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Presidents from 4 countries on Russia's doorstep visit Ukraine

54 Comments
By ADAM SCHRECK and OLEKSANDR STASHEVSKYI

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On top of what happened to Medvedchuk (aptly nicknamed the 'prince of darkness') yesterday? I'm guessing this picture made somone really mad today, didn't it?

12 ( +17 / -5 )

He vowed it would “continue until its full completion and the fulfillment of the tasks that have been set.”

'Full completion', is Putin aping Hitler's 'final solution', how far is Putin willing to go and how many people is he telling his military to slaughter so he and his Kremlin mates have more territory added to his USSR2? This time Russia are the Nazis. Not surprisingly the extreme right who claimed Canada, New Zealand and Australia were 'fascist' and 'Draconian', have gone silent when the Kremlin have thrown their own citizens in jail for saying words like 'invasion' and 'war'

12 ( +18 / -6 )

Zelensky fail his own troops,by leaving them to surrender,not able to provide resupplied ,even basis thing as food,been ungrateful and bite the hand that feed you would be seen as a malcontent,he did not take the warning seriously and it destroyed his economy,

-16 ( +8 / -24 )

Kiev was a distraction and the Russian speaking south was the goal the entire time.

The diversion tactic worked.

So let me get this straight. The Russian strategy all along was to send most of their army against Kyiv as a diversion, let theUkrainians inflict massive losses on it, withdraw the battered and heavily depleted remnants a month later, then send the survivors to the east where, despite being their purported main goal the entire time, they hadn’t actually bothered to launch any major offensives that would have taken advantage of the Kyiv “diversion”?

21 ( +27 / -6 )

Zichi, really ,only if the Russian hand Putin over to a tribunal,I hope Putin experience the hell,he has brought in these women life

7 ( +13 / -6 )

The US is still the big dog on the world stage,some of the same leaders, complaining about US leaving Afghanistan,wonder why they cannot do anything without US

-12 ( +1 / -13 )

"Russia invaded on Feb. 24 with the goal, according to Western officials, of taking Kyiv, toppling the government and installing a Moscow-friendly one."

Russian "goals", as per "Western officials".

Nuff said then!

-16 ( +7 / -23 )

“had no other choice” but to invade.

For those who have claimed Putin is so smart, would a smart person actually have no other choices? Would a smart man. back himself, his country and other countries into a corner and then blame others for being there.

alling for tougher sanctions, including against Russia’s oil and gas shipments and all the country’s banks.

And would a 'smart' man, someone who'd made a tsar's fortune as a politician in control of a country take that country's wealth for himself and his oligarch pals, and leave the country so dependent on being a gas station for its wealth. And also would a 'smart' man take control over his country's defense industries making his country dependent on fighting wars, i.e. 'warmongering'.

Stop Putin and his fascist, warmongering Kremlin.

Leave sovereign states alone.

15 ( +20 / -5 )

Kiev was a distraction and the Russian speaking south was the goal the entire time.

Russian mothers will accept losing thousands of their sons in a distraction?

16 ( +19 / -3 )

@zichi

Russia would have to be a defeated state before there was a reckoning. Also, the possession of nuclear weapons in the mix means that there won’t be Russians appearing at the Hague any time soon

-2 ( +7 / -9 )

For those who have claimed Putin is so smart, would a smart person actually have no other choices? Would a smart man. back himself, his country and other countries into a corner and then blame others for being there. 

I think you’re conflating the world smart. Putin could care less about the citizens of his country, he deeply cares about his country and himself. He’s a survivalist and the man will do whatever he has to, to stay in power and stay alive. Now if you’re in his shoes and looking at the situation from his perspective you think these are smart moves as a survivalist?

> And would a 'smart' man, someone who'd made a tsar's fortune as a politician in control of a country take that country's wealth for himself and his oligarch pals, and leave the country so dependent on being a gas station for its wealth.

Actually, yes

And also would a 'smart' man take control over his country's defense industries making his country dependent on fighting wars, i.e. 'warmongering'. 

To enrich himself and all of the Oligarchs that deeply support him and if that can further enrich these men, then yes.

Stop Putin and his fascist, warmongering Kremlin. 

