Ukraine and the Russian invasion, 2022-24

[mojo pixy]

It's actually not quite like most of those examples, because I think with all of those examples the smaller group is at least arguably a subcategory of the larger. But "Scottish" is definitively not a subcategory of "English". There's a perfectly usable category that contains both: British.

It's a little bit different with Wales of course, because it's not a real country, but for most purposes we just agree to gloss over that.

well .. 'catalan' and 'spanish' may be combined as 'iberian' (and thereby include also portuguese, basque, galicians, gibraltarians etc) but certainly not 'spanish'.

'sicilian' certainly isn't the same as 'italian' (any more than 'maltese' is) but we all like our shortcuts.

'british' is fine as far as it goes, being any native of the british Isles (or if you prefer, only natives of the largest island, though this would exclude natives of the thousands of other islands). but most foreigners don't do 'british', they just call us all 'english' (no doubt on account of our lingua franca, as sicilians get called 'italian' when they aren't really)

 

[mojo pixy]

On topic, I imagine that many ukrainians who previously might not have minded being referred to as 'russian', probably no longer quietly accept it as they once did.

 

[teuchter]

well .. 'catalan' and 'spanish' may be combined as 'iberian' (and thereby include also portuguese, basque, galicians, gibraltarians etc) but certainly not 'spanish'.

'sicilian' certainly isn't the same as 'italian' (any more than 'maltese' is) but we all like our shortcuts.

Catalonia is part of the country called Spain, and Sicily is part of the country called Italy.

Scotland is not part of the country called England.

When I describe someone from Sicily as Italian, it's not a "shortcut".

 

[The39thStep]

I get asked by Portuguese people if Wales and Scotland are separate countries or regions quite a lot tbh. Then I have to start explaining that they sit in the UK parliament and also have their own but the English don't have their own parliament , using by that stage google translate.

 

[spitfire]

This is interesting reading, a RUSI analysis of one of the early battles in the latest offensive and the lessons that can be taken from it for the overall picture and also an assessment of which areas Russia has "improved" in with the passage of time.

No mention of shovels.

https://static.rusi.org/Stormbreak-Special-Report-web-final_0.pdf

 

[jeff_leigh]

The Polish people don't like the russian state, not the russian people, per se.
That's according to a number of Polish Esperantists my late father knew.

Sounds like they’ve got a bit of an Inferiority Complex

 

[tim]

Catalonia is part of the country called Spain, and Sicily is part of the country called Italy.

Scotland is not part of the country called England.

When I describe someone from Sicily as Italian, it's not a "shortcut".

Some of Catalonia is under Spanish occupation some is controlled by France and some of it is in Andorra.

 

[ska invita]

I wasnt expecting this

Poland will no longer send weapons to Ukraine, says PM, as grain dispute escalates

Comments by Polish PM follow Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s accusation that some in Europe are in effect aiding Russia

www.theguardian.com

 

[Pickman's model]

I wasnt expecting this

Poland will no longer send weapons to Ukraine, says PM, as grain dispute escalates

Comments by Polish PM follow Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s accusation that some in Europe are in effect aiding Russia

www.theguardian.com

Nor was vz, who may be becoming something of a liability

 

[Pickman's model]

Catalonia is part of the country called Spain, and Sicily is part of the country called Italy.

Scotland is not part of the country called England.

When I describe someone from Sicily as Italian, it's not a "shortcut".

So your view is might makes right. How do you describe someone from the six counties?

 

[Chz]

This sort of explains why, despite tales of terrible morale on their end, Russians continue to fight to the end.

Going to spoiler this and note that although there's no visual horror, there are graphic descriptions of horrific things.

Spoiler: Don't watch if you're at all squeamish, I'll summarise.

Spoiler: Captured Russian Medic's story, still not really for the squeamish

He relates that his training involved the Russian forces capturing their own AWOLs, strapping plastic explosive to their limbs, blowing them off, and having the prospective medics treat the "simulated" war wounds.
Then then deserters were dismembered by Wagnerites with axes, no anesthetic, finally shot, and their remains blown up with anti-tank mines. They get reported as MIA.

And here I thought that Warhammer 40k's Commissars were supposed to be satire, not role models to be emulated.

 

[Nylock]

It's a little bit different with Wales of course, because it's not a real country, but for most purposes we just agree to gloss over that.

Twat

Scotland is not part of the country called England.

Neither is wales, chump.

 

[krink]

I have been reading about minefield clearance and how big a task it is. What I realised is I've no idea how they lay a minefield, especially across such large areas. Anyone got a good link that illustrates how it is done?

 

[existentialist]

I have been reading about minefield clearance and how big a task it is. What I realised is I've no idea how they lay a minefield, especially across such large areas. Anyone got a good link that illustrates how it is done?

There's all kinds of ways. They can manually place mines, or manually just scatter them. Or mines can be dropped from aircraft or drones, and there are artillery munitions which contain multiple mines which can be fired over an area.

