I think with the way this is going we could have two threads, one for coverage and one for discussing the event itself (which could be one of the most significant geopolitical events in decades).
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Bring on the second thread! hahaha
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I’ve seen a few comments on social media seemingly supportive of Russia’s actions. Unsurprisingly there seems to me to be links with those who’ve played down covid, tend to be anti government in one way or another, climate change deniers, Trump followers and so on. It’s too simplistic to say they’re just conservatives or of the right, because that tars many people who aren’t thinking that way.
Probably the same people that say 5G causes cancer? 
That’s a really interesting observation. I tick pretty much all of those boxes to some extent and believe Russia’s actions in this particular conflict are justified. A couple friends think in similar ways on most issues including Russia/Ukraine. Generally I consider myself as conservative/libertarian with conspiratorial leanings.
Some other friends with similar views are firmly on Ukraine’s side. The main differences in viewpoints politically is that they’re more strongly wedded to the Coalition, less conspiratorial, and more accepting of the mainstream view of COVID. And my more left-leaning friends are either on Ukraine’s side or not saying.
The common thread in my social circle for support of this particular Russian action seems to be belief in various conspiracy theories (new world order / Agenda 21 / COVID bioweapon etc). Everyone else is on Ukraine’s side.
If you’re interested at all, I support this particular military action because I support the right of the Lugansk and Donetsk people to separate from Ukraine and have their own nations, and I support their right to get assistance from Russia to achieve this. I would like to see this done swiftly and with minimal casualties if at all possible.
In regards to Vladimir Putin. I have mixed feelings about him and suspect he would like to remake the USSR and I would oppose that, but I don’t think his motivation for this action is that. I genuinely fear that Putin is one of the biblically prophecised leaders who will cause a giant war and many many many deaths right before the second coming of Jesus, but I can believe that of him while occasionally agreeing with him as well.
I’d love to see wars cease forever, but I don’t think it’s within human nature to achieve such a thing. We’re too territorial and tribal for that. Eternal peace will take an act of God.
I fully expect most people here to disagree with almost everything I’ve written. I respect your right to your views and I hope to not inflame tensions in this thread with my views.
What is it you exactly agree with? Or is this just an uneducated post? Most Russians aren’t even in agreement with what Putin is doing.
As I wrote in my post just above your post:
I support this particular military action because I support the right of the Lugansk and Donetsk people to separate from Ukraine and have their own nations, and I support their right to get assistance from Russia to achieve this
But why do you support Russia now trying to take Kiev?
If the Russian troops confine themselves to the separatist regions, the conflict will just go on forever. Neutralising targets in other parts of Ukraine which would otherwise contribute to the battle for the separatist regions is a way of shortening the duration of the conflict.
From what I’ve seen, it looks like Russia has mostly been targeting military and government facilities. They’ve hit civilian facilities too (I’d love to know who lived in that apartment building) which is sadly inevitable in war, but the main focus seems to be military and government.
It baffles me someone can support this
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The common thread in my social circle for support of this particular Russian action seems to be belief in various conspiracy theories (new world order / Agenda 21 / COVID bioweapon etc).
When one is this far into the rabbit hole and accompanying echo chambers of conspiracies, one is likely to be convinced of the merit behind Putin’s actions.
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A lot of the “support” that has been offered to the Ukrainians hasn’t been far above thoughts and prayers - despite pleas from Zelenskyy for greater assistance (even before the invasion began), there seems to be more interest in sanctions on Russia (and Russians)
Except this isn’t why Russia has launched this action - Putin doesn’t like the idea of having former Soviet nations being led by non-pro-Russian leadership, Putin has also made it clear that he prefers unification of both countries under a single Russia and doesn’t currently recognise Ukraine as a sovereign nation.
This action isn’t about supporting a couple of separatist movements (that only Russia and the movements themselves recognise).
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Sanctions means fudge all for Putin though. The greater assistance the Ukraine’s is asking for is there of help and military enforcement. I’m opposed to war for obvious reasons but when the Western world like the US, Australia and thr Uk think sanctions are going to be a deterrent for a dictator like Putin, they are seriously flawed and fooled.
As someone who has family in Ukraine and a cousin that have not heard from since this began, the west has been nothing but a dissapointment, to be quite frank. Now for the other side of not helping out military wise….
Should the US invade ? Well they fucked up everything else they have started… but like already mentioned nuclear weapons. No doubt Us have a lot of of em and Russia too.
On that note Trump and Fox News have their heads up Putin’s butt.
Sanctions are what you get when you have countries (especially in Europe) that want to have it both ways - most of them have been meaningless and have been significantly tempered by a realisation that a lot of Europe is reliant on Russian gas for power and heat. Moves to expel Russia from the banking platform SWIFT will likely have greater consequences but have raised concerns that they’ll simply join the Chinese platform that has been mooted for some time.
Sanctioning a country like Russia can be kind of pointless as well, they’re not a deterrent if anything they’re a vindication to Russians that the “west” is a place that they need to be weary of.
They also end up in stupid games - the UK banned Aeroflot from landing, so Russia retaliated by banning UK-registered planes from Russian airspace, neither hurt Putin or the Russian Government but have a significant impact on the rest of the world.
Just heard this has already started happening. they have started by banning some of the banks from the system. Let’s see how low long it takes before there all banned.
How can you say that? It was wrong for Lugansk and Donetsk regions to break away from Ukraine, wrong for Putin to support the cause, and wrong for Putin to invade Ukraine to force the issue.
The worst outcome will be Russia destroying Ukraine’s sovereignty and forcing United Nations and the wider international community to recognise the merger of Russia and Ukraine, with the threat of retaliation (remember Russia has nuclear weapons in hand).
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We disagree there irreconcilably I think. I believe this IS about freedom for Donetsk and Lugansk. The move in to the rest of Ukraine is unfortunately necessary to bring that about swiftly rather than continuing the fight around the borders for many years to come.
I believe they have a right to break away, just as I believe all concentrated populations within an area of a nation have a right to break away and form a new nation if they believe the existing nation is at odds with their interests.
Eg. Hypothetically, if Western Australia or even just the Kimberley region of WA decided to secede from Australia, I believe it is within their rights to do that.
Umm no its not. They need Canberra’s consent to do that.
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