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

[Sangria]

Russia has been pouring everything into Ukraine, it's not really a shock that terrorists would be able to take advantage of the lack of border protection and general chaos, Russians fighting for Ukraine were able to cross the border numerous times with little opposition.

As for how the intel could be ignored, there's no shortage of possibilities really; Putin letting it happen so he can blame Ukraine and rally support for the elections, a lack of focus on anything not related to Ukraine, even the terrorists paying corrupt officials to look the other way is a possibility.

I think a more salient point is that Russia has put itself into a Russia versus the world mindset, with Putin as Russia, and thus any counsel that doesn't fit into that is ignored. The borders are going to be porous anyway. However, Russia starts with the default that anything that doesn't fit is to be ignored. And thus warnings from the west about ISIS are ignored in multiple ways.

[Red Beret]

Russia has been pouring everything into Ukraine, it's not really a shock that terrorists would be able to take advantage of the lack of border protection and general chaos, Russians fighting for Ukraine were able to cross the border numerous times with little opposition.

As for how the intel could be ignored, there's no shortage of possibilities really; Putin letting it happen so he can blame Ukraine and rally support for the elections, a lack of focus on anything not related to Ukraine, even the terrorists paying corrupt officials to look the other way is a possibility.

Remember when Wagner turned on Putin and started driving towards Moscow? The political leadership appeared to be so stunned and in shock they didn't know how to react - other than trying to dig some half-arsed defences around Moscow. As if that would have stopped a hardened mercenary army.

Putin is on dangerous ground now. If ISIS are becoming active in Russia then then they will fight dirty, just like Putin. No target will be off limits to them. And Russia won't know how to react.

We know Russia has "peacekeeping" forces stationed in the far flung corners of their sphere of influence. The probable reason they're trying to drum up a whole new 100k army is because they can't draw down on those forces stationed elsewhere, in case those areas explode. Sounds like a situation that an enemy with the right know-how could exploit.

[Henry Gale]

Horrible news! some of the videos are shocking.

Thoughts and prayers for those effected.

[bigbonedrawky]

With any luck they're on their way to the local military institution, with nothing but evil intent.

The legitimate military target...
This brings back memories I 'm stood in my kitchen the news is on and I can hear a grief stricken women,
barely able to breathe through her sobbing and wailing.  I realised her wailing had a very local accent so I
went to see...

Spoiler

The poor lady in question was the wife of Lee Rigby after she'd found out the same group of people had gone to the local military institution with nothing but evil intent and practically beheaded her Husband, in broad daylight in the middle of the street... They did that to her and it was fucking horrible.

And here you are condoning and wishing they do it again. I really do despair at times.

(As it happens she was also a close neighbour of another poster on here)   

[close]

   
I knew where this thread was going after last nights insults, thats why I thought it should of been locked.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

Obviously talking about Russian military that is currently is the process of murdering its own Citizens and more importantly an invasion & Lee was murdered on the streets. 

This is also more of an internal matter.

[bigbonedrawky]

This helps explain why Russian intelligence services are so crap. Putin's telling a lie obviously. He needs to tell it because it's more important to his regime that the Russian people get worked up by Ukraine (and the West) rather than by Islamists terrorists. The lie enters the bloodstream of Russian life. It flows everywhere, including back to the intelligence services.

Without going all CT What did you make of the Salman Abade case ? He was on a no flight list Theresa May let him fly out and Amber Rudd let him fly back in...Despite specific warnings from US and French intelligence he was also part of the same group that did this... Someone dropped the ball end result 22 people died with over a thousand injured at the Ariana Grande concert.
 

[Yorkykopite]

Meanwhile the Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians continue.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-68634444

[JP!]

Without going all CT What did you make of the Salman Abade case ? He was on a no flight list Theresa May let him fly out and Amber Hurd let him fly back in...Despite specific warnings from US and French intelligence he was also part of the same group that did this... Someone dropped the ball end result 22 people died with over a thousand injured at the Ariana Grande concert.
 

