What's going on in Ukraine?

[Hellraiser]

[inactionman]

Interesting article/transcript of a speech given at a UN Security Council hearing into 'Russophobia' as alleged by Russian representatives.

You'd think that's some fucking brass neck, and you'd be right - Timothy Snyder (Yale history prof) does a pretty decent dissection as speaker at the session:

https://snyder.substack.com/p/playing-t ... dium=email

I post this to reinforce how little shame Russia actually as, and how unlikely it is that they will ever act with any semblance of reason or decency toward Ukraine. It's all Ukraine's fault, and Russia are victims, and its therefore OK to slaughter them in their hundreds of thousands.

[tabascoboy]

Interesting article/transcript of a speech given at a UN Security Council hearing into 'Russophobia' as alleged by Russian representatives.

You'd think that's some fucking brass neck, and you'd be right - Timothy Snyder (Yale history prof) does a pretty decent dissection as speaker at the session:

https://snyder.substack.com/p/playing-t ... dium=email

I post this to reinforce how little shame Russia actually as, and how unlikely it is that they will ever act with any semblance of reason or decency toward Ukraine. It's all Ukraine's fault, and Russia are victims, and its therefore OK to slaughter them in their hundreds of thousands.

Good read, they are obsessed and imprisoned by their own sense of victimhood

[Sinkers]

Who’s whizzing around in what looks like a fucking minibus with all that going on!!!

[Sandstorm]

Who’s whizzing around in what looks like a fucking minibus with all that going on!!!

Mitty

[Flockwitt]

Reports Russian forces have managed to penetrate into Bahkmut from the southern side.

[Hellraiser]

[Hellraiser]

[tabascoboy]

[Guy Smiley]

Who’s whizzing around in what looks like a fucking minibus with all that going on!!!

Mitty

[tabascoboy]

[tabascoboy]

if it's true that Wagner PMC and Russian MoD are intent on continuing this pissing contest, sounds like this can only be to the advantage of Ukraine long term

[lemonhead]

if it's true that Wagner PMC and Russian MoD are intent on continuing this pissing contest, sounds like this can only be to the advantage of Ukraine long term

They do have form. Forgotten just how many unneccesary casualties they sustained in the rush to Berlin as Stalin played commanders off against each other.

And that was at least in part a turkey shoot with Volkssturm divisions among the defenders

[Hellraiser]

[Hellraiser]

[Hellraiser]

The CEO of Rheinmetall has stated that they are currently repairing and upgrading 50 Leopard 2s ( I assume 2A4s) and 100 Leopard 1s (1A5s as no earlier generations exist outside museums), and are looking to buy 36 mothballed Swiss Panzer 87s/Leo 2A4s for what a I presume is a ringtausch arrangement.

From what I gather the 50 2A4s being brought back to service do not represent previously pledged vehicles, so that's in addition to the 40 already agreed by Poland, Spain, Norway and Canada. Add in the 21 (18+3) 2A6s from Germany and Portugal, and the 10 Strv 122s/2A5s from Sweden, and that's well over 100 Leopard 2s to be sent to Ukraine this year.

[Hellraiser]

[tabascoboy]

[Slick]

Read this morning that Poland is sending some planes as well.

[inactionman]

UK are procuring Archer from Sweden (via BAE Systems Bofors) to replace the AS90 sent to Ukraine.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/brit ... ith-sweden

Much more modern, twice the range, lower crew count etc. Intended as stop-gap until the Mobile Fires programme delivers something later this decade.

[Hellraiser]

The ICC has just issued an arrest warrant for Putin.

[tabascoboy]

The ICC has just issued an arrest warrant for Putin.

Yes, now all we need to do is get hold of the bastard

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The court alleges he is responsible for war crimes, including the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia.

It says the crimes were committed in Ukraine at least from 24 February 2022 - when Russia launched its full-scale invasion.

Moscow has denied allegations of war crimes during the invasion.

The ICC has charged Mr Putin with being involved in the deportation of children, and says it has reasonable grounds to believe he committed the acts directly, as well as working with others.

The court also said the Russian leader failed to exercise his rights to stop others who deported children.

Russia's commissioner for children's rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, is also wanted by the ICC.

A Russian foreign ministry spokesperson said the arrest warrants are meaningless.

"The decisions of the International Criminal Court have no meaning for our country, including from a legal point of view," Maria Zakharova wrote on Telegram.

That is because despite the warrants, the ICC has no powers to arrest suspects, and can only exercise jurisdiction within countries who are signed up to the agreement that set up the court.

Russia is not a signatory to that agreement - so it is unlikely either will be extradited.

[inactionman]

The ICC has just issued an arrest warrant for Putin.

