Mikhail could you explain to me why Russia “keeps” any Ukrainian land, including Crimea. What justifies this rewarding of a criminal invasion of a sovereign nation?
Have been also perplexed why the Americans have taken a lead in negotiations with Russia to end the war. What business is it of the Americans- unless of course as an agent of the Russians ( which indisputably they seem to be).
Rather it seems to me Ukraine aided by the Europeans should undertake any negotiations. After all, it’s their country.
The people of the Donbass have been clear and unequivocal about their wish to secede from Ukraine, and here are 12 reasons why this should be respected:-
Digger B, thank you for the information you provided.
I would say, I’m a New Zealander who doesn’t speak Ukrainian, has never traveled to Ukraine and therefore can have no relevant or informed opinion on such matters.
What I will say unequivocally is that there is no justification for the criminal invasion by Russia of Ukraine, irrespective of what people in the Donbas wish for. Such a criminal invasion reminds me of Hitlers invasion of Sudetenland to allegedly free Germans from perceived local oppression. And we all know how that turned out.
In an attempt to maintain the Western hegemony, NATO is fighting a proxy war against Russia with Ukrainian lives. Mi6 and the OSS/CIA have been planning this war since WWII. Ukrainian presidential adviser, Oleksi Arestovych, said it was "Ukraine's price for joining NATO". It was triggered by Kiev, using a strategy known as "provocation and revenge". This is what happens when a school bully hits people when the teacher isn't looking, and then claims to be the victim if someone hits back.
After many escalating provocations, one of the final straws for Russia was Kiev's attempt to ethnically cleanse the Donbass. In February 2022, a 100,000 strong AFU invasion force drove over 148,000 people from their homes. The DPR and LPR leaders begged Putin for help, and he called upon Zelensky to stop the invasion. The shelling increased to thousands a day, and Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Daniel Kuleba, told CBS 60 Minutes that: "Ukraine will never honor the Minsk ceasefire". To make sure that Russia took the bait, Zelensky told the Munich Security Conference that: “Ukraine will get and deploy nuclear missiles". Russia could no more tolerate this than America would tolerate the deployment of nuclear missiles in Cuba. So this tipped the scales in favour of starting a Special Military Operation to defend the people of the Donbass.
On the first day of the Special Military Operation, Russia reduced the threat to the people of the Donbass by destroying 90% of Kiev's air defense, drones and military airports. On the second day of the SMO, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov requested peace talks. He said that Russia would cease its military action "in an instant" if four conditions were met:-
1. Ceasing all military action;
2. A change to the constitution to enshrine neutrality;
3. Acknowledgement of Crimea as Russian territory; and
4. Recognition of Luhansk and Donetsk as independent.
When the two sides met at Istanbul, Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Oleksandr Chalyi said: "[Russia] demonstrated a genuine effort to find a realistic compromise and achieve peace.” An agreement was reached which the former chairman of the NATO military committee, Harald Kujat, described as "an excellent result for Ukraine". Zekensky's presidential adviser, Oleksi Arestovych, said: "It was the most profitable agreement we could have done... We opened the champagne bottle."
However Boris Johnson arrived in Kiev, and Zelensky announced: "There are those in the West who don't mind a long war, because it would mean exhausting Russia, even if this means the demise of Ukraine and at the cost of Ukrainian lives". In the full knowledge of what it could do to his country, Zelensky reneged on the agreement and passed a law which declared it impossible to ever resolve this conflict through negotiation. He attacked the retreating Russian soldiers, who were honouring the agreement. And the rest, as they say, is history...
All of this is irrelevant to my point that Putin invaded Ukraine and began a systematic campaign of killing innocents and destroying civilian infrastructure.
Your conspiracy theories have no bearing on that simple point.
Russia retains possession of the "exclave" of Kalininberg, formerly the German port of Konigsberg between Poland and Lithuania, with no physical connection to Russian territory. It would be nice to get them out of there.
I don’t want to fall into the Western trap of thinking changing leaders solves all of the problems. But hard for me to see a lasting peace while Putin is still breathing. I’m not naive enough to think that democracy is likely to break out in Russia. There will be some flavor of Chekists in charge. But the difference between pragmatic Chekists and insane Chekists could make a big difference. All these guys in the special services have illegal businesses on the side and Putin is bad for business. It seems to me that he’s gotta go in any realistic scenario. The public are sheep and won’t rise up. But if the Siloviki take out Putin they will not be either surprised or upset. They will fall in line behind the new strongman.
