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Does Putin have the ability to launch on his own? Are there people, with children, between him and the "Key"? Does Putin have children? Probably doesn't matter.Some very interesting analysis on the background to the current conflict:
‘Yes, He Would’: Fiona Hill on Putin and Nukes
Putin is trying to take down the entire world order, the veteran Russia watcher said in an interview. But there are ways even ordinary Americans can fight back.www.politico.com
I suspect that with most new high-tech things, the U.S. isn't going to advertise their hypersonic weapons like Putin does.She said: "Putin was making the point that: 'Well you know, Donald, we have these hypersonic missiles.' And Trump was saying, 'Well, we will get them too.' Putin was saying, 'Well, yes, you will get them eventually, but we've got them first.'"
Colonel Oleksandr "Grey Wolf" Oksanchenko who was the Ukrainian Air Force Flanker display pilot between 2013-2018 has lost his life on Friday night when his jet was shot down over Kyiv by Russian S-400 Triumph Air Defence Missile System.
Col. Oksanchenko, considered one of the world's best display pilots, posthumously awarded the title of "Hero of Ukraine" by President Zelensky.
Col. Oksanchenko was not only a very experienced pilot who won a number of awards for the best flying display at many events across Europe, but he was also a true fan of airshows.
Despite leaving the active service and joining the reserves in late 2018 he volunteered to remain in the Ukrainian Flanker Solo Display Team as a coach/advisor and travelled with the team during the 2019 display season which was also the last airshow season for the team.
He came out of retirement to defend his country from the Russian invasion and paid the highest price. Col. Oksanchenko was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine by the president of the Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Blue Skies Sir!View attachment 659830
With all respect...I've read through this whole thread so far. Good discussion. My heart goes out to all the people, and especially children being harmed by this shortsighted action - Ukrainians, Russians, and anyone else who will be impacted. In a way, I'm glad the "Candy Bomber" passed away before this really broke out. I would hate to have him had that kind of anxiety when leaving this life.
One aspect I researched was Putin's justification of "de-Nazifying" Ukraine. I haven't seen this mentioned in the thread, and unfortunately is not just Russian propaganda. Ukraine really does have a serious Nazi problem which has to be addressed, when this is over. Ukraine is no innocent lamb by any stretch, and the Black & White portrayal being pushed by the same media that we know has lied to us constantly should ring a few alarms.
If Ukraine has the right to self-determination, why does the Donbas region's people not have that right?
What kind of nation allows a Nazi-riddled battalion to officially enter their National Guard? Desperate times create strange allies, for sure. I'm not judging Ukrainians, or justifying Putin's war. I don't even understand the extent of it. All I'm basing this on is the unit's own admission (Drill Sgt. claimed 50% of the unit were Nazis, Official Spokesperson praised that officer, and said "only" 10%-20% of the unit were Nazis)
It is in my opinion reasonable to assume that either a) there are Nazis at higher levels in the Ukraine military that allowed this unit to be accepted into its official Guard, or b) there were major conditions attached to that acceptance that I have not found a report on, and it's also possible both of these things are true at once.
Anyway, this is the source article from 2015 in which the first interviews took place. It wasn't all that easy to find.
Volunteer Ukrainian unit includes Nazis
I could not find a follow-up report, so I don't know if the problem worsened, improved, or stayed the same. We can say for sure that in 2015, there was zero intention to correct it.
Hiding the Ukrainian Nazi problem only lends credence to Putin's exaggerations, so please don't confuse this with a pro-Putin stance.
Would there be a war right now, if Ukraine had allowed Donbas to secede?
Would there be a war right now, if Ukraine had de-Nazified its own military?
Do severe sanctions that starve and freeze a people have a substantially different effect than killing civilians outright? If severe sanctions over time kill more civilians and starve more children than the war itself, does that not only perpetuate the cycle?
The purpose of my questions is the interest in peace, and finding different paths to it, because it seems we (humanity) are repeating patterns that have not worked very well, and squanders the bravery and strength of our warriors in my opinion. There must be alternatives to what has been tried before, and so clearly failed.
What could be done differently? Any thoughts on de-escalation? Also, please tell me how and where I am wrong.
Thanks
<snip>
As far an I know he have 2 daughters from his first (and only?) marriage (divorced in 2013) and some grandchildren (don't know numbers) that by his own admision he do not see too often.Does Putin have the ability to launch on his own? Are there people, with children, between him and the "Key"? Does Putin have children? Probably doesn't matter.
I'd like to read a bit of that, too. If you aren't too tired of typing.With all respect...
If you do want to learn more about Ukraine, drop me some questions in PM and I'll do my best to answer them.
Ask me about "self-determination, "Nazis", etc.
Really, there is no need to repeat Kremlin propaganda again and again.
Colonel Oleksandr "Grey Wolf" Oksanchenko who was the Ukrainian Air Force Flanker display pilot between 2013-2018 has lost his life on Friday night when his jet was shot down over Kyiv by Russian S-400 Triumph Air Defence Missile System.
Col. Oksanchenko, considered one of the world's best display pilots, posthumously awarded the title of "Hero of Ukraine" by President Zelensky.
Col. Oksanchenko was not only a very experienced pilot who won a number of awards for the best flying display at many events across Europe, but he was also a true fan of airshows.
Despite leaving the active service and joining the reserves in late 2018 he volunteered to remain in the Ukrainian Flanker Solo Display Team as a coach/advisor and travelled with the team during the 2019 display season which was also the last airshow season for the team.
He came out of retirement to defend his country from the Russian invasion and paid the highest price. Col. Oksanchenko was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine by the president of the Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Blue Skies Sir!View attachment 659830