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

[viteslesrouges]

Russia has banned all Transexuals and Transgendered people from driving, fucktards.

any source at all ?

[Tomo!]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30735673

[Red Beret]

"Medical grounds..."  Dear goodness if it wasn't terrifying it would be hilarious.  Putin has turned into some kind of parody of an ogre.

[viteslesrouges]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30735673

Thanks, even worse when you read the full list of "disorders"

What the fuck is happening?

[Red Beret]

As I said before I honestly think Putin is starting to attack his own minorities to spite the West - "The harder you try to hurt me and my country the harder I will hurt the minorities you wishy-washy liberals love so dear"

He knows how much this will wind up Western civil rights' movements; he's trolling them.  It's like he's holding huge chunks of his own citizens hostage. 

[west_london_red]

Thanks, even worse when you read the full list of "disorders"

What the fuck is happening?

Amazed how little coverage this has recieved. I know there are obviously other terrible things going on in the news and I am in no way downplaying what has gone on in France but I actually found this the more shocking.

[Yorkykopite]

He claims there are too many road accidents and therefore "transexuals" and "voyeurs" should be banned from driving. This is Frottage-style nonsense (traffic jams are created by immigration), except Putin holds enormous power. If the Russian car accident rate is high it's surely because half the population is pissed on cheap vodka. Of course he won't touch that. 

It amazes me that there are still some people in this country who admire this little dictator and spring to his defence every time he confronts the West.

[west_london_red]

He claims there are too many road accidents and therefore "transexuals" and "voyeurs" should be banned from driving. This is Frottage-style nonsense (traffic jams are created by immigration), except Putin holds enormous power. If the Russian car accident rate is high it's surely because half the population is pissed on cheap vodka. Of course he won't touch that. 

It amazes me that there are still some people in this country who admire this little dictator and spring to his defence every time he confronts the West.

I read (and im pretty sure it was on the BBC) that over half of the death of adult males in Russia are alcohol related be it drink driving, drinking moonshine or just plain good old alcoholism.

[bigbonedrawky]

Da fuq?  How can you do that?  Why would you even bother??

That's a blatant attack on civil liberties.  What is even the point?

EDIT: Oh I think I get it.  Putin can't attack the people he wants to, ie the West, so he picks on a soft target in his own country that he knows not many people will protest about, in Russia at least.

Similar sentiments exist in the US so maybe the US pick on soft targets because they are pissed that Putin took all the Chemical Weapons out of Syria and denied them a opportunity to attack the people they wanted.

As I said before I honestly think Putin is starting to attack his own minorities to spite the West - "The harder you try to hurt me and my country the harder I will hurt the minorities you wishy-washy liberals love so dear"

He knows how much this will wind up Western civil rights' movements; he's trolling them.  It's like he's holding huge chunks of his own citizens hostage. 

Maybe he's trying to find some common ground with Western media and get in Fox's good books... http://www.salon.com/2013/08/13/transgender_rights_make_fox_news_hosts_really_really_mad/

Or maybe he's just picking on a minority to try and gain a popular scapegoat vote, like our Tories Ukip NF BNP EDL and Britain First do #Democracy

[Red Beret]

It amazes me that there are still some people in this country who admire this little dictator and spring to his defence every time he confronts the West.

I'm waiting for somebody to jump on here and complain about how the US' record towards gays and transgenders is much much worse (as if that makes Putin's actions ok).

[bigbonedrawky]

I'm waiting for somebody to jump on here and complain about how the US' record towards gays and transgenders is much much worse (as if that makes Putin's actions ok).

And I waited 3mins 49 seconds for you to come to that well thought out conclusion

[Red Beret]

It wasn't a conclusion.  It was an observation.

Whatever Putin/Russia has done, apparently the US has done it more/worse, so this apparently somehow justifies the former's actions.

[bigbonedrawky]

It wasn't a conclusion.  It was an observation.

Whatever Putin/Russia has done, apparently the US has done it more/worse, so this apparently somehow justifies the former's actions.

No it doesn't

[Red Beret]

No it doesn't

Well not to my mind certainly.  But it appears to be the first argument thrown up whenever Putin takes some form of hostile or negative action - "Well the US has done this blah blah blah..."

Hence my earlier, slightly sardonic comment.

[bigbonedrawky]

Well not to my mind certainly.  But it appears to be the first argument thrown up whenever Putin takes some form of hostile or negative action - "Well the US has done this blah blah blah..."

Hence my earlier, slightly sardonic comment.