Yes, now all we need to do is get hold of the bastard

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The court alleges he is responsible for war crimes, including the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia.

It says the crimes were committed in Ukraine at least from 24 February 2022 - when Russia launched its full-scale invasion.

Moscow has denied allegations of war crimes during the invasion.

The ICC has charged Mr Putin with being involved in the deportation of children, and says it has reasonable grounds to believe he committed the acts directly, as well as working with others.

The court also said the Russian leader failed to exercise his rights to stop others who deported children.

Russia's commissioner for children's rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, is also wanted by the ICC.

A Russian foreign ministry spokesperson said the arrest warrants are meaningless.

"The decisions of the International Criminal Court have no meaning for our country, including from a legal point of view," Maria Zakharova wrote on Telegram.

That is because despite the warrants, the ICC has no powers to arrest suspects, and can only exercise jurisdiction within countries who are signed up to the agreement that set up the court.

Russia is not a signatory to that agreement - so it is unlikely either will be extradited.

Not sure what is tangibly changes, except maybe a basis for a ratcheting up of sanctions, but an important and significant step nonetheless.

[tabascoboy]

The ICC has just issued an arrest warrant for Putin.

Not sure what is tangibly changes, except maybe a basis for a ratcheting up of sanctions, but an important and significant step nonetheless.

I'm certain that he and his mates give precisely no fcuks!

[inactionman]

The ICC has just issued an arrest warrant for Putin.

Not sure what is tangibly changes, except maybe a basis for a ratcheting up of sanctions, but an important and significant step nonetheless.

I'm certain that he and his mates give precisely no fcuks!

It'll be the West's fault, no doubt. Or Ukraine.

[Random1]

Not sure how the ICC works, but does this mean that Russians close to Putin can be arrested for accessories?

[tabascoboy]

Not sure what is tangibly changes, except maybe a basis for a ratcheting up of sanctions, but an important and significant step nonetheless.

I'm certain that he and his mates give precisely no fcuks!

It'll be the West's fault, no doubt. Or Ukraine.

Only seeing things through the filter of Western news outlets for now, there has been no denial about the actual charges that I've seen - only that Russia does not recognise the jurisdiction of the ICC.

quite the opposite of denial here in fact

We have now had some reaction from Maria Lvova-Belova - Putin's children's commissioner who has also been issued with an arrest warrant.

According to the Russian Ria Novosti news agency, Lvova-Belova says: "It's great that the international community has appreciated this work to help the children of our country.

"That we don't leave them in war zones, that we take them out, that we create good conditions for them, that we surround them with loving, caring people."

EDIT - to be clear they deny the atrocities but not the fact they brought children from Ukraine into Russia ( which was of course purely for their benefit )

[Random1]

UK are procuring Archer from Sweden (via BAE Systems Bofors) to replace the AS90 sent to Ukraine.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/brit ... ith-sweden

Much more modern, twice the range, lower crew count etc. Intended as stop-gap until the Mobile Fires programme delivers something later this decade.

We’ve also signalled an end to tiptoeing around china, by signing up with Japan for new jet fighter development.

Add that to the Ozzie submarine deal and it looks like Cold War mark 2 is now out in the open.

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/new-bri ... continues/

[Hellraiser]

[Random1]

The yanks better have some super dooper weapons in the shed that they didn't show Trump as China is unbeatable otherwise

Really, why do you say that?

[Hellraiser]

The yanks better have some super dooper weapons in the shed that they didn't show Trump as China is unbeatable otherwise

That's not even remotely true.

[Hellraiser]

[_Os_]

Introducing the thriving metropolis of Vuhledar. Russia's armour losses trying to take this place must be 200+ by now, with killed and wounded well into the 1000s. Just open fields and a tiny destroyed town, all of which Russia has no fire control over, yet Russia just keeps pumping men and armour into the giant kill box.

I've seen some calculations that Russia's entire stock of T-80Us is exhausted. They're now repainting the rusting hulks of original non-upgraded T62s, putting few or no upgrades on them before sending them west to be destroyed. After the T62 stock is exhausted, onto the T55s I guess? Putin is completely insane, he will end Russia as a land based military if he keeps this up.

[Niegs]

The ICC has just issued an arrest warrant for Putin.

Yes, now all we need to do is get hold of the bastard

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The court alleges he is responsible for war crimes, including the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia.

It says the crimes were committed in Ukraine at least from 24 February 2022 - when Russia launched its full-scale invasion.

Moscow has denied allegations of war crimes during the invasion.

The ICC has charged Mr Putin with being involved in the deportation of children, and says it has reasonable grounds to believe he committed the acts directly, as well as working with others.

