Topic: Russia launches invasion of Ukraine (*) & use spoiler tags for anything graphic!

[jambutty]

Steve Rosenberg interview on BBC abso destroying Lukashenko.

Steve spectacular.  Lukashenko livid and revealed.  Vlad will not be pleased.

Mesmerising televison, every second.

[Nobby Reserve]

The Ministry of Truth

https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-memorial-oral-history-shutdown/31604585.html

[CraigDS]

Putin the taxi diver - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-59629670

You just know for years someone has been telling the story of how they once got a taxi driven by Putin and no one has ever believed them 

[Nobby Reserve]

Javier Blas
@JavierBlas
EUROPEAN ENERGY CRISIS: Russian gas flows stop via the Yamal-Europe pipeline, with the Mallnow metering station (Polish-German border) dropping to zero this morning. Dutch TTF gas benchmark surges above €160 per MWh, flirting with an intraday record high
8:48 AM · Dec 21, 2021·Twitter for iPad

(Javier Blas is Chief Energy Correspondent at Bloomberg News)

https://twitter.com/JavierBlas/status/1473213738807345154


Energy consumers across Europe are paying the price for kissing Uncle Sam's fat, sweaty, burger-bunged arse in their geopolitical games over Ukraine. That's why Germany crumbled under pressure and has thrown a spanner into the sign-off for Nord Stream 2. This will allow Russia to much more easily bypass Ukraine when piping gas into Europe (Nord Stream 2 runs under the Baltic, following the route of Nord Stream 1). Russia pays Ukraine around $1.5bn a year for the 'privilege' of the Soyuz and Progress pipelines running through Ukraine. They're old, leaky and need replacing anyway, but Russia see NS2 as a way to just cut out Ukraine totally (and remember that the Ukraine government has previously played silly buggers with the pipeline, and threatened to cut off supplies to Europe completely).

Washington knows that without that $1.5bn, the fragile Ukraine economy will be in even more trouble, and more likely that stooges of Moscow could gain popularity there. Much as I hate Putin, I also hate America's interference in affairs across the world - and we're all paying a very real price for that. I don't see Ukraine as a worthy hill to die on.

[cdav]

Bit weird to pin this straight to America

Nord Stream 2 was delayed by the German energy regulator, which temporarily halted the project because the Swiss-based consortium behind Nord Stream 2 needed to form a subsidiary company under German law to secure an operating licence.

The energy markets are in absolute termoil because Russia are playing games with supply contracts, a lack of storage from last winter compounded by a poor injection season, a lack of investment over the last few decades in replacement baseload and the shift to green energy causing unpredictability as that market matures.

[Nobby Reserve]

Bit weird to pin this straight to America

Nord Stream 2 was delayed by the German energy regulator, which temporarily halted the project because the Swiss-based consortium behind Nord Stream 2 needed to form a subsidiary company under German law to secure an operating licence.

The energy markets are in absolute termoil because Russia are playing games with supply contracts, a lack of storage from last winter compounded by a poor injection season, a lack of investment over the last few decades in replacement baseload and the shift to green energy causing unpredictability as that market matures.

Washington has been pressuring Germany to stall NS2 for years, threatening companies involved with NS2 and its construction with sanctions. The operating licence issue has only come to light in the last couple of months - when NS2 has been under construction for nearly 4 years and in 2018 Germany granted a licence to construct and operate the pipeline (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nordstream-germany-permit/germany-grants-permit-for-nord-stream-2-russian-gas-pipeline-idUSKBN1FK15J) and its corporate set-up mirrors that of NS1, which was fine with the German regulators.

Ted Cruz especially has been like a dog with a bone on this, initially driving sanctions against NS2 (lifted after negotiations with Germany - but at what cost?) https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/us-senator-gets-vote-nord-stream-2-sanctions-deal-over-envoy-approvals-2021-12-18/

[TSC]

Who needs human rights…

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/russia-closes-human-rights-group-recorded-stalin-era/story?id=81968455

[Nobby Reserve]

Putin getting involved in Kazakhstan:

Russia is sending in troops at the request of the Kazakh president.

They will be deployed to help "stabilise" the country, which is a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) along with Russia, Belarus, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia.

The CSTO confirmed Russian paratroopers were being dispatched as peacekeepers, with advance units already deployed.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-59880166


No surprise that the spark for the unrest has come from surging energy prices, after the Kazakh government removed the price cap on fuel that saw prices of LPG increase 150% within days. Kazkhstn could be more than self-sufficient in oil, but production is in the hands of oligarch scum, who get better prices exporting. Fuck the country and its people.

