Friendly reminder that navalny supports annexation of Crimea.
As a Ukrainian let me make one thing clear, since judging by this article you don't fully grasp the region's nuances (no criticism here - for a non-native some stuff will inevitably stay in the blind spot, the article is beautifully written) - while putin's russia is currently one of the most serious threats to Ukraine and Europe as a whole, what's important to understand is that navalny's russia or medvedev's russia, or anyone's russia for that matter won't stop being a problem after putin is gone. Imperialistic and chauvinistic tendencies are so deeply rooted into that country that no matter the president it simply can't manage to create any growth scenario without exploitation of near-by countries. Ukraine is not the only country attacked by russia with literal troops, and there's an even longer list of victims if you're counting the damage done with "informational wars".
putins regime is gruesome, but don't let this demonised reputation of his fool you - while all russian forces/institutions are created with exploitation and imperialism hard-coded inside, while russian citizens celebrate annexation, deny history and welcome murderers - throwing putin down won't do shit. We have to bring the whole system down.
Only Turkey seems to have the sense to make moves against Russia. They've sent their forces into Libya, Azerbaijan and Syria to stop Russia and it's proxies. And they've started sending drones and equipment to Ukraine. Meanwhile Europe's mouthpieces try to paint Turkey as a pro Putin dictatorship as they fantasize about themselves being heroes.
Turkey just allowed the US to send the warship into the Black Sea and just came out declaring that Russia's seizure of Crimea is illegal, against international law.
As well, Turkish backed forces in Syria have committed atrocious war crimes and have repressed the Kurdish majority, and reintroduced conservative islamic laws in the region, they’re less concerned about Assad, than they are about the Kurdish SDF.
Turkey is increasingly turning into a Russian-esque faux-democracy, and supported Azerbaijan, a dictatorship, against Armenia, a democracy whose people were ethnically cleansed by Turkey. Not a good look to be praising Turkey
Got any other suggestions in the current situation? If a massacre from over 100 years ago is your main criterion, Germany should be out, as should Russia, China, Cambodia, Myanmar, and many, many other countries.
Thank you for sounding the alarm again. We have already seen what the West's failure to keep Putin in check has cost Moldova, Georgia, and Ukraine. Putin's role in pushing BREXIT, interfering in the U.S. elections, carrying out cyber-attacks, actions in the Middle East and South America require a clear and visible red line to put a stop to any further violations of international laws and an end to appeasement.
You are absolutely correct in your assessment of the danger Putin poses to Ukraine and Europe. We have been waiting since 2014 for the other shoe to drop. This may be it.
Thanks for this(I think)concise rundown about how insidiously Putin has been behaving for the last twenty plus years-no doubt to recreate his Russian empire but to take the rest of Europe as well. Add to that his military moves into the Arctic region, and we will be next on his plate. It’s no wonder he wants us to tenderize ourselves beforehand so we, like a destabilized Europe, will be far easier pickings than if we were to remain united. So Putin is playing three dimensional chess while the rest of his future holdings are still trying to read the rules of the game.
I think I’ll go wash my hair now after all your great news.
the world has also ignored the horrific history of the Ukrainian Holocaust enacted by the Bolsheviks to force collectivist policies on the Ukrainian.. upwards of 9 millions persons starved to death No doubt the Ukraine fears the child of these kinds of policies running the show next door.
It’s just Ukraine, not the Ukraine. Please see above.
The article is an excellent overview of the current situation affecting Ukraine and the entire European continent. This conflict demands more than $1 million per day to the Ukrainian economy and the western world should assist the efforts of Ukraine against Russian aggression. We cannot forget the influence of the Kremlin in Latin America either in countries like Venezuela and Nicaragua.
The most accurate article about Russian aggression that I ever read. I’m Ukrainian and for me, it’s painful understanding that all principles and ideals of the EU don’t matter for greedy politicians whose main goal to achieve more money and leave the national security of the region ruined. If Ukraine fall — the whole of Eastern Europe will fall
Great article...I wonder if Ukraine said it will never join NATO if Russia respects its borders and offers aid to Ukraine's economy? Would this placate Putin ?
