Stuart Shurlock

A vision of the future from 2016

@danwootton @ZelenskyyUa 10 years ago. Is every generation stuck with that massive error forever? We're too small on our own. Europe as a whole is a tiny continent made up of miniature states. It's suicidal to think that any one of those can defend itself alone.

@ZelenskyyUa With all due respect, DO PISS OFF. We voted to leave the European Union in the biggest democratic mandate in British history. You might not believe in democracy, but we do. You've taken quite enough from our struggling nation at this point. Enough.

If the United States truly thinks about withdrawing from NATO, then European security will be based solely on the European Union. But not in its current form. I think that the EU is in a situation where it needs more countries. The UK, Ukraine, Türkiye, and Norway. These are four strong countries, which are part of Europe. Together, the UK, Ukraine, and Türkiye have armies that are stronger than Russia's army. Without Ukraine and Türkiye, Europe can’t match Russia. With the four countries on board you can wrest control of the seas, have secure skies and the largest land forces. It’s not about offense, because when Russia makes the decision to have an army of 2.5 million people by 2030, Europe has to think about security and how to preserve its independence. The UK once was a member of the EU. There are concerns about agriculture when it comes to Türkiye. But you can manage all of this if you have a really great economy. But security comes first, economy second. Not vice versa. From an interview on The Rest Is Politics podcast (5/5).

@WW2Facts It was normal for Hitler Youth to go on to serve as Luftwaffe Anti-Aircraft gunners for a year, before being recruited to the VolksArmee together with pensioners. Both were defending their own country from attack, so it's hardly surprising that many were willing volunteers.

A sixteen-year-old German soldier, Hans-Georg Henke, cries being captured by the U.S. 9th Army in Germany on April 3, 1945. #History #WWII

@LeanneSpurs @EUCouncil My British daughter got a lot out of the Erasmus scheme. British kids just need to be a bit bolder!

@EUCouncil This is a joke!! The Turing scheme has been a great success. Erasmus was always a predominantly one way street for EU students to come to English speaking universities, which are the best in Europe. Yet another complete surrender from Starmer!!

@mattmulka1 @TheStudyofWar He ought to be desperate. He's killing more Russians than anyone since Hitler and he's watching Russian oil export facilities going up in flames as a direct result of his hubristic and outdated Imperialistic ideology.

@TheStudyofWar so tired of bs stories of putin growing desperate nonsense. when hes hanging from a siberian fir tree, ill start to believe your nonsense

NEW: Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly requested that Russia’s top businessmen provide funding for the Russian government, indicating that the Kremlin may be growing desperate for economic relief and may be setting conditions to nationalize their assets to support the war effort. Other Key Takeaways: Putin’s reported request for Russian top businessmen to donate money to the Russian state threatens to break a promise he made to Russian oligarchs not to nationalize their assets soon after seizing power. Ukraine and Saudi Arabia concluded a defense cooperation agreement on March 27. Ukrainian forces continued their long-range strike campaign against Russian oil infrastructure near the Baltic Sea on the night of March 26 to 27, marking the fourth strike in five days against Russian oil infrastructure in Leningrad Oblast. Latvia warned on March 27 that Russia launched a cognitive warfare campaign falsely accusing the Baltic states of allowing Ukraine to launch strikes against Russia from the Baltic states’ territories. Neither Ukrainian nor Russian forces advanced on March 27. Ukrainian forces conducted long-range strikes against the Russian defense industrial base (DIB). Russian forces launched 102 drones against Ukraine.

@SSinha33519 @TheStudyofWar "honestly" giving away territory to the nastiest neighbour in Europe? The one who could end the war tomorrow with one simple order.

