Yep, and one of those "patriots" is my neighbor. He doesn't want Russia running his country but he's too big of a pussy to fight. Cowards don't need excuses.....
I’d leave that banana republic shithole too. They are being used as cannon fodder in someone else's dick swinging contest. You'd never catch me voluntarily signing up to get mowed down in less than 24 hours. In fact, I will do everything in my power to ensure my children go NOWHERE near the US military as long as these blood soaked monsters are running the world.
If the western leaders who are perpetuating this war by funding and equipping Ukraine had to strap up and go to the front lines themselves, this war would be over before you could blink.
Not sure these stats will solve anything, but here goes. So far this year. 2024... Ukraine's population has increased by 3.25% est. Russia's population has decreased by 300,000, est.
I bet if Putin had to strap up go anywhere close to the front line this war would be over even quicker.
In June 2021 at the Brussels summit NATO leaders said that Ukraine will eventually become a NATO country and would be given an "MAP"(Membership Action Plan). (see item 69 https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_185000.htm) And for years prior, NATO countries were funneling in money to build up Ukraine's military. It was pretty clear where things were headed. Russia had long said this was a red line. Russia tried again in December, through diplomacy to get NATO to agree to not allow Ukraine to join and to pull it's military equipment back from Eastern Europe, a demand which was rejected. So the conditions to prevent conflict were clear. There was a long escalation leading up to this. Even back in the 90s foreign policy experts were warning that NATO expansion would lead to an eventual conflict with Russia. Russia kept complaining about this, and Ukraine was the red line. So they invaded to prevent it. You can argue that Russia was not morally justified in invading, but you can't argue that they weren't provoked. If Russia or China were making the same moves in Canada we wouldn't like it either.
Russia invaded in 2014. They were not provoked. They called it annexing Crimea. All they had to do was not invade their neighbors.
My stance is the same weather I have skin in the game or not. The difference between us, is that I don't want others to die over Ukraine's nato membership status and you lefties are in favor if it. You'd want peace if you were the ones that would be sent to fight.
They were provoked. The CIA banked Maidan coup. Western nations vying for influence/control of the country by ousting a leader that was more friendly with Russia in exchange for one that would align with the west. Again, you can say they weren't morally justified, but not that they weren't provoked. Why is the West meddling in their sphere of influence? We'd feel the same if the roles were reversed.
So, (even if true) none of that justifies Russia invading Ukraine. All countries who are able engage in these kinds of geopolitics. Russia does it as well, including to the countries in our sphere of influence. So does China.
Only the ones that feel tough enough, which has mostly been the US over the past few decades, but now Russia and China are starting to feel the waning power of the US. The US should learn to recalibrate to a multi-polar world rather than trying to dominate everything.
Couple years old, but still relevant... Jamie Hyneman from MythBusters has something interesting to say about the current situation in Ukraine.
2021 https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing...ent-on-the-u-s-ukraine-strategic-partnership/ Supporting Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic Aspirations: As the United States and Allies reaffirmed in the June 2021 NATO Summit Communique, the United States supports Ukraine’s right to decide its own future foreign policy course free from outside interference, including with respect to Ukraine’s aspirations to join NATO. We also remain committed to assisting Ukraine with ongoing reforms.
The idea of a Pacific Rim alliance or a NATO alliance is to gather more friendly nations togeether to protect peace.....NATO has never invaded a neighboring country in order to absorb it into their ranks. The UN seems pretty ineffective at holding nations accountable so NATO and the Pac Rim alliances are neceessary to maintain peace in their perspective regions. Russia and China can go fuck themselves as far as I'm concerned. Anyone who feels sorry for Xi or Putin is glaringly ignorant of who these assholes really are. Stand up to bullies on a global level and maybe we'll get past the need for wars altogether.
So, after Russia had already invaded and taken Crimea and had started building up their force to invade Kyiv (the build up of troops started months before this link you're sharing). What you are describing were diplomatic moves in response to Russian aggression...
Russia bombs Kyiv Children's hospital. https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-kyiv-attack-33aecd50cf252ff6184c0c14f90588b5