Then it goes a little bit like this:
Someone says Person A is a murderer, someone mentions Person B is a murderer, usually the first argument thrown up at this point is that mentioning Person B is somehow a defense of Person A and that it attempts to make the murder committed by person A less of a crime... 
Its childish logic but prevalent, even amongst the serious edjukated posters.

[Red Beret]

Indeed it is, which is why I raised the point in the first place.

[viteslesrouges]

Okay Vladimir, lay of the journalists and other folk, deal with this piece of shit who wears your uniform :

http://www.rferl.mobi/a/armenia-russian-soldier-suspect-mass-murder-gyumri/26788906.html

Russian Soldier Suspected Of Killing Family In Armenia

January 12, 2015
RFE/RL's Armenian Service
Authorities in the Armenian city of Gyumri closed off streets and searched vehicles as they launched a manhunt for a Russian soldier suspected of killing six people. The victims -- a couple, their son and daughter-in-law, a 2-year-old granddaughter, and an unmarried daughter -- were found shot dead in their house on January 12. Russia has about 3,000 troops at military base in Gyumri, one of Russia's largest military installations abroad. (RFE/RL's Armenian Service)
Authorities in the Armenian city of Gyumri closed off streets and searched vehicles as they launched a manhunt for a Russian soldier suspected of killing six people. The victims -- a couple, their son and daughter-in-law, a 2-year-old granddaughter, and an unmarried daughter -- were found shot dead in their house on January 12. Russia has about 3,000 troops at military base in Gyumri, one of Russia's largest military installations abroad. (RFE/RL's Armenian Service)

GYUMRI, Armenia -- Investigators in Armenia say a Russian soldier is suspected of killing six members of a family in Gyumri, a city that hosts a Russian military base.

The Armenian state Investigative Committee said the victims -- a couple, their son and daughter-in-law, a 2-year-old granddaughter, and an unmarried daughter -- were found shot dead in their house on January 12.

The couple's six-month-old grandson was hospitalized in a grave condition.

Investigators said victims were shot with an AK-47.

Investigative Committee officials said the suspect, Valery Permyakov, illegally left his unit in the morning. They said military boots with his initials had been found at the scene of the crime.

Russia has about 3,000 troops at the 102nd iilitary Base in Gyumri, one of Russia's largest military installations abroad.

Armenia is a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Eurasian Economic Union, two Russian-dominated groups of former Soviet republics.

Russian authorities said a Russian Defense Ministry commission led by First Deputy Defense Minister General Arkady Bakhin would join the investigation. The commission vowed that "all those guilty will be brough to justice."

With reporting by Interfax

[Red Beret]

(Reuters) - British Typhoon fighter jets were scrambled to intercept two Russian Bear long-range bombers which had flown close to UK airspace, Britain's Ministry of Defence (MoD) said on Thursday.

The Russian planes were detected flying over the Channel, south of England, on Wednesday and typhoons were launched from Royal Air Force (RAF) bases at Lossiemouth in Scotland and Coningsby in eastern England, the MoD said.

"The Russian planes were escorted by the RAF until they were out of the UK area of interest. At no time did the Russian military aircraft cross into UK sovereign airspace," the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

Last year, NATO conducted more than 100 intercepts of Russian aircraft, about three times as many as in 2013, amid sharply increased tensions between the West and Moscow over the Ukraine crisis.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/01/29/uk-britain-defence-russia-idUKKBN0L20VL20150129

[rhysd]

(Reuters) - British Typhoon fighter jets were scrambled to intercept two Russian Bear long-range bombers which had flown close to UK airspace, Britain's Ministry of Defence (MoD) said on Thursday.

The Russian planes were detected flying over the Channel, south of England, on Wednesday and typhoons were launched from Royal Air Force (RAF) bases at Lossiemouth in Scotland and Coningsby in eastern England, the MoD said.

"The Russian planes were escorted by the RAF until they were out of the UK area of interest. At no time did the Russian military aircraft cross into UK sovereign airspace," the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

Last year, NATO conducted more than 100 intercepts of Russian aircraft, about three times as many as in 2013, amid sharply increased tensions between the West and Moscow over the Ukraine crisis.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/01/29/uk-britain-defence-russia-idUKKBN0L20VL20150129

I don't understand why they do this?

Is it just simply a case of them saying 'we could if we wanted to'?

[Chakan]

I don't understand why they do this?

Is it just simply a case of them saying 'we could if we wanted to'?

