is playing a part in seeing a shift in Ukraine on opinions of the LGBTQ community. Gay soldiers in Ukraine even have their own insignia, a unicorn IIRC.

The idea that being gay or "woke" makes you weak at either an individual, societal, or military level is ludicrous.

These fucking right-wing anti-woke nutters are usually the first to dodge the military when push comes to shove (e.g. that chicken shit, cowardly c**t, draft-dodger, Trump).

The toughest, bravest, bloke I ever met was a five-and-a-half foot, ten stone wet-through, old boy, who was a retired Commando who'd served in WW2.

He wouldn't talk about it often, only ever when drunk, and he never bragged, but there was no doubt that he had been a stone cold killer. He'd had to be to survive.

Entirely incidentally, he was also gay, which I'm sure must have been hell for his generation. Imagine going through all of that hideousness for your country and then coming back home and having to hide who you are.

Thank God we've moved on - that's worth fighting for.
 

Sick Boy

Super Moderator
The idea that being gay or "woke" makes you weak at either an individual, societal, or military level is ludicrous.

These fucking right-wing anti-woke nutters are usually the first to dodge the military when push comes to shove (e.g. that chicken shit, cowardly c**t, draft-dodger, Trump).

The toughest, bravest, bloke I ever met was a five-and-a-half foot, ten stone wet-through, old boy, who was a retired Commando who'd served in WW2.

He wouldn't talk about it often, only ever when drunk, and he never bragged, but there was no doubt that he had been a stone cold killer. He'd had to be to survive.

Entirely incidentally, he was also gay, which I'm sure must have been hell for his generation. Imagine going through all of that hideousness for your country and then coming back home and having to hide who you are.

Thank God we've moved on - that's worth fighting for.
There's still a hell of a long way to go until we're at the stage where same-sex couples are able to walk down the street or kiss in public without fear of repercussions.
 

skybluetony176

Well-Known Member
The idea that being gay or "woke" makes you weak at either an individual, societal, or military level is ludicrous.

These fucking right-wing anti-woke nutters are usually the first to dodge the military when push comes to shove (e.g. that chicken shit, cowardly c**t, draft-dodger, Trump).

The toughest, bravest, bloke I ever met was a five-and-a-half foot, ten stone wet-through, old boy, who was a retired Commando who'd served in WW2.

He wouldn't talk about it often, only ever when drunk, and he never bragged, but there was no doubt that he had been a stone cold killer. He'd had to be to survive.

Entirely incidentally, he was also gay, which I'm sure must have been hell for his generation. Imagine going through all of that hideousness for your country and then coming back home and having to hide who you are.

Thank God we've moved on - that's worth fighting for.
He sounds like a cousin of mine. He’s one of 3 brothers all off who had ambitions to join the forces. His 2 older brothers got in but he couldn’t, he tried but he wouldn’t deny his sexuality and at the time out gay men were not allowed to serve in the forces. He’s as camp as Christmas so he was always going to get asked about his sexuality. Like your mate he also happens to be vertically challenged and skinny. Thing is I’ve seen him in a fight and he’s a fighter, he knocked out a guy twice his size very easily. Born to be a soldier. It was the Paras he tried to join IIRC.
 

duffer

Well-Known Member
He sounds like a cousin of mine. He’s one of 3 brothers all off who had ambitions to join the forces. His 2 older brothers got in but he couldn’t, he tried but he wouldn’t deny his sexuality and at the time out gay men were not allowed to serve in the forces. He’s as camp as Christmas so he was always going to get asked about his sexuality. Like your mate he also happens to be vertically challenged and skinny. Thing is I’ve seen him in a fight and he’s a fighter, he knocked out a guy twice his size very easily. Born to be a soldier. It was the Paras he tried to join IIRC.

