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Original poster

To admit I have no idea wtf is going on with Russia and the

538 replies

Dustlandcinderella · 21/02/2022 22:54

I follow the news and can see that There is a lot about Russia and the Ukraine. But I can’t quite figure out what is happening , what the background is, and what the truth is (bearing in mind in any war there is propaganda on each side).

Am I the only person who doesn’t actually understand what’s going on

OP posts:
PurpleDaisies · 21/02/2022 22:56

www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-60118675

This is what you need from the excellent Ros Atkins

Ncwinc · 21/02/2022 22:58

Russia is invading Ukraine.

Viviennemary · 21/02/2022 22:58

I understand it a bit better tonight. Two regions of the Ukraine are Russia supporters and have now declared themselves independent. Putin has decided today to recognise them. Hmm. Putin does not want a pro Nato Ukraine.

Beecham · 21/02/2022 23:07

Putin is basically looking for ways to start a war with Ukraine, because decades ago it used to be part of the Soviet Union and he wants it back.

He's been pretending it's all about NATO but many are saying his speech tonight shows that was all a cover.

No-one knows exactly what he'll do, it could be a fairly small-scale invasion just of the pro-Russian regions of eastern Ukraine. Or he could launch an assault on the whole country and try to install a new government that supports him. Either way it will be terrible.

Febrier · 21/02/2022 23:09

What have you tried already?

dipdye · 21/02/2022 23:11

But the Ukraine is a tiny country? They'll never win? Hence the US involvement?

MojoMoon · 21/02/2022 23:12

Putin said in his speech today it was all Lenin's fault.

So that's cleared all that up.

Keystone76 · 21/02/2022 23:16

Europe did nothing when he invaded Crimea so will probably be similar. His speech tonight was very ominous for the former Soviet states, some of which are in NATO!

LibrariesGiveUsