Russia and its “Special Operation” in Ukraine

[UpTheVilla26]

32 minutes ago, hippo said:

Turn the telly/internet off.

Take your wife and kids on a nice day out.  Don't factor in your demise - dont waste days worrying what might happen in future. on that day out focus totally on that day. none of us knows what the future holds. 

I think I've overloaded myself with it tbh. Every night I'm reading forums, the news, watching live streams on YouTube. I did the same with Covid, ended up down a rabbit hole of conspiracy forums and it stressed me out. I do have a somewhat 'addictive' personality and find I need to know more about things but that leads to worry. 

I don't think this will fully escalate. There is far too much at stake for an all out nuclear war and nobody would win that. I do think at the slightest hint that's the route its heading down, Putin would be 'dealt' with and I don't think that would even be by the west or NATO, I think he'd be taken out from within. 

Tonight I'm switching off news and not reading the forums. I'm going to catch up on some YouTube videos from Gamers I watch, make myself a brew and smash a pack of custard creams. 

Edited March 1, 2022 by UpTheVilla26

[villa4europe]

My MD gave a state of the nation talk today, our company has 2 live Russian projects and had put a lot of eggs in the basket of a 1bn€ project we'd been chasing there, 1 of the projects in particular has a lot of value in it that they now don't think we will get despite still getting the costs, Putin has banned foreign currency from leaving Russia so the contract is in euros but they can't pay us, said that he's got a meeting in Berlin next week to try and get some propping up from the german government or to try and find a loop hole where we get paid in rubles which no one wants or get a favour with one of the german LNG projects, failing that they'll ask our Chinese overlords to prop us up... Had a meeting with my line manager after who said failing that we've got big cash flow problems in about 3 months or legal problems if we go down the money in money out route and don't pay suppliers 

As it stands if nothing happens then worst case the sanctions could close my company or at least lead to job losses by the summer 

[Awol]

That’s a big bang 

 

 

[foreveryoung]

8 minutes ago, villa4europe said:

My MD gave a state of the nation talk today, our company has 2 live Russian projects and had put a lot of eggs in the basket of a 1bn€ project we'd been chasing there, 1 of the projects in particular has a lot of value in it that they now don't think we will get despite still getting the costs, Putin has banned foreign currency from leaving Russia so the contract is in euros but they can't pay us, said that he's got a meeting in Berlin next week to try and get some propping up from the german government or to try and find a loop hole where we get paid in rubles which no one wants or get a favour with one of the german LNG projects, failing that they'll ask our Chinese overlords to prop us up... Had a meeting with my line manager after who said failing that we've got big cash flow problems in about 3 months or legal problems if we go down the money in money out route and don't pay suppliers 

As it stands if nothing happens then worst case the sanctions could close my company or at least lead to job losses by the summer 

It'll be coming for many anyway mate. No vehicle imports to Russia will cripple alot of companies financially. They have already said we will suffer, but not as much as the Ukrainians.

[villa4europe]

1 minute ago, Awol said:

That’s a big bang 

 

 

Interesting that they suggest the size of the blast is due to what was hit rather than what hit it 

Cos that's a big blast

[foreveryoung]

1 minute ago, Awol said:

That’s a big bang 

 

 

Hope its a munitions depot and not just the Missile 

[Awol]

2 minutes ago, villa4europe said:

Interesting that they suggest the size of the blast is due to what was hit rather than what hit it 

Cos that's a big blast

This is one take, I don’t know

Given how close the base is to Kharkiv and the active front line, hopeful most of people and assets were already relocated.  

[Xela]

26 minutes ago, UpTheVilla26 said:

Tonight I'm switching off news and not reading the forums. I'm going to catch up on some YouTube videos from Gamers I watch, make myself a brew and smash a pack of custard creams. 

Good choice!

If Russia do nuke us, I hope we have some warning as I have a Terry's chocolate orange in the cupboard that i'd like to have before i'm vapourised. 

