Ukraine

Well not many wars have gone on without the civilian population being targeted.

 

While that's a good thing, will Putin not use that as a propaganda opportunity?

Will the headlines inside Russia be more like, Ukrainian terrorists attack targets inside Russia?

 

I see the Russian Black Sea Fleet was attacked by drones today. A bit of tit for tat me thinks.

 

A picture from outside the Russian foreign ministry - as Deborah is 'summoned' to discuss the possible involvement of the Royal Navy in blowing up the Nordstream pipeline/attack on Russian navy.

The UK are making a difference in Ukraine - I have never been more proud of my homeland.

 

I very much doubt the Royal Navy had anything to do with the Nordstream sabotage. As a civvy, I'll never know for sure unless they come out and say it but to me it couldn't be more obvious who did it or why.

If I was Putin, I'd want to send little messages out to the rest of the world that say, 'we can strike anywhere and you won't see us coming'. If I was Putin, I might even go as far as, oh I don't know, ordering drones to harass Danish oil rigs, or cut undersea cables that connect the outer Hebrides to the mainland.

These are just silly war games. They're to be expected. They're designed to keep people guessing, spook people, and divert resources away from the main action.

 

Nice of them to write it in English, I bet half of Russians haven't got a clue what it's about.

 

Nordstream - following their investigation - the Swedes have said that they now know who blew up the pipeline.

They won't say who it is because on 'international security concerns' - so it looks like someone who is 'hostile' to Sweden has been collared - that is Russia.

Putin may as well blow up the pipeline - it's not going to be used in the future - it belongs to Russia - so they can do what they want with it.

December 5th less than a month away now when there is a European ban on piped Russian oil. Putin is about to see a massive drop in income and it's a permanent drop in income.

 

He'll just sell it to China and India, who will then sell it on to everyone else, with a mark-up.

 

I dont understand why Russia would blow up its own pipeline , unless it was just to blame the West.
Surely they have a "tap" at their end and they would just need to turn it clockwise.

 

My theory is it was just a demonstration. It sends out a message, 'we can strike your vital undersea infrastructure whenever we want'.

Last week it was in the news that two cables that carry communications (internet and phone) to the outer Hebrides both simultaneously broke.

Nobody will admit such actions because doing so would be a very official act of war, but such actions send out strong messages and tie up intelligence resources who have to monitor a broader range of activities. And if you have to send assets to guard undersea pipes and cables, then those assets can't be elsewhere.

 

But that was their undersea infrastructure, I dont know who laid it or paid for it.

 

That's exactly what Putin is trying to do with gas. Sell it to Turkey - who will then sell it to Europe as Turkish gas. A sign of desperation.

No one is going to buy it - knowing it's origin.

In terms of oil - which is the biggest export of Putin - he's 'stuffed'. He can't get the oil to where it needs to go - all the cargo ships are being used to supply Europe with energy and no one in the West will insure a cargo ship that is selling Russian oil above the to come price cap. No ship insurance means no port will harbour the ship.

Putin is in trouble - it's just that none of his 'yes' men have told him for fear of falling feet first out of a window.