Quote:
Originally Posted by Armistead
For those knowledgeable, when or should Ukraine pull its forces to the west? It seems Russia's goal is to split the nation and encircle Kiev. If Putin is able to get the convoy moving up north and troops coming from the south, the danger it seems is a bulk of Ukraine's professional army getting trapped in the east.
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Putin clearly stated that in his twisted view the Ukraine is part of Russian identity and that he denies its right to exist as a separate state entity. He clearly and explicitly denied that the Ukrainians have a right to exist as a separate people, separte from the Russians. He ruled that out, completely. I speculated myself in the past he wants to split it, but no more I do that. I now think he wants it all - and if he cannot get it he wants to wipe it out in retaliation for not getting it.
We thouight about the West's role in triggering the events of today. I thought about that a lot in past days. But I now think:
it did not m,matter what we have done, or have not done, or culd have done difefrently in the past. He probbaly always was competely disconnected forkm all we thogutn and did and said, but always would heva einevtoably come to the point wher eh now is: to see NAOTR as an aggressor, and wnating to reivive the Warsaw Pact state of things, and if we would have been more appeasing or mroe aggressive, he nevertheless always would have gotten to the point where he now is. I now think we were completely without influence on the final outcome, could only have delayed or accelerated events a bit - not more. The outcome would always have been the same.
Scandianvian countries, namely Finland, report the traffic from Russia has dramatically incresed, and many Russians are coming. They do not come for temporary stays and travelling - they come to stay forever, they flee from Russia as long as they still could. I exopect, aftwer susaia alreadsy has stareted ti crack down on cpaitla fleeing the coujtnry and comaony investments being kept in Russia, that they will crack down on the fleeing people and will drop a new iron curtain to stop Russians fleeing for Russia. Many of those fleeing are middole cklassd peope with academical and specialised professions, since these are the ones who can financially still afford it. This sort of brain drain Russia cannot afford. They will drop the iron curtain.
And media. Nice. Say "Ukraine" and "war" in one sentence, and you now go to prison for 15 years. "Say "Ukraine" and "invasion" in one sentence, and now you get jailed for 15 years. You said "Ukraine" and "attack"? Well, enjoy a relaxing prison stay for 15 years. They now really make you think in the right way. The only way that is still allowed - theirs.