| Finland to make big NATO announcement today 08:06 - May 12 with 2859 views | blueasfook |
If they announce they are going to join, will certainly put a bee in old Vlad's bonnet.
Have another NATO member on your doorstep Vlad 
What a strategic fail his invasion of Ukraine has been. Instead of less NATO, he's going to get more NATO. (Possibly). |  |
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| Finland to make big NATO announcement today on 16:37 - May 12 with 467 views | Kievthegreat |
The Russian navy may roam and play in the baltic, but it's the weakest arm of the Russian armed forces. They have the same problem as the other arms, whereby they have significant numbers, but the vessels themselves are severely out of date.
Plus any operation in the baltic against Nato is near suicidal. Conventional land based aircraft will have free reign to terrorise any ship that leaves port. Once it leaves St Petersburg or Kaliningrad, the ships will never be able to get more than 100 miles from a NATO shore (assuming Sweden also joins). It would be a defacto NATO Mare Nostrum as either the Russians would be beaten sailing out of port, or forced to remain in port. |  | | |
| [Redacted] on 17:44 - May 12 with 406 views | victorywilhappen |
| Finland to make big NATO announcement today on 16:37 - May 12 by Kievthegreat |
The Russian navy may roam and play in the baltic, but it's the weakest arm of the Russian armed forces. They have the same problem as the other arms, whereby they have significant numbers, but the vessels themselves are severely out of date.
Plus any operation in the baltic against Nato is near suicidal. Conventional land based aircraft will have free reign to terrorise any ship that leaves port. Once it leaves St Petersburg or Kaliningrad, the ships will never be able to get more than 100 miles from a NATO shore (assuming Sweden also joins). It would be a defacto NATO Mare Nostrum as either the Russians would be beaten sailing out of port, or forced to remain in port. |
[Redacted] |  | | |
| [Redacted] on 17:50 - May 12 with 393 views | victorywilhappen |
| Finland to make big NATO announcement today on 16:30 - May 12 by Mullet |
I assume they drop flat-pack bombs from flying Volvos and then fly home whilst Russians blow themselves up. |
[Redacted] | | | |
| Finland to make big NATO announcement today on 18:25 - May 12 with 366 views | Ryorry |
| Finland to make big NATO announcement today on 10:54 - May 12 by Churchman |
Yes, as does Sweden. They also minced Russia in the winter war of 1940. Stalin got his 10% of territory off Finland in the end at a cost of 450k soldiers. The Finns were tough and innovative. I doubt they’ve changed. |
This was a fascinating episode of 'Abandoned Engineering", featuring the concrete towers constructed deep in Finnish countryside during WW2 -
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9555932/ |  |
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| Finland to make big NATO announcement today on 18:57 - May 12 with 332 views | Churchman |
| Finland to make big NATO announcement today on 14:11 - May 12 by Guthrum |
It doesn't immediately affect his personal rule/survival, which is the real red line for Vladimir Putin.
He has little to gain and much to lose by widening the war at this stage. Conventionally, Russia is greatly outclassed. A nuclear exchange would mean the destruction of Russia as well as the West. Something he will not be wanting.
He's not really insane, just thinking with a Russian ultra-nationalist viewpoint, very different to ours. The really quite mild Victory Day speech on Monday (more self-justification and whining about being oppressed than substantive action) shows that. I think he took poor advice in launching this war and is now stuck in a tight spot - but in little danger domestically.
Indeed, the hostility from abroad can work to rally support behind him, by making opposition and protest "unpatriotic". |
I think you have the dynamic spot on. The problem he has is with the rallying support bit. You can only do that so many times before you have to drive the cattle forward. He’s played that card already.
For example, Volunteering raised Kitchener’s Army in 1914-16. From 1916, people were conscripted. There’s only so much people, even duped ones like the Russians, will take when enough coffins come home to be buried. |  | | |
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