Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday that Russia could use nuclear weapons to protect the territories of Ukraine that it will absorb after referendums are held.
Referendums to join Russia will be held in the Donbas republics of Donestk and Luhansk and the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions starting Friday. “Referendums will be held, and the Donbas republics and other territories will be accepted into Russia,” Medvedev wrote on Telegram.
Medvedev, who currently serves as the deputy chair of Russia’s Security Council, said that the protection these territories will be “significantly strengthened” by joining Russia.
“Russia announced that not only mobilization capabilities, but also any Russian weapons, including strategic nuclear weapons and weapons based on new principles, could be used for such protection,” he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilization on Wednesday and also warned the West that Russia could use nuclear weapons to protect its “territorial integrity.”
Putin also expressed support for the referendums, implying that Russia will consider attacks on the areas it controls in Ukraine as attacks on Russian territory once they are absorbed, which Medvedev made more explicit.
The US shows no sign of reconsidering its policy of supporting Ukraine in the war despite the risk of provoking Moscow, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky continues to say he will recapture all Russian-controlled territory.
Tick, tick, tick….
BOOM!
bye bye! It’s been good to know ya!
Seeing the lighter side of nuclear holocaust might be just a little too positive.
If Medvedev speaks for Putin then the regime has gone absolutely insane. I doubt China will stand for this. But Xi will try to keep it behind closed doors.
What exactly is different. He said same thing Rusdia was saying for decades — theyvwilm use nuclear weapons if country endangered. What do you hear that is new, and I do not see it? What am I missing? Yesterday both Lavrov, as welm as Ministry of Foreign Affairs cane out stringly against lies — that Russia is threatening Europe with nuclear weapons!
What is US nuclear doctrine? Use only if attacked or preemptively even against psrties that did not attack US? I heard many versions. Inam sure somebody knows the answer.
This is just a new narrative. — pounded relentleslybin media and by politicians.
And I see that it is sadly working!
What about China ? When on earth are we going to wake up? China will never allow Rusdia to lose, Not just China but many countries — particularly Middle East know the consequences.
Why on earth do you think is the cause for the
avalanche of applications for Russia-China led SCO. It is currently by population the largest international organization after UN.
This is actually phase three. Second phase ended in a pause on Russia’s end. Clearly it was a time for various efforts at diplomacy. Secret diplomacy is normal in wars.
Clearly it failed.
Hope someone can enlighten me — and I mean it — on the difference between decades long Rusdian nuclear doctrine, and what either Putin or Medvedev said?
China will not be ok with them using nukes to protect gains on what was Ukrainian territories (something China will never recognize as Russia territory as per their policy).
How do you concluude any of that?
Russia is saying what itvalways said — it will protect itself. I see no difference in what was their posture before!
China today recognizes Russia making no differsntiation to the status of Crimea. Let me know if you have any quotes by Chinese oficials or its media on the subject since 2014. The vey latest statements at SCO summit at Samarkand confirm China supporting all Russia’s “CORE INTERESTS”. Nothing new.
I am wondering if the brouhaha is not linked to the referendum and these regions joining RF.
We are too blunded by our own narative . UN international law governing the national borders comprise of two complimentary principles. Sovereignty and territorial integrity and the right to self determination. Russia is conducting referendum under those provisions. The core issue is if population is endangered, and have the right of self-deternimstion.
China will not ket Russia lose. To think otherwise s a delusion. We are sleepwalking into a major economic and international problem.
Have they recognized dpr, lpr, abkhazia and South osetia? No.
Protection of core interests and using tactical nukes r NOT the same thing.
China canot afford to have Russia weakened but THEY WILL NOT get involved unless nato directly get involved with troops instead of the proxy war that is currently going on.
It sounds if what you say is true, Russia wins either way. If NATO is not involved, Russia will surely win, and if as you say NATO gets ‘directly’ involved, then Russia and China will win without any doubt whatsoever. Russia and China will crush NATO, have them begging to surrender. All the non-Nuclear weapon Nato Gnomes are more liabilities than an assets. One nuke on their capital and they are done!!!!! Who’s idea was this war anyway..?????
“Protection of core interests and using tactical nukes r NOT the same thing” Maybe you are right, but who said Protection of core interests and using tactical nukes r NOT the same thing. Why would using tactical nukes to preserve core interests NOT be just as legitimate as conventional weapons, and if, as you seem to imply, its not so, please tell us why.
Survival of the state and the country is the core interest among core interest but there r other core interests like not allowing Ukraine used as a beachhead against Russia. Not allowing foreign structures dictate policy of Russian opposition. Not every threat no matter how severe to the state calls for nuclear weapons.
Bianca, it’ll make things much easier if you state wether or not your 6 page paper is your personal opinion or a kremlin fact.
Bianca, I assume you know THAT this poster Don Julio, or should I say IMposter is the one and same poster accusing YOU of posting while intoxicate, namely Don Bacon and also Lemoni Alpaca, or some such. I find his accusations against you despicable. He seldom argues the merits or faultsof the arguments or assertions, but has the proclivity for salacious personal accusations. He does not deserve to be taken seriously. He has no integrity and never came up with one word of your commentary as an example of intoxicated writing. I suspect he himself is likely the one who is intoxicated.
Why would you assume Bianca “knows” things that aren’t true?
Bianca,
Nations have the right to ***DEFEND*** their boundaries. But nations do not have the right to ***DETERMINE*** their boundaries.
Boundaries are determined by international law, not conquest. Russia has the right to defend its internationally recognized borders.It does not have the right to annex Ukrainian territory taken by force and occupied by Russian troops.
Of course China will! The Chinese knoiw that they’ll need need Russia’s support for doing the same with Taiwan, eventually.
They will do nothing unless Taiwan declares independence.
and then our earlier professed position on the Taiwan issue would mean we would do nothing because it would be Taiwan attempting to change the status quo.
Well u stating that point twice made me clarify my statement a bit, if us tries to installs thaad, puts sizable contingent on Taiwan or put irbm in what China considers it’s territory, they will launch invasion, and just like I said before when u stated this previously, biden ditching ambiguity makes it more likely us might initiate these actions
Or unless the US establishes bases on Taiwan or if Taiwan acquires weapons that could effectively strike mainland China. Otherwise the Chinese regime is confident that as China rises to become the dominant political and economic world power the Taiwanese will eventually voluntarily unite with China. The Chinese have been waiting 4,000 years. They can afford to wait a little longer on Taiwan and Hong Kong.
40 years?
No. 4,000 years. China takes a very long view of foreign policy. The CCP leadership sees China’s ascendency as the beginning of a new phase of human history ending millenia of Euro-centric domination. Unification with Taiwan is a simple consequence of China’s inevitable rise and they can afford to be patient as long as the declining West keeps the peace.
“The CCP leadership sees China’s ascendency as the beginning of a new phase of human history ending millenia of Euro-centric domination.”
And Hitler expected the Third Reich to last a thousand years.
Once it reached peer levels with the west in e.g. maufacturing, etc., “China” was bound to be a major world power if for no other reason than that so many people identify themselves as “Chinese” based on language and ethnicity, with a large percentage of those people (not all of them, but a high percentage) living under the control of a single polity.
But that status is neither dependent upon, nor does it guarantee the perpetual rule of, a particular regime model. China may well be ascendant in the next “phase of human history,” but rule by its Communist Party regime is unlikely to survive this century.
I don’t think Europeans had a milenia of domination, I think it was just a couple of century and before that west mostly took the backsit and Asia was at the center stage throughout history.
I hope Africa now takes the lead because Asia and Europe had interaction throughout history maybe Africa that developed somewhat independently until west came in guns blazing might give us something new and better.
China and Russia need each other. If their leaders are wise enough, the China-Russia union would last forever.
China still does not recognize Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
“China will never allow Russia to lose” – China can help Russia only economically. That is all. Russia can’t lose a big war against NATO or against anything else. Even economically Russia is okay even without China. No doubt, China is the most important partner for Russia, but there are a lot of other trade partners.
“He said same thing Rusdia was saying for decades — theyvwilm use nuclear weapons if country endangered. What do you hear that is new, and I do not see it? What am I missing?”
Well, maybe you missed the part where he plans to run fake elections to magically turn places which aren’t Russia, and which are already “endangered” (by being defended from Russian conquest), into Russia and therefore subject to that policy.
