Russia's intensifying drone war is spreading fear and eroding Ukrainian morale

BBC News ^ | July 10, 2025 | Paul Adams

[MinorityRepublican]

Everyone agrees: it's getting worse.

The people of Kyiv have, like the citizens of other Ukrainian cities, been through a lot.

After three and a half years of fluctuating fortunes, they are tough and extremely resilient.

But in recent months, they have been experiencing something new: vast, coordinated waves of attacks from the air, involving hundreds of drones and missiles, often concentrated on a single city.

Last night, it was Kyiv. And the week before too. In between, it was Lutsk in the far west.

Three years ago, Iranian-supplied Shahed drones were a relative novelty. I remember hearing my first, buzzing a lazy arc across the night sky above the southern city of Zaporizhzhia in October 2022.

But now everyone is familiar with the sound, and its most fearsome recent iteration: a dive-bombing wail some have compared to the German World War Two Stuka aircraft.

The sound of swarms of approaching drones have sent hardened civilians back to bomb shelters, the metro and underground car parks for the first time since the early days of the war.

"The house shook like it was made of paper," Katya, a Kyiv resident, told me after last night's heavy bombardment.

"We spent the entire night sitting in the bathroom."

"I went to the parking for the first time," another resident, Svitlana, told me.

"The building shook and I could see fires across the river."

The attacks don't always claim lives, but they are spreading fear and eroding morale.

After an attack on a residential block in Kyiv last week, a shocked grandmother, Mariia, told me that her 11-year old grandson had turned to her, in the shelter, and said he understood the meaning of death for the first time.

[Robert DeLong]

Sorry, but the U.S. started it, First they ran a "color revolution" to create chaos in Ukraine over the duly elected sitting Ukrainian President. Then the trained the Nazis to create more chaos in eastern Ukraine by attacking Russian speaking Ukrainians, who also speak the Ukrainian language as well, because they have lived there for generations. They lied about seeking a peaceful resolution to the problems, as Angela Merkle gleefully shred that the Minsk Accords were never honestly done in seriousness to stop an escalation of hostilities, but were rather merely buying time to arm & train Ukraine's military.

In other words, they wanted the hostilities to break out.

Unfortunately, you are unable to correctly connect the dots, because that takes too mush effort. Far easier to buy the propaganda that Russia was the aggressor. Is Russia blameless, no, but then no one is blameless. It was a plan that was created for the purpose of its escalating into a kinetic confrontation.

You have just chosen to close your eyes to that reality.

[fireman15]

The intransigent party is Putin!

Knock of the hysterics. Both sides are being intransigent.

[alexander_busek]

The intransigent party is Putin!

Knock of [sic] the hysterics. Both sides are being intransigent.

Yeah: Both the attacker and the victim are being intransigent. (The victim because he doesn't want to thus acknowledge forfeiting the territory the enemy has stolen; and the invader because he hopes to steal yet more territory.)

It's kind of like when a woman is being raped, but continues resisting her attacker.

Regards,

[alexander_busek]

Sorry, but the U.S. started it, First they ran a "color revolution" to create chaos in Ukraine over the duly elected sitting Ukrainian President. Then the trained the Nazis to create more chaos in eastern Ukraine by attacking Russian speaking Ukrainians, who also speak the Ukrainian language as well, because they have lived there for generations. They lied about seeking a peaceful resolution to the problems, as Angela Merkle gleefully shred that the Minsk Accords were never honestly done in seriousness to stop an escalation of hostilities, but were rather merely buying time to arm & train Ukraine's military.

That is incorrect! Let me correct your post:

The U.S. did not start it. The U.S. conducted no "color revolution" to create chaos in Ukraine. The U.S. trained no Nazis to create more chaos in eastern Ukraine. The U.S. did not lie about seeking a peaceful resolution to the problems.

See how easy it is to advance claims (or here: counterclaims) when no evidence has to accompany them?

I am free to negate and refute all of your assertions, without supplying any supporting evidence, just as you have yourself made claims without supporting evidence.

