il_serpente Posted September 20, 2022 VT Supporter Share Posted September 20, 2022 1 hour ago, magnkarl said: I doubt that line of thought would work anymore. It doesn’t work in Crimea, so why would it in Donbas? Ukraine’s attacked Crimea many times. Ukraine hasn't "invaded" Crimea, though. But if they continue their offensive to take back land in Donbas they would be "invading" Russia if the Donetsk and Luhansk had passed referendums to be part of Russia. Although the West won't recognize the results of the referenda, it allows them to rationalize doing nastier things in those areas to "defend the motherland." It may be designed primarily for consumption back in Russia. Let's hope so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
il_serpente Posted September 20, 2022 VT Supporter Share Posted September 20, 2022 4 minutes ago, DeadlyDirk said: According to Sky News - Putin is to give a televised address at 1800 GMT. Last time he did this was on the 24th of Feb, to announce the "Special Military Operation". Thoughts anyone better versed than me? Paying his respects to the Queen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted September 20, 2022 Moderator Share Posted September 20, 2022 14 minutes ago, DeadlyDirk said: According to Sky News - Putin is to give a televised address at 1800 GMT. Last time he did this was on the 24th of Feb, to announce the "Special Military Operation". Thoughts anyone better versed than me? Whatever he says, it's highly unlikely to be the truth. It will also be mainly for a domestic audience Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ml1dch Posted September 20, 2022 Share Posted September 20, 2022 11 minutes ago, il_serpente said: Paying his respects to the Queen? Stepping in late-notice on Strictly Come Dancing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy Lifeboats Posted September 20, 2022 Share Posted September 20, 2022 Over the past week the Chinese have publicly “expressed concerns” about the military operation. India have done the same. That’s a clear sign that neither will tolerate an escalation. They aren’t allies they are just countries that are not actively opposing Russia. Russia’s position is now incredibly weak. If they went for a declaration of war or a full scale mobilisation they have no scenario that is good for them. Even if they beat Ukraine and ended the conventional war very quickly they face a decade of armed resistance and economic warfare from the West. Their only option is backing down but I don’t think Putin will do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy Lifeboats Posted September 20, 2022 Share Posted September 20, 2022 My Russian is a bit rusty. I think he’s just called Philip Schofield a winker for using a press pass to view the queen’s catapult??? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeadlyDirk Posted September 20, 2022 Share Posted September 20, 2022 How about declaring his "Special Military Operation" a success and the Azov Battalion have been successfully destroyed...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinker Posted September 20, 2022 VT Supporter Share Posted September 20, 2022 8 minutes ago, DeadlyDirk said: How about declaring his "Special Military Operation" a success and the Azov Battalion have been successfully destroyed...? Declare war on Ukraine and ask for volunteers to help defend Russia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BleedClaretAndBlue Posted September 20, 2022 Share Posted September 20, 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Posted September 20, 2022 VT Supporter Share Posted September 20, 2022 45 minutes ago, bickster said: Whatever he says, it's highly unlikely to be the truth. It will also be mainly for a domestic audience It will be tactical truth, whatever he says. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panto_Villan Posted September 20, 2022 Share Posted September 20, 2022 I reckon he’s just going to push Shoigu out of a window live on TV. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ender4 Posted September 20, 2022 Share Posted September 20, 2022 1 hour ago, ml1dch said: Stepping in late-notice on Strictly Come Dancing. They should do a ‘World Leader’ special of Strictly. I would watch it with Trump, Putin, Modi, Xi, Johnson, etc all dancing the salsa in their most sparkly outfits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djdabush Posted September 20, 2022 Share Posted September 20, 2022 I wonder how you can avoid conscription in Russia. Something like bone spurs? I sense an awful lot of people will be planning a family trip to Georgia shortly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnkarl Posted September 20, 2022 Share Posted September 20, 2022 3 minutes ago, Panto_Villan said: I reckon he’s just going to push Shoigu out of a window live on TV. The Annual Russian Defenestration Championships. Many big names on this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted September 20, 2022 Share Posted September 20, 2022 Still hasn’t started. Maybe he’s having second thoughts about what he was going to say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted September 20, 2022 Moderator Share Posted September 20, 2022 9 minutes ago, djdabush said: I wonder how you can avoid conscription in Russia. Something like bone spurs? I sense an awful lot of people will be planning a family trip to Georgia shortly. Where they will get picked up by a taxi driver and driven to the middle of nowhere and dumped. It's happened at least twice already, there ws even a court case where the taxi drivers defence appears to have been little more than "they were Russian" and the jury aquitted him EDIT: The serious answer is Bribe, Bribe, Bribe and Bribe some more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoelVilla Posted September 20, 2022 Share Posted September 20, 2022 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted September 20, 2022 Moderator Share Posted September 20, 2022 7 minutes ago, Genie said: Still hasn’t started. Maybe he’s having second thoughts about what he was going to say. Putin is notoriously late for everything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted September 20, 2022 Share Posted September 20, 2022 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djdabush Posted September 20, 2022 Share Posted September 20, 2022 16 minutes ago, bickster said: Where they will get picked up by a taxi driver and driven to the middle of nowhere and dumped. It's happened at least twice already, there ws even a court case where the taxi drivers defence appears to have been little more than "they were Russian" and the jury aquitted him EDIT: The serious answer is Bribe, Bribe, Bribe and Bribe some more I mean I'm sure it's happened but there's a very large ex-pat Russian community in Tbilisi now (so much so it's driving up house rental prices) and from what I've seen if you show some anti-war sentiment then you get on ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts