Ukraine invasion by Russia Discussion and it's impact on Singapore and Asia? (compiled)

[singalion]

Tax payer monies issues are an internal matter of the US and not any issue that refers to the Ukraine war.

 

It is common knowledge that Western countries including the US and Canada and East European countries are financially supporting the Ukraine.

 

 

Please keep the posts on the Ukraine war and not on US internal matters.

 

This repeated "hammering" of this one same line into this thread that is irrelevant to the issue hints to a certain mental derangement of that member.

 

 

[7heaven]

Taxpayers monies whether it is US taxpayers or European taxpayers matter significantly and is of outmost importance to the Russian-Ukraine war as they are the top contributors to fund Ukraine with aid and weapons.
 

It is easy to understand the relevance of taxpayers monies to the Ukraine war; if Biden did not authorise using hundred of billions of US taxpayer monies and other leaders of Europe also did not authorise using their taxpayers monies to help Ukraine, would Ukraine be able to fend off Russia for over a year? 
 

There will come a time when taxpayers will be tired and against an uncertain global economic outlook, there will certainly be more taxpayers be questioning the wisdom of continued use of taxpayers monies to fund Ukraine war. 

[singalion]

 

 

Russian oil pipeline filling point attacked in 'terrorist' incident

 

10 May 2023

Russia’s oil pipeline operator Transneft said that a filling point on the Europe-bound Druzhba pipeline in an border area between Russia and Ukraine had been targeted in a “terrorist” attack, according to the Tass news agency.

Transneft said nobody was injured in the incident, which it called a “terrorist attack”, according to Reuters.

“Yes, indeed, early this morning there was an attempt to commit a terrorist act against the Druzhba oil pipeline system at the Bryansk filling station,” Transneft’s spokesman told Tass.

“As a result, no one was hurt. The competent authorities are investigating the circumstances of the incident.”

Early on Wednesday, Baza, a Telegram channel with links to Russia’s law enforcement agencies, reported that three empty oil reservoirs at the Druzhba pipeline’s filling station came under attack.

It said there were no leaks following the attacks.
Russian oil supplies via the Soviet-built pipeline have not been sanctioned, however, European countries are scaling back usage of the route amid wider sanctions against Moscow.

The Druzhba pipeline was attacked several times after the start of what Kremlin casts as a special military operation in Ukraine last February.

[Steve5380]

9 hours ago, singalion said:

 

Putin touts 'sacred' battle with West in Ukraine as Russia marks pared back Victory Day

 

 

This is so TYPICAL in this world!!!    Using RELIGION  to justify crimes against humanity!!!

 

If Jesus would not be already in Heaven,  he would turn in his grave reading " 'sacred' battle "

[Steve5380]

7 hours ago, 7heaven said:

Yes, something has to give. If either Ukraine or Russia backs down, it will be very shameful for that party who blinks first. 
 

The downside for main foreign supporter of Ukraine are the American taxpayers who are made to fund the war with their taxpayers monies by the Biden administration, with no end in sight how much more they will be asked to pay. Not sure how many billions other European taxpayers have paid to fund this war but American taxpayers are for sure the highest contributors. 

 

You are taking this so common malevolent attitude of making the two sides of a conflict EQUAL.   But there is NO EQUALITY between Russia and Ukraine.   Russia is the guilty, evil ATTACKER,  and Ukraine is the innocent VICTIM. 

 

More than your "taxpayers monies",  the World is giving support for the VICTIM and help it against its ATTACKER.  THIS IS HOW IT SHOULD BE.

[7heaven]

1 hour ago, Steve5380 said:

 

You are taking this so common malevolent attitude of making the two sides of a conflict EQUAL.   But there is NO EQUALITY between Russia and Ukraine.   Russia is the guilty, evil ATTACKER,  and Ukraine is the innocent VICTIM. 

 

More than your "taxpayers monies",  the World is giving support for the VICTIM and help it against its ATTACKER.  THIS IS HOW IT SHOULD BE.

You are taking a populist and somewhat simplistic mic view on this conflict. I think you meant there is no parity or proportionality in military strength between Russia and Ukraine. Nobody is saying Ukraine is the aggressor. 
 

There will be more VICTIMS if US taxpayers continue to be made to fund this endless war by Biden and likewise for other European taxpayers by their respective leaders. These VICTIMS are the taxpayers obviously. 
 

If your neighbour’s 1000 acres plantation gets repeatedly burnt down by arsonists, will you keep paying your neighbour to replace the plantation? 

[singalion]

 

 

Russian forces in Bakhmut pushed back by up to 2km in some areas, claims Ukraine military commander

A Ukrainian military commander has said that Russian forces in Bakhmut had been pushed back by up to 2km in some areas, after counter offensives.

Col Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi, who heads Ukraine’s ground forces, made the comments in a post on Telegram.

It comes as Ukrainian forces claim to have routed a brigade of thousands of troops in Bakhmut.

He said: “In some areas of the front, the enemy could not resist the onslaught of the Ukrainian defenders and retreated to a distance of up to two kilometers.

”It was the competent conduct of the defensive operation that exhausted the trained forces of the ‘Wagner’ PvC and forced them to be replaced in certain directions by less well-prepared units of the Russian regular troops, which were defeated and left.”

[singalion]

Some more on the claims earlier that the Ukrainian army has partially destroyed a Russian brigade that has been fighting in Bakhmut.

Moscow has not commented on the reports that its 72nd separate motor rifle brigade had abandoned its positions on the south-western outskirts of Bakhmut.

Russia’s ministry of defence did not immediately reply to a request for comment, and Reuters said it was unable to independently confirm the situation on the ground.

A Russian brigade is typically formed of several thousand troops. The eastern Ukrainian city has been the primary target of Moscow’s huge winter offensive and scene of the bloodiest ground combat in Europe since the second world war.

Russian mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin, who has repeatedly accused Moscow’s regular armed forces of failing to adequately support his private army leading the fight in Bakhmut, said on Tuesday that the Russian brigade had abandoned its positions.

“Our army is fleeing. The 72nd Brigade pissed away three square km this morning, where I had lost around 500 men,” Prigozhin said.

In a statement overnight, Ukraine’s Third Separate Assault Brigade said: “It’s official. Prigozhin’s report about the flight of Russia’s 72nd Independent Motorized Rifle Brigade from near Bakhmut and the ‘500 corpses’ of Russians left behind is true.”

“The Third Assault Brigade is grateful for the publicity about our success at the front.”

Early on Wednesday the Ukrainian unit, which was formed last year from the nationalist Azov battalion, reposted a video of one of Azov’s founders, Andriy Biletsky, who said his forces had “defeated” the Russian brigade.

“In fact, the 6th and 7th squadrons of this brigade were almost entirely destroyed, brigade intelligence was destroyed, a large number of fighting vehicles were destroyed a considerable number of prisoners were taken,” he said.

[Steve5380]

4 hours ago, 7heaven said:

You are taking a populist and somewhat simplistic mic view on this conflict. I think you meant there is no parity or proportionality in military strength between Russia and Ukraine. Nobody is saying Ukraine is the aggressor. 

 

 

No, I didn't mean the parity in military strength.  If this would not exist, how could the war have lasted so long already? Russia has much more strength in its nuclear weapons and its ballistic missiles,  but Ukraine has much more strength in its fighters.   Since nuclear weapons have not come in,  Ukraine seems to have superiority in its fighters trained to operate the weapons provided by NATO countries and becoming more expert in shooting the Russian missiles down.   Abominable Putin did such a screwup...!!!    NO WONDER TRUMP LIKES PUTIN SO MUCH!  

[D.0284]

17 hours ago, 7heaven said:

Yes, something has to give. If either Ukraine or Russia backs down, it will be very shameful for that party who blinks first. 
 

The downside for main foreign supporter of Ukraine are the American taxpayers who are made to fund the war with their taxpayers monies by the Biden administration, with no end in sight how much more they will be asked to pay. Not sure how many billions other European taxpayers have paid to fund this war but American taxpayers are for sure the highest contributors. 

the invading party must fail.

