Ukraine

Mike Lucey

Thanks for posting the 1420 link. It's rarely that we get to hear the opinions of what looks to be ordinary Russian people.

Although some of the people were very forthcoming in their responses to the questions a good few of them seemed to be very cautious. One guy must have insisted on having his image blanked out and possibly his voice altered.

It's sad that ordinary people may feel that they are not able to voice their real believes. And I'm not only talking about Russian people. The same thing is now happening in the West!

Over the past week I have read/watched/listened to how the present RF has evolved since the break up of the USSR. It looks to me that ordinary Russians may well be realising that they are living under an autocratic regime with just a very thin dressing of democracy. A number of the interviewees hinted at this and one even suggested that there could be calls for change shortly ..... to put it mildly. I hope this happens.

While democracy in the West leaves a lot to be desired, we can at least kick out governments every 4 years or so.

L i am

@mike lucey said:

Thanks for posting the 1420 link. It's rarely that we get to hear the opinions of what looks to be ordinary Russian people.

Although some of the people were very forthcoming in their responses to the questions a good few of them seemed to be very cautious. One guy must have insisted on having his image blanked out and possibly his voice altered.

It's sad that ordinary people may feel that they are not able to voice their real believes. And I'm not only talking about Russian people. The same thing is now happening in the West!

Over the past week I have read/watched/listened to how the present RF has evolved since the break up of the USSR. It looks to me that ordinary Russians may well be realising that they are living under an autocratic regime with just a very thin dressing of democracy. A number of the interviewees hinted at this and one even suggested that there could be calls for change shortly ..... to put it mildly. I hope this happens.

While democracy in the West leaves a lot to be desired, we can at least kick out governments every 4 years or so.

I concur with all your points Mike. Did you watch all the 1420 videos or more than the one link I posted? Such impressive young people, they in the very vast majority are fully aware of the real situation.

Mike Lucey

@l i am said:

I concur with all your points Mike. Did you watch all the 1420 videos or more than the one link I posted? Such impressive young people, they in the very vast majority are fully aware of the real situation.

Yes Liam, I did follow through and watch/listen to a number of other 1420 video interviews. One such asked the question, 'Should the RF bomb the USA?'or words to that effect. I was encouraged to to see that the vast majority thought is was a terrible idea also they staunchly disagreed with what is happening in Ukraine.

We have an economist over here called, David McWilliams, that writes a weekly blog. I am a fan of David's clear thinking! His latest piece is,

'To learn how Russia got to this point, follow the money'

https://davidmcwilliams.ie/to-learn-how-russia-got-to-this-point-follow-the-money/?utm_source=Website+Subscribers&utm_campaign=714eb97fc2-22112012_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_861a00f27d-714eb97fc2-296506121

Mike Lucey

Liam, Here is a Chinese site similar to 1420. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2-_WWPT_124iN6jiym4fOw

L i am

Hi guys, i posted about my Russian friend and his attitude to the "special military operations" and his sensitivity to the Ukraine war. He is a Muscovite and can see the Kremlin from his apartment. His mother had her nails done Finger nails.jpg

Mike Lucey

The latest news is that Zelensky is calling for direct talks with Putin. Hopefully this will take place soon and an agreement is trashed out.

L i am

@alvis said:

@mike lucey said:

From what I have read about the situation in Ukraine, both the build up from 1990 and what we now have, I feel no one should really be surprised about what is happening currently.

It seems that The West needs an enemy, if for no other reason than to justify the huge military budgets and the Military Industrial Complex. Now Germany has jointed this complex with 2% of their very considerable GNP. The figure will run to €100,000,000,000 plus!

As for the Russian Federation, they are stuck with a man that feels cornered. He is acting the way I expected considering his KGB training. Doesn't every person with basic common sense know that if you corner a dangerous animal, it will launch a vicious attack against the perceived threat.

It seems Russia asked to join both the EU and NATO at various times and each time they were laughed at....

russia has never sought NATO and the EU. A country that has not found its identity in any way. Whether to go to Asia or Europe.
You live very far from russian propaganda and you don’t know much.You did not live in the soviet union, and you do not know much.

In the early 1990's it was Russia's long term plan to join NATO

Mike Amos

It's almost heresy but what is needed is for Putin and his fellow monsters to be remove by the Russian Duma and put on trial for their war crimes.

Why should Ukraine give concessions to anyone? They are a peaceful sovereign state.

The very fact that Russian citizens are willing to be arrested demonstrates the readiness for many Russians to accept regime change. I have said it before but what about removing NATO? In it's place have a grouping of ALL the largest and better off nations to protect the smaller and less well off nations?

The un is completely bloody worthless and consists of a group of old eejits talking the talk but knowing they will never have to do anything. One nation with a veto ruins any vote, how on earth can a nation that is breaking the code have a right to vote at all?

I have asked the office of the secretary general and as usual, no reply.

In the meantime decent people die, kids die an hundreds and thousands, of thirst and hunger. In the 21st century ffs.

Politicians, talk and nothing more, time for real change.

L i am

@mike amos said:

It's almost heresy but what is needed is for Putin and his fellow monsters to be remove by the Russian Duma and put on trial for their war crimes.

Why should Ukraine give concessions to anyone? They are a peaceful sovereign state.

The very fact that Russian citizens are willing to be arrested demonstrates the readiness for many Russians to accept regime change. I have said it before but what about removing NATO? In it's place have a grouping of ALL the largest and better off nations to protect the smaller and less well off nations?

The un is completely bloody worthless and consists of a group of old eejits talking the talk but knowing they will never have to do anything. One nation with a veto ruins any vote, how on earth can a nation that is breaking the code have a right to vote at all?

I have asked the office of the secretary general and as usual, no reply.