Regards,

[Robert DeLong]

Well, explain away what was happening in eastern Ukraine, explain away Angela Merkle's words regarding the Minsk Accords never being taking seriously. Also explain why Putin stated in 2008 that NATO expansion into Ukraine & Georgia were considered as red lines, explain away why Victoria Nuland was present in Ukraine at the chaos being generated in 2014 handing out sandwiches and encouraging the public becoming all worked up because Viktor Yanukovych, who was committed to signing the EU trade deal along with the Russian trade deal which he concluded was the best for Ukraine to create competition, until the EU informed him that they EU trade deal would be rescinded if he signed the Russian trade agreement.

Sure you can refute the truth with lies, the Democrats do it all the time, and the press runs cover for them. Problem is that you cannot back it up with any evidence that supports your claims, because the press has drilled the mantra that Russia invaded Ukraine. Well, we invaded both Iraq & Afghanistan on claims of possessing WMD, along with involvement in the World Trade Center attacks.

By your measuring stick, we are guilty for those conflicts.

Even Putin's actions belie the claims. Are you telling me that Putin waited 8 years to do what you say he had intentions of doing all along?

You probably believe that Biden actually won the 2020 election also, and that he got 81 million votes legitimately.

Sorry, but your retort stinks of total insincerity, illogical reasoning, and no credibility whatsoever.

[fireman15]

Hope that you are having a good summer... Please do not fret. I know that you were concerned earlier in the year that peace might come to the region. But it looks like the meat grinder that you have invested so much time and emotional energy into looks like it will continue for the foreseeable future. At this point how long depends completely on when the United States and NATO decide that their funds have been bled dry.

[alexander_busek]

Please do not fret. I know that you were concerned earlier in the year that peace might come to the region. But it looks like the meat grinder that you have invested so much time and emotional energy into looks like it will continue for the foreseeable future.

Do you have to make this personal?

At this point how long depends completely on when the United States and NATO decide that their funds have been bled dry.

ChatGPT, what is the combined GDP of all of the Member States of NATO as compared to the GDP of the Russian Federation?

ChatGPT: As of 2025, the combined GDP of all NATO member states is estimated to be approximately $54.3 trillion USD. This figure includes all 32 member countries, such as the United States, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the newest additions—Finland and Sweden.

In contrast, the GDP of the Russian Federation is projected to be around $2.17 trillion USD.

This means NATO’s collective economic output is more than 25 times larger than Russia’s. That disparity is one of the reasons NATO can sustain long-term defense investments and global operations, while Russia faces increasing fiscal pressure—especially due to sanctions and declining energy revenues.

Regards,

[Red6]

Ukraine:

https://www.newsflare.com/video/736367/man-escapes-alleged-mobilization-attempt-and-flees-across-busy-road-in-kharkiv-ukraine

https://www.newsflare.com/video/725934/man-flees-but-gets-detained-for-mobilization-while-walking-dog-in-volyn-ukraine (need sound on this one)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdnWpj3Zfag

I guess the Ukrainians didn’t get the memo from Lindsey Graham that they’re supposed to fight until the last man?

I’m not sure if these guys feel that Godly inspiration some talk about here?

—

Russia PPP: 7.191 Trillion / Ukraine PPP: .7 Trillion (not sure if you saw the POINT before the 7 with Ukraine?)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)

Russia Population: 146 million / Ukraine population: 32.9 million

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_dependencies_by_population

Russia manufacturing base: 251 billion / Ukraine manufacturing base: 14.7 billion

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/manufacturing-by-country
https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/countries/ranking/manufacturing-output

Russia number of military aged males: 21 million / Ukraine 7 million

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_global_manpower_fit_for_military_service

Russian state research / science and tech facilities: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Anna-Maltseva/publication/297567440/figure/fig1/AS:337655159115780@1457514671826/State-Research-Centers-of-the-Russian-Federation.png (This does not include private / corporate R&D) Ukraine has nothing even remotely comparable in size and capabilities.