Amber Heard? Was she moonlighting in government after shitting in Johnny Depp's bed?

I think you may mean Amber Rudd.

[GreatEx]

I read something on the BBC saying that the Americans had warned their citizens in Russia two weeks ago to avoid large gathering and music concerts in Moscow.

I don’t want to go on tin foil hat, but how do the Americans know something like this is going down and the Russians seemingly not? Someone in the FSB has absolutely dropped the ball in a tragic way.

All the reports indicate Putin rejected the warnings days ago as an attempt to blackmail and destabilise Russia. Not sure how to filter google searches to only show results 2+ days old, so can't be sure this isn't hindsight/revisionism by the press, but it rings true with the murderous midget.

[Crimson]

All the reports indicate Putin rejected the warnings days ago as an attempt to blackmail and destabilise Russia. Not sure how to filter google searches to only show results 2+ days old, so can't be sure this isn't hindsight/revisionism by the press, but it rings true with the murderous midget.

There were definitely reports some weeks ago with warnings of a attack and pleas to avoid large gatherings.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/us-warns-imminent-moscow-attack-extremists-urges-citizens-avoid-crowds-rcna142401

[GreatEx]

Yeah I should have been clearer,  I remember the warnings, but I don't remember Putin's rebuff.

[Red Beret]

Amber Heard? Was she moonlighting in government after shitting in Johnny Depp's bed?

I think you may mean Amber Rudd.

Amber Rudd? Was she moonlighting in Ghostbusters after shitting in Johnny Depp's bed?

Oh wait, sorry. That was Paul Rudd. The beard confused me.

[BarryCrocker]

All the reports indicate Putin rejected the warnings days ago as an attempt to blackmail and destabilise Russia. Not sure how to filter google searches to only show results 2+ days old, so can't be sure this isn't hindsight/revisionism by the press, but it rings true with the murderous midget.

On Chrome/Safari: Go to 'Tools' 'Any Time' 'Custom Range' and pick whatever date range you want to selct.

[Schmidt]

Two more Russian landing ships destroyed by Ukraine, this time while they were in port as part of a massive missile strike on Crimea. That's 7 of 13 landing ships destroyed now, they're used a lot for transport between Russia and Crimea.

Video footage of what is apparently a comms tower that was destroyed in the same series of strikes.

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1771643529715961901

[Mister Flip Flop]

Seems like one the attackers at the concert hall was at the venue a couple of weeks prior.

https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/9Q1JB89FIYU7/ter1.jpg

https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/XPA64GCVT497/ter2.jpg

I'm guessing this is standard type of practice for these savages staking out a venue before striking. Hopefully the Russian's are waterboarding the living shit out of him at this moment to garner info and toss him in a cell for eternity when they are done.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

Seems like one the attackers at the concert hall was at the venue a couple of weeks prior.

https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/9Q1JB89FIYU7/ter1.jpg

https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/XPA64GCVT497/ter2.jpg

I'm guessing this is standard type of practice for these savages staking out a venue before striking. Hopefully the Russian's are waterboarding the living shit out of him at this moment to garner info and toss him in a cell for eternity when they are done.

Yay Russia rararara

[farawayred]

Yay Russia rararara

You don't seem to be capable of making the distinction between Russians and Russian government. If this happened to Putin, his cabinet and the oligarchs, I'd be with you, but rejoicing when innocent people died in a terrorist attack is sick...

[WhereAngelsPlay]

You don't seem to be capable of making the distinction between Russians and Russian government. If this happened to Putin, his cabinet and the oligarchs, I'd be with you, but rejoicing when innocent people died in a terrorist attack is sick...

He was specifically talking about torture, I don't think he's talking about ordinary citizens torturing people.

The fact that flip flop is pro torture is another topic altogether &  not worth getting into, his post says enough.

[farawayred]

He was specifically talking about torture, I don't think he's talking about ordinary citizens torturing people.

The fact that flip flop is pro torture is another topic altogether &  not worth getting into, his post says enough.

