icowden
Shaman
Also unusual for him not to have fallen out of a window...Suspicious death of sacked Russian minister- shocker.
Strangely, he may have been dead before he was sacked!
Also unusual for him not to have fallen out of a window...Suspicious death of sacked Russian minister- shocker.
Strangely, he may have been dead before he was sacked!
Also unusual for him not to have fallen out of a window...
Suspicious death of sacked Russian minister- shocker.
Strangely, he may have been dead before he was sacked!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy7nvxzrvr0o
Although, much as Russia has a "reputation", there were corruption (embezzlement) allegations against him being investigated and those were in relation to a lot of money allocated to securing Russia/Ukraine border (in the region he was governing at the time). So one could envisage circumstances where, innocent or guilty, he knew the outcome and what that would mean for him and his family?Also unusual for him not to have fallen out of a window...
Agreed, i do almost admire Putin's abilty to piss Trump off given the position he had with him.Putin has played Trump because Trump is an idiot and Trump is vengeful.
Think the only positive escalation would be the whole of current Russian leadership falling/taken down and then something in it's place that respect international borders and ends the war.It's not necessarily a positive escalation. I only hope that the assistance is kept low key but Trump isn't capable of dampening down the rhetoric as it doesn't put the spotlight on him.
Well the biggest thing with nuclear weapons is having the abilty to say you can use them. but as in military objectives convential weapons are much more usefull, or the ones they dropped on Iran's alleged nuclear bomb facilityWe always wondered when there would be an American president capable of pressing the button and doing the unthinkable.
That is a bit of a doomsday scenario and I am doubtful he would as I think Trump might be viewing mineral deals in the face of Putin weakening. It's all about the deal.
I'm still moderately optimistic of more supplies of defensive weapons, and at least a change of tone over further sanctions. Russia's economy is finally starting to creak, and you'd think someone somewhere in the administration will drawn an analogy between tarrifs and sanctions as a mechanism for doing a deal.
There is no military "win" available from here, with this US president. And anyway, what it would take to win the existing conflict militarily would broaden the conflict so much that this would not result in winning militarily. That is why it's not happened.Do you want a deal? Does Ukraine want a 'deal'? I think Putin would use a deal (cessation in conflict) to re-build. I would rather the West see an opportunity to f*ck Putin over proper. Only when he's strung on a lamp post or falls through a high window will there be a chance of long term cessation of aggression.
He's lost generals to assassination, he arrested and seized a gold Oligarch's estate, he's assassinated 2 of his own military leaders because he's probably under severe pressure. It's time to stick the knife in. Finish the job.
A 'deal' is not going to do the Ukraine or Europe any favours. A severely weakened and impotent Russia leaves China with a lame duck ally, if it isn't already. China and N Korea will only support Russia as long as the spondoolicks roll in. It's simple maths. If the money stops flowing because the Russian economy is teetering and there is signs the debt can't be paid off...
Trump is an idiot. With the USA on board with the West, there was manageable attrition. Now there are less restrictions to inhibit the spread of China's tentacles.
There is no military "win" available from here, with this US president. And anyway, what it would take to win the existing conflict militarily would broaden the conflict so much that this would not result in winning militarily. That is why it's not happened.
Putin's fate is best left to Russia. I do wonder whether he is basically as good as dead as soon as the war ends, hence the increasing desperation.
FTFYMuch like Netanyahu. Peace in Gaza? Not while he's in power and there are Palestiniansin Gaza
Not directly, no but indirectly, it is.. It's all down to how Putin can bankroll the conflict. If NATO/EU steps up it's assistance to Zelensky, it makes the war impossible for Putin to win and therefore, impossible to finance.There is no military "win" available from he
Two aspects (personal views, nothing "sourced")I do wonder whether he is basically as good as dead as soon as the war ends, hence the increasing desperation.