Ukraine and the Russian invasion, 2022-25

[Aladdin]

It sounds daft

Irish fishermen saw them off a couple of years ago.

 

[Aladdin]

It sounds daft

Not to some.

Why Russia's war on Ukraine should be a wake-up call for Ireland | Maynooth University

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has had a massive global effect, something which has major ramifications for Ireland's defence strategy, writes David Murphy, Department of History It would be true to say that there has been a vast shift in global strategic terms since February 24th. Right now, the...

www.maynoothuniversity.ie

And

Russia-bound vessel underway after several days at anchor off Cork coast

Local maritime experts noted that it is a very unusual position for a vessel of this size to drop anchor

www.irishexaminer.com

 

[Pickman's model]

Putin and his supporting oligarchs should pay for the rebuilding of Ukraine when this war ends. They've destroyed hundreds of thousands of ordinary Ukrainian people's homes and lives.

Putin did this for some weird nostalgic ideal. His desire for a re assembly of the people of the Rus. He also used the positioning of Nato countries as an excuse to invade a sovereign country. He felt they "threatened Russia"....Who wouldn't want to protect their country from potential invasion by Putin? No wonder Finland wants to be part of Nato.
Putin is undoubtedly eyeing up Finland and Latvia and Estonia..Who knows...Ireland even....the only thing stopping him is the abysmal nature of his own military / navy and their delapidated equipment which was lied about for years...by his own army. That and a lack of manpower / forces on the ground. And the fact that Nato is supporting Ukraine. It's all shit. But if Putin invaded Ireland I would want neighbouring countries and the eu and allies to help get him out. Wouldn't you?

He would happily throw more young men barely out of their teens to death for the glory of his imagined "Rus". He has shown himself to be an ideologically driven fraud.
Putin will be viewed even in Russia in years to come as a selfish self centred oligarch. A Tsar. A dictator. He has become what the February Revolution fought against.

Imo

Not really, he shows no signs of being a romanov

 

[TopCat]

Not to some.

Why Russia's war on Ukraine should be a wake-up call for Ireland | Maynooth University

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has had a massive global effect, something which has major ramifications for Ireland's defence strategy, writes David Murphy, Department of History It would be true to say that there has been a vast shift in global strategic terms since February 24th. Right now, the...

www.maynoothuniversity.ie

And

Russia-bound vessel underway after several days at anchor off Cork coast

Local maritime experts noted that it is a very unusual position for a vessel of this size to drop anchor

www.irishexaminer.com

That’s crackpot

 

[Aladdin]

Not really, he shows no signs of being a romanov

He's not out to help the common man is he. .. he's extraordinarily wealthy along with his buddies.

That’s crackpot

Is it?
Ireland has always been viewed as the achilles heel....forUK..EU

There have been Russian vessels around the south coast hanging out in Irish waters over international cables for the past 2 years.

 

[bcuster]

Time for a badly needed upgrade to Irish Navy
Australia has been buying US top grade submarines

https://www.asa.gov.au/aukus/australias-nuclear-powered-submarines#:~:text=The%20SSN%20Virginia%20Class%20will%20provide%20Australia%20a,contribute%20to%20peace%20and%20stability%20in%20the%20Indo-Pacific.

Virginia Class submarines​

The United States intends to sell Australia 3 Virginia Class SSNs (nuclear-powered submarines) from as soon as the early 2030s, which was authorised by the US Congress in December 2023. Australia retains the option to seek approval for up to 2 more if needed.

The SSN Virginia Class will provide Australia a nuclear-powered submarine capability as early as possible.

This acquisition will eliminate any capability gap and increase the 3 nations (Australia, UK and US) ability to deter aggression and contribute to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.


Ireland should consider doing the same

 

[Aladdin]

Time for a badly needed upgrade to Irish Navy
Australia has been buying US top grade submarines

https://www.asa.gov.au/aukus/australias-nuclear-powered-submarines#:~:text=The%20SSN%20Virginia%20Class%20will%20provide%20Australia%20a,contribute%20to%20peace%20and%20stability%20in%20the%20Indo-Pacific.