[Fiasco]

I don't understand why they do this?

Is it just simply a case of them saying 'we could if we wanted to'?

They're doing this quite a bit. I think there was an incident in waters near Scandinavia a few weeks back involving a submarine. They know they will be escorted away - it's a matter of them just playing a bit of a game.

[Twelfth Man]

They're doing this quite a bit. I think there was an incident in waters near Scandinavia a few weeks back involving a submarine. They know they will be escorted away - it's a matter of them just playing a bit of a game.

The Russian Bear flexing its muscles. Shows the sanctions are hurting and that Putin is not happy with the Litvinenko inquiry.

[Fiasco]

The Russian Bear flexing its muscles. Shows the sanctions are hurting and that Putin is not happy with the Litvinenko inquiry.

Putin has to do something. Be it poking a stick in this way, verbal innuendos and threats, locking up protesters or getting rid of anybody in his inner-circle who he sees as a threat. He always has to be seen to be doing something. His ego won't allow him not to.

[viteslesrouges]

I don't understand why they do this?

Is it just simply a case of them saying 'we could if we wanted to'?

They've been doing it since the 1950s, nothing new here at all.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Saxa_Vord

The present station was officially opened on 27 September 1957 as No 91 Signals Unit, and in 1960 was visited by Queen Elizabeth II. In the early days, the site was shared with the Royal Navy which worked in the Admiralty building. In the following years, RAF Saxa Vord was a vital part of Britain's air defence during the Cold War. During this period, there was a game of cat-and-mouse[clarification needed], originally with English Electric Lightning, then F-4 Phantom and finally Tornado F3

http://www.defencetoday.com/articles/uk-decides-against-closing-its-most-northerly-military-base.htm

UK Decides Against Closing Its Most Northerly Military Base

 
Active: 1957-2006

Country: United Kingdom

Branch: Royal Air Force

Role: Remote Radar Head

Location: Shetland

 

Neil Ritchie | 26th August 2014

The growing tension with Russia has made the UK decide against tearing down its most northerly military base.
The Royal Air Force radar station Saxa Vord on the island of Unst in the Shetland Islands went operational in 1957 and gave the first warnings of Soviet bombers entering UK airspace. The site ceased operations in 2006.

In early August a team of RAF engineers arrived at Saxa Vord with orders to dismantle the base however at the last minute they were told to refurbish the site instead.

http://theaviationist.com/2014/08/04/russian-bears-at-giuk-gap/



RAF Saxa Vord was further north than Leningrad, and on the same latitude as Anchorage, Alaska. The station was named after Saxa Vord, which is the highest hill on Unst at 935 ft (285 m). It holds the unofficial British record for wind speed, which in 1992 was recorded at 197 mph (317 km/h) — just before the measuring equipment blew away.   

[Red Beret]

I don't understand why they do this?

Is it just simply a case of them saying 'we could if we wanted to'?

I'm not sure to be honest.  Because clearly our reply is: 'we could shoot you down - if we wanted to.'

[BazC]

I don't understand why they do this?

Is it just simply a case of them saying 'we could if we wanted to'?

If they did it and no one intercepted them ...

[Red Beret]

If they did it and no one intercepted them ...

Our early warning systems aren't THAT bad.  The only way they couldn't be intercepted was if Putin sent over about 5,000 of the buggers.  Although it wouldn't surprise me if we'd spotted them coming in a few times and let them, just to make them wonder if they'd got one over on us. 

[Ray K]

His murderous thugs have assassinated opposition leader Boris Nemtsov outside the Kremlin.

He was very vocal in how Sochi was a means of transferring billions from the state's funds to Putin's cronies. And now he's silenced.

Can't wait for Seumas Milne's column this week blaming the West for this.

[conman]

His murderous thugs have assassinated opposition leader Boris Nemtsov outside the Kremlin.

He was very vocal in how Sochi was a means of transferring billions from the state's funds to Putin's cronies. And now he's silenced.

Can't wait for Seumas Milne's column this week blaming the West for this.

http://mashable.com/2015/02/27/boris-nemtsov-dead/

[Yorkykopite]

His murderous thugs have assassinated opposition leader Boris Nemtsov outside the Kremlin.

He was very vocal in how Sochi was a means of transferring billions from the state's funds to Putin's cronies. And now he's silenced.

Can't wait for Seumas Milne's column this week blaming the West for this.

This is German fascism circa 1931.

Of course there'll be apologists over here for Putin. There always are. But be in no doubt. This is a sick and dangerous regime.

