Elections after banning both the Party of Regions and the CPRF. That's like having an election in the US where you ban the Democrats, and any green party/social democrat alternatives. Then run the Republicans (Poroshenko) against white nationalists and neo-Nazis, as well as a few transparently self serving oligarchical interest groups. And then proceed to sanitize the political space for several years. Then have a second election where a candidate that looks like a Democrat (but isn't) runs against the sanitized collection of oligarchs and right-wing loons. Oh and if you form a party that's critical of the government, even pro-western liberal criticism, you're out. Anatoly Shariy anyone? I don't want to go too deep into the dark pit of Ukrainian domestic politics, but if you attempted to present a pro-Russian position in Ukraine post-'14 you would be shut down. One way or another. That simply isn't democracy. Zelensky got his majority because he claimed to be the president of peace. He failed to deliver on that promise (failing to implement the Minsk Accords just like Poroshenko), and if not for Russia's stupid invasion, his support now would look like Poroshenko's did at the end of his term. It's another great reason about why Russia was stupid to invade.There have been elections since then, & Zelensky had a massive majority.
Russia's invasion secured his position. No invasion and he would be another failed non-entity.I think his reaction to the Russian invasion secured his position.
Its not a coincidence that Ukraine has a bottomless stash of money to call on, look at the attitude of Ukrainian officials towards their European colleagues, not very nice considering the capital EU has poured into this war, Ukraine is telling EU shut up, we are doing the job for you.What are you talking about ?!? The US didnt instigate this war into happening. UKR wanted to edge towards the EU, RU wasnt happy about that. Simple as that.
The reason why Russia must not be allowed to use military means to expand their territory is because if you let them do so because you are scared of their nuclear weapons, then:what am trying to say is that, it is dangerous to push a nuclear armed country into to desperation.
Because Putin is not responding to global hawks in the Black Sea or star link, doesn’t guarantee that he wouldn’t respond in future.
Is there any guarantee that Putin won’t use nukes?
or is a nuclear war winnable now?
I don’t see how you can’t see that we can wake up one morning to the mother of all escalation.
Why do u want to play Nuclear Roulette with the Russians? I don’t
There's a much better argument. Russia must not be allowed to expand its territory by military means because that kind of behavior is unacceptable to the international community and is in direct conflict with the type of international order most of the world is striving for.The reason why Russia must not be allowed to use military means to expand their territory is because if you let them do so because you are scared of their nuclear weapons, then:
1. All nuclear powers are now allowed to expand their territory because if anyone says no, they'll just play the "do you want to play nuclear roulette" card.
2. All non-nuclear power sees that if one has nuclear weapons then they can get away with anything and thus the only way to secure their territory is to have their own nuclear weapons. You want nuclear roulette? Try it when all the middle power and up have their own nuclear weapons.
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I believe the following images tell the whole story.This article provides some background to the opposition by the Ukrainian people to the then government
How Ukraine’s Orange Revolution shaped twenty-first century geopolitics - Atlantic Council
have included some material from WIKI that goes further into the murky politics of the time and some of the questionable actions by the government which led to widespread demonstrations ,unlike the Russian led "little Green men" and masked thugs in the East and Crimea
2014 Ukrainian presidential election - Wikipedia
I to wonder what they can move through their internal canal system. @Feanor may have some knowledge of this and hopefully he can enlighten us.View attachment 50818
I keep wondering how big the limit of Russian Inland Waterways to move around Russian Warship bypass Turkiye Bosporus. As example this 11661 Frigate/Light Frigate that's now (picture is Dagestan) is the biggest naval ship class in Caspian Sea.
Means it is move to Caspian sea, through Inland Waterways. Thus as this is larger and has close to 6m Draught, theoretically SSK like Kilo or Lada can be move from North Sea through the cannals into Black Sea.
The information that available in public talk about draught of 3-4m, but 11661 has deeper draught than that. Is Russia because of this war already deepen their cannals for larger vessels traffics? Is the locks already enlarge?
It's politics and in wartime such politics are important. We might not agree with it nor do we have to like it.Russia is indeed the invading country, but it is still wrong to tell the world that a tragic case of collateral damage caused by an own mistake was a deliberately terrorist attack on innocent civilians by Russia.
