It is a bit funny.

[EndlessWire]

Just a bit: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/russian-warship-flotilla-spotted-off-norway-probably-bound-for-irish-coast-1.4786382

I say this because the American, French, British, and Norwegian navies are monitoring the Russians, while the Irish Navy is monitoring everybody. Exercises are supposed to start Tuesday.

And, yeah, they are saying that the Russians are parked over transatlantic cables, ready to cut them. They hope to stay beyond Ireland's EEZ while staying near the edge of the continental shelf, where it will be easier to cut them. There are some heavy duty naval stuff up there on both sides. Cutting those cables would probably spark a naval battle. I'm just guessing there.

Russian practice with live fire is supposed to last from something like the 3rd to the 8th, but we are past the 3rd, and they said it would start on Tuesday. So....?

And, let's not forget the air traffic overhead.

So, if Russia cut the cables, doesn't that hurt them, too? How are they going to call up Trump, then?

[brush]

1. The ruskies don't want a war. Their bluff got called, which...

is probably why they haven't started the live fire. Putin thought Biden and NATO would just roll over and let him take Ukraine.

Now they don't know what to do to save face without looking like they're backing down.

[underpants]

2. Putin is waiting for the Olympics to be over

He has painted himself into a corner. Sure he can cover it up internally with state media but if he doesn’t go (god I hope he doesn’t) he’s going to look weak.


He moved into Crimea right after the 2014 Sochi games concluded.

[brush]

3. What does the Olympics have to do with it? His bluff got called...

and now he doesn't know how to get out of this mess he created by mass troops on the Ukraine border.

[Irish_Dem]

8. Ukraine weather conditions indicate he cannot move troops until Feb 15.

That is when the ground freezes hard enough to permit deployment of trucks and tanks.

But he would probably send air power in before that.

Of course we don't know if this is accurate or Putin putting out propaganda about the time line.

[treestar]

19. Men worried about looking weak

is the bane of humanity.

[Irish_Dem]

7. Will NATO have to give Putin a face saving out?

[EndlessWire]

20. We have the example of Crimea

I don't think they are bluffing. But, if Putin changes his mind, all he has to do is conclude his war games and go home. That's it. It's done all over the world. It's not like they don't have a reverse on their tanks. That's not so much face saving as it would be, "See, I told you we weren't going to invade!" Let him do that.

They might have a problem with live fire seeing as how there are so many foreign vessels there watching what they are doing. Maybe they're saving their ammo.

[Emile]

4. Have the Russians threatened cutting transatlantic cables?

[Bev54]

6. They have threatened and actually have done so

I think the most recent was Norway's cable but the west has made clear that it would be an act of war if they do transatlantic cables.

[EndlessWire]

21. I don't know where the cables are

But, you don't have to verbally threaten to be a threat. It's worth thinking about, which is probably the intent of the very specific positioning. They picked that spot for a reason, and probably had a better position until Ireland and the fishery guys complained.

[Scrivener7]

5. We have so many areas of extreme vulnerability. Cutting the cables would

put the world into chaos.

Though I haven't seen any indication that is their goal.

[Irish_Dem]

9. Putin for sure wants Western Democracy chaos.

[Scrivener7]

11. Sorry. I was unclear. Yes, I agree he definitely he wants chaos. But I haven't seen anything

that says he is planning to cut the cable.

[Irish_Dem]

12. Rumors that he might cut it create fear and uncertainty.

Serves Putin's purposes.

[Scrivener7]

13. Have you seen that rumor anywhere but here? Asking seriously. I haven't but that doesn't

mean it isn't out there.

[Irish_Dem]

14. If you goggle it, articles everywhere about the topic.

So we know the Russians most likely put the rumor out there.

[Scrivener7]

15. Thanks. I didn't know.

[Irish_Dem]

16. YW

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

10. The article is from January 26.

I believe Irish fisherman stood up to the Russian navy and they turned around.

[EndlessWire]

18. No, they're there.

When Ireland protested, Russia pulled back out of the EEZ (I think) of Ireland into international waters where they have a legal right to be. Apparently, (I don't know where those cables are) they are said to be hovering over them in a threatening posture.

[GoCubsGo]

17. All y'all might want to check out Bob Cesca's interview with Malcolm Nance from Wednesday.

https://www.bobcesca.com/the-bob-cesca-interview-malcolm-nance-live-from-ukraine-2-2-22/

Malcolm was in Ukraine. He has some extremely enlightening things to say about the whole Ukraine situation.