Ukraine

[Bryn]

With Putin becoming increasingly isolated, paranoid and cornered I fear that the threat to unleash his massive nuclear arsenal could become a reality.

JR

Except, it was pointed out earlier today (sorry, I can't give chapter and verse but it was a pretty authoritative rebuttal) Putin does not have direct access to 'the button'. Fortunately, even the Federation of Independent States has some checks and balances. Hopefully, saner minds stand between him and the button.

[RichardB]

With Putin becoming increasingly isolated, paranoid and cornered I fear that the threat to unleash his massive nuclear arsenal could become a reality.

Informed opinion says that this is extremely unlikely. Also, he isn't sitting at a desk with a big red button: there's a chain of command which would need to go into action and it seems to me even more unlikely that his military commanders would set in motion the destruction of their own country even if Putin himself completely lost the plot.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I have to bow to your greater knowledge of employment contracts and their possible contents! The whole thing makes me a bit uneasy, all the same. But as you say his career in the West must now be over, unless he decides to recant.

The problem with those contracts of course is what is disrepute ? Getting in a row with your neighbour? The contract is usually to stop you slagging your company off in public to be honest. In one job I had it was made pretty clear to me that I was not allowed to speak on any political matter whatsoever - even joining a political party was not encouraged.
With Gergiev it goes beyond politics and into basic PR crisis management. Putin’s Russia has become the ultimate “toxic brand “ . Just today Hollywood and the BBC have pulled all their films and programmes out of Russia, City funds are disinvesting from all Russia companies . It’s quite extraordinary really how quickly things are moving. We are heading for a complete cultural , political and financial boycott.

[Bryn]

Informed opinion says that this is extremely unlikely. Also, he isn't sitting at a desk with a big red button: there's a chain of command which would need to go into action and it seems to me even more unlikely that his military commanders would set in motion the destruction of their own country even if Putin himself completely lost the plot.

Snap.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Informed opinion says that this is extremely unlikely. Also, he isn't sitting at a desk with a big red button: there's a chain of command which would need to go into action and it seems to me even more unlikely that his military commanders would set in motion the destruction of their own country even if Putin himself completely lost the plot.

Yes I hope and pray you are right. I also think you’re right - they all have husbands , wives , lovers , mothers , fathers and children.

[ChandlersFord]

In 2018, Putin is reported to have said ‘If there is no Russia, why do we need a world?’ You might care to think that an ‘insightful’ comment.

[ardcarp]

and children.

And Putin's children live in the Netherlands, I gather.

[duncan]

We must be careful to avoid analogies with the 1930’s and comparisons between Hitler and Putin partly because it rankles with some Russians that , in their view , the West has never really acknowledged the fact that they bore the brunt of defeating Hitler.

Much of the bloodiest fighting on eastern front took place in Ukraine and the Ukranians had higher casualties in per captia than the Russians. If you include the Stalinist repressions in 1939, around 10 million Ukrainians died from 1939 to 45 or about 25% of the population.

[richardfinegold]

Without being in any way an apologist for Gergiev, I wonder whether a dismissal for not saying anything doesn't set a dangerous precedent.

That was the point that I was trying to make in the other Ukraine thread, and I thought you seemed to take issue with it? Oh well, not important…

[eighthobstruction]

....possible worries too about the situation in Balkans....Serbia has strong pro Moscow faction...

[gurnemanz]

....possible worries too about the situation in Balkans....Serbia has strong pro Moscow faction...

Maybe they'll ban Djokovich ...

[Bryn]

Interesting, despite the argument that RT would not be shut out of the UK, in order the encourage Puti not to block the Beeb, when I just tried to access RT on Freeview 234, I got the message, "This service is currently not available." Has Putin now jammed the BBC World Seervice?

Aha: https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/russ...adcast/2520458

[RichardB]

....possible worries too about the situation in Balkans....Serbia has strong pro Moscow faction...

Indeed so - which is why it's significant that the Serbian UN delegation voted for the resolution on Russia, rather than abstaining as 35 other delegations did.

[Ein Heldenleben]

RT has been taken off freesat and DTT freeview not through the actions of OFCOM but by EU edict . Both services are uploaded in Luxembourg and thus come under EU jurisdiction.

https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2022/03/02/russia-today-thrown-off-satellite-and-dtt-in-the-uk/

[mahlerfan]

RT UK has indeed been taken off air, with Ofcom hiding behind the suspicious excuse that RT is being investigated on 15 accounts of impartiality, which sounds quite bad until you realise it will no doubt turn out to be ONE bit of reportage that was shown 15 times on a repeating hourly bulletin, much like the BBC 24 hour news format. You don't need to shut down a channel WHILE you investigate it (they didn't when they investigated RT reporting of the Salisbury Skripal poisonings) but only perhaps AFTER adverse conclusive findings.

It seems the UK is following in the footsteps of EU countries in not wanting the public to have access to an alternative narrative and to be able decide for themselves as to the veracity of what they see and hear (apparently we're all too dumb to do that and might believe every word of it!).

US journalist Robert Bridge makes important points on the breathtaking double standards in the West's response to Russian vs US military interventions - but it seems only a Russian website will host such an enlightening article.

Big government, Big Brother, big EU, big problem ………