Agreed. It's worked under the implied threat of non conventional force. Without it... Seems that bluff is being somewhat called. In poker terms, the West has at least called the flop.
Good article on the history of the Russian Orthodox Church and why they have backed Putin. And how religion played a role in the invasion. Why is Russia's church backing Putin's war?
Interesting bit...I'd read that there was a conflict within the Orthodox Church over this, especially with so many Orthodox Ukranians "The conflict in Crimea and eastern Ukraine, however, intensified Ukrainians’ calls for an independent Orthodox church. Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual head of Orthodox Christianity, granted that independence in 2019. Moscow not only refused to recognize the new church, but also severed relations with Constantinople, threatening a broader schism."
Except that the Russians went on the offensive and did this to Germany and the countries they captured when Stalin wanted to remake Europe
Cnn live....*Google how to make basement fallout shelter* "Putin spokesperson refuses to rule out use of nuclear weapons if Russia faced an "existential threat" From CNN's Luke McGee Russian President Vladimir Putin's chief spokesperson has conceded that Russia has yet to achieve any of its military goals in Ukraine and refused to deny that Moscow could resort to the use of nuclear weapons. In an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour on Tuesday, Dmitry Peskov repeatedly refused to rule out that Russia would consider using nuclear weapons against what Moscow saw as an "existential threat." When asked under what conditions Putin would use Russia's nuclear capability, Peskov replied, "if it is an existential threat for our country, then it can be." When asked what Putin thought he had achieved in Ukraine so far, Peskov answered, "Well, first of all, not yet. He hasn't achieved yet." The spokesperson also claimed that the "special military operation" — the Kremlin's official euphemism for Russia's invasion in Ukraine — was "going on strictly in accordance with the plans and the purposes that were established before hand.""
Good...they're keeping their word so far...cnn live "Biden administration has not seen China provide weapons to Russia since Xi-Biden call From CNN's Betsy Klein US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Tuesday that the administration has not seen China provide military equipment to Russia since President Joe Biden spoke with China’s President Xi Jinping last Friday. “I can't make predictions going forward. What I can tell you is we have not seen since those meetings or since the President's conversation with Xi, the provision of military equipment by China to Russia, but of course, this is something we are monitoring closely,” Sullivan told reporters Tuesday. He continued: “We will continue to monitor it. And the President made clear to President Xi the implications and consequences of any such provision of equipment and they very well understand.”"
While I do not think that reducing a city largely occupied by civilians to ruble can ever be justified to be some extent it was turnabout. It's been suggested that the firebombing of Dresden was Churchill's revenge for the German bombing of London.
So for the sake of argument , let's say Ukraine turns the tide and starts to march on Moscow. 10-4. Using Putin's logic having a western style European republic on their doorstep was an existential threat; hence the invasion. Nothing to do with Nazis....
Evgeny Rylov: Olympic champion loses Speedo deal after attending Vladamir Putin rally - CNN "Swimwear maker Speedo has ended its sponsorship deal with two-time Olympic gold medal swimmer Evgeny Rylov after the Russian attended a rally hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin. .... "Following his attendance at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow at the weekend, Speedo can confirm that it has terminated the sponsorship of Evgeny Rylov with immediate effect," the company said in a statement to CNN. "We condemn the war in Ukraine in the strongest possible way and stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, our athletes and our teammates who have been impacted by the conflict." "As part of this decision, any outstanding sponsorship fees will be donated to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)," Speedo added."
