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It's important to keep in mind that Russia has mandatory military service though, and a significant part of Russian troops in Ukraine are conscripts who didn't sign up for military service voluntarily.

Our Daughter has just sent me a private message on Facebook, Puddin has been doing his mouse chasing bit again, he wont kill the mouse but just brings it up to her as a prezzie alive and kicking so our daughter has to act quick, retrieve the live mouse from his jaws and put it into a glass container and then calls up the RSPCA who will either pick it up or advise her what to do next. Puddin, 'Jaws & Paws the Second '

In this as well, Putin's actions are a total contradiction. Years of trying to intimidate these direct neighbours into staying out of these organisations, then saying thanks but I'm going to go and fuck Ukraine up anyway. Why wouldn't you apply to join at this point if you're Georgia, Ukraine, etc? Putin's invasion of Ukraine has provided them with Exhibit A of why they need to join with the rest of Europe, after spending years using all of the intimidation, manipulation, politics, dark money, etc. at his disposal to discourage it.

Who the fuck on here is celebrating anybody dying? Nobody here is “cheering on” Ukraine to kill every Russian soldier. We would all be more than happy for the fighting to stop completely. BUT, if you’re trying to tell me that there’s no difference in soldier getting killed in conflict and civilians being bombed in their homes then you are off your head. Most of these soldiers probably don’t agree with being there, and it’s very sad that they are losing their lives for something they don’t believe in, but they signed up to the military knowing they are pawns in somebody’s game. I’m not rooting for anybody to be killed, other than Putin himself. That fucking oaf needs a bullet in his brain before he starts bombing every cunt.

Ah man !

I mean it's probably accurate that most people on here, apart from @Bluewolf , and in fact most people that are currently alive, didn't bat an eyelid at the events of World War 2 on account of the fact that they weren't born. Just a thought.

The calls for any NATO country to enforce a no-fly zone are insane. The implication of taking on Russian aircraft and AA in the area to establish a no-fly zone means another world war, there's no way of avoiding that. And in 2022 that likely means nuclear weapons flying all around the world. I feel for this woman and every Ukrainian that's impacted by this war (so likely, every Ukrainian), but we don't need to test out the theory of mutually assured destruction at any point in our history. Although a part of me finds it amusing that the US and UK were very quick to invade Iraq on the pretext that Iraq had WMDs... but they absolutely won't risk openly getting into conflict with Russia because we all know Russia has WMDs.

Net proceeds to charity is a capital gains tax dodge he’s cashing in his insurance policy and great PR on one move, smart but he’s still a crook

And many of them were told they were there as peacekeepers who'd be welcomed as liberators - not troops sent to invade. And some of the rations that captured troops have been found with are 20 years old and past their expiration date. I think low morale is a big reason Russia hasn't made gains as quickly as Putin would have hoped - and I think it's because a lot of kids are being forced to be invaders against their will. People want western media and even things like wikipedia blocked off from Russia, but I don't see the point in that... that just cuts Russians off from having sources outside the narrative state media is pushing. It seems counterintuitive to block Russians from having access to information from around the world if the goal is to get more of them to understand they're the aggressors in this war and if we want Russians to speak out against the war. And Russia already wants to block Wikipedia's entries on the invasion because Wikipedia's covering reports on how many civilian casualties there have been... so blocking Russians from Wikipedia access or sources that explain the invasion and the aftermath of the invasion... seems to play nicely into Putin's hands.

I was just going to say this. Its really sad to see. I just watched a video of a captive Russian soldier looks like hes in his teens/early twenties getting tea and fed and crying on the phone he was given by the Ukranians to talk to his mom. I havent verified but the claim is none of the Russian soldiers have phones and I could totally see that.

This desire some have to want to punish anything with a hint of Russian-ness for this is weird tbh. Yes illegal wars and war crimes are bad, nobody needs to convince me. But banning literature because it comes from Russia, centuries before this, is fucking stupid. Nothing more than absolutely fucking stupid. It’s also been weird/amusing seeing people and countries that are typically very anti-refugee be very quick to offer their support for refugees. I’d say it’s curious, but it’s not - it’s just been interesting seeing how this crisis has let the mask slip for so many people.