[7heaven]

8 hours ago, Steve5380 said:

 

No, I didn't mean the parity in military strength.  If this would not exist, how could the war have lasted so long already? Russia has much more strength in its nuclear weapons and its ballistic missiles,  but Ukraine has much more strength in its fighters.   Since nuclear weapons have not come in,  Ukraine seems to have superiority in its fighters trained to operate the weapons provided by NATO countries and becoming more expert in shooting the Russian missiles down.   Abominable Putin did such a screwup...!!!    NO WONDER TRUMP LIKES PUTIN SO MUCH!  

The war lasted so long because Biden has been funding Ukraine using US taxpayer monies in aid and weapons. Some Europe countries helped Ukraine too. 

 

Putin had Biden‘s help in 2021 because Biden waived the sanctions to the Russia-Germany Norm Stream 2 pipeline. Trump was the one who kept insisting on sanctions for this pipeline. But when Biden took over, he waived the sanctions.
 

We wonder who is the real lover of Putin? Looks like Biden in 2021 at least until Putin played Biden out. 
 

—————————————

Nord Stream 2: Biden waives US sanctions on Russian pipeline
19 May 2021

 

The Biden administration has waived sanctions on a company building a controversial gas pipeline between Russia and Germany.

 

The US also lifted sanctions on the executive - an ally of Russia's Vladimir Putin - who leads the firm behind the Nord Stream 2 project. 
 

The move came in a report on Russian sanctions delivered to Congress by the Department of State.

 

Critics say the pipeline is a major geopolitical prize for the Kremlin.

 

….

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57180674.amp

[singalion]

BW Readers: Please ignore the above.

 

The post is also not relevant to the Russia - Ukraine war and an internal policy issue of the US.

 

The facts are not accurate and distort the true background why certain sanctions were lifted in August 2021.

 

The background of the waiver was this:

 

The Biden administration admits, however, that the US sanctions are currently unlikely to succeed, as the project is almost complete and his government wants to improve relations with Germany.

 

As explained in the US thread the Biden administration, in fact strengthened the sanctions regarding Nord Stream 2 in November 2021.

 

U.S. imposed further sanctions in connection with Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline:

 

Substantiation:

U.S. imposes further sanctions in connection with Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline

November 23, 2021

 

Nov 22 (Reuters) - The United States on Monday imposed further sanctions in connection with the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

 

 

 

The facts as usual presented by that above poster completely lack accuracy. The post can be ignored.

 

The current aim of that posters seems to hijack this thread with nonsensical inputs.

 

Edited May 11, 2023 by singalion

[singalion]

It took the Republican Senate majority and the Trump administration nearly 3 years in their term to impose stricter sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project.

 

Most economists during that time already concluded that the step was much too late to stop Nord Stream 2.

 

It was also pointed out by most economists that Trump in fact only tried to force European companies to buy LNG gas from the US instead of Russia

 

 

Also note that Nord Stream 2 pipeline never went into operation. From that point the argument that "Putin had the help of Biden " for the invasion of Ukraine is nonsensical and once again absurd (if not totally insane).

Just to wonder how any non operating gas pipeline could have channeled any assistance to Putin.

Somebody must be mental deranged to have such a line of thought (unless it was merely meant to mislead and conceal facts).

 

 

Here is the evidence that the sanctions against the project came much too late:

 

US greenlights sanctions on mega Russia-EU gas pipeline, but it’s probably too late

Published Wed, Dec 18 2019

 

• The U.S. Senate has approved a defense bill that will see sanctions imposed on companies working on Russia’s massive flagship gas pipeline project to Germany.
• The sanctions might not have much effect given that the Nord Stream 2 pipeline is almost complete.

The U.S. Senate has approved a defense bill that will see sanctions imposed on companies working on Russia’s massive

flagship gas pipeline project to Germany — but the sanctions might not have much effect given that the Nord Stream 2 pipeline is almost complete.

 

At the end of October, Nord Stream 2 said the pipeline was 87% complete, or 2,100 kilometers long (the total of both Nord Stream 2 and its parallel predecessor pipeline, Nord Stream), so it’s estimated that the pipeline is currently 90% complete.

 

Controversial pipelines

The NS2 pipeline is particularly controversial for the U.S. which see it as a way for Russia to increase its energy dominance in Europe, a region the U.S. wants to increase its own liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports to.

 

The Trump administration also had its economic interests in mind when imposing sanctions – by reducing access to Russian gas, it hoped to increase its own exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the European continent.

 

=>

As usual, don't get duped by such absurdities posted to this thread....

 

 

 

 

Edited May 11, 2023 by singalion

[7heaven]

Readers: Please ignore the above posts. 
 

The truth is Biden in his rush to improve relations with Germany was to drop his eye on the ball which is to compromise by waiving sanctions on the Nord Stream 2. 
 

Biden administration gross lack of strategic acumen in waiving the sanctions for Nord Stream 2 pipeline was a gift to Putin. Even Biden’s own Democrats have long opposed the Nord Stream 2 project as it could cause US significant foreign-policy problems in the future.
 

And the chief problem is it could liberate Russia to invade Ukraine. Wise strategist would have known that but Biden still went ahead to waive the sanctions. And as we know now, Russia promptly invaded Ukraine after that thanks to Biden’s gift. Saying that this was major embarrassment for Biden is a major understatement. 
 

————————

Trump was slammed for cozying up to Putin, but Biden handed him a greater gift by waiving sanctions on a gas pipeline that could destabilize Europe
 

One year ago, the US was trying hard to kill an $11 billion project to build a gas pipeline that would run from Russia to Germany, even though it was almost complete.

 

The Trump administration had loudly opposed Nord Stream 2, fearing it would give Russia greater economic and political leverage over Europe. It imposed sanctionson the project in December 2019 and, a year later, Congress approved another series of harsh sanctions on the company building the pipeline and on Matthias Warnig, its CEO and an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

 

President Joe Biden seemed just as keen to stop the project when he inherited those sanctions in January. Secretary of State Antony Blinken promised in March to keep looking for ways to stop it.

 

A few months later, Biden dismayed Nord Stream 2's numerous opponents when he waived the harshest sanctions and introduced some watered-down measures in their place. In July, the US reached a compromise deal with Germany, meaning the project could go ahead without the imposition of further sanctions.

…

Biden's gift to Putin

Biden in May offered two principal reasons for waiving the sanctions: German Chancellor Angela Merkel was Nord Stream 2's loudest champion and he wanted to repair the US's relationship with Europe after four years of Trump, and the pipeline was pretty much built anyway.

 

"It's almost completely finished," he told reporters. "To go ahead and impose sanctions now, I think is counter-productive in terms of our European relations."

 

But plenty of Nord Stream 2's opponents, both in Washington and in Europe, fervently disagreed with Biden's suggestion that he couldn't have stopped the pipeline, saying he handed Putin a massive gift by standing aside.

 

"It is not rocket science that a 90 percent complete pipeline is zero percent complete," Sen. Ted Cruz, who led the bipartisan effort to introduce the Nord Stream 2 sanctions last year, said in September, adding that pipeline construction stopped for nearly a year following the 2019 US sanctions.
 

…

The question that arises from Biden's decision to waive sanctions on Nord Stream 2 is whether allowing Putin to exert greater influence over Europe will prove a wise move.

 

Soaring gas prices this year have already highlighted Europe's dependence on Russia for natural-gas supplies — something Nord Stream 2 operations would likely exacerbate. Russia has previously cut off gas supplies to countries like Ukraine amid disputes.

 

Another problem for Biden is that the compromise he reached with Germany on Nord Stream 2 was almost entirely on Berlin's terms, framing the project as an economic issue rather than a security issue, Gressel said.

 

Biden's Democratic colleagues have long opposed the project not principally because it hands Russia an economic advantage over its European neighbors but because it could cause the US significant foreign-policy problems in the future.

Chief among those problem are fears that Nord Stream 2 could liberate Russia to invade Ukraine-a US and EU ally- where Putin annexed Crimea in 2014.

