I can understand the feeling of despair but let's be more optimistic....yes, our world as we know it will change but it's still our world.
Putin The Dictator will not last for ever. I look back in history and all of them, all of them ended up extremely shamefully and undignified. I do think he will go down when more and more Russians will realise what is at stake here.

Urs Max, thank you very much for posting the link to Mr. Kissinger's article. This, of all I have read so far, makes the most sense to me.

Please note, however, that I am biased in many ways: I am Russian, my grandfather on my father's side is originally from Ukraine; I have a degree in political science (UZH) and am a great fan of Mr. Kissinger's.

This said. I consider the war in Ukraine a failure of diplomacy. In addition, I think that Ukraine has been a pawn and Ukrainian people held hostage by both US and Russia. One thing I am sure of - the human cost has never been a factor in geopolitics.

__________________
If you are going through hell, just keep going.

I don't think the word "appease" is what the world is doing now. In my view, the world is actually trying to find the best way to contain him, dissuade his potential followers and punish him. So far, seems to be working (judging by the state of the Russian economy which was brought to its knees in a matter of a week).

These are very easy things for me to say in the safety of my home and doesn't make the Ukrainians feel any better, but in the end, the huge question is how do we respond in the best way possible without destroying precisely the world which Putin wants to destroy.

Russia is closing down Facebook. Surely other social media to follow.

https://twitter.com/rianru/status/14...1ajKkoo3Q&s=19

Next thing will be taking people's phones away and make them cue at the phone booth. The bright side: Russia will still get to see Tucker Carlson on Russia 1.

BTW there would be no NATO nuclear response because Putin could choose wisely - not a state Russia would like still to do business with, not a nuclear power itself, perhaps one with a good excuse, for example one letting arms through to Ukraine, and preferably not an orthodox one. Just a small tactical warhead to leave a room for escalation. I doubt any nuclear power would respond in kind.

According to a US statement, "the 40 mile convoy is still stalled due to Ukrainian military action". They also claimed, "the Ukrainian air force still has fighter jets, helicopters and drones available". I hope all this is true.

US statement; "“We certainly believe that the Ukrainians blowing up that bridge absolutely had an effect on stopping and curtailing the movement of that convoy,” the official said. “But we also believe that they have hit the convoy at other places as well in direct attacks.”".

It cannot be motivational for Russian troops sitting in transports for days with nighttime temperatures around 0C, or below. I assume due to fuel restrictions they cannot keep the motors running to keep warm.

Even in this dire situation I was chuckling while reading this article

My favorite snippets from Putin today

"absolutely no ill intentions with regard to our neighbors.”

“There is no need to escalate the situation, impose restrictions. We fulfill all obligations,”

Could this be a sign that they've also stopped his internet connection and the generals and Lavrov are feeding him lies?

I started to follow MFA Russia on Twitter. I now understand that we have always been at war with Eastasia.

I feel a little of your pain.

My middle class Greek family yesterday...

Sis-in-law: Zelenskyy's a hero
Cousin: He's a drama queen. Look at Skai TV reports.
Skai TV: Look at these poor ethnic Greeks terrified of being murdered by Ukraine's Azov battalion near Mariupol
Russian Embassy to Greece: Look how Ukraine's Azov battalion are using ethnic Greeks as a human shield.
Greek government: Our intelligence says Russian Embassy is lying and it's they who are bombing ethnic Greeks nr Mariupol.
Everyone: You can't trust the Greek government! They lie about everything!

And round it goes again....That's propaganda for you, so utterly predictable, time consuming and depressing.

Russians desperate for news on their relatives who have gone missing in action during the war have been given a lifeline — thanks to the Ukrainian government.

As the fighting intensifies — and so does the battle for hearts and minds — a new website dubbed "Look for Yours" has been set up by representatives of the Ukrainian interior ministry, and pledges to offer information “about captured and killed Russian soldiers in Ukraine.”

The website is blocked by the Russian govt.

The senator loses it and takes the diplomatic relations between US and Russia to another level by venting it out …

Russian anger as Senator Lindsey Graham calls for Putin's assassination https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-60621796

The title of this thread... and maybe it's too much time spent in isolation...

What were to happen if the Russian economy were left in ruins?
Would this lessen Putin's support base?

I am thinking the Treaty of Versailles, reparations imposed on Germany, the Great Depression and hyperinflation of the Mark. And Hitler's rise to power (although we already have one here). And the US defense contractors and military lobby. Who would profit in the event of war spreading around the globe?

I believe we missed this one - the bounty on Putin
https://fortune.com/2022/03/03/russi...-bounty-putin/

Well, we'll use Putins logic. This is a special financial aid operation and we're liberating Russia

Either you missed the word 'risk' or you didn't understand it, how very smart.

There is no certainty Putin would use nukes if the EU and US weighed in to defend Ukraine or established a no-fly zone.

I really don't understand how you got to this 'one bomb' interpretation.

Or it's fodder for his base

I guess they should employ Mr Raymond 'Red' Reddington from The Blacklist to authorize the operation and neutralize the suspect.

russian open mouth - russian lying

NATO would not use a nuclear first strike but certainly, their rules of engagement allow a proportional response.

The issue with any NATO response to a Russian invasion of a NATO country has always been the response time required, it was always assumed the Russian army would make rapid progress which would make it very difficult to field a strong response in time.

The indications from Ukraine are Russian army progress would take much longer than feared. There is also the fact that with so much military tied up in Ukraine it would likely take a long time for Russia to field and move an adequate force to the west plus the supply problems being demonstrated in Ukraine.

It appears the "40 mile convoy" is being held up in a "pinch" point which should have been identified and protected before sending the convoy on its way.
According to the newspapers, one problem they have is the Ukrainians blew up a bridge that was in a critical place. This bridge should have been secured in advance plus an alternative researched and planned in case anything major happened to that bridge.

There are a number of good books about how the Allied forces ensured the safety of essential Rhine bridges in 1945 to ensure their advance was not delayed.