Tom, if you are referring to the Donbass and Crimea, there is a clear majority of inhabitants there who speak Russian, are ethnically Russian and who would prefer to either join their land to Russia or at least live in a new nation-state separate from the rest of Ukraine.
I was referring to Kherson and Zaporizhzia oblasts. LPR, DPR, and Crimea are water long under the bridge.
If there’s a clear majority for annexation by Russia in Kherson and Zaporizhzia oblasts, then surely Putin will not object to withdrawing all Russian forces and inviting a UN peacekeeping force in to administer a free and fair election (including vote by mail for refugees), right?
If Kherson and Zaporizhzhia vote for independence but not annexation, I wouldn’t be certain that Putin would have a problem with a UN peacekeeping force there. It seems to me that the population in those areas has not seen eye to eye with Kyev for many years.
Surely Biden and the US wouldn’t object to a Un peacekeeping force in to administer a free and fair election for us? ….lol….ahhh, another mail in ballot scammer
Yes, Biden and the US would object to free and fair elections. All authoritarian regimes do.
There is a treaty that Russia signed in 99 defining what is Russia and what isn’t. Donbass isn’t Russian Crimea isn’t Russia
But it is pretty clear that most people in Crimea want to be part of Russia.
Crimea was invaded, and then there was a referendum so not exactly free or fair. This endless litigating of borders is a recipe for war forever. Russia has plenty of land. How about they do something with what they have rather than look for clumps of Russians that they can then defend. Russia violated the 99 treaty so what good would even a 2023 treaty be? What Russia needs is a sound convincing defeat one that can’t be ignored back home a humiliation on the battlefield that will discredit the notion of using military force to gain territory for generations. I trust that more than papers signed by Russians.
Crimea wasn’t invaded. Russia already had ample military forces in Crimea prior to the overthrow of the Ukrainian democracy.
Gee Whiz! Who would of thought that all those elections in Iraq or elsewhere we bombed or put military forces in, were not exactly free or fair?
Crimea has a different and separate history from the rest of Ukraine. It was never part of Ukraine before Stalin ethnically cleansed the Tatars and Khrushchev gave it to the Ukraine around 1954. Following the Tatar expulsion the people were predominantly Russians. And when Russia annexed it, there were genuine celebrations. When the war is over there should be a fair plebiscite in Crimea as well as the Donbas. But I expect Crimeans will vote to join Russia.
And Alaska? How about that?
I am pretty sure how a plebiscite in Alaska would go. And my pro-Ukrainian friends and relatives who visited Crimea all agree that Crimeans are Russians. Unlike the Donbas, secessionist sentiment in Crimea has been longstanding and widespread. It is not part of Ukraine. There should be a fair plebiscite in Crimea after the war is over. I suspect the Crimeans will choose to affiliate with Russia.
Maybe
I’m pretty sure all of the treaties were rendered void as soon as the US decided to play.
Let’s talk about the Donbas. In the last census (2001) 39% of the people were ethnic Russians and over 57% identified as ethnic Ukrainians. It has also become clear that many ethnic Russians identify as Ukrainians and oppose annexation. It is really impossible for an occupying power to conduct a fair election in the middle of a war that has driven millions of people from their homes.
How can you possibly use a census from 2001 with a straight face. Ukraine nazi’s have been killing woman and children there for almost a decade now regardless of who they identify with. Even now during this vote they are shelling the cities and using drones to intimidate.
The 2001 census is the best data we have. As for atrocities, I discount the propaganda on both sides. But the forensic evidence indicates there have been mass graves uncovered in areas occupied by Russia. The Ukrainian reports of torture may not be true. But the mass graves are real. I am puzzled that the Russians have not publicized forensic evidence of widespread killings by Ukrainian right wingers in areas now occupied by Russia. There seems to be mounting evidence that noncombatants and prisoners are being killed and buried in mass graves in areas controlled by Russian troops and the secessionist allies.
Mass graves, did you get that from CNN. Do you know the definition of a mass grave? It’s more than ONE body. So 2 bodies constitutes a mass grave. You discount the Donbass genocide because they haven’t released ‘forensic’ evidence….how absurd that you can’t just watch the video.