Hilary said they successfully defeated Russians in Afghanistan through a 'voluntary force' while suggesting the same for Ukraine. - In Afghanistan the force was gathered by invoking pathos and emotional rhetoric of holy war! people came flocking in. How would you do that in Ukraine's case? Pan-Europeism ? - Pakistan became a key neighbour to facilitate the cause bcz they genuinely felt Soviets will swallow them to. No neighbour of Ukraine wants to get in Putin's crosshairs cause the fear of further expansion isn't great enough to risk it

@Aladdin I can’t help but feel this is how the Western media actually reports on things…

The more this goes on and the more I read about it, the more I believe in the theory that Putin has thrown rational thought out of the window and just pursued what his ego and 'Mother Russia' worldview demands. We talk about him as if he's some invincible mastermind, but he's only a man. It's hard to see how the decision to pursue this war is supposed to actually help him. All he's achieved is isolation internationally and a loss of many the benefits that keep his oligarchs happy, with no evidence of it boosting his domestic support. Instead the Russian people now face the consequences of economic hardship, lifestyle benefits like Western social media and sport, not to mention the much less trivial loss of thousands of lives already. All he gets out of this invasion is scratching the itch he's always had about Ukraine. Don't see how this ends well for him in any way. If it does spell the eventual end for him, Russia can choose between a new leader who is willing to disown Putin and rebuild bridges with Europe, or continuing down the path of total isolation that Putin has set them off on, and hope that China are willing to make themselves an ally to help ensure that the economic hardships are at least only temporary.

Then ya caught me.

‘‘Twas a joke.

Not superior, just really frustrated. A lot of posts just have an energy around them that creeps towards celebration of dead Ruskis.

It's also worth mentioning that they'll have been told like the rest of the public that they're liberating the oppressed Ukrainian people from their neo-Nazi government. You could just point stuff like this out calmly and politely like nudge managed to do instead of insulting everyone who doesn't know quite as much stuff as you. Admittedly, it depends whether your ambition is actually to help others understand the things you seem to think they should understand, or whether it's to carry on being all edgy and superior about the whole thing...

So Russia, who has compulsory conscription, has an army of willing, nationalist soldiers? No. They have an army that's a mix of conscripts, desperate lower class who needed the job and willing soldiers. You numbskull. Edit, I see @nudge has already told you this and you've since acknowledged it.

English football has been a cancer on Europe since 1991.

Lol mate he loves some club in London that he’s probably never heard of before he started looking to buy it, he’s fond now no doubt but it was always about being visible in a western free economy and able to cash in quickly if needed. They effectively stole billions then scattered outside of Russia as Putin has hunted them unless they did what he said. He’s in danger of losing EU assets so he’s cashing in on his insurance policy which is Chelsea, a two week deadline. He’s a billionaire that can’t get his cash so he’s cutting his loses and running. charity with net proceeds means he can dump all the profit not pay capital gains tax and amortise the profit against the charity so he’s maxing his return rather than pay the tax. Great PR though and Ukraine may get some of it but it’s more about him maxing out his profits and keeping what money he can while his world crumbles around him. it was always this way, he brought it to be visible harder for him to be taken out if big news in a western country. Face it you’ve been a front, trophies are tainted effectively you’re the Lance Armstrong of the footballing world, history will remember you as cheats

God I have all the time in the world to listen to Bernie speak. This clip is just so on the nose. If you get time listen to all 3 clips for the full interview.

I had to laugh at a few excerpts from this article. First of all, who names their kid Peter Peters? Wtf. And then there was Schalke. The club who, with their Gazprom-sponsored shirts, were the ultimate symbol of Russian soft power in Germany’s economy and pop culture for so long. At the weekend, the club decided to cover up the company’s logo. On Monday, they announced they would be cutting ties completely. For many, this decision was overdue. Despite unrelenting criticism from the media and their own fans, Schalke had always held fast to the Gazprom partnership. At times, they barely even tried to play down its political dimension. In 2014, just weeks after the Russian annexation of Crimea, then-CEO Clemens Tonnies said that he and the team were planning to visit the Kremlin at Putin’s invitation. In the end the visit never took place, but the nasty aftertaste lingered. On Saturday evening, Tonnies’ former colleague Peter Peters wilted as he was interviewed on Das Aktuelle Sportstudio, the German equivalent of Match of the Day. Peters had been Schalke’s chief financial officer when they signed the Gazprom deal in 2006, and he is now running to become president of the German FA. As such, he found himself walking a tightrope between defending the club’s past behaviour and welcoming their U-turn at the weekend. The result was a car-crash interview for the ages. Peters was so nervous that when the presenter welcomed him to the studio, he said “welcome” in response. Later, as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat like a three-year-old in need of the toilet, he described the Gazprom sponsorship as “sweet poison”.