 

Russia imports gas through Ukraine, so it wouldn't want to destabilize the country's infrastructure. But Nord Stream 2 runs under the Baltic Sea and bypasses the country, meaning Russia may no longer feel bound by the same caution.

 

"If the Russians do not depend on Ukraine as a transit country, they are free to destabilize it by other means," Gressel said. "All these other means would more or less end up on Washington's desk."

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/nord-stream-2-biden-gift-to-putin-could-destabilize-europe-2021-10?amp

[singalion]

 

But how can something "liberate Russia to invade Ukraine" when the Nord Stream 2 pipeline never materialised???

 

It is a fact that Nord Stream 2 pipeline never pumped any single gas from Russia to Germany, because it was never in operation.

 

BW readers keep cool heads.

 

The claims are totally absurd once again.

 

 

Nord Stream 2 never went into operations. Russia never made any single droplet of Rouble with the pipeline.

 

 

This is mere logic.

 

 

Don't fall for the misrepresentations of a certain deluded member here.

 

 

Fact is that Trump and the Republicans holding the majority in both US Congress ( up to 3 Jan 2019) never placed any sanctions on to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline at all. Why didn't they do anything during those years, if...???

 

It is common knowledge that Trump used the Nord Stream 2 as leverage against his economic interests to sell American LNG to Germany instead. (Just read the previous posts I did to this issue)

 

Nord Stream pipeline or any sanctions on the building of the pipeline had no impact on Putin's decision to invade Ukraine.

 

 

 

Have a look also at the once again re-starting nonsensical insane excessive repetitions that this one member does commit.

 

 

Edited May 11, 2023 by singalion

[singalion]

 

 

 

Russian woman given suspended sentence for ‘insulting’ note on Putin’s parents’ grave

Case comes amid Kremlin’s growing crackdown on dissent over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

 

 

Thu 11 May 2023

 

 

A Russian court has given a two-year suspended sentence to a St Petersburg woman who left a note on the grave of President Vladimir Putin’s parents saying they had “raised a freak and a killer”.

 

The court found Irina Tsybaneva, 60, guilty of desecrating burial places motivated by political hatred. Her lawyer said she didn’t plead guilty because she hadn’t desecrated the grave physically or sought publicity for her action.

 

The note that Tsybaneva placed on the guarded grave on the eve of Putin’s birthday in October read: “Parents of a maniac, take him to your place. He causes so much pain and trouble. The whole world prays for his death. Death to Putin. You raised a freak and a killer.”

 

Since Putin sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022, the government has waged a crackdown on dissent unseen since the Soviet era.

 

Edited May 12, 2023 by singalion

[7heaven]

On 5/11/2023 at 6:47 PM, 7heaven said:

Readers: Please ignore the above posts. 
 

The truth is Biden in his rush to improve relations with Germany was to drop his eye on the ball which is to compromise by waiving sanctions on the Nord Stream 2. 
 

Biden administration gross lack of strategic acumen in waiving the sanctions for Nord Stream 2 pipeline was a gift to Putin. Even Biden’s own Democrats have long opposed the Nord Stream 2 project as it could cause US significant foreign-policy problems in the future.
 

And the chief problem is it could liberate Russia to invade Ukraine. Wise strategist would have known that but Biden still went ahead to waive the sanctions. And as we know now, Russia promptly invaded Ukraine after that thanks to Biden’s gift. Saying that this was major embarrassment for Biden is a major understatement. 
 

————————

Trump was slammed for cozying up to Putin, but Biden handed him a greater gift by waiving sanctions on a gas pipeline that could destabilize Europe
 

One year ago, the US was trying hard to kill an $11 billion project to build a gas pipeline that would run from Russia to Germany, even though it was almost complete.

 

The Trump administration had loudly opposed Nord Stream 2, fearing it would give Russia greater economic and political leverage over Europe. It imposed sanctionson the project in December 2019 and, a year later, Congress approved another series of harsh sanctions on the company building the pipeline and on Matthias Warnig, its CEO and an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

 

President Joe Biden seemed just as keen to stop the project when he inherited those sanctions in January. Secretary of State Antony Blinken promised in March to keep looking for ways to stop it.

 

A few months later, Biden dismayed Nord Stream 2's numerous opponents when he waived the harshest sanctions and introduced some watered-down measures in their place. In July, the US reached a compromise deal with Germany, meaning the project could go ahead without the imposition of further sanctions.

…

Biden's gift to Putin

Biden in May offered two principal reasons for waiving the sanctions: German Chancellor Angela Merkel was Nord Stream 2's loudest champion and he wanted to repair the US's relationship with Europe after four years of Trump, and the pipeline was pretty much built anyway.

 

"It's almost completely finished," he told reporters. "To go ahead and impose sanctions now, I think is counter-productive in terms of our European relations."

 

But plenty of Nord Stream 2's opponents, both in Washington and in Europe, fervently disagreed with Biden's suggestion that he couldn't have stopped the pipeline, saying he handed Putin a massive gift by standing aside.

 

"It is not rocket science that a 90 percent complete pipeline is zero percent complete," Sen. Ted Cruz, who led the bipartisan effort to introduce the Nord Stream 2 sanctions last year, said in September, adding that pipeline construction stopped for nearly a year following the 2019 US sanctions.
 

…

The question that arises from Biden's decision to waive sanctions on Nord Stream 2 is whether allowing Putin to exert greater influence over Europe will prove a wise move.

 

Soaring gas prices this year have already highlighted Europe's dependence on Russia for natural-gas supplies — something Nord Stream 2 operations would likely exacerbate. Russia has previously cut off gas supplies to countries like Ukraine amid disputes.

 

Another problem for Biden is that the compromise he reached with Germany on Nord Stream 2 was almost entirely on Berlin's terms, framing the project as an economic issue rather than a security issue, Gressel said.

 

Biden's Democratic colleagues have long opposed the project not principally because it hands Russia an economic advantage over its European neighbors but because it could cause the US significant foreign-policy problems in the future.

Chief among those problem are fears that Nord Stream 2 could liberate Russia to invade Ukraine-a US and EU ally- where Putin annexed Crimea in 2014.

 

Russia imports gas through Ukraine, so it wouldn't want to destabilize the country's infrastructure. But Nord Stream 2 runs under the Baltic Sea and bypasses the country, meaning Russia may no longer feel bound by the same caution.

 

"If the Russians do not depend on Ukraine as a transit country, they are free to destabilize it by other means," Gressel said. "All these other means would more or less end up on Washington's desk."

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/nord-stream-2-biden-gift-to-putin-could-destabilize-europe-2021-10?amp

In 2021, Biden’s fellow Democrats have long opposed the Nord Stream 2 pipeline because it could cause the US significant foreign-policy problems in the future. Furthermore, any easing of sanctions would give Russia the signal to invade Ukraine.
 

Next, after Russia played Biden out by promptly invading Ukraine after Biden waived sanctions to Nord Stream 2 pipeline in 2022, why then would Biden U-turn and impose sanctions if Russia did not benefit anything from Nord Stream 2? 
 

Fact is Biden and his team were extremely short-sighted and lacked strategic acumen in 2021 by waiving sanctions to Nord Stream 2 pipeline. In short, Biden got it very wrong and now Biden is using hundreds of billions of US taxpayers monies to fund an endless war. The world has become more divided and filled with tensions since Biden took office. 

Edited May 12, 2023 by 7heaven
Kk

[singalion]

 

 

Ukraine claims gains in Bakhmut after Russia denials

 

12 May 2023

 

Ukraine says it has recaptured ground in Bakhmut, a rare advance after months of grinding Russian gains in the eastern city.

Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Malyar said Ukrainian forces advanced two kilometres (1.2 miles) in a week.

The claims signal a momentum shift in Bakhmut - but more widely, there is no clear evidence of the much-anticipated Ukrainian counter-offensive.

Russia has denied reports of Ukrainian gains, after claims from both sides.

"The individual declarations on Telegram about a 'breakthrough' on several points on the frontline do not correspond to reality," Russia's defence ministry said.