I don’t believe the words on CNN, NYT, RT, BBC or anyone in this war. I look at the pictures. They dug up scores of bodies in Izyium of people killed during the Russian occupation. The Russians have not shown similar evidence of massacres by the Ukrainians. In the beginning I made no judgments about who was committing atrocities. But the weight of evidence over the past few months indicates that since the invasion there have been atrocities committed in areas under Russian occupation. To be fair, the Russians have clearly not maximized civilian casualties. But they have not avoided killing civilians either. And it looks like the some of the Russian soldiers are doing the same kind of things the occupying armies usually do. Early in the war I saw some photos of Russian captives being mistreated by Ukrainians. But more and more it is appearing like the Russian troops a demoralized, poorly led and some of them are taking out their frustrations on Ukrainians.
Patrick also thinks the Russians aren’t pouring out of the country in droves, so he’s probably a lost cause. “Who are you gonna believe, Putin, or your lyin’ eyes?!”
If Putin wanted to, he could have just taken a page out of the US playbook and carpet bombed Kiev into submission. That is exactly what the US would have done and to hell with the civilians casualties. How can you possible claim that Putin hasn’t been conservative in dealing with civ casualties unlike the Nazi’s who continue to target them every day.
Not to mention the many, MANY allegations of coerced voting that are already pouring in: officials showing up to your home, accompanied by armed soldiers, and watching while residents “vote.”
Because Reuters doesn’t lie and already have a pre-narrative set against anything Russia…lol…I regard anything coming out of western mainstream media as no different then the “onion”
Oh, you must be there yourself, so you can tell us all about what’s happening.
If we assume that people will vote solely upon their ethnicity, then Russia would lose in a fair election. But in the free and fair elections held before the Euromaidan coup, both Donetsk and Luhansk voted almost unanimously for the candidates who promised a high degree of regional sovereignty. When they lost that promise, they seceded. They have held their ground for 8 years. And, while not everyone may be wild about joining Russia, the unrelenting threat of invasion by Kyev leaves them with little choice.
That said, it’s not obvious that they seek independence for the entire oblast. There might be a willingness to trade territory for borders that can be easily defended.
And the oppressed and kicked out Ukrainian voters dont count for sure in Putin’s referendum.
It is illegal to conquer territory by force and to annex it. Putin’s regime is doing the same thing Israel did when it annexed occupied East Jerusalem. Even China does not recognize Russia’s annexation of Crimea and still considers Crimea part of Ukraine . I doubt China will stand for annexation by force, four sham referendums under occupation or the threat of nuclear war to defend territorial conquest. Until now China has kept its disapproval of Russia’s war in Ukraine behind closed doors. But we saw signs of strains in China’s relationship with Russia at the SCO summit where Putin acknowledged China’s questions and concerns about his war against Ukraine. That is not something Putin would naturally say. In my opinion the comment was inserted into his speech at the insistence of China behind the scenes in return for Xi’s statement of support for Russia’s key interests. Do not confuse the opposition of China and the SCO to US/NATO sanctions with support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Russia is an important ally to China. But China’s interest in maintaining a peaceful and predictable world order is stronger than its commitment to Russia. There are limits to China’s support for Russia and Putin is unwise if he makes China choose between its alliance with Russia and its foreign policy principles.
After Samarkand our media went out of the way to find words take them grosly out of context and plaster news cycles with it. Like Putin adressing China’s concerns. This was nothing but a oart of conversation in sharing information on issues. It is like saying, let’s share information.
I do think we are deluding ourselves by assuming that ine can find any space between not just Russia and China but Russia and India.
I am fascinated by the interlretation of international law. Sovereignity and territorial integrity alone do not defermine borders. UN has just as strong legal foundation for self-determination.
In the case of Ukraine, Russia engaged with internatiknal forums to solve the difficult situation that Russian minority, as well as other Russian speakung Ukrainians fkund themselves since 2014. Russia has dicumented amply the attrocitied and repression by Kiev regime. It is NOT against internal law to intervene on their behalf. However, referendum is dequired to prove self-determination.
If there is for an example any power today to intervene in behalf of Palestinians, and secure a recerendum on getting out of Israel’s control and ccupatikn status — would a referendum pass.