I got rejected by Army recruitment for being "too bolshy". In fairness it was probably the right decision for all parties. 😁

I'm certain your cousin would've made a far better soldier than me in every respect, but certainly he would have been tougher by a order of magnitude or two. 😄
 

Sick Boy

Super Moderator
I got rejected by Army recruitment for being "too bolshy". In fairness it was probably the right decision for all parties. 😁

I'm certain your cousin would've made a far better soldier than me in every respect, but certainly he would have been tougher by an order of magnitude or two. 😄
I’d have got the wooden spoon for even considering it!
 

wingy

Well-Known Member
I got rejected by Army recruitment for being "too bolshy". In fairness it was probably the right decision for all parties. 😁

I'm certain your cousin would've made a far better soldier than me in every respect, but certainly he would have been tougher by a order of magnitude or two. 😄
Clearly you should have joined the other side for being bolshy?🤔
 

duffer

Well-Known Member
Clearly you should have joined the other side for being bolshy?🤔


I don't think my Russian's up to it mate.

They wouldn't have liked my drinking either; I don't think I could manage more than half a bottle of vodka a day. 😄
 

Grendel

Well-Known Member
I don't think my Russian's up to it mate.

They wouldn't have liked my drinking either; I don't think I could manage more than half a bottle of vodka a day. 😄

I could.
 

wingy

Well-Known Member
Boom time for Russia predicted by the IMF seems like those sanctions don't work just enrich the leading member of Nato!
 

Grendel

Well-Known Member
Boom time for Russia predicted by the IMF seems like those sanctions don't work just enrich the leading member of Nato!

Inflation slashed by 10% points and forecast at 2% by 2026 as well

Bit better than when the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 90’s
 

PVA

Well-Known Member
Boom time for Russia predicted by the IMF seems like those sanctions don't work just enrich the leading member of Nato!

Because of incredible levels of defence spending.

Social infrastructure is declining. Living standards are getting worse. Whenever the war stops, their economy is in deep shit.

Of course the same people saying the US wants this war to go on forever to boost their economy can't see the irony in their comments on the Russian economy.
 
D

Deleted member 5849

Guest
Because of incredible levels of defence spending.

Social infrastructure is declining. Living standards are getting worse. Whenever the war stops, their economy is in deep shit.

Of course the same people saying the US wants this war to go on forever to boost their economy can't see the irony in their comments on the Russian economy.
That's a bit different though, as the US are selling to others.
 

Sick Boy

Super Moderator
Because of incredible levels of defence spending.

Social infrastructure is declining. Living standards are getting worse. Whenever the war stops, their economy is in deep shit.

Of course the same people saying the US wants this war to go on forever to boost their economy can't see the irony in their comments on the Russian economy.
I’d imagine renegotiations to end it will involve sanctions against Russia being lifted.
 

Grendel

Well-Known Member
Because of incredible levels of defence spending.

Social infrastructure is declining. Living standards are getting worse. Whenever the war stops, their economy is in deep shit.

Of course the same people saying the US wants this war to go on forever to boost their economy can't see the irony in their comments on the Russian economy.

Have you read the IMF forecasts?
 

PVA

Well-Known Member
Have you read the IMF forecasts?

You don't think Russia's municipal and social infrastructure is failing and being neglected at the expense of the war? They are halving their spending on housing and communal services for the next two years at least. Even though 44% of the country's utility infrastructure has passed its life expectancy.

What about Putin's decree on Russian exporters to prop up the ruble, what effect do you think that is having?

So yeah the economy might look good on paper, but it's at the expense of the Russian public and infrastructure. With a severely depleted workforce.
 

Grendel

Well-Known Member
You don't think Russia's municipal and social infrastructure is failing and being neglected at the expense of the war? They are halving their spending on housing and communal services for the next two years at least. Even though 44% of the country's utility infrastructure has passed its life expectancy.

What about Putin's decree on Russian exporters to prop up the ruble, what effect do you think that is having?

So yeah the economy might look good on paper, but it's at the expense of the Russian public and infrastructure. With a severely depleted workforce.
I was asking - have you read the IMF forecasts?
 

Grendel

Well-Known Member
That's a bit different though, as the US are selling to others.

