[Youngian]

The Ukrainian counter offensive is moving fast

[Bones McCoy]

It looks as through Russia has hit the "Our front has become fluid" stage of decline.

[Spoonman]

[Bones McCoy]

I've seen some maps for the first time in about 2 months.

If they are true, then Putin better not stand near any top-floor windows.

[Spoonman]

Meanwhile in the Russian Far East...

Putin ally falls into the sea, adding to list of mysterious deaths suffered by Russian energy bosses

https://www.businessinsider.com/russian ... ath-2022-9

[The Weeping Angel]

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-paci ... ce=twitter

PARIS, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Vladimir Putin's chief envoy on Ukraine told the Russian leader as the war began that he had struck a provisional deal with Kyiv that would satisfy Russia's demand that Ukraine stay out of NATO, but Putin rejected it and pressed ahead with his military campaign, according to three people close to the Russian leadership.

The Ukrainian-born envoy, Dmitry Kozak, told Putin that he believed the deal he had hammered out removed the need for Russia to pursue a large-scale occupation of Ukraine, according to these sources. Kozak's recommendation to Putin to adopt the deal is being reported by Reuters for the first time.

Putin had repeatedly asserted prior to the war that NATO and its military infrastructure were creeping closer to Russia's borders by accepting new members from eastern Europe, and that the alliance was now preparing to bring Ukraine into its orbit too. Putin publicly said that represented an existential threat to Russia, forcing him to react.

But, despite earlier backing the negotiations, Putin made it clear when presented with Kozak's deal that the concessions negotiated by his aide did not go far enough and that he had expanded his objectives to include annexing swathes of Ukrainian territory, the sources said. The upshot: the deal was dropped.

Never again do I want to hear about NATO expansion being the cause of this war.

[RedSparrows]

It should have died long ago, pre-war, but especially when Putin was saying 'we want our lands back' the other week.

[Abernathy]

Vladimir Putin’s puppet leaders in eastern Ukraine have announced a number of sham referenda in those territories, which are supposed to decide an issue of momentous significance to the people of an entire country on an absurd Yes/No question, and which will without doubt be set up on a questionable franchise, with “arguments” delivered as lies and propaganda, designed solely to advance the agenda of the Russian state as personified by Vladimir Putin, and whose result will probably be rigged.
Now, just *where* have we heard this sort of thing before ?

[The Weeping Angel]

Meanwhile Putin has made a speech

[kreuzberger]

If the answer to the question is "nuclear war", it looks much like my holiday plans are somewhat jeopardised. No refunds. Requested or otherwise.

Whilst I will be fried within seconds, that much is guaranteed, there is a rather interesting chap on Quora who lifts the veil on the reality of what is, if he is right, mutually assured distraction.

https://qr.ae/pvWB5V

[mattomac]

Depends of your in the radius, according to this gentleman you wouldn’t be.

[Bones McCoy]

Mobilising your youth is a last chance saloon move.

a) They'll be about as effective as those central African militias unless there's a way to get them 16-24 weeks intensive traning. I understand that many of the regulars who might have delivered that training are now captured or dead.

b) You're gonna piss off a lot of mums and other families when you drag their sons off on a death ride.

[The Weeping Angel]

Happy Birthday Vlad

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/ ... -to-crimea

An explosion has crippled the heavily guarded bridge connecting Crimea to the Russian mainland, a hated symbol of Russian occupation and key logistics link for Russian troops in southern Ukraine, in the latest heavy blow to Vladimir Putin after weeks of military humiliation.

The Kerch bridge was a personal prestige project for the Russian president, and the hit came the day after his 70th birthday. The blast destroyed the road into Crimea and left the railway link in flames.

Ukraine did not directly claim responsibility for the attack, which Russia said was carried out by a truck bomb. But one senior Ukrainian official posted a “happy birthday” message with images of destruction, and the country’s post office revealed – within hours – designs for a commemorative stamp, showing the bridge ablaze, raising questions about whether the explosion had been anticipated.

[Bones McCoy]

No more shove ha'penny Mister president.

[kreuzberger]

It's rather the splendid that the Russians have hot-footed it out of Kerson and abandoned the city to the residents and a phalanx of extraordinarily well-nourished troops. Barely a Russian there to trouble the scorers.

Let's hope that it is not now a ripe target for an exemplary nuclear attack. What is to stop them?

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Let's hope that it is not now a ripe target for an exemplary nuclear attack. What is to stop them?

China.

[kreuzberger]

China.

Fucking hope so. I have seen what they do to tax dodgers and bats so I have my doubts.

[Youngian]

Reality TV clownery Russian style. Matt Hancock could concoct a more convincing plan

[kreuzberger]

Shit going down in Poland this evening, as negligent Russia fires off a few rockets in their general direction.

The Graun reports that dinner has been interrupted throughout Eastern Europe. Or something.

[Oboogie]

It'll be an accident. Only two missiles hitting a random Polish farm would be a very odd first strike if it was a deliberate attempt to escalate the conflict.