But Finland is not a NATO member but trades with the world. And Russia was invaded by Germany via Ukraine in WWII so Putin will never accept even the slightest hint of NATO cooperation. Remember: Putin lost family members in that War and he is an ex agent of the KGB.
Finland is an excellent model for Ukraine. Unlike Ukraine, however, it speaks a different language family, it is Lutheran, and has a patient temperament. It is small enough and remote enough to ignore.
Ukraine is existential to Russia. It has access to the Black Sea with ports in Odesa, Mykolayiv, and Sevastopol. It is Orthodox, speaks a similar language, its culture and assistance to the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union is missed. Ukraine has a much more developed infrastructure than the much more expansive Russian Federation. Ukrainians are more temperamental than the Finns and even the Belarusians. Ukraine is geographically at least the original Rus.
The Ukrainians should try to learn from the Finns. But even more from the Belarusians.
In addition, because of his Russian language and informational skills, not to mention youth, President Zelensky is an existential threat to Russia in terms of what he represents. He skewered Putin, Russia and its lackeys during his television years. To President Putin he is nothing more than a provincial upstart. He comes from Kryvyi Rih. He is a Russian speaker who acknowledges the Ukrainian language and nation. That is hard for Russians not to mention President Putin to accept.
I think that Ukraine needs to solidify a front with the Belarusian people, quietly, slowly, patiently, and creatively.
Agree about Finland, but unlike Ukrainians, Finns managed to secure thair future back in 30s. Stalin relicated millions of ukrainian population to far east and moved russian population in vacated homes. This is why ukraine is not monolithic now, and this is what Putin is using now.
And you are really overestimating Zelenskiy, Putins propaganda is easily presenting him as a clown to russian population. And same time Zelenskiy is very weak political ly, he is a gift for Putin.
GOOD LUCK AND YOU WILL NEED A LOT OF LUCK. WITH YOUR ATTITUDE UKRAINE WILL LOSE MANY PEOPLE THROUGH DEATH AND EMIGRATION AS WELL LOSE TERRITORY. AGAIN: GOOD LUCK!!!
Putin is a very secretive and scary individual. He controls the press, the internet, the courts, the police and the army. He has elected himself president until 2036, eliminating all prior restrictions on length of service. These restrictions existed for a reason but were no natch for Putin’s power bulldozer. Add that all up and what do you get: a ruthless dictator with unlimited power. 💀
if Diane Francis is a dual citizen US and Canada where does her organization pay tax on the subscriptions as a us company are the funds taxed in the usa or is it a canadian corporation that has an American agency collect the funds.
Francis has been in Canada 60 years but may retain us citizen ship but advocated the amalgamation of Usa and Canada but probably leave out the Hispanic countries to the south
The Nord Stream pipeline must be stopped ? Don't think that Chancellor Merkel or the rest of Germany agree. Same arguments ( Baku is bad ; Tiblisi is bad ; Turks are bad etc. ) were used when the BTC pipeline was on the drawing board but it got built anyway. Gazprom is a compelling investment opportunity and the pipeline has serious industry support despite US propaganda. Ukraine is no friend of Russia : why should Russian gas have to travel through Ukraine ? To give the Ukraine leverage and royalties ?
Excellent summary of the current situation in the Ukraine and Europe, but why throw in the insane stuff about Trump which adds nothing. This falls squarely in the lap of Obama and with Biden (Obama) in the White House, the Russians may now feel empowered to go all in.
Friendly reminder that navalny supports annexation of Crimea.
As a Ukrainian let me make one thing clear, since judging by this article you don't fully grasp the region's nuances (no criticism here - for a non-native some stuff will inevitably stay in the blind spot, the article is beautifully written) - while putin's russia is currently one of the most serious threats to Ukraine and Europe as a whole, what's important to understand is that navalny's russia or medvedev's russia, or anyone's russia for that matter won't stop being a problem after putin is gone. Imperialistic and chauvinistic tendencies are so deeply rooted into that country that no matter the president it simply can't manage to create any growth scenario without exploitation of near-by countries. Ukraine is not the only country attacked by russia with literal troops, and there's an even longer list of victims if you're counting the damage done with "informational wars".
putins regime is gruesome, but don't let this demonised reputation of his fool you - while all russian forces/institutions are created with exploitation and imperialism hard-coded inside, while russian citizens celebrate annexation, deny history and welcome murderers - throwing putin down won't do shit. We have to bring the whole system down.
