Stive Pesley

“Tell them they’ll be pleasantly surprised how quickly things will move now” 
“Now tell them the preferred bidder will be announced within 10 days” 
 

So it seems to be a bunch of rich men in Russia want the old soviet ways back. Similar to trump really, and make America great again. This is just make Russia great again.
even brexit was a version of make Britain great again.
But I think the younger generations don’t care about that. That’s clear from the general demographics that voted for brexit and trump. And I think it’s true in Russia, based on who’s protesting the war. 
russians have had it pretty good in the past 20-odd years, so why would a 20 something Russian feel the need to rock the boat. They’re not particularly loving life now, and it’s not the west they’re blaming. 
sometimes I genuinely feel the only way this world will get better is when we wait for the older generations, with their historical prejudices and axes to grind, and rose tinted memories of when it was all better, to shuffle off this mortal coil, and leave it to the kids to sort out. 
In fact, you probably shouldn’t get a vote, or work in politics, after a certain age, because you’re making decisions on long term things that won’t effect you half as much as it will effect your kids. 

Thx, and appreciate being called a dhead - it's a fair call.
Happy to respond to comments and to hear what others have to say, just don't really have the headspace to be getting into 'but I'm right, you're wrong' debates at the moment. "You could have fooled me" goes the reaction :-).

Ukraine is a really specific geography, it is part of what Russia describes as 'Malorossiya' or little Russia. They feel it was given away in Soviet times and it is part of their historic geography. I only say that because I genuinely don't believe there is an appetite to invade the likes of Latvia, Uzbekistan or Moldova. Some will argue that the level of defence spending Russia has incurred means they must have return on investment and the invasion of Ukraine is that. Harshly, Latvia or other countries do not offer that opportunity.
I also think Putin himself will have been taken aback by the negative reaction he has received in Russia to his actions - this has not been welcomed as his returning Russia to former glories and he will have noted that further expansion will not embolden him at home. If you believe (and I do) he is doing this for Mother Russia then that will matter to him.
But I also thought Putin would only invade Donbass and Lugansk to 'reclaim' the Russian speaking part of the country so what do I know?

I hope you can still contribute and bring your experiences to the thread. It's exactly the kind of thing I was hoping to learn from having these conversations with the broad range of dheads we all are on this forum 
?

Personally I've enjoyed the spectacle of grown-men idolising a pensioner who spends most of his time looking like  he's trying to poo in a bucket

Some interesting stuff here on the military strategies of the past week - a really good point in there about the technological front
 
 

Give over - they know what they are doing
They've been administrators in Brockway, Ogdenville, and North Haverbrook...

Give over - they know what they are doing
They've been administrators in Brockway, Ogdenville, and North Haverbrook...

Give over - they know what they are doing
They've been administrators in Brockway, Ogdenville, and North Haverbrook...

Give over - they know what they are doing
They've been administrators in Brockway, Ogdenville, and North Haverbrook...

Give over - they know what they are doing
They've been administrators in Brockway, Ogdenville, and North Haverbrook...

I hope you can still contribute and bring your experiences to the thread. It's exactly the kind of thing I was hoping to learn from having these conversations with the broad range of dheads we all are on this forum 
?

Quite right Stiv. We need dissenting voices. We can all get in our fixed position too easily. New input is vital . My feeling on Mr Locks is somewhere along the lines of the old .. I don’t agree with what you say but I’ll defend your right to say it. 

I hope you can still contribute and bring your experiences to the thread. It's exactly the kind of thing I was hoping to learn from having these conversations with the broad range of dheads we all are on this forum 
?

I'm not offering an alternative, if you want to see a crazy Russian take a look at the ones who are named to follow him. Be very careful what you wish for. But we don't learn, we have destabilised the ex-Soviet bloc for 30 years, and if this all now results in the demise of Putin there will be a power vacuum that will make all of this look like Nigel Clough giving Wee Billy the knee.
As for being an apologist, nope. You're right, the invasion is - to quote you - a violent un democratic expansionism born of aggressive nationalism. (actually you are more right than you probably realise, this is nationalism in Putin's eyes - not expansionism).
And on the other point raised - no evidence Putin is worth €200bn. I have no doubt he has siphoned off for himself, and i don't agree one bit with it. But it didn't seem to worry all the Chelsea fans at Wembley that their owner took €7bn out of Russia - hey he bought some footballers with it so that one's OK then.
Look, I'll leave you all to it now. I think I've explained my side as much as I can, I don't claim to be right or to be in the know (even if I am more in the know that Liz Truss). Let's hope this gets resolved quickly and without too much bloodshed - in the meantime don't believe the hype, and don't let them turn you into what they want you to be.

You forget that here, and in the west in general when media supports the authority there are other media that take it to bits and ….nothing happens, they just have a slanging match … because we aren’t lead by despotic presidents for life. Even our monarchy is a servant of Parliament. 
 
Lots of history, lots of justifications and explanations but regardless of your personal experience the evidence is that none Russian Europe is a very normal bickering family. Putin is the nasty relative that absolutely no one likes and with good reasons. Violent, egotistical bully. I don’t see you offering much alternative “perspective”. I rather think you are an apologist. You call the invasion a mistake ? No .. it isn’t a “mistake” it’s violent un democratic expansionism born of aggressive nationalism. Something unseen in Europe for 80 odd years. 

The casualties of war
Now the meerkats have been cancelled
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/feb/28/comparethemarket-meerkat-ads-tv-ukraine-russian-aleksandr-orlov

The casualties of war
Now the meerkats have been cancelled
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/feb/28/comparethemarket-meerkat-ads-tv-ukraine-russian-aleksandr-orlov

Correct. He also poisons some.

https://www.efl.com/news/2022/february/derby-county-update/
jesus

https://www.efl.com/news/2022/february/derby-county-update/
jesus

https://www.efl.com/news/2022/february/derby-county-update/
jesus

https://www.efl.com/news/2022/february/derby-county-update/
jesus