In reply to Post #12
Lots of countries have defence partnerships and have joint operations. Russians do this yearly, but their equipment returns to the origin. The movement of non-combatant vehicles by train over hundreds of miles and in numbers not seen before contradicts these are just 'manoeuvres". You don't move troops and equipment of this scale onto 3 of Ukraine's borders, especially Moldova, if you don't have an intention of making them "combat ready".
It's not just Boris. This is a NATO matter, so many NATO countries have sent troops, weapons, ammo and equipment to the front line.
If you have an hour to kill, research where the front lines are then have a look on google earth. It's sobering to see the WW1 style trenches, and the fields between which are blistered from artillery shelling.
Lots of countries have defence partnerships and have joint operations. Russians do this yearly, but their equipment returns to the origin. The movement of non-combatant vehicles by train over hundreds of miles and in numbers not seen before contradicts these are just 'manoeuvres". You don't move troops and equipment of this scale onto 3 of Ukraine's borders, especially Moldova, if you don't have an intention of making them "combat ready".
It's not just Boris. This is a NATO matter, so many NATO countries have sent troops, weapons, ammo and equipment to the front line.
If you have an hour to kill, research where the front lines are then have a look on google earth. It's sobering to see the WW1 style trenches, and the fields between which are blistered from artillery shelling.
In reply to Post #16
You are 100% right. This is no war game. The scary part of it all is that Russia, china and Iran are in talks about a military alliance as well. Really not good news to be honest.
Take a look at the channel from Vice on YouTube. They do some excellent stuff on war and conflict and have some really good stuff on the trenches you are talking about on the front lines in Ukraine.
You are 100% right. This is no war game. The scary part of it all is that Russia, china and Iran are in talks about a military alliance as well. Really not good news to be honest.
Take a look at the channel from Vice on YouTube. They do some excellent stuff on war and conflict and have some really good stuff on the trenches you are talking about on the front lines in Ukraine.
In reply to Post #17
The old documentaries Vice done were superb. Simon Ostrovsky and his coverage in the early days of the conflict was superb.
It;s a shame that Vice turned it's attention to bedwetters in America for clickbait. They were one of the first "alt media" documentary makers and lost their way.
The old documentaries Vice done were superb. Simon Ostrovsky and his coverage in the early days of the conflict was superb.
It;s a shame that Vice turned it's attention to bedwetters in America for clickbait. They were one of the first "alt media" documentary makers and lost their way.
In reply to Post #15
Fair point
But when it comes to 'sanctions' he's definitely got more bargaining power than we have. Let's face it, truss has spent her time begging for not quite as good as we did have trade deals since she was appointed.
It's all a bit of a p*ssing contest at the moment.
I don't see an actual conflict breaking out.
As much as the tory shower might be hoping for it....
Fair point
But when it comes to 'sanctions' he's definitely got more bargaining power than we have. Let's face it, truss has spent her time begging for not quite as good as we did have trade deals since she was appointed.
It's all a bit of a p*ssing contest at the moment.
I don't see an actual conflict breaking out.
As much as the tory shower might be hoping for it....
In reply to Post #19
The west cannot afford a war with Russia in any capacity, they hold Europe and particularly German to ransom by their natural resource pipelines alone. NATO will reinforce their boarders to the west of Ukraine and that's about it, the Russians will be waving at them soon enough and the western powers will watch it happen.
Let's face it, Doris and sleepy Joe throwing threats around? Putin will take more notice of a five year old school girl.
The west cannot afford a war with Russia in any capacity, they hold Europe and particularly German to ransom by their natural resource pipelines alone. NATO will reinforce their boarders to the west of Ukraine and that's about it, the Russians will be waving at them soon enough and the western powers will watch it happen.
Let's face it, Doris and sleepy Joe throwing threats around? Putin will take more notice of a five year old school girl.
no doubt the French will run away.
In reply to Post #20
Germany are closing all their nuclear power station I believe. I read somewhere they are fully dependent now on Russian gas and are going down the renewables route.