Russian steel manufacturing: 70.7 million tons / Ukraine steel manufacturing 7.6 million tons

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_steel_production

Russian electricity production 1,178 Terawatt / Ukraine electricity production 112 Terawatt

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_electricity_production

But sure, we have freedom, democracy, human rights, sovereignty and someone even mentioned God on our side. We can’t lose!

[TexasGator]

“Russia Population: 146 million / Ukraine population: 32.9 million”

I think Ukraine has more toilets than Russia!

[jmacusa]

Alex who WOULD I be talking about, in Ukraine?

Soldiers of course!.

[alexander_busek]

Well, explain away what was happening in eastern Ukraine, explain away Angela Merkle's words regarding the Minsk Accords never being taking seriously.

You'll have to specify what exact words you are referring to and the context in which they were spoken. I am not under any obligation to "explain away" any such totally vague accusations. Tantamount to demanding that I "explain away that thing that happened there, where those people were involved!" Rather, the onus is upon you, as the one making an accusation, to provide all the necessary transparent, forensic-grade evidence we need to assess it.

Also explain why Putin stated in 2008 that NATO expansion into Ukraine & Georgia were considered as red lines

So what? What does that have to do with the price of tea in China? The mere fact that some politician may have once made some sort of statement about what he considers a "red line" does not constitute "evidence," and it certainly doesn't impose any kind of moral onus upon anyone else. For all anyone cares, Putin could have just as well declared that NATO not immediately disbanding, just on his say-so, constitutes a "red line." Not our problem!

[...] explain away why Victoria Nuland was present in Ukraine at the chaos being generated in 2014 handing out sandwiches and encouraging the public becoming all worked up because [...]

Someone merely being present somewhere - even if she was handing out sandwiches - does not constitute "evidence" of any wrongdoing!

Looks like I'm going to have to go all "Hamilton Burger" on your ass:

"I object. Incompetent, irrelevant, and immaterial!"

Problem is that you cannot back it up with any evidence that supports your claims, because the press has drilled the mantra that Russia invaded Ukraine.

Russia invaded Ukraine. Russia landed the first blow. It was Russian tanks rolling into Ukraine, not Ukrainian tanks rolling over the border into Russian territory. It was Russian hypersonic missiles targeting residential neighborhoods in Kyiv, not Ukrainian ones targeting Moscow. Those are undeniable facts. In contrast, it is you who are making claims and failing to produce the corresponding evidence. ("But she was handing out sandwiches!" is not evidence.)

Well, we invaded both Iraq & Afghanistan on claims of possessing WMD, along with involvement in the World Trade Center attacks.

"Tu quoque" Fallacy! Not the topic of our present discussion. Neither are "Wounded Knee" or the Spanish-American War. Stay on topic!

Even Putin's actions belie the claims. Are you telling me that Putin waited 8 years to do what you say he had intentions of doing all along?

Faulty reasoning again! (Strawman Fallacy.) By that same twisted logic of your, I could demand that you explain why Hitler attacked Poland on September 1, 1939 - instead of a week earlier, or a week later! I could then claim that Hitler's own action (or inaction) belies the assertion that he bears the main guilt for WWII.

And I never claimed that Putin had been planning to do that "all along." Maybe he simply had another sudden urge to go crazy and begin attacking peaceful neighboring countries again!

You probably believe that Biden actually won the 2020 election also, and that he got 81 million votes legitimately.

Whatever else I believe or don't believe - about the price of tea in China, or whether or not "Cornpop was a bad dude," is totally irrelevant to this discussion!

Sorry, but your retort stinks of total insincerity, illogical reasoning, and no credibility whatsoever.

Unlike you, I have pinpointed the flaws in your thinking and the errors in your logic. I have explicitly named the fallacies you have committed.

You are a disgrace to the concept of logical debate.

Regards,

[alexander_busek]

But sure, we have freedom, democracy, human rights, sovereignty and someone even mentioned God on our side. We can’t lose!