Leave sovereign states alone.

Well, that won’t happen even though I agree with you, but unless you have strong leadership in the US and in Europe. If NATO and this current administration are unwilling to give Zelenskyy what he wants and punish China as well which is really the main key then nothing will change and Putin and his Oligarch buddies will always prevail.

-9 ( +5 / -14 )

The presidents of four countries on Russia’s doorstep visited Ukraine on Wednesday and underscored their support for the embattled country, where they saw heavily damaged buildings and demanded accountability for what they called war crimes carried out by Russian forces.

Oh boy, I'm sure that picture at the top sent someone into an orange rage inside the Kremlin...

One of Putin's main objectives of this invasion was to cause a split between the nations of NATO (primarily Germany from rest) and show other countries it was in turmoil and ineffective. He sure got that one wrong.

Putin has done something no US President since Reagan could do - re-energize NATO and make it a strong, unified force to counter Russian aggression...and even bring in former neutral countries...

The scale of Putin's miscalculation cannot be overstated - for every goal he sought to accomplish with this bumbling and brutal invasion of another sovereign country, the opposite has occurred...

It wasn't over in a week, the Russian military was shown to be inept, he has suffered massive casualties, the democratic world is united against him, his economy is imploding....and most humiliating for him, the "great, brave bear hunter" was shown to be a scared little man, hiding behind 20 feet of desk while Zelensky is showing real courage and leadership...

And each day the world learns more of Putin's utter barbarism and hideous war crimes...

And to think someone in the US called him "smart and savvy"....

10 ( +14 / -4 )

According to Wikipedia, in Lvov and the surrounding lands Stalin granted to the Ukraine, Stephan Bandera has around 30% "strong support". In Odessa the figure is between 1%~2% with just under 50% "strongly despise".

the liberation of Odessa and the opening a land bridge between Russia and Moldova has to be the next objective.

-10 ( +3 / -13 )

Hundreds of Russian troops have committed atrocities and war crimes especially against young girls and women. 

I hope Putin experience the hell,he has brought in these women life

And not only Putin. All his followers and supporters too, because they are also responsible for that, by defending and cheering up every day what the Russians are doing in the Ukraine.

And of course the Russian troops, who personally did that.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Putin has done something no US President since Reagan could do - re-energize NATO and make it a strong, unified force to counter Russian aggression...

Looking at Ukraine the world is not getting that impression at all.

And to think someone in the US called him "smart and savvy"....

The Rupel slowly bouncing back, the dollar weakening and China backing Putin and the war continues and he’s pivoting to seize key strategic ports that are vital to the lifeline to the Ukrainians and he’s not slowing down or disposed, so yes, that is on his party “smart and savvy.” Again, when you have global weakness in leadership and in the face of evil, you will always have global conflict with evil.

-12 ( +4 / -16 )

he possession of nuclear weapons in the mix means that there won’t be Russians appearing at the Hague any time soon

The above shows the morality and ethics of the pro-Zazis: Nukes make right.Next I expect to hear because 'Russian is a race', the Zazis need to cleanse the world, followed by, and we have the nukes to do it.

Zazis are a plague worse than the Corona, Unlike a virus they have the intellectual ability to realize that Naziism is evil. If the Russians can develop hypersonic weapons and nukes, they must be able to read their own religious literature, which I have to assume would make them realize that coveting their neighbor's territory, stealing their property and killing innocent women and children is wrong. Putin's useful 'propaganda spreaders' are contributing to evil.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

Kiev was a distraction and the Russian speaking south was the goal the entire time.

A “distraction” that likely killed 10,000 Russian soldiers? Yeah, right! lol

12 ( +14 / -2 )

Yes. At least according to publicly available information.

“Publicly available”? As in “Kremlin controlled propaganda”?

7 ( +10 / -3 )

US is the ultimate decider

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Nice selfie..

US is the ultimate decider

I would believe that if you had said it 50 years ago..

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Putin's invasion and war against Ukraine were to prevent the country from joining NATO but now both Finland and Sweden are likely to now join NATO because of Putin's actions.

Never mind the fact the vast majority of the population are against it. Only someone completely deluded would believe that matters to NATO/German EU Reich or their clients in Finland and Sweden.