The entire Kazakh economy is built on corruption and political patronage. Former president Nazarbayev was neck-deep in corruption - him, his family and friends are multi-billionaires, due to the immense backhanders he has trousered over the years, and oligarchs who stop playing ball would get shaken down quickly.

As always in these, riots have a particular trigger-point, but are an expression of anger by people against tyrannical/corrupt/oppressive regimes.

[Yorkykopite]

Our glorious Foreign Secretary, the Cheese-eating Liz Truss gives the usual Tory "do what you have to do to restore order" speech to Putin and the Kazakh tyranny. Not a word of encouragement or approval dfor the poor protestors. At least Stop the War Coalition will be happy with such realpolitik.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/06/protesters-police-die-amid-kazakhstan-unrest

[Nobby Reserve]

Our glorious Foreign Secretary, the Cheese-eating Liz Truss gives the usual Tory "do what you have to do to restore order" speech to Putin and the Kazakh tyranny. Not a word of encouragement or approval dfor the poor protestors. At least Stop the War Coalition will be happy with such realpolitik.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/06/protesters-police-die-amid-kazakhstan-unrest

Given half the Tory funding comes from crooked Oligarchs these days, she's not going to bite the hand that feeds them, is she?

[Yorkykopite]

Given half the Tory funding comes from crooked Oligarchs these days, she's not going to bite the hand that feeds them, is she?

That's probably true.

[Nobby Reserve]

That's probably true.

Listen to this, from yesterday's 'Today in Parliament'.

Truss makes a statement about the threat (in this case to Ukraine) that Russia poses, then David Lammy agrees, but expands to talk about how the UK facilitates the flow of dirty Russian money from Putin allies. The SNP's Alyn Smith goes further, pointing out how many Tory MP's take dirty money from scumbag Oligarchs, with some of these dirty money arseholes buying seats in the House of Lords.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00132vy (from about 2.30 to 5.30)

Truss never even bothered to object or deny. But the tory government continues to refuse to implement the findings from the Russia Report.

In times past, such collusion with a associates of an unfriendly foreign regime would have been a scandal, but it's been normalised. the vast majority of our media is in cahoots with the Tory Brexit Party, and the state broadcaster ignores the issue on the main news programmes, with any mention of Oligarchal/Russian control of/influence on the Tory Government being shunted onto niche, late-night radio programmes.

The problem is one of divided loyalties. Does the Tory Party and its MP's, drunk and dependent on dirty Oligarch money, have the objectivity to put the interests of the UK first (and before their electoral chances)?

[Yorkykopite]

Listen to this, from yesterday's 'Today in Parliament'.

Thanks for that. I know you've been flagging the Russian-Tory connection for a while now, and for good reason.

I'd like to hear Labour attack this axis of evil more than they do.

[John C]

Thanks for that. I know you've been flagging the Russian-Tory connection for a while now, and for good reason.

I'd like to hear Labour attack this axis of evil more than they do.

Indeed.
Also, I'd like to see someone of influence start a petition for an open debate in Parliament. It's an outrage what happens but it's a dormant subject because the general public are either concerned about other things or are actually incredulous about the possibility.

[Yorkykopite]

Indeed.
Also, I'd like to see someone of influence start a petition for an open debate in Parliament. It's an outrage what happens but it's a dormant subject because the general public are either concerned about other things or are actually incredulous about the possibility.

It'd be less dormant if the connection were made between absentee Russian landlords in sections of our big cities and urban property prices.

[TSC]

Connection between Russia and this government first raised its head (I think) with the funds behind the ‘leave’ campaign.  I recall ch4 doing a bit of a deep dive investigation a few years ago; Aaron Banks and his ilk.

[John C]

Remind me, was a detailed intelligence report drafted but prevented from being published or was it prevented from being drafted by the Tory's?

[Nobby Reserve]

It'd be less dormant if the connection were made between absentee Russian landlords in sections of our big cities and urban property prices.

 

Also Chinese/Hong Kong and Middle East absentee landlords.

We were in London last year and were walking through Belgravia then Kensington. The number of big properties (and you'd be talking Ł10m+ each) that were clearly not being lived in was staggering.

Then on a night in busier parts, you see the homeless...

[Nobby Reserve]

Remind me, was a detailed intelligence report drafted but prevented from being published or was it prevented from being drafted by the Tory's?