You are falsely framing this as a confrontation solely between Ukraine and Russia.

That is not the case!

The combined GDPs of all the Member States of NATO - plus Japan, S. Korea, Australia, etc. - should instead be compared to the paltry economic resources of Russia (hell, I'll even grant you N. Korea, too, if you want!)

Regards,

[Red6]

Mostly wrong-

Oil and gas almost sell themselves. Remember all the stories in western media about Russia not selling their oil and gas? Guess what, it’s getting sold.

https://tradingeconomics.com/russia/crude-oil-production (look at the 5 year view)

The damage to Russian infrastructure, manufacturing, command and control, communications, is almost insignificant. Ukraine is basically doing harassing attacks on Russia (not much beyond a psychological effect), while Russia is doing serious damage to Ukraine within limits because Russia actually does not want to destroy Ukraine.

Russia is not the one that is seeing massive numbers of people fleeing the country, most even, never to return, Ukraine is. In fact, the democratic and free Ukraine puts triple strand concertina and troops along parts of their border to keep people in (flashbacks to the DDR, but today we don’t talk about that in context of the Ukraine - they’re the good guys): https://www.axios.com/2022/02/28/ukraine-refugees-map-numbers. In fact, guess where many >2.5 million of these refugees fled to? Most western non-propagandist factual (sarc) media leaves that out BTW.

Russia was built up post WWII as a world power. Nations like the US and Russia have the sovereign means to wage war, there was an emphasis on building up and maintaining war critical industries, resources, technology centers, etc. Russia is able to build their own computer chips (not saying on par with ours), develop their own fighter, tank and mass produce them.

Welcome to the stage, China. This isn’t 1960. That nation by itself is a bigger economy and manufacturing base than all of the EU combined. China is TWICE the manufacturing base of the US! China is aligned with Russia. Almost all the trade lost by our super awesome sanctions that will bankrupt Russia (sarc) has been replaced by China.

Example: https://m.eng.autostat.ru/infographics/24020/

Chinese car manufacturers are now among the largest in the world and their sales EXCEED those of the big three in the US: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_automotive_manufacturers_by_production

In fact, ask yourself this, once this war ends, do you really think BMW, Mercedes, Audi are going to regain the lost market share to the Chinese?

What is Germany paying for oil and gas today, what does that do to German competitiveness on the world stage?

https://www.ceicdata.com/datapage/charts/o_germany_de-natural-gas-price-hc-200-gj—above-excl-vat—other-recoverable-taxes—levies/?type=area&from=2018-12-01&to=2024-06-01&lang=en

Russia isn’t imploding and in fact, them only cranking up their war machine to 7.1% of GDP shows a long-term strategic approach where they are balancing guns vs. butter to avoid the economic damage from this war. But Ukraine does not have that option. They had to fully mobilize and essentially “f” their economy just to survive. Ukraine is at 34% GDP on war spending:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_with_highest_military_expenditures

Putin running to China, North Korea, Iran, and elsewhere almost immediately when this war started (even before it was in western media) shows they are avoiding the shock to their economy. They don’t want to fully mobilize, and they are using the war industry of other nations, even volunteers (for payment) to prevent their population or economy becoming fully mobilized.

There is no rationing of fuel, food, gas, electricity, coffee, cloths, anything in Russia. There is no forced conscripting of soldiers to go fight in Ukraine (conscripted are generally exempt from service in Ukraine). There is no massive inflation. Shelves in stores aren’t empty. Russia’s national debt isn’t exploding. Roads, bridges, electric power, rail, bus services, telecom all work fine, you can’t say the same for Ukraine.

Almost everything the doom sayers predicted here has NOT come true for Russia. Has the Ruble imploded, no, but the Hryvnia has.

Russian Ruble: Conversion rate for Russian Ruble to Canadian Dollar https://g.co/kgs/HznpKPr (Do a 5 year view)

Ukrainian Hryvnia: Conversion rate for Ukrainian Hryvnia to Canadian Dollar https://g.co/kgs/5QJYFGV. (Do a 5 year view)

The reason for this is that some here expect Russia to be like some third-rate Middle East, African, or Central/South American nation. But they’re not. You’re dealing with someone that can push back politically, economically and militarily.