...aaaand BINGO! Putin just announced that he "thinks" and "hopes" the war (he also calls it "the matter" :-D) is coming to an end. Time to spread the slide deck and spin the capitulation along frozen lines as a victory.
In an attempt to maintain the Western hegemony, NATO is fighting a proxy war against Russia with Ukrainian lives. Mi6 and the OSS/CIA have been planning this war since WWII. Oleksi Arestovych said it was "Ukraine's price for joining NATO". It was triggered by Kiev, using a strategy known as "provocation and revenge". This is what happens when a school bully hits people when the teacher isn't looking, and then claims to be the victim if someone hits back.
After many escalating provocations, one of the final straws for Russia was Kiev's attempt to ethnically cleanse the Donbass. In February 2022, a 100,000 strong AFU invasion force drove over 148,000 people from their homes. The DPR and LPR leaders begged Putin for help, and he called upon Zelensky to stop the invasion. The shelling increased to thousands a day, and Daniel Kuleba told CBS 60 Minutes that: "Ukraine will never honor the Minsk ceasefire". To make sure that Russia took the bait, Zelensky told the Munich Security Conference that: “Ukraine will get and deploy nuclear missiles". Russia could no more tolerate this than America would tolerate the deployment of nuclear missiles in Cuba. So this tipped the scales in favour of starting a Special Military Operation to defend the people of the Donbass.
On the first day of the Special Military Operation, Russia reduced the threat to the people of the Donbass by destroying 90% of Kiev's air defense, drones and military airports. On the second day of the SMO, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov requested peace talks. He said that Russia would cease its military action "in an instant" if four conditions were met:-
1. Ceasing all military action;
2. A change to the constitution to enshrine neutrality;
3. Acknowledgement of Crimea as Russian territory; and
4. Recognition of Luhansk and Donetsk as independent.
When the two sides met at Istanbul, Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Oleksandr Chalyi said: "[Russia] demonstrated a genuine effort to find a realistic compromise and achieve peace.” An agreement was reached which the former chairman of the NATO military committee, Harald Kujat, described as "an excellent result for Ukraine". Zekensky's presidential adviser, Oleksi Arestovych, said: "It was the most profitable agreement we could have done... We opened the champagne bottle."
However Boris Johnson arrived in Kiev, and Zelensky announced: "There are those in the West who don't mind a long war, because it would mean exhausting Russia, even if this means the demise of Ukraine and at the cost of Ukrainian lives". In the full knowledge of what it could do to his country, Zelensky reneged on the agreement and passed a law which declared it impossible to ever resolve this conflict through negotiation. He attacked the retreating Russian soldiers, who were honouring the agreement.
Zelensky has sacrificed over 2 million people and his country's infrastructure is largely in tatters. His former Press Secretary, Iulia Mendel recently tweeted:-
"Every subsequent deal for Ukraine will only be worse — because we are losing. We are losing people, territory, and the economy... Arguments that "Russia has gained so little land" sound almost childish when you consider the human cost. We have lost more people in three years than some European nations have as the whole population. My country is bleeding out. MANY WHO REFLEXIVELY OPPOSE EVERY PEACE PROPOSAL BELIEVE THEY ARE DEFENDING UKRAINE. WITH ALL RESPECT, THAT IS THE CLEAREST PROOF THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING on the front lines and inside the country right now."
"War is not a Hollywood movie. I will never abandon the values that God and democracy both place at the very foundation of human existence: human life is the highest good, and people — living, breathing people — are the ones who must be saved" (emphasis added).
Mikhail could you explain to me why Russia “keeps” any Ukrainian land, including Crimea. What justifies this rewarding of a criminal invasion of a sovereign nation?
Have been also perplexed why the Americans have taken a lead in negotiations with Russia to end the war. What business is it of the Americans- unless of course as an agent of the Russians ( which indisputably they seem to be).
Rather it seems to me Ukraine aided by the Europeans should undertake any negotiations. After all, it’s their country.
Am I missing something here?
It‘s their country. No peace unless it is free.
The people of the Donbass have been clear and unequivocal about their wish to secede from Ukraine, and here are 12 reasons why this should be respected:-
https://johnbartlett1.substack.com/p/the-people-of-the-donbass-have-the
Digger B, thank you for the information you provided.
