Russia may be an economic pygmy, but it has armed forces (and especially nuclear ones) way out of line with its economic strength. It also has a frightening capability to use them and not nonsense about domestic peace-loving opposition.
People need to ask what exactly is putin looking to achieve here,
Nato aren't going to withdraw to pre fall of the Berlin wall lines ,so what's exactly is he playing for ukraine there doesn't seem to be a big push from Ukrainians to go back to the old days of being under Soviet jackboots ,
Is he losing grip on power or is he actually losing his mind , widely believed to be already suffering from parkinson's disease , what is nato or Europe to get in return when it comes to his plan ,
Remove nato completely from the Baltics and east Europe,then what ask the German military to move back behind an invisible Berlin wall,
No mention of Russia decreasing it's nuclear weapons arsenal , which has increased year on year for the last decade at least ,his claim of he's planning to deploy huge unmanned submarines full of nuclear weapons to Oceans around the world that can automatically launch weapons if they lose contact with the Kremlin,
If putin is serious about getting a deal why doesn't he withdraw forces from Ukraine and let Ukraine control its own Border,he could remove his forces from Georgia , Moldova and kalingrad ,
But he's only interested in getting everything he wants upfront.
Doesn't make sense that he thinks he's getting the old Soviet union back together
How many times bigger is the USA economy vs Russia’s these days? This carry in is ridiculous. I’m not for burying the Russians as that would make them even more bitter and resentful than they already are but this kind of carry on from a relatively weak low tech country simply shouldn’t be tolerated.
You say: "What Cuba and the USSR was doing back then was seriously provocative (I don't agree with it) and now, the US has played a part in getting a pro NATO, pro EU head of state into the leavers of power in the Ukraine."
I think the Ukrainian voters chose the head of state (Zelinski), very much against the then ruling establishment. How dare they!
The video of Schönbach shows him saying that Putin should be treated as an equal by the west, and referring to Russia as an “old . . . and important country” that the west needed “against China”.
“What he [Putin] really wants is respect,” he said. “And by God, giving someone respect is low-cost, even no-cost . . . it is easy to give him the respect he really demands — and probably also deserves.”
Schönbach also said that the “Crimean peninsula is gone, it will never come back, this is a fact”. That is in contradiction to the official western line that the annexation of Crimea was illegal and must be reversed.
The German defence ministry said Schönbach’s comments “do not in any way correspond to the ministry’s position, either in terms of content or in choice of words”, adding that Schönbach would “have an opportunity to make a statement to the Inspector General” of the Bundeswehr.
The Baltic States would mean a Europe wide-war with the Americans and Turks involved - unless Putin's on mushrooms, that's not going to happen.
Moldova could be on the menu at some stage in the future, and realistically, an invasion of Ukraine will make them nervous.
I would love to know what was said. India in general is pro-Russia for historical reasons (thanks to vile racist Nixon trying to intimidate India and Russia coming to India's aid).
This guy is worth a follow on Twitter. He’s documenting all the weapons currently moving into Belarus and what they’re used for.
so in lay mans terms , how long before we see russia roll into ukraine? will they leave it at that or start for the baltic states or moldova?im presuming there going to retake all the former soviet republics? in the long term of course....
More the fact over half the population of east Germany were on the stasi payroll
All true but the relevance comes from taking units who live and breathe in subartic conditions are able to fight in subzero conditions in and around Ukrainian /Russian winters with ease ,
Where say the 10th mountain division based in new York ,which was known from Mogadishu BHD battle , and then Afghanistan but suffered alot of casualties not from contacts with the Taliban but from suffering from altitude sickness in the mountains chasing the Taliban ,alot of patrols had to be evacuated to lower altitudes ,
Unfortunately some military units aren't as effective outside of their AO
People seem to forget the Russian's only left Germany in 1994.... there is a substantial amount of 1st and 2nd generation Russian families still living in Germany.
And just like mid January 2020 when the covid chatter started to get louder, it’s time to start bulk cooking and stocking my freezer. Loo roll too 😂
I'd tend to agree we're much more likely than not to see some sort of action in the coming weeks now. Just as Europe is emerging into the light after covid, an unholy mess of another sort breaks out.
All Russia's fault if the game plays out?
Strong man can't be seen to be weak narrative
@Larbre34 its not that bad, is it?
Putin went all-in weeks ago. He made it so he couldn't step back. Not in front of a home audience. Not in front of a foreign audience.
Unless someone in Russia steps in (a military mutiny, a coup of his Ministers etc) this thing is going ahead.