Fair enough, I didn't read your reaction that way. My apologies!

I don't condone neither terrorist attack, nor torture, nor occupational wars, but I think those are quite easily distinguishable topics.

[bigbonedrawky]

Amber Heard? Was she moonlighting in government after shitting in Johnny Depp's bed?

I think you may mean Amber Rudd.

Yeah your right it is Rudd...Who heard he was in ISIS before letting him into the country.

Whats the difference between Amber Hurd and Amber Rudd...One of them left a piece of shit on Johnny Depps bed. The other left a piece of shit on the streets of Manchester...
 

[GreatEx]

On Chrome/Safari: Go to 'Tools' 'Any Time' 'Custom Range' and pick whatever date range you want to selct.

Thanks! Found it on desktop, can't find it on phone. But I should be playing with my kids on weekends, not obsessing over shit presidents.

[Black Bull Nova]

Remember when Wagner turned on Putin and started driving towards Moscow? The political leadership appeared to be so stunned and in shock they didn't know how to react - other than trying to dig some half-arsed defences around Moscow. As if that would have stopped a hardened mercenary army.

Putin is on dangerous ground now. If ISIS are becoming active in Russia then then they will fight dirty, just like Putin. No target will be off limits to them. And Russia won't know how to react.

We know Russia has "peacekeeping" forces stationed in the far flung corners of their sphere of influence. The probable reason they're trying to drum up a whole new 100k army is because they can't draw down on those forces stationed elsewhere, in case those areas explode. Sounds like a situation that an enemy with the right know-how could exploit.

I suppose the difference is that in Russia, they would not see anything wrong with eliminating or imprisoning any young male with islamic sympathies, expressed violently or not as opposed to the west where people almost have had to have done something wrong before the state can act. It's a different regime with different ways of operating (as can be seen by the treatment of those arrested last week), rules do not exist.

[Schmidt]

Looks like a third Russian ship was hit, the Ivan Kurs. Around 1/4 of the Russian navy has now been destroyed.

https://www.msn.com/en-CA/news/world/putins--spy-ship-taken-out-by-massive-missile-strike/ar-BB1ku102?ocid=sapphireappshare

I'm having trouble finding out how many ships they have remaining in the Black Sea, in January it was reportedly 11 which would put them down to around 6 now? The only way to bring in more is via Turkey, which I don't think is an option (or it shouldn't be anyway).

[Andy82lfc]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/25/russia-refuses-to-blame-is-for-concert-hall-attack-despite-growing-evidence

It's going to be pretty fucking grim if they go full blame on Ukraine for this. Not that it would surprise anyone much.

[[new username under construction]]

I like how they are getting their asses handed to them by a much smaller nation that is struggling with weapons etc and Russia still tries to warn countries like Japan about not doing certain things.

[Schmidt]

I like how they are getting their asses handed to them by a much smaller nation that is struggling with weapons etc and Russia still tries to warn countries like Japan about not doing certain things.

It's a shame no one has tried to take advantage yet. You'd think China might be eyeing up some of the border regions, Vladivostok in particular as it belonged to China before Russia annexed it, and is a pretty important trade hub. They could probably take that and more in a matter of days and Russia simply wouldn't have the capacity to retaliate.

[thaddeus]

It's a shame no one has tried to take advantage yet. You'd think China might be eyeing up some of the border regions, Vladivostok in particular as it belonged to China before Russia annexed it, and is a pretty important trade hub. They could probably take that and more in a matter of days and Russia simply wouldn't have the capacity to retaliate.

Nukes.

I think China is quite content with the current situation as Russia are occupying resources from the West whilst also exporting fossil fuels and other raw materials at lower prices to China.

[thaddeus]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/25/russia-refuses-to-blame-is-for-concert-hall-attack-despite-growing-evidence

It's going to be pretty fucking grim if they go full blame on Ukraine for this. Not that it would surprise anyone much.

