I agree with you. Media sources cannot be trusted. They make things worse than they actually are. Just for the clicks. And people absolutely believe them. They need to start classes in schools that teach how to assess the media and not fall for their propaganda tactics.
I think Putin will be happy enough to pressure Ukraine into publicly or privately kicking NATO membership far down the line. He doesn't particularly need "Lebensraum", just enough foreign confrontation as required to keep the hardliners and nationalists content (and in line with him)
How many pro Russian States are highly developed functioning democracies? Ukraine did not prosper under pro Krelin rule and it is logical for them to look at former Soviet states that were extremely poor after the fall of communism and see which and why they succeeded. Bulgaria, Romania and the Baltic States in particular have come on leaps and bounds since EU membership.
Belarus had some serious political upheaval last year and their dictator is certainly on the ropes. Kazakhstan is in a similar position at the minute. Ukraine gaining EU membership and becoming more developed would make those around them start to question their status quo and in turn reduce the influence, power and cheap (maybe free) access to resources that the Kremlin currently enjoys.
'LOL'
Ukraine have a trillion cubic metres of gas reserves worthmore than a hundred billion that Putin would love to control, not just because monopolising gas reserves in Europe is pretty much his only real leverage
Viktor Yanukovych disagrees .
Putin bought him and look what happened
Also it must be costing the Russians a fortune to keep all these troops in their present positions. Those tanks look like real gas guzzlers not to mention the rest of it.
LOL - Ukraine is one of the - if not the - poorest countries in Europe, with a GDP per capita less than El Salvador and a constantly declining population. If Russia was to annex Ukraine it would become a bottomless blackhole of expense to the Russian state. If Russia needs anything from Ukraine, it can simply buy it.
The threat of sanctions is not going to dissuade Putin. They are planning on expanding their territory into one of the largest countries in Europe. They'll have stolen hundreds of billions worth of land and natural resources
Might be something to do with the fact that the Russian are saying that they're withdrawing while actually continuing their buildup
Absolutely, but this marks a definite escalation. China will definitely be taking notes.
Likewise in my industry I see a cost for Russia, but a hell of a lot less than waging an actual conventional war. I reckon they'll dedicate themselves to this as there are no real repercussions for Putin. If any countries take action (sanctions or otherwise) against this hybrid warfare, Putin will instantly claim to be the victim of an aggressive attack (when does he not?)
But the Russians told us they left yesterday. They even showed videos of tanks moving ... but they've just moved to other parts of the border. I thought they were leaving? Surely Zelensky and his govt can see from Ukraine , along with European and American intelligence. Yet they're all saying the same thing. You know more though with all your Intel.
I've already explained this, Russia want to collapse Ukraine from within , create fear and panic. The ukranians know this and are resisting. Its called crisis management. He has to keep calm to protect the economy and current power structure there , both of which Russia are trying to destroy by provoking fear and chaos.
Actions speak louder than words , Ukraine taking in weapons, citizens arming themselves, military drills for defence.
When does ireland or any other nation say something like " we are not afraid we will defend ourselves"? Get real. You don't say that unless you are under threat of an invasion. You're not that bright are you ?
Top story on the homepage.
What are you on about?
RTE still insisting that the invasion is imminent 🤣 they’re an absolute joke, a circus.
Even the BBC have dropped Ukraine and moved on to more important issues such as the Princes Andrew and Charles.
What has any of that got to do with what Zelensky said? Why would he say that? I mean why would anyone say it, he was simply stating that his country would rightly defend itself from any outside aggression. Zelensky has always said an invasion by Russia is very very unlikely but he never said it was impossible.
He's probably speaking on US intelligence, Zelensky simply stated that he has not seen any proof of Russian withdrawal yet, don't worry though give them a minute the Russian troops will move off just like they did in Spring last year.
