Beginning to think that this may not be about Nato expansion or whatever. Perhaps it´s because Putin is frightened about the possibility of losing power. Everytime a former Soviet state goes democratic, people in Russia are going to ask why they can´t have it. We see how the protests are being crushed in Moskau for instance.

Bingo.
The Nato expansion and the absurd conditions he wanted to impose to Nato member countries was always a pretext NOT to negotiate anything with the West. Basically (like other "strong" state men) he wants to move the clock backwards but only to the time he'd like to reinstall.

https://twitter.com/donwinslow/statu...79016326148097

I think the soldiers on the Russian side will need to ask themselves whether their fighting is justified. I wonder whether morale will be a factor.

Indeed. "Hey, we don't want NATO on our doorstep. So let's invade a country with two NATO allies on its border".

you are smart, indeed

My own take is that it is about influence. Russia is not going to tolerate an anti-Russia pro-US government in Ukraine (no more than the US would tolerate it if there was a revolution in Canada and a pro-Russian government was installed there) and Russia is willing to go to war to prevent having a US-aligned country right on its border.

Now we know why the soviets prioritized Chernobyl early in the invasion. Almost certainly, the bullet points in Moscow are along the lines of "the Ukrainians wanted to threaten Europe with radiation, but the brave soviet soldiers saved Europe again!"


Nuclear agency reports increased radiation levels from Chernobyl

https://www.business-standard.com/ar...2500175_1.html

Name one country which democratically elected a pro-Russian government? People don't want that, there was a great Russian slogan back in the early 90s хочу life не жизнь (loose translation "I want the normal life, not the russian life")

Only issue is that when Russian forces fire at the local defence (I assume civilians who will volunteer to fight) , it will be reported as civilian casualties by the media. Then this will be pointing fingers at each other scenario again.

Pray for Ukraine and hope the west takes more tougher actions to deter Russian forces. Looks like they are already entering the capital as of now, unfortunately.

This is my take of this situation from the beginning. The US needs to be more careful in interfering with some countries in the world to avoid provocation, internal issues and ultimately leading to conflict. In the end its only civilians that suffer.

There is nothing to point out: russians eneters UA capital to kill people. People defends themselves
That's crystal clear
also DRG, entered to Kyiv has been eliminated

This situation is to the US's advantage... they want Russia to do unwise things that weaken its global influence and Putin just gave them the jackpot that is going to weaken their position on the world stage considerably for decades to come.

The emotions are high everywhere at the moment, I can understand that. But up to now they seem to attack strategic locations, which in recent history what all the other superpowers have done. Lets really hope and pray that RU doesn't go to the extend that you have said.

But asking civilians to fight without any training is just feeding the fire. Forcing 18 - 60 year old men NOT to flee the conflict (according to BBC news now) also doesn't look good.

The Russian stock market rebounds and the Ruble gains against the dollar. A hard proof that even the Russians were expecting stronger sanctions and in Moscow they're probably popping champagne now.

https://www.reuters.com/markets/euro...us-2022-02-25/

Yes, it is known. Wet dreams of the delirous pan-slavists. Plenty of them around.

i'm about facts, while you are pointing on emotions. I've heard this somewhere already

and noone forcing civilians to take arms all of them are voluntaries. Moreover many of them already has war experience since 2014

it seems for ROW its allright. so next will be LA/LT/EST/POL (NATO countries)

Day 2 of the invasion live updates.

Live updates from Ukraine on day2 of the Russian invasion from The Guardian .

The Guardian - live streaming updates of the latest news from Ukraine

I think he also wants a corridor right to the Western Balkans (Serbia)....and he is willing to lie his way through it. See, he wants all the ex-soviet sphere of influence back.

This would imply he's attacking NATO (Romania) and possible Bulgaria too (another NATO member).

Sadly, given the response from the west so far, this doesn't seem so outrageous and impossible anymore.

Oh yes, IT IS outrageous. I don't think they will atack Nato, but of course you never know. He is a crazy man.