Johnson refused to publish the report before the 2019 General Election.

He then delayed and delayed, spouting bullshit excuses that Tory Dominic Grieve branded "entirely bogus". It took a cross-party group of MPs to pressure the Govt, and a redacted version was published June 2020.

The report concluded that "there is substantial evidence that Russian interference in British politics is commonplace" and describes the United Kingdom as one of Russia's "top targets"

Unfortunately, the Committee didn't give any indication on direct Russian involvement in trying to distort the 2016 Referendum, as "the Government had not authorised any investigation into that matter"



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligence_and_Security_Committee_Russia_report

[John C]

Thanks Nob, that's jogged my memory. The evidence is there then, in black and white.
c*nts.

[jambutty]

Biden may have given up Donbass.

[TepidT2O]

Biden appears to have given Putin the ok to walk into Ukraine…

Does it stop there? Hungry Poland? The baltics?

[lobsterboy]

Johnson refused to publish the report before the 2019 General Election.

He then delayed and delayed, spouting bullshit excuses that Tory Dominic Grieve branded "entirely bogus". It took a cross-party group of MPs to pressure the Govt, and a redacted version was published June 2020.

The report concluded that "there is substantial evidence that Russian interference in British politics is commonplace" and describes the United Kingdom as one of Russia's "top targets"

Unfortunately, the Committee didn't give any indication on direct Russian involvement in trying to distort the 2016 Referendum, as "the Government had not authorised any investigation into that matter"



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligence_and_Security_Committee_Russia_report

So you are saying all those Oligarchs giving the Torys money weren't just being very generous after all? Who would have thought it.

The Russians have long known that British public school toffs are easily accessed with cash and totty.

[lobsterboy]

Biden appears to have given Putin the ok to walk into Ukraine…

Does it stop there? Hungry Poland? The baltics?

World War 3? With nukes...

[BarryCrocker]

Biden appears to have given Putin the ok to walk into Ukraine…

Does it stop there? Hungry Poland? The baltics?

Having a Chamberlain moment.

[Crosby Nick]

Having a Chamberlain moment.

He’s injured again?

[jambutty]

He’s injured again?

Cruel. Very cruel.

[stevensr123]

Jesus Christ Biden is terrible.

[west_london_red]

Hard not to draw comparisons with 1938 and 1939

[TepidT2O]

Check out these pictures of Putin’s palace..

https://twitter.com/eliothiggins/status/1484199041684713474?s=21


Money does not buy you style

[Nobby Reserve]

Jesus Christ Biden is terrible.

A huge disappointment, and losing/lost the anti-Trump/anti-Repugnican sentiment that drove him to victory.

He's let two Repugs-in-Democrat-clothing derail his plans, seems weak, and their economy is tanking.

[jambutty]

Jesus Christ Biden is terrible.

What would you have him do?

[west_london_red]

What would you have him do?

Read a god damn history book about what happens when you allow tyrants to march into other countries unopposed.

[Lone Star Red]

What would you have him do?

Well, not offhandedly referring to a full blown Russian invasion of Ukraine as a “minor incursion” would be a start. 

[jambutty]

Read a god damn history book about what happens when you allow tyrants to march into other countries unopposed.

And you would .........

Well, not offhandedly referring to a full blown Russian invasion of Ukraine as a “minor incursion” would be a start. 

Offhand and full blown were not Biden's words.

There already was a full blown invasion.  And what was done?  Or should be?

[BarryCrocker]

Read a god damn history book about what happens when you allow tyrants to march into other countries unopposed.

FFS he was actually alive when the repercussions of the last person thought appeasement was ok where having to be dealt with.

[jambutty]

What would Ukraine say to a swap deal.  Crimea and Donbass for NATO membership.

[Buggy Eyes Alfredo]

What would the Russians say to a swap deal. Krasnodar and Rostov for unlimited access to the Sea of Azov?

[KillieRed]

Obviously his goal, now that he has control over Russia in all facets, is to put back together the soviet empire, and as usual from this kind of despot it is done from a place of fear. He’s got himself the top job & now he has to protect himself. As others have said: history teaches us that you do not appease bullies, you face them down. This should be much easier when you are actually much stronger than them. Sanctions to the max should be the first threat.

[jambutty]

What would the Russians say to a swap deal. Krasnodar and Rostov for unlimited access to the Sea of Azov?

Is that on the table?