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Protests resume as Russia seeks to quash invasion critics

34 Comments
By DASHA LITVINOVA

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34 Comments

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Putin isn't getting any support from anywhere apart from his toadies for this war (oh and Fox News). Which I think is dangerous. It could make him take unreasonable risks.

The outcome that he wants is to strip Ukraine of its sovereignty and install a puppet government. That may happen, but it won't last. Ukraine is now solidly anti-Russia and pro-Europe.

I just hope there won't be too much bloodshed.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

WilliB

Keep in mind that about 1/3 of Ukraines population are ethnic Russians and the historic and family ties between the populations are long and intense.

And none of those ethnic Russians in Ukraine support this invasion either.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

I am impressed that you are able to remote psycho-analize Putin. Meanwhile, if you actually look at his statements, he has been consistently realistic and reasonable, quite in contrast to the warmongering leaders of Nato and the US, who just can not let go of illegally bombing and invading countries in their misguided efforts of "nation building".

The only people impressed with Putin are his fellow brutal tyrants in Beijing, Damascus, and Tehran. The rest of the world has condemned this clear invasion of another sovereign country....

Open your eyes - the leaders of NATO and the US aren't slaughtering civilians all across Ukraine. That's your hero - Vlad the Butcher....who given how disheveled he looks, is likely now realizing the huge miscalculation he has made...

5 ( +6 / -1 )

WilliB

zichi

Putin's invasion of Ukraine has nothing to do with whether Ukraine would have joined NATO or not

It has EVERYTHING to do with it. Without the constant Nato encroachment and Western interference (cf Maidan coup), an Ukraine government could be on friendly terms with Russia. 

Absolutely not. Ukraine aren't on friendly terms with Russia is because Russia is an autocratic dictatorship and Ukraine want to be like Europe and a democracy.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

WilliB

No. But we aren't talking about nuclear missiles. Russia isn't being threatened with any extra nuclear missiles.

So, Russian nuclear missiles in Cuba would be OK then, right? No reason to complain?

What part of "Russia isn't being threatened with any extra nuclear missiles" don't you understand???

2 ( +5 / -3 )

It has EVERYTHING to do with it. Without the constant Nato encroachment and Western interference (cf Maidan coup), an Ukraine government could be on friendly terms with Russia. Keep in mind that about 1/3 of Ukraines population are ethnic Russians and the historic and family ties between the populations are long and intense. It is not like Putin out of the blue illegally attacked an unrelated country, like the US "nation building" in Serbia, Libya etc.

Exactly!

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

2020hindsights

No. But we aren't talking about nuclear missiles. Russia isn't being threatened with any extra nuclear missiles.

So, Russian nuclear missiles in Cuba would be OK then, right? No reason to complain?

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

zichi

Putin's invasion of Ukraine has nothing to do with whether Ukraine would have joined NATO or not

It has EVERYTHING to do with it. Without the constant Nato encroachment and Western interference (cf Maidan coup), an Ukraine government could be on friendly terms with Russia. Keep in mind that about 1/3 of Ukraines population are ethnic Russians and the historic and family ties between the populations are long and intense. It is not like Putin out of the blue illegally attacked an unrelated country, like the US "nation building" in Serbia, Libya etc.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Robert Cikki

According to verbal and non-verbal speeches, Putin has long had no contact with reality. Above all, for the last two years he has been living in his own bubble, in his own quarantine. He is working on pseudo-studies about how the various countries (snip)

I am impressed that you are able to remote psycho-analize Putin. Meanwhile, if you actually look at his statements, he has been consistently realistic and reasonable, quite in contrast to the warmongering leaders of Nato and the US, who just can not let go of illegally bombing and invading countries in their misguided efforts of "nation building".

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Ukraine claimed independence in 1991.

As the second largest country in Europe.

Rapidly appears to becoming the largest country in Europe with mother Russia.

This war is about resources .

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

According to verbal and non-verbal speeches, Putin has long had no contact with reality. Above all, for the last two years he has been living in his own bubble, in his own quarantine. He is working on pseudo-studies about how the various countries of the former Soviet Union never actually existed and were only given sovereignty by someone and did not exist before. Into this he has implanted the "geroi" vision that in fact the Red Army liberated all of Europe and the Allies only a tiny bit. That everything is controlled by Nazis, fascists. Whether he really believes this or is just delusional is another matter. His neighborhood gets money and pays the old - Whose Bread I Eat, His Song I Sing

5 ( +6 / -1 )

WilliB

Fact remains the whole kerfuffle could have been avoided if Nato had stopped the endless encroachment and warmongering.

Wouldn't have made any difference, because that is not what this war is about.

Putin’s claims that there is no historical Ukrainian nation worthy of present-day sovereignty. This is false, but it shows his true reasons for invasion.

He is still grieving the collapse of the Soviet Union and this is his way of trying to get some of it back.

Nuclear missiles in Cuba, anyone? Would our Putin haters be OK with that?

No. But we aren't talking about nuclear missiles. Russia isn't being threatened with any extra nuclear missiles.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Fact remains the whole kerfuffle could have been avoided if Nato had stopped the endless encroachment and warmongering. Breaking the agreement with Gorbachev by expanding Nato to the Baltics was bad enough. But for years, critics have pointed out that encroaching into the Ukraine area would unacceptable to any Russian government.

Nuclear missiles in Cuba, anyone? Would our Putin haters be OK with that?

-9 ( +1 / -10 )

Peter14

History shows us that you have much better long term odds of success fighting a war if your nation is 100% behind you.

