Ukraine Crisis

[Euler]

I think it's clear the West has really good intelligence and by displaying it publically they are showing Russia it can't hide. They warned for ages an attack was imminent and it was so true. So I'd imagine a lot of other stuff is as well. But you will always have this fog of war.

[Derek27]

I find it remarkable the amount of intelligence the 5 eyes group have been getting. Russia seems to have more leaks than downing street. They must have spies at the very highest level or someone has been tipping them off. How would they know that Russia asked China for help before the invasion, phone tapping ?

I am starting to think that Russia is not the super power that everyone thought, its troops and generals have been getting their backsides kicked in various areas. When was the last time a modern military force lost 3 generals on the battle ground and had troops getting out of their tanks and walking home in less than 2 weeks of operations ?

I'm sure Russia have a formidable military. The S-400 is the most advanced anti-aircraft/ballistic missile system in the world and military experts aren't even sure if the F-22 Raptors could cope with it. Their problem is they have a tit commanding the forces who thinks when things go wrong the solution is to sack one of his generals who's only carrying out his orders. The troops were totally unprepared as well, thinking they were taking part in military exercises.

As I type, sadly, I hear the pregnant woman and her baby who Russia claimed was an actress have both died.

[Derek27]

If any of you watch Hotspots: On The Frontline, it's pretty amazing that Stewart Ramsey, Alex Crawford and crew haven't been killed! They've been in many hairy situations with Ramsey being fired at by Russians recently, his cameraman getting two bullets in his body armor.

[Kai]

I am starting to think that Russia is not the super power that everyone thought, its troops and generals have been getting their backsides kicked in various areas.

That myth seems to have definitely been debunked, the state of their military appears to be shocking, even if some of it is slightly exaggerated by our propaganda. Seen reports of firing squads for deserters, mobile crematoriums that follow their troops around the battlefield, logistical nightmares for basics like fuel, food rations that expired years ago, their morale overall has to be rock bottom.

I know historically Soviets have little disregard for their soldiers and this trend seems to be continuing to this day.

[Kai]

If any of you watch Hotspots: On The Frontline, it's pretty amazing that Stewart Ramsey, Alex Crawford and crew haven't been killed! They've been in many hairy situations with Ramsey being fired at by Russians recently, his cameraman getting two bullets in his body armor.

A New York Times journalist was not so lucky : https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/13/worl ... irpin.html

[Derek27]

FFS Alex Crawford. Don't suggest to a man with a week to live that it's all over!

[Derek27]

...even if some of it is slightly exaggerated by our propaganda.

What do you mean our propaganda? Beautiful news presenters and reporters don't lie.

[Trader Pat]

If any of you watch Hotspots: On The Frontline, it's pretty amazing that Stewart Ramsey, Alex Crawford and crew haven't been killed! They've been in many hairy situations with Ramsey being fired at by Russians recently, his cameraman getting two bullets in his body armor.

Yeah I saw that. Rather than stop the car they were in and make a run for it would it not have made more sense to put it in reverse and get the hell out of there?

I know its easy to say that when you're not the one being fired on but surely these news crews have professional drivers? That report looked very amateurish to me. An obviously very experienced news crew made it look like they were out for a Sunday drive in the middle of a war torn country.

[Archery1969]

I am starting to think that Russia is not the super power that everyone thought, its troops and generals have been getting their backsides kicked in various areas.

That myth seems to have definitely been debunked, the state of their military appears to be shocking, even if some of it is slightly exaggerated by our propaganda. Seen reports of firing squads for deserters, mobile crematoriums that follow their troops around the battlefield, logistical nightmares for basics like fuel, food rations that expired years ago, their morale overall has to be rock bottom.

I know historically Soviets have little disregard for their soldiers and this trend seems to be continuing to this day.

They used mobile crematoriums in Afghanistan during the 1980's as didn't want the number of body bags being shown on TV. Estimates are around 15,000 died but nobody really knows.

[Derek27]

If any of you watch Hotspots: On The Frontline, it's pretty amazing that Stewart Ramsey, Alex Crawford and crew haven't been killed! They've been in many hairy situations with Ramsey being fired at by Russians recently, his cameraman getting two bullets in his body armor.

Yeah I saw that. Rather than stop the car they were in and make a run for it would it not have made more sense to put it in reverse and get the hell out of there?

I know its easy to say that when you're not the one being fired on but surely these news crews have professional drivers? That report looked very amateurish to me. An obviously very experienced news crew made it look like they were out for a Sunday drive in the middle of a war torn country.

