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International relations thread

Mr Jinx

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Nord Stream pipelines have experienced explosions and perhaps damaged beyond repair.

Act of sabotage maybe?
 

Phil Sayers

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Nord Stream pipelines have experienced explosions and perhaps damaged beyond repair.

Act of sabotage maybe?
Little maybe about it IMO - it's almost certainly sabotage as two different pipelines do not near simultaneously have three different large holes appear in them by coincidence leaving big gas bubbles on the surface (the pipelines are not currently pumping but do still contain gas). The culprit is probably the underwater branch of the Russian Navy; unlikely to be the work of the Moskva but could be any of submarine, submersible or just good old fashioned navy divers as the water is shallow enough.

This is actually pretty serious for a number of reasons:

1. It is taking the conflict out of Ukraine / the Russian border region and into using kinetic force in a new Baltic Sea theatre.
2. It is directed against the West rather than against Ukraine.
3. It is a clear threat to do similar in the future with far more serious consequences - whether disruption of gas supplies or attacking underwater fibre-optic cables.

 

Phil Sayers

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Clearly, the Russians need to look closely at Kherson as something must have gone wrong with the local campaign there so as to explain the disappointing result:


Kim Jong Un can rest easy - this is no match for his 2014 triumph when he secured 100% of the vote on an impressive 99.9% turnout. Assad on the other hand is feeling a bit glum because he could only secure 95.19% of the Syrian vote last year; although he did manage the impressive feat of having far more people vote for him than actually lives in areas under his control.
 
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Mr Jinx

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Little maybe about it IMO - it's almost certainly sabotage as two different pipelines do not near simultaneously have three different large holes appear in them by coincidence leaving big gas bubbles on the surface (the pipelines are not currently pumping but do still contain gas). The culprit is probably the underwater branch of the Russian Navy; unlikely to be the work of the Moskva but could be any of submarine, submersible or just good old fashioned navy divers as the water is shallow enough.

This is actually pretty serious for a number of reasons:

1. It is taking the conflict out of Ukraine / the Russian border region and into using kinetic force in a new Baltic Sea theatre.
2. It is directed against the West rather than against Ukraine.
3. It is a clear threat to do similar in the future with far more serious consequences - whether disruption of gas supplies or attacking underwater fibre-optic cables.

Why would Russia sabotage their pipes when they could just turn off the taps?

Could this have been a 3rd Party? USA perhaps, or even China? Someone, somewhere perhaps trying to force a hand to benefit their own interests?
 
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iscalad

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Why would Russia sabotage their pipes when they could just turn off the taps?

Could this have been a 3rd Party? USA perhaps, or even China? Someone, somewhere is trying to force a hand.
Well they could deny all knowledge. Wasn't us guv.
 

Phil Sayers

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Why would Russia sabotage their pipes when they could just turn off the taps?

Could this have been a 3rd Party? USA perhaps, or even China? Someone, somewhere is trying to force a hand.
They have already turned off one of the taps, Nord Stream 1, due to "faults" and no gas has been pumped through it since August. The gas leak now is just what was left in the pipe after pumping stopped. The other tap, Nord Stream 2, was never even turned on because Germany pulled the plug on it.

The purpose here is to illustrate that if they can sabotage these pipelines they could also sabotage ones that actually are used. See for example this diagram which shows something that is causing the Royal Navy real concern with regards how vulnerable we are to underwater acts of sabotage:


The reference to MROSS is to this new project designed to try and tackle the threat:

 

Phil Sayers

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Of all Russia's many, many military failings this is the worst:


The Ukrainian Airforce should have ceased to exist seven hours, at absolute most seven days, into the invasion. Here they are seven months in conducting a successful airstrike on a Russian tank and not even feeling a need to skim treetops to do it.
 

Mr Jinx

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Of all Russia's many, many military failings this is the worst:


The Ukrainian Airforce should have ceased to exist seven hours, at absolute most seven days, into the invasion. Here they are seven months in conducting a successful airstrike on a Russian tank and not even feeling a need to skim treetops to do it.
I know. It's battlefield tactics 101, step 1 - gain air superiority. Why did Russia pile tanks in without having gained that, especially in this day and age of drones. It beggars belief.
 

Spanks

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They have already turned off one of the taps, Nord Stream 1, due to "faults" and no gas has been pumped through it since August. The gas leak now is just what was left in the pipe after pumping stopped. The other tap, Nord Stream 2, was never even turned on because Germany pulled the plug on it.

The purpose here is to illustrate that if they can sabotage these pipelines they could also sabotage ones that actually are used. See for example this diagram which shows something that is causing the Royal Navy real concern with regards how vulnerable we are to underwater acts of sabotage:


The reference to MROSS is to this new project designed to try and tackle the threat:

Please see Exhibit A, M'lud.


FdrO9qQXgAI9mw8.jpeg
 

Mr Jinx

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Please see Exhibit A, M'lud.


View attachment 9263
Let's say it was Russia...

...what next?

North Sea Oil pipes going to Norway & the UK?

Let's play it forward. Let's say Russia blows those up too leaving us, Norway and Europe further screwed, what's would the world reaction be?
 
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