Amsterdam_Neil_D Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 12 minutes ago, bickster said: Yep, given the risk averse nature of the US towards presidential visits, this is huge and a big FU to Putin that they felt safe in letting him visit. The timing is also imprtant as it runs up to the anniverary of the large scale invasion by RUssia Totally agree, must be a rare type visit for a serving Pres. It's getting worse for Putin, It feels like they are happy to grind Putin down over time and this sort of stuff is just humiliating for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 39 minutes ago, bickster said: Yep, given the risk averse nature of the US towards presidential visits, this is huge and a big FU to Putin that they felt safe in letting him visit. The timing is also important as it runs up to the anniversary of the large scale invasion by Russia They probably told Biden he was going for a trip to the seaside Seems 4 hours before the visit one of the Ukrainian news agencies put a story out that they were expecting an important Western visitor and that numerous roads had been sealed off in Kiev That's kinda stupid from the news agency , unless the are happy that Kiev is safe from any form of attack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted February 20, 2023 Moderator Share Posted February 20, 2023 11 minutes ago, tonyh29 said: They probably told Biden he was going for a trip to the seaside Seems 4 hours before the visit one of the Ukrainian news agencies put a story out that they were expecting an important Western visitor and that numerous roads had been sealed off in Kiev That's kinda stupid from the news agency , unless the are happy that Kiev is safe from any form of attack Yep, that is massively dumb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 I guess there’s 2 schools of thought. 1) Keep it quiet so that there’s no special attention from Russia 2) Make Russia well aware that Biden, or other NATO leader is in the region so they can be extra careful not to accidentally start WW3. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davkaus Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 3 minutes ago, Genie said: 2) Make Russia well aware that Biden, or other NATO leader is in the region so they can be extra careful not to accidentally start WW3. Got to be this one hasn't it. The last thing either side want is Biden getting taken out by a random potshot at the city with no idea he was there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnkarl Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 I'm not saying that Kyiv couldn't be hit, but I'm pretty sure that there's two batteries of Iris T and NASAMS on duty around the capital, and the US likely had fighters on standby to intercept anything lobbed at Kyiv during Joe's visit. When Patriot comes online during the next month there's terribly little chance that even bunched missiles (if they have a bunch left) are going to get through. Western Ukraine is all but safe. I also doubt that Russia would be stupid enough to attack a US president, unless they wanted retaliation from a much more dangerous enemy than Ukraine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pas5898 Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 Out of interest. Do the US provide air support on a presidential visit? As in will they be patrolling the sky to protect their president? Some of the videos of Biden walking in Kiev whilst the air sirens go off is quite something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xann Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnkarl Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 Time to write an email to Solovyev's son's U.K agency, methinks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desensitized43 Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 11 minutes ago, pas5898 said: Out of interest. Do the US provide air support on a presidential visit? As in will they be patrolling the sky to protect their president? Some of the videos of Biden walking in Kiev whilst the air sirens go off is quite something. I would guess that there would need to be some kind of guarantee of his safety. I doubt it would be the US patrolling or something that obvious but the Russians will need to be careful today because one stray missile or bomb and it's definitely kicking off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy Lifeboats Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 4 minutes ago, pas5898 said: Out of interest. Do the US provide air support on a presidential visit? As in will they be patrolling the sky to protect their president? Some of the videos of Biden walking in Kiev whilst the air sirens go off is quite something. It depends where the visit is. At the moment the following are patrolling the Ukraine border in NATO airspace. 2 AWACS planes, 2 Black Hawk Helicopters, 2 planes that are said to be Private Jets from Sweden that are always patrolling that area. You can bet there's much more that we can't see. I would guess there's a number of F22 over Kyiv and a lot more poised to go if needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davkaus Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 (edited) 7 minutes ago, magnkarl said: Time to write an email to Solovyev's son's U.K agency, methinks. No evidence whatsoever that this is true, or that he does or has ever worked for a UK modelling agency. There's propaganda going both ways, this seems like it's probably BS, and was started by a Kyiv news agency If he was genuinely a model in London, why aren't they sharing photos of him being a model in London, the image above is advertising for a Russian business https://www.newsweek.com/fact-check-putin-allys-son-dodging-draft-modelling-london-1781618 Quote The tweet, by Kyiv Post special correspondent Jason Jay Smart and viewed two million times, alleged that Daniil Solovyov had dodged the draft to fight in Ukraine by instead working as a male model in London. In the viral tweet, there were pictures of what appeared to be a blonde-haired Daniil Solovyov, including one of an apparent shoot for a Moscow-based modeling agency. A photo purporting to be Daniil Solovyov in a fur jacket and black nail varnish was also doing the rounds online, but Newsweek Fact Check found that it is actually an image of an 18-year-old model called Tommy Solovyov. Edited February 20, 2023 by Davkaus 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 20 minutes ago, Davkaus said: Got to be this one hasn't it. The last thing either side want is Biden getting taken out by a random potshot at the city with no idea he was there. Yes, I think sneaking him in is a recipe for disaster hence why reporting he was heading there was a good thing for all. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amsterdam_Neil_D Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 13 minutes ago, Genie said: Yes, I think sneaking him in is a recipe for disaster hence why reporting he was heading there was a good thing for all. Sounds odd but It would not be fair on Russia to not let them know of the visit. Even if accidental, it would be the end for them by accident and down to one person firing a lucky drone or similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 I’d assume someone senior in the US government has told someone senior in the Russian government about the visit. Maybe last minute media reports are to make doubly sure everybody knows what is happening. Biden has left already btw, flew in and out just a few hours apart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy Lifeboats Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 Russian TV is reporting that they knew about the visit and they "allowed it to happen." I'd say that's 50% true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnkarl Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 (edited) 45 minutes ago, Davkaus said: No evidence whatsoever that this is true, or that he does or has ever worked for a UK modelling agency. There's propaganda going both ways, this seems like it's probably BS, and was started by a Kyiv news agency If he was genuinely a model in London, why aren't they sharing photos of him being a model in London, the image above is advertising for a Russian business https://www.newsweek.com/fact-check-putin-allys-son-dodging-draft-modelling-london-1781618 Not so sure tbh, two of his sons went to the UK for education. It hit a nerve for sure as he spent 30 minutes railing against it on his 'show'. The thing with these idiots is that they'll happily go to the 'west' for education and holidays, and then spout bs like this at home. The duplicity is mind numbing. Edited February 20, 2023 by magnkarl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villakram Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 10 hours ago, sidcow said: Waiting for @villakram 's verdict on this with baited breath. Well, they called the Rooskies and told/warned them he was visiting... so very brave, very very brave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy Lifeboats Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 Almost 1 year since Putin fantasised about striding into Kyiv as a conqueroring hero. How wrong he was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awol Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 12 hours ago, magnkarl said: I'm not saying that Kyiv couldn't be hit, but I'm pretty sure that there's two batteries of Iris T and NASAMS on duty around the capital, and the US likely had fighters on standby to intercept anything lobbed at Kyiv during Joe's visit. When Patriot comes online during the next month there's terribly little chance that even bunched missiles (if they have a bunch left) are going to get through. Western Ukraine is all but safe. I also doubt that Russia would be stupid enough to attack a US president, unless they wanted retaliation from a much more dangerous enemy than Ukraine. I got back yesterday so can confirm Kyiv has been successfully hit in the last few weeks, but less and less is getting through the growing AD network. Managed to get photos of two successful interceptions on Thursday about 30-40kms west of Kyiv. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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