How do you get in contact with Russian people the way putinbots can infiltrate us.
Everything is an excuse for Moscow - it's a technique. If they don't have one, they'll just manufacture one as we've seen. If NATO never existed Putin would be going in Ukraine regardless, actually who we kidding, Ukraine would be long gone.
I would find that hard to fathom, too. He is already in enough trouble as it is, but... it has precedent and we know a similar event with ketchup rather than real blood was planned to kickstart the invasion but foiled by the Americans and UK who outed this and their puppet state plans. The videos of captured Russian rocket launchers (some of them claim they have thermobaric weapons but they probably do not) could form part of this, plus fake news that Ukraine were going on the offensive, i.e. into Russian Federation territory proper.
Also worrying is that intelligence confirms Sino-Russian pre-agreement on the invasion timeline, and from that it seem China abstained only because of the threat of sanctions. The West has chosen bravely to take up hardship for a good cause, but we are otherwise regarded by Russia and China as the decadent US and a hodgepodge of divisable West Eurasian states only useful because of our money and willingness to educate their children in our elite schools.
May explain the limited ground engagement by Russian troops.
Russia just murdered an OSCE observer:
"Maryna Fenina, who worked for the OSCE mission monitoring the situation in Ukraine, died when she provided supplies for her family in a city that had become a war zone."
https://polishnews.co.uk/ukraine-russias-attack-osce-mission-member-killed-in-russian-attack/
You don't need hypotheticals - look at Cuba for a real example and how did that play out? Also don't forget that Russia is only 20 odd miles away from the USA at its closest point.
To be clear, its Putin who doesn't like Nato and the EU and doesn't want its neighbours to join either. The Russian people don't really care.
First of all, get to grips with this; make sure you learn the Russian one.
One unexpected benefit is that you will finally realise what the CCCP was when the Soviet Union was competing in the Olympics.
Then spend at least 2 years learning the vocabulary and grammar (cases can be tough).
You'll then need to polish things off with a bit of localisation; think the 'proper English' school in Slumdog Millionaire.
And even then, you're still at risk of alienating your 'audience' with an innocuous mistake like 'Gaelic'.
Is he losing the plot, or that shameless/ruthless? maybe he really doesn't know what the army is doing? weird.
What has that got to do with my posts?
Seriously just ignore me
Really Wibbs? We're at the stage of indisputable war crimes. At what point if Russian forces continue this does it become genocide in your opinion? When 500 civilians are indiscriminately killed: 5000, 10000, 50000? What's the threshold for intervention?
If Canada wished to become communist then that would be there business. Invading Ukraine, attempting to bomb it flat and ethnically cleansing its population cannot be described as "delicate"
Attempting to explain away the invasion as some type of peace keeping mission is straight from Putins own notebook and frankly is complete bollocs.
The only reason any country close to Russia has joined NATO is to prevent exactly what has happening in Ukraine now.
Google embassies, consuls, Russian businesses etc, really simple when there's a will to do it.
No issue with your posts at all, but you seemed to be conflicted for narratives over Putin.
IKEA has just stopped all operations with Russia.
Putin is watching the same news channels the rest of Russia is watching. Seems he has no clue either of the reality ,
Exercises shown on TV before invasion showed a fraction of operational equipment. Much of the rest is either inoperable or suffering mechanical issues.
6/7k Russian soldiers dead - double that. Thousands upon thousands POWed, injured, absconded.
Sources saying Kiyv will fall in 8 weeks. However experts say if Russians don't take the city before the weekend is over there will be an indefinite battle.
Fabricated conversations? And you know this how?
My point on my post count is that people can decide for themselves what sort of person and poster I am. You aren’t bothered so make sweeping statements about me you simply are not in a position to make, that’s more the likely you projecting on me what you do then any reflection of actually who I am.
If you are going to misinform or offer excuses for Putin find another site to do so
In the meantime do not post in this thread again
Not being a specialist, unlike so many Strangeloves here, I am not sure. But I think the work of John Mearsheimer, one of the few political scientists to get this half way right, points the way. No more NATO expansion. No more EU expansion. Neutrality for Finland and certain states on the Great European Plain and the Caucuses. An acceptance that the world is multipolar again, and that balance of power politics is back, whether we like it or not.
Bring Russia to its knees economically then negotiate nuclear disarmament or let them live like North Korea for the foreseeable future. Feel for the average Russian but tough.
He knows. And he most likely gave the order.
Apparently Putin told Macron he has no intention of halting the 'military operation' in Ukraine before its completion.
Seems talk of negotiations is just a smokescreen or sideshow that will lead nowhere.
I honestly just want to chat about it , that’s it. Genuinely have very little idea of the background to all this.
There is more factors in democracy than the mechanics of the most recent election.
At the end of the day it's a scenario that will eventually cost many many lives and won't end anytime soon.
The Russians are the aggressors, but I'm not sure how much help the west can be for the Ukraine people, without starting a war that might never end in our lifetime.
The economic sanctions are the only hope
And when Finland, the Baltics and Ukraine tell you and your plan to get stuffed then what?
Putin's problem goes far beyond merely joining NATO or the EU (Ukraine was close to neither). It has to do with them becoming in any way "westernised", with open societies, free elections and the works.
I think this really marks the end of Russia as an independent great power. It is their Suez crisis. After this they will need Beijing's permission to do anything. I think if Beijing ends up being the peace broker it'll really be the moment the bipolar (US+ allies versus China +allies) world becomes clear.
Macron should be credited for keeping the direct line open, but f*ck me if it isn't obvious that Putin is going for the home run no matter what the cost to Ukraine, Russia and Europe.
there are 6 NATO countries on Russia boarders already?
I saw someone* saying that unless we make it clear that the sanctions would be relaxed if he backed down it incentivises him to go for broke because he has already taken the hit now.
*I can't remember where I saw it and can't find the article
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