I just hope that Zelensky and other leaders of the Ukrainian government can be evacuated from Kyiv before it's too late. If the Russians get to them the chances are that they will be executed or imprisoned. Once Kyiv falls Putin will set up a pro-Russian puppet government. Essentially following the same playbook as that of Stalin in Eastern Europe after World War II, the difference being that an invasion wasn't necessary back since the Red Army was already in place as an army of occupation following the defeat of Germany.
Puppet government is step 1. Step 2 is referendum on whether Ukrainians want to be a part of Russia and Putin will announce the results before the vote.
It remains to be seen, and I’m rooting for him, but if this continues to go as it appears to be going, and if China makes moves on Taiwan it will be an indictment of Biden’s international stature and a direct result of how our adversaries view him.
I'm thinking hitching your wagon to Putin will be devastating to anyone in 2024. But probably I'm naïve considering the Matrix-level gymnastic explanations I've previously seen from supporters.
Or, it’s a gauge of the international community as it applies to strategic plans in place and gradual steps taken for decades.
Aren't the Klitshko Brothers the mayor and another official there? Can't find the article but Vitali had said something to the effect of they weren't going to hide if the Russians came and they'd go down fighting for their homeland. I would NOT want to be the other guy in that face-off
I'm streaming CNN TV so sorry that there's no link, but they were interviewing protesters in Russia saying they feared for their lives, that they are angry this war is happening in "their" name when they don't want it, and that some are looking to leave altogether. Officials broadcasting the protests are illegal and if arrested their records & futures would be affected "the rest of their lives " due to felonies
Granted, things are still fluid, but from initial reports It appears that the Ruskies have taken out 11 airfields rather swiftly. I have to say Ukrainian resistance and pre attack defensive tactics appear to be lacking. They have advanced air defense weaponry yet helicopters appear to be attacking at will.
Didn't realize it Vitali is the mayor of Kyiv. As far being the other guy or guys, AK-47s are great equalizers.
I don’t know that I’d go so far as to say they have advanced air defense weaponry. They’ve got Soviet stuff they inherited 30 years ago, and the US State Department gave clearance for Lithuania and Latvia to transfer Stingers to them in the past few months (so they have at least advanced MANPADS), but Israel backed out of selling them Iron Dome and the US never cleared them receiving PATRIOT or other US SAM systems for a variety of reasons (the thought it would provoke Putin, doubts they could train Ukraine to effectively operate and maintain them, and concern they would fall into Russian hands if Ukraine was invaded).
No laws and institutions don't matter, its just the personality of the executive that governs events, because that's what democracy is about.
Ukraine ‘downs five Russian planes and helicopter’ after Putin invades Ukrainian Interior Ministry says Russian helicopter shot down in Kyiv region, and CNN has geolocated footage