Russia

[Bi_3]

Those sanctions are really working.

[96583UP]

if those fucks want to hold yuan good luck to them

people hold dollars because it's the currency of IFRS-audited finance

if you want to go long on banana republic finance, go for it

[McParadigm]

Finland and Sweden expected to join NATO. That’ll get Putin riled up

I wonder how much of this is them being earnest vs them signalling Putin that he's being insane.

Asked and answered

[simple schoolboy]

Finland and Sweden expected to join NATO. That’ll get Putin riled up

I wonder how much of this is them being earnest vs them signalling Putin that he's being insane.

Asked and answered

A minor setback in that Sweden has not formally joined because Turkey is anxious about how many Kurds are there. Supposedly they'll vote to let them in after the next Turkish election.

[dimejinky99]

Finland now in Nato. Russia promising a response.
Whatever that means

[Anders]

Happy for our friends and allies, our Finnish neighbours.

[simple schoolboy]

Ireland is making noises about NATO. Seems rather divisive, would they need to hold a referendum or amend their constitution?

[96583UP]

Finland now in Nato. Russia promising a response.
Whatever that means

never realized how fierce Finland was until recently

Putin will need to pick on weaker targets

so many poor souls sent out to die by this maniac

hope he falls out a window soon

[simple schoolboy]

Happy for our friends and allies, our Finnish neighbours.

Is Finland going to transition to NATO standard ammunition and equipment? A lot of Americans will be very happy if Finnish military surplus starts to hit the market.

[tragabigzanda]

FUCK ICE

[96583UP]

i doubt it

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... nd=premium

With Finland officially in the alliance, NATO’s top commander can now work the country into its military plans, which sketch out how to defend the bloc’s members against an attack.

But given Finland’s extensive capabilities and practice defending its own territory, it’s unlikely at least for now that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will replicate defense structures on the rest of the eastern flank by stationing allied battle groups in the nation, according to officials familiar with the issue.

NATO has already established eight multinational battle groups in Poland and the Baltic nations — and more recently in Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania — to serve as a “tripwire” in the case of a Russian attack. Those battle groups will also be able to scale up to brigade size, where and when required.

There are currently no plans to deploy a NATO battle group to Finland, a NATO official said, adding that NATO’s supreme allied commander constantly assesses threats and could make that recommendation if deemed necessary. A senior US official also said Americans didn’t expect to see a battle group in Finland and that the country hasn’t made such a request.

“For years, we have developed our NATO compatibility. There is still considerable work ahead to integrate Finland’s defense as part of NATO’s common defense,” President Sauli Niinisto said at Tuesday’s accession ceremony. “The Finnish defense forces are facing new demands and challenges to which we must respond.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier that Russia viewed NATO expansion as an encroachment on its security and that it would take countermeasures, according to the state news service Tass.

Allocating Forces

General Chris Cavoli, NATO’s supreme allied commander for Europe, is currently drafting the alliance’s regional plans, which are due to be sent to allies this month and which will spell out where countries will need to allocate forces to defend the alliance.

Speaking to reporters in Brussels, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto wouldn’t be drawn on the troop issue, signaling that will be discussed during defense planning. He noted Sweden’s pivotal role — the reason why Finland wants its neighbor allowed in quickly.

“It’s very difficult to make a defense plan for the Nordic countries without Sweden,” Haavisto said. “If you take Sweden out of the map, there is a hole, and if you look at our food security or maintenance of our economy, Sweden is the route to Finland.”

Finland’s military, which can deploy 280,000 troops in wartime thanks to its conscription-based system, has long trained in defending its territory against attack and already has its own combat-ready battle groups in place, the NATO official said. What’s more likely is that Finland will contribute troops to the other existing battle groups, the official added. The professional force is relatively slim.

Finland is bringing a slew of assets to the alliance. In addition to a long tradition of military intelligence with a strong understanding of Russia, the Nordic country has also invested in areas where the alliance needs to step up including artillery and munitions, the NATO official said. Still, Finland will need to invest to get its army and air force in shape to deploy abroad across the alliance, which will require logistics and sustainment forces along with training, the official added.

[McParadigm]

I thought they only needed the one sniper rifle to pass around

[simple schoolboy]

I thought they only needed the one sniper rifle to pass around

Due to improved nutrition, they are fresh out of short kings like Simo Häyhä.

[simple schoolboy]

Happy for our friends and allies, our Finnish neighbours.

Is Finland going to transition to NATO standard ammunition and equipment? A lot of Americans will be very happy if Finnish military surplus starts to hit the market.

"a lot"

You are old enough to have purchased <$100 spam cans of 7.62x54r, and it would have appreciated better than the S&P 500. Shit, you might be old enough to have bought crates of Mosin Nagants, up at least 6x. It's just sensible investment.

[dimejinky99]

Ireland is making noises about NATO. Seems rather divisive, would they need to hold a referendum or amend their constitution?

No support whatsoever in Ireland for us joining NATO. It would need a referendum.
It would die before it even went to the vote.

We’re neutral officially yet US has been using Shannon for decades as a refuel and drop off point for their forces on the way to and from the Middle East. That’s a huge breach of our neutrality already but govt here always inside w US policy whereas the public totally against it.

Current ff/fg/gp coalition government do want to join nato but they won’t be around much longer.
Sinn Fein are about to take over and no way they’d even contemplate joining nato.

[96583UP]

if China invades Taiwan maybe it will change the Irish tune

[simple schoolboy]

if China invades Taiwan maybe it will change the Irish tune

Nah, Ireland will just smuggle Dutch photolithography equipment to China in the name of "anti-imperialism" or something.

[96583UP]

Russia will be on China's side

countries will have to choose teams

maybe Ireland becomes the 51st U.S. state instead

[dimejinky99]

Russia will be on China's side

countries will have to choose teams

maybe Ireland becomes the 51st U.S. state instead

That idea was floated back when jfk visisted in 63 apparently.

[96583UP]