This is Putin being threatened in his power. The Ukraine, the civil mood and atmosphere, is a threat to his powerbasis, and several former sovjet provinces have seen dramatic attempts to revolt against the totalitarian leadership recently.

All UK troops are to be withdrawn from Ukraine this weekend as Russia could invade “at no notice”, a defence minister has said.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknew...id=mailsignout

Now, after all: even the endlessly dithering Germans have now, belatedly but finally, got around to issuing an exit notice for Germans still staying in Ukraine. If even the German government, led by its top air-mover, the bubble-Olaf, decides to take this clear step, something must really have happened that justifies the startling from the REM phase of the usual German deep sleep.

Or they just got scared by their own shadows once more.

According to the NYT (as referred to in German media), the already core-reduced staff in the US embassy in Kiev has started to destroy sensitive documents and sensitive equipment.

In movies we know what this means.

And Macronman has misplaced his flight cape. Probably somewhere under that long table. The Russians will probably find it and make some nice napkins out of it.

KLM has stopped flying from and to Ukraine.


A Russian warship has chased away a US submarine near the Kurils, according to Russia.


https://www.reuters.com/world/europe...ys-2022-02-12/

And the False Flags begin.

I don't think Putin need an excuse to invade Ukraine-If he want to take the country he will do so.

Markus

I think Putin is getting drawn into something he and more importantly his backers really don’t want to get involved in. A long drawn out guerrilla war very close to home.

When i see this hype and hysteria of the last weeks it seems like Putin has to do something now.
England engaging sending troops and weapons, then withdraw all and the embassy. USA sending troops to Poland, NATO to Latvia and the baltic states. To Poland? Really?
Imagine Putin would just do some announced manoeuvre and withdraw.
I don't think he will since all drive him to do something.. but IF he did it would make the west look like complete idiots.

He hhas no backers, but the backer of last instance is himself. His own militaries warned him against attacking, media reported a week or 20 days ago. But where does reporting end and western wishful thinking snd western propaganda begin? We can and never will know. Our media and politicians are as manipulative as theirs.

Can you invade without invading ?

From a BBC article

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60361983

Markus

Your right maybe ‘backers’ isn’t the right word. The ‘sistema’ or the power networks. As a previous article pointed out “Putin’s sistema functions with some elements from the ‘administrative-command’ system of Brezhnev’s socialism. However due to the monetisation of the economy, power networks that used to be aimed at obtaining privileges have become oriented towards monetary income and capital.”

Western sanctions, saber rattling and banging away on the war drums threaten that power networks wealth and place in the world. This may place enough pressure on that power base to find someone else to lead Russia who isn’t so nostalgic for the good old days and more inclined to work with us instead of China.

Poland went on a spending spree with its military last summer and fall.
They are in no hurry to rejoin the old USSR. :yep:

It could be that Poland views an invasion of Ukraine as a warm up for something bigger. :hmmm:

Putin has three good reasons to annex at least minor parts of Ukraine.

1. Vanity. He has been re-conquering parts of the Soviet Union/Imperial Russia making his stature in future Russian history books akin a ruler like Peter the Great or Ivan the Terrible - rulers who made Russia stronger and larger after periods of weakness.
2. Divide and conquer. Even a very limited attack will show how little will the West has in really standing up to Russian expansionism. The politicians in the West paid lip service when Russia conquered Tcechnya, parts of Georgia, Crimea and the eastern parts of Ukraine. Russia's further offensive action in the rest of Ukraine would further weaken NATO and the EU. Who would trust or want to join a defense pact or union so divided that it can't defend its interests?
3. Peace. The war in Russian controlled eastern Ukraine has gone on for years. By attacking Putin can force Ukraine to give up on those areas and sign a treaty acknowledging the loss of Crimea and eastern Ukraine.

There are of course reasons not to attack as well. Let's hope those weigh enough to prevent escalation.