Please, a basic explanation to what’s happening: Re Russia and Ukraine

Kevo4

Kevo4

Well-known member
I’m not what you would call up on current affairs, I don’t really read newspapers, or watch the news. Could someone please in basic idiot jargon please fill me in on what’s unfolding here? I thought we were decades past all this fighting over landlines madness. Just a quick idiots guide please so I can better understand the why’s and what’s.

Thanks all
 
Greater Russia was broken up after the fall of the soviet era. Ukraine was part of this great Russia. Putin has begun a process of reclaiming what he think was taken from then

Basically it’s more complex but in essence that is the subtext.
 
Aet290204 said:
I thought it was because Ukraine want to join NATO and putin doesn’t like it.

I may be wrong. Don’t shout at me if I am
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Nope pretty much spot on. Putin doesn't want American controlled missiles pointing at his country from all directions aswell as he wants more land.
 
Aet290204 said:
I thought it was because Ukraine want to join NATO and putin doesn’t like it.

I may be wrong. Don’t shout at me if I am
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Russia would never want Ukraine to join NATO as nuclear weapons could be based there (a stones throw away from Russia) which would outrage Russia.

In 1962 the Soviet Union planned to store nuclear missiles in Cuba which would have been 90 miles from the USA. This prompted the Cuban Missile Crisis.
 
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Fat_Dragon said:
Correct. If Ukraine joined NATO then nuclear weapons could be based there (a stones throw away from Russia) which would outrage Russia.

A similar situation occurred in 1962 when the Soviet Union planned to store nuclear missiles in Cuba which would have been 90 miles from the USA. This prompted the Cuban Missile Crisis.
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This is completely wrong as it’s not 1950s as the us said this morning we don’t need nukes in Ukraine as we can hit Moscow from Nebraska.

But It’s the false narrative putin is spinning

As Ukraine we’re never close to joining nato precisely for this reason.
 
...and Ukraine gave up it's nuclear arsenal and didn't join NATO specifically to prevent this happening.

There's a lot of really bad takes in the media from people trying to excuse Putin/Russia.

Ukraine is a sovereign state. They are entitled to act autonomously and in their own interests. Putin/Russia is an aggressor.

The West have dropped the ball on this and we'll be playing catch-up for months (if we ever manage to get a handle on it at all).
 
Muttley said:
Something of a moot point given that the West has missiles which can reach Russia from pretty much anywhere on the globe.
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But still a point. Missiles, tanks, troops, whichever, having them stationed directly next to your country by another country they say are their enemies will of course upset them.
Not sticking up for Putin here as I don't know his motives for certain (likely a land grab) but if Putin stationed missiles, troops, tanks and other military equipment in Cuba for example Sleepy Joe would kick off too, as would any American president, the vast majority of American citizens would demand they were removed from Cuba.

As for Ukraine I feel sorry for it's people. They were promised protection from the Americans, the Europeans and us and it simply hasn't happened.
 
Randy said:
But still a point. Missiles, tanks, troops, whichever, having them stationed directly next to your country by another country they say are their enemies will of course upset them.
Not sticking up for Putin here as I don't know his motives for certain (likely a land grab) but if Putin stationed missiles, troops, tanks and other military equipment in Cuba for example Sleepy Joe would kick off too, as would any American president, the vast majority of American citizens would demand they were removed from Cuba.

As for Ukraine I feel sorry for it's people. They were promised protection from the Americans, the Europeans and us and it simply hasn't happened.
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This makes a little bit of sense until Russia take Ukraine and then find themselves bordering all of the eastern NATO countries. NATO countries aren't ever going to invade so it isn't something he would be worried about. It can only be re-forming the USSR so Russia can become a superpower again. They already semi-control most of the former countries by way of Putin-friendly leaders. Ukraine have tried to distance themselves from Russia so this is Putin's only way of bringing them back in.
 
Nano said:
This makes a little bit of sense until Russia take Ukraine and then find themselves bordering all of the eastern NATO countries. NATO countries aren't ever going to invade so it isn't something he would be worried about. It can only be re-forming the USSR so Russia can become a superpower again. They already semi-control most of the former countries by way of Putin-friendly leaders. Ukraine have tried to distance themselves from Russia so this is Putin's only way of bringing them back in.
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Agreed. And their in lies the root of the problem.
 
I believe that Putin is only interested in Crimea and protecting her warm water port in Sevastopol. . A majority of Crimeans are ethnic Russian and would prefer to belong to that country so perhaps the only way forward is a rerun the 2014 referendum with overseers agreed by both sides, which would give them the right of self determination.
 
BlindBoyGrunt said:
I believe that Putin is only interested in Crimea and protecting her warm water port in Sevastopol. . A majority of Crimeans are ethnic Russian and would prefer to belong to that country so perhaps the only way forward is a rerun the 2014 referendum with overseers agreed by both sides, which would give them the right of self determination.
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That's a big part of it I reckon. I think it's Russia's only warm water port so strategically very important.
 
Firstly, it’s a horrible situation and the Ukrainians must be having a torrid time.
Secondly, the comments above are all from Western/USA sources.
I’ve no idea what is going on (Putin says different to the West - as may be expected).

Who do you believe?
Take your pick but just remember they are all spinning (incl Putin) so very difficult to get to the truth of what it is really about.
 
I still think the sites of the Russian navy have a lot to do with current conflict. After break up of USSR two of the main harbours no longer are attached to Russia. One is in Crimea, which they took over a few years ago but there is no land access from Russia still. Another is in MurmanskKaliningrad which again has no land access due to Baltic states, so I would expect him to start agitating in that region if he is successful in Ukraine.

The uprising in Ukraine a few years ago got Russia really worried, so sadly this seems to be the result.
 
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