It feels so much like the world is “on fire”. The scope of this is so enormous I can’t even imagine how it can be extinguished.
Only Turkey seems to have the sense to make moves against Russia. They've sent their forces into Libya, Azerbaijan and Syria to stop Russia and it's proxies. And they've started sending drones and equipment to Ukraine. Meanwhile Europe's mouthpieces try to paint Turkey as a pro Putin dictatorship as they fantasize about themselves being heroes.
Turkey just allowed the US to send the warship into the Black Sea and just came out declaring that Russia's seizure of Crimea is illegal, against international law.
As well, Turkish backed forces in Syria have committed atrocious war crimes and have repressed the Kurdish majority, and reintroduced conservative islamic laws in the region, they’re less concerned about Assad, than they are about the Kurdish SDF.
Turkey is increasingly turning into a Russian-esque faux-democracy, and supported Azerbaijan, a dictatorship, against Armenia, a democracy whose people were ethnically cleansed by Turkey. Not a good look to be praising Turkey
Got any other suggestions in the current situation? If a massacre from over 100 years ago is your main criterion, Germany should be out, as should Russia, China, Cambodia, Myanmar, and many, many other countries.
Thank you for sounding the alarm again. We have already seen what the West's failure to keep Putin in check has cost Moldova, Georgia, and Ukraine. Putin's role in pushing BREXIT, interfering in the U.S. elections, carrying out cyber-attacks, actions in the Middle East and South America require a clear and visible red line to put a stop to any further violations of international laws and an end to appeasement.
You are absolutely correct in your assessment of the danger Putin poses to Ukraine and Europe. We have been waiting since 2014 for the other shoe to drop. This may be it.
Thanks for this(I think)concise rundown about how insidiously Putin has been behaving for the last twenty plus years-no doubt to recreate his Russian empire but to take the rest of Europe as well. Add to that his military moves into the Arctic region, and we will be next on his plate. It’s no wonder he wants us to tenderize ourselves beforehand so we, like a destabilized Europe, will be far easier pickings than if we were to remain united. So Putin is playing three dimensional chess while the rest of his future holdings are still trying to read the rules of the game.
I think I’ll go wash my hair now after all your great news.
the world has also ignored the horrific history of the Ukrainian Holocaust enacted by the Bolsheviks to force collectivist policies on the Ukrainian.. upwards of 9 millions persons starved to death No doubt the Ukraine fears the child of these kinds of policies running the show next door.
It’s just Ukraine, not the Ukraine. Please see above.
The article is an excellent overview of the current situation affecting Ukraine and the entire European continent. This conflict demands more than $1 million per day to the Ukrainian economy and the western world should assist the efforts of Ukraine against Russian aggression. We cannot forget the influence of the Kremlin in Latin America either in countries like Venezuela and Nicaragua.
i would suggest we have totally forgotten about The Bolshevik imperialism in many many countries including the aforementioned.
The most accurate article about Russian aggression that I ever read. I’m Ukrainian and for me, it’s painful understanding that all principles and ideals of the EU don’t matter for greedy politicians whose main goal to achieve more money and leave the national security of the region ruined. If Ukraine fall — the whole of Eastern Europe will fall
Great article...I wonder if Ukraine said it will never join NATO if Russia respects its borders and offers aid to Ukraine's economy? Would this placate Putin ?
Ukraine has to be in NATO and Russia cannot be trusted
Definitely Putin and Russia cannot be trusted.
But Finland is not a NATO member but trades with the world. And Russia was invaded by Germany via Ukraine in WWII so Putin will never accept even the slightest hint of NATO cooperation. Remember: Putin lost family members in that War and he is an ex agent of the KGB.
Finland is an excellent model for Ukraine. Unlike Ukraine, however, it speaks a different language family, it is Lutheran, and has a patient temperament. It is small enough and remote enough to ignore.
