He really has been though. Russia had to reinvent itself in the 1990s. There was no recipe for how to do it. Putin did a great job. — frank
The question is, though, is he popular (approval rating — FreeEmotion
and has he broken any laws internationally? — FreeEmotion
This is another hint at his mental problems. There's no contingency plan for retreat, it almost seems to be "do or die". — Christoffer
On the one hand, you claim to be looking for solutions, on the other you focus on attributing blame. Let's suppose, for arguments sake, this is 100% Putin's fault. Now we are precisely zero steps closer to finding a way to deescalate the situation. — Baden
The way it looks to someone from the outside is, this one country is willing to bring the whole world down for some piece of land few people care about? And you just won't get enough people caring about the history, even if it helps elucidate why this is happening. — Manuel
Thanks for your answer, you have made your point clear. OK, It's an interesting topic, I agree, but I think one main question to you is the following: What is the link to the present situation in Ukraine?I'll try to make it clear. There are some facts about which it seems we agree... — Isaac
2. Some of these were Neo-Nazis and far-right activists unhappy with the governments recent favouring of Russian over US aid. — Isaac
4. The US supported the far right factions. There's a suspicion, grounded on some evidence, that they lent more than just 'support'. — Isaac
As part of the wave of protests against Yanukovych government, the ultra right-wing party, “Svoboda,” won the parliamentary elections in 2012 with 10.5% support. This is tantamount to a “landslide” result, considering the results of the parliamentary elections in 2006 and 2007, of which they won a modest 0.36% and 0.76% of the votes, respectively.
"Svoboda” became the first radical nationalist party to enter the Ukrainian Parliament. However, the success of Svoboda does not signify popular support for the radical Ukrainian nationalist ideology. The support for Svoboda was because of tactical reasons rather than ideological. First, as a protest against the anti-Ukrainian policy of Yanukovych, the voters had chosen the most defiant nationalist party in Ukraine. Second, in essence, Svoboda supporters ensured the fiercest opposition against the government. This was necessary as the national-democratic forces had discredited themselves – many of the deputies after the victory of Yanukovych in the 2010 presidential election turned traitor and joined the government coalition. Given the situation, Svoboda, with a clear position and rigid discipline, would keep its deputies in the opposition coalition, thereby firmly and vigorously opposing the government.
Svoboda had indeed played an indispensable role in Maidan mobilization and coordination processes and this was not an accident. The party possessed a unique combination of resources among Maidan participants: ideologically committed activists, resources of a parliamentary party, and dominant positions in the local authorities in Western regions. First, unlike other major opposition parties in Ukraine (hardly more than electoral machines) Svoboda possessed thousands ideological activists organized in a nation-wide party cells network. Even if Svoboda activists were a minority among all Maidan supporters, there were still more of them than of any other single opposition party or NGO coalition. They were regularly and intensively participating in activities of Kiev Maidan camp, particularly, helping to maintain them in the periods of downturn mobilization (like in the end of December 2013 – the first half of January 2014).
Unfortunately, they have to expand because world domination is their ultimate objective — Apollodorus
The zones of influence assigned to each government shall be as follows: The English zone: The Cossack territories, the territory of the Caucasus, Armenia, Georgia, Kurdistan. The French zone: Bessarabia, the Ukraine, the Crimea … ‘
Historical context can help people understand the why, but that in itself is not a justification. — Manuel
It's now an issue of how quickly things play out. — Manuel
Boris Johnson, too, stands to profit from this, with his covid indiscretions firmly forgotten, he's guaranteed a reelection. — baker
The Dutch government will supply 50 Panzerfaust-3 anti-tank weapons and 400 rockets, the ministry said in a letter to parliament.
The decision to send 135,000 field rations, 5,000 helmets, 5,000 pieces of body armour and 5,000 single use anti-tank launchers is the first time Sweden has sent weapons to a country in armed conflict since the Soviet Union invaded Finland in 1939, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson tells reporters.
On the proposal of the Government, the President of the Republic decided today that Finland will deliver 2,500 assault rifles, 150,000 cartridges for the attack rifles, 1,500 single-shot anti-tank weapons and 70,000 combat ration packages to Ukraine as material aid.
Our thread troll, informing us of the official Russian view :smile:I think an essential step toward a real and lasting solution would be to understand that the root cause of the problem is not Russian aggression but Western imperialism. — Apollodorus
I think an essential step toward a real and lasting solution would be to understand that the root cause of the problem is not Russian aggression but Western imperialism. — Apollodorus
Our thread troll, informing us of the official Russian view — ssu
The Ukraine could have a nice life as a neutral state and enjoy the benefits from being on good terms with both sides. Like Switzerland. But no. They don't want to profit from their strategic geopolitical position. They don't want to care who one of their neighbors is. They want to do their own thing. They want to be free to threaten their neighbor.
And the Americans don't want to pass up this opportunity either.
And after two years of covid, people are stressed out and need to relieve themselves somehow.
So it's not clear how realistic it is to even consider that the situation could be deescalated. — baker
Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman, Dmitry Medvedev claimed that Ukraine is being used as a "geopolitical pressure tool" against Russia and China as it has turned into a "toy" in the hands of the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Medvedev also anticipated that Volodymyr Zelensky's acts as President of Ukraine would most likely result in the country's destruction. "I am not disappointed by Zelensky in any way. I believe he is doing exactly what a person with his level of training and professional qualification for the position of President of Ukraine should be doing. And, sadly for him, this will almost certainly lead to Ukraine's destruction," Medvedev remarked, as per Sputnik. — Sputnik - Jan 22, 2022
But to see that international finance has more power than a country with a huge nuclear arsenal, does raise some interesting questions ... — Apollodorus
Our thread troll — ssu
The real problem is that Russia has always had this border issue: there aren't any obvious geographical borders, but flatland from Europe to Asia. And hence they've always been insisting on having more territory for defense — ssu
Survival? By taking Ukraine? In what way is that survival? Please explain what the actual threat is? All those nations, including Ukraine, want is to be their own nation. Putin and Russia is huge, no one has any interest in obliterating Russia, even many Russians themselves don't want any of this. So if it's not survival, what is it then? I really want some strong argument for the survival angle, like, actual threats to Russia's existence. And how they cannot exist in the normal nuclear superpower as it is right now. — Christoffer
CNN —. Now that Russian President Vladimir Putin has embarked on his crusade to eradicate a neighboring democracy and subdue its proud and fearless people, the goal of the rest of the democratic ...
No one wins if Russia's economy falls apart.
Its trading partners -- countries and businesses -- are watching with concern as Russia scrambles to tackle a deepening economic crisis, sparked by plunging oil prices and punishing international sanctions.
The ruble has been in free fall and is already hurting earnings at global companies with operations in Russia.
CNN -2014 — CNN
I think people underestimate the moral revulsion among friends and enemies alike if such a thing happens. — FreeEmotion
Get involved in philosophical discussions about knowledge, truth, language, consciousness, science, politics, religion, logic and mathematics, art, history, and lots more. No ads, no clutter, and very little agreement — just fascinating conversations.