Putin has a problem.

When Putin invaded Ukraine in 2022 he stated he would overrun Ukraine in 3 weeks. Now in the 4th year of the war Russian positions are thus:

Russia is expected to reach 2 million dead and injured by the end of summer 2025.

The SAS were deployed in Ukraine to train the Ukranians before the invasion. They withdrew in 2022.

If they deployed it would more likely be further into Russia itself destroying infrastructure leading to the front or command and control systems.

The problem is Putin losing 2 million troops to Ukraine poses a major public opinion deficit. The Black Sea Fleet is playing submarines. Armour is being destroyed at a ratio of roughly 4:1 in Ukraine’s favour.

How does Putin cover up his failures? He blames the UK and the SAS in particular.

Oh dear poor me I’m fighting Europe. Total bollocks

A LONG tiime ago, in Berlin, I had an amusing conversation with a Russian officer – whom I assumed at the time to be from the GRU (or he’d never have dared expressing the views he did!) Our conversation veered on to the SAS, who he said, emphatically, had THE WRONG MOTTO. In his view, “Who Dares Wins” completely missed the point.

A far more accurate motto would have been “Where the f**k did THEY come from?!” And, truth be told…. he wasn’t exactly wrong. He was VERY impressed by the SAS, and told me “I sometimes wish I was on your side. Nobody in their right minds would take on the Germans, the Americans AND the Brits all at the same time.

The Germans, one knows in advance, are going to perform brilliantly and with great panache, the Americans are going to handle the logistics, to the point where you’re up to your asses in whatever it is you need.. And the British are going to do absolutely the last damned thing anyone expected, which he found terrifying..

We had already Joked about the Molotov Ribbentrop agreement, where Molotov visited Ribbentrop in Berlin, and asked what Hitler planned to do about the British. Ribbentrop assured him that the British were “a spent force” not even worth considering. To which Molotov asked “Then WHY are we holding this meeting in an air raid shelter?”

Looks like Ukranian Special Forces have been “visiting” Russian airfields. I wonder where they got THAT idea?