I would say, I’m a New Zealander who doesn’t speak Ukrainian, has never traveled to Ukraine and therefore can have no relevant or informed opinion on such matters.
What I will say unequivocally is that there is no justification for the criminal invasion by Russia of Ukraine, irrespective of what people in the Donbas wish for. Such a criminal invasion reminds me of Hitlers invasion of Sudetenland to allegedly free Germans from perceived local oppression. And we all know how that turned out.
In an attempt to maintain the Western hegemony, NATO is fighting a proxy war against Russia with Ukrainian lives. Mi6 and the OSS/CIA have been planning this war since WWII. Ukrainian presidential adviser, Oleksi Arestovych, said it was "Ukraine's price for joining NATO". It was triggered by Kiev, using a strategy known as "provocation and revenge". This is what happens when a school bully hits people when the teacher isn't looking, and then claims to be the victim if someone hits back.
After many escalating provocations, one of the final straws for Russia was Kiev's attempt to ethnically cleanse the Donbass. In February 2022, a 100,000 strong AFU invasion force drove over 148,000 people from their homes. The DPR and LPR leaders begged Putin for help, and he called upon Zelensky to stop the invasion. The shelling increased to thousands a day, and Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Daniel Kuleba, told CBS 60 Minutes that: "Ukraine will never honor the Minsk ceasefire". To make sure that Russia took the bait, Zelensky told the Munich Security Conference that: “Ukraine will get and deploy nuclear missiles". Russia could no more tolerate this than America would tolerate the deployment of nuclear missiles in Cuba. So this tipped the scales in favour of starting a Special Military Operation to defend the people of the Donbass.
/https://johnbartlett1.substack.com/p/kievs-2022-invasion-which-starte
On the first day of the Special Military Operation, Russia reduced the threat to the people of the Donbass by destroying 90% of Kiev's air defense, drones and military airports. On the second day of the SMO, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov requested peace talks. He said that Russia would cease its military action "in an instant" if four conditions were met:-
1. Ceasing all military action;
2. A change to the constitution to enshrine neutrality;
3. Acknowledgement of Crimea as Russian territory; and
4. Recognition of Luhansk and Donetsk as independent.
When the two sides met at Istanbul, Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Oleksandr Chalyi said: "[Russia] demonstrated a genuine effort to find a realistic compromise and achieve peace.” An agreement was reached which the former chairman of the NATO military committee, Harald Kujat, described as "an excellent result for Ukraine". Zekensky's presidential adviser, Oleksi Arestovych, said: "It was the most profitable agreement we could have done... We opened the champagne bottle."
However Boris Johnson arrived in Kiev, and Zelensky announced: "There are those in the West who don't mind a long war, because it would mean exhausting Russia, even if this means the demise of Ukraine and at the cost of Ukrainian lives". In the full knowledge of what it could do to his country, Zelensky reneged on the agreement and passed a law which declared it impossible to ever resolve this conflict through negotiation. He attacked the retreating Russian soldiers, who were honouring the agreement. And the rest, as they say, is history...
https://johnbartlett1.substack.com/p/the-istanbul-communique-a-peace-deal
If something is supported by verifiable evidence, it is called "reality"!
All of this is irrelevant to my point that Putin invaded Ukraine and began a systematic campaign of killing innocents and destroying civilian infrastructure.
Your conspiracy theories have no bearing on that simple point.
It will be interesting to see if any “people close to Sergey Kiriyenko” start falling out of windows.
Russia retains possession of the "exclave" of Kalininberg, formerly the German port of Konigsberg between Poland and Lithuania, with no physical connection to Russian territory. It would be nice to get them out of there.
Yep...take it back...or seal it off...
I don’t want to fall into the Western trap of thinking changing leaders solves all of the problems. But hard for me to see a lasting peace while Putin is still breathing. I’m not naive enough to think that democracy is likely to break out in Russia. There will be some flavor of Chekists in charge. But the difference between pragmatic Chekists and insane Chekists could make a big difference. All these guys in the special services have illegal businesses on the side and Putin is bad for business. It seems to me that he’s gotta go in any realistic scenario. The public are sheep and won’t rise up. But if the Siloviki take out Putin they will not be either surprised or upset. They will fall in line behind the new strongman.
trying to save their very own behinds
Perhaps this can happen only if Putin goes.