In the meantime decent people die, kids die an hundreds and thousands, of thirst and hunger. In the 21st century ffs.

Politicians, talk and nothing more, time for real change.

What is not well known is that a friend of mine in Moscow received what could only be described as a marketing questionnaire from a female Caller with 25 questions being:

What do you think of Poo tin?
What do you make of the "special operations" in Ukraine?.
Do you feel proud of the action?
Do you think we need a change of Government?

Blah blah blah

I thought it was interesting, they are obviously trying to gauge the mood/sentiment of the people

Mike Amos

With a bit of luck he will trip over his bottom lip and break his own neck. With or without assistance.

L i am

Check this out
***"Putin was baptized into the Russian Orthodox Church as a boy, which wasn't all that common back in the Soviet era. His father, who worked for the NKVD (the predecessor of the KGB), was an atheist, but his mother was a devoted Christian and raised Vladimir in the faith.

Putin himself has said that he became a practicing Orthodox Christian in 1993, when he was 41 years old. He openly supports the church, even using the instruments of government to promote it. You can find plenty of photos on the Internet of Putin attending church services, including one on this thread.

In light of the fact that he's clearly a practicing Christian and self-identifies as one, we regard him as a Christian. The extent to which his beliefs are sincere is something that only Vladimir Putin knows, just the same as anyone else who professes faith in a higher power"***
Source "quora" but I have cross checked but other quates were too long...............................................and here we go

Mike Amos

Mike is correct in his assessment that the west failed the people of Russia and the USSR collapse caused the deaths of many people both through direct and indirect means. I am talking of people dying through hunger and malnutrition

The military were not being paid and soviet era nuclear submarines and weapons were simply dumped on beaches and in deep water north of their coast, i9n some areas within the protected zone.

Aircrew were taking aircraft and spares and just leaving. Most of the charity deliveries to Africa especially but across the world, were delivered by aircraft being flown by crews who had not been discharged from military service but abandoned. We COULD have done a lot to help given we were cutting our military costs by orders of magnitude. The British army reduced tank regiments by half in a very short space of time.

Let's be open and honest here, people in leadership positions over decades made decisions that led us to this point. It could still be put to Russia that we stop and put our heads together and have a big organisation that covers everyone. No doubt the PRC would refuse because their from of socialism does not allow for it to change direction. The treatment of the uigar people demonstrates this very well as did the Tianemin square massacre of their own people.

Russians left to the devices of the pary have a distrust of us in the west, they have had too many occasions when they got a thorough kicking to easily forget.

Let's talk to the Russians and offer an alternative to placating the PRC to avoid an incursion into Siberia. They have long lusted after the resources and if they see a weakness they will in there like a rat up a drainpipe.

Mike Lucey

@mike amos said:

Mike is correct in his assessment that the west failed the people of Russia and the USSR collapse caused the deaths of many people both through direct and indirect means. I am talking of people dying through hunger and malnutrition

The military were not being paid and soviet era nuclear submarines and weapons were simply dumped on beaches and in deep water north of their coast, i9n some areas within the protected zone.

Aircrew were taking aircraft and spares and just leaving. Most of the charity deliveries to Africa especially but across the world, were delivered by aircraft being flown by crews who had not been discharged from military service but abandoned. We COULD have done a lot to help given we were cutting our military costs by orders of magnitude. The British army reduced tank regiments by half in a very short space of time.

Let's be open and honest here, people in leadership positions over decades made decisions that led us to this point. It could still be put to Russia that we stop and put our heads together and have a big organisation that covers everyone. No doubt the PRC would refuse because their from of socialism does not allow for it to change direction. The treatment of the uigar people demonstrates this very well as did the Tianemin square massacre of their own people.

Russians left to the devices of the pary have a distrust of us in the west, they have had too many occasions when they got a thorough kicking to easily forget.

Let's talk to the Russians and offer an alternative to placating the PRC to avoid an incursion into Siberia. They have long lusted after the resources and if they see a weakness they will in there like a rat up a drainpipe.

You are right Mike. Its one big game of chess! The Ukrainian president is calling for mass marches by the people of the West to protest against Russia. While I would attend such a local march I would also make sure that my placard read, 'Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right!'.

Apart from the terrible bloodshed in the Ukraine the most worrying thing for me the the Doomsday Clock setting which presently running at 100 seconds to midnight! The general population don't seem to be that worried about this situation. All it would take is a small slip and humanity is done for.

Doomsday Clock.png
https://thebulletin.org/doomsday-clock/timeline/

I still reluctantly remain neutral on the Ukrainian situation simply because taking any particular side leaves no room for negotiation and it will be through negotiation that this mess will be settled peacefully. While I feel totally helpless with regard to what I can do personally with the exception of voicing a possible unpopular viewpoint, I will remain hopeful that wise men will prevail and we will see better days ahead. The world needs Direct Democracy, it will be the best ongoing political solution for the current challenges the World faces.

Mike Lucey

This video shows Putin's current mind set quite well also his overall future plans to keep Russia afloat. It's quite detailed with surprising (to many) emphasis on boosted child care, Russian children only! He needs to seriously think about the Ukrainian children also.

'Vladimir Putin Address on Socioeconomic Strategy for Russia - 16 March 2022 - English Subtitles'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FyFkAyqn4Q

In this video Yanis Varoufakis outlines a 'Golden Bridge' strategy that the West should be looking towards.

Yanis Varoufakis: The West Is "Playing with Fire" If It Pushes Regime Change in Nuclear-Armed Russia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=su4czYxGYxo

A 'Golden Bridge' strategy makes great sense but I doubt we will see one being put in place by the West as there seems to be no efforts towards negotiation only the West's Military Industrial Complex is laughing all the way to the bank at the moment quite oblivious to the fact that banks are not nuke proof!