Posted on 04/12/2018 9:08:18 AM PDT by GoldenState_Rose
The fighting in eastern Ukraines Donbas region is entering its fifth year. More than 10,000 people have been killed in this persistent conflict; 2,800 were civilians. Nearly two million people have been internally displaced or put at risk if they remain in their homes.
Yes, at first it was a skirmish between Ukrainian security forces and local separatist militias, bolstered by Russian mercenaries. But by late 2014, the fighting involved large numbers of troops including Russian army regulars, outfitted with armor and artillery.
Today, the Donbas war is among the worst humanitarian crises in the world, with frequent attacks occurring from both sides across the oblasts (provinces) of Donetsk and Luhansk. Before the war, this compact, heavily urbanized and industrialized region held nearly 15 percent of Ukraines population (6.6 million) and generated 16 percent of its gross domestic product.
Now its a war zone.
And our research has documented that, as its hospitals and medical facilities are destroyed perhaps even targeted its citizens are being deprived of basic health-care services, echoing Syrias similar if larger crisis.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
2 million displaced and 10,000 killed? It should be easy to create an army of 200,000 at least. But I spose the military-eligible males are scattering with the women and children.
Ivan Mazeppa where are you?
Ukraine is filled with people who cant be trusted. I have every right to like the people I want to like and the people I choose to dislike. I never met a Ukrainian I trusted. You can call names all you want but Ive noticed you even went after Travis McGee, those who post here on a regular basis know that was a really stupid move and let people know what you are up to.
BTW, where exactly did I mention abidens son? You cant even keep it together long enough to reply to the correct post.
Here are three:
20MAR2018:
Putin has no credibility.
Do US and British Intelligence have any remaining?
I have long asserted that one of the great tragedies of the Western World, and severe National Security issues of our time, is the fact our intelligence agencies have squandered all their credibility playing politics.
Were now in a world of he said, he said.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3641095/posts?page=8#8
14FEB2018:
If Putin wants to serve his Iranian masters by fighting there, thats his business, but lets not pretend hes some kind of hero or fighting against the bad guys or protecting Christians.
Putin is serving Russian interests, exclusively. He is protecting Russias access to a warm water Mediterranean port and air base south of the Bosporus.
He is also honoring a formal treaty to protect the government and territory of Syria. Something that is necessary to be seen as a reliable partner on the world stage. I appears the only reason for the US is there is to thwart Russia. And thats piss-poor foreign policy.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3632066/posts?page=42#42
30JAN2018:
80+%.
Putin is broadly liked in his country, I know of no serous person who disputes that.
And he has a vehement, dedicated core of detractors. They come from two schools:
1. The thugs who want his empire for themselves. Navalny and his ilk.
2. Jeffersonian (d)emocrats who want to forge a republic not unlike the US. Too small in number to even warrant suppression.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/gop/3627447/posts?page=21#21
It seems to me, in retrospect, that the Ukraine is loaded with beautiful people.
Just look at all the figure skaters, who came from Ukraine, during the years when skating was big in the Olympics.
They were all beautiful, graceful, talented people and I remember thinking, “they can’t be Russians.” And they weren’t. No wonder Russia wants that country in its power.
They are the only ones who give them beauty.
If you interpret those as support for Putin, you’re as dumb as the other guy.
Since we are writing here you can safely assume that we can read as well.
I still believe the best solution is to allow Ukraine to split in two, with the Eastern part going to Russia, or in the Russian sphere, and the Western part, free to join NATO or the EU.
IIRC Putin has said he’s open to this.
I support what Poland supports, a sovereign Ukraine, if one starts saying Ukraine abused people, i.e. Ukrainian concentration guards, etc., this whole kerfuffle with the holocaust bill has Israel saying 1000s of Poles abused the Jews. The Ukraine suffered the holodomor prior to WWII. Time to let sleeping dogs lie.
Many Ukrainians fought for the red army, the Nazis massacreed places in Ukraine. Let’s not have a black and white history.
And then there’s the UPA and what they did to ethnic Poles.
But yes, let bygones be bygones.
I’m not the one who has chastised others for pointing out what the real Russia is like or, what looks like trying to stifle conversation. Sorry for the misunderstanding. What is one to think about that?
I support what Poland supports.
You offered citations that in no way could be construed as “support for Putin”, unless, of course, you’re having a Communist Show Trial.
Under that scenario anyone who does not vehemently agree with any denouncement of the favored target is...GULITY!
I guess our Freeper peers will be the judge.
You are just dumb. But, quite inventive when it comes to gathering evidence for your little show trial. Perhaps you should apply with the Mueller team.
Nevertheless I’ll not spend any more time on such nonsense.
“ukraine” as in whom? There are lots of “ukraines” or folks who supposedly represent it.
And I live in Poland and can tell you that culturally there are strong similarities. Of course there is variation between say a Ukrainian in Odessa and a Russia in Kazan, but between the main two there is little to no difference
Ukrainians, Russians and Belarussians are all East Slavs, descendants of Kievan Rus. until the 13th century invasion of the Mongols they were one people
After the mongols destroyed Kievan Rus, they politically split, with
ethnically there is no difference between Ukrainians and Russians - they are as similar as people from york and from Kent
"Russia" or rather Moscow, since the 14th century was obsessed with "the gathering of the Rus" - when Ivan IV Grozny crowned himself, he called himself the "Emperor of all the Russias" - which included the White (Bialo) Rus, the Red Rus etc - btw the Blue-Red-White-Black-Gold for East-south-west-north-center comes from the Turkic (ancient Gokturk from the 5th century) system of color flags to denote cardinal directions
'Russia' wants ukraine and belarus because it considers them integral parts of "Rus". it always wants Ukraine because the "Baptism of the Rus" i.e. the Christianization, civilization of Russia began in Crimea. it also wants Ukraine to have control over the Black Sea
Btu the Western part is rabidly anti-polish as well as anti-Russian.
it won't join NATO either.
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