The court also said the Russian leader failed to exercise his rights to stop others who deported children.

Russia's commissioner for children's rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, is also wanted by the ICC.

A Russian foreign ministry spokesperson said the arrest warrants are meaningless.

"The decisions of the International Criminal Court have no meaning for our country, including from a legal point of view," Maria Zakharova wrote on Telegram.

That is because despite the warrants, the ICC has no powers to arrest suspects, and can only exercise jurisdiction within countries who are signed up to the agreement that set up the court.

Russia is not a signatory to that agreement - so it is unlikely either will be extradited.

I wonder what would happen if someone / a group stumped up a many million $$$s bounty? Would chancers have a go? Little Expendable Dirty Dozen operation?

[tabascoboy]

The ICC has just issued an arrest warrant for Putin.

Yes, now all we need to do is get hold of the bastard



[/quote
That is because despite the warrants, the ICC has no powers to arrest suspects, and can only exercise jurisdiction within countries who are signed up to the agreement that set up the court.

Russia is not a signatory to that agreement - so it is unlikely either will be extradited.

I wonder what would happen if someone / a group stumped up a many million $$$s bounty? Would chancers have a go? Little Expendable Dirty Dozen operation?

It's a curiosity of course that the US would not be obligated to arrest Putin if he visited there as they aren't a signatory although it's a no-brainer that they would. Nonetheless you can bet that some alt-right groups would happily shelter him with a massive armoury in their hands...

If Putin had intentions to attend the next BRICS summit in August then he will have to risk arrest as it's in South Africa which is a signatory.

[Uncle fester]

The yanks better have some super dooper weapons in the shed that they didn't show Trump as China is unbeatable otherwise

That's not even remotely true.

China has the largest land based missile arsenal in the world. About the same number of planes as the yanks, slightly more tanks and an army that hasn't had to contend with culture wars. The idea they will be unbeatable in a land and air based war os not far fetched. Granted we don't know how they will perform but I suspect when they show there hand in some African spat it won't be pretty

Maybe they'll be awesome but they are completely untested.

[petej]

That's not even remotely true.

China has the largest land based missile arsenal in the world. About the same number of planes as the yanks, slightly more tanks and an army that hasn't had to contend with culture wars. The idea they will be unbeatable in a land and air based war os not far fetched. Granted we don't know how they will perform but I suspect when they show there hand in some African spat it won't be pretty

Maybe they'll be awesome but they are completely untested.

The same sort of thing stated about Russia for years. The size of the army, the number of tanks, more masculine culture etc..... The chinese won't be anywhere near as shite due to technology and manufacturing capability.

[Hellraiser]

The yanks better have some super dooper weapons in the shed that they didn't show Trump as China is unbeatable otherwise

That's not even remotely true.

China has the largest land based missile arsenal in the world. About the same number of planes as the yanks, slightly more tanks and an army that hasn't had to contend with culture wars. The idea they will be unbeatable in a land and air based war os not far fetched. Granted we don't know how they will perform but I suspect when they show there hand in some African spat it won't be pretty

It's exceptionally far-fetched and betrays very little knowledge of the Chinese military beyond headline figures.

[Blake]

Introducing the thriving metropolis of Vuhledar. Russia's armour losses trying to take this place must be 200+ by now, with killed and wounded well into the 1000s. Just open fields and a tiny destroyed town, all of which Russia has no fire control over, yet Russia just keeps pumping men and armour into the giant kill box.

I've seen some calculations that Russia's entire stock of T-80Us is exhausted. They're now repainting the rusting hulks of original non-upgraded T62s, putting few or no upgrades on them before sending them west to be destroyed. After the T62 stock is exhausted, onto the T55s I guess? Putin is completely insane, he will end Russia as a land based military if he keeps this up.

Here’s hoping Ukraine can fire up a number of steel mills after the war to melt all those fuckers down and turn them into a useful steel to rebuild their infrastructure or even export.

It would be poetic.

[Hellraiser]

Introducing the thriving metropolis of Vuhledar. Russia's armour losses trying to take this place must be 200+ by now, with killed and wounded well into the 1000s. Just open fields and a tiny destroyed town, all of which Russia has no fire control over, yet Russia just keeps pumping men and armour into the giant kill box.

I've seen some calculations that Russia's entire stock of T-80Us is exhausted. They're now repainting the rusting hulks of original non-upgraded T62s, putting few or no upgrades on them before sending them west to be destroyed. After the T62 stock is exhausted, onto the T55s I guess? Putin is completely insane, he will end Russia as a land based military if he keeps this up.

Of active service stock I'd well believe it, but the relatively small number of T-80s being fielded was something others noticed much earlier in the invasion. This is a good video on it.