Example worth noting is the case if NATO separating Kosovo from Serbia. Why was not a deferendum held immediatelly? Because NATO knew that itvwould not have passed. Majority of Kosovo Albanians did not approve of the militant group KLA, and were afraid of its cruelty, If added Serbian minority, as well as other non-Albanian Moslem population (Gorani), the rcerendum was in danger of not passing.
Russia filed the relevant documentation with UN, indicating the UN article under which the intervention is conducted.
What. Is BY FAR MORE SIGNIFICANT in Russia’s announcement than this nuclear nin-issue is that the was is against NATO and the collective West. THIS is significant change.
If one does not swallow nuclear herring, what has been declared us the war with West not just NATO. The significance is — if US and Europe TOLERATE, ENCOURAGE and PROVIDE LONG RANGE WEAPONS and INTELLIGENCE and Ukraine attacks Russian territory (any part if it — Russia can attack European country or US.
This is where PROXY war ends — and all participants become beligerants.
One of the best analysis on the tolic by Bhadrakumar at Indian Express.
You have missed the part where Xi and Modi expressed total support for Russia. That was only a couple days ago. Besides that a sizeable and ever growing part of the western European population knows the Ukrainian regime is nazi, as nazi Ukrainian banderites fighting in SS divisions massacred European civilians as far as France during WWII.
Modi did nothing of the sort. What heDID say last week was: “I know that today’s era is not of war and we have spoken to you many times on the phone that democracy, diplomacy and dialogue are such things that touch the world. Today, we will get a chance to discuss how we can move forward on the path of peace in the coming days.”
And Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar just told the UN Security Council: ” … India is strongly reiterating the need for an immediate cessation of all hostilities and a return to dialogue and diplomacy” and that “[t]he nuclear issue is a particular anxiety.”
Meanwhile, China is calling for a “ceasefire through dialogue.”
A useless statement in the context of the history of humanity.
Well then might makes right and Russia has less of it than the West.
This is what scares me. It is only US that will be on the barricades, Europe with its postage stamp sized countries, faiilung economies and deep internal divisions will be of no help. Add to that that vast majority of countries in this world think Russia is right, and NATO agressor, No matter how their governments put it, sentiment is anti-American.
Time to solve the Ukrainian Gordian knot.
Russia has the best delivery capability , their hypersonic missiles and no nation currently has any defense for it. Russia biggest blast thermonuclear weapons of 100 megatons. The Obama administration’s $1.5 trillion made the nuclear program to modernize U.S. nuclear weapons by lowering their throw weight which is blast and explosive force. The U.S. squandered its military superiority in its war on terror. Its weak and a decade or two behind in cutting edge military technology. Its a dying empire trying to bluff its way back to top hegemon. Hubris precedes a great fall describes its trajectory precisely!
Not really, Russia can destroy the US no question. But after Russia is done destroying the US we can most assuredly destroy them right back. We have layers and layers of rubble busters weapons beyond reason.
Some things seem to be in the eye of the beholder. Donetsk, Luhansk, and Crimea separated from Ukraine 8 years ago. Since then, Ukraine has been trying to annex these areas by force.
While everyone seems certain that Kherson and Zaporizhzhia will vote to be annexed, they might vote for independence without annexation.
You are — as is typical for Western debate — omitting the whole body of international law pertaining territorial integrity. It is called right of self-determination.
Any aspect of international law can and is abused. Just as sovereignity can be claimed where legally it is forfeited, self-determination is often claimed to justify separatism.
It is essential under international law to meet criteria and pass legal tests and tresholds.
For example, right to sovereignity and territorial integrity is granted to UN members, and its borders are on file with UN. UN SC recognizes countries.
However, being a political body — it rarely agrees. There was more agreement during Cokd War than today. It is because the Council has three NATO members, plus Russia and China. Meaning that Russia and China can only use veto to stop decisions, and cannot contribute due to NATO rigidity,
Thus, some countries, Israel being one of them have different recognized borders from the actual military territorial control.
Revolutions as a rule dissolve previous
commercial agreements and state treaties. Picking and chosing does not protect from
those that are damaged by broken treaties.
An example of broken treaties was Ukrainian revolution in 2014. We ca it a coup. But not all coups result in disolving treaties with other countries. Ukraine in 2014 cancelled a number of treaties. Among them treaty for the use of Russian Crimean navy facilities. Joe Biden helofuy named it “Revolution of Dignity”.