As IS have already claimed responsibility then it's going to take some 'impressive' propaganda to change the narrative.  Maybe the bloodied terrorists will confess to working under instruction from Ukraine.

My limited understanding is that Russia is fighting Islamist groups all over Africa at the moment, having effectively pushed out the security forces of the old colonial powers.  That combined with Syria and Chechnya must make Russia a fairly high priority target for IS and similar groups.

[Schmidt]

Nukes.

I think China is quite content with the current situation as Russia are occupying resources from the West whilst also exporting fossil fuels and other raw materials at lower prices to China.

I don't think nukes are a factor, Russia would be absolutely fucked if they ever tried.

China is seemingly prioritising Taiwan, and so the Ukraine invasion is draining NATO of resources which might then make Taiwan a more viable target. That said, if the west gets a lot of production lines up and running to support Ukraine, that might make China think twice about attacking Taiwan, at which point Russian soil becomes a more interesting prospect.

Oil is the big question mark I guess, China may feel they can't function without Russia's supply, but equally Russia might be fucked economically if they don't sell to China.

[rhysd]

Looks like a third Russian ship was hit, the Ivan Kurs. Around 1/4 of the Russian navy has now been destroyed.

https://www.msn.com/en-CA/news/world/putins--spy-ship-taken-out-by-massive-missile-strike/ar-BB1ku102?ocid=sapphireappshare

I'm having trouble finding out how many ships they have remaining in the Black Sea, in January it was reportedly 11 which would put them down to around 6 now? The only way to bring in more is via Turkey, which I don't think is an option (or it shouldn't be anyway).

[bigbonedrawky]

As IS have already claimed responsibility then it's going to take some 'impressive' propaganda to change the narrative.  Maybe the bloodied terrorists will confess to working under instruction from Ukraine.

My limited understanding is that Russia is fighting Islamist groups all over Africa at the moment, having effectively pushed out the security forces of the old colonial powers.  That combined with Syria and Chechnya must make Russia a fairly high priority target for IS and similar groups.

A couple of years ago Russia started to recruit Syrian Gov forces to fight against Ukraine At around the same
time Sheik Mansur started bringing in those "Syrian opposition forces" he'd fought alongside in that war.
Is it plausible that ISIS fighters have been fighting in one of the foreign legions against Russians ? Yes 

And before someone jumps in with one of those idiotic "So what you are saying is" comments No this doesn't
mean Zelensky or the top brass have sanctioned or knew about this attack.
They are there for their own reasons and it's nothing to do with Freedom, Democracy, Sovereignty or protecting Europe. 
Ukraine have been that desperate for fighters they'd even take me or even Classy Carra if he's interested 

[Andy @ Allerton!]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2024/mar/26/russia--ukraine-war-live-ukraine-strikes-warship-that-russia-captured-in-2014


Russia's spy chief says US, Britain and Ukraine were behind Moscow concert hall attack - report

The director of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), Alexander Bortnikov, has said, without evidence, that the US, Britain and Ukraine were behind Friday’s Moscow concert hall attack, in which at least 139 people were killed, state news agency Tass reported.

Ukraine has denied Russian accusations of involvement in the attack, for which the Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility.

Western countries have said their intelligence indicates that Islamic State-K, Islamic State’s Afghan offshoot, was responsible.

Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, said yesterday that the terrorist attack was conducted by radical Islamists, but repeated his earlier assertion the attackers had planned to escape to Ukraine before they were arrested.

Bortnikov has also reportedly said that the number of accomplices in the concert hall attack would increase past the current number of 11 detainees.

[kavah]

The Russians giving awards to the soldiers that tortured the IS terrorists. They are the Mafia

(Warning - The article is brutal read)


https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/25/russian-officials-lauding-torture-was-unthinkable-now-it-is-proud-to-do-so

[Yorkykopite]

Looks like a third Russian ship was hit, the Ivan Kurs. Around 1/4 of the Russian navy has now been destroyed.

https://www.msn.com/en-CA/news/world/putins--spy-ship-taken-out-by-massive-missile-strike/ar-BB1ku102?ocid=sapphireappshare

I'm having trouble finding out how many ships they have remaining in the Black Sea, in January it was reportedly 11 which would put them down to around 6 now? The only way to bring in more is via Turkey, which I don't think is an option (or it shouldn't be anyway).

