Posted on 09/20/2022 9:45:32 AM PDT by marcusmaximus
Vladimir Putin appeared poised to go all-in on his war in Ukraine today, sparking fears of an escalation in fighting that could drag in NATO and spark World War Three.
In a day of rapid-fire developments, Kremlin stooges in Ukraine's Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions simultaneously announced referendums on becoming part of Russia between September 23 and 27, with the sham votes expected to easily pass.
Dmitry Medvedev, a staunch Putin ally, then vowed 'all forces of self-defence' will be used to protect what he called 'Russian territory' - teeing up a new phase in the conflict involving weapons and tactics the Kremlin has so-far held in reserve.
Underlining that point, Moscow's rubber-stamp parliament passed new laws paving the war for Putin to end his 'special military operation' and officially declare a war, allowing him to mobilise Russia's massive population into the army.
It comes after Ukraine humiliatingly routed Putin's forces to the east of Kharkiv and recaptured a swathe of territory, with the despot's allies, propagandists and political hardliners calling for an escalation amid calls for the president to resign.
Putin was said to be preparing an address to the nation tonight, Russia's national broadcaster reported, without giving any further details.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
It was just added. But they forgot to add the eternally clever maximum mucous.
I think the Serbs have a treaty with China.
Unfortunately for the west, a fully mobilized Russia would squish Ukraine like a zit.
Nobody is nuking anybody.
Russia claimed credible evidence of a coming genocidal onslaught on donbas. I will see what I can dig up about that.
Stop with the nuke talk. If anyone is motivated to nuke someone it is Putin and he would never dare to do that. Nukes are a NON factor, a bluff weapon.
Canada just sent a warship through the Taiwan strait.
We’ll see.
Yep. So this makes no sense. Out of a 20yr war, right in to another.
He looks like Trump. Patton come again?
Trump is a great admirer of Gen. Patton.
You are right. We’re entering a Perfect Storm.
You are so full of BS.
“You know, I assume, that NATO doesn’t go soliciting new members, ”
____________
You so full of BS.
“You so full of BS.”
Please read the following:
https://thedispatch.com/p/whats-the-process-for-joining-nato
https://www.anews.com.tr/world/2022/05/17/nato-membership-requires-long-multi-step-process
Note that an aspiring country seeks to join NATO, at which time there must be a unanimous invitation by NATO members to that country, and a very detailed process would then ensue.
There is no doubt: You are unabashedly pro-Russia.
Whose side will you take if Russia attacks the West? I think I know.
You should read that document carefully. Even the screenshot blows the lie wide open.
A high percentage of a very low number.
How easily convinced are you by TV commercials for cosmetics that say 89% of 180 people surveyed said that a shampoo is the bestest one ever invented?
This is like that.
44 people in 2021 ain’t a bloody genocide. No where, no way, no how.
The numbers the DNR recorded, and submitted to the Kremlin, are higher than the UN figures. But still far below the threshold of genocide.
Check the reports here.
https://eng.ombudsman-dnr.ru/annual-reports/
Note, they confirmed what the UN said... The “genocide” effectively ended in 2019.
Additionally, the DNR ombudsman ofgice is in the same building as The Ministry of the Interior - which is, of course, responsible for amongst other things the Russian Separatist proxy arm of the FSB, operating in the Donbas.
So the FSB is operating out of the same building as an agency sponsored by the separatists and the Kremlin, which reported “no genocide here!” to the Kremlin over three full calendar years: 2019, 2020 and 2021.
And yet Putin said the DNR leaders told the Russian intelligence services that genocide was ongoing AND Ukraine was about to launch an invasion.
Funny, that.
The other berf Putin had was the Europeanisation of former SSRs but the EU accession process is equally Kafkaesque.
There was heavy political drag for all ex Warsaw Pact countries seeking full EU membership, even the ones that did make it all the way in. Many countries are still years away from full membership.
And many of them are in no rush to complete the journey. Even Scandinavia is dragging its feet.
Ukraine never got past the prep work for phase 1 of EU free trade association; Yanukovych pulled the plug on it on Putin’s orders.
NATO accession is a similar path... There’s so many roadblocks to full membership that continued NATO partnership was a far more realistic option.
Russia never mentions the quid pro quo between NATO and Ukraine.
Ukraine has lent staff and resources to NATO in multiple capacities for years, none of which threatened Russian interests. Last December Ukraine was told in a press briefing (minuted on the NATO site) it would have to wait until after a 2022 NATO review before its membership would be considered BUT it didn’t “meet NATO standards” enough to join. AND the unanimity for its accession didn’t exist.
Ukraine expressed disappointment and reminded NATO that it has been providing support to numerous missions for many years.
“Security guarantees” that Ukraine wants are created by its NATO partnership and prior agreements like Budapest; they’re not dependent on it being a full member of the alliance.
Next step to nuclear war
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.