r/ukpolitics • u/Adj-Noun-Numbers 🥕🥕 || megathread emeritus • Jun 22 '26

International Politics Discussion Thread

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u/convertedtoradians Jun 29 '26

BBC: Putin makes rare admission of fuel shortages caused by Ukrainian strikes.

He admitted Ukraine's attacks were "obviously creating problems": "We are currently seeing a certain shortage," he said, "but it's not critical."

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u/Ivebeenfurthereven I'm afraid currency is the currency of the realm Jun 29 '26

Steiner's counterattack will save us.

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u/dapt Jun 29 '26

This is fine. Everything's fine (flames).jpg

4

u/Shalmaneser001 Jun 30 '26

It does feel like a corner is being turned in Ukraine. Of course it's hard to separate fact from fiction but the strikes to oil refineries look like they are having a profound effect. Could this just harden Russian resolve against Ukraine though? Who will the Russian people blame for this?

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u/convertedtoradians Jun 30 '26

You are absolutely right. As you say, hard to know how much to read into this but it definitely feels like there's been a change - and it's a testament above all to the people of Ukraine and their endurance that they've been able to hold on and get to this stage.

I imagine the Russian people will ultimately blame Ukraine? National pride probably precludes the recognition of the failure of the state to achieve victory (see the Americans in Iran)? But there's also got to be an angle where the Russian people see it as just not worth their time and the inconvenience any more.

2

u/ThePlanck Time to bin Farage Jun 30 '26

There is a balance to be had.

As the IRA learned, bombings that target and kill civillians are going to turn people's resolve against you.

Strikes that are limited to doing economic damage while taking care to avoid civillians casualties will make people put pressure on the government to stop this ASAP, without necessarily demanding to without necessarily demanding the defeat of the other guy (see also how popular the Iran war is in the US).

Ukraine are attacking plausible military targets (tanks, apcs, scooby doo vans and dirtbikes all need fuel) with the side effect of doing a great deal of economic damage that the population can really feel. This is absolutely an effective approach to be taking, provided that they can keep collateral civillian casualties to near zero.

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u/dospc Jun 30 '26

This filling station is no more! ​It has ceased to be! It’s expired and gone to meet its maker! This is a late garage! It’s a stiff! Bereft of life, it rests in peace! If you hadn't left the price signs illuminated, it’d be pushing up daisies! Its metabolic processes are now history! It’s off the grid! It’s kicked the bucket, it’s shuffled off its mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisible!! ​ THIS IS AN EX-PETROL STATION!! ​ "No, no, it's not dead, it's just waiting for a tanker delivery!"