I vote we add Tim to the list of folk to go up against the wall when all this is done.

Oohh I was worried for a a moment!!!! Idk those Ria Novosti camera guys are pretty ballsy . Check out their mine clearance film ) Or maybe that is RUssian SOP to have the camerman walk in front of the sweepers.

If you read Aleksandr Dugin that is not a view that should come as a surprise. Perhaps saying it on national tv is more of a surprise.

"On the key question of Ukraine, Dugin underlines: "Ukraine as a state has no geopolitical meaning. It has no particular cultural import or universal significance, no geographic uniqueness, no ethnic exclusiveness" (377). "Ukraine as an independent state with certain territorial ambitions," he warns, "represents an enormous danger for all of Eurasia and, without resolving the Ukrainian problem, it is in general senseless to speak about continental politics" (348). And he adds that, "[T]he independent existence of Ukraine (especially within its present borders) can make sense only as a 'sanitary cordon'" (379). However, as we have seen, for Dugin all such "sanitary cordons" are inadmissible. Dugin speculates that three extreme western regions of Ukraine--Volynia, Galicia, and TransCarpathia--heavily populated with Uniates and other Catholics, could be permitted to form an independent "Western Ukrainian Federation." But this area must not under any circumstances be permitted to fall under Atlanticist control (382). With the exception of these three western regions, Ukraine, like Belorussia, is seen as an integral part of Eurasia-Russia."

A picture that conveys a thousand unspoken words.

This is yet another image that makes me ashamed of our UK Government. Our PM is a self-serving liar with no morals whatsoever. His entire purpose in life is self promotion and he will happily jump on whatever passing bandwagon furthers his interests.

Boris is a liar.

Zelensky represents everything good in a leader - honesty, integrity and strength.

Boris is a stain on the history of the UK and for the love of God he must go immediately. His entitled and ignorant view is killing the UK.

Ukraine are the moral leaders of the world right now, and rightly so.

Interesting observation by Keir Giles from Chatham House on the telly here last night r/e Bucha etc.
He said that this is the way Russia has waged war for centuries.
Medieval savagery and extreme violence, brutality designed to deter, demoralise.
Which, combined with the art of strategic and tactical lying, seems to explain what we are seeing.
No less distressing and barbaric - but also underlines how we are naive to think we can hope to engage with Russia as an actor that respects international norms and conventions.
https://www.chathamhouse.org/2021/09/what-deters-russia
They understand only one thing: force.

‘Impervious to logic of reason [Russia] is highly sensitive to logic of force. For this reason it can easily withdraw – and usually does when strong resistance is encountered at any point. Thus, if the adversary has sufficient force and makes clear his readiness to use it, he rarely has to do so.’

If we think Bucha is dreadful, Mariupol is likely to be an order of magnitude more so.
When thinking of the horrors Ukraine has been through - am reminded of Holomodor and the desperate measures the starving had to go to then.

I recall several days ago when we debated the term “genocide” and whether it truly defined what Russia was doing early in the invasion. At the time I didn’t think so, based on what news we had, awful as it was. But, regretfully, I must say I was wrong. What Russia has done, now revealed incrementally as Russian forces redeploy, from Putin down throughout the leadership of the invading forces is unequivocally a crime against humanity, genocide, it you will. They will certainly burn in hell but I hope that somehow we can give them a taste of that eternal inferno before they take their last earthly breath.

Some call what China is doing to the Uyghurs In Xinjiang ‘genocide’, but I think what we are seeing in Mariupol etc. more closely fits the original definition.

As far as I’m concerned, Putin’s Regime and the Chinese Communists may share the same cell block on death row. One’s guilt does not excuse or diminish the other’s.

History rhymes.
If you haven't seen this - I'd highly recommend it.

Here's what is the next pivotal point in the war, Russian offensive towards Slovyansk. I trust the Ukrainian troops have been supplied with all the best kits and intelligence there is in more than sufficient quantities.

https://www.understandingwar.org/bac...ssment-april-4

The same institute has some interesting graphic comparing timelines of Russian propaganda versus the US compared to Russia's actions.
US Russia timeline

I presume with the Russians concentrating to the east our aviation reconnaissance assets become less effective being significantly further from the battlefield. Flying a Rivet / Airseeker etc over the Black Sea would be significantly more dangererous than within a friendly border.

I suspect most of this work is being done with satellites.

I'm still bemused why NATO effectively ceded the Black Sea. It would have been very helpful to have some naval assets in the area to provide additional coverage.