Putin raises tension on Ukraine; suspends START nuclear pact

utin also accused the West of taking aim at Russian culture, religion and values.

Russian religion? Like Christianity, the religion Putin worked so hard during the Stalin years to supress? The religion that encourages war at any cost? Values, including if you're a politician, like Putin, is, you can embezzle from the state?

“ In his long-delayed state-of-the-nation address, Putin cast his country — and Ukraine — as victims of Western double-dealing and said it was Russia, not Ukraine, fighting for its very existence.

“We aren’t fighting the Ukrainian people,” Putin said ahead of the war’s first anniversary Friday. “The Ukrainian people have become hostages of the Kyiv regime and its Western masters, which have effectively occupied the country.” “

Unbelievable.

and also

[ Russia is suspending its participation in the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty.

Moscow is not withdrawing from the agreement, but is suspending its participation.

Under the key nuclear arms control treaty, both the United States and Russia are permitted to conduct inspections of each other’s weapons sites, but inspections have been halted since 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

However, the New START treaty is still in force after a previous agreement between Moscow and Washington extended it through February 4, 2026. 

According to US officials, Russia has continually refused to allow inspections of its nuclear facilities. 

“Russia is not complying with its obligation under the New START Treaty to facilitate inspection activities on its territory," a US State Department spokesperson said in January. 

"Russia’s refusal to facilitate inspection activities prevents the United States from exercising important rights under the treaty and threatens the viability of U.S.-Russian nuclear arms control.”

The New START treaty is the only agreement left regulating the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals. ]

..

( The beginning of the beginning of world war three. Someone needs to “take care” of that delusional madman asap… )

Putin is like: Hey! Look at me! I’m as insane as Kim and an Islamic jihadist strapped with a nuclear suicide vest!

What an idiot!

Russian religion?

Right? Coincidentally, the head of the “religion” that Putin follows, and that calls Putin “a gift from God”, is also ex-KGB.

PUTAin - oh well, did anyone expect anything else from this murdering dictator? Aother so boring speech, even his closest RuSSian allies didn't look motivated!

Off the wall comments and remarks, blaming others, and at the same time terrorizing the people of a sovereign nation with missile (and other) attacks! Again Ukrainian civilians died because of the shelling in Kherson and other areas. Adding to the list of war crimes

He never was, he never will be interested in diplomatic solutions or any form of deascalation.

There is only one way to end this war: RuSSia must be defeated, Ukraine must be united, including Crimea and all other illegally occupied areas, PUTAin and associates must be held responsible.

Ukraine prevails!

Welcome to Putin's fantasy land, where everyone is a neo-nazi and secretly plotting to destroy Russia. Don't believe the fantasy? Better keep it quiet if you live in his fantasyland

He looked reasonably physically stable by his standards. Doped up?

Maybe a visit from the doctors involved in the Olympic teams?

"...he would not change his strategy in the war in Ukraine."

So, Putin wants to continue losing?

I thought all the fascists and crypto-fascists all supported the nut, Putin, but it is good to see Meloni distanced herself from has fantasy. Maybe there is hope for all of them to see the light yet.

Moonraker

I thought all the fascists and crypto-fascists all supported the nut, Putin, but it is good to see Meloni distanced herself from has fantasy. Maybe there is hope for all of them to see the light yet.

That right-wing support seems to be confined to the US, where they conflate support of Putin with support of Trump.

They are all completely out of mind everywhere. Can’t you see and comprehend that there’s no winner in that conflict? It’s only closing faster the timeframe after which everything is run and taken over by the third and fourth world or as it is now called global South. Neither of the now involved has then young men left for defense or economic power left to stand those challenges. Putin’s war is the biggest strategic error not only for Russia itself but for all of us in the first and civilized world. That war has to be stopped immediately, there’s everything at stake now and by far a lot more affected, not only Russia, Ukraine, NATO and such.

Biden will impose sanctions on Russia, but probably the only way to get Putin to back down is to get China on board. What will it cost? We in the East are hoping this cost can be paid in trade, not by relaxing defense of Eastern democratic nations.

Sven,

completely agree (sorry, maybe taken out of context, but ......)

".....That war has to be stopped immediately,......".

There is so little that needs to be done to achieve this:

Ukraine reunites with all illegally occupied territories

RuSSia retreats

PUTAin and associates will be prosecuted at DeHague

RuSSia pays reparations (in the billions of $$)

RuSSia will be denuclearized

Ukraine becomes a full EU and NATO member

..... and so on. See how easy this could be.

Ukraine prevails!

In a long whiny weasel-worded rant against the West the clearly rattled Putin at last admitted the truth that what has been going on in Ukraine for the last 12 months is more than a ""special military operation". The "W" word, banned in Russia by decree even when invisible on a blank piece of paper displayed in public, emerged from his blini hole proving, as if we didn't know, that on Russia's "Animal Farm" little ole "Piggy" is more equal than others who get a fast-tracked ticket to ride to a camp for "calling a war a war".

