@kevcvs57 saidThe Ukraine's economy is a basket case despite its association agreement with the EU. Its GDP per capita was the lowest in Europe in 2018 less than a 1/3 that of Russia's. https://www.intellinews.com/imf-ranks-ukraine-as-europe-s-poorest-country-150301/
It’s got very little to do with Ukraine being a strategic threat to Russia per se and a lot to do with Ukraine as a neighbouring Slavic nation being democratic and potentially economically successful if it integrates into the EU being a political threat to Putin’s grip on Russia.
In 2020, the last year I could find data, its GDP per capita was lower than it was in 2008 and the country had over 9% unemployment. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Ukraine
Not exactly an economic record any country would be jealous of.
@athousandyoung saidUh… yeah… fear of triggering WW3…
Is there any reason the US doesn’t send a carrier battle group to the Baltic?
@shavixmir saidA World War where Germany could be actually be a good guy....
Uh… yeah… fear of triggering WW3…
Anyhoo… did anyone notice that Kiev has changed into Kyiv?
I noticed the spelling a few days ago and thought: well, I must have missed something somewhere.
Interestingly, since 1995 (or thereabouts) there’s been a Ukranian drive to change Kiev (from the Russian) to Kyiv. But nobody, internationally, cared one iota about it.
But, since 2019, more countries have switched to the Romanized spelling.
Not the most important thing happening in Ukrain at the moment, I agree, but I thought it interesting all the same.
Can anyone confirm that the Antonof AN-225 Mriya has been destroyed by the Russians on an attack this morning on the Hostomel airport, just an hours drive from Kiev.
If the Russians are invading the northern side of the Ukraine, it means they aim to take the whole Ukraine, which follows Moldova and Romania will be next.
Belarus has already been "convinced" to support Putin...
@pawnpaw saidIn fact I think Kazakhstan could be next. The guy is trying to rebuilt the Soviet Union
Can anyone confirm that the Antonof AN-225 Mriya has been destroyed by the Russians on an attack this morning on the Hostomel airport, just an hours drive from Kiev.
If the Russians are invading the northern side of the Ukraine, it means they aim to take the whole Ukraine, which follows Moldova and Romania will be next.
Belarus has already been "convinced" to support Putin...
@mott-the-hoople saidWhat exactly do you propose?
so you just sit back and HOPE putin stops?
Please be specific.
@shavixmir saidThat reminds me of something. Reagan claimed Nicaragua was a threat to the USA and that the communists would use it as their base to attack the USA. Reagan essentially claimed it was an imminent invasion if he didn't prevent it by arming the Contras.
Who the hell is invading the US?
Do you really think anyone wants to be anywhere near you?
Is Russia not allowed to express the same thing in regards to Ukraine? Nicaragua is not even near the US border. If Russia took Mexico in a coup you can bet the US would invade Mexico to eliminate the threat. The CIA already fights socialism anywhere in the western hemisphere.
@mott-the-hoople saidThat is why this will be another proxy war. Putin will take all of Ukraine. The threat of it becoming another Turkey is too great. The USA putting nukes in Turkey is what started the Cuban missile crisis.
so you just sit back and HOPE putin stops?
It is really the USA that started all of this. The USA took Ukraine in a coup by supporting Nazis, then wanted Ukraine in Nato. Cuba will not allow Russia to use them as a pawn again. That is why this has happened and the US government expected it. They did nothing to try and prevent it.
Proxy war. The USA is going to outspend them again because they can. The sad thing is we Americans have to work harder to pay for it. The people in control of the USA don't have to pay for any of it.
@metal-brain said2 wrongs do not make a right.
That reminds me of something. Reagan claimed Nicaragua was a threat to the USA and that the communists would use it as their base to attack the USA. Reagan essentially claimed it was an imminent invasion if he didn't prevent it by arming the Contras.
Is Russia not allowed to express the same thing in regards to Ukraine? Nicaragua is not even near the US border. If Russ ...[text shortened]... Mexico to eliminate the threat. The CIA already fights socialism anywhere in the western hemisphere.
One does wonder about the next time the US wants to invade or attack another country… will the UN and EU be as verbal?
Poor Taiwan.
@no1marauder saidwhat exactly do you propose?
What exactly do you propose?
Please be specific.
please be specific
I propose kicking biden out and putting the rightly elected president in control. He had putin under control. Other than that, the UN should do what they are supposed to do and stop this. If not then do away with it. We have allowed politicians to ruin everything such as the US and UK not keeping their word on protecting Ukraine for giving up their nukes. The US has done nothing that will hurt putin so far.
From the BBC:
“Russia has lost momentum, US says
A US defence official has said Russian forces have lost momentum in their invasion of Ukraine.”
🤣
Jesus FFing Christ. Second day of an invasion, the enemy is 9km from the governmental buildings and the US is squealing that the momentum is lost.
Reminds me bit of that news report in Iraq, when the guy’s saying that everything is all and well, and outside his window you could see the tanks rolling in.
God damn.
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OK. I went back and, although at times it made me sick, read this whole thread. I see so much blame about why this happened being hurled by the usual people. What I don't see is why Ukraine is even important. So I did a little research and found:
1. Ukraine owns the second largest gas reserves in Europe.
2. Ukraine has the second largest supply of natural gas in the world.
3. Currently, Russia supplies between 40% to 50% of Europe’s gas consumption through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline and the Ukrainian network. Germany is also a big customer of Russia’s natural gas. Germany gets 55% of its natural gas from Russia and much of it goes through Ukraine, which earns them their transit fee, equivalent to $7 billion.
4. Besides natural gas, Ukraine is loaded with minerals like coal, iron, titanium, and other non-metallic raw materials. It’s the leading country when it comes to reserves of iron, titanium, and non-metallic raw materials.
5. Ukraine’s natural resources are enormous, with exactly 5% of the earth’s natural and mineral resources. Ores like titanium, iron, and non-metallic raw materials are major Ukrainian exports.
So, are the following where corn ($4.77 billion), seed oils ($3.75 billion), iron ore ($3.36 billion), wheat ($3.11B), and semi-finished iron ($2.55 billion) are exported mostly to Russia ($4.69 billion), China ($3.94 billion), Germany ($3.08 billion), Poland ($2.75 billion), and Italy ($2.57 billion).
6. In 2019, Ukraine was the 5th largest exporter of iron ore in the world. In the same year, iron ore was the 3rd most-exported product in Ukraine.
Titanium and lithium are some of the most precious metals on the planet today.
There are many others that should also be listed, but the next time you hear ANY politician screaming about the human suffering aspect, that taste in your mouth should be puke. Biden, nor anyone else in power, gives a hoot about the welfare of the Ukrainian people.