The embassies leaving is normal at this stage. Just like the first week of September 1939 and the first week of December 1941.
And the German navy chief has stepped down from his post because he said something pro Putin on an Indian tv channel. Dunno what he said though.
The Cuban missile crisis was a response to the US putting nukes close to Russia....only they're allowed to do that...
he's not though...
Ukraine isn't a NATO member... any overt response is going to be from non NATO perspective about what reactions will occur if there is any invasion into Ukraine.... because after all, the argument Putin is putting towards them, is he doesn't want Ukraine in NATO
What is happening is that this perspective is different from various nations, which is being construed into
"ohhh look France want to do this, but Germany don't want to do that.... it's the end of NATO "
It would be a different story if Putin went into Poland or the Baltic and Article 5 was invoked
Diplomatic dependants of the German Embassy are being shuttled out of Kyiv as well according to reports.
sounds serious
@Manic Moran you're a serving member of the US armed forces?
Posting details of how prepared the US (I'm grateful you're not using the term NATO) this is what my previous post was leaning too, this agitation has zero to do about the independent Ukraine, the Ukraine has been flipped from being a pro Russia to a pro NATO nation, NATO is a second arm of the US armed forces.
Like what has been found out from days gone by, an independent nation Cuba invited the USSR onto their lands, we all know how this played out, it was near nuclear war.
What Cuba and the USSR was doing back then was seriously provocative (I don't agree with it) and now, the US has played a part in getting a pro NATO, pro EU head of state into the leavers of power in the Ukraine. Happy days, as so far helping with leaning them towards joining the EU. Joining NATO? No, please please no, do not encourage that..
Why, because look back to the Cuban missile crisis.
Russia will kill Ukraine in a one Vs one.. we all know this is not a one Vs one.. there is 3 nuclear armed nations, I don't see Russia willing to die and not push that button when push comes to shove.
Everyone, should be arguing for both not to fight, and come up with solutions.. arguing about how strong one or the other is...
It's a no win situation
All sorts of bi-lateral arrangements are in place regionally. Some NATO and non-NATO members share heavy transport aircraft, fleet supply ships and oilers.
Hell, even the Brits have a deal with us in Ireland to provide Quick Reaction Alert fighter response to threats in our area of traffic control responsibility.
None of them are any threat to NATO, in fact most of them are facilitated by NATO extended partnerships structures.
Germany has very specific and well known red lines about war fighting, adopted at the foundation of the Bundesrepublik in the post Nazi era. Obviously had the Russians tried to invade Europe through Germany in a hit World War 3 scenario, Germany would have been all in, but that's different to this and their contributions in Afghanistan and to UN missions down the years have been entirely consistent.
So both you and Vlad can relax for a bit.
Yes, the only 'mountain' unit in the US Army as a whole is a Vermont-based reserve unit, the 86th IBCT, because the Army's mountain warfare center is in Vermont, right near sea level. No correlation at all to cold weather in Ukraine.
On the other hand, the US Marines's mountain warfare center is in the scenic majesty of the coastal state of California.
And though not mountain rated, units in places like Fort Carson (5,800 feet in the Colorado Rockies, 4th ID) or Fort Wainwright (Alaska, 1-25 ID) are probably quite well used to 'cold'. Even supposedly reasonable Ft Lewis in Seattle uses the Cascades and Yakima as a training area, which, I can tell you from experience, gets god-awful cold. So did Afghanistan, now I think about it.
Not that this is relevant to the topic, but we're not all in deserts and swamps, and Ukraine isn't Central Siberia.
Germany to send Ukraine a field hospital but refuses to send arms.
Meanwhile Poland stepping up to help with a new alliance with Ukraine. Just a matter of time before Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania ask to be a part. Putin is collapsing NATO without a shot being fired.
Statement from DFaT.
There is little doubt Biden is weak. Far weaker than I expected him to be. I remember him well in the Obama administration and he was vigorous, combative, worked hard with the Congress members he'd known for decades.
He is now quite clearly ailing. Whether its simply old-age or some sort of neuro degenerative illness, or both, he's not there for America. Personally I think the reason we've seen so little of Harris is that she's shadowing in the background, learning as much as she can about everything until the moment comes.
You'd expect Putin to take advantage of that. And that's why this should be led by Europe, in Europe, in the interests of Ukraine and every other European State. We cannot depend on America anymore. After November and the mid-terms, it may very quickly slip into being an America that we do not recognise anymore.
something I forgot about, the Russian's have been noted the last few years mapping undersea cable locations....
How long did you live there for Elmer? Or maybe you are still there?
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