What we are watching is the difference between real LEADERSHIP and DICTATORSHIP, Putin is cornered and his only option is to keep this war going for as long as he can till he is either ousted or losses badly.

Putin is scared of the West. You can hear it in his constant whining on State Television. Cry baby...

A nonsensical speech by a murderous donkey. An embarrassment to his nation.

Unfortunately he is not entirely delusional in some of what he says and does. With the rhetoric on the other side, this feels like it it slowly slipping towards a far more serious global conflict.

Russian President Vladimir Putin suspended Moscow’s participation in the last remaining nuclear arms control pact with the United States, announcing the move Tuesday in a bitter speech in which he made clear he would not change his strategy in the war in Ukraine.

Just the other day we saw news that Iran has enriched uranium to a level close to being able to be used for atomic weapons, now we have Russia, which is already nuclear armed, throwing this veiled threat at the US.

These events were unheard of 4 years ago.

Just the other day we saw news that Iran has enriched uranium to a level close to being able to be used for atomic weapons, now we have Russia, which is already nuclear armed, throwing this veiled threat at the US.

Trump ended the nuclear deal.

Putin is a crazed man with a head full of conspiracies and false claims.

Another hissy fit - he seems to have one every time he gets in front of an audience lately...

No wonder, a full year and his so called "world-class" military has been proven to be inept, corrupt, and incapable of winning...their most successful tactic has been to retreat...

He either runs out of weapons or the Russian ones he has are defective, so he has to go begging to Iran and N Korea...

And poor ordinary Russians who are overheard criticizing the war are led off to jail or out an 8-story window...

The sooner the Little Dictator rakes a tumble out of one the better for everyone...

Very brave of Biden to visit Kyiv after a 10-hour train journey from Poland.

The Ukrainian people have become hostages of the Kyiv regime and its Western masters, which have effectively occupied the country.”

As opposed the previous Kyiv regime that had Russian masters. They broke free of that horror situation and reclaimed their freedom to choose and Russia is intent on destroying that freedom of choice and returning Russian rule over Ukraine by destroying it completely as an independent state.

He has repeatedly depicted NATO’s expansion to include countries close to Russia as an existential threat to his country.

The ex soviet states in eastern Europe have dragged NATO east so they get protection against Russian control and aggression. Nobody knows Russia better than the former soviet vassal states that were always under Russian control. They want a different and better life than they had. Turning west provided that.

Putin the warmonger and death dealer. Cancels the last nuclear agreement and lies that the west wants to eliminate Russia and destroy its nuclear weapons. Truth is nobody gave a crap about doing anything to Russia except try to help it after the fall of the USSR. Russia was even a special partner of NATO until Putin's second reign as President after Medvedev.

Putin has created hostility through his attempts to rule others and get his name in history books. Well he has managed to do that now but in the worst way possible, as an evil destroyer and murderer.

I worry this will get much much worse before it gets better. WWIII is not a certainty but the likelihood is slowly growing.

Putin is a crazed man with a head full of conspiracies and false claims.

Many of the apologists for his invasion see a kindred spirit.

I wish Putin would put up ,or shut up,too threatened, American,you generally get your butt kicked by an American,for just threatened

NBC news latest poll showed that 50% of Americans disagree with president Biden handling of the war in Ukraine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNpUj2FqFNI

“The Ukrainian people have become hostages of the Kyiv regime and its Western masters, which have effectively occupied the country.”

This statement by Putin is 100% true and is very important to keep in mind when we think about this conflict and about further arming Ukraine.

I made my conclusions about Putin after listening to his speech.

The man is crazed and locking up his own citizens who speak out against his war.

Mark,

according to more reliable, fact-based polls the numbers look like this for the US:

65%  Support Ukraine reclaiming territory, even if prolonged conflict (2023)

compared with

66% Support Ukraine reclaiming territory, even if prolonged conflict (2022)

and

"....majorities of all party groups would like to see the U.S. support Ukraine in regaining its territory, even if that entails a prolonged conflict, rather than end the conflict quickly and cede territory to Russia."

Ukraine prevails!

If everybody chose a stimulus check now it would be disastrous long term. Stopping support for Ukraine at this pivotal point would be moronic.

He has clearly lost his marbles. 'have done nothing wrong in Ukraine"- civilians whose apartment blocks were destroyed might beg to differ.

He is becoming anxious as the rumours of discontent among his disciples are growing louder.

Couldna,Putin has shown no compulsion not to kill,if he feels threatened,even while European were buying his energy

Read the speech. You can disagree, but it is coherent and deep. Quite the contrast to Bidens incoherent babble. I would strongly recomment to go beyond the media headlines and read original sources.