Its the same as the Afghan/Iraki/Lybian/Panama/Serbian/Syrian blame the Americans for civilian casualties while its caused by one of their own missiles.
From a personal point of view, I consider Crimea as sovereign Ukrainian territory and as such should be returned to Ukraine. It is also what I see as a legal POV. For anything less to happen undermines international law.I suspect UKR control of Crimea is a maximalist position that isnt going to happen. Unless the RU army falls apart soon, I dont see western support for that forcing Crimea.
I seen a BBC report on it. They are putting it down to election politicking.This is an interesting development, surely in view of the grain situation. Via Google translate:
We no longer transfer weapons to Ukraine, we will now arm ourselves with the most modern weapons - said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Wednesday in Polsat News. He added that he focuses on modernization and rapid armament of the Polish army so that in a short time it becomes one of the strongest in Europe.[…]
The Prime Minister was also asked about the words of President Andrzej Duda spoken in New York that Ukraine behaves like a drowning man who grabs everything.
"These are very accurate words" - he said.
"If I were to look for something to justify (Ukraine), it's only what we all know very well: that Ukraine defends itself against a bestial Russian attack and we understand that this attack creates a completely incredible situation, one that we have not faced since World War II. This is a regular war simply" - he said.
Asked whether Poland will still support Ukraine militarily, Morawiecki informed that currently Poland does not provide Ukraine with any weapons, because now "we will arm ourselves, the most modern weapons".
"If you do not want to defend yourself, you must have something to defend yourself - this is the principle we adhere to, which is why we have made increased orders" - he emphasised.
Also as likely translation is we gave all the scraps and other stuff that we didn’t want for ourselves and now will rebuild our kit with modern (and semi-modern) alternatives.
Source: Premier: nie przekazujemy uzbrojenia na Ukrainę, teraz sami się zbroimy
The Teutonic Order hasn't had territorial claims since 1561, when their possessions were formally annexed as vasall states by Poland.As for Kaliningrad, the Old Prussians no longer exist (dead or assimilated: most modern descendants probably live in Germany). The Teutonic Order now operates as a charitable body & has no territorial claims.
East Prussia was only part of Germany between 1871 and 1945 as part of the German Empire and before that between 1848 and 1851 as part of Prussia's abortive "German Union".Interesting question. It used to be east Prussia, from memory, and geographically it could belong to Poland.
Basically you are actually saying that no matter what Russia does we should all bow down in fear of nuclear war and allow them to do what they please whenever they please?Its not a coincidence that Ukraine has a bottomless stash of money to call on, look at the attitude of Ukrainian officials towards their European colleagues, not very nice considering the capital EU has poured into this war, Ukraine is telling EU shut up, we are doing the job for you.
what am trying to say is that, it is dangerous to push a nuclear armed country into to desperation.
Because Putin is not responding to global hawks in the Black Sea or star link, doesn’t guarantee that he wouldn’t respond in future.
Is there any guarantee that Putin won’t use nukes?
or is a nuclear war winnable now?
I don’t see how you can’t see that we can wake up one morning to the mother of all escalation.
Why do u want to play Nuclear Roulette with the Russians? I don’t
I think the key difference is that the average muscovite won't get a say in it, and Russian leadership may be callous enough to proceed despite this. Whereas in a liberal democracy the government is at least in theory beholden to the public, hence the significance of the position. If the other guy wants to play chicken, you could play too. Or you could not.Basically you are actually saying that no matter what Russia does we should all bow down in fear of nuclear war and allow them to do what they please whenever they please?
I wonder how the average Muscovite feels about a trident missile or 12 (12 8s the regular patrol load these days unless we have put all 16 back in the tubes since this crisis started), with 4 to 14 warheads each, arriving in the motherland? And that would just be the UK response, France might want to have a word as well.
In many ways the whole point of a nuclear deterrent is indeed to play chicken, the whole idea of MAD is a game of chicken and all sides must be committed to launch in response or it just doesn't work.I think the key difference is that the average muscovite won't get a say in it, and Russian leadership may be callous enough to proceed despite this. Whereas in a liberal democracy the government is at least in theory beholden to the public, hence the significance of the position. If the other guy wants to play chicken, you could play too. Or you could not.