-12 ( +2 / -14 )

Everyone in front of their respective flags.

Superb aesthetics!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Looking at Ukraine the world is not getting that impression at all.

looking at Finland and Sweden, their support for joining NAT0 has double,

Finland comgress has about 196 member for joining compared to 4 against.

Theyre expected to join next month. NATO has never looked stronger

7 ( +10 / -3 )

Never mind the fact the vast majority of the population are against it.

wrong polls in both countries now have a majoirty support for joining NATO, Finland is expected to join next month, Sweden soon after

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEZHCjnrkTc

8 ( +10 / -2 )

so many people from Western Europe, Japan, North America, Australia. "The world" is much larger than just those few countries/regions.

why do you think these free democratic nations tend to have far better economies than the rest

The latter includes those little countries which unlike Australia haven't done anything for human civilization

modern Australia is only 230yrs old

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Tokyolivng,I am not a nationalist or warmonger,Biden got domestic issues,the rest of the world , should decide their own destiny,but want to have the US be the decider

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

Ingvar, Russian killed million of their own citizens and Putin killed Russian too remain in power, Russian know it , because he will kill them,if they got in his way

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Russo-NATO War, Phase 2 commences.

It appears that once Mariupol falls, the second phase of the Russo-NATO war will begin.

Too many people have now been propagandized by the west to believe Russia somehow “failed” and is incapable of taking the western part of the country, but that is not even close to reality. Russia is not capable of taking it all at the same time from 5 different fronts. There’s a huge difference and distinction there. But once Donbass and everything east of the Dnieper is cleared, Russia can and likely will take the rest with concentrated forces. There will likely then be only 2 fronts, one coming up from the south that will cut off Odessa and take Nikolayev and one that returns from the north into Kiev. But we’ll save that for another time as either way that’s far off in the future.

In logistical news, Poland has reportedly begun its shipment of 100 T-72 tanks and BMP-1s to Ukraine. While Australia ships Bushmasters.

In other interesting news which shows that Turkey’s “closing of the Bosphorous” straits was not what it seemed, and was in fact a more than subtle blow against NATO, Turkish defense minister has confirmed that Turkey is strictly prohibiting any NATO ships from passing the straits as well.

“Turkey will not let NATO warships into the Black Sea,” said Minister of Defense of this country Hulusi Akar. At the same time, he referred to the Montreux Convention and said that the passage would be closed to warships of countries that do not have access to the Black Sea.. Akar also admitted that the presence of mines in the sea could be deliberate: they could have been fired as part of a plan to pressure Ankara to let NATO minesweepers into the Black Sea, which is contrary to the Montreux Convention. “We have a suspicion that the mines were deliberately introduced. Perhaps they were fired as part of some plan to put pressure on us in order to let NATO minesweepers [through the straits] into the Black Sea. But we are committed to the rules of the Montreux [Convention] and do not let warships enter the Black Sea,” the minister said.

So much for NATO solidarity.

Also, the first formal appeal for the following: “In the State Duma of Russia, Crimean deputy Mikhail Sheremet today proposed to unite the Republic of Crimea with the Zaporizhia and Kherson regions into the Tauride province within the Russian Federation. “Residents of the regions do not seem to mind – they raise Russian flags everywhere and complain about the attitude of the Ukrainian authorities.”

American Secretary of Defense Lloyd addresses Ukrainian troops.

This comes on the heels of new revelations of how deeply embedded U.S. and NATO command structures (and troops) are in Ukraine. A French journalist here describes what he saw in his time in Ukraine. In short, he says he was shocked to see American generals running the entire show on the ground, and he says the names of them will be revealed in his new exposé in the French Figaro newspaper this week.

This is further proof that this conflict is truly NATO vs. Russia, and NATO is losing badly.

Another report states: “the United States is moving its advanced headquarters units to the western borders of Ukraine. In particular, the 5th Corps is being relocated. This suggests that it is not the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine that controls military operations, but NATO officers. And we are at war not with some puppet regime in Kiev, but with the collective West.”