@TheStudyofWar Ukraine can't win this war by killing Russian but by honest diplomacy it can

NEW: Russia continues to expand its military cooperation with Iran to facilitate Iranian strikes on US and Israeli forces in the Middle East. Other Key Takeaways: Ukrainian counterattacks continue to make gains in southern Ukraine, creating operational and strategic effects against Russian forces going into the Spring-Summer 2026 offensive against the Fortress Belt. Russian forces are unlikely to seize Ukraine’s Fortress Belt in 2026. The United Kingdom (UK) government affirmed its commitment to police sanctioned vessels in UK waters, while Kremlin officials continue to threaten the use of military force to aid Russian sanction-evading ships. Ukrainian drone strikes and Western seizures of Russian oil tankers are having significant impacts on Russian oil export revenues. Ukrainian forces recently advanced in the Oleksandrivka direction, in western Zaporizhia Oblast, and in northern Kharkiv Oblast. Russian forces recently advanced in the Slovyansk direction and in the Pokrovsk direction and infiltrated in the Kupyansk direction. Ukrainian forces continued their long-range strike campaign against Russian oil infrastructure near the Baltic Sea. Russian forces launched 153 drones against Ukraine.

@radu_brad @TheStudyofWar Who is real Nazi here? Putin is following Hitler's playbook exactly; if a lot less effectively.

@TheStudyofWar It’s 1 April’s fool dear institute for study of war😄I wouldn’t trust a “senior Ukrainian Nazi official” even if he paid me with gold..

NEW: A senior Ukrainian military official forecasted that Russia will begin using mobilized personnel on the battlefield in Ukraine on April 1. Ukrainian Southern Defense Forces Spokesperson Colonel Vladyslav Voloshyn told Ukrainian outlet Interfax Ukraine on March 21 that Russia will begin involving all mobilized personnel currently in Crimea in combat operations in Ukraine starting April 1. Other Key Takeaways ⬇️ Ukrainian counterattacks in southern Ukraine continue to create operational and strategic effects against Russian forces going into the Spring-Summer 2026 offensive. Likely Belarusian balloons recently landed in Poland, possibly as part of Russia’s ongoing use of Belarus in its “Phase Zero” effort, setting conditions for a potential future war with NATO. Ukrainian forces recently advanced in the Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka tactical area. Geolocated footage published on March 22 indicates that Ukrainian forces recently advanced along the T-0504 Pokrovsk-Kostyantynivka highway in eastern Kostyantynivka. Ukrainian forces struck military assets and oil infrastructure in Russia. Russian forces launched 139 drones against Ukraine.

@Bwonk_Bwonk @mfa_russia I think you got the Hitler part wrong. Finland joined with Germany in the Continuation War from 1941 in an attempt to regain territory lost in the Winter War.

@mfa_russia The Finns are historically peace-loving people. They took up arms in WW2 when they were attacked by Stalin then Hitler. Only Russian belligerence toward Ukraine compelled Finland to take on military partners and join NATO. Curb Russian belligerence then you can talk.

💬 #Zakharova: Today marks 86 years since the end of the Soviet-Finnish War. For a long time it seemed that Helsinki had learned the lessons of history. 👉 However, Finland is now carrying out a radical break with its long-standing foreign policy course.

@mfa_russia The lessons of history - why has Russia never learnt that Imperialism died soon after the second World War? It really is time that the Russian Empire in Asia is totally dismantled and it accepts that its European Empire has gone forever.

@zoltanspox If you are so keen on peace, where's the part of the resolution that stops direct support for war by buying oil from the worst aggressor in Europe since 1945?

🇭🇺 BREAKING: Hungary’s National Assembly has adopted a resolution rejecting Ukraine’s EU membership, further war financing, and efforts to turn the European Union into a military alliance. The measure passed with 142 votes in favor, 28 against, and 4 abstentions. 🗳️ The resolution states that Ukraine’s accession to the EU is opposed because the country is at war, and its admission would risk making the European Union a direct party to the conflict. It calls on the Hungarian government not to support the launch of substantive accession negotiations with Ukraine and to oppose its EU membership. 💶 Lawmakers also warned about the financial implications of continued support for Ukraine, noting that the EU has already provided €193.3 billion in aid since the war began and plans additional loans. According to the resolution, Ukraine’s potential share of the EU’s next seven-year budget could exceed €360 billion, which could come at the expense of cohesion and agricultural funds for member states. 🕊️ The resolution calls on the government to support international peace efforts, avoid sending money or weapons to Ukraine, and prevent both Hungary and the EU from being drawn into the war. It also urges resistance to initiatives that would transform the EU into a military alliance and to any attempts by EU institutions to bypass the unanimity rule in decision-making.

