The Tanks Are Coming

[ichkeria]

https://news.sky.com/story/amp/uk-to-send-challenger-2-tanks-to-ukraine-number-10-confirms-12786361

This was indicated several days back by No 10 and Ben Wallace.
It’s part of the new “coalition of the willing” that should be confirmed this Friday at the meeting of the Ramstein group of 40 countries committed to provide military aid to Ukraine. Poland and Finland jumped first on the tank front as I mentioned before. Denmark and Spain wait in the wings. A rocket up the backside of the German Chancellor now all that’s needed

[royfromaus]

And I'm sure Prudie is sorry for thinking you are an absolute div.

[Gromit]

Thank you Ich for your usual well informed and timely update.
]t doesn’t really matter how many tanks we are sending, it is a gesture of support and solidarity.
It is very good that the west is showing a united and resolute front against Putin’s Russia.
Well done Sunak and Wallace.

[ichkeria]

“Asked, they will say it's for the children. My heart just breaks for them. :-(”

Indeed gness.
There was the sad tale of a six year old girl who died of a heart attack would you believe - months of the stress of rocket attacks.
It’s 9 dead in Dnipro now (and one at least in Kriviy Rig).
When you see size of the block that was razed to the ground it’s an absolute miracle the toll is not worse.

[ichkeria]

I'm reliably informed that not only is training on tanks ongoing but also on fighter planes. F14. F16. F18

[gness]

It is a miracle that more weren't killed. I can't believe this is still going on.
The family we all became friends with have promised to keep in touch when they settle in America. I hope they do. There was Granny, Mum and children. Granny had her own fashion shop. She would show us photos of it then leave the shop to have little weep away from the children. Mum, who was a hairdresser, had a miscarriage after arriving here. It was no wonder. In a strange country knowing what her husband was having to do back home.
Our hotel owner bought all the children bikes. My, but they scared the locals belting around the village on them! :-)
They went to America because they had relatives there and a Ukrainian community well settled. Here they had to make a sixty mile round trip to worship in their church once a week. Only each other to chatter with. Google translate and miming isn't the same. :-)
Could I have gone through what they have with as much dignity and bravery? I just don't know.

[ichkeria]

Thanks for that testimony gness

Apache helicopters and AS90 artillery also coming from the UK.
Things are changing …

[ichkeria]

“gness
It is a miracle that more weren't killed”

20 now I’m afraid

[gness]

Looking at the pictures, Ich is shocking. Not only the death toll but the people having to search for survivors or bodies. Hearing the screams. What they are going through too. How do people ever recover from that.

[ichkeria]

You won't believe this, but I have just been looking at an extract from a russian tv program called "Mardan"
Some freak presenter, speaking over pictures of the devastation, claims:
"We celebrated with some nice fireworks. Proper fireworkks, as there should be. Does it feel good? I'm not going to hide it, it feels good. But it would still feel much better to see some bridge over the Dnipro blown to pieces" (they're still mad about their Kerch bridge!) "Even if, even if it was our missile that hit that house, it doesn't change anything for me personally. Look at pictures of Mariupol. This is what is going to happen to Kharkiv. Yes it is. It's going to happen to Dnipro, it's going to happen to Dnipro."

[gness]

Oh I believe it. What has happened to people. :-(

Kyiv Independent now reports 25 dead, 73 injured and perhaps 40 still trapped.