Putin's actions in Ukraine could be as catastrophic for Russia as invading Afghanistan was for the USSR

[Rogue Valley]

Putin's actions in Ukraine could be as catastrophic for Russia as invading Afghanistan was for USSR

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin officially sent Russian forces into two eastern regions of Ukraine. The move came after Russia staged a series of events meant to provide a pretext for first recognizing, then occupying, two regions within...

www.dailykos.com

A power plant burns after being shelled by Russian forces in the Luhansk region.

2.22.22

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin officially sent Russian forces into two eastern regions of Ukraine. The move came after Russia staged a series of events meant to provide a pretext for first recognizing, then occupying, two regions within Ukraine. the United States is expected to issue harsh sanctions against Russia, with a “significant announcement” coming in the next few hours. Meanwhile, Reuters reports that the European Union is also preparing sanctions intended to strike directly at Russian politicians, as well as financial institutions. And in what may be the most significant move, CNN reports that Germany is halting certification of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline—a measure that could cost Russia hundreds of billions. The United States provided an official diplomatic response in remarks by U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield. “He calls them peacekeepers,” Thomas-Greenfield said of the forces Putin has sent into Ukraine. “This is nonsense. We know what they really are.” Putin could try to take the territories he has already occupied and solidify his control over them, as he did with Crimea in 2014. Or, as now seems more likely, he could use those territories to create further justification for invading all of Ukraine. Neither situation is acceptable, and Putin’s war of conquest is going to prove extremely costly.

Putin’s pre-invasion theater includes transparently false charges of “aggression” by the Ukrainian government along with scenes of supposed civilian occupation, some of which appear to have been filmed days in advance. None of this even comes close to passing the smell test with an international audience. In a lengthy Twitter thread, imprisoned Putin critic Alexei Navalny expressed the belief held by many both inside and outside Russia that Putin is focusing on Ukraine as a means of diverting attention from his complete failure to deliver the kind of economic opportunities he has promised to Russia for decades. Despite trillions of dollars in income from oil and gas exports, little of those funds have been used to diversify or expand Russia’s economic base. Instead the nation continues to be an oligarchic kleptocracy, pinned solidly at the bottom of the list when it comes to personal incomes or economic growth in Europe. “To fight for Russia, to save it, means to fight for the removal of Putin and his kleptocrats from power.”

 

[Monica33]

But not as hysterically funny as America in Korea , Vietnam , Iraq , Syria , Libya , Yemen and Afghanistan .

What went wrong OP ?
You took a good hiding in all of those places and ended being humiliated in Afghanistan .

Hopefully Vlad's peacemakers can stop you making a fool of yourself yet again .

Could be Sleepy and the Gang are aiming to smuggle out their billions while CNN organise another False Flag with their trained gaggle of Crisis Actors .

 

[Jkca1]

I don't see the similarity to Afghanistan and the Ukraine situations.

 

[Peacenik]

Alexei Nalvany nailed it in the OP link:

"Navalny expressed the belief held by many both inside and outside Russia that Putin is focusing on Ukraine as a means of diverting attention from his complete failure to deliver the kind of economic opportunities he has promised to Russia for decades. Despite trillions of dollars in income from oil and gas exports, little of those funds have been used to diversify or expand Russia’s economic base. Instead the nation continues to be an oligarchic kleptocracy, pinned solidly at the bottom of the list when it comes to personal incomes or economic growth in Europe.

“We have everything for powerful development in the 21st century, from oil to educated citizens, but we will lose money again and squander the historical chance for a normal rich life for the sake of war, dirt, lies and the palace with golden eagles in Gelendzhik,” writes Navalny. “To fight for Russia, to save it, means to fight for the removal of Putin and his kleptocrats from power.”"

The US argument against Ukraine 'always been a part of Russia' was excellent. Ukraine was there first. Moscow wasn't even built yet.

 

[jpn]

I don't see the similarity to Afghanistan and the Ukraine situations.

Don't take Monica seriously. She's just a Putin-bot.