@thecatsblack @TheStudyofWar At huge cost. Ukraine knows how to deal with drones cheaply

@TheStudyofWar I think we r doing pretty good without them.

NEW: Ukraine will send an unspecified number of Ukrainian military personnel with expertise in downing Shahed drones to the Middle East, underscoring how Ukraine’s experience in defense against Iranian drones can strengthen the air defenses of the United States and its allies in the Middle East. ⬇️(1/3) Several Ukrainian companies have the ability to export battle-tested interceptor drones to the United States and other US allies. Ukraine’s institutional knowledge has enabled Ukrainian firms to rapidly develop and refine capabilities specifically tailored to counter Iranian-origin weapons, and continued investment into Ukraine’s defense industrial base (DIB) is important for not just Ukrainian security but also for the United States and its allies.

@ottbrocj @TheStudyofWar Looking for more active allies, especially rich ones? It's exactly the same strategy used by Israel over the decades. To become indispensable

Outsider looking in, I thought the Ukraine was short on manpower, specialized units, and equipment. Seems like they have just enough to share with wealthy Gulf states for hire. Sounds like Ukraine is a mercenary force for hire by anyone willing to pay. Every deviation legitimizes the Russian narrative.

@EmbassyofRussia Instead of waffling about the Middle East, do something that will really make a difference to ongoing death and destruction - pull your forces out of Ukraine and stop attacking it with drones and missiles. Instant peace is in your hands.

#Zakharova: Russia is ready to actively assist in looking for ways to immediately end the bloodshed in the #MiddleEast, to provide necessary assistance in resuming political & diplomatic process, finding solutions based on intl law, mutual respect, and a balance of interests.

@TonyBrunoShow @TheEconomist They had these same principles well before your imagined invasion happened. Europe has to, in order to preserve sanity and peace in its own continent. The 20th century killed far too many of its own peoples. Never again!

@TheEconomist defiance? they have been invaded by 3rd world miscreants and now are subservient slaves in their own countries! Delete your account!

In a world in which chaos is becoming the norm, Europe displays a kind of defiance. Here’s what other countries can learn from the old continent and its peaceable instincts: econ.st/4uevtAU Illustration: Peter Schrank

@StephenDouglasZ @archeohistories Britain will also produce brave and worthy men who happen to be Muslim. There have already been many like that in the British Army who were Muslim but were held back by attitudes like yours.

@archeohistories The British used to produce brave and worthy men back in the days before the Muslim Conquest.