"The general situation in the special military operation zone is under control," it added, using Russia's term for the invasion.

 

As the intense, bloody battle has worn on, Bakhmut has become symbolically important - though many experts question its tactical value.

In a post on Telegram, Ms Malyar said Bakhmut has become a target of "almost sacred" importance to Russia.

She accused the Kremlin of simultaneously claiming false victories on one hand, while also spreading lies about being short on weapons and ammunition.

Describing the "real situation" over the past week, Ms Malyar claimed Russia suffered significant troop losses, as Ukraine gained 2km without losing any positions.

On Thursday, Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner mercenary group fighting on the Russian side, accused regular Russian troops of abandoning positions in Bakhmut.

"The situation on the flanks is developing according to the worst predicted scenario," he said.

 

And Russian military bloggers reported Ukrainian advances or troop movements in several areas.

The Institute for the Study of War also said Ukrainian forces had probably made gains of 2km in Bakhmut.

And the US-based think tank said the Russian defence ministry acknowledging "the Ukrainian counterattacks uncharacteristically quickly" - by denying them - indicated "increased panic".

 

 

[D.0284]

the war could be ending.

recently russia fired its most advance nuclear capable missile using a jet. it was successfully blocked. meaning NATO is no longer afraid of a nuclear attack. hence prompted full advancement for the Ukraine army.

this followed by swiss bank forfeiting russian funds for the rebuilding of ukraine. other countries will follow soon. when china and russian trade with rmb. it is predicted, if the war ends with russia having to compensate, russia will default payment to china.

i am not sure if the outlook of china and russia would be good should the above analysis came true.

[7heaven]

Biden and team does not have a clear policy and clear goal on the Ukraine-Russia war and US and Ukraine Zelenskyy are showing cracks in their relationships. 
 

We also know that Biden’s US military have limited long range missiles and when will Biden stop using US taxpayers monies to fund an endless war in a foreign country?
 

——————————
 

‘Little fissures’: The U.S.-Ukraine war unity is slowly cracking apart

A tough week for U.S.-Ukraine news reveals an imperfect harmony.

 

 

The United States and Ukraine have largely been in lockstep since President Joe Biden’s administration pledged support for “as long as it takes” in resisting Moscow’s relentless invasion.

 

But more than a year into the war, there are growing differences behind the scenes between Washington and Kyiv on war aims, and potential flashpoints loom on how, and when, the conflict will end.

 

“The administration doesn’t have a clear policy objective and a clear goal. Is it to drag this thing out, which is precisely what Vladimir Putin wants?” said Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “Is it to just give them enough to survive and not to win? I don’t see a policy for victory right now, and if we don’t have that, then what are we doing?”

 

Publicly, there has been little separation between Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, an alliance on full display last month when the American president made his covert, dramatic visit to Kyiv. But based on conversations with 10 officials, lawmakers and experts, new points of tension are emerging: The sabotage of a natural gas pipeline on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean; the brutal, draining defense of a strategically unimportant Ukrainian city; and a plan to fight for a region where Russian forces have been entrenched for nearly a decade.

 

Senior administration officials maintain that unity between Washington and Kyiv is tight. But the fractures that have appeared are making it harder to credibly claim there’s little daylight between the U.S. and Ukraine as sunbeams streak through the cracks.

 

For nine months, Russia has laid siege to Bakhmut, though capturing the southeastern Ukrainian city would do little to alter the trajectory of the war. It has become the focal point of the fight in recent weeks, with troops and prisoners from the mercenary Wagner Group leading the combat against Ukrainian forces. Both sides have suffered heavy losses and reduced the city to smoldering ruins.

 

Ukraine has dug in, refusing to abandon the ruined city even at tremendous cost.

 

“Each day of the city’s defense allows us to gain time to prepare reserves and prepare for future offensive operations,” said Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of Ukraine’s ground forces. “At the same time, in the battles for this fortress, the enemy loses the most prepared and combat-capable part of his army — Wagner’s assault troops.”

 

Multiple administration officials have begun worrying that Ukraine is expending so much manpower and ammunition in Bakhmut that it could sap their ability to mount a major counteroffensive in the spring.

 

“I certainly don’t want to discount the tremendous work that the Ukrainians’ soldiers and leaders have put into defending Bakhmut — but I think it’s more of a symbolic value than it is a strategic and operational value,” said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

 

Kyiv, for now, has ignored Washington’s input.

 

…

There has also been, at times, frustration about Washington’s delivery of weapons to Ukraine. The United States has, by far, sent the most weapons and equipment to the front, but Kyiv has always looked ahead for the next set of supplies. Though most in the administration have been understanding about Kyiv’s desperation to defend itself, there have been grumblings about the constant requests and, at times, Zelenskyy not showing appropriate gratitude, according to two White House officials not authorized to speak publicly about private conversations.
 

“I do think the administration is split, the National Security Council split” on what weapons to send to Ukraine, said McCaul, who’s in constant touch with senior Biden officials. “I talk to a lot of top military brass and they are, in large part, supportive of giving them the ATACMS.”
 

The administration hasn’t provided those long-range missiles because there are few to spare in America’s own arsenal. There’s also fear that Ukraine might strike faraway Russian targets, potentially escalating the war.

A recent report that the Pentagon was blocking the Biden administration from sharing evidence of possible Russian war crimes with the International Criminal Court also put another dent in the unity narrative. White House officials were dismayed when the New York Times story came out, fearful it would damage the moral case the U.S. has made for supporting Ukraine against Russian war crimes and crimes against humanity.

 

…

But the growing disconnects may foreshadow a larger divide over the debate as to how the war will end.

 

Though Biden has pledged steadfast support, and the coffers remain open for now, the U.S. has been clear with Kyiv that it cannot fund Ukraine indefinitely at this level. Though backing Ukraine has largely been a bipartisan effort, a small but growing number of Republicans have begun to voice skepticism about the use of American treasure to support Kyiv without an end in sight to a distant war.

…

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/12/biden-united-states-ukraine-relationship-cracks-00086654

[singalion]

Why is the United Kingdom hosting Eurovision on behalf of Ukraine in 2023?

07 October 2022

 

It's official - the 67th Eurovision Song Contest will be hosted in Liverpool, United Kingdom, on behalf of Ukraine

 

Where would Eurovision 2023 take place?

Traditionally, the winning country hosts the following Contest, but hasn’t always been possible (as was the case for the winning broadcasters in 1956, 1959, 1962, 1971, 1973 and 1979), and there are no hard and fast rules dictating who should host in these circumstances.

Ukrainian broadcaster UA:PBC naturally wanted to host the 67th Eurovision Song Contest but on July 25, after weeks of exploring the feasibility of a Ukrainian Contest, it was announced that regrettably, for safety and security reasons, this was not possible.

 

 

 

 

 

‘I still cry when I hear Ein Bisschen Frieden today’: readers’ favourite Eurovision songs

They may not have earned maximum points on the night but these varied – sometimes downright weird – Eurovision bangers all won a place in our readers’ hearts

 

 

Fri 12 May 2023

 

 

Nicole – Ein Bisschen Frieden (1982) ("a lil' bit of peace)

There are so many Eurovision songs like this one that remind me of key moments in my life. After each contest, all through the year, I used to rewatch the video recordings my dad made of it. My dad was a massive fan of Eurovision – usually the France and Luxembourg entries. He had always loved the Nicole song and I was surprised to hear it on the 60th anniversary show in 2015. I broke down in tears. It still makes me cry now. He died in 2001 and I didn’t cry a lot back then. I suppose it was 14 years of built-up emotion.

 

A little peace, a little sun
For this earth on which we live
A little peace, a little joy
A little warmth, that's what I wish for
A little peace, a little dreaming
And that people don't cry that often
A little peace, a little love
That I never lose hope again

 

Sing me a little song

That the world lives in peace

Sing a little song with me

That the world lives in peace

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 13, 2023 by singalion

[singalion]

 

 

Russian troops fall back to ‘defensive positions’ near Bakhmut

Moscow statement is first admission that Ukraine is successfully recapturing ground around eastern city

 

Fri 12 May 2023

 

 

Russia’s defence ministry has said some of its troops have fallen back “to more advantageous defensive positions” near a reservoir north-west of the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine.