I couldn’t help but notice that the Tory Party’s defense of Boris Johnson for Partygate, and explanation for why he should not be forced to resign despite a) being found guilty of breaking the law, b) lying to Parliament, and c) facing calls to resign from the First Ministers of Scotland and Wales, among many others, is that 'Britain is at war'. This is a fascinating statement, in light of the fact that the UK has not actually declared war on anyone since Johnson took office.

Mr Johnson faced more calls to resign over his fine from the leaders of the devolved administrations – but Tory backbenchers hit back at criticism, asking: ‘Don’t they know there’s a war on?’

But it’s true. NATO is very actively involved in waging war against Russia, and both the USA and the UK are the most observably belligerent, with personnel, intel, and equipment all being actively engaged against Russian forces. And it’s also obvious that all of the media’s claims that Russia was running out of men and ammunition were completely false, as instead of being forced to conclude operations within two weeks, the media is now reporting that “Russian President Vladimir Putin has massed troops on Ukraine’s eastern flank for fresh offensives on the area.”

And it looks like the third phase of the war may well include Finland and Sweden in addition to Poland, as both formerly neutral countries appear to be on the verge of joining NATO. And if the multiple reports I’ve heard on the topic are correct, Russia will be making use of its first-rate troops equipped with the latest hardware and supported by its best air, armor, and artillery in the third phase.

-14 ( +0 / -14 )

Putin is Bin Laden on steroids

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

And if the multiple reports I’ve heard on the topic are correct, Russia will be making use of its first-rate troops equipped with the latest hardware and supported by its best air, armor, and artillery in the third phase.

There are multiple reports that Russian’s military are bumbling, under equipped, demoralised and losing support at home.

3rd phase, sure. They’ll be invading Finland, Poland and Sweden.

And you really believe this, do you?

10 ( +11 / -1 )

why do you think these free democratic nations tend to have far better economies than the rest

The US dominated part of the world had a much stronger economy after the war due to Europe and the Soviet Union destroying each other and China in the midst of a once in 5000 years rut.

The advantage was so large, it's said the US had a larger economy vis-a-vis rivals than ancient China and Rome had over their rivals.

What an astounding failure it has been since. It's due to imperialism, unending wars of aggression, occupation forces and etc. i.e. due to capitalism but even then, the decline of US and its lackey states has been breathtaking.

-8 ( +2 / -10 )

More Putin-adoration from the far-right.

Not at all, just call it for what the reality states and that reality is, Putin is relatively unscathed from these sanctions. 

Given Trump tried to sink NATO, that's understandable...

What was NATO designed for? How are they stopping Putin? Why do we have to pay for most of their defense when are nowhere near Russia?

You see it every night on "Comrade Carlson's" show....“I think we should probably take the side of Russia, if we have to choose between Russia and Ukraine.”

Chopping up the man's words again, I see. The man was asking the question that given Ukraine's history of corruption and Zelensky coming down hard on opposition opponents and the press within his country, shouldn't we just slow down a bit and ask important and fundamental questions like who are we backing and why? Who is lying and realizing that both countries have a credibility problem as well as a problem concerning freedom of speech and human rights issues? As Tucker said, these are questions that the media should be asking but they won't, you just have to blindly think that Russia should never have invaded a sovereign nation (which rightfully it should not have) and that Ukraine is not a corrupt nation, so we can't ask these questions because it offends this admin or Europe? Give me a break. We should be talking about the pros and cons of getting involved in the conflict.

His military was shown to be inept, inflation in Russia is over 17%, Russia will soon default on its debt,

Hmmm, mot really

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-06/mocked-as-rubble-by-biden-russia-s-ruble-comes-roaring-back

Nordstream 2 is finished,

https://agsiw.org/could-iran-replace-russian-oil-and-gas/

Germany is increasing its defense budget,

They should, now the bigger question is, will they ever become an offensive military might or just mostly defensive like the Japanese SDF?

But we get you think that's "smart and savvy".....especially when you add in all the thousands of innocent women and children murdered...

War is always ugly, but when you are an evil twisted person like Putin and you are a survivalist, you need to be smart, cunning, and not have any empathy whatsoever towards anyone if you want to survive and that is clearly what he is bent on doing.