They also of course will benefit by having most of Ukraine’s infrastructure destroyed before any attempt to look at a peaceful solution
 

Grendel

Well-Known Member
I’d imagine renegotiations to end it will involve sanctions against Russia being lifted.

Most definitely and businesses and governments across the globe will be happy and relieved when this happens
 

PVA

Well-Known Member
I was asking - have you read the IMF forecasts?

Yes, have you?

The FT article quoted above even says the exact same things I've said:

This could be explained by the strong stimulus provided by government spending in the Russian “war economy”

in the longer term the potential growth of the Russian economy was likely to be lower than before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine almost two years ago.

But senior economic officials warned the spending could be overheating the economy. “If you try to drive faster than the car’s design allows and step on the gas as hard as you can, then the engine will overheat sooner or later and we won’t get far. We might go fast, but not for long,” central bank governor Elvira Nabiullina said in December.


Do you agree with the above?

Also, the Russian economy shrank in 2022. So of course it's easier to get higher growth % from a lower starting point. Basic maths.
 
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Grendel

Well-Known Member
Yes, have you?

The FT article quoted above even says the exact same things I've said:




Do you agree with the above?

Also, the Russian economy shrank in 2022. So of course it's easier to get higher growth % from a lower starting point. Basic maths.

You don’t seem to have linked the whole article. Strange?


The outlook is growth and higher growth along with India and China vs most western economies - this despite punitive sanctions which will inevitably disappear once the war ends

Ukraine meanwhile has a less encouraging outlook does it not? This despite have billions of wasted money poured into it
 

PVA

Well-Known Member
You don’t seem to have linked the whole article. Strange?


The outlook is growth and higher growth along with India and China vs most western economies - this despite punitive sanctions which will inevitably disappear once the war ends

Ukraine meanwhile has a less encouraging outlook does it not? This despite have billions of wasted money poured into it

Are you OK? The article was linked already. I just said that.

I was saying it essentially agrees with me - economy looks strong at the moment but won't last.

The head of the Russian Central bank literally says exactly that.
 

Grendel

Well-Known Member
Are you OK? The article was linked already. I just said that.

I was saying it essentially agrees with me - economy looks strong at the moment but won't last.

The head of the Russian Central bank literally says exactly that.

Yes I’m fine thanks but you did not link the whole article - the forecast by 2026 suggests it have inflation back to only 2%

I believe you and many thought that the sanctions would end the Russian resistance and bring its economy to its knees causing the country to crumble.

In fact it’s now predicted to recover to pre war levels as early as next year


You are again also failing to recognise the growth impact of the lifting of sanctions. Trade with non western allies of course has never faltered either.

Oh and before you say sanctions won’t be lifted Europe have been buying oil through the back door


Ukraines outlook by comparison is dire.
 

wingy

Well-Known Member
So could be getting cold over next winter, appears Biden has banned exports of LNG to certain Asian countries and European countries after getting rid of nord stream!
 

wingy

Well-Known Member
Yes I’m fine thanks but you did not link the whole article - the forecast by 2026 suggests it have inflation back to only 2%

I believe you and many thought that the sanctions would end the Russian resistance and bring its economy to its knees causing the country to crumble.

In fact it’s now predicted to recover to pre war levels as early as next year


You are again also failing to recognise the growth impact of the lifting of sanctions. Trade with non western allies of course has never faltered either.

Oh and before you say sanctions won’t be lifted Europe have been buying oil through the back door


Ukraines outlook by comparison is dire.
And us, shouldn't forget that!
 

PVA

Well-Known Member
Looks like that wanker Tucker Carlson is in Russia looking for an interview with Putin for MAGA to cream themselves over.
 

wingy

Well-Known Member
Off topic but some bloke/politician/commentator reckons UK should be able to offer up circa 800k souls for defence with size of population, just go the full hog n call it a Million.
 

PVA

Well-Known Member
Why are we pretending we’re going to war with Russia again?

I hope someone has told Liz. Poor old girl is probably still out on the front line

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