 

The statement on Friday was the first admission by Moscow that Ukraine was successfully recapturing ground around Bakhmut, a largely destroyed city with a pre-war population of about 70,000 that Russia has been trying to conquer for more than 10 months.

 

 

The Russian defence statement came hours after Kyiv said that its forces had advanced by about 2km (1.2 miles) around Bakhmut this week.

 

Hanna Maliar, Ukraine’s deputy defence minister, said on Friday: “The enemy suffered great losses of manpower. Our defenders advanced 2km in the Bakhmut sector. We did not lose a single position in Bakhmut this week.”

 

Meanwhile, Russia’s foreign ministry condemned the UK for supplying Ukraine with the long-range Storm Shadow cruise missiles that Kyiv wants to boost its chances in a counteroffensive – the first western country to do so.

 

Echoing comments from the Kremlin on Thursday, the foreign ministry said it considered “London’s decision to transfer Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine a hostile act leading to a serious escalation”. Moscow has said the UK’s move will require an “adequate response” from Russia.

 

Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who earlier this week said his forces needed more time before launching a major counteroffensive, also said Kyiv’s forces had pushed back Russian positions “on several directions”, without specifying where.

 

“Ukraine is much stronger now than last year or in any other year of this war for freedom and independence of our country,” the Ukrainian president said in a separate post on Twitter.

 

Zelenskiy said that he held a phone call with Rishi Sunak in which he thanked the UK for delivering the Storm Shadow missiles and “other irreplaceable military assistance”.

 

“We discussed further defence cooperation,” Zelenskiy added in a tweet.

 

The Russian defence ministry said it had repelled a surge of attempted Ukrainian attacks against its positions in eastern Ukraine. It said the attacks had taken place in the direction of Soledar, a town Moscow captured at the beginning of the year.

 

In a video message on Friday, Yevgeny Prigozhin, whose Wagner group has spearheaded the months-long assault on Bakhmut, strongly criticised the military leadership for “abandoning” its positions near the city.

 

“There was no tactical retreat … What happened was the outright flight of units of the ministry of defence from the flanks,” Prigozhin said, in a characteristic video outburst directed at the country’s defence minister, Sergei Shoigu.

 

“Stop lying … our flanks are falling apart … this is all leading to a massive tragedy for Russia,” Prigozhin said.

 

He said Ukraine had retaken strategic highlands, potentially putting the Wagner group at risk of encirclement.

 

Ukrainian intelligence said on Friday that Prigozhin’s public bickering with the army leadership confirmed “their fear of responsibility for the inevitable geopolitical defeat of Moscow”.

 

 

 

There has been intense speculation that Kyiv is about to launch a significant counteroffensive. Several Russian military bloggers claimed on Thursday that Ukraine had launched its much-anticipated offensive, breaking through parts of the frontline. But Ukrainian officials on Friday played down these reports.

 

“This situation has actually been going on in the east for several months,” Maliar said. “That’s it. Nothing more is happening.”

 

Military analysts have suggested that Ukraine’s localised offensive in Bakhmut appear to indicate it is trying to pin down Russian forces in the city.

 

“Ukraine seems to be attacking with forces that are unlikely to be related to the main effort,” said Michael Kofman, the director of the Russia studies programme at the CNA thinktank. “Hence hoping to fix Russian units at Bakhmut and roll back gains over the past few months, while setting the conditions for a major offensive that probably will take place elsewhere.”

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/12/russian-troops-defensive-positions-near-bakhmut-moscow-statement-ukraine

 

 

Edited May 13, 2023 by singalion

[7heaven]

How Biden's shock-and-awe tactic is failing to stop Russia
 

National security adviser Jake Sullivan's West Wing office was crammed with sleep-deprived staffers on the morning of Feb. 26, 2022. Clad in jeans and button-down shirts, clutching coffees or cold pizza, they were waiting for President Joe Biden to join on a secure line. Russia had invaded Ukraine two days earlier. The burning question of the day: How to stop a war.

 

The U.S. had been warning of a looming invasion for weeks. Sullivan's team had a plan, one they'd kept closely held out of fear it would be discovered by Russian intelligence. It involved freezing some $300 billion of Russian central bank assets held abroad. That would generate enough shock and awe, the authors figured, to bring President Vladimir Putin's war to a halt - or at the very least, severely hamper his ability to fight it.

 

The measure, seen at the time as the economic equivalent of a nuclear weapon, was announced at 5 p.m. in Washington that Saturday. In the days that followed, as Russia's currency tanked, prices soared, and people lined up at banks to pull out whatever cash they could, some Biden aides briefly worried that they'd gone too far. They didn't want to completely crater the Russian economy, out of fear the damage would spread to Europe and beyond.

 

With a year's hindsight, it's clear that the economic punishment imposed on Russia by the U.S. and allies didn't overshoot in that way. Sanctions have inflicted damage, but they haven't induced Putin to stop the war - raising wider questions about a tool that's become increasingly central to U.S. foreign policy.

 

"If the sanctioning coalition was much stronger than expected, then so was the target," says Nicholas Mulder, a Cornell professor who's written a book about sanctions as a weapon of statecraft.

Russia's economy shrank by far less than the double-digit slump once predicted and is forecast to return to growth this year. If Russia has lost important markets for its exports, and suppliers of key goods, it's also found new ones. Sanctions advocates have now scaled back their ambitions, Mulder reckons. "They've given up the expectation that this will change Russian decision-making," he says. "Instead they see it as an economic war of attrition."

…

The question is how the time scale for this economic attrition matches up with developments in the actual war, where Russian forces have been advancing - albeit slowly - in eastern Ukraine.

 

"News of the death of the Russian economy is still exaggerated," says Elina Ribakova, deputy chief economist at the Institute of International Finance. "At this pace, we're not going to get there fast enough."

 

Long-run sanctions regimes of the past, imposed on countries like Cuba or Venezuela, have made adversaries weaker but haven't always induced them to change policies. That's even harder in the case of a large economy like Russia with capable technocrats, powerful friends and lots of products that the world wants.

…

https://www.stripes.com/theaters/europe/2023-02-24/biden-economic-shock-awe-tactic-failure-russia-9241949.html

[singalion]

 

Ukrainian forces have regained at least a kilometre of territory in Bakhmut amid a Russian withdrawal that reflects Moscow’s “severe shortage of credible combat units”, the UK Ministry of Defence has said in an intelligence briefing. It said elements of a Russian brigade withdrew “in bad order” from their positions on the southern flank of the eastern Ukrainian city, the scene of the war’s longest battle.

 

[singalion]

Mon 15 May 2023

 

Russia has said two of its military commanders were killed in eastern Ukraine, as Kyiv’s forces renewed efforts to break through Russian defences in the embattled city of Bakhmut. The Russian defence ministry said on Sunday that commander Vyacheslav Makarov of the 4th motorised rifle brigade and deputy commander Yevgeny Brovko from a separate unit were killed trying to repel Ukrainian attacks.

 

Russian forces are much diminished since the start of the war, the UK Ministry of Defence has said, with troops consisting of mostly poorly trained mobilised reservists and increasingly reliant on antiquated equipment. Many of its units were severely under strength, it said.

 

 

 

[Guest Evil exists]

On 5/10/2023 at 11:50 PM, 7heaven said:

You are taking a populist and somewhat simplistic mic view on this conflict. I think you meant there is no parity or proportionality in military strength between Russia and Ukraine. Nobody is saying Ukraine is the aggressor. 
 

There will be more VICTIMS if US taxpayers continue to be made to fund this endless war by Biden and likewise for other European taxpayers by their respective leaders. These VICTIMS are the taxpayers obviously. 
 

If your neighbour’s 1000 acres plantation gets repeatedly burnt down by arsonists, will you keep paying your neighbour to replace the plantation? 