Alex Crawford isn't a very good driver by her own admission, but she had to drive the crew out of blazing New South Wales!

[Tuco]

If any of you watch Hotspots: On The Frontline, it's pretty amazing that Stewart Ramsey, Alex Crawford and crew haven't been killed! They've been in many hairy situations with Ramsey being fired at by Russians recently, his cameraman getting two bullets in his body armor.

...there was an incredible BBC4 Storyville "Under The Wire" from Syria in which the main reporter Marie Colvin was killed.

"On 13 February 2012, war-correspondent Marie Colvin and photographer Paul Conroy entered war-ravaged Syria to cover the plight of civilians trapped in the besieged city of Homs, under attack by the Syrian army. Only one of them returned.

This is their story.

Marie Colvin was one the most fearless reporters of her time. She dedicated her life to bearing witness to the lives of ordinary people caught up in the world’s most dangerous conflicts. She covered Afghanistan, Iraq, Israel and Palestine, Sri Lanka, Chechnya and East Timor, and was on first-name terms with leaders like Muammar Gaddafi and Yasser Arafat.

In 2001 she lost the sight in her left eye after being caught in crossfire by a piece of shrapnel. On 13 February 2012, Marie was smuggled into Syria with her photographer, Paul Conroy. Despite intelligence reports that foreign journalists found in the area ‘would be executed and their bodies put on the battlefield, as if caught in crossfire’, they headed to Homs, determined to uncover the horror of Syrian civilians trapped by the conflict. Only one of them would return.

Based on the book of the same name by Paul Conroy, Under The Wire is the incredible story of Paul and Marie’s fateful mission, and Paul’s epic battle to escape the city to tell the world of his fallen colleague and the plight of the people of Homs. Under the Wire is a film about real journalism, about war and about an extraordinary commitment to telling the truth, whatever the cost."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0002k62

(Sorry, this episode is not currently available - but the trailer is still available)

[Kai]

Ukrainian military recruitment ad from 2014 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOCbW1hc6Ng

[greenmark]

If any of you watch Hotspots: On The Frontline, it's pretty amazing that Stewart Ramsey, Alex Crawford and crew haven't been killed! They've been in many hairy situations with Ramsey being fired at by Russians recently, his cameraman getting two bullets in his body armor.

...there was an incredible BBC4 Storyville "Under The Wire" from Syria in which the main reporter Marie Colvin was killed.

"On 13 February 2012, war-correspondent Marie Colvin and photographer Paul Conroy entered war-ravaged Syria to cover the plight of civilians trapped in the besieged city of Homs, under attack by the Syrian army. Only one of them returned.

This is their story.

Marie Colvin was one the most fearless reporters of her time. She dedicated her life to bearing witness to the lives of ordinary people caught up in the world’s most dangerous conflicts. She covered Afghanistan, Iraq, Israel and Palestine, Sri Lanka, Chechnya and East Timor, and was on first-name terms with leaders like Muammar Gaddafi and Yasser Arafat.

In 2001 she lost the sight in her left eye after being caught in crossfire by a piece of shrapnel. On 13 February 2012, Marie was smuggled into Syria with her photographer, Paul Conroy. Despite intelligence reports that foreign journalists found in the area ‘would be executed and their bodies put on the battlefield, as if caught in crossfire’, they headed to Homs, determined to uncover the horror of Syrian civilians trapped by the conflict. Only one of them would return.

Based on the book of the same name by Paul Conroy, Under The Wire is the incredible story of Paul and Marie’s fateful mission, and Paul’s epic battle to escape the city to tell the world of his fallen colleague and the plight of the people of Homs. Under the Wire is a film about real journalism, about war and about an extraordinary commitment to telling the truth, whatever the cost."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0002k62

(Sorry, this episode is not currently available - but the trailer is still available)

You've reminded me of that doc. A gutsy person. It's stark that there is no-one similar right now. And why would you put yourself in that arena and at risk? That is what is so remarkable about people like her.

[Tuco]

You've reminded me of that doc. A gutsy person. It's stark that there is no-one similar right now. And why would you put yourself in that arena and at risk? That is what is so remarkable about people like her.

...guess it just boils down to this:

"Under the Wire is a film about real journalism, about war and about an extraordinary commitment to telling the truth, whatever the cost."

[Trader Pat]

Couple of good pieces of real journalism here from last week.

The first one pointing out the hypocrisy of the media coverage of the invasion and the second one pointing out the hypocrisy of footballs reaction to it

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/03/07/opin ... index.html

https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... 1647031979