He as dies the entire establishment knows that Western public is intellectually too lazy to know the implications, By cancelling majority of treaties with Russia, Ukraine left itself open to other treaties becoming invalud. The number ine treaty becoming invalid is the agreement on borders as Ukraine emerged from Soviet Union, and as jt never existed in these borders before.
Russia went abead and de-recognize Ukrainian borders, conducting referendum in Crimea and returning it to Russian jurisdiction. Those who do not accept it — know very well that the internatiinal law is in Rusdia’s side there. Provided that anyone bothers to actually look into it,
Self- determination rights have to pas test of long term abuse by the state. In laws and in practice, it has to be shown that the state discriminate against population on certain grounds — such as race, ethnicity, religion or language. It has to be documented that efforts were made to reconcile the
population, and insure their right to vite. freedom of speech, employment, education.
That international efforts were made to bring about reintegration of population into
society. Another test is — financial responsibility. Population, in spite of conflicts, has the righ to receive their earned pensions, have access to their bank accounts, state payments for schools and health care, provide utilities, etc,
Ukraine violated all the criteria for claiming the rights to the population thst is targeted by state.
It is a long and well documented dossier of systemic abuse. Much of it seldom making news in the West. It was always easier to
find news in Indian media then in say
German.
Russia has called in approlriate UN articles at the beginninng of conflict, and is on record.
Intervention decision was made after all the avenues for peaceful resolution were exausted. Now, referendums are held to verify that population wants to join RF.
There are other regions in Ukraine where manority Rusdian population would surely vote for separation from Ukraine.
It would be wise to let those regions vote, and avoid the brutal repression that post war regime would surelly dish out with impunity.
We can intellectualize Nazism, to our peril.
To paralhrase my favorite phylosopher, Forest Gump, Nazi is what Nazi does. Cruelty is their guiding light. Lest we forget that iin this fog of war.
Why you put up so much Russian propaganda here?
Is this your personal opinion or Kremlin propaganda?
Please don’t expand. I cant read so much BS that quick.
Med is just a loser who was played by the west and now trying to bolster up his resume by playing the tole of a tough man to cover up his incompetence and corruption. This mam doesn’t speak for putin and as u say Xi and the Chinese will not stand for this. I think they already reached out after this comment.
I hope you are right. I don’t know if Putin uses Medvedev or if he is just a loose cannon.
The U.S. and Europe seem intent on getting rid of Putin. As they say, ‘watch what you wish for” as if one follows the words of Medvedev, he has been consistent and doesn’t seem to be the type that would hesitate to back up words with actions.
It is a lie. Putin talked about certain NATO politicians who recently started to promote the idea of using nukes against Russia. In his answer to them, Putin said that Russia has better nukes than NATO and will use it, if necessary, to defend Russia. Ukraine never was mentioned in this context.
Of course. He was recerring to Truss, UK new orime minister, so afraid if being branded weak — saud clearly her readiniss to lush the button! And NOBODY asked her to CLARIFY THAT, Fo lr example, unxer what circumstances? To defend Its Caribbean possessions, Falklands Islands? Or just Brittain? How about Comminwealth?
Yep, no need to qualify pushing the button when UK threatens with nuclear weapons. After all superior beings do not have to justify themselves.
The possession alone is the threat, nothing else has to be said.
Possession of any weapons is a threat.
I agree. This is why I get fascinated by reactions to Russia mentioning nukes. Just reminding zealots of the fact.
US doctrine allows use of nukes in a preemptive strike, no need to be actually in danger. And the whole idea of “small nukes” is absurd. Just to reduce publuc fears, and get more money into military industrial complex.
Nuclear weapins should be banned. In any shape or form.
We can take Indian-Chinese border dispute as an example of how to manage conflict.
Both sides agreed that firearms are not allowed. Both sides patrol the buffer zone. Once I think two years ago, an Indian patrol strayed into Chinese territory, wbich under mountain of snow covered paths was easy to do. Both surprised, they started to fight with sticks, snow balls and hurtling ice. Two people diied after sliding down an ice
ledge.
If we do not ban nuclear weapons — there may not be planet earth in our futire to fight about.