Zelensky has repeatedly accused the US and UK of exaggerating and stirring up the conflict between them and Russia, he desperately called on them numerous times to stop creating panic over the situation. None of this means there is no threat whatsoever, he was simply stating he doesn't see the situation as any worse than before the Russian troops were there on the border. At the same time the US was telling us an invasion was imminent Zelensky was telling us an invasion was very very unlikely.
@Harryd225 so Zelensky saying just there, whilst overseeing a military drilled aimed at a defending a potential invasion, that "we are not afraid of anyone , we will defend ourselves. " why would he say that if America are only fabricating a potential Russian invasion. He also just said there is no sign of Russian drawback of troops. Very strange altogether.
You've been repeating the one quote from him for weeks now, as if his word his gospel. How do you square this hole now ? I guess russia are a threat to them and they haven't withdrawn from border then by your logic ?
It's been the Russian M/O for the last 8 + Years ,they already told the Ukrainians any boats or ships try to sail from ports in the azoz sea they would be targeted by Russian artillery
Big cyber attack on Ukraine just reported.
I doubt this will "end". I think the Russians are here to stay as a heavier presence around Ukraine, constantly applying pressure. Will definitely hurt Ukraine's weak economy if Russia make shipping difficult, if airlines won't operate, if they constantly engage in heavier hacking attacks, hybrid warfare, propaganda, etc. Essentially putting Ukraine in a much tighter vice and seeing if it "cracks" under pressure. Calling it now.
Personally for me while I would not like to see us join NATO I think we should ditch our neutrality IMHO and join a future joint EU defense forces as part of the overhaul of our defense forces in general which we need. Obviously its not like numerically or equipment wise we make any great difference militarily. But we do have an important strategic location and we could in an EU defense force niche what we do militarily say concentrating on naval capabilities as one possibility given we are an island with large territorial waters.
The same poster claim's there is no Russian troops surrounding ukraine , despite the Russians themselves saying that they are there
Conclusion, you wouldn't make a great researcher! I did not say they were today, nor recent. Try reading my original post again. The imagery is actually from March 26th, 2021. I've explained why I posted these pictures in another post already. The tracking of the Global hawk is, however, from lunchtime today.
Ukraine have so many massgraves from Stalin,Nazis and Soviet era its hard to keep up with it.
Putin claims genocide,that could be enough excuse for him to invade,and just what he needed for his next stage
It's not the first time claims of mass Graves found in eastern Ukraine , areas that have been under Russian control since 2014 and have yet to this date provide any evidence of mass Graves being found
Smell false flag all over it,just the excuse Putin was looking for.
Cyber attacks first,falseflag,then air attacks next before full invasion.
Taken straight out of KGBs handbook
NATO means business. I thought Russia was moving back but I believe that NATO fella when he says that they haven’t.
Bad form, Vlad. Bad form. This entire situation is on you!
You have to hand it to the Kremlin they really know how to create fake bullshit like no other .
Spontaneously found 5 mass Graves from 2014
Update: Putin last seen running towards Kyiv brandishing a pistol, whilst scoffing a Marmite sandwich...
It shouldn't happen now (for a lot of reasons) but don't see why Ukraine joining the EU should be out of the question.
Seems a far more likely future member than Turkey (if Ukraine can meet criteria, if EU can reform to make itself ready for admitting any more members without causing huge internal crises or institutional gridlock, (ideally) if relations between EU/EU members and Russia can improve in future so a war doesn't start over Ukraine's membership, so many ifs as to make it quite a long way off yet).
It has a smaller population than Turkey, and to be blunt it is not a Muslim country with all that baggage, and fewer current members or likely future members have festering unresolved "issues"/disputes with it too I think.
Then why do the trees all have leaves?
Here's a live webcam in Kallingrad, no leaves.
Weather is also overcast and raining today, yet sunny in your images.
Conclusion: not today, and not recent.
https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/7FOIE3CE1DFL/img-20220216-wa0004.jpg
Sure they're drills... with a list of demands attached. Russia is a vast Country, why these particular time's and place ? You think that this was accicental?
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