The Kremlin is burning?

[glenn239]

1 hour ago, Stuart Galbraith said:

One has to explain how the rebels came by 3 brand new converted T72B3 tanks.

Same way that the Ukrainians got thirty-one  M-1 Abrams tanks from the United States for battle with Russia without the USA being at war with Russia.

Quote

In fact, Galeotti in his book on the Russian Army suggests that every contract battalion in the Russian Army rotated through Donbas in the years 2014 to 2022

Similar to how NATO troops have served  in Ukraine without NATO being at war with Russia.  

Edited April 7, 2025 by glenn239

[Stuart Galbraith]

1 hour ago, glenn239 said:

Same way that the Ukrainians got thirty-one  M-1 Abrams tanks from the United States for battle with Russia without the USA being at war with Russia.

Similar to how NATO troops have served  in Ukraine without NATO being at war with Russia.  

Clearly you missed the point about using CONTRACT servicemen.

[txtree99]

What proof of NATO troops (Battalions) have been deployed to Ukraine?   

2 hours ago, glenn239 said:

Same way that the Ukrainians got thirty-one  M-1 Abrams tanks from the United States for battle with Russia without the USA being at war with Russia.

Similar to how NATO troops have served  in Ukraine without NATO being at war with Russia.  

 

[Ssnake]

There can't be proof because it never happened.

Some volunteers, sure, and some covert deployment of a few dozen people, sure. Combat or combat support formations, no.

[Stuart Galbraith]

Well, supposedly British Royal Marines did deploy to bring 2 Ukrainian generals out, im not sure if they were behind enemy lines or what. There are supposedly British armourers in Ukraine to help Russia manage stormshadow. There are likely RAF staff to help with targeting those and other weapons. There are supposedly some British soldiers in Ukraine to help with training (I dont know if they are SF or what).

But combat formations? No, not yet.

[glenn239]

18 hours ago, txtree99 said:

What proof of NATO troops (Battalions) have been deployed to Ukraine?   

Who said anything about "battalions"?

[glenn239]

17 hours ago, Ssnake said:

There can't be proof because it never happened.

Some volunteers, sure, and some covert deployment of a few dozen people, sure. Combat or combat support formations, no.

There is no question but that NATO servicemembers have been in Ukraine supporting the Ukrainians with certain weapon systems, just like Soviet technical assistance was provided to North Vietnam, and Iranian support to the Houthis and Hezbollah, etc.  In all cases, these are known as proxy wars in which the supporting power is neutral, not a direct participant to the conflict.  Russia was in the same position from 2014 to 2022.  Only with the direct Russian invasion did a direct war break out between Ukraine and Russia.  So Stefan is incorrect to state that the Ukraine-Russia war started in 2014, it started in 2022.  Before that, it was a proxy war the same as all the others.

[Stuart Galbraith]

This is a proxy war, just like what went on before it. The west supported Ukraine, Russia was and is supported by China.

Directly now apparently.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/ukraine-live-zelensky-says-two-chinese-soldiers-captured-in-ukraine-as-china-joins-war/ar-AA1CuTuQ?ocid=BingNewsSerp

You are making a distinction without rationale, just so you can move the goalmouth to suit yourself. You can even make a distinction of this war starting in 1917, but I wont, because Ive no real intent to behave like a smartarse. For once.

 

 

Edited April 8, 2025 by Stuart Galbraith

[glenn239]

29 minutes ago, Stuart Galbraith said:

 

You are making a distinction without rationale, just so you can move the goalmouth to suit yourself. 

The Russian-Ukrainian conflict started in 2022.  Prior to that point the Russians were engaging in a proxy war, which under international precedent, is not the same thing as engaging in a direct conflict.  

[txtree99]

On 4/7/2025 at 10:10 AM, Stuart Galbraith said:

One has to explain how the rebels came by 3 brand new converted T72B3 tanks.

In fact, Galeotti in his book on the Russian Army suggests that every contract battalion in the Russian Army rotated through Donbas in the years 2014 to 2022. Not the conscript units, that caused too many questions to be asked. Whats remarkable really is quite how little they seemed to learn from it.

 

On 4/7/2025 at 11:17 AM, glenn239 said:

Same way that the Ukrainians got thirty-one  M-1 Abrams tanks from the United States for battle with Russia without the USA being at war with Russia.

Similar to how NATO troops have served  in Ukraine without NATO being at war with Russia.  

 

4 hours ago, glenn239 said:

Who said anything about "battalions"?

You stated in your reply to Stuart it was similar, it is not. 

[JWB]

https://x.com/Osinttechnical/status/1909876597227737453

Russia is facing a potential budget crisis as the price of oil plummets on trade war fears. 

Russia’s Central Bank warned Tuesday that falling global oil prices could strain the country’s public finances, with oil revenues already falling 10% year-on-year in the first quarter.

[JWB]

How much more inflation will this cause?