Virginia Class submarines​

The United States intends to sell Australia 3 Virginia Class SSNs (nuclear-powered submarines) from as soon as the early 2030s, which was authorised by the US Congress in December 2023. Australia retains the option to seek approval for up to 2 more if needed.

The SSN Virginia Class will provide Australia a nuclear-powered submarine capability as early as possible.

This acquisition will eliminate any capability gap and increase the 3 nations (Australia, UK and US) ability to deter aggression and contribute to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.


Ireland should consider doing the same

Naval Service has an active establishment of 1,094, and a reserve establishment of 200. Like other components of the Defence Forces, the Naval Service has struggled to maintain strength and as of April 2023 has only 764 active personnel, and 77 reserve personnel.

 

[Aladdin]

And again.

Four more Russian vessels observed off Irish coast

The Defence Forces have confirmed that four more Russian vessels, including a warship, have been observed off the Irish coast.

www.rte.ie

 

[Pickman's model]

He's not out to help the common man is he. .. he's extraordinarily wealthy along with his buddies

Kerensky wasn't much of an improvement on Nicholas ii, he didn't do anything to take Russia out of ww1. Similarly I doubt any replacement for putin is going to end the slaughter in Ukraine. Don't you agree?

 

[Aladdin]

Similarly I doubt any replacement for putin is going to end the slaughter in Ukraine. Don't you agree?

I wish it was otherwise but I suspect Putin has his successor lined up already.

 

[existentialist]

It sounds daft

Well, you'd know.

 

[TopCat]

He's not out to help the common man is he. .. he's extraordinarily wealthy along with his buddies.

Is it?
Ireland has always been viewed as the achilles heel....forUK..EU

There have been Russian vessels around the south coast hanging out in Irish waters over international cables for the past 2 years.

Reminds me of that US movie of kids set up to resist commie invasion in the 80’s.

 

[TopCat]

I wish it was otherwise but I suspect Putin has his successor lined up already.

What do you think of his current state of health?

 

[Aladdin]

Reminds me of that US movie of kids set up to resist commie invasion in the 80’s.

Reminds me of the film Grabbers

 

[TopCat]

Well, you'd know.

You rarely come on the thread now. It seems long ago when you were speculating on the break up of Russia.

I would hope you would continue to post your perceptions as to how things have gone rather than the above.

 

[Aladdin]

What do you think of his current state of health?

Current?
No idea.
He seems to be doing ok as in..not on the steroids anymore.

 

[editor]

NATO is deploying drones to try and stop the cutting of undersea cables, while member states rasp up the defensive rhetoric.

NATO is ramping up its work to detect and stop attacks against subsea energy and data cables in the Baltic Sea, its chief said Tuesday.

The military alliance’s Secretary-General Mark Rutte announced that NATO is launching the “Baltic Sentry” program, which will involve “a range of assets” including frigates, maritime patrol aircraft and “a small fleet of naval drones."

Top NATO leaders are in Helsinki to discuss securing the Baltic Sea in response to a string of acts of sabotage to telecommunication and energy cables. Defense ministers have previously pointed the finger at Russia for these incidents.

NATO to deploy drones, aircraft to counter wave of Baltic Sea cable attacks

Baltic Sea country leaders are meeting in Helsinki after a series of incidents involving energy and data cables.

www.politico.eu

Despite the repeated sabotage, Finnish Foreign Affairs Minister Elina Valtonen told local media there is no need to invoke NATO’s Article 4, which triggers formal talks among allies if one member feels its integrity or security is threatened.

Even before NATO’s announcement on Tuesday, military activity has been ramping up in the area.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson recently announced that Stockholm would place up to three warships under NATO command in the Baltic Sea for the first time, while NATO said in late December that allies would beef up their naval presence. Finnish media reported the alliance would send as many as 10 warships to protect undersea cables from sabotage.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was reported Tuesday as saying that the German navy will contribute ships, and the Lithuanian navy is increasing its surveillance in the area.

Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė said on X that new information from Sweden revealed “how close we were to a situation where all three major power cables [NordBalt, Estlink 1 and Estlink 2] could be damaged at the same time.”