For example, these are the countries sanctioning Russia:
https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/INTERACTIVE-Which-countries-have-sanctioned-Russia-Feb-19-2023.png?w=770&resize=770%2C770. (That’s “the world” according to US and Euro media)

And not even that is entirely true, as many nations still trade with Russia through back door channels or intermediaries like India, even some in the EU, Japan, etc.

All you read in our media about “the whole world” sanctioning Russia is untrue. I can buy Russian products in Mexico (as I have), Mexico doesn’t even sanction Russia!

But Ukraine: despite all the lip service in the West, private corporate investors will be afraid to invest in. Even EU membership well in reach before the war has slipped away (the EU won’t want this basket case in the ranks). The country had a massive exodus of refugees (labor pool and brain drain), infrastructure is damaged, they will be dealing with cripples (high cost) for a generation, their debt has exploded, inflation is high 15%, they CANNOT even pay for their federal servants were it not for US and EU money infusions month after month (no longer advertised like in the beginning of the war when it was cool).

Ukraine inflation: https://tradingeconomics.com/ukraine/inflation-cpi

Ukraine debt: https://tradingeconomics.com/ukraine/government-debt-to-gdp (go to 5 year view)

There is a huge difference between what is actually happening, and what some here WISH was happening.

Some, in their wishful thinking, have chosen to leave the realm of reality and create their own parallel dream world where the physical realities no longer line up with what they want to believe.

Ukraine is screwed; they are cooked.
Russia is getting hurt, but they will recover.
China is the big winner. They are winning in every aspect!

[alexander_busek]

That nation [China] by itself is a bigger economy and manufacturing base than all of the EU combined. China is TWICE the manufacturing base of the US! China is aligned with Russia. Almost all the trade lost by our super awesome sanctions that will bankrupt Russia (sarc) has been replaced by China.

You are - sneakily, by not being explicit - implying that China is militarily supporting (giving aid to) Russia in the same way that NATO is militarily supporting (giving aid to) Ukraine, that (to be fair) we ought to be comparing the combined economic might of NATO (plus Japan, S. Korea, Australia, etc.) not with just Russia, but with Russia plus China.

That is a false comparison.

China may be what you airily define as "aligned" with Russia - but it is not backing it to the extent that NATO and other Western powers are backing Ukraine (by gifting her, e.g., Patriot Interceptors).

Your attempted comparison fails. You are committing a so-called "category error."

FAIL!

Regards,

[Red6]

China is militarily backing Russia, but that is NOT what I was addressing.

China, and I stated this, is filling the sanctions void.

Cars: https://www.businessinsider.com/china-auto-exports-russia-chery-geely-sales-2025-3 An American article, so of course they will spin it negative somehow. Real Story: US, German, UK, Swedish, French, Italian car sales down, Chinese car sales for some makes have increased by more than 400% since the sanctions and about 6 million Chinese cars will enter the Russian market this year.

Phones: https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/chinese-smartphones-sales-exceed-70-russian-market-2023-07-04/#:~:text=By%20Reuters,brands%20were%20seeing%20particular%20demand. Chinese fill the void.

Computers: The market in Russia grew by 19% to 7.75 million units in 2020, then saw a slump in 2022, before growing by 12.5% to 6.7 million units in 2023 and reaching 6.9 million devices in 2024, with the desktop market growing by 22% in 2024... Where do you think all these computers sold in Russia are coming from?

Appliances: China is a major supplier of household appliances to Russia, with exports significantly increasing, especially after Western brands withdrew from the Russian market due to sanctions. In 2024, China’s total exports to Russia reached $15.95 billion.

Clothing / textiles: In January-September 2023, China’s apparel exports to Russia surged by 30.09% to $2.775 billion, indicating a strong recovery and deepening economic ties post the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

China is the WORLDS manufacturing base.

