Ukraine War

Quoted from TownSNAFU5

To try and get round the no fly zone but still provide further military support to Ukraine:

It was reported yesterday and today that the USA are trying to broker a deal whereby Poland lends or gives a number of their old fighter planes to Ukraine.  They are the same type that Ukraine already have so the pilots and ground crew would be familiar with them.

In return, Poland would get new, or nearly new, F16 fighter planes from the Yanks.

They haven’t worked out yet how the planes actually cross over into Ukraine without causing issues.

Everybody would probably gain if it all goes ahead.  Except the Russians.

(The story came from the American Secretary of State and was also reported in The Times today).

Quoted from Humbercod

Absolutely we can’t trust the Russians but as Codcheeky says the first casualty of war is the truth, and yes we know for certain the Russians have invaded. We can all agree that there is absolutely no sensible justification for this invasion and most of the world are outraged.

Nearly 2 weeks of Russian bombing allegedly attacking civilians area and yet thankfully only 360 civilian deaths reported which is obviously 360 to many, but to put in to context the Ukraine army have been indiscriminately attacking eastern Ukraine with a UN reported 2500 civilian deaths, 5,500 injured including 170 children killed or injured through land mines alone, and no outrage or world condemnation that I recall from the media and especially on here.
Even going back to Iraq over 200,000 civilian casualties that’s a hell of a number when you think about it and no threat of WW3.

Quoted from codcheeky

I think all figures on all sides have to be taken with a large pinch of salt.  Rules and common sense go out the window when there are tanks, missiles and jets attacking. Putin has fallen into a trap we in the west so often have of thinking he knows best what citizens of another country should do. It is very messy and years of the Soviet Union mean there are a large number of Russians living in Ukraine , especially the East, also there are large numbers of Ukrainians all over Russia. There is a massive refugee crisis building for Europe ( note those fleeing this war are refugees whilst those fleeing Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq were migrants). The only thing for sure is arms manufacturers will be rubbing their bloody hands

Quoted from jamesgtfc

Donating or lending them some jets or anti-aircraft weapons is significantly stepping up western support. I assume the west would prefer any jets to remain in the west when grounded to offer their jets some protection but if Putin doesn't consider jets and/or anti-aircraft weapons as western involvement then I'm sure he will see the use of western runways as western involvement.

Quoted from chaos33

If ‘the west’ are to provide jets that the Ukrainians can fly, they’d have to be Mig 29’s - as operated by Poland. F16’s are no good to them.

Quoted from Limerick Mariner

The plan broke down before because Poland couldn't give their Russian made MIGs to Ukraine as it would leave them short of their own air defence, so now the plan being considered is that NATO provide Poland with F16s to replace the MIGs - not a done deal yet though is the latest.