....and that is why the flailing Biden regime simply loves being able to rant about a war in Ukraine. Good point.

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

I also have Russian acquaintances in both my country and Canada. They are not happy about what they're seeing Putin doing either. They have loved ones in BOTH Ukraine and Russia. They know and speak up that Putin is the main instigator and belligerent in this entire scenario.

Putin and the Kremlin are doing STATE controlled TV broadcasts... very reminiscent of the old USSR days of STATE controlled TV broadcasts. Why do they want to censor media broadcasts so much and direct them to only present what the STATE says is allowed?

The hired Russian trolls have been out in force on many external sites trying to push pro-Russia propaganda, but just like the Wumao of the CCP, nobody but themselves "believe" the propaganda they're pushing as actions will always speak louder than words, and reality and truth will ALWAYS be present to debunk lies and manipulation.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

History shows us that you have much better long term odds of success fighting a war if your nation is 100% behind you. A nation split is a nation hindered. It stopped the US winning in Vietnam and Afghanistan and stopped the USSR also in Afghanistan.

If opposition continues and grows in Russia then Putin is fighting on two fronts. The home front and the Ukraine front.

Ukraine will not hold off Russia and Belarus for long but it is how they resist occupation that counts.

Good luck to the people of Ukraine. May your resistance be deadly to all Russians who oppress you until they leave.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Plant one Confederate flag into the crowd and wave it in front of a government media cameraman.

Then say that all the protestors are extremists and freeze their bank accounts.

Well said, this could go very badly for Russian citizens, Putin has completely lost it.

It seems Putin isn’t alone in losing it. What on earth are you talking about? Confederate flags?

Comparing this to Canada is ludicrous, completely ridiculous.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

As a proud American, I am happy to know that there are Russian people who disagree with Putin.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

I think there might be more ultra-nationalist Russians than many people want to admit, and more who fear Putin's goons than those willing to question him. I don't know how badly censored Russian's history books have been, but some educated Russians, and many whose families had members disappeared, that must have learned what Stalin did, must be aware the butcher of the revolution had millions of his fellow citizens murdered, and believe that Putin would probably do the same. Fear of the state probably runs in Russian genes.

Though it's nice to think there are many brave Russians willing to challenge the tyrant running a system that in the modern world is closest to fascism as can be currently found. I wonder if that's true.

Too bad so many anti-democracy/pro-authoritarian posters have used media outlets to distort truth saying it's countries like New Zealand and Canada that are tyrannical. When I believe instead that huge numbers of people living behind Putin's well-oiled neo-Iron Curtain would gladly live in either Canada or New Zealand or just about anywhere outside the Putin sphere of influence. It could be many pro-Putin posters are currently living in nations where they have access to media of all sorts, not just state controlled outlets, and are allowed to post their screeds in free countries like Canada without fear of reprisal. And because they live in free countries they are always free to move back to Russia or China.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

The battle for Kiyv may well become Putin's political Stalingrad and the ensuing carnage seen online will likely lose him the support of his own people. Politics is war without bloodshed, war politics with bloodshed. Choosing the latter course might well cost Putin his head, or board that waiting plane to take him out of Russia to safety. He'll need to brush up his Chinese.

9 ( +12 / -3 )

How soon do you see Putin fleeing to asylum in Belorussia?

8 ( +11 / -3 )

Russian citizens need to rise up and bring this madman down.

10 ( +13 / -3 )

Plant one Confederate flag into the crowd and wave it in front of a government media cameraman.

Then say that all the protestors are extremists and freeze their bank accounts.

Well said, this could go very badly for Russian citizens, Putin has completely lost it.

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

e know that, that’s great if you live outside of Russia but if you’re a Russian citizen and continue to protest you will be labeled as a traitor and will be arrested and charged with treason and that’s why you’re seeing less protests in Russia. There is no way that Putin will ever recover internationally from this.

Agree. The people of Russia just want to live in peace after suffering the largest number of causalities of any nation during WW II. They want a government that doesn't steal its national wealth and build palaces around the country, that controls all media and produces nothing but "State TV", that tosses it opponents out of eight story windows or injects them with Novichuk.

Putin has gone mad - and the world must stand up to mad, dangerous dictators, just like they did in the 1940's...

14 ( +18 / -4 )

Russians are aware of what their leader is. A danger to the people, the world, a killer. Every time this man's name pops up we all know, ahh, Putin, that unlawfully elected president, that murdering s0b.

Exactly!

The only good that come out of this conflict is putin getting overthrown.

The people of Russia are tired of this despot and hopefully we can see the last of this savage soon!

My thoughts exactly!

 There is no way that Putin will ever recover internationally from this.

Agree 100%

12 ( +17 / -5 )

The only good that come out of this conflict is putin getting overthrown.

The people of Russia are tired of this despot and hopefully we can see the last of this savage soon!

13 ( +17 / -4 )

Russians are aware of what their leader is. A danger to the people, the world, a killer. Every time this man's name pops up we all know, ahh, Putin, that unlawfully elected president, that murdering s0b.

8 ( +12 / -4 )

Protests resume as Russia seeks to quash invasion critics

Good! Hopefully it'll crumble around Putin and his Punks.

An ominous show of support for the attack on Ukraine came from Chechnya, Russia's predominantly Muslim region run by the iron-fisted leader Ramzan Kadyrov. Chechen media on Friday reported that Kadyrov rallied some 12,000 security forces operatives in the center of Grozny, the region's capital, for what was described as an operational readiness check.

One scumbag supporting another. No surprise there.

7 ( +14 / -7 )

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