Taurus Discussion Leak

[ichkeria]

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/mar/04/british-soldiers-on-ground-ukraine-german-military-leak
 

Embarrassing for Germany but who doubted there were UK personnel in Ukraine?

Meanwhile, the Russian navy in the Black Sea has another new submarine 😃

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/26331642/ukraine-blows-up-russian-warship-sergey-kotov-corvette/amp/

 

[Old_Geezer]

Germany seems to have a reputation for getting their messages decoded. Sometimes it works in favour of us, sometimes not. Best not tell them too much then.

 

It does, however, strengthen the argument for getting more involved. Something I hope is avoidable. But progress seems rather slow, and back & forth at present.

[Old_Geezer]

Ukraine seems to be doing ok against the Russian navy, but don't they really need to remove the bridge to Crimea in order to eventually recapture the occupied territory and meanwhile prevent Russia moving military across.

[Khandro]

ichi; A bit off topic but I thought it might interest you. It's from The Spectator (Australia) & behind a pay wall.

Vladimir Putin is playing his cards in the Ukraine Invasion Stakes as if he held the trump card. A resolute player at the table might well trump that card. On the 2nd anniversary of his invasion of Ukraine, the 10th anniversary of Russia’s annexation of Crimea, and the 40th anniversary of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, it is clear that Putin must be stopped by force … greater force.

As Volodymyr Zelensky said: ‘We have no choice but to win. Losing means we will cease to exist. If we have the weapons, we will win.’

Trump has already foreshadowed this. In response to questions posed on Fox News in July 2023 as to how he would stop the war within a day or two, Trump said:

‘I know Zelensky very well, and I know Putin very well, even better. And I had a good relationship, very good, with both of them. I would tell Zelensky, no more. You got to make a deal. I would tell Putin, if you don’t make a deal, we’re going to give him a lot. We’re going to [give Ukraine] more than they ever got if we have to. I will have the deal done in one day.’

Never mind a deal… Zelensky is not interested, and who can trust Putin? Joe Biden doesn’t have the guts to do it, but a new President, such as Donald Trump, could (should) invoke the 1994 Budapest Memorandum (signed by America, the UK, and Russia) to expel Russia’s army – perhaps ‘eject’ is a better word – from Ukraine. And the UK, the third party to the Budapest Memorandum, would find it hard to decline an invitation to join America. (cont.)

I wasn't aware of the memorandum.

[ichkeria]

Thanks khandro - yes I'd seen that response by Trump and indeed there's more, but as so often with him it's hard to know exactly what he's warbling on about. He was talking about airplanes but not sure what he meant! I don't believe and never have that Trump is in hock to Putin: rather that he's just a rather oafish individual easily seduced by strong leaders abroad.

I'm surprised you didn't know of the memorandum as it's been quoted many times. I fear that bird has flown sadly. But it is a source of much shame now for the signatories 
 

 

[Peter Pedant]

quis dubitet armas britannicas in ukrainia ?

should be Germania hem hem - just thought I would put into Latin. Dig the potential subjunctive: who CAN doubt....

[Peter Pedant]

but as so often with him it's hard to know exactly what he's warbling on about.

oh he is like me then ( but I dont have the munnay!)

[ichkeria]

M Macron has suddenly gone gung ho. Talking of intervention to save Ukraine. Europe as a whole is stepping up support but it's in many ways the type of weaponry that is key. And training.
The situation is in a knife edge for both Russia and Ukraine. As Russia tries to push further on several fronts (taking huge losses in men and machinery) while there's a shortfall in Ukraine's artillery supplies, meanwhile Ukraine's drones are strikes further into the heart of Russia destroying critical infrastructure. Russia has now suspended petroleum exports after the attacks on its recoveries. 

[Peter Pedant]

Taurus discussion?

silly moo discussion more like.

wasnt Merkel's phone infected with Pegasus a year back? no wonder we broke their codes.....

[ichkeria]

On its "refineries" (!)

There's a school of thought that Republicans are holding back on aid to Ukraine because they don't want a win for Biden in Ukraine before an election. That is certainly why they're voted down the border security Bill 

[10ClarionSt]

I knew a guy who was in the SAS before the Iranian Embassy seige and he said that there are honours to various actions by the SAS in the headquarters at Hereford. These are actions that no-one has ever heard of and are never made public, so it would not surprise me if there are SAS troops in Ukraine. And other parts of the world, actually.

[Peter Pedant]

 but it's in many ways the type of weaponry that is key. And training.

and the americans

[ichkeria]

If nothing else Macron has exposed the cowards at home and abroad with his words 

[ichkeria]

You are correct Clarion.

[Khandro]

I really hope 10Clarion is right & that there are SAS troops in Ukraine, not to fight, but to train, because the glaringly sad reason for such a large losses of life (on both sides) is that men are being sent into war with insufficient experience.

Men with only a few weeks training cannot be expected face warfare & survive with little skill and the understanding required. This was the reason for such an enormous loss of life in WW1 when soldiers were sent into face the battle of Passchendaele with no more than a couple of weeks training, only to perish in their thousands.

What Ukraine needs isn't just numbers it needs trained soldiers & I personally don't give a damn where they come from.

 

 

[ichkeria]

In fact this is exactly what's happening to the Russians. And it's not sustainable; they have more people but not by a huge factor