Was thinking that - also perhaps the necessary people for a government in exile should the worst happen.
We know if the Russians get him he is as good as dead.
This.
Cant be forced to sign poop if family safe.
Yep.
Rekon if we have a whip round we can get enough together for a bounty on the small mans head? 
Heard on the radio he’s released a video from the streets of Kyiv to deny that he’s fled the city.
BBC has this, but no video. He’s so far not come across as someone that will flee. I think he’ll ‘go down with the ship’ if it goes that way.
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And here’s the video. I’ve not got any translation though!
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Kudos to him
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I have to also say I’m pretty impressed that NATO has had a near constant cover of the border between Ukraine and Poland/Slovakia/Hungry/Romania. And that’s just from what’s visible from ADS-B information. I think there’s been a Sentry or 3 circling the border for about 3 days straight now!
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A problem is that until all the old Soviets are consigned to history Russia and the old USSR countries will not move forward. If Putin wasn’t an old style Soviet I doubt the annexation / invade and conquer to gain territory mindset would exist, in the Kremlin or elsewhere in “Russia”.
I’ve never been convinced that when the USSR was broken up, the populace were all ready for democratic freedoms.
Whilst everyone is focussed on Central Europe just remember that a major element of the Russian armed forces has not yet had any significant role, the navy, and in particular the Northern Fleet. By the way, we happen to live upon an island. The threat from the Russian Navy, in particular sub-surface, is existential. The fastest way we can make an increased contribution to NATO capability is by expansion of our maritime forces in general and as a priority to increase the size of our P8 fleet.
The Nimrod MRA4 buy was reduced from 16 to 9 by the Brown adminstration, on purely finacila grounds. When the P8 was ordered, the fleet size was kept at 9 aircraft, an I do wonder whether this was once again Treasury driven. Don’t misunderstand me, the P8 fleet is capable but because of the numbers barely so. I recently attended a RAeS lecture on the P8 (it wasn’t very good) and I felt the fleet capability section was optimistic in the extreme. Quite simply we need more airframes and crews.
More P8s will take time, but they would be quicker to acquire than ships or submarines and we have experience of recent generating a new force. There is no other NATO nation other than the USA that could do this. The Germans have never been truly in the maritime air game; they’re a continental nation and now have other priorities; and the less said about the French the better. The Dutch were excellent but have been out of it for so long that it would take too long to re-equip and relearn. The Norweigians always were good and still are, but they’re a very small nation. This crisis might encourage Canada to think properly about replacing their Auroras, but even if they do, they will have different operational priorities.
Then there is the really tricky question of weapons. At present our P8s are reliant upon a single ASW weapon, the US Mk54 torpedo. Torpedo capabilities are a very closely guarded secret, but looking back on previous weapons and knowing how submarines have advanced it may well be time to seek again a weapons deal with the USA to give an enhanced capability.
For those that don’t know, the RN utilised the UK WE177A in the ASW role but the Nimrod force had the US B47. Hard times and hard decisions.
Exmpa
Thank the gods it was never needed
You could come up with some very interesting release scenarios where US authorities denied a SACLANT or CinCChan release request but the UK authorised use. That could of course extend to surface strike.
Exmpa
Well there’s a couple of videos going around of Russia moving TOPOL-M missile systems. Who knows if they’re real/recent but things could get interesting. I’m seriously hoping things chill the hell out here but I’m guessing they won’t.
It won’t.
So far and in my very limited knowledge:
Ukraine has put up a good fight, but Russia was always going to move fast through the east.
As they move further west, where the population is more hostile… they’ll have a stubborn military to contend with, but also a general population that is willing to arm itself and fight - and make their life hell.
It’s going to be a long, protracted and bloody war.
And I am amazed at the passion and resilience of the average Ukrainian.
I could only hope that in the same situation that I would have the same resolve, determination, and selflessness for the cause that they are demonstrating. It is incredible.
And all power and luck to them.
I just feel deeply saddened it has come to this.
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I don’t see why they would bother moving them, they have a 6000km range anyway.
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I read this & saw the vid - it’s makes you laugh & then you want to cry.
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At first you think, good for you, stick it to them… and then they all die.
It’s horrific…
I don’t know what the answer is… I’m sure this is not it, but Is it really beyond the wit of man to put a bullet between Putins eyes?
Apparently.
Useless.
The irony of Germany, started two world wars by being overactive, and potentially a third by being under active.
NATO - reinforcing everywhere than the places that matter. NATO - No Action Talk Only.
No U.K. troops on the ground, because we have no military left.
We’ll just look on and hope it’s contained to a non-NATO member.
No backbone, no trust in NATO, and embarrassingly Ukraine looks to the EU for help and it falls on deaf ears; posturing Macron licking his wounds after being embarrassed, Germans too dependent on Russian gas.
An embarrassing situation, where we look as weak as we are.
As much as I’m a fan of a defiant last stand, there needs to be a purpose and those deaths served no purpose.
You can’t expect an alliance to go to war for a non-alliance member and getting involved without the alliance serves to undermine it.
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