His mother wrote that she would rather bury him than see him in a red coat. He died a Field Marshal. The only man in British Army history ever to do so from the rank of Private. The British Army he enlisted into in November 1877 was an army of absolute caste. A private soldier was separated from an officer not merely by rank but by birth, by money and by every unwritten expectation of the Victorian world. The officer class required private means simply to meet the mess bills. The distance between the ranks was not a matter of merit. He had left the village school at thirteen and worked as a footman before he walked into the barracks at Aldershot on a wet November evening, the son of a Lincolnshire tailor and postmaster, and signed his name. He taught himself five languages as a serving soldier. He sat the competitive examination for a commission. He was gazetted Second Lieutenant in June 1888, and he kept walking. By December 1915 — thirty-eight years after that November evening — William Robertson was appointed Chief of the Imperial General Staff: the professional head of the British Army and its principal military adviser to the government. He directed strategy from France to Palestine, from Mesopotamia to East Africa, for an army of more than four million men. The Western Front Association has recorded: "He was the only man in the Army's history to enlist as a private soldier and end as a Field-Marshal — the whole long haul from bottom to top." There is no other name to add to that sentence. There never will be. He never changed his voice. Through every rank, every examination, every briefing to Cabinet ministers, every audience with the King, Robertson spoke with the same Lincolnshire intonation he had carried from Welbourn. He dropped his aitches as a private soldier and dropped them as CIGS. The accent that had marked him as a man from the wrong side of every barrier in the Victorian Army never softened and never disappeared. He was himself at Private. He was the same man at Field Marshal. On 11 February 1918, Robertson was removed as Chief of the Imperial General Staff. The German Spring Offensive, the largest assault on the Western Front since the war began, was barely six weeks away. For two years and two months he had held a position in London under sustained political pressure: the Western Front was the decisive theatre, Britain's strength must not be scattered into peripheral campaigns. On 11 February 1918, that position was overruled. Henry Wilson was appointed in his place. Robertson accepted the Eastern Command. Without recorded complaint. He served. He took command of the British Army of the Rhine in 1919. In 1921 he published his memoir, and he gave it a title that required no additional explanation whatsoever: *From Private to Field Marshal*. He put nothing else on the cover because nothing else needed to be there. He died on 12 February 1933 and was buried at Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey. Most people reading this will not recognise his name. There is no statue to Robertson in London. There is a plaque on the house where he died, the only public memorial in the capital to the only man the British Army ever produced who rose from Private to Field Marshal. His memoir is out of print. His name is absent from standard school histories of the First World War. The man who directed strategy for every theatre of that war, who briefed the Cabinet, who held the line between the Army and the politicians through two of the hardest years Britain has ever known, is remembered by a plaque on a private house in Paddington. The footman from Welbourn. The Field Marshal. William Robertson was born the son of a Lincolnshire tailor's family in 1860 and died a Field Marshal in 1933, having served his country in every rank the Army possesses. He never pretended to be anything other than what he was. The Army got the full measure of the man from Welbourn. His name should be known. © Reddit #archaeohistories

@EmbassyofRussia And think how much better off all Russians would now be if Putin hadn't gone down the Imperialist Czarist rabbit hole. So many dead due to just one man's fantasies.

President #Putin: Russia has always been and remains a reliable supplier of energy resources to all its partners, including in Europe. We will continue working in this way with those partners who are themselves reliable counterparties. t.me/RussianEmbassy…

@panicfeed @FT Would supporting Trump be a winning strategy for anyone?

@FT Sánchez may be bold, but is challenging Trump really a winning strategy for Spain?

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez — who is the EU’s most senior socialist leader and stands to the left of his British counterpart Keir Starmer — is the only one taking the fight to the US president ft.trib.al/t1vUhAJ

@piratesemperors @FT In your description of Sánchez he sounds to be remarkably similar to Donald J Trump.

@FT Sánchez is neither a socialist, nor does he have an ideology. He is an opportunist, and he has used, is using, and will use anything to maintain power and achieve his goals. "Socialism" and "social policies" are merely tools, not ends in themselves (as usual in socialists).

@ACBAYBE @FT A country that has transformed itself in the last 50 years from a backward dictatorship into a vibrant modern democracy. Something that is the reverse of what appears to be happening in the USA.

@FT Spain is a failed country. High unemployment, limited growth & innovation, weak industrial base, excessive & inefficient govt spending. All hallmarks of a socialist society.

@mfa_russia Says the Putin regime that has killed more Russian citizens and Russian speakers than anyone else since Adolf Hitler. Calking for peace? You must be joking.

⚡️There are no signs that the US & Israel are ready to show restraint & stop the bloodshed. The aggressors are also seeking to sow division within the Islamic world during the holy month of #Ramadan. Russia once again calls to cease all hostilities. t.me/MFARussia/28575

@loveskookiebun @mfa_russia @PM_ViktorOrban As for Nazis, who is the most Hitler-like leader in Europe? Vladimir Putin. He must be his grandson.

@mfa_russia @PM_ViktorOrban my family doesn't like orban because he said to the nazi "eu""commission" that they should "talk to V.P. from a position of strength" - he doesn't know V.P., the bestest president in the world, but v.o. pretended to and tried to be 'liked' by the "eu" nazis. he is typically "eu".

🇷🇺🇭🇺 On March 3, President #Putin & Prime Minister @PM_ViktorOrban spoke over the phone. The Leaders reviewed issues of #RussiaHungary cooperation, discussed the escalating situation around the entire Middle East & forceful mobilization in Ukraine. t.me/MFARussia/28547