Russia is definitely going to take eastern Ukraine. There were probably be little if any resistance from the Ukraine military. Real question is whether Putin will try to take the west and go all the way to Kiev. There is no reason to try to fight for the eastern part of Ukraine. The only people who want to keep that part of the country are some very right wing if not outright neo Nazi nationalist groups. But there could be significant resistance if Putin tries to take the entire country. I think Putin will just go in to Donbass, kick out any nationalists and Ukraine forces and claim that part of the country reunited with mother Russia. That sort of move will produce some division in the Western response with the Germans prepared to give Putin a pass to keep natural gas flowing. A move on all of Ukraine risks uniting the West against Putin.
It's just a slow motion recovery of the former Soviet Union, piece by piece. He took Crimea eight years ago. Now he's taking the parts of Eastern Ukraine where he sent in his "separatist" forces years ago. Gradually, he takes the rest of the country with "provocations" providing some superficial justification to his own people and those who believe the propaganda. But if you smack the bully in the face now, maybe he doesn't go on to take Poland and the Baltics.
WTF do we care if he takes over Ukraine? Let him have it.
Excuse me but you are completely out of the loop. Ukraine is the largest country in Europe proper and is part of the West in terms of being democratic and wanting to be part of NATO. It stands as a buffer between the West and Russia which wants no part of it of anything close to freedom and democracy for its people. All Russia knows is to control and conquer. Ukraine is a free and independent European country with 45 million citizens that do not want war. Do not want to be killed, or displaced and have their cities burned down and be occupied by an evil empire. Perhaps if you had family and friends living this horror you would be more compassionate. Beyond this, Russia is poised to take over the Baltics, neighboring countries and basically start WW III. We are not talking about Afghanistan or some tiny country no one cares about here - the repurcussions are huge. And you would know that if you were listeing to the news.
Recognized Donetsk and Lugansk as sovereign. Diplomatic maneuver, not uncommon.
But now all this "invasion" nonsense is gonna go on all year. Long live the new covid.
These posts have to be coming from a bot; I cannot fathom anyone being this consistently stupid.
argument by ridicule only makes you look stupid.
Donbass has been de facto independent for the past 7 years, is in the far east of the country, borders Russia. This is not what all that noise about Belarus and Kiev was about. That's waaaay up in the north.
Snark the veil off your own ignorance all you want...
Russia has always been an imperial power with designs on its neighbours territory hence the reason so many ex Soviet satellite states want to join NATO. Most just want to live in peace and security without Russia constantly undermining or intimidating them.
This is just like Munich 1938 all over again with Western leaders queuing up to grovel at Putin’s feet so they can say, they did "their best" when the inevitable invasion takes place.
WTF do we care if he takes over Ukraine? Let him have it.
Excuse me but you are completely out of the loop. Ukraine is the largest country in Europe proper and is part of the West in terms of being democratic and wanting to be part of NATO. It stands as a buffer between the West and Russia which wants no part of it of anything close to freedom and democracy for its people. All Russia knows is to control and conquer. Ukraine is a free and independent European country with 45 million citizens that do not want war. Do not want to be killed, or displaced and have their cities burned down and be occupied by an evil empire. Perhaps if you had family and friends living this horror you would be more compassionate. Beyond this, Russia is poised to take over the Baltics, neighboring countries and basically start WW III. We are not talking about Afghanistan or some tiny country no one cares about here - the repurcussions are huge. And you would know that if you were listeing to the news.
Russia will have to be taken seriously if this problem is to be resolved. Russia’s back has been put up with the threat of NATO right on its doorstep. That’s where the contemplation should start. Russia won WWII and defeated you-know-who. The West had a chance to reorient its relations with Russia at the time, to ease it gradually into the international community of collaborating nations. The West, instead, made Russia into the boogeyman and have been poking the bear with a stick ever since. That’s how Russia sees it, which isn not entirely unreasonable.
There is no military response the UK or US can offer here without endangering the peace and safety of the entire world. Cool heads are needed rather than useless sabre rattling. Is Ukraine worth a nuclear holocaust? There’s a negotiable settlement to be carved out here and the cogitators need to keep that right at the forefront of their minds.
Help us build the best running shoe review site for a chance to win a LetsRun t-shirt.Help us build the best running shoe review site for a chance to win one of 10 LetsRun t-shirts.