War in Ukraine/Med Cruising

[laird]

It's the ordinary guys who are going to suffer, the oilgarchs will not ,the rich and powerful will have their escape routes worked out ,Putin has a mega yacht ,so do the likes of Abramovich . Ukraine also has these oilgarchs who will no doubt do a runner when the going gets tough ,just look towards Afghanistan for an example ,their president ordered the ordinary guys to fight the Taliban whilst he jumped in his private jet and flew off to his residence overseas complete with his suitcase stuffed with dollars

[jmh2002]

Ukraine is fighting back:

According to the operational information of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine:

- 4 Russian Tanks were destroyed on the bypass road of the city of Kharkiv.

- In the Shchastya area around 50 Russian soldiers were killed.

- In the Kramatorsk area another Russian plane was shot down.
(that makes 6 planes + 2 helicopters)

[jmh2002]

Originally Posted by laird

...the rich and powerful will have their escape routes worked out ,Putin has a mega yacht ,so do the likes of Abramovich . Ukraine also has these oilgarchs who will no doubt do a runner when the going gets tough

If the West pulls through like they are suggesting, all those Russian oligarchs and all their assets will be seized. Let's see what comes of this during the week.

Regarding the Ukrainian oligarchs, they were told by President Zelensky in no uncertain terms to make sure they were in Ukraine and several of them made and publicised public outings to prove they were there.

There was also a meeting yesterday with the 50 top business owners where they were asked / told / requested (however it was said) to get onboard with defending the country.

The reply was: “business is ready to help the country in this difficult time and let go of grudges.”

And the richest Ukrainian oligarch, Rinat Akhmetov (whose fortune reached $11.7 billion last year) "announced that his holding SCM will pay $34 million (Hr 1 billion) in taxes in advance to support the country."

For Ukraine, this sign of unity is very good progress.

[goboatingnow]

I think in all fairness we should now not comment on this topic. This is now a deadly situation for the benighted people of Ukraine.

I must say I’m surprised at the extent of the action as I don’t believe Russia has the ability to overcome Ukraine.

[jmh2002]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

I think in all fairness we should now not comment on this topic. This is now a deadly situation for the benighted people of Ukraine.

I must say I’m surprised at the extent of the action as I don’t believe Russia has the ability to overcome Ukraine.

Shouldn't the whole world know what is happening in Ukraine? And just how deadly it is for the people?

So far what I see in the international news media, even on the live feeds, is nothing compared to the detail I have posted.

The world should know just exactly what President Putin and Russia is doing in Ukraine.

[GordMay]

Watch Russia's President Vladimir Putin announce a military operation in Ukraine’s Donbas region, warning other nations of consequences if they interfere [with English captions].
➥ https://twitter.com/i/status/1496767048952991749

Photos: Russia launches ‘full-scale invasion’ in Ukraine
Al Jazeera Photo Gallery ➥ https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/20...ion-in-ukraine

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by jmh2002

Shouldn't the whole world know what is happening in Ukraine? And just how deadly it is for the people?

So far what I see in the international news media, even on the live feeds, is nothing compared to the detail I have posted.

The world should know just exactly what President Putin and Russia is doing in Ukraine.

I agree , but after watching two hours of aljareeza excellent coverage from its correspondents in Ukraine i don’t think a cruising forum is the appropriate place now

This will be an iPhone war. The one thing we will not be short off is information

[GordMay]

On Wednesday, as Russia prepared to attack Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made an emotional address to his nation.

“Today I initiated a phone call with the president of the Russian Federation. The result was silence. Though the silence should be in Donbas. That’s why I want to address today the people of Russia. I am addressing you not as a president, I am addressing you as a citizen of Ukraine.

More than 2,000km of the common border is dividing us. Along this border your troops are stationed, almost 200,000 soldiers, thousands of military vehicles. Your leaders approved them to make a step forward, to the territory of another country. And this step can be the beginning of a big war on the European continent.

We know for sure that we don’t need the war. Not a Cold War, not a hot war. Not a hybrid one. But if we’ll be attacked by the [enemy] troops, if they try to take our country away from us, our freedom, our lives, the lives of our children, we will defend ourselves. Not attack, but defend ourselves. And when you will be attacking us, you will see our faces, not our backs, but our faces.

The war is a big disaster, and this disaster has a high price. With every meaning of this word. People lose money, reputation, quality of life, they lose freedom. But the main thing is that people lose their loved ones, they lose themselves.

They told you that Ukraine is posing a threat to Russia. It was not the case in the past, not in the present, it’s not going to be in the future. You are demanding security guarantees from NATO, but we also demand security guarantees. Security for Ukraine from you, from Russia and other guarantees of the Budapest memorandum.

But our main goal is peace in Ukraine and the safety of our people, Ukrainians. For that, we are ready to have talks with anybody, including you, in any format, on any platform. The war will deprive [security] guarantees from everybody – nobody will have guarantees of security any more. Who will suffer the most from it? The people. Who doesn’t want it the most? The people! Who can stop it? The people. But are there those people among you? I am sure.

I know that they [the Russian state] won’t show my address on Russian TV, but Russian people have to see it. They need to know the truth, and the truth is that it is time to stop now, before it is too late. And if the Russian leaders don’t want to sit with us behind the table for the sake of peace, maybe they will sit behind the table with you. Do Russians want the war? I would like to know the answer. But the answer depends only on you, citizens of the Russian Federation.”

Russia-Ukraine crisis: Zelenskyy’s address re Martial Law [English voice-over dubbed]
➥ https://youtu.be/5EDSY_iKXLw

[Muaddib1116]

Probably because 624 comments in, and you're the first person to be upset by it. It's pretty easy to not read forum threads. If you or goboatingnow don't want to keep up with it, don't. I have no problem with continuing the discussion or using it for updates from people and sources that we in America may not normally/easily find.

[goboatingnow]

My point was that academic debate should not continue in the face of this aggression. The world needs to try and halt extra territorial action wherever it comes from.

[GordMay]

Russia's naval build-up covers both the Black Sea, next to Ukraine, and the Mediterrean. Part of the forces deployed appear focused on anti-ship capabilities.
➥ https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news...e-off-ukraine/

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Muaddib1116

I guess we're back to this again?

Originally Posted by Muaddib1116

Still not sure what you're saying. You're a Tory and I poked you?

No.. not you.. it was a response to this..

There sure are. Let this be a lesson about taking conservatives seriously.

[Muaddib1116]

Ah, gotcha.

[boatman61]

VDL has just stated on live TV that the EU have been working closely with Ukraine on its membership in the EU and had gotten very close in that goal in the recent years including a Free Trade agreement and a special status relationship.
I thought there was no way Ukraine would become part of the EU.
Seems there's a lot more been going one behind the scenes than the public have been permitted to know.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by boatman61

VDL has just stated on live TV that the EU have been working closely with Ukraine on its membership in the EU and had gotten very close in that goal in the recent years including a Free Trade agreement and a special status relationship.
I thought there was no way Ukraine would become part of the EU.
Seems there's a lot more been going one behind the scenes than the public have been permitted to know.

The EU has a general roadmap for Ukraine to join the EU. It has proceed very significant financial support to ready it’s economy for entry.

Some have suggested that Putin has acted before within a few years , Ukraine would be admitted.

The key here is what happens next. External military action is out. But we now need to implement the most punitive sanctions ever seen

Deny swift , shut external air says , close the Bosporous , freeze all Russian assets

It’s the best we can do. But we need to do it.