 

[The39thStep]

Very stark analysis, albeit on deaths reported in media, concerning life expectancy of Russians who were mobilised.

Год мобилизации унес жизни тысяч россиян

Сколько мобилизованным удавалось оставаться в живых и где они чаще всего погибали

storage.googleapis.com

 

[LDC]

This sort of explains why, despite tales of terrible morale on their end, Russians continue to fight to the end.

Going to spoiler this and note that although there's no visual horror, there are graphic descriptions of horrific things.

Spoiler: Don't watch if you're at all squeamish, I'll summarise.

Spoiler: Captured Russian Medic's story, still not really for the squeamish

He relates that his training involved the Russian forces capturing their own AWOLs, strapping plastic explosive to their limbs, blowing them off, and having the prospective medics treat the "simulated" war wounds.
Then then deserters were dismembered by Wagnerites with axes, no anesthetic, finally shot, and their remains blown up with anti-tank mines. They get reported as MIA.

And here I thought that Warhammer 40k's Commissars were supposed to be satire, not role models to be emulated.

Jesus that's grim as fuck.

 

[emanymton]

I wasnt expecting this

Poland will no longer send weapons to Ukraine, says PM, as grain dispute escalates

Comments by Polish PM follow Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s accusation that some in Europe are in effect aiding Russia

www.theguardian.com

That is huge news and terrible for Ukraine. I guess it will be sorted to some extent soon. But it is not just the weapons sent by Poland, but their voice in NATO and the EU as well.

 

[dilute micro]

That is huge news and terrible for Ukraine. I guess it will be sorted to some extent soon. But it is not just the weapons sent by Poland, but their voice in NATO and the EU as well.

Poland might get their arm twisted, maybe after elections.

 

[ohmyliver]

Doesn't this just mean that Poland have run out of old Warsaw Pact era stuff to give? Or were they giving more modern equipment too?

 

[emanymton]

Poland might get their arm twisted, maybe after elections.

Yeah put Poland had been the one doing the twisting. I honestly think that might be the bigger consequence.

 

[The39thStep]

Poland might get their arm twisted, maybe after elections.

Who are you suggesting that maybe would want to twist the arm of an elected government of a sovereign state?

 

[dilute micro]

Who are you suggesting that maybe would want to twist the arm of an elected government of a sovereign state?

Anyone else who has a stake in helping Ukraine. Other leaders won't see this as just a grain or weapons issue, but the indication of a trend where Poland thinks it can call the shots as if they are independent of any foreign aid themselves.

 

[dilute micro]

Yeah put Poland had been the one doing the twisting. I honestly think that might be the bigger consequence.

Poland geographically is key in all this. A lot of this has to do with elections, I figure. There are valid concerns on both sides with the grain situation. I'll be surprised if Poland's attitude remains the same at the end of the year.

 

[keybored]

Doesn't this just mean that Poland have run out of old Warsaw Pact era stuff to give? Or were they giving more modern equipment too?

There is an election coming up, the current party in government (PiS) is in danger of losing this one and they're trying to get votes from farmers/the right wing.

 

[The39thStep]

Anyone else who has a stake in helping Ukraine. Other leaders won't see this as just a grain or weapons issue, but the indication of a trend where Poland thinks it can call the shots as if they are independent of any foreign aid themselves.

What foreign aid does Poland receive now that you are suggesting can be used to twist their arm ( or even arms I suppose) ?

I am aware that Poland received foreign aid in the 1990s after the fall of the USSR , however as one of the more prosperous ex Soviet Bloc states it now actually has a foreign aid programme of its own, Poland Aid.

 

[Raheem]

What foreign aid does Poland receive now that you are suggesting can be used to twist their arm ( or even arms I suppose) ?

I am aware that Poland received foreign aid in the 1990s after the fall of the USSR , however as one of the more prosperous ex Soviet Bloc states it now actually has a foreign aid programme of its own, Poland Aid.

It's the biggest recipient of EU subsidy. Something like €12 billion a year. I don't think it would be very simple to withhold any of that, though.

 

[Chz]

I wouldn't put too much stake in it. Poland is only claiming to cut off any future arms shipments. Anything already agreed is going ahead, and that will take us well past the election.

 

[The39thStep]

It's the biggest recipient of EU subsidy. Something like €12 billion a year. I don't think it would be very simple to withhold any of that, though.

Yes .Just interested about how this arm twisting works .

 

[dilute micro]

It's the biggest recipient of EU subsidy. Something like €12 billion a year. I don't think it would be very simple to withhold any of that, though.

$288 million from US last year for military assistance. Poland can't be allowed to get too big for their britches. It doesn't even have to be direct either nor does it have to be money.

 

[agricola]

Just the English eh? Scots, Irish and Welsh get a free pass.

Although this is true, when it is negative attributes that are being discussed, it is safe to assume that it is just the English who are being talked about.

Not sure about the Scots and the Irish, but there was a lot of Polish ex-servicemen and their families who settled in North Wales after the war - especially around Wrexham.