Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-25

[Sheilbh]

Norway is not in need of sportswashing, I don't think.

Yeah - if they suddenly buy a Premier League club, I can only assume they're going to go back to whale hunting.

[crazy canuck]

  and Norway

Both of which were sane places BEFORE they discovered their export wealth though...

Maybe for Norway, but Canada was always about and was founded for the purpose of the export of our resources.  First of course was the fish and beaver pelt.  Up until recently the economy of BC was almost entirely based on Forestry, mining and the fishery.  Oil and gas came later.  And other additions to the economy came much later.  Ontario has a decent industrial base, but that also came later.

[The Larch]

Re. how oil riches affect a country, and just to get away from the usual suspects, how do Mexico or Brazil fare in comparison with other oil rich countries, governance-wise?

[Darth Wagtaros]

How are the Hinds and Havocs doing?

[crazy canuck]

Re. how oil riches affect a country, and just to get away from the usual suspects, how do Mexico or Brazil fare in comparison with other oil rich countries, governance-wise?

There are a lot of other variable though.  Mexico's history, including the revolution, may not have set it up to be the most successful of liberal democracies.  I don't know much about Brazil.

[Sheilbh]

Not sure on wider governance but the corruption scandals, incidents and dodgy links out of Pemex and Petrobras have been pretty vast.

[The Minsky Moment]

Re. how oil riches affect a country, and just to get away from the usual suspects, how do Mexico or Brazil fare in comparison with other oil rich countries, governance-wise?

Brazil's oil bonanza is fairly recent; the early returns on the political economy effects are not encouraging. Mexico is a unique case because of effects of proximity to the US. Nonetheless I don't think it coincidental that the PRI's long stranglehold on Mexican politics and the establishment of de facto one-party state followed on the successful effort to bring an oil monopoly under direct state control.

[jimmy olsen]

First enemy air attack in Russia since WWII

#BREAKING: New video showing two Ukrainian likely Mi-24 Hind attack helicopters striking Belgorod city oil depot with air-ground rockets

https://twitter.com/elintnews/status/1509762525126176808?s=21&t=u-npUcou3i27DQA9r-m_6Q

[Admiral Yi]

For Mexico I think it's important to note that their constitution prohibits foreign involvement in extraction.

[DGuller]

First enemy air attack in Russia since WWII

#BREAKING: New video showing two Ukrainian likely Mi-24 Hind attack helicopters striking Belgorod city oil depot with air-ground rockets

https://twitter.com/elintnews/status/1509762525126176808?s=21&t=u-npUcou3i27DQA9r-m_6Q

Good to see that Ukraine does not hold itself back from attacking on Russian soil.  It obviously has every right to do it, but just playing by the same rules is something the West is often afraid to do with Russia.  Hopefully that means that the days of Russia firing artillery from its soil with impunity like it had done in 2014 are over.

[Josquius]

I wonder if they'll blow the crimea Bridge.

[Sheilbh]

So Ben Wallace gave an update after latest talks on sending supplies to Ukraine. The thing that struck me (but I know nothing about military stuff) is after the anti-tank and anti-air stuff earlier in the war, the move here to talking about protective vehicles (but not tanks) and artillery - is that a sign that Ukraine's looking for more stuff that could be used in counter-offensives or am I wrong?

Allies will send more artillery to Ukraine for a prolonged war
Larisa Brown, Defence Editor
Friday April 01 2022, 12.01am, The Times

Ukraine will receive armoured vehicles and long-range artillery from western allies to help the country fight for the "long term" against Russia, after crucial talks hosted by Britain, the defence secretary has said.

Ben Wallace said that the Ukrainians needed the right weapons to take on the Russian army as it "digs in" and pounds cities with bombs and missiles.

Sources told The Times that Britain would send so-called loitering munitions similar to the "kamikaze" Switchblade drones given to the Ukrainians by the United States. A Whitehall source said that allies were "planning for the long term" and were finding ways to help Ukraine to "keep getting stronger while Russians weaken".

More capable air and coastal defence systems, such as missiles with sensors that can target ships in the Black Sea — along with anti-battery capabilities that would enable troops to detect artillery projectiles fired by Russian guns — also could be sent, according to the Ministry of Defence.

In a statement, the MoD said that more than 35 countries at yesterday's donor conference had discussed providing "increasingly capable" weapons.

The decision to step up support for Ukraine and to send more lethal weapons comes after Wallace said that the West's support for Ukraine would change according to Russian tactics. Western allies that thought Ukraine would fall within days of an invasion now believe the country can fight on.

Speaking after the conference, Wallace said: "We are increasing our co-ordination to step up military support and ensure the armed forces of Ukraine grow stronger as they continue to repel Russian forces." He told Sky News: "There will be more lethal aid going into Ukraine as a result of today. Ukraine needs longer-range artillery and that's because of what the Russian army has been doing, which is now digging in and starting to pound these cities with artillery.

"The best counter to that is other long-range artillery, so [Ukraine will] be looking for and getting more long-range artillery, ammunition predominantly. They are also looking for armoured vehicles of some types — not tanks necessarily, but certainly protective vehicles, and more anti-air [weapons]. All of this will be forthcoming as a result of this conference."

However, the agreement to send more lethal weapons fell short of requests by President Zelensky, the Ukrainian leader, for tanks and aircraft.

Defence sources would not provide any information on which countries would send the armoured vehicles or the artillery and ammunition.

One option for the UK would be to send the army's AS-90 Vickers artillery, which was due to be replaced in 2026 but has been pushed back.

Oleksii Reznikov, the Ukrainian defence minister, told the conference that providing his country with more weapons was "only one way to stop Putin from casting his greedy eye to other regions".

The UK has already sent Ukraine more than 4,000 NLAW anti-tank missile launchers, along with ground-to-air Starstreak missiles capable of destroying low-flying jets and helicopters.

David Williams, permanent secretary at the MoD, told an event hosted by the Institute for Government think tank that Britain was asking key suppliers to "ramp up" their production of such kit so that it could send more to Ukraine and also replenish stocks.

[jimmy olsen]

So Ben Wallace gave an update after latest talks on sending supplies to Ukraine. The thing that struck me (but I know nothing about military stuff) is after the anti-tank and anti-air stuff earlier in the war, the move here to talking about protective vehicles (but not tanks) and artillery - is that a sign that Ukraine's looking for more stuff that could be used in counter-offensives or am I wrong?

Had no idea Ben Wallace got a job in the UK government after he retired.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

I wonder if they'll blow the crimea Bridge.

Odd that this hasn't been done yet.

[celedhring]

I wonder if they'll blow the crimea Bridge.

Odd that this hasn't been done yet.

I presume that, as a key infrastructure, it's heavily covered with AA.