A very telling interactive map: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/manufacturing-by-country

They are not just the biggest, by a factor of two times compared to the US, they are also where many European and US branded firms manufacture. Which causes a very funny situation where the EU and US sanction Russia, but you find clones of products in Russia (much cheaper BTW) of Western products.

True or false, you can buy a phone that looks a lot like an Iphone in Russia?
True or false, you can buy clothes in Russia that looks just like what they sell in H&M, despite sanctions?

Not all Western brands are really following the sanctioning either, that’s a misnomer. They rebranded in Russia, created a spin off business, etc. Why should they, many of the products aren’t even made in the EU or Germany, they are manufactured, guess where?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSH55N_wlec
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=L3SN4XEPz-Y or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTRPJxWWnwU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obCtGqYv7UQ

As the Euro’s and US decided to “sanction” Russia, China simply filled in the void. And they can do it!

—

As to the war industry.

Russia was looking for certain critical systems or munitions they needed especially early on. They got what they needed.

The Russians have a very robust/large domestic war industry.

But, especially in the beginning of the war, the Russians were coming from a “peacetime economy” where they were spending very little on defense and in some areas, they were running into shortages.

The Russians are trying to prevent a total mobilization, both of their economy and population for war. Russia for example got about 12,500 North Koreans to fight for them. Wagner (many recruited abroad and about 50,000 man strong, essentially Russia’s foreign legion) is another way Russia minimized the need for greater mobilization of the Russian population and these also were used to fill the gap until Russia builds up its forces.

Russia isn’t Ukraine. Ukraine basically lives or dies by Western military aid. Ukraine literally cannot pay for their government employees without our money infusions month after month. Russia doesn’t have anyone floating them like that. Your argument is a reciprocal argument, trying to argue (underlying argument) that Ukraine being dependent on Western aid is a good thing.

With our aid we include money to pay for Ukraine’s federal employees which often exceeds what we’re paying for military assistance: https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/national-international/biden-more-military-aid-ukraine/3591739/?_osource=SocialFlowFB_LABrand

Ukraine has a limited national capacity for the scale of war they find themselves in. Russia needed assistance to fill some areas where they had shortfalls temporarily (needed while they ramp up production), but they don’t need nor want the sort of assistance Ukraine has.

Ukraine is not a sovereign state; it’s a US satellite state. They have a government which we installed (post 2014 and even Mr Z), they depend on us to wage this war may it be our intel, weapons, money, logistics, training or political top cover. They are massively indebted to the US financially. Practically every major decision they make they run through us. Much of the war is literally planned from US installations such as Ramstein in Germany.

—

As to Germany, this was not something they should have gotten behind.

For Germany this is a lose-lose proposition.

Germany will pay money, send weapons, and in return be a target in the follow-on proxy conflicts which are bound to ensue.

Germany has lost market share for car sales, chemicals, machinery, medical equipment, appliances, etc. in Russia and Belarus.

In addition, Germany is now paying more for gas and oil which is not just painful for the consumer but also bites into Germany’s competitiveness on the global stage.

Finally, Germany made themselves COMPLETELY dependent on the US. Realize, the oil you do get from the Middle East and North Africa comes from places the US controls: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Iraq, Syria, Libya. No more hedging bets for Germany regards energy security.

You tell me, without talking about Ukrainian sovereignty, human rights, or democracy, where is Germany going to benefit in all of this? How has this improved Germany’s position?

There are some who are winners in this game, like China or the US (even if Ukraine loses). But Germany is not going to walk away a winner.

[Svartalfiar]

Crimea is the prize they are fighting over and Europe can’t stand that Russia controls Europes needed resources by itself. Without Crimea, Russia would unravel so they will burn the world down before they surrender Crimea.

Huh? Russia stole Crimea from Ukraine over 11 years ago, and no one's really done anything about that in that entire decade. The current special military operation has nothing to do with Crimea, it's all about Russia taking the rest (well, now just a bit) of Ukrainian land.