Yes,( other than common humanity,) otherwise these arsonists will be coming for my plantation.

 

You are the typical right wing evangelists who are selfish and only think of advancing your religious agenda, at all costs even to the extent of supporting evil.

 

You'll love to have the dictatorial powers of Putin to force everybody to obey your religion so that you can claim glory in your 7heaven like those doomsday cult.

 

Damned if people have to die for it.

You are living proof that evil exists in this world.

 

[7heaven]

1 minute ago, Guest Evil exists said:

Yes,( other than common humanity,) otherwise these arsonists will be coming for my plantation.

 

You are the typical right wing evangelists who are selfish and only think of advancing your religious agenda, at all costs even to the extent of supporting evil.

 

You'll love to have the dictatorial powers of Putin to force everybody to obey your religion so that you can claim glory in your 7heaven like those doomsday cult.

 

Damned if people have to die for it.

You are living proof that evil exists in this world.

 

You just recklessly attribute things to others when they did not remotely say those stuff. I did not even mention anything about religion and don’t distract from Biden‘s failure to manage the war in Ukraine. 
 

What I love is for Biden to come up with proper plans to end the Ukraine war instead of continuing to spend US taxpayers monies in the endless war. 

[singalion]

 

I guess someone not very intellectual or sufficiently intelligent didn't understand the meaning of "religion" or "religious belief"  in the context of that one post.

 

You can also ask another question:

 

How long did the US finance the war in Afghanistan for the benefit of the world (inclusive of Singapore) and spend huge amounts of tax payer monies in that fight against terrorism???

 

 

Human and Budgetary Costs to Date of the U.S. War in Afghanistan, 2001-2022. Since invading Afghanistan in 2001, the United States has spent $2.313 trillion on the war.

 

Did any reasonable people come up in the first 5 years of the war in Afghanistan to ask and question "How much monies the US taxpayers spend..."

 

Anyhow BW readers can identify this member's only aim to blame something on Biden and torpedo most political threads here with silly anti-Biden propaganda and doing nothing other than posting unsubstantiated slogans....

 

It is good that more and more people here come upfront to call out this behaviour.

 

 

 

 

 

[7heaven]

I guess someone is not very bright to not be able to understand what it means by attributing something to others when others did not even remotely said so. 
 

What is even more difficult I guess for that someone to comprehend is the ulterior motive behind that false attribution. 
 

Does anything as taxpayers not want to know when their leaders will stop spending unnecessary taxpayer monies in another foreign land. In this context, Biden has already spent hundred of billions of US taxpayer monies in Ukraine but he has no proper strategy to end the war. 

[singalion]

 

The question is already permitted to ask whether US taxpayers spend money in another foreign land.

 

The monies are protecting the freedom in Europe as well as the protection for certain dictators to invade other countries in Europe that could endanger the US in the long term.

 

 

From that point of view, the monies are most probably well spent to protect US citizens from bigger issues that would require even a heavier load of taxpayer monies....

 

 

 

But I am very sure that on the level of intelligence day by day presented by this certain member he wouldn't be able to recognise this...

 

 

[7heaven]

The question that is asked of Biden is whether he has any strategic plans to end the Ukraine-Russia war? And if so, when will it be? So far, Biden has just been asking US taxpayers to use their taxpayer monies to fund the endless Ukraine war. 
 

But I am sure Biden or his team does not have any thoughtful plans to end this war, if not he would have ended it already. Deluded supporters of him would not be able to recognise that and that is plain tragic…

[Guest LOL]

On 5/11/2023 at 12:54 PM, 7heaven said:

The war lasted so long because Biden has been funding Ukraine using US taxpayer monies in aid and weapons. Some Europe countries helped Ukraine too. 

 

Putin had Biden‘s help in 2021 because Biden waived the sanctions to the Russia-Germany Norm Stream 2 pipeline. Trump was the one who kept insisting on sanctions for this pipeline. But when Biden took over, he waived the sanctions.
 

We wonder who is the real lover of Putin? Looks like Biden in 2021 at least until Putin played Biden out. 
 

 

—————————————

Nord Stream 2: Biden waives US sanctions on Russian pipeline
19 May 2021

 

The Biden administration has waived sanctions on a company building a controversial gas pipeline between Russia and Germany.

 

The US also lifted sanctions on the executive - an ally of Russia's Vladimir Putin - who leads the firm behind the Nord Stream 2 project. 
 

The move came in a report on Russian sanctions delivered to Congress by the Department of State.

 

Critics say the pipeline is a major geopolitical prize for the Kremlin.

 

….

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57180674.amp

 

On 5/11/2023 at 6:47 PM, 7heaven said:

Readers: Please ignore the above posts. 
 

The truth is Biden in his rush to improve relations with Germany was to drop his eye on the ball which is to compromise by waiving sanctions on the Nord Stream 2. 
 

Biden administration gross lack of strategic acumen in waiving the sanctions for Nord Stream 2 pipeline was a gift to Putin. Even Biden’s own Democrats have long opposed the Nord Stream 2 project as it could cause US significant foreign-policy problems in the future.
 

And the chief problem is it could liberate Russia to invade Ukraine. Wise strategist would have known that but Biden still went ahead to waive the sanctions. And as we know now, Russia promptly invaded Ukraine after that thanks to Biden’s gift. Saying that this was major embarrassment for Biden is a major understatement. 
 

————————

Trump was slammed for cozying up to Putin, but Biden handed him a greater gift by waiving sanctions on a gas pipeline that could destabilize Europe
 

One year ago, the US was trying hard to kill an $11 billion project to build a gas pipeline that would run from Russia to Germany, even though it was almost complete.

 

The Trump administration had loudly opposed Nord Stream 2, fearing it would give Russia greater economic and political leverage over Europe. It imposed sanctionson the project in December 2019 and, a year later, Congress approved another series of harsh sanctions on the company building the pipeline and on Matthias Warnig, its CEO and an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

 

President Joe Biden seemed just as keen to stop the project when he inherited those sanctions in January. Secretary of State Antony Blinken promised in March to keep looking for ways to stop it.

 

A few months later, Biden dismayed Nord Stream 2's numerous opponents when he waived the harshest sanctions and introduced some watered-down measures in their place. In July, the US reached a compromise deal with Germany, meaning the project could go ahead without the imposition of further sanctions.

…

Biden's gift to Putin

Biden in May offered two principal reasons for waiving the sanctions: German Chancellor Angela Merkel was Nord Stream 2's loudest champion and he wanted to repair the US's relationship with Europe after four years of Trump, and the pipeline was pretty much built anyway.

 

"It's almost completely finished," he told reporters. "To go ahead and impose sanctions now, I think is counter-productive in terms of our European relations."

 

But plenty of Nord Stream 2's opponents, both in Washington and in Europe, fervently disagreed with Biden's suggestion that he couldn't have stopped the pipeline, saying he handed Putin a massive gift by standing aside.

 

"It is not rocket science that a 90 percent complete pipeline is zero percent complete," Sen. Ted Cruz, who led the bipartisan effort to introduce the Nord Stream 2 sanctions last year, said in September, adding that pipeline construction stopped for nearly a year following the 2019 US sanctions.
 

…

The question that arises from Biden's decision to waive sanctions on Nord Stream 2 is whether allowing Putin to exert greater influence over Europe will prove a wise move.

 

Soaring gas prices this year have already highlighted Europe's dependence on Russia for natural-gas supplies — something Nord Stream 2 operations would likely exacerbate. Russia has previously cut off gas supplies to countries like Ukraine amid disputes.

 

Another problem for Biden is that the compromise he reached with Germany on Nord Stream 2 was almost entirely on Berlin's terms, framing the project as an economic issue rather than a security issue, Gressel said.

 

Biden's Democratic colleagues have long opposed the project not principally because it hands Russia an economic advantage over its European neighbors but because it could cause the US significant foreign-policy problems in the future.

Chief among those problem are fears that Nord Stream 2 could liberate Russia to invade Ukraine-a US and EU ally- where Putin annexed Crimea in 2014.

