01-16-2025, 04:43 PM
(01-16-2025, 12:37 PM)Freeborn Wrote: None of the EU/US/Uk/NATO would have got involved if Yanukovych had not done a U-turn on his election pledge to forge closer links with Western Europe and the EU by rejecting a Ukrainian parliament approved deal with the EU in favour of closer links with Russia - all against the express wishes of the Ukrainian electorate and people.
Of course that had nothing to do with the huge bribe he received from Russia, the benefits of which he is now enjoying in exile in Moscow.
In 2014 The Kremlin armed and funded several Right-Wing Nationalist Militia's to agitate and provoke throughout Luhansk and Donetsk. They targeted Ukrainian government buildings and installations, terrorised non Russian Orthodox Christians and Jews and generally stirred up as much trouble and malcontent as possible.
The Ukrainian government responded harshly, possibly too harsh at times.
Both examples of Russian meddling.
Putin wanted a reaction....and he got it and quite predictably used it as a pretext to justify his invasion. An invasion which in reality is nothing more than a good old fashioned land grab and an attempt to restore some sort of imagined former glory for Mother Russia.
The fact that its all gone tits up and three years down the line its nothing short of a monumental shit show illustrates just how badly he judged things.
As for NATO expansionism; NATO never once actively sought membership from any of the ex-Warsaw Pact nations or former Soviet satellite countries. They CHOSE to approach NATO.
Ever asked yourself why?
Pretty simple really, they'd experienced Russian domination and control before and didn't want to have to endure it again.
The funny thing about this conflict is that there are neo nazis on both sides.
Don't forget about Azov vs Wagner group.
The irony is that Hitler hated Slavs. So the whole thing is fascinating to me from the sidelines.