So you believe that this is the UAV that the Russians hit the UKR airfield with? That would make sense if it is so.Update. Interesting tidbits.
Ok it appears we have an answer to the 70km mystery. It appears this is the Izdelie 51 longer range Lancet variant. To be clear, this is an upgraded Izdelie 51, which itself is an upgraded Lancet.
Yeah. East Prussian history is quite entertaining. A territory ruled by a mainly German religio-military order which became nominally subject to Poland but retained its own government, then became Protestant at the Reformation & converted to a duchy, with the Grand Master of the order as hereditary duke. Inherited by the Electors of Brandenburg, which was within the Holy Roman Empire, but stayed outside the empire. Became officially independent from Poland, then the rulers found a formula to become kings "in Prussia". But not in all their lands, because there couldn't be a new kingdom within the HRE. So although in reality they merged their lands into one state in the 18th century, technically only Prussia, outside the HRE, was the kingdom & Brandenburg (where their capital was) was distinct. The emperor went along with it to get the elector's backing in his latest war. Started calling themselves Kings of Prussia later, & all their lands the Kingdom of Prussia after the dissolution of the HRE. So after 1806 "Prussia" was a German kingdom named for an extinct non-German people who'd lived in its most remote region, which was officially not part of Germany, & when the German Confederation was formed in 1815 the Kingdom of Prussia became a member - except for the provinces called West Prussia (in the east of the kingdom) & East Prussia (in the far east of the kingdom).East Prussia was only part of Germany between 1871 and 1945 as part of the German Empire and before that between 1848 and 1851 as part of Prussia's abortive "German Union".
And of course these non-Germans, non-Imperials, became the symbol of German Imperialism, so-much-so that post-WWII Prussia has been dissolved, in order to combat "German militarism". It's almost as comical as the quintessential German knight order being named after a tribe of Balts that got exterminated by the Romans nearly a millennium prior.Yeah. East Prussian history is quite entertaining. A territory ruled by a mainly German religio-military order which became nominally subject to Poland but retained its own government, then became Protestant at the Reformation & converted to a duchy, with the Grand Master of the order as hereditary duke. Inherited by the Electors of Brandenburg, which was within the Holy Roman Empire, but stayed outside the empire. Became officially independent from Poland, then the rulers found a formula to become kings "in Prussia". But not in all their lands, because there couldn't be a new kingdom with the HRE. So although in reality they merged their lands into one state in the 18th century, technically only Prussia, outside the HRE, was the kingdom & Brandenburg (where their capital was) was distinct. The emperor went along with it to get the elector's backing in his latest war. Started calling themselves Kings of Prussia later, & all their lands the Kingdom of Prussia after the dissolution of the HRE. So after 1806 "Prussia" was a German kingdom named for an extinct non-German people who'd lived in its most remote region, which was officially not part of Germany, & when the German Confederation was formed in 1815 the Kingdom of Prussia became a member - except for the provinces called West Prussia (in the east of the kingdom) & East Prussia (in the far east of the kingdom).
And that's the simplified version.
And from 1848, as you say.
While that may be, this wouldn’t make a a lot of sense. I would think that Poland of all places has likely the strongest support on providing assistance to Ukraine (partially due to the very party in power raising the stakes and expectations from the populace).I seen a BBC report on it. They are putting it down to election politicking.
I apologise, I won't.In many ways the whole point of a nuclear deterrent is indeed to play chicken, the whole idea of MAD is a game of chicken and all sides must be committed to launch in response or it just doesn't work.
What a XXXXX stupid world we live in eh?
@Redshift No need for the obscene language. Don't do it again.
Ngatimozart.
Their original name is Ordo fratrum domus hospitalis Sanctae Mariae Teutonicorum Ierosolimitanorum (in medieval Church Latin), the "Order of the Brothers of the German Hospital of Saint Mary at Jerusalem" - shortened to Ordo Teutonicus ("German Order") at the time. Their German name is just Deutscher Orden ("German Order").It's almost as comical as the quintessential German knight order being named after a tribe of Balts that got exterminated by the Romans nearly a millennium prior.