-8 ( +2 / -10 )

They’ll be invading Finland, Poland and Sweden.

Oh my god, Totally agree

Oh my god, like, Its only a matter of time, like, they’ll be marching down 5th Avenue.

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

Ingvar,our economy is 10 that of Russia

1 ( +3 / -2 )

They’ll be invading Finland, Poland and Sweden.

Oh my god, Totally agree 

Oh my god, like, Its only a matter of time, like, they’ll be marching down 5th Avenue.

I was stating how ridiculous this idea is. Did you read the next sentence in my post after the one you quoted?

There will be no 3rd phase.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Bob Fosse,Putin got his nose bloodied,trying being a bully

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Bob Fosse,Putin got his nose bloodied,trying being a bully

Yes. That’s right.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

The truth never grows old no matter how many times it's repeated.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

These countries in their past have been abused and even assimilated by Russia in different time of history,therefore theirs worries about what is Putin doing is totally right.

The three Baltic states could finally regain independence from the USSR back in 1991 and huge parts of eastern Poland were under the Tzar russian control in the past centuries and then as a whole country a vassal state of the Warsaw pact.

Good to see these wise presidents making a stand against imperialist Russia.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Russian President Vladimir Putin ... on Tuesday insisted Russia “had no other choice” but to invade. He said the offensive aimed to protect people in parts of eastern Ukraine and to “ensure Russia’s own security.”

This passage reminds me of America's justification of the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, saying it was necessary to save millions of U.S. soldiers as well as Japanese citizens' life.

You cannot sleep well unless you justify yourself for the misdemeanor you committed.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

More Putin-adoration from the far-right. Given Trump tried to sink NATO, that's understandable...

It's more a disdain for weak US leaders.

Indeed - one is particular leader was definitely weak on Putin - in his own words...

“He could not have been nicer. He was so nice. He is really very much of a leader. He said nice things about me,” Trump said in 2014, adding, “I like him because he called me a genius. Putin did call me a genius.”

"The new joke in town is that Russia leaked the disastrous DNC e-mails, which should never have been written because Putin likes me."

“If he says great things about me, I'm going to say great things about him. I've already said, he is really very much of a leader. 

Trump says he respects Putin during a Super Bowl interview with Bill O’Reilly. Trump defends Putin when O’Reilly calls him a killer. “There are a lot of killers,” Trump says. “Do you think our country is so innocent? Do you think our country is so innocent?

Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday called Russia’s recognition of two breakaway territories in eastern Ukraine a “genius” move ahead of its military invasion. In an interview on “The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show,” Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recognition of the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics in eastern Ukraine on Monday was “smart” and “pretty savvy.”

3 ( +5 / -2 )

One Of Russia’s Biggest Cruisers Just Sank Near Ukraine

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2022/04/13/the-ukrainians-claim-they-damaged-a-russian-cruiser-be-skeptical/?sh=7743faed3971

4 ( +5 / -1 )

What are they all smiling about ?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

And it looks like the third phase of the war may well include Finland and Sweden in addition to Poland, as both formerly neutral countries appear to be on the verge of joining NATO. And if the multiple reports I’ve heard on the topic are correct, Russia will be making use of its first-rate troops equipped with the latest hardware and supported by its best air, armor, and artillery in the third phase.

ESL Mundi - and the fourth phase is the drive to Portugal?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

FizzBit - the Russians are telling us what they are going to do. Should we believe them?

3 ( +5 / -2 )

What are they all smiling about ?

Maybe they just found out that NATO is getting a little bit bigger?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Indeed - one is particular leader was definitely weak on Putin

And this is why Biden is once again losing the geopolitical war going on a second time. Even the Saudi‘s will not pick up Biden‘s phone calls and then they start to mock him in their own version of what is Saturday Night Live. So they definitely think the guy is weak

Trump says he respects Putin during a Super Bowl interview with Bill O’Reilly.

Respecting someone’s strength as a leader does not mean you like the leader, Fidel Castro was a strong leader and everybody hated the guy in the west, these people are just what they are strong men. And these people only respect strength and not weakness and none of our adversaries look at Biden when it comes to strength, none of them, even are always question this president strength and with good reason arguably.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

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