mclumber1

These dog and pony shows aren't being done for the international audience - they are being done for internal consumption.

From Russia's point of view (probably), the entire Ukrainian government and military must fall and be replaced with one that is friendly to Russia, and opposed to the US and Western Europe. I'm sure that in a matter of time, the Russian speaking areas of Ukraine will become a part of Russia, and the rest of Ukraine will become allied with Russia, just like Belarus is.

The entire nuclear navy is full of serial autists.

Protip: If you are about to get drafted into the Army, do what my FIL did during Vietnam: Join the Navy instead.

And you don't need nearly 200,000 troops for a peacekeeping operation.

Sarah Palin can see Russia from her front porch, so we will have a heads up if they are preparing to invade.

A larger, more comprehensive package would need to be drafted and approved by Congress, I'm assuming. Also:

Retaking the Baltics would absolutely result in a wider European (or world) war. He would have to stop with Belarus, Ukraine, and Moldova. Everything else is theoretically protected by being members of the EU and/or NATO. Some of the former Yugoslavian republics are neither NATO or EU members, but Russia would have to cross through NATO territory in order to get to the Balkans.

Belarus would gladly join Russia if asked.* *The Belarusian government, not the people.

"We have a knife at our throat" In reference to US/NATO weapons

Putin now crying about the expansion of NATO into Eastern Europe.

Greater Russian Republic, or something like that. Empire sounds too colonial.

"Ukraine wants nuclear weapons"

It looks like the Soviet Union with more McDonalds but fewer purges.

Yes, I think so. He wants to recreate the Soviet Union, without the communism part.

"Pro western choices are not creating better conditions for Ukraine."

"Ukraine renounced everything that brought us together"

Russia/USSR has given Ukraine hundreds of billions of dollars over the years

Basically, Putin is both shitting on and patting the back of the Soviet Union for creating the Union.

"Any of the Republics had the right to withdraw from the Soviet Union."

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"Lenin was the creator and architect of Ukraine."