Russian invasion of Ukraine | Fewer tweets, more discussion
- Thread starter Wednesday at Stoke
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What really gets lost in all this 'buffer state' cynicism, is these were newly independent, democratic countries asking to join a defensive alliance of other democratic countries. We should want to encourage and protect fellow democratic states where we can, we should want to see peaceful democratic systems of government spread and take root, it's in our interests to do so, and it shows we actually believe in our system. I get that sometimes you might want to be pragmatic, and the West was in the case of Ukraine, but ultimately the reason Putin invaded was because he refused to accept Ukraine's right to determine its own future as a Western facing nation, and the reason they are fighting so valiantly, is because it's a cause they still think is worth it.
Astute assessment, I would agree with that.
The thing with many of the sanctions is that they are being directed at the Oligarchs.
But most people believe that Putin is in some sort of bunker for protection.
That being the case, is he really likely to be listening to any of those people.
If sanctions against Oligarchs was going to have any effect, it should have been done much earlier.
Sanctions directly against Russia and Putin can only have an effect in the medium to long term.
But the people being murdered and bombed by Russia need something to be done now in the short term.
I remember from Syria that “humanitarian corridors” got a really bad reputation among the anti-Assad opposition, who
claimed the regime and Russians basically used them to advance and snuff out resistance. Could be the Ukrainians are somewhat wary.
Of course not. Pissing in the wind will have more of an effect.
Hmmmm…let’s see what you’ve previously posted…
I agree mate, well said.
I already did this slow coach
@Raoul
Do you think what Putin has done may be a way of him trying to exert authority internally?
There may well be a power struggle going on we have no knowledge of.
Do you think what Putin has done may be a way of him trying to exert authority internally?
There may well be a power struggle going on we have no knowledge of.
I don't think NATO would have to do much in the way of 'enticing' countries to join if this is the fecking alternative.
I already did this slow coach
I do 90% of my posting from my phone and quoting multiple posts takes an age!
It's cool how you, and people like you, keep taking away agency from the Ukrainian people. It's not like they're massively in favor of joining NATO and the EU, and massively opposed to the idea of being a Russian puppet state or anything.
Nah, they're just a pawn in a game between Russia and the West, and aren't allowed to make the choices they think best benefit them. Might as well just have given up the idea of being a sovereign nation, seeing as how the only thing they're apparently allowed to do is slowly being ground down by Russia. Because this was coming, Putin's been coveting Ukraine for years, and he was always going to move to bring them into the Russian sphere of influence.
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A bit off topic but I had no idea Ukraine was such a fertile land. I knew that the ancient Greeks colonized a part of it some 3000 years ago and it was something of agriculture powerhouse back them but i didn't realize it still was.
They and Russia are the premier suppliers of the world’s wheat. Agricultural powerhouses.
Me too - that’s why I only quoted 1
I do 90% of my posting from my phone and quoting multiple posts takes an age!
But more than sufficient to call out the bull shit.
So it is just a coincidence that he is running in the French President elections.
Am I wrong in thinking that they also are a leading country when it comes to silviculture?
PS: I just wanted to write silviculture.
This is likely why the Ukrainians are doing so well on the ground, I reckon.
A coincidence that the french president is running in the french presidental elections which are organized every 5 years around the same period?
Now you can also write what it means
The exploitation of forests, particularly wood and trees.
I smell a conspiracy...
The Javelin anti-tank missile system is also providing a bit of help. 280 armored vehicle kills out of 300 shots, as of 1-2 days ago. https://www.audacy.com/connectingvets/news/inside-the-deadly-javelin-anti-tank-program-in-ukraine
Except NATO isnt democratic. If it is s 50+1 could have bought the entrance ticket.
It's just US deciding who's in and who's not.
100% . The Ukrainian side generally know what the Russians are doing, which will be valuable once they are rearmed with Stingers and Javelins.
Damn. That's a 93.33% kill ratio on the total number of shots, and that's the closest to perfection you will have for any AT weapon.
Just learnt something new - 'scuttling' is a naval term
No, it's every NATO member deciding together. Greece blocked North Macedonia's membership for years, they wouldn't be able to do that if it was "just US deciding".
Engineers at Raytheon and Lockheed Martin:
Yes, if a war spread to UK I would expect nationals from the agressor nation to be interred. It's happened before (WWII) and, no doubt, would happen in any future conflict.
I did not mention this war at all.
The US provides most of the muscle. If Germany does rearm, then maybe Europe can rebalance the relationship. Until then, the UK and France are not enough of a counterweight.
This is a bit reminiscent of the response to the Afghan invasion of the 1980s.
Equally there’s people trying to spin this to suit their own agendas against the west.
Things like this bring out the worst in people
That Chinihiv video is horrific, apparnetly 2 schools hit, woman in the backgound screaming "there are kids, there are kids".
Just saw this on my Twitter feed. Is this real? Could Putin get anymore isolated than when the US’s enemies are calling him out publicly?
i went to his profile and this was yesterday.
i went to his profile and this was yesterday.