Ukraine: Invasion Imminent?

[FoxLady]

News emerging that a maternity hospital in Mariupol "totally destroyed" by Russian shelling.

 

Disgusting.

 

There's a word for the people who ordered/allowed this, but I'm not allowed to print it here.  

 

[cressida]

Appalling,  are they shelling indiscriminately? 

Is Putin giving the orders or are generals and soldiers issuing orders?

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-europe-60676231

 

 

Edited March 9, 2022 by cressida

[Padders]

20 minutes ago, cressida said:

Appalling,  are they shelling indiscriminately? 

Is Putin giving the orders or are generals and soldiers issuing orders?

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-europe-60676231

 

 

I had a small degree of sympathy for Putin before the war, I could see his point of view..

NOT anymore.

How a Human Being can inflict so much horror on innocent women and children, is completely beyond my comprehension.

What a world we live in...

[janie48]

6 hours ago, Dromedary said:

Not sure if that is quite right. He was raised and baptised Russian Orthodox by his mother who was also Russian Orthodox but had a militant atheist father. He also wore a crucifix most of his life and followed the Russian Orthodox tradition.

 

That all changed ages ago and the Russian Orthodox church sees itself again as the true traditional church for Russians and is very powerful again. Belarus is very into Russian Orthodoxy as well and follows the Russian Church ways so its not surprising they also follow Putin. Ukraine since becoming independent now have their own Bishops who are independant and no longer subject to the Russian church in Moscow so another reason they are not liked.

 

Look at what Pussy Riot the Russian feminist punk rock band was doing and why as it puts a bit of context on the above.

Well he wouldn't have worn a visible crucifix when he was in the KGB, and he has stated he was previously an atheist

 

When Gorbachev (who remained an atheist ) was in power the reforms he introduced included freedom of religion.

That pleased many of the people,so Putin would have later seen this as an opportunity to declare he was religious if he thought it would make him more popular.

 

This is what some people who share the same faith think of him

https://www.politico.eu/article/russian-orthodox-christians-lose-faith-in-vladimir-putin/#aoh=16468410316105&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From %1%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.politico.eu%2Farticle%2Frussian-orthodox-christians-lose-faith-in-vladimir-putin%2F

 

Whether they are religious or atheist 

I despise totalitarian dictatorships

Edited March 9, 2022 by janie48

[Waldo]

Given that Ukraine gave up Nukes, in exchange for assurances from the UK, US and Russia, regarding Ukraine’s security (not to be coerced, threatened or attacked militarily or economically etc) in the Budapest Memorandum.

 

Considering what’s happened, was Ukraine wise to give up it’s nukes for (worthless) assurances?

 

I suspect it was most unwise, and the likes of North Korea and Iran (and anyone else for that matter) would be well advised to pursue the acquisition or development of nukes. After all, we don’t see many countries with nukes, queuing up to attack other nuclear powers. They clearly prefer to pick on those without nukes.

Edited March 9, 2022 by Waldo

[hauxwell]

Am I right in thinking the SNP wanted Trident removed from Scotland.  After Putin threatening to use nuclear weapons I wonder if they still feel the same.

[RJRB]

20 minutes ago, hauxwell said:

Am I right in thinking the SNP wanted Trident removed from Scotland.  After Putin threatening to use nuclear weapons I wonder if they still feel the same.

Even more so I would think

.Who wants to live next to a prime target 

[Guest sibon]

1 hour ago, hauxwell said:

Am I right in thinking the SNP wanted Trident removed from Scotland.  After Putin threatening to use nuclear weapons I wonder if they still feel the same.

Nobody is using nuclear weapons. The US could level Moscow at a stroke. And likewise, Moscow could take out any city they chose.

 

Trident, on the other hand, just costs us all a fortune.

[Waldo]

7 hours ago, sibon said:

Nobody is using nuclear weapons. The US could level Moscow at a stroke. And likewise, Moscow could take out any city they chose.

 

Trident, on the other hand, just costs us all a fortune.

They are being used though, both as a means of coercion and as a deterrent.

 

Yes, they’re expensive; but how costly has it been for Ukraine not having them?

[Kidorry]

And the irony is that they disarmed their nukes and signed a pact with Russia saying Russia would never attack them.