There actually was a referendum on whether or not people, by region, wanted to go with russia or ukraine. Even in areas with a heavy concentration of russian speakers, the vote went to staying in ukraine. This is why russia invaded, because even with all of it's fuckery, it could not do by political engineering what it has since failed to do by force as well. If they were to do the referendum again, it would likely skew even more heavily pro ukraine..because, IDK if you knew this or not..but... the russian occupation forces haven't exactly treated the areas under their control with respect. They've been particularly and especially rough with the separatists they managed to cobble together as a front for their invasion..ongoing since 2014. Sure, russia claims it did just that, and wouldn't you know it, 98% of the people in Kherson, for example..they claimed..were totally in the tank for russia. They certainly seemed upset after russia pulled out, huh - but I guess you'll have to decide whether you believe russian propaganda or your own lying fucking eyes on that one...eh?

Putin says it's a land grab. That seems pretty clear. Ukranians aren't waking up in the morning thinking "how can we pursue american interests today?". They're expelling the forces of a foreign nation that invaded their home and seeks to erase the country, it's culture, and it's people from the map. Here again, putin has been crystal clear. The rest of that shit about zelensky and nazis is just too fucking stupid at this point to respond to, if it was ever anything but exactly that stupid to begin with, and you should be ashamed for repeating it. Find some other focus for whatever anti-american masturbation you feel positively compelled to engage in. It shouldn't be hard, what with great satan and all. It's certainly true that the us isn't friendly towards russian interests, but, ofc, there is no war in russia. There is a war in ukraine.

Quote:Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Russian Federation Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria Lvova-Belova on February 16, confirming that the Kremlin is directly involved in facilitating the deportation and adoption of Ukrainian children into Russian families. During an in-person working meeting with Lvova-Belova, Putin stated that the number of applications submitted by Russian citizens for the adoption of children from Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson oblasts is growing significantly.[5] Lvova-Belova noted that she herself adopted a child from Mariupol and stated that she has particularly been working with Russian families to facilitate the placement of Ukrainian children into Russian homes, highlighting the story of one Moscow Oblast family who took custody of nine children.[6] Lvova-Belova confirmed that Russian regional governors are facilitating adoption efforts and emphasized the role of Chechen Head Ramzan Kadyrov’s efforts to work with her on programs for “difficult teenagers.”[7] Lvova-Belova’s and Putin’s meeting is likely a result of Putin’s January 3 list of instructions to Lvova-Belova and the occupation heads of occupied oblasts directing them to take a number of measures ostensibly to support children in occupied areas of Ukraine.[8] This meeting is additionally noteworthy because it suggests that Putin himself is overseeing and directing efforts to facilitate deportation and adoption programs, which ISW continues to assess may constitute a violation of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.[9]

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgro...ct-updates

"But..butbutbut..isn;t that exactly what the us does to the migrant children it stole and put in concentration camps?!?!"

Yeah, is that bad, or something?

(February 16, 2023 at 6:01 am)Belacqua Wrote: Anyone who wants more tanks, more weapons, more fighting, is a childish macho man, and pro-war. Just because we don't like one side or the other, that doesn't make it anti-war to support more war.

War, what war? Its a "special military operation" according to Russia. Wtf are you talking about?

(February 17, 2023 at 9:24 am)Belacqua Wrote: Both sides are guilty of violence.

Duh. Name a war, ANY war, where one side was NOT guilty of violence, Mr. Obvious.

(February 17, 2023 at 12:15 pm)Deesse23 Wrote:

(February 16, 2023 at 6:01 am)Belacqua Wrote: Anyone who wants more tanks, more weapons, more fighting, is a childish macho man, and pro-war. Just because we don't like one side or the other, that doesn't make it anti-war to support more war.

War, what war? Its a "special military operation" according to Russia. Wtf are you talking about?

Not to mention that France once gave weapons to the United States to defend its democracy and independence against a better-equipped force.

(February 17, 2023 at 12:15 pm)Deesse23 Wrote:

(February 16, 2023 at 6:01 am)Belacqua Wrote: Anyone who wants more tanks, more weapons, more fighting, is a childish macho man, and pro-war. Just because we don't like one side or the other, that doesn't make it anti-war to support more war.

War, what war? Its a "special military operation" according to Russia. Wtf are you talking about?

‘Call it a police action all you want, but a military advisor dead for three days in the heat smells exactly the same as a soldier in a declared war.’ - Robert Heinlein

Boru

Ukraine's army has been severely weakened, and they are admitting publicly that they don't have enough ammunition. They are begging.

Meanwhile Russia is poised to send 300,000 new troops into Ukraine -- perhaps as many as half a million.

The US has so far blocked efforts at a negotiated settlement. The former PM of Israel has said that he nearly had a deal which America prevented. But not negotiating peace at this point would be insane.

https://www.thenation.com/article/world/...ation-war/

Perhaps you think that a negotiated settlement with Russia is possible.

Should big, bad America give Ukraine to Russia? You seem to think that what's going on has nothing to do with anyone but the US.

After we (USians) give Ukraine away, which other countries should we wrap up in a bow and gift to Putin?

(February 17, 2023 at 7:57 pm)Belacqua Wrote: Ukraine's army has been severely weakened, and they are admitting publicly that they don't have enough ammunition. They are begging.

Meanwhile Russia is poised to send 300,000 new troops into Ukraine -- perhaps as many as half a million.

The US has so far blocked efforts at a negotiated settlement. The former PM of Israel has said that he nearly had a deal which America prevented. But not negotiating peace at this point would be insane.

https://www.thenation.com/article/world/...ation-war/

Ukraine's army wouldn't have been weakened if Russia hadn't invaded Ukraine.

Ukraine wouldn't be low on ammunition if Russian hadn't invaded Ukraine.

Ukraine wouldn't be facing an invasion of 300 000 troops if Russia hadn't invaded Ukraine.

Ukraine wouldn't have to look for a negotiated settlement if Russia hadn't invaded Ukraine.

(See if you can discern the theme here).

Boru