Grim Up North 3,726 Posted March 7, 2022 48 minutes ago, CastAway said: Nexta TV over on Twitter was reporting that Shoigu has a coup being planned If I was Shoigu that's not the news I would be wanting to read whatever I was planning. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
time 8,617 Posted March 9, 2022 58 minutes ago, TQR said: Spotted in Aldi. in 2019. They're £4.29 now. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Imelda 621 Posted March 9, 2022 On 07/03/2022 at 10:33, maryportfuncity said: Seriously, there's been loads written about Putin and his commanders being amazed at the resolve and resiliance of the enemy in Uktraine, they're not used to facing people who have genuine passion for their country. They imagine Ukranians, wrongly, as the kind of cynical and dispassionate cousins of put-upon and poor Russians. I read an interesting article the other day tracing the ancestry of many modern day Ukrainians of the central belt as being descendents of Viking stock (and when you visit Kiev/Kyiv, there are vast amounts of natural blondes - in no way Slav) who have carried over the 'beserker' culture of their ancestors. Certainly the huge balls of the Ukrainian troops and their fierce resistance gives that claim a bit of credence. From a personal PoV I spent a week over there in 2019. Speaking to a number of them it was pretty clear that they had fractured with Russia and were looking west to emulate Poland/the Baltics, so their resolve to stand their ground doesn't surprise me. Horrible to think what situation these people are currently in. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
prussianblue 1,038 Posted March 9, 2022 1 hour ago, Imelda said: I read an interesting article the other day tracing the ancestry of many modern day Ukrainians of the central belt as being descendents of Viking stock (and when you visit Kiev/Kyiv, there are vast amounts of natural blondes - in no way Slav) who have carried over the 'beserker' culture of their ancestors. Certainly the huge balls of the Ukrainian troops and their fierce resistance gives that claim a bit of credence. From a personal PoV I spent a week over there in 2019. Speaking to a number of them it was pretty clear that they had fractured with Russia and were looking west to emulate Poland/the Baltics, so their resolve to stand their ground doesn't surprise me. Horrible to think what situation these people are currently in. The history of Vikings in the Slavic lands (Varangians) is fascinating. The two are deeply linked, the original Rus were of Norse origin. There was territorial expansion and trade along the great rivers of Russia. With the cross-Black Sea cultural exchanges they also go heavily involved in Byzantine affairs, and some emperors had elite Varangian guard units. You also get the Christianisation of Russia through this connection, hence why they are Orthodox and were so intent on ultimately gaining Constantinople through Balkan expansion. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gcreptile 10,978 Posted March 9, 2022 I have just arrived back in Berlin from a trip to the Baltics. Putin would have to kill each and every Lithuanian and Latvian to conquer these countries. The sheer disgust at Russia's past and present behaviour was overwhelming. 13 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arghton 6,753 Posted March 23, 2022 On 07/03/2022 at 17:24, CastAway said: I mean Nexta TV over on Twitter was reporting that Shoigu has a coup being planned, Putin knows, and will arrest him this week. Not sure how valid it is, but there are rumblings already. Shoigu's main issue per Russia watchers is that he's ethnically Tuvan, not ethnically Russian. But China considers Tuvans to be part of China, so if Russia falls into their pocket more they may look to Shoigu as a puppet better they can control when Putin's out of the way. + if newest info re: Russian demands is true, at least backdoor they're starting to consider withdrawing. Newest list of demands per Bellingcat is they appoint the PM and Zelenskyy stays President, Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk get "independence," and Ukraine commits to no NATO/EU. Already backing down from the "stop fighting first and give us Kyiv" nonsense that was happening. Defence Minister Shoigu reportedly "suffering from heart problems" and hasn't been seen in 12 days... https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10642949/Furious-Putin-begins-witch-hunt-inner-circle-growing-wary-close-allies.html 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grim Up North 3,726 Posted March 23, 2022 On 07/03/2022 at 15:24, CastAway said: I mean Nexta TV over on Twitter was reporting that Shoigu has a coup being planned, Putin knows, and will arrest him this week. On 07/03/2022 at 16:13, Grim Up North said: If I was Shoigu that's not the news I would be wanting to read whatever I was planning. 1 hour ago, arghton said: Defence Minister Shoigu reportedly "suffering from heart problems" and hasn't been seen in 12 days... https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10642949/Furious-Putin-begins-witch-hunt-inner-circle-growing-wary-close-allies.html Hmmm 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RoverAndOut 4,746 Posted March 23, 2022 2 hours ago, Grim Up North said: Hmmm As seen in one of @Toast's favourites*... *Jason Isaacs is not in this bit. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arghton 6,753 Posted March 23, 2022 Lt. Gen Vladislav Yershov, commander of the 6th Combined Arms Army reportedly sacked and put under house arrest: Another one who could soon have a sudden heart attack/heart illness or mysteriously fall from a window. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TQR 14,400 Posted March 25, 2022 Attacks Western “cancel culture”, uses JK R*wling as an example. He’s attempting to cancel Ukrainian independence by invading them, but yeah, it’s the West who have problems because we’re calling a transphobic cunt a transphobic cunt. More evidence of genuine insanity. 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lord Fellatio Nelson 6,219 Posted March 25, 2022 The current train of thought is that he will be dethroned by the people around him who can no longer stay in their mansions in London, villas in Rome and sail their multi million pound yachts wherever they like. They didn't plan on having their extravagant lifestyles curtailed to the extent they are being curtailed and they blame Putin for the cluster fuck. I give it a month. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CastAway 488 Posted March 25, 2022 8 minutes ago, Lord Fellatio Nelson said: The current train of thought is that he will be dethroned by the people around him who can no longer stay in their mansions in London, villas in Rome and sail their multi million pound yachts wherever they like. They didn't plan on having their extravagant lifestyles curtailed to the extent they are being curtailed and they blame Putin for the cluster fuck. I give it a month. Oh, they're very upset. https://nypost.com/2022/03/25/sanctioned-russian-oligarch-whines-he-cant-pay-bills-afford-driver-or-cleaner/ Take this guy, who is traumatized by the fact that he cannot hire a driver or cleaner for his London home and his stepdaughter may have to learn to drive herself when she grows up (she's 8). He's also very upset that he's being deported maybe because he doesn't want to go back to Russia w/o his wife+stepkid and they won't come with him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheCemetaryMan 53 Posted March 26, 2022 I am surprised Ukraine hasn't fired any missiles towards Putin. I am sure they can take an educated guess of where he is and his goon squad are. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arghton 6,753 Posted April 1, 2022 Kremlin press secretary says that Putin does not have thyroid cancer and has not undergone several operations due to oncological diseases. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TQR 14,400 Posted April 1, 2022 20 minutes ago, arghton said: Kremlin press secretary says that Putin does not have thyroid cancer and has not undergone several operations due to oncological diseases. This would not be brilliant news. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Toast 16,144 Posted April 1, 2022 43 minutes ago, arghton said: Kremlin press secretary says that Putin does not have thyroid cancer and has not undergone several operations due to oncological diseases. Well, he would, wouldn't he. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DCI Frank Burnside 3,887 Posted April 1, 2022 Reminded of the adage "It's not true until the Kremlin denies it" 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gcreptile 10,978 Posted April 1, 2022 Fairly independent Russian newspaper (though operated now from London, I think) The Moscow Times has some details on that thyroid cancer rumour: https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/04/01/putin-accompanied-by-doctors-thyroid-cancer-surgeon-on-sochi-trips-report-a77177 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arghton 6,753 Posted April 12, 2022 Well apparently he's now "purging" the secret service. The Federal Security Service 5th service chief Sergey Beseda who was put into house arrest last month is now in prison. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Genfærd 452 Posted April 12, 2022 4 hours ago, arghton said: Well apparently he's now "purging" the secret service. The Federal Security Service 5th service chief Sergey Beseda who was put into house arrest last month is now in prison. Vlad really wants to be both Hitler and Stalin at the same time. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arghton 6,753 Posted April 14, 2022 A few thoughts and observations as there was news on the secret service purge a few days ago and now there are unconfirmed reports that he has locked up, dismissed 20 generals and Shoigu's "ill"... I don't know how true these claims are but we're talking about Putin. Power hungry and increasingly deranged. First of all, there are claims made by a former oligarch (as mentioned in the Ukraine War Casualties thread) that 20 generals have been locked up for embezzling around 10 billion dollars of money. That would explain how his "special operation" is failing so miserably. Among the people who allegedly have been arrested are now: - Admiral Igor Osipov, Commander-in-Chief of the Black Sea Fleet - Arkhady Dvorkovich, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia 2012-2018, Putin's assistant. - Col. Gen Sergey Beseda, Head of the 5th Service of the Federal Security Service. - Lt. Gen Roman Gavrilov, Deputy Commander of the National Guard of Russia. - Lt. Gen Sergey Kisel ("dismissed") and his unnamed deputy. - Lt. Gen Vladislav Yershov - Lt. Gen Mikhail Zusko - Air Force Guards Colonel Viktor Gunaza If not all, a lot of the people in that room were very afraid of him. However if he has started purging people as high as Osipov, even Shoigu, his days could be numbered. Why arrest Osipov? Because the "indestructible" flagship of his fleet sunk and therefore he's a failure in Putin's eyes? The people might not turn against him, but his inner circle and the soldiers might. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arghton 6,753 Posted April 21, 2022 http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/68254 New video from the Kremlin of Shoigu (hasn't had a heart attack, atleast yet) and Putin. Putin's hands are clinging to that table for nearly that entire 11 minute video, first time I've seen him looking ill. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gcreptile 10,978 Posted April 30, 2022 So he's going to have (cancer?) surgery and hand over power temporarily: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10770541/Putin-cancer-operation-near-future-hand-power-hardline-ex-KGB-chief.html He also Parkinson's and early schizophrenia according to an insider posting on Telegram, some sort of Russian "Q". 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Genfærd 452 Posted April 30, 2022 4 hours ago, gcreptile said: So he's going to have (cancer?) surgery and hand over power temporarily: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10770541/Putin-cancer-operation-near-future-hand-power-hardline-ex-KGB-chief.html He also Parkinson's and early schizophrenia according to an insider posting on Telegram, some sort of Russian "Q". No major news sites are reporting it though. Only tabloids. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