[conman]

This is German fascism circa 1931.

Of course there'll be apologists over here for Putin. There always are. But be in no doubt. This is a sick and dangerous regime.

It's not just Russia that's reverting to politics of yore, though they are leading the way, that's for sure.

[downtown]

Wow...seeing the photos, it's literally by the Red Square.

Kasparov with some interesting words on Twitter.

Garry Kasparov @Kasparov63  ·  11m 11 minutes ago
Thank you for everyone's kind wishes for my safety. Take a moment to think of Boris's family, and your own.

 Garry Kasparov @Kasparov63  ·  17m 17 minutes ago
Really it's a distraction to wonder what this latest murder "means" when the pattern is clear. Oppose Putin & your life is worth little.

 Garry Kasparov @Kasparov63  ·  19m 19 minutes ago
Why not? So many Putin foes murdered, need new scapegoats. RT @brotherender: I won't be surprised to see it spinned to blame Ukraine, to be honest

 Garry Kasparov @Kasparov63  ·  41m 41 minutes ago
Politkovskaya was gunned down. MH17 was shot out of the sky. Now Boris is dead. As always, Kremlin will blame opposition, or CIA, whatever.

 Garry Kasparov @Kasparov63  ·  46m 46 minutes ago
Dictators do not ask why when it comes to taking human life, only why not. Putin has oceans of blood on his hands already & is still there.

 Garry Kasparov @Kasparov63  ·  48m 48 minutes ago
Do not say stupidities about how this is bad for Putin, or that he wouldn't do this. Do not presume to tell a dictator his business.

 Garry Kasparov @Kasparov63  ·  1h 1 hour ago
When we argued, Boris would tell me I was too hasty, that in Russia you had to live a long time to see change. Now he'll never see it. RIP.

 Garry Kasparov @Kasparov63  ·  1h 1 hour ago
Boris's quality no longer fit Putin's Russia. He always believed Russia could change from inside without violence; after 2012 I disagreed.

 Garry Kasparov @Kasparov63  ·  1h 1 hour ago
Devastated to hear of the brutal murder of my long-time opposition colleague Boris Nemtsov. Shot 4 times, once for each child he leaves.

[Yorkykopite]

It makes you think doesn't it? Social media helps keep someone like Gary Kasparov alive and out of a Russian jail. It's no guarantee of course. We've seen that tonight. But compare with what it must have been like under the Communist regime when dissidents were entirely alone. How Putin would love to go back to those days.

[soxfan]

"The Kremlin said Putin offered his condolences and will personally oversee the investigation."

So that's comforting.

In other news, the cat is personally overseeing the investigation into who killed the mouse.

[jillcwhomever]

"The Kremlin said Putin offered his condolences and will personally oversee the investigation."

So that's comforting.

In other news, the cat is personally overseeing the investigation into who killed the mouse.

Expect to see it swept under the carpet then. Disgusting act it makes you wonder whose next on Putin's list.

[G1 Jockey 4(betfair)]

"The Kremlin said Putin offered his condolences and will personally oversee the investigation."

So that's comforting.

In other news, the cat is personally overseeing the investigation into who killed the mouse.

 Activists say that local prosecutors are too close to the police and rarely pursue criminal charges against police officers who kill black men.

[Yorkykopite]

Activists say that local prosecutors are too close to the police and rarely pursue criminal charges against police officers who kill black men.

I'd forgotten that.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4737468.stm

What a terrible place to be a black man. We occasionally see it at European football matches where Russian crowds are often virulently racist (remember Zenit when they played our lads). But Russian society is clearly soaked in racism.

[G1 Jockey 4(betfair)]

its not just the race angle........the other one is far more worrying imo

and its not like we as supporters havent been on the wrong end of such behaviour from people who investigate....

[Yorkykopite]

its not just the race angle........the other one is far more worrying imo

and its not like we as supporters havent been on the wrong end of such behaviour from people who investigate....

That's right. Can you imagine what it must be like when every police investigation is like Hillsborough?  Or when the Russian equivalents of 'awkward-squad'  campaigners like Ann Williams or Sheila Coleman are gunned down and there is no investigation? Think of the number of Russian journalists who stick their noses into places that the Kremlin doesn't want them to and are subsequently bumped off, assassinated, 'disappeared'. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_journalists_killed_in_Russia

[Slick_Beef]

"The Kremlin said Putin offered his condolences and will personally oversee the investigation."

"He appears to have shot himself 4 times in the back"