[Roman Alymov]

Video of police SWAT arresting Central Asia migrant accused of organising illegal migration channel for other migrants, Murmansk.

https://t.me/c/1724712620/6526100

Why this video is telling? Note Warmer sleeve bage on officer Шеврон на липучке Вагнер наша музыка пронзит ваши сердца купить на OZON по низкой цене (1482935564)

When both pro-Western party in RF and their Western buddies believe Wagner disapeared - it is wrong. Wagner (as well as Donbass militia) became part of next to every military or law enforcement unit in Russia, so when "appeasement of the West" gang hope they have some sort of loyal security force to protect them from Russians - they quite likely may find this security force would be the first in line to those who would want revenge for 30+ years of being West colony...

[JWB]

Has Putin lost his mind?

[Roman Alymov]

22 minutes ago, JWB said:

Has Putin lost his mind?

 

"April 17, 2025, 16:13 Law
Russia has excluded the Taliban from the list of terrorist organizations

The decision was made today by the Supreme Court, and it takes effect immediately.

The terrorist movement "Taliban" was allowed in Russia. This was decided today by the Supreme Court, which considered the claim of the Prosecutor General's Office. The meeting was held behind closed doors. The decision is subject to immediate execution, but it can be appealed, RIA Novosti writes.

Russia added the Taliban movement to the list of terrorist organizations in 2003. In December last year, the State Duma passed a law allowing organizations to be excluded from this list. This idea was supported by the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Until 2024, there was no legal mechanism in Russia that would allow organizations to be excluded from the list of terrorist organizations.

The Taliban came to power in Afghanistan in August 2021 — they took control of the country's territory as the Western coalition withdrew its troops from there. The Taliban already ruled Afghanistan — from 1996 to 2001, it proclaimed the so-called Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), which was not recognized by most countries and which was overthrown in 2001 with the assistance of Western countries.

In February 2020, the United States and the Taliban signed an agreement in Doha that was supposed to launch the peace process in Afghanistan. According to these agreements, the West withdrew its troops from the country, and the Taliban stopped cooperating with Al-Qaeda (recognized as a terrorist organization in Russia and banned) and had to start negotiations with the official government of Afghanistan. The negotiation process never started: in 2021, when the Taliban took control of the country, President Ashraf Ghani fled to the UAE." ( https://www.bfm.ru/news/571729 )

   No reason for RF to keep Taliban on the list of banned organisation while negotiating with them as the only legitimate power in A-stan after US-led coalition defeat. 

     Our real problem is not Taliban and other Islamist movements abroad, but "local" Islamists from ex-USSR Central Asia who are mass imported by pro-West elite of Russia to replace Russians.

[Yama]

19 hours ago, JWB said:

Has Putin lost his mind?

It's only matter of time with the West too, same was already done with new Syrian regime.

[Stefan Kotsch]

19 hours ago, JWB said:

Has Putin lost his mind?

I hope that the Chechen (and others) Islamists do not misunderstand this. 🤭

[JWB]

4 hours ago, Yama said:

It's only matter of time with the West too, same was already done with new Syrian regime.

You mean this?

 

[Stefan Kotsch]

That's also quite funny.

 

[Yama]

11 minutes ago, JWB said:

You mean this?

 

Mostly I mean de facto recognition of al-Sharaa as leader of Syria, in stead of one of the most dangerous terrorist leaders in Middle East: and while HTS formally remains designated as terrorist organization, most of the sanctions against it are already gone.

Indeed, there have already been calls in the West too to recognize Taliban regime as government of Afghanistan.

[JWB]

19 minutes ago, Yama said:

Mostly I mean de facto recognition of al-Sharaa as leader of Syria, in stead of one of the most dangerous terrorist leaders in Middle East: and while HTS formally remains designated as terrorist organization, most of the sanctions against it are already gone.

Indeed, there have already been calls in the West too to recognize Taliban regime as government of Afghanistan.

We will see.

[Yama]

If Taliban doesn't undertake terrorist attacks abroad, what reason there would be to not have diplomatic relations with them? They're not IS.

[Mike1158]

1 hour ago, Yama said:

If Taliban doesn't undertake terrorist attacks abroad, what reason there would be to not have diplomatic relations with them? They're not IS.

Apart from the usual politician's lark of promising one thing and doing another?

[Yama]

15 hours ago, Mike1158 said:

Apart from the usual politician's lark of promising one thing and doing another?

Most countries maintain diplomatic relations with North Korea, is Taliban really worse?

[Mike1158]

32 minutes ago, Yama said:

Most countries maintain diplomatic relations with North Korea, is Taliban really worse?

Outside their borders?  No.  Not sure how they are doing with the drug issue but better than most of us out here in lalalalala land.  Hard to see where they will go if they feel antsi.  I really hope they can get the country settled but frankly looks like scores are being settled and as usual, good people are dying/suffering.

 

Compared to others in the world, Taliban are pussycats.

 

Being a dyed in the wool Trekkie (I do NOT differntiate), I believe it is less effort to be decent to those around us than not which is why the crap going on makes me chew nails and spit rust.

 

Taliban made promises when they arrived to power this time around and then just blank face lied about what they are doing.  Bloody sad.