[bickster]

2 minutes ago, Xela said:

as I have a Terry's chocolate orange in the cupboard that i'd like to have before i'm vapourised. 

I'd rather get vapourised

[mjmooney]

6 hours ago, colhint said:

One of the best things I have heard about the Villa was from an Arsenal fan. I was in a pub in London and there was a group of guys talking about the best pre and post war players in teams. When they got to Villa one bloke said no chance here lads, to them pre war is Rorkes Drift and post war was the charge of the light brigade.

Charge of the Light Brigade 1854 

Rorke's Drift 1879 

Arsenal fans' knowledge of history is clearly similar to their knowledge of football. 

[TDR V2]

I've stayed away from news today, been busy working.

Just catching up now, that 40 mile convoy, that's Brum to Stoke FFS. Military hardware and troops to bring hell to Kiev. 

What sort of shitty world do we live in where we can't/won't do a damn thing about it. 

This whole shitty world needs a restart

[foreveryoung]

3 minutes ago, Awol said:

This is one take, I don’t know

Given how close the base is to Kharkiv and the active front line, hopeful most of people and assets were already relocated.  

Hopefully it was the Ukrainians.

 

[mjmooney]

6 hours ago, colhint said:

Why is she walking the plank

She is the plank. 

[Genie]

29 minutes ago, UpTheVilla26 said:

I do think at the slightest hint that's the route its heading down, Putin would be 'dealt' with

Me too. There’s a world of high tech equipment and spies looking at all things Putin and nukes. If there’s a hint he’s really lining one up then there will be action either from NATO, The USA, China or inside the Kremlin.

It just can’t be allowed to happen and everyone knows it. 

[TDR V2]

3 minutes ago, Xela said:

Good choice!

If Russia do nuke us, I hope we have some warning as I have a Terry's chocolate orange in the cupboard that i'd like to have before i'm vapourised. 

Ergh, think I'd rather be vapourised

[Xela]

2 minutes ago, bickster said:

I'd rather get vapourised

I knew that would flush you out  

[leemond2008]

19 minutes ago, Xela said:

Good choice!

If Russia do nuke us, I hope we have some warning as I have a Terry's chocolate orange in the cupboard that i'd like to have before i'm vapourised. 

See I hope we have some warning because I will have the wank to end all wanks, try and time the vinegar stroke to the point of impact so that I can go out believing that it was the most explosive wank of all time

[blandy]

1 hour ago, Awol said:

That’s what it says in the article @blandy linked to, the Americans are doing the same thing for the same reason.

The difference is, we’ve yet to sanction more than a tiny handful of Russians, so the rest have the 30 days to move their money. We’re deliberately, or so it appears, aiding them to evade steps that have been announced by ministers. At best it’s an uncoordinated cock up, but the suspicion is we’re playing nice so they come back later.

[BleedClaretAndBlue]

Andrey Kortunov, former advisor to the Kremlin, speaking out against the Invasion saying it cant be justified and is depressed and embarrassed. Was asked if Putin would use Nukes; he responded unequivocally by saying if NATO got involved, there would be no doubt he would consider using nuclear weapons. This from someone that knows him well and now speaking out against his decisions which is unheard of in itself. Really interesting insight. The interview was on BBC news

[magnkarl]

28 minutes ago, foreveryoung said:

Hopefully it was the Ukrainians.

 

I wonder if any of the EU\US\Japan\Aus and so on will deliver some missiles so Ukraine can retaliate against that convoy. I also wonder if the huge influx of shoulder launched weapons will soon hit that column in the side as we get weapons to the reportedly around 50.000 strong Lviv battle groups of the Ukranian army. Surely there's also plenty of Polish\Brits\Slovakians\Hungarians in the international brigades reportedly in the thousands now already starting to reach Russian lines? When do we start seeing pictures of killed nationals from other countries?