I wonder if Putin has considered blaming this on Islamic State?

[Schmidt]

I wonder if Putin has considered blaming this on Islamic State?

There's no conclusive footage of the damage so Russia will still be in "Nyet, boat is fine" mode.

[Yorkykopite]

There's no conclusive footage of the damage so Russia will still be in "Nyet, boat is fine" mode.

Yes, that's likely.

The Guardian article that Kavah posted is dreadful. Someone - I think Chris Hitchens - once used the term "species shame" to describe how we react to stories like this which show us human degradation at its lowest (highest?). And of course, in this particular case, the tortured as well as the torturers are the lowest of what humanity can offer. I'd say Islamic State v the Russian State is medieval in its barbarity. But I suspect it's actually worse.

[farawayred]

Yes, that's likely.

The Guardian article that Kavah posted is dreadful. Someone - I think Chris Hitchens - once used the term "species shame" to describe how we react to stories like this which show us human degradation at its lowest (highest?). And of course, in this particular case, the tortured as well as the torturers are the lowest of what humanity can offer. I'd say Islamic State v the Russian State is medieval in its barbarity. But I suspect it's actually worse.

Horrific article indeed, but it's not surprising to me, at least. That's to be expected as a reaction by a cornered animal, and they do react just like animals. Humanity doesn't enter the equation. This has to be kept in mind by the West, because their reaction to a possible expanding war would not necessarily be contained to conventional weapons. I've posted here before that they might use a few nukes for something that could be perceived as disproportionate overreaction by the rest of the world. That would be because of the same mentality they showed with the terrorists, the same one they show with the migrants, etc.

One thing I'd strongly would disagree with you though is the comparison to ISIS in the lack of humanity. We have to keep the perspective here. Russia is not even close to those animals. We are talking about ISIS that kills infidels indiscriminately, even Muslims, if they don't think like them, same ISIS that defaced 10,000 year old human artifacts and monuments that are part of our common human history. No, those shits do not qualify as human in my book.

[west_london_red]

Horrific article indeed, but it's not surprising to me, at least. That's to be expected as a reaction by a cornered animal, and they do react just like animals. Humanity doesn't enter the equation. This has to be kept in mind by the West, because their reaction to a possible expanding war would not necessarily be contained to conventional weapons. I've posted here before that they might use a few nukes for something that could be perceived as disproportionate overreaction by the rest of the world. That would be because of the same mentality they showed with the terrorists, the same one they show with the migrants, etc.

One thing I'd strongly would disagree with you though is the comparison to ISIS in the lack of humanity. We have to keep the perspective here. Russia is not even close to those animals. We are talking about ISIS that kills infidels indiscriminately, even Muslims, if they don't think like them, same ISIS that defaced 10,000 year old human artifacts and monuments that are part of our common human history. No, those shits do not qualify as human in my book.

My initial reaction to Yorky’s post was the same as yours but thinking about it for a second I’m not so sure now. There’s not a lot that ISIS has done that the Russians haven’t done in Ukraine, rape, torture, abductions, executions, and is there much difference between going on a shooting spree against civilians or launching a missile at them from 500 miles away? The objective and outcome is pretty much the same.

[Draex]

Russia is just as bad as ISIS, no questions about it. Fuck them.

[Black Bull Nova]

The Russians giving awards to the soldiers that tortured the IS terrorists. They are the Mafia

(Warning - The article is brutal read)


https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/25/russian-officials-lauding-torture-was-unthinkable-now-it-is-proud-to-do-so

"As a result of the attack, some Russian MPs have called for the reinstitution of the death penalty. There has been a moratorium on executions since 1996"


I had to laugh ironically when I read that bit