General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIt is a bit funny.
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
(56,955 posts)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
(186,058 posts)He has painted himself into a corner. Sure he can cover it up internally with state media but if he doesnt go (god I hope he doesnt) hes going to look weak.
He moved into Crimea right after the 2014 Sochi games concluded.
brush
(56,955 posts)and now he doesn't know how to get out of this mess he created by mass troops on the Ukraine border.
Irish_Dem
(55,825 posts)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
(82,383 posts)is the bane of humanity.
Irish_Dem
(55,825 posts)EndlessWire
(7,165 posts)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
(28,490 posts)Bev54
(11,789 posts)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
(7,165 posts)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
(52,281 posts)put the world into chaos.
Though I haven't seen any indication that is their goal.
Irish_Dem
(55,825 posts)Scrivener7
(52,281 posts)that says he is planning to cut the cable.
Irish_Dem
(55,825 posts)Serves Putin's purposes.
Scrivener7
(52,281 posts)mean it isn't out there.
Irish_Dem
(55,825 posts)So we know the Russians most likely put the rumor out there.
Scrivener7
(52,281 posts)PoindexterOglethorpe
(26,467 posts)I believe Irish fisherman stood up to the Russian navy and they turned around.
EndlessWire
(7,165 posts)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
(32,853 posts)Malcolm was in Ukraine. He has some extremely enlightening things to say about the whole Ukraine situation.