December 9, 2025Dec 9 Wouldn't want to be cleaning up after the pair of Russians that ejected out of their bomber into the roof of the hangar they were parked in.
December 9, 2025Dec 9 2 hours ago, Marc505 said: Wouldn't want to be cleaning up after the pair of Russians that ejected out of their bomber into the roof of the hangar they were parked in. They'll do anything to avoid being shot at! 😀
December 12, 2025Dec 12 Can only see this making peace less likely and possibly leading to escalation. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c98nnd01g91o
December 12, 2025Dec 12 They haven't done it yet! It is very complicated, and even if Belgium gets the agreement of the EU to cover and court eventualities, it still doesn't mean it will happen. Some concerns the French may not "confiscate" their Russian assets neither- some article or other mentioning this the other day. Perversely, what authority does a court in Russia- an aggressor, authoritarian state and terrorist one too- have internationally? Some suggestions that Trump et al are lobbying the EU not to do it- make of that what you will. A final point, if the Russian money was in Ukraine, then their use of the funds becomes justified- lots of complicated details around rules of war trumping international law etc. If it happens, then great, but I won't hold my breath.
December 12, 2025Dec 12 43 minutes ago, Mounts Kipper said: Can only see this making peace less likely and possibly leading to escalation. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c98nnd01g91o I've been puzzling over this one for the past week, what jurisdiction does Queen Ursula and the EU have over Belgian banks? They're talking about a sum one third the total annual Belgian GDP... in future years when everyone are buddies again, a Belgian bank will be the one pursued by the Oligarchs for their money... could lead to a major banking crisis that could also spread across the globe.
December 13, 2025Dec 13 US unexpectedly lifted sanctions on Belarus today, don't thing the EU expected that one.
January 9Jan 9 Been following all this closely. Given the reported figures of Russian deaths, and the rapid increase in Ukrainian drone production, estimates suggest they will increase to over 60,000 per month fairly soon. Absolutely bonkers.
January 9Jan 9 29 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said: Been following all this closely. Given the reported figures of Russian deaths, and the rapid increase in Ukrainian drone production, estimates suggest they will increase to over 60,000 per month fairly soon. Absolutely bonkers. We're supplying certain components to one drone manufacturer (not in Ukraine) who are expecting to ramp to c50K drones per month within a month or two, and that's just one company, they're not even the largest in the market. It's fucking huge business now. Long may it continue 😏 Edited January 9Jan 9 by Sweep
January 9Jan 9 Who controls them? Can on dude fly a whole fleet of them at once? Surely there'll be specialist drone squadrons now?
January 9Jan 9 1 minute ago, gonzo said: Who controls them? Can on dude fly a whole fleet of them at once? Surely there'll be specialist drone squadrons now? One controller can control/fly multiple units. AI is also used a lot, so I'm told. A "swarm" system of up to 8000 units can be controlled by a single command system (I was told this a few weeks ago, as I was expecting a far, far larger order than I actually got)
January 12Jan 12 Every night they hit Russian assets with numerous drones launched. Many companies making them over there, in partnerships. Uk has now agreed to develop a new ballistic missile for Ukraine too. Going to need even more tech.
January 22Jan 22 Aye. Most of those gains were achieved in the first "light" invasion in 2014, then in the first months of the main conflict. Since then they've gone essentially nowhere. I follow it regularly, and their economy is buggered. Oil and products earnings through the floor, military equipment stocks dwindling (drone production is obviously up) etc. The state forces the debt onto the companies, so military manufacturers etc are essentially broke. Manpower shortages, in a nation of low birth rate. The whole thing has gone disastrously.
January 22Jan 22 26 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said: I follow it regularly, and their economy is buggered. Oil and products earnings through the floor, military equipment stocks dwindling (drone production is obviously up) etc. The state forces the debt onto the companies, so military manufacturers etc are essentially broke. Manpower shortages, in a nation of low birth rate. The whole thing has gone disastrously. Talking of which, just had this little update with regards to some of my products.....the highlighted wasn't in there previously, but it seems that's where a lot of their drone manufacturing has moved to XXXXXXXX products cannot be exported to Cuba, Crimea Region of Ukraine, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, or Syria
January 22Jan 22 1 hour ago, gonzo said: Zelensky just nailing Trump here. What a speech. I've seen a synopsis - but it sounded like he was more critical of Europe than of Trump. Is that not how it came across? I'll have to have a listen.....
January 22Jan 22 1 hour ago, gonzo said: Zelensky just nailing Trump here. What a speech. To be fair he nailed all of Europe for being weaker than a wet paper bag. I think he (and Carney who riffed on a similar theme) have a point that even waiting the 1000 or so days until Trump is out of office, everything isnt just going to go back to the post war agreement the west has relied on for the last 80 years - a change has happened and the continent need to acknolwedge this whilst not rattling the sabre but understanding the Nato - backed by the US - might not come running to help if Russia or China begin more expansionist moves.
January 22Jan 22 5 hours ago, Sweep said: Talking of which, just had this little update with regards to some of my products.....the highlighted wasn't in there previously, but it seems that's where a lot of their drone manufacturing has moved to XXXXXXXX products cannot be exported to Cuba, Crimea Region of Ukraine, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, or Syria It will get twatted in good time. Many an anti-aircraft system been taken out, especially in Crimea, paving the way for their new, medium range strike drones, and flamingo cruise missiles. Just need to keep them supplied with adequate surface to air missiles to tackle the ballistic jobs. They had a delivery of some for their patriot systems this week, and had a very good interception rate as a result.
January 22Jan 22 3 minutes ago, kent_white said: I've seen a synopsis - but it sounded like he was more critical of Europe than of Trump. Is that not how it came across? I'll have to have a listen..... He's done that before, especially in the early days. A bit of a gamble, but keeps his allies on their toes, and don't faulter in their support.
January 22Jan 22 And France has just nabbed a Russian shadow fleet tanker in the med, after uk intelligence was shared. VZ will be well chuffed.
January 23Jan 23 In other news though looks like we’ve not been active enough in seizing “shadow fleet” tankers passing through the channel, despite legal authority to do so. Poor. Can understand zelensky’s frustration yesterday that we/others may talk tough but don’t act tough. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2d77rr51rko
January 23Jan 23 1 hour ago, Bertie said: In other news though looks like we’ve not been active enough in seizing “shadow fleet” tankers passing through the channel, despite legal authority to do so. Poor. Can understand zelensky’s frustration yesterday that we/others may talk tough but don’t act tough. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2d77rr51rko It's been going on for years. Spineless. Something has now changed though; Finland, Sweden and Germany have now all intervened in some way or other and sent back or impounded a variety of vessels. Like VZ said, NATO (or the European arm) hasn't been together on it, maybe through fear of repercussions, but the continued hybrid war conducted by Russia with those nations has escalated and has to stop. I reckon we'll see a good number more stopped. This isn’t before time, and undoubtedly was what Trump wanted in his first term- justifiably so- yet perversely, has now bitten the purple handed, orange megalomaniac on his arse.
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