Ukraine is existential to Russia. It has access to the Black Sea with ports in Odesa, Mykolayiv, and Sevastopol. It is Orthodox, speaks a similar language, its culture and assistance to the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union is missed. Ukraine has a much more developed infrastructure than the much more expansive Russian Federation. Ukrainians are more temperamental than the Finns and even the Belarusians. Ukraine is geographically at least the original Rus.
The Ukrainians should try to learn from the Finns. But even more from the Belarusians.
In addition, because of his Russian language and informational skills, not to mention youth, President Zelensky is an existential threat to Russia in terms of what he represents. He skewered Putin, Russia and its lackeys during his television years. To President Putin he is nothing more than a provincial upstart. He comes from Kryvyi Rih. He is a Russian speaker who acknowledges the Ukrainian language and nation. That is hard for Russians not to mention President Putin to accept.
I think that Ukraine needs to solidify a front with the Belarusian people, quietly, slowly, patiently, and creatively.
Bohdan A Oryshkevich
Agree about Finland, but unlike Ukrainians, Finns managed to secure thair future back in 30s. Stalin relicated millions of ukrainian population to far east and moved russian population in vacated homes. This is why ukraine is not monolithic now, and this is what Putin is using now.
And you are really overestimating Zelenskiy, Putins propaganda is easily presenting him as a clown to russian population. And same time Zelenskiy is very weak political ly, he is a gift for Putin.
Agree
"Russia respects"... these two words can never stand together.
Consider: "Russia wants, Russia claims, Russia takes". That's all you have to know about Russia and about making deal with them.
You can’t negotiate with a tiger when your head is in his mouth.
So no, we definitely will join the NATO and that can’t be amended.
GOOD LUCK AND YOU WILL NEED A LOT OF LUCK. WITH YOUR ATTITUDE UKRAINE WILL LOSE MANY PEOPLE THROUGH DEATH AND EMIGRATION AS WELL LOSE TERRITORY. AGAIN: GOOD LUCK!!!
Don’t play words with me. People die because of Putins regime and that has nothing to do with proper course of actions.
Putin is a very secretive and scary individual. He controls the press, the internet, the courts, the police and the army. He has elected himself president until 2036, eliminating all prior restrictions on length of service. These restrictions existed for a reason but were no natch for Putin’s power bulldozer. Add that all up and what do you get: a ruthless dictator with unlimited power. 💀
Agree!
if Diane Francis is a dual citizen US and Canada where does her organization pay tax on the subscriptions as a us company are the funds taxed in the usa or is it a canadian corporation that has an American agency collect the funds.
Francis has been in Canada 60 years but may retain us citizen ship but advocated the amalgamation of Usa and Canada but probably leave out the Hispanic countries to the south
One remark: not 12,5% of Ukraine is Russian-occupied but """ About 44 000 square km - or some 7% of the territory of Ukraine – are now under foreign occupation """ - it was a quote from mfa.gov.ua/en/news/statement-mr-vadym-prystaiko-minister-foreign-affairs-ukraine-un-general-assembly-plenary-meeting-situation-temporarily-occupied-territories-ukraine
Thank God for journalists like you who see the truth for what it is, and for not being Ukrainian which does not make your opinions biased.
The Nord Stream pipeline must be stopped ? Don't think that Chancellor Merkel or the rest of Germany agree. Same arguments ( Baku is bad ; Tiblisi is bad ; Turks are bad etc. ) were used when the BTC pipeline was on the drawing board but it got built anyway. Gazprom is a compelling investment opportunity and the pipeline has serious industry support despite US propaganda. Ukraine is no friend of Russia : why should Russian gas have to travel through Ukraine ? To give the Ukraine leverage and royalties ?
This incisive analysis outlines the cost to us all of Russian appeasement.
Excellent summary of the current situation in the Ukraine and Europe, but why throw in the insane stuff about Trump which adds nothing. This falls squarely in the lap of Obama and with Biden (Obama) in the White House, the Russians may now feel empowered to go all in.
Trump tried to shake down this heroic nation. Unforgivably.
And Trump was pals with Putin and still we don't know what that was about.
It's Ukraine, not the Ukraine.
Sorry....