Madness.
Germany are closing all their nuclear power station I believe. I read somewhere they are fully dependent now on Russian gas and are going down the renewables route.
Madness.
In reply to Post #22
Greta will be happy.......
Greta will be happy.......
In reply to Post #22
They're not fully dependant on Russian gas at all. All countries have different foreign policy goals and outlook's. Germany have had a rapprochement policy through trade with Russia since the 70`s. Understanding that those that trade rarely go to war with each other. Rightly or wrongly.
Putin knows that the West started it's pivot towards China year's ago, we're sailing aircraft carrier groups around the China sea even as the new post Brexit "global Britain".
Putin will and is putting the squeeze on to stay at the top table.
But he cannot afford Germany to look elsewhere for energy. So Germany is very relevant rather than a hostage to the outcome as pressure builds.
They're not fully dependant on Russian gas at all. All countries have different foreign policy goals and outlook's. Germany have had a rapprochement policy through trade with Russia since the 70`s. Understanding that those that trade rarely go to war with each other. Rightly or wrongly.
Putin knows that the West started it's pivot towards China year's ago, we're sailing aircraft carrier groups around the China sea even as the new post Brexit "global Britain".
Putin will and is putting the squeeze on to stay at the top table.
But he cannot afford Germany to look elsewhere for energy. So Germany is very relevant rather than a hostage to the outcome as pressure builds.
In reply to Post #24
Can Germany switch gas suppliers just like that?
I don't mean logging on to Uswitch
I mean do they have pipes and infrastructure in place to immediately switch to another supplier?
Not that I'm worrying about them getting cold
Can Germany switch gas suppliers just like that?
I don't mean logging on to Uswitch
I mean do they have pipes and infrastructure in place to immediately switch to another supplier?Not that I'm worrying about them getting cold
In reply to Post #25
Again you can look at the supplier losing the business as the drag on a potential conflict. Once that's gone it's decades of huge revenue down the pan.
I'd imagine they can. Lots of European countries have 10/20 times the stored gas reserves that Britain has, probably why our prices are so volatile.
Shipping LNG in vast quantity is common from places like Qatar, USA, Australia, N African countries. We do it most countries do. The end of the day gas is a traded commodity, pay the money you get the product, pay the most you get all you need as Putin knows. Are the strategic and political gains from a conflict with Ukraine worth the risk?
Again you can look at the supplier losing the business as the drag on a potential conflict. Once that's gone it's decades of huge revenue down the pan.
I'd imagine they can. Lots of European countries have 10/20 times the stored gas reserves that Britain has, probably why our prices are so volatile.
Shipping LNG in vast quantity is common from places like Qatar, USA, Australia, N African countries. We do it most countries do. The end of the day gas is a traded commodity, pay the money you get the product, pay the most you get all you need as Putin knows. Are the strategic and political gains from a conflict with Ukraine worth the risk?
In reply to Post #26
I would imagine if the Russians were to turn off the gas there would be some disruption.
I would imagine if the Russians were to turn off the gas there would be some disruption.
In reply to Post #27
There'd be bumps in the road for everyone if Russia turned off the gas. Why would they do that?
There'd be bumps in the road for everyone if Russia turned off the gas. Why would they do that?
In reply to Post #28
Biden threatening to close the new pipeline to Germany from Russia if putin escalates...
Not sure how the Germans might feel about that
Biden threatening to close the new pipeline to Germany from Russia if putin escalates...
Not sure how the Germans might feel about that
In reply to Post #28
Germany are far more under the cosh than you're giving them credit for. All of Europe is somewhat reliant on Russian fuel but Germany by far, Russia may be reliant on the revenue but in a blinking contest between Europe and Russia, Putins strong enough to stand alone and see it through, if push came to shove.
Germany are far more under the cosh than you're giving them credit for. All of Europe is somewhat reliant on Russian fuel but Germany by far, Russia may be reliant on the revenue but in a blinking contest between Europe and Russia, Putins strong enough to stand alone and see it through, if push came to shove.