Former USSR

Several horror stories coming from Ukraine in the last day or so. They are also sowing 'butterfly' mines - small mines that were used in the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan which killed and wounded many children who mistook them for toys.

Makes you weep.

In the meantime Poland orders thousands of armoured vehicles from South Korea. Can't blame them really.

I see there are concerns over the nuclear power station currently being occupied by Russian forces. There is talk of a Ukrainian offensive building up in the south. Could be a dangerous few weeks and months coming up.

On a more lighthearted note:

Linked topic, with the price increases in fuel, winter approaching and the likelyhood of significant maneuvers in Ukraine not happening until the spring, will the international community, especially the EU, put pressure on Ukraine to sue for peace early?

Hungary, France and Germany have been fairly lukewarm in their support anyway and Italy could well be with them, if not already, with Salvini (should he be elected).

Could they cost of fuel actually hurt Europe to such a degree they dangle the carrot of EU membership as a bribe to Ukraine losing certain chunks of territory?

I can't imagine they would, but if the EU does offer Ukraine some kind of fast-track or easier route to membership then I suspect Ukraine would reject as that would be the next step to the EU becoming irrelevant...

...NATO is a much more important alliance when (as you point out) politically many EU member states are quite happy for Russia to invade other countries and kill people...



I genuinely worry that the 'cost of living/cost of fuel' "crisis" is actually designed to mask the start of the third world war...

 

Looks like Ukraine is launching a counter attack after all, around the city of Kherson.

Plenty of UK and US surveillance aircraft nearby and a request from those higher up for Internet silence on locations and activities.

If successful, it could lead to a withdrawal of Russian forces from the area or even encircle them.

It's going to tough and casualties likely to be high.

He will be remembered as a man who was brave enough to do the right thing for the USSR and the world, and will be seen as a defining character of the 20th century, but one who is not fondly remembered in his own country. Very strange. Sadly his legacy is being dismantled by Putin under the same old politics with a new name.

Lots of windows in Russia left open. He's not the first to fall accidentally (😶) and I doubt he'll be the last either.

"The chairman of Russia's second largest oil producer has died after falling from a hospital window in Moscow, according to reports in the country.

Ravil Maganov, who was also vice president at Lukoil, had openly criticised the war in Ukraine."

news.sky.com/story/russian-oil-boss-ravil-maganov-who-criticised-war-in-ukraine-dies-after-falling-from-hospital-window-12686753

This could become a bigger story if corroborated.

news.sky.com/story/ukraine-war-body-of-captured-british-aid-worker-paul-urey-returned-with-signs-of-possible-unspeakable-torture-kyiv-says-12692429