Former USSR

From Sky News:

"International experts have found evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity by Russia in Ukraine, an initial report from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation and Europe (OSCE) has said.

The report cited failures to take necessary precautions, act proportionately or spare sites such as schools and hospitals.

It also determined the 9 March attack on a maternity hospital in Mariupol was carried out by Russia and those responsible had committed a war crime.

Russia has denied it was behind the attack and blamed it on Ukraine.

The OSCE said a bomb attack on Mariupol's drama theatre, in which Ukrainian officials say as many as 300 people may have been killed, was also a war crime.

"The Mission is not able to conclude whether the Russian attack on Ukraine per se may qualify as a widespread or systematic attack directed against a civilian population," the report said.

"It however holds that some patterns of violent acts violating IHRL [international human rights law], which have been repeatedly documented in the course of the conflict, such as targeted killing, enforced disappearance or abductions of civilians ... are likely to meet this qualification.

"Any single violent act of this type, committed as part of such an attack and with the knowledge of it, would then constitute a crime against humanity."

It said it had found some evidence of "violations" by Ukraine, such as in its treatment of prisoners of war, but that Russia's violations were "far larger in nature and scale"."

French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen says she will propose closer relations between Nato and Russia if she wins power.

At a news conference, the far-right politician called for a “strategic rapprochement” between the two once the war in Ukraine was over.

She added that she would pull France out of Nato’s military command structure, if she proved victorious.

But she said she would continue to respect a key Nato pact under which an attack on one member of the military alliance is seen as an attack on all 30 members.

Russia has opposed any expansion by Nato towards its borders - including any effort by its neighbour Ukraine to join the military alliance. Nato has sent weapons to the Ukrainian army during the conflict.

Le Pen will battle Emmanuel Macron for the presidency in a run-off election later this month.

Some have accused her of being too close to Russia.

She has publicly condemned the invasion of Ukraine, but visited President Putin before the previous French election in 2017. Her party has also used Russian loans.


I really hope the French see sense and don’t lend a single vote to her. Last thing we need right now is a divided Europe bad enough with that Orban!

Significant development if confirmed.

I’m not pro Russia in this conflict by any stretch, but the claim that Ukraine’s armed forces are based around various Neo-Nazi militias is starting to look pretty accurate. The BBC quoting Azov Battalion spokespersons on morning TV was abit strange.

The problem you have, as I see it, is which came first?: Were Neo-Nazis a problem that needed an invasion to sort or have Ukrainian citizens of all political backgrounds had to unite to repel a foreign aggressor?

A Ukrainian Nazi fighting for Ukrainian independence against an invading force does not prove Russian propaganda.

If Russia invaded the UK would you refuse to fight for our country if it meant standing shoulder to shoulder
with the BNP?

The irony is that Russia have strengthend Nato with more countries set to join and they have made heroes of Nazi groups in Ukraine.

That's the point I was making to Pirate a while back, it was the 2014 invasion of Crimea and the backing of separatists in the Donbas coupled with weak central government that make those like the Azov regiment a necessity.

A bit like the meme doing the rounds about Putin saying to Sweden and Finland not to join Nato, I'll protect you. To which the response us "Protect us from what?" "From me!"

How would you like to be the Chap who has tell Putin that not only are his tanks being taken out left right and centre but he's just lost a Battleship?

Update from the Defence Secretary today, the MOD estimates Russia has lost 15,000 personnel and 2,000 armoured vehicles.

"With this invasion of Ukraine, all of Europe can now see the true face of President Putin and his inner circle. His intention is only to destroy, to crush, to rub out the free peoples of Ukraine. He does not want to preserve. He must not be allowed to prevail. Ukrainians are fighting for their very lives and they are fighting for our freedoms.

The President of Ukraine himself said as much: if Russia stops fighting, there will be peace. If Ukraine stops fighting, there will be no more Ukraine."

www.gov.uk/government/speeches/defence-secretary-statement-to-the-house-of-commons-on-ukraine-25-april-2022