 

Russia imports gas through Ukraine, so it wouldn't want to destabilize the country's infrastructure. But Nord Stream 2 runs under the Baltic Sea and bypasses the country, meaning Russia may no longer feel bound by the same caution.

 

"If the Russians do not depend on Ukraine as a transit country, they are free to destabilize it by other means," Gressel said. "All these other means would more or less end up on Washington's desk."

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/nord-stream-2-biden-gift-to-putin-could-destabilize-europe-2021-10?amp

 

On 5/12/2023 at 6:53 PM, 7heaven said:

In 2021, Biden’s fellow Democrats have long opposed the Nord Stream 2 pipeline because it could cause the US significant foreign-policy problems in the future. Furthermore, any easing of sanctions would give Russia the signal to invade Ukraine.
 

Next, after Russia played Biden out by promptly invading Ukraine after Biden waived sanctions to Nord Stream 2 pipeline in 2022, why then would Biden U-turn and impose sanctions if Russia did not benefit anything from Nord Stream 2? 
 

Fact is Biden and his team were extremely short-sighted and lacked strategic acumen in 2021 by waiving sanctions to Nord Stream 2 pipeline. In short, Biden got it very wrong and now Biden is using hundreds of billions of US taxpayers monies to fund an endless war. The world has become more divided and filled with tensions since Biden took office. 

 

3 hours ago, 7heaven said:

I guess someone is not very bright to not be able to understand what it means by attributing something to others when others did not even remotely said so. 
 

What is even more difficult I guess for that someone to comprehend is the ulterior motive behind that false attribution. 
 

Does anything as taxpayers not want to know when their leaders will stop spending unnecessary taxpayer monies in another foreign land. In this context, Biden has already spent hundred of billions of US taxpayer monies in Ukraine but he has no proper strategy to end the war. 

 

2 hours ago, 7heaven said:

The question that is asked of Biden is whether he has any strategic plans to end the Ukraine-Russia war? And if so, when will it be? So far, Biden has just been asking US taxpayers to use their taxpayer monies to fund the endless Ukraine war. 
 

But I am sure Biden or his team does not have any thoughtful plans to end this war, if not he would have ended it already. Deluded supporters of him would not be able to recognise that and that is plain tragic…

what does any of the above have to do with this topic? You already have the US politics thread where you post as yourself and as a guest @7heaven and are currently losing many points, so why post here when the title of this thread is Ukraine invasion by Russia Discussion and its impact on Singapore and Asia? (compiled)

 

 

 

 

[7heaven]

1 hour ago, Guest LOL said:

 

 

 

 

what does any of the above have to do with this topic? You already have the US politics thread where you post as yourself and as a guest @7heaven and are currently losing many points, so why post here when the title of this thread is Ukraine invasion by Russia Discussion and its impact on Singapore and Asia? (compiled)

 

 

 

 

It is significant. Biden’s lack of any strategic plans to end the Ukraine-Russia war will cause the rest of the world to constantly be worried about when things will turn for the worse. Next, Biden only plan seems to be continuing to ask US taxpayers for monies to fund the war, and Biden and his Democrats refuse to cut spending. With fast approaching debt ceiling not raised, US may default and this will cause global repercussions. Singapore is part of the global economy and will definitely be affected. 

[Guest LOL]

8 hours ago, 7heaven said:

It is significant. Biden’s lack of any strategic plans to end the Ukraine-Russia war will cause the rest of the world to constantly be worried about when things will turn for the worse. Next, Biden only plan seems to be continuing to ask US taxpayers for monies to fund the war, and Biden and his Democrats refuse to cut spending. With fast approaching debt ceiling not raised, US may default and this will cause global repercussions. Singapore is part of the global economy and will definitely be affected. 

oh dear, bug don’t doesn’t make that word salad any better or your posts more relevant to the topic.

 

minus more points now…. Getting worse and worse 

[7heaven]

59 minutes ago, Guest LOL said:

oh dear, bug don’t doesn’t make that word salad any better or your posts more relevant to the topic.

 

minus more points now…. Getting worse and worse 

oh dear, Biden doesn’t have any clue to resolve the Ukraine-Russian war beyond repeatedly asking for more US taxpayers monies. 
 

The US debt ceiling is getting worse and worse under Biden now… and Ukraine is still getting attacked despite the hundreds of billions of dollars from US taxpayers. This is bad. 

[Guest Guest]

2 hours ago, Guest LOL said:

oh dear, bug don’t doesn’t make that word salad any better or your posts more relevant to the topic.

 

minus more points now…. Getting worse and worse 

 

Did you even read your own words? Talk about "word salad" some more! How many points are you gonna minus from yourself now? Lol! 

[singalion]

2 hours ago, 7heaven said:

oh dear, Biden doesn’t have any clue to resolve the Ukraine-Russian war beyond repeatedly asking for more US taxpayers monies. 
 

The US debt ceiling is getting worse and worse under Biden now… and Ukraine is still getting attacked despite the hundreds of billions of dollars from US taxpayers. This is bad. 

 

 

Means the solution is, to immediately pull out from the Ukraine war to save US taxpayer monies and not to hit the debt ceiling?

 

😂

Edited May 16, 2023 by singalion

[Guest Guest]

2 hours ago, singalion said:

 

 

Means the solution is, to immediately pull out from the Ukraine war to save US taxpayer monies and not to hit the debt ceiling?

 

😂

 

Oh dear... Means the POTUS, who is the single most powerful person in the entire USA, has no clue how to end the Ukraine war to save US taxpayer monies, and how not to hit the debt ceiling at the same time, and he and his cronies have to come looking for solutions here on a gay forum in Singapore? 

 

Oh dear..my... my... my... Wow... Just wow...

 

Just how far the (previously) mighty had fallen? 😥

 

[7heaven]

2 hours ago, singalion said:

 

 

Means the solution is, to immediately pull out from the Ukraine war to save US taxpayer monies and not to hit the debt ceiling?

 

😂

No, means to have Biden investigated on why he waived sanctions of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in May 2021 in the first place which is a huge mistake as it gave Russia the impetus to attack Ukraine. 
 

On debt ceiling, Biden should work with his fellow Democrats to cut spending. 

[singalion]

 

6 hours ago, 7heaven said:

oh dear, Biden doesn’t have any clue to resolve the Ukraine-Russian war beyond repeatedly asking for more US taxpayers monies. The US debt ceiling is getting worse and worse under Biden now… and Ukraine is still getting attacked despite the hundreds of billions of dollars from US taxpayers. This is bad. 

 

4 hours ago, singalion said:

Means the solution is, to immediately pull out from the Ukraine war to save US taxpayer monies and not to hit the debt ceiling?

😂

 

1 hour ago, 7heaven said:

No, means to have Biden investigated on why he waived sanctions of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in May 2021 in the first place which is a huge mistake as it gave Russia the impetus to attack Ukraine. 
On debt ceiling, Biden should work with his fellow Democrats to cut spending. 

 

But what have your last posts to do with the Ukraine war?

This is not anyhow relevant to the Ukraine war, what happens about previous sanctions or no sanctions.

Also the debt ceiling issue of the US is not at all relevant to the Ukraine war.

 

Are you aware of that we have the war here now in Ukraine, where in Feb 2022 Russia's Putin gave the order to invade the independent country and has his soldiers within the Ukraine territory and Ukraine is defending the borders of its country?

 

Are you familiar what the subject of this topic here is?

 

You started complaining about any solutions to end the war and pointed to the US debt ceiling and tax payer monies spend on the war in Ukraine but this has nothing to do with the debt ceiling.

 

Your replies seem quite confusing and out of the topic of this thread.

 

 

Would it be too much for you to post internal US matter within the US thread instead of diverting other threads with posts that have nothing to do with the Ukraine war?

 

 

Edited May 16, 2023 by singalion

[7heaven]

3 hours ago, singalion said:

 

 

 

 

But what have your last posts to do with the Ukraine war?

This is not anyhow relevant to the Ukraine war, what happens about previous sanctions or no sanctions.

Also the debt ceiling issue of the US is not at all relevant to the Ukraine war.