Chelsea fans saying he loved the club, he’s on the list in the EU, they are going after his assets so he’s cashed in his insurance policy, you’ve always been a front for stolen money of the Russian people he didn’t love your club, your basically mafia fc a shithouse club top to bottom nobody cares about your achievements we think you’re scum this day is glorious

Very unfair to call Chelsea fans for continuing support the team they grew up with.

Good hope some venture capitalists ruin them because they were a large part in ruining the game.

I think I was there. Long March before Hyde Park. Was a hot day, so many people in flip flops.

Fuck off u bent Russian cunt, and that goes for your bent Russian cunt mate Putin too x

The way the pic is taken, the cat doesn't want your daughter taking pictures @CaaC (John).

That's a really nice picture of Puddin.

@Waylander Ofcourse, any of these world “leaders” who commit these sort of acts need put away. Won’t hear me defending any of them.

Having marched against the attack on Iraq close to 20 years ago and talking with members of the Respect group and Anti-War coalition I am pretty sure 100s of millions probably wanted Bush to meet a quick and ugly demise as they bombed the water and energy infrastructure of Iraq. They even used tanks to bomb the hotel where Western journalists were staying. The UN staff on the ground were also being attacked. It was purely regime change yet they underestimated other players on the ground perhaps Russia will too. Doesn't make this right yet seems to be an ugly cycle by which ever force thinks they can get away with it and normal people in the wrong place pay the price.

It’s almost as if a crazy dictator type leader has invaded a neighbour and is threatening the rest of Europe and the world with nuclear action if anybody gets involved. Yeah, why would any Europeans be concerns and have vested interest in that situation?? Weird.

Because past events never carry a long winded culture shock. It's just a big coincidence you country is full of neo nazis, and that east of the wall is basically a different world to the far west? But yes, I'd sooner see a meme that represents how many civilians were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan by smart bombs and US missile strikes.

We are told that Russia's economy is just the size of Italy and yet they have the biggest armed forces in Europe by some margin. So how do they keep it funded, there are obviously some things we do not see or recognise. I expect a lot of their economy is self sufficient or self contained and running without imports so think economic action by the West will be limited. Of course some oligarchs will see their fortunes shrink by a large margin.

Looking back, this was a fantastic period. Lot of media/public criticism that this rivalry was toxic (Mourinho vs Pep), but I genuinely loved, and I mean loved this Barca v Real era.

Hitting Putin on sport is hitting him where it hurts to be fair. I sympathise with the clubs and athletes that have done nothing wrong and I don't agree with stupid bullshit like expelling normal Russian people from other countries or universities or whatever, but I do think the sport thing is quite important. Putin obviously sees sport as something that gives him some sort of power, or being seen to be the man who brings the benefits of international sporting events to the Russian people. I'm not going to pretend to understand it inside out but if there was no power in sport, you wouldn't see billionaires from seemingly unaffiliated places across the world buying your Chelseas, Man Citys, PSGs, etc. Putin and his administration sponsored the doping that went on at the Sochi winter Olympics because they got something out of it. Look how great our country is to win all of those medals. It all plays into the Mother Russia angle. Look at that football club owned by a Russian man winning the Premier League and the Champions League. Russia has influence in these great sporting tournaments. Look at our Formula 1 race, Russia can host these elite sporting events just like all the other major countries, I've brought this to our great country and to you. See also the Champions League final which they've had taken away. These events are marks of status, otherwise you wouldn't have Russia, Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, etc. investing obscene amounts of money in bringing as many of them as possible to their shores. None of this is seismic and isn't going to bring down Putin or peel his oligarchs away from him in isolation, but the best strategy here is to try and put him down with death by a thousand cuts. Putin has consolidated his power internationally and domestically with sports-washing, by allowing his capitalist oligarch class to grow rich with the help of their dealings with the West and the wider outside world, by opening the country up to the benefits of some integration. If enough of these institutions turn their backs on Russia because of him, it does have an impact when you add it all together.