That's really funny propaganda
A presentation 'prepared late winter 2026'? But it's only late SPRING now?
TOLD YA SO LOL 😆 😆 😆 😆
...aaaand BINGO! Putin just announced that he "thinks" and "hopes" the war (he also calls it "the matter" :-D) is coming to an end. Time to spread the slide deck and spin the capitulation along frozen lines as a victory.
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-says-he-thinks-ukraine-conflict-is-coming-an-end-2026-05-09/
In an attempt to maintain the Western hegemony, NATO is fighting a proxy war against Russia with Ukrainian lives. Mi6 and the OSS/CIA have been planning this war since WWII. Oleksi Arestovych said it was "Ukraine's price for joining NATO". It was triggered by Kiev, using a strategy known as "provocation and revenge". This is what happens when a school bully hits people when the teacher isn't looking, and then claims to be the victim if someone hits back.
After many escalating provocations, one of the final straws for Russia was Kiev's attempt to ethnically cleanse the Donbass. In February 2022, a 100,000 strong AFU invasion force drove over 148,000 people from their homes. The DPR and LPR leaders begged Putin for help, and he called upon Zelensky to stop the invasion. The shelling increased to thousands a day, and Daniel Kuleba told CBS 60 Minutes that: "Ukraine will never honor the Minsk ceasefire". To make sure that Russia took the bait, Zelensky told the Munich Security Conference that: “Ukraine will get and deploy nuclear missiles". Russia could no more tolerate this than America would tolerate the deployment of nuclear missiles in Cuba. So this tipped the scales in favour of starting a Special Military Operation to defend the people of the Donbass.
/https://johnbartlett1.substack.com/p/kievs-2022-invasion-which-starte
On the first day of the Special Military Operation, Russia reduced the threat to the people of the Donbass by destroying 90% of Kiev's air defense, drones and military airports. On the second day of the SMO, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov requested peace talks. He said that Russia would cease its military action "in an instant" if four conditions were met:-
1. Ceasing all military action;
2. A change to the constitution to enshrine neutrality;
3. Acknowledgement of Crimea as Russian territory; and
4. Recognition of Luhansk and Donetsk as independent.
When the two sides met at Istanbul, Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Oleksandr Chalyi said: "[Russia] demonstrated a genuine effort to find a realistic compromise and achieve peace.” An agreement was reached which the former chairman of the NATO military committee, Harald Kujat, described as "an excellent result for Ukraine". Zekensky's presidential adviser, Oleksi Arestovych, said: "It was the most profitable agreement we could have done... We opened the champagne bottle."
However Boris Johnson arrived in Kiev, and Zelensky announced: "There are those in the West who don't mind a long war, because it would mean exhausting Russia, even if this means the demise of Ukraine and at the cost of Ukrainian lives". In the full knowledge of what it could do to his country, Zelensky reneged on the agreement and passed a law which declared it impossible to ever resolve this conflict through negotiation. He attacked the retreating Russian soldiers, who were honouring the agreement.
https://johnbartlett1.substack.com/p/the-istanbul-communique-a-peace-deal
Zelensky has sacrificed over 2 million people and his country's infrastructure is largely in tatters. His former Press Secretary, Iulia Mendel recently tweeted:-
"Every subsequent deal for Ukraine will only be worse — because we are losing. We are losing people, territory, and the economy... Arguments that "Russia has gained so little land" sound almost childish when you consider the human cost. We have lost more people in three years than some European nations have as the whole population. My country is bleeding out. MANY WHO REFLEXIVELY OPPOSE EVERY PEACE PROPOSAL BELIEVE THEY ARE DEFENDING UKRAINE. WITH ALL RESPECT, THAT IS THE CLEAREST PROOF THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING on the front lines and inside the country right now."
"War is not a Hollywood movie. I will never abandon the values that God and democracy both place at the very foundation of human existence: human life is the highest good, and people — living, breathing people — are the ones who must be saved" (emphasis added).
In which KGB department did you learn that?
Is Mr. Arestovich a reliable source for you? That explains everything; no further debate is needed here. 😂
Everything I have said is supported by reliable sources, which I am happy to debate if you should you ever outgrow childish insults...
I call bullsheet...
Everything I have said is supported by reliable sources, which I am happy to debate if you should you ever outgrow childish insults...
Oh Boo Hoo to you too...
bs