I like the story about the Chinese-Indian border war in the Himalayas. But a few weeks ago India accused China of escalating the conflict by arming their soldiers with metal rods with spikes on the end.
Einstein once said “I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.”
I wish we could skip the Third World War and just start fighting with sticks and stones now. . . And maybe a few snowballs.
The US never joined to ban landmines and cluster bombs. They are a nuclear power and reserve the right to first use of nuclear weapons as well as against non nuclear powers, so what is the problem? So far only the US has used nuclear bombs twice in Japan and that at the end of the war when they already had won the war.
Bianca, do you work for or at the kremlin? You surely sound like it as you favor Russia 100% of the time.
I am foremost interested in American wellbeing. Period, Did somebody die and leave us Ukraine and all its baggage in inheritance? There are people who feel that way victoria Nuland and Kagans are of Ukrainian descent,
The fact that our foreign policy is insane and against every American interest, is the real question. Our eiltes are out of touch, lie and cheat to keep power, shamelessly use media to do their bidding.
Better question to ask — who are these people in power today? They for sure are anti-American, as our fundamental
wellbeing does not interest them st all.
You should make an effort to find out what s going on in the world — instead of blindly believe CNN headlines.
Nuland and the Kagan clan must really hate Ukraine and the people. Look what they are doing to the country, they are throwing Ukraine under the bus, in the end there will not be much left of Ukraine if anything.
All level headed people with expertise are convinced and said so, this war was preventable. It is not about Ukraine, it is about the destruction of Russia and regime change, it is to replace Putin with a felon like Navalny.
Do you work for the Pentagon?
Americans appear to have an issue to accept the fact that other nations have rights too. All governments are illegal unless they have the stamp of approval from Washington. If they don’t do as told they will be punished with sanctions, Biden goes around threatening every nation if they don’t support his war no matter how far removed from the USA they are. Only American interests count, Biden is acting like a spoiled brat and so are his people.
Silly politicians are gambling with the lives of millions of their own people in order to help the military industrial complex oligarchs to make more money. UK has no chance to use nukes against Russia and get away with it, while Russia can do it and avoid the retaliation. It is unclever to presume that US would commit suicide for their European minor partners.
Is anyone more crushingly bored by this situation than I?
Face it, people: the decisions that will leave the world in mere physical ruin…or in existential ashes…are so far beyond any of us plebes or pundits. Our sole challenge is to prepare for and survive whatever comes next. If God has chosen these to be the “end times”, all bets are off. Plus, we’ll all save a helluva lot on food, water and ammo.
Highly cynical don’t you think MAT? Speaking for myself (and perhaps
a few million other people), I don’t intend on going out of this world with my ass getting nuked… Further, if “GOD” is gonna sit back on his ass and just let this happen, we’re gonna have some words…
“, I don’t intend on going out of this world with my ass getting nuked”
If wishes were horses, all would ride.
Your response duly noted, Donna. That said: If you (and “a few million other people”) intend to have some words with God, I urge you to put them in the form of prayers. He rules the Universe, after all. And listens to all of us.
Nobody, in their right minds, should be discussing using nukes!
No one in their right mind would even think about it. But where are they? That is the real problem.
Russians are.
They have been talking nukes for months. Why are you surprised now?
It has been discussed here (Russians being the only ones making nuke threats).
Liz Truss – the new English PM made nuclear threats a couple of weeks ago.
The U.S. montra of “All options are on the Table” is surely a nuclear thereat, let us not be purrile. All means every one, of a thing. With all the American generals who have been talking of winning a nuclear war by not being destroyed as much as ones enemy, it is easy ti understand how demented U.S. has become. But such blather shows their dominance pathology. WE WILL GET OUR WAYB OR WE WILL DESTROY YOUR PLANET. And these people are selling their brand as superior, playing. chicken with all of out futures. Is this sickness really the future, or the past. If they get their way it may be one with no future.
I agree. But I am old enough to know that nukes exist, and that we are at war. Gleefully at war — proxy, sliding into real one by the day. And we expect a gentlemanly behaviour.
Does anyone in the right mind think that in an existential situation nukes will not be used? We can moralize all we want. Nothing will stop this other than a defeat of one side.
It is us, the US that is in danger of losing. Loss will mean economic catastrophy even if no nukes are used. It is a rather simple math. China cannot allow Russia to lose.
