Ukraine

[Dave2002]

Desperately awful "interview" with Maria Butina on Hardtalk with Stephen Sackur.

Yes - sure we can't be sure of everything we see or have discussed, but I really don't think Hollywood is so good as to be able to fake many pictures of reporters and completely trashed Russian tanks outside Kyiv and the flattened theatre of Mariupol.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00165xw

Indeed lying is dangerous - but this is just appalling.

Next time I think someone is going to lie to me I think I might just .... them!

[french frank]

Desperately awful "interview" with Maria Butina on Hardtalk with Stephen Sackur.

You wonder whether they deliberately put on blinkers to ensure they won't see anything that might go against the Putin script. In fact, DO they see anything? And what could they do if they did suspect what was happening? The Jeremy Bowen video clip of the road outside Bucha was astonishing and appalling.

[johncorrigan]

You wonder whether they deliberately put on blinkers to ensure they won't see anything that might go against the Putin script. In fact, DO they see anything? And what could they do if they did suspect what was happening? The Jeremy Bowen video clip of the road outside Bucha was astonishing and appalling.

There have been a number of claims during this war saying that the Russian troops are low on food rations - it makes me wonder if this is an intentional tactic by the Russian Brass to make the troops more animalistic, desperate and perhaps more likely to carry out such desperate atrocities.

[Historian]

There have been a number of claims during this war saying that the Russian troops are low on food rations - it makes me wonder if this is an intentional tactic by the Russian Brass to make the troops more animalistic, desperate and perhaps more likely to carry out such desperate atrocities.

I doubt it: it's more likely one of the many products of their initial underestimate of the strength of Ukrainian resistance. There is a great deal of information about the low morale of many Russian units. Hungry soldiers are unlikely to fight effectively.

Sadly there will be many similar revelations of atrocities to come: the Russians are not alone in behaving like this, but their 'track record' is not good.

[Serial_Apologist]

Banality alert: how can people live with themselves after committing such acts of barbarity?

[french frank]

ISadly there will be many similar revelations of atrocities to come: the Russians are not alone in behaving like this, but their 'track record' is not good.

I think some of these Russian ambassadors should be called in by the various countries and made to watch unedited film of these atrocities. No possibility of claiming killings were 'staged' and bodies 'moved'.

[EnemyoftheStoat]

I think some of these Russian ambassadors should be called in by the various countries and made to watch unedited film of these atrocities. No possibility of claiming killings were 'staged' and bodies 'moved'.

Ah, but they would claim in the face of proof that the footage was staged. I'm not sure how you deal with that.

[Bryn]

I think some of these Russian ambassadors should be called in by the various countries and made to watch unedited film of these atrocities. No possibility of claiming killings were 'staged' and bodies 'moved'.

Unfortunately, I think you will find they can simply refuse to watch them, not that they have not probably already seen them. They know they represent a state, headed by a monstrous war criminal, with a long history of such atrocities.

[Historian]

Unfortunately, I think you will find they can simply refuse to watch them, not that they have not probably already seen them. They know they represent a state, headed by a monstrous war criminal, with a long history of such atrocities.

I fear you are right.

On another point Bryn, it seems that your earlier ideas about the Ukrainians being given anti-ship missiles may happen after all. From the news I gather the US was not happy to provide them earlier (i.e. in the early days of the war), but the UK now wants to go ahead and supply them. Might make the Russian navy keep more of a distance, even if they are not sure the threat really exists.

[Frances_iom]

I fear you are right.

On another point Bryn, it seems that your earlier ideas about the Ukrainians being given anti-ship missiles may happen after all. From the news I gather the US was not happy to provide them earlier (i.e. in the early days of the war), but the UK now wants to go ahead and supply them. Might make the Russian navy keep more of a distance, even if they are not sure the threat really exists.

If this happens WW3 is days away unless something happens in Moscow.

[Bryn]

If this happens WW3 is days away unless something happens in Moscow.

I tend to give more credence to General Sir Adrian Bradshaw's comments on The Today Programme, just now.

[Frances_iom]

I tend to give more credence to General Sir Adrian Bradshaw's comments on The Today Programme, just now.

yes I heard him - he was ultra cautious in replying but warned that this was the start of getting sucked in and that Nato/EU/UK needed to think as to what outcome they desired as they would be providing the means to possibly achieve it.

[richardfinegold]

Banality alert: how can people live with themselves after committing such acts of barbarity?

The banal reply is that when the government that compels you to serve spends a great deal of effort stigmatizing the victimized group as an 'other' entity, of unequal status and frequently characterized as some sort of danger, people live quite well with it.

[richardfinegold]

If this happens WW3 is days away unless something happens in Moscow.

I fail to understand the mentality where the Russians are given carte blanche to do whatever they want, but if anyone discusses giving the Ukrainians increased means to defend themselves it is considered a provocation that could destabilize a situation. There was an article in the Washington Post over the weekend where after paying some obligatory compliment to Zhelinsky, he was lambasted as an obstacle to Peace. Apparently the line of reasoning was that he has been to successful, that his terms for ending the conflict might be considered unreasonable, as in he might
actually want the Russians to retreat to their pre February borders.

[RichardB]

I fail to understand the mentality where the Russians are given carte blanche to do whatever they want, but if anyone discusses giving the Ukrainians increased means to defend themselves it is considered a provocation that could destabilize a situation.

I think it might have something to do with Russia having several thousand nuclear weapons and possibly few scruples about using them. Plus I don't know about you but I find it difficult to think of a situation where pouring more deadly weapons into a war zone has saved any lives.