So, the answer is one.

Putin is notoriously wary of COVID 19 and allegedly Sputnik vaccinated behind closed doors. Read into that as you wish. He’s been distancing himself from people for months.

The West is at war with Russia. Here’s what that means for the world.

Vladimir Putin has to be feeling cornered by the Western response to his invasion of Ukraine. That makes him incredibly dangerous.

By Ian Bremmer

https://ianbremmer.bulletin.com/west-at-war-with-russia

this is a good and recent article from the New Statesman highlighting the neo-Nazi problem in Ukraine: https://www.newstatesman.com/interna...-right-go-away
the article stresses that while the country does have a far-right problem it is no way a justification for Putin's actions.

Interesting. I have no idea about this particular topic, but this felt like a reasonable read.

Oh, and the traffic jam north of Kyiv ...

https://www.militarytimes.com/flashp...military-says/

That's why economic sanctions from hell are needed.

dont drink and drive

He has surrounded himself with generals, KGBs and the likes. Basically he's been with the same team since '99. They are obsessed by war. Yes, we are dealing with an almost religious cult, Hitler like.

They are commiting war crimes and he should appear in front of The Hague Court like Milosevic. (my very naive wish)

In no way trying to defend a Nazi organization, but merely trying to explain a certain aspect.

We all need to remember that despite the fact that Ukraine seems monolithic and united now, which it is due to the Russian invasion, it wasn't until last week. It was a country with substantial internal divisions not merely Russians vs Ukrainians, but quite a few other factions. The Azov Battalion, which is now part of the National Guard was tolerated (even tacitly supported by Kiev) as it was strongly anti-Russian. In fact, it was born as an anti-Russian militia after 2014 and it was perceived mainly as such in Ukraine.

The anti-Semitism of it is really a complicated topic as there are actually Ukrainian Jews who served in the battalion and yet it's symbolism is not even trying to hide it's Nazi origins.


I personally have always seen them much more as radical Ukrainian nationalists rather than Nazis, although once you commit war crimes, which they did, whether one is baptized a Nazi or a nationalist really doesn't matter.

And yet you have Ukrainian Jews and other minorities like ethnic Russians, fighting for Ukraine as we speak....Apropos of the other thread 'what can we do from here for Ukraine'?
For instance be careful with what we read and where that info comes from, which purpose it serves etc etc.
Not referring specifically to you or any article posted here because I didn't even read all of them, however, some things must be said: there are and will be lots of fake news because this is also a war of perceptions, images, what we call a hybrid war and we should be well aware of this.

All very confusing. Will watch Inglorious Basterds to refresh my Jewish warrior memory.

If it seems confusing to you, at least you understand why we, Eastern Europeans, are so confused ourselves so often

Bear with us, we're not so bad

... provided, it seems, he thought it warranted.

This is his meeting with Macron 3 weeks ago, who refused to get tested for Covid ...



... whereas this picture with Kazakhstan's president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was taken a few days later:



Some people really need to get off their outrage mode.

Apparently he distances himself well from those who do not serve his hideous agenda.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9BC47EXbM8

I don't know if I have the right words for that. But seeing that and being a father, I can feel the grim, unflinching determination of Ukrainian defenders.

He's afraid to be hit to death with a snuffbox.

https://metro.co.uk/2022/03/03/ukrai...toys-16209807/

https://www.ruetir.com/2022/02/26/uk...ugees-per-war/

https://youtu.be/GnYYqele-G4?t=349 In case the timer doesn't work - it's at 5:49

Bombs in toys! WTF man, who could even come up with an idea like that?! Even if you say they are terrorists, they are going into extremes of terrorism. Imagine what kind of creature you need to be to accept an order like that. When you think there is nothing more awful, these sick minds accept it like a challenge and deliver even worse atrocity.

If that is true (and part of me is struggling to believe that level of depravity) then I have no words.

I don't think there's anyone confused anymore.

At least not Eastern Europeans, the confusions always seemed to lay somewhere else if you ask me......


What is happening now is much worse than expected but there were always signs. It is an "announced" invasion.

The modus operandi, everything.