 

[Juks]

I been thinking in the line that this might turn out to be the biggest mistake Putin ever done and that this in fact might be the end of him and his regime.


I am a little bit conflicted (and ashamed) that in the mix of my feelings for and with the Ukrainian people, there is a feeling of joy. You know like when you play a boardgame and the feeling that you are going to win starts to surface. It is not yet a given, it requires that your opponent keeps going in the direction he/she is on, thinking he/she has the game and that he/she doesn't see through your gameplan. But the feeling is already there, and you just know, you are going to win this.... That is the feeling that is hidden in between my compassion.

(and yes it is not a nice thing, I said I was ashamed, but I can't help it, it is there)

 

[Jkca1]

I been thinking in the line that this might turn out to be the biggest mistake Putin ever done and that this in fact might be the end of him and his regime.


I am a little bit conflicted (and ashamed) that in the mix of my feelings for and with the Ukrainian people, there is a feeling of joy. You know like when you play a boardgame and the feeling that you are going to win starts to surface. It is not yet a given, it requires that your opponent keeps going in the direction he/she is on, thinking he/she has the game and that he/she doesn't see through your gameplan. But the feeling is already there, and you just know, you are going to win this.... That is the feeling that is hidden in between my compassion.

(and yes it is not a nice thing, I said I was ashamed, but I can't help it, it is there)

I hope you are right if the NEXT regime is more democratic. I highly doubt it though. BTW I admire your compassion.

 

[jpn]

I been thinking in the line that this might turn out to be the biggest mistake Putin ever done and that this in fact might be the end of him and his regime.
I am a little bit conflicted (and ashamed) that in the mix of my feelings for and with the Ukrainian people, there is a feeling of joy. You know like when you play a boardgame and the feeling that you are going to win starts to surface. It is not yet a given, it requires that your opponent keeps going in the direction he/she is on, thinking he/she has the game and that he/she doesn't see through your gameplan. But the feeling is already there, and you just know, you are going to win this.... That is the feeling that is hidden in between my compassion.
(and yes it is not a nice thing, I said I was ashamed, but I can't help it, it is there)

If he invades the rest of the nation, what would follow is an endless Ukrainian insurgency assisted by neighboring nations, the CIA, and so on. The insurgents would rely on refuge in neighboring nations. This would create great strife between Russia and those nations and the US. It would drive Russia into pariah status in the West. They would be isolated and hapless, befriended only by their satrapies and other fellow dictators.

The risk of a wider war would become much more likely.

 

[Juin]

I been thinking in the line that this might turn out to be the biggest mistake Putin ever done and that this in fact might be the end of him and his regime.

I think it is a big gamble. If he pulls it off he wins big. All rogue leaders in the world are in all likelihood watching the developments with keen interest. I mean the likes of Assad, and other budding dictators in Africa. Its almost like, in Putin, they see the world becoming safe for tyrants again. For a while, after the implosion of the Soviet Union, and the subsequent unipolar world, things had become very unsafe for tyrants. Saddam, Milosevic and Qaddafi being case in point.

But if Putin doesnt pull it off then it may very well be the end of him and his regime.

I am a little bit conflicted (and ashamed) that in the mix of my feelings for and with the Ukrainian people, there is a feeling of joy. You know like when you play a boardgame and the feeling that you are going to win starts to surface. It is not yet a given, it requires that your opponent keeps going in the direction he/she is on, thinking he/she has the game and that he/she doesn't see through your gameplan. But the feeling is already there, and you just know, you are going to win this.... That is the feeling that is hidden in between my compassion.

(and yes it is not a nice thing, I said I was ashamed, but I can't help it, it is there)

Bonaparte is quoted as cautioning:

"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake", Napoleon Bonaparte

 

[Jkca1]

Bonaparte is quoted as cautioning:

"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake", Napoleon Bonaparte

Great advice but I think Sun Tzu's advice is better;

"If a Battle Can’t be Won, Don’t Fight It."​