[alexander_busek]

China, and I stated this, is filling the sanctions void.

I agree that such loopholes must be eliminated. Secondary sanctions must be imposed on countries which continue to import goods from Russia. Many Western countries are also guilty of importing Russian goods. What we thus need is the imposition and enforcement of comprehensive sanctions against Russia.

Regards,

[Svartalfiar]

Again, this conflict could have completely been avoided by simply pulling NATO expansion off the table.

Ironically, Russia's special military operation simply for the retconned purpose of "keep Ukraine out of NATO", is what caused the biggest increase in the direct NATO-Russia border, ever!

[Red6]

Not going to happen.

Russia doesn’t sell plastic vibrators on Amazon.

They sell oil and gas - something people NEED.

There is a difference between a need and a want.

Besides, 140+ countries did NOT support the war. You have the minority position, even though our non-propagandist factual media talks about “the world.”

“The world” which you talk about is basically the US and all those part of their economic/political/military hegemony.

These are the countries actually sanctioning (and that isn’t even entirely airtight): https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/INTERACTIVE-Which-countries-have-sanctioned-Russia-Feb-19-2023.png?w=770&resize=770%2C770

If you want to sanction most of the world, good luck! LOL

We’ll see how long before you run out of: rubber, oil, gas (the US cannot cover it all), copper, nickel, cobalt, gold, silver, manganese, titanium, chromium, bismuth, aluminum, most of your rare earth minerals: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rare-earth_mineral

Do you know how long your transportation heavy, information based, and industrial society will last without those?

Besides total dependency on many of these nations for resources, guess where Germany exports to: China (5.8%), Turkey (1.8%), South Africa (.6%), UAE (.64%), Iraq (.1%), Mexico (1.1%), India (1.1%), Brazil (.86%), Hong Long (.38%), Malasia (.43%), Egypt (.26%), Russia (.5%, even after sanctions), Belarus (1%), Thailand (.33%), Uzbekistan (.07%), Columbia (.12%), Kuwait (.08%), Quatar (.085%), Vietnam (.24%)... (all other small export markets combined you would have to sanction ~3%).

For Germany, your plan would have them sanction what amounts to 18.5% of all their exports (they already lost in Belarus and Russia). However, far worse, they would run into critical resource issues, and you may as well tell the public there that the economy is shutting down. Get your loincloth ready!: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loincloth

—

We decided to get tangled up in a proxy war against someone that is a near peer, not some third-rate banana republic.

The usual economic coercion or damage we cause (through the world bank, sanctions, etc.), our usual information operations and attempts to destabilize the country, our usual attempt at isolating the country politically, it all doesn’t work as effectively.

—

As for Germany

You are now paying more for gas and oil which impacts the average person in a negative way, but also the economy in a macro level by making you less competitive on the world stage (prices of your goods go up).

You now have a big target on your back and are likely to also be impacted in future proxy conflicts as the Russians play the same game with us. There will be a pay back, folks here are just so arrogant and stupid that they don’t realize this. Of course it’ll be all immoral, wrong and of course different when they plunge a knife into us in some proxy conflict.

You have become entirely dependent on the US for your energy. Without the US, your cars, planes, many of your trains, trucks, ships, barges, don’t run. Even the oil you get from the Middle East and North Africa is controlled by the US. Better not piss us off.

You have lost the Belarus and Russian markets for your products (never huge, but they were meaningful).

Tell me, how has Germany benefitted from this? What is your end game?

[alexander_busek]

Besides, 140+ countries did NOT support the war. You have the minority position, even though our non-propagandist factual media talks about “the world.”

The majority of the Western democracies support the Ukrainian cause: NATO, Japan, S. Korea, Australia, etc. That there are scores of third-world sh*t-holes (Trump) that don't does not elicit a "moral panic" in me. However, I do think that we should impose punitive sanctions upon them, if they trade with Russia.

Tell me, how has Germany benefitted from this?

Don't care. It is morally right to support Ukraine.

Regards,