If Russia invades Ukraine (more)...

[Stom]

Went onto Twitter for something sensible and clicked onto a trending topic out of curiosity, despite knowing better by now. It is full of Russian bots/information posters, MAGA bots/information posters, and people who have been reading those thing and amplifying the propaganda, all of them frothing at the mouth about the fact that Russia is about to launch a nuclear strike in retaliation for the abhorrent act of Ukraine daring to {checks notes} bomb them back. Just constant repetition of Russian talking points about how they could obliterate all of Western Europe within a few hours with a nuclear strike.

This was how I discovered that Russia fired a (non-nuclear) ICBM onto Dnipr this morning. Significant escalation of rhetoric, although not a great deal more than that. Not really more important than any previous nuclear sabre-rattling, as everyone knows Russia launching any nuclear weapon (at least while Biden is in charge of NATO) would see retaliation and they're not going to risk that response on anything less than an existential threat.

Twitter is an absolute cess-pool though, full of right wing nutters and, to add to the mess, Jeremy Corbyn being spectacularly unhelpful by asking, apparently earnestly, whether we are now at war with Russia because our missiles were used. I have a lot of time for some of his politics, I think he was badly done by as leader of the Labour party in a lot of respects, I generally have a lot of respect for his anti-war positions, but that is arrant mince and a perfect example of why he failed as a party leader. He's either an idiot or playing one on television, neither of which is particularly dignified.

Puja

So because I don't read, watch, or listen to the news here, I've not heard anything of the propaganda. When I bring up the "news" with my wife, she starts talking about the nuclear threat, etc., etc., and I just have to say that that's not what I'm talking about, I've not heard anything new about that, and I was actually talking about Linda McMahon. And then I have to say that I don't see a greater "nuclear threat", and even if there was, what the hell could I do about it? So why think about it...

All I see in this conflict is that....why the flying feck haven't we actually tried to end the bloody thing. Any way possible...

It's a bit of a 1984 moment for me, and I therefore really do not want anything to do with it.

[Zhivago]

Went onto Twitter for something sensible and clicked onto a trending topic out of curiosity, despite knowing better by now. It is full of Russian bots/information posters, MAGA bots/information posters, and people who have been reading those thing and amplifying the propaganda, all of them frothing at the mouth about the fact that Russia is about to launch a nuclear strike in retaliation for the abhorrent act of Ukraine daring to {checks notes} bomb them back. Just constant repetition of Russian talking points about how they could obliterate all of Western Europe within a few hours with a nuclear strike.

This was how I discovered that Russia fired a (non-nuclear) ICBM onto Dnipr this morning. Significant escalation of rhetoric, although not a great deal more than that. Not really more important than any previous nuclear sabre-rattling, as everyone knows Russia launching any nuclear weapon (at least while Biden is in charge of NATO) would see retaliation and they're not going to risk that response on anything less than an existential threat.

Twitter is an absolute cess-pool though, full of right wing nutters and, to add to the mess, Jeremy Corbyn being spectacularly unhelpful by asking, apparently earnestly, whether we are now at war with Russia because our missiles were used. I have a lot of time for some of his politics, I think he was badly done by as leader of the Labour party in a lot of respects, I generally have a lot of respect for his anti-war positions, but that is arrant mince and a perfect example of why he failed as a party leader. He's either an idiot or playing one on television, neither of which is particularly dignified.

Puja

Putin's been on telly. Some new missile apparently called Oreshnik. More threats.

[paddy no 11]

A missile which is designed for nuclear weapons

[Son of Mathonwy]

A missile which is designed for nuclear weapons

We know he has ICBMs, we know he has nukes, he's been firing missiles at Ukraine for years. This tells us nothing new.

His newly scribbled doctrine means he should consider the missile attacks from Ukraine with US and UK weapons to be a joint attack on Russia. But he hasn't declared war on us. He's just trying to break our resolve.

He knows Trump is incoming and will make improve the situation for him. He's not going to start a nuclear war in the meantime.

[Zhivago]

Ruble is moving. Seems the sanctions the US imposed on Gazprombank last week finally achieved something.

[paddy no 11]

Ruble is moving. Seems the sanctions the US imposed on Gazprombank last week finally achieved something.

It better work fast you'd hope

The escalations are going to be grim for everyone and obviously trump can take off the thumb screws in Jan if inclined

[Zhivago]

Ruble is moving. Seems the sanctions the US imposed on Gazprombank last week finally achieved something.

It better work fast you'd hope

The escalations are going to be grim for everyone and obviously trump can take off the thumb screws in Jan if inclined

Wishful thinking on my part.

On the subject of Trump's policy on Ukraine, my hope is resting on this Kellogg chap. He doesn't seem pro-Russian.