Not to belittle a very tragic situation, but maybe Chesla should just be suspended for the season. We need all the help we can get to finish top four.

It's happening already in the US. Death threats to an owners of various Russian restaurants/international markets that sell Russian stuff. This is the biggest problem with cultures that become obsessed with "identity politics" - they use various identities, like in this instance national/ethnic identity, to make wide sweeping allegations about everyone who might fall into that identity. Fear of the "other" is a powerful tool to manipulate people. Russian students abroad are just trying to get the best possible education they can get so they can give themselves the best shot in life, most Russians who live outside Russia fucking hate Putin and he's one of the reasons they left. It's very sad to see innocent people demonised because of the actions of an autocratic piece of shit like Putin. The actions of his government do not speak for all Russians, particularly not those Russians who've left Russia. Having said that, I understand why Russian clubs (especially the ones who have ties to state-ownership, or those that are outright state-owned) have been banned in this instance. And yes, I do think it's hypocritical considering when similar things happen elsewhere in the world, we don't see calls for the US, UK, NATO nations, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Iran, etc... to be banned. And perhaps we should be calling for more international pressure to be applied in a similar fashion when world peace is brutally violated by various nations around the world. I think that's entirely reasonable to ask for. There's one thing the world should show continued unity for and that's peace - I don't think it's a bad thing that the world is attempting to economically punish Russia for this, I think that's a hell of a lot better than escalating tensions in a way that'll likely lead to WW3.

I’d personally step in and chin any cunt giving someone abuse for being Russian. This is solely Putin. Fuck all to do with anyone else. You’ve got to be the most uneducated fuckwit to even think of abusing anyone because of that. Same with Chinese/Covid.

Many of their clubs are state owned or partially state owned - so hitting those clubs with bans winds up hitting the Russian state. It's unfair for many of the players, though... for sure.

I disagree. Unfortunately Ukraine needed NATO sooner or later. The fact that the Ukrainians have embraced their democracy and are willing to fight to protect it is what scares Putin to death and the reason for this war. He wants to squash this fledgling democracy before it spreads to Russia. NATO just meant that he couldn't meddle in Ukraine anymore, at least for a long time. It's not about the missiles. This isn't about demonizing Russia either. They are different world views. However to blame this on NATO is an attempt to paint both sides with the same brush which is not accurate. There is one aggressor here and only one.

Russian nationalism, the racialist type of which Putin subscribes to, doesn't see Ukraine as an independent country, it considers it as an extension of Russia, part of Russia, ethnically Russian. Particularly parts of Ukraine. It considers Russia to have been robbed of Ukraine. For 20 years Ukraine has been attacked by various means, from tanks to trade wars by the Kremlin all to prevent Ukraine from breaking away from their influence and control. Strong forces in Ukrainian politics would like to join the European Union. Putin won't stand for it. This is all why Ukraine flirts with joining NATO. Hanging over Ukraine's expression of freedom is the stench of Russian nationalism and the threat of Russian tanks if Ukraine dare do what the Kremlin doesn't like.

Joning NATO would be the final hurdle in the westernization of Ukraine and possible the end of Putin's expansionist aspirations for a long, long time. However, what Putin fears is not NATO missiles in Ukraine, but a safe haven for democratic values on his doorstep. Forget NATO, If Russia were a free and democratic society, this war wouldn't be happening.

Putin's invasion of Ukraine is not because of NATO, rather it is precisely for the reason Ukraine wanted to be in NATO in the first place. The poking the Russian bear is a Nigel Farage hot take, common today on the extreme political wings in Britain and the contrarian writers. Desperate to inflict some sort of score against our own politics. Everything must be framed as to how "the west" (an outdated cold war label and thought process) is in the wrong here.

Lazy Sunday

@Bluebird Hewitt’s better other half.