Ukraine

[french frank]

Russia has already had its share of severe flooding in the past two years, and in the medium term faces the prospect of permafrost melt in its tundra, stretching right across its northern lands - the ramifications of which are as colossal geographically for Putin and his successors to have to deal with as for any of us.

Ukraine might be all the more useful then? Like China with Tibet: very useful new land.

[Serial_Apologist]

I'm afraid there's no such thing as a compromise where Putin's Russia is concerned.

In the proverbial end that may be less the case than presently seems. Climate change means we are all having to compromise on some of our objectives or dreams. The degree to which we are willing to do so is arguably in ratio to his unwillingness. Russia has already had its share of severe flooding in the past two years, and in the medium term faces the prospect of permafrost melt in its tundra, stretching rights across its northern lands - the ramifications of which are as colossal geographically for Putin and his successors to have to deal with as for any of us.

[french frank]

I suppose there will need to be a compromise to end the war

I'm afraid there's no such thing as a compromise where Putin's Russia is concerned.

[Bella Kemp]

Things do look rather grim. I wonder if it was a mistake when so many were urging Ukraine on to retake Crimea and the Donbas - hopeless goals, one sees now with the benefit of hindsight. All those battles did was slaughter Ukraine's soldiers and reduce its weaponry. Russia has vast resources and a practically inexhaustible supply of men and women who can be conscripted. I suppose there will need to be a compromise to end the war

[Frances_iom]

It looks as though the lack of American support of anti-missile weapons will see Ukraine pushed back to 3rd world status with little or no power - I commented some months ago that this was the most successful scheme to defeat Ukraine especially as thanks to help from Iran, North Korea and China in replenishing their stock

[Retune]

how ?

https://muse.jhu.edu/book/122782

[Frances_iom]

The book can indeed be downloaded for free - over 300 pages. Presumably different points of view - so not just LF's.

how ?

[Frances_iom]

Freedman's comment "The problem is not that he is irrational but the way that he has framed his Ukraine problem obliges him to act in ever more unreasonable ways, because to do otherwise would require giving in to forces that challenge his idea of the Russian nation and what is stands for." makes him the more dangerous in that he may well actually use a nuclear device rather than to face a defeat of a surviving, though heavily damaged, Ukraine. However there are equally blind fanatics in the USA who will not help Ukraine but stoke up middle east problems by arming Israel to make Gaza a wasteland and now to carry the war to Iran.

[Dave2002]

More about Mad Vlad than Ukraine but interesting nonetheless:

https://samf.substack.com/p/putin-th...m_medium=email

The book can indeed be downloaded for free - over 300 pages. Presumably different points of view - so not just LF's.

[HighlandDougie]

More about Mad Vlad than Ukraine but interesting nonetheless:

https://samf.substack.com/p/putin-the-fanatic?utm_campaign=email-post&r=w1xt&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

[french frank]

Again, not about Ukraine but dealing with France, the UK, NATO and Trump. As Sr L says, "Hopefully Trump will not get a second term and a transatlantic crisis can be avoided" - see for the full version https://samf.substack.com/p/trump-na...m_medium=email

I thought this might have been LF's comments on the latest from Avdiivka. No doubt they will follow.

[HighlandDougie]

Again, not about Ukraine but dealing with France, the UK, NATO and Trump. As Sr L says, "Hopefully Trump will not get a second term and a transatlantic crisis can be avoided" - see for the full version https://samf.substack.com/p/trump-na...m_medium=email

[Frances_iom]

just a tidying up exercise in advance of the publication of the 90% vote for Putin after the tedious business of putting on a facade of democracy - after all if he can't stand against a retired civil servant then he certainly didn't want Nevalny issuing a 'congratulatory' missive post event.

[richardfinegold]

R.I.P.

[Retune]

Horribly predictable but still shocking when it actually happens:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/16/russian-activist-and-putin-critic-alexei-navalny-dies-in-prison

'In a statement, the federal penitentiary service for the region where Navalny was incarcerated said that he had “felt unwell after a walk and almost immediately lost consciousness”.
“All necessary resuscitation measures were carried out but did not yield positive results,” the statement read. “The paramedics confirmed the death of the convict.”'