On the day Putin announced partial mobilization, Xi made a speech at a military academy, and had a message: we need to prepare for real war.
We are courting the disaster. The best way out would be for Russian regions to join Russia, Zelenski and his Nazi clique to go, and let Ukrainian military negotiate peace. No NATO, and strict neutrality. But this is not likely to happen. European pistage stamp sized countries’ elites are handsomely profiting, just as the currency war is underway. British Pound today slid to an unbelievable $1.08, and Euro $0.98. US raised interest again, and European and Japanese capital is seeking higher rate. Bank of England belatedly is getting into action with .5 uncrease.
War is easy to start, hard to stop.
What did we expect? That Ukranian Nazis were ENTITLED TO THEIT PRAY — millions of Russians living in Ukraine? And they were not to expect anyone to defend them?
Following this logic — let everyone in the world keep quiet and suffer in silence at the hands of abusers — so we are not disturbed by the unpleasant eventuality — that war may actually come to us?
“Referendums will be held, and the Donbas republics and other territories will be accepted into Russia,”
sounds very peaceful and diplomatic-like to me.
In what way are US nuclear weapons different than the Russian weapons, both claim the nuclear weapons are deterrents, true, as long as people believe that the US and the RF will use them it needed. The moment when people believe they would never use them the weapons would be useless.
That is old hat, nothing new. Putin just had to remind the Americans that Russia has nuclear weapons, and yes, they will make use of them if and when needed, first use included. That is no threat, the weapons exist and that is the threat.
Instability (deaths, skirmishes) in Azerbaijan & Armenia are a by-product of this conflict, less anyone forget. Certain parties will always seek to exploit this.
Wow, I would have never guessed that antiwar discussions were so full of neocon trolls…lol
In total, 298 airplanes and 155 helicopters, 2,054 unmanned aerial vehicles, 376 air defence missile systems, 5,077 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 844 combat vehicles equipped with MRLS, 3,410 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 5,794 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.
Each tank price is approx. US$6 million. So there is plenty of money being issued just not for health care, education, infrastructure, heating, fuel etc etc etc.
HAHA, you win! That was the most laughable comment I read today. Not only does at least 60% of all weapons sent to Ukraine end up on the black market because they are so corrupt, US weapons manufacturers are gouging the U.S. more that grocery stores are right now at 4x the markup….lmao…Ukraine does not see ONE dime of that money!
The Russian Federation is there to protect local populations from mass murder, ethnic cleansing and genocide.
International law actually allows for people to be protected from mass murder, ethnic cleansing and genocide. While the Rules Based Order allows for people to be mass murdered, ethnically cleansed and genocided.
It was NATO/US/EU that first put nukes on the table. Russian policy on nukes has been clearly stated for some time, used only if the homeland is threatened.
NATO needs to stop the Bio and Nuclear terrorism before its to late.
Not to worry anymore than when American leaders, presidents included say
“all options are on the table “They do not want to sound weak”. In fact, the weaker they get, usually, the tougher they talk. It is certainly true with Biden. Chasing Muslims around desert wastelands has NOT done any good for nuclear peer to peer confrontations, in fact it detracts by wasting time and treasure on such non exitential problems. What did the war on terror achieve that a police response could not have done for far less money. While the U.S. and its allies prosecuted the Great War On Terror, Russia and China upped their Strategic Great gamenship. Peerless air to air defenses, lighter faster more nimble jet fighters. Worlds biggest blast blast nuclear weapons, while the U.S. spent one & a half trillion dollars $1,500,000,000,000.00 to “modernize” and make the nukes in their arsenal smaller with less blast. It has always made me wonder where the plutonium that was removed ended up. The stated rational was to make them “More Usable” as in “Politically Correct,” I should conclude here with their crowning achievement,in their Great Leap Forward with their hypersonic missiles for which the U.S. & NATO have ZERO defense. All that floats that the Navy has, aircraft carriers, battle ships, destroyers frigates, you name it, are easy pickings for their hypersonics. The U.S. & NATO are so dangerously weak its embarrassing. But they continue to talk tough as if they are still top dog. nothing could further from the truth. But Bidon continues to talk tough. Hubris proceeds a great fall! Could anything describe their delusions and the danger better…???
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