 

Are you aware of that we have the war here now in Ukraine, where in Feb 2022 Russia's Putin gave the order to invade the independent country and has his soldiers within the Ukraine territory and Ukraine is defending the borders of its country?

 

Are you familiar what the subject of this topic here is?

 

You started complaining about any solutions to end the war and pointed to the US debt ceiling and tax payer monies spend on the war in Ukraine but this has nothing to do with the debt ceiling.

 

Your replies seem quite confusing and out of the topic of this thread.

 

 

Would it be too much for you to post internal US matter within the US thread instead of diverting other threads with posts that have nothing to do with the Ukraine war?

 

 

My posts have everything got to do with Ukraine Russia war. Biden had in May 2021 waived the sanctions on Nord Stream 2 pipeline which connects Russia to Germany. Shortly after, Russia invaded Ukraine. Had Biden not waived the sanctions in the first place, Russia would not have attacked. 
 

As for debt ceiling, Biden has already spent hundred of billions of US taxpayers monies which directly or indirectly cause the debts incurred to accelerate faster and reach the ceiling quicker. In other words, had Biden not channel the hundreds of billions of US taxpayers monies to Ukraine, these billions or even half of them would br spent paying bills owed by US government and the debt ceiling would not be reached so soon. It is about opportunity cost. Would it be too much for you to comprehend such easy concepts? 

[Guest LOL]

6 hours ago, Guest Guest said:

 

Oh dear... Means the POTUS, who is the single most powerful person in the entire USA, has no clue how to end the Ukraine war to save US taxpayer monies, and how not to hit the debt ceiling at the same time, and he and his cronies have to come looking for solutions here on a gay forum in Singapore? 

 

Oh dear..my... my... my... Wow... Just wow...

 

Just how far the (previously) mighty had fallen? 😥

 

 

but why post as a guest again @7heaven?
 

LAME

 

more points lost 

[singalion]

2 hours ago, 7heaven said:

My posts have everything got to do with Ukraine Russia war. Biden had in May 2021 waived the sanctions on Nord Stream 2 pipeline which connects Russia to Germany.
 

As for debt ceiling, Biden has already spent hundred of billions of US taxpayers monies which directly or indirectly cause the debts incurred to accelerate faster and reach the ceiling quicker. In other words, had Biden not channel the hundreds of billions of US taxpayers monies to Ukraine, these billions or even half of them would br spent paying bills owed by US government and the debt ceiling would not be reached so soon. It is about opportunity cost. Would it be too much for you to comprehend such easy concepts? 

 

Sorry, your posts refer to internal US policy matters and nothing to do with the Ukraine war itself.

 

The Ukraine war does not refer to US tax payer issues or the debt ceiling.

The debt ceiling in the US has no impact on the Ukraine - Russia war. It is irrelevant to that issue.

 

 

Did anyone here discuss the national public debt issues and taxpayer issues of the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Estonia, Lithuania, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Belgium, Canada, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Romania, Czech Republic, Latvia, Sweden or Finland???

 

I am not the only one here who noted that you diverted the topic of this thread.

 

Please discuss US internal matters in the US thread.

 

This thread here is exclusively to discuss the Ukraine-Russia war.

 

 

 

[7heaven]

3 hours ago, Guest LOL said:

but why post as a guest again @7heaven?
 

LAME

 

more points lost 

Lame, more post-fillers made. Why can’t you accept there are more people than you like who are exposing the failures of US under Biden to stop the Russian-Ukraine war. 

[7heaven]

1 hour ago, singalion said:

 

Sorry, your posts refer to internal US policy matters and nothing to do with the Ukraine war itself.

 

The Ukraine war does not refer to US tax payer issues or the debt ceiling.

The debt ceiling in the US has no impact on the Ukraine - Russia war. It is irrelevant to that issue.

 

 

Did anyone here discuss the national public debt issues and taxpayer issues of the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Estonia, Lithuania, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Belgium, Canada, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Romania, Czech Republic, Latvia, Sweden or Finland???

 

I am not the only one here who noted that you diverted the topic of this thread.

 

Please discuss US internal matters in the US thread.

 

This thread here is exclusively to discuss the Ukraine-Russia war.

 

 

 

You don’t have to apologise for your inability to understand how US debt ceiling is linked to the Ukraine war. Lol. 
 

The US debt ceiling is intertwined with Ukraine war as Biden could have spent the hundreds of billions of dollars to fund the Ukraine war to fund US  infrastructure. If Biden had done so, then US would have more time to reach the existing debt ceiling. This is simple opportunity cost concept. 
 

You can always start new threads about the national debts of the European countries and see who will be interested to discuss with you. Lol. 
 

 

[singalion]

36 minutes ago, 7heaven said:

You don’t have to apologise for your inability to understand how US debt ceiling is linked to the Ukraine war. Lol. 
 

The US debt ceiling is intertwined with Ukraine war as Biden could have spent the hundreds of billions of dollars to fund the Ukraine war to fund US  infrastructure. If Biden had done so, then US would have more time to reach the existing debt ceiling. This is simple opportunity cost concept. 
 

You can always start new threads about the national debts of the European countries and see who will be interested to discuss with you. Lol. 
 

 

 

Your repeated posting of US internal matters is an infringement of this thread here.

 

I have requested you in kind manner to post US internal matters into the US thread instead of torpedoing this thread with US internal matters that are  non Ukraine war matters and out of this topic.

 

I will resort to a different level to get this resolved.

 

 

 

[7heaven]

51 minutes ago, singalion said:

 

Your repeated posting of US internal matters is an infringement of this thread here.

 

I have requested you in kind manner to post US internal matters into the US thread instead of torpedoing this thread with US internal matters that are  non Ukraine war matters and out of this topic.

 

I will resort to a different level to get this resolved.

 

 

 

You are free to have your own opinion that my posts is an infringement of this thread but that does not make it true. It’s just your own opinion. 

Coincidentally, a certain guest LOL also asked the same question as you on the relevance and should be in US thread. I have already explained the relevance and I shall repeat it below.
 

Ironically you are the one torpedoing this thread with your repeated unjustified protests that my posts are non-Ukraine war matters. 

 

Let readers judge for themselves whether my posts are relevant instead of acting like you have the authority who gets to dictate whose posts are relevant or not. 

 

On 5/15/2023 at 10:57 PM, 7heaven said:

It is significant. Biden’s lack of any strategic plans to end the Ukraine-Russia war will cause the rest of the world to constantly be worried about when things will turn for the worse. Next, Biden only plan seems to be continuing to ask US taxpayers for monies to fund the war, and Biden and his Democrats refuse to cut spending. With fast approaching debt ceiling not raised, US may default and this will cause global repercussions. Singapore is part of the global economy and will definitely be affected. 

 

[singalion]

The debt ceiling of the US has totally nothing to do with the Ukraine war. 

 

Everyone is aware about this. 

 

You have been scolded by another person on torpedoing this thread and referring to non relevant matters. 

 

I am calling here other members to speak out against 7heaven's repeated out of topic posting at this thread. 

 

 

Edited May 16, 2023 by singalion

[Guest Steve]

49 minutes ago, singalion said:

The debt ceiling of the US has totally nothing to do with the Ukraine war. 

 

Everyone is aware about this. 

 

You have been scolded by another person on torpedoing this thread and referring to non relevant matters. 

 

I am calling here other members to speak out against 7heaven's repeated out of topic posting at this thread. 

 

 

 

The only explanation I can think of why @7heaven is so obsessed over the money US is giving to Ukraine, is that he is held prisoner in the US and tortured with a high tonnage press that extracts out of his body the dollar bills that go to pay for the weapons given to Ukraine...

[7heaven]

The US debt ceiling has everything got to do with the Ukraine war. If US debt ceiling is breached, Biden can longer afford to send US taxpayers monies to provide aid to Ukraine. 
 

Most are aware of this. It’s not difficult to understand. 
 

It is curious there is suddenly a guest appearing here after Steve got banned last week.  All of us can draw our own conclusions. Lol.