Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-25

[Syt]

In a show of Western solidarity (NOT), Orban is planning to visit Putin on 1st February, allegedly to discuss the upcoming (severely delayed and insanely debilitatingly expensive) nuclear power plant, and the gas shipments. Probably it's time for him to receive updated orders directly from his handler before the war with Ukraine begins.

"Make sure that border is closed tight."

[garbon]

In a show of Western solidarity (NOT), Orban is planning to visit Putin on 1st February, allegedly to discuss the upcoming (severely delayed and insanely debilitatingly expensive) nuclear power plant, and the gas shipments. Probably it's time for him to receive updated orders directly from his handler before the war with Ukraine begins.

But I heard France was building a common European framework?

[Tamas]

Flawlessly maintaining his record of being wrong in every single thing he writes about, Simon Jenkins sides with Russia, deriding the West for expanding NATO and not letting small helpless states be eaten up by Russia in their own stride: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jan/20/britain-russia-ukraine-border-dispute

(not sure how this article aligns with Gaijin's view on mass media though)

[garbon]

I guess he doesn't care for Global Britain.

[Sheilbh]

He really is Britain's worst columnist

Edit: Well, at least until Johnson leaves office.

[Tamas]

The funny thing is that we don't even have to go to the 1930s to see appeasement won't work with Russia. They have already extended their power, territory, and influence since NATO has been extended - Georgia, Crimea, interventions in Syria and the Donbass. All of this without any meaningful NATO or even Western economical responses. Yet this has made them MORE demanding, not less.

[The Brain]

He really is Britain's worst columnist

Edit: Well, at least until Johnson leaves office.

[Tamas]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/20/us-russia-ukraine-government-sanctions

We are getting there. I am more and more convinced the "joint exercise" in Belarus is when it's going to start.

[Syt]

Seems Russia announced naval drills to take place in Arctic, Atlantic, Mediterranean and Pacific.

From AFP via (Kremlin-critic) Moscow Times:

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/01/20/west-warns-russia-against-any-ukraine-incursion-a76107

[...]

Upping the ante, Russia announced new naval drills that will see it deploy to the Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic and Mediterranean "more than 140 warships and support vessels, more than 60 aircraft, 1,000 pieces of military equipment, and about 10,000 servicemen".

The announcement followed an angry condemnation from the Kremlin of what it described as "destabilizing" remarks from U.S. President Joe Biden after the American leader vowed a "severe" response to any invasion of Ukraine.

Russia already held joint military drills Wednesday with forces of ex-Soviet republic Belarus, which also neighbours Ukraine.

A U.S. official said the exercises could presage a permanent Russian military presence involving both conventional and nuclear forces in Belarus.

[...]

Meanwhile, in the Middle East:

https://www.reuters.com/world/russia-china-iran-hold-joint-naval-drill-friday-isna-2022-01-20/

Trilateral naval drills between China, Russia and Iran start on Friday

DUBAI, Jan 20 (Reuters) - China, Russia and Iran will hold joint naval drills on Friday, a public relations official from Iran's armed forces told semi-official ISNA news agency on Thursday.

The "2022 Marine Security Belt" exercise will take place in the north of the Indian Ocean and is the third joint naval drill between the three countries, Mostafa Tajoldin added.

Since coming to office last June, Iran's hardline President Ebrahim Raisi has pursued a "look east" policy to deepen ties with China and Russia. Tehran joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in September, a central Asian security body led by Beijing and Moscow. read more

Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian visited China last week and Iran's president was meeting his Russian counterpart in Moscow on Thursday.

China, Russia and Iran started joint naval drills in 2019, and will continue them in the future, Tajoldin said.

"The purpose of this drill is to strengthen security and its foundations in the region, and to expand multilateral cooperation between the three countries to jointly support world peace, maritime security and create a maritime community with a common future," the Iranian official told ISNA.

Both navies from Iran's armed forces and Revolutionary Guards will take part in the drills, which include various tactical exercises such as rescuing a burning vessel, releasing a hijacked vessel, and shooting at air targets at night.

Getting a lot of exercise, those navy dudes.

[Tamas]

FFS. This NATO aggression is getting worse by the day.

[Syt]

FFS. This NATO aggression is getting worse by the day.

Tamas, as an aside since you mentioned playing World of Tanks in the Gaming threads, a game made in Belarus (incidentally, so is War Thunder). Ages ago I used to occasionally have on a WoT Twitch streamer from the UK in the background while doing stuff. He was at the time married to a girl from Belarus who he met while visiting the WoT devs or something. Over the Christmas break I checked him out after a long time ... seems he's recently moved to his wife's family in Belarus and streams from there. Seems like an ... odd life decision.

[Tamas]

FFS. This NATO aggression is getting worse by the day.

Tamas, as an aside since you mentioned playing World of Tanks in the Gaming threads, a game made in Belarus (incidentally, so is War Thunder). Ages ago I used to occasionally have on a WoT Twitch streamer from the UK in the background while doing stuff. He was at the time married to a girl from Belarus who he met while visiting the WoT devs or something. Over the Christmas break I checked him out after a long time ... seems he's recently moved to his wife's family in Belarus and streams from there. Seems like an ... odd life decision.

Well if you are streaming full time that money is worth more in Belarus I am sure.

Actually I was just thinking the other day, I should get all my fun I want from WoT, who knows what happens to it once Belarus joins the war.

[Josquius]

Yeah, if you have a work from anywhere job then moving to a poor country with decent infrastructure seems very attractive. Especially since he has the family link.

[DGuller]

FFS. This NATO aggression is getting worse by the day.

Tamas, as an aside since you mentioned playing World of Tanks in the Gaming threads, a game made in Belarus (incidentally, so is War Thunder). Ages ago I used to occasionally have on a WoT Twitch streamer from the UK in the background while doing stuff. He was at the time married to a girl from Belarus who he met while visiting the WoT devs or something. Over the Christmas break I checked him out after a long time ... seems he's recently moved to his wife's family in Belarus and streams from there. Seems like an ... odd life decision.

Is that quickybaby?

Speaking of WoT, sometimes I wonder about that software.    I remember back when I was playing it the game did ask me to allow it to bypass firewall pretty often.  Surely popular Russian software wouldn't be used for anything untoward?

[Syt]

Is that quickybaby?

It is, yes. I get that it makes economic sense, but I still don't think it would entice me to move to what's essentially an old school dictatorship.

Ross Scott (from Ross's Game Dungeon) moved to his wife's family in Poland - there at least you have besides lower cost of living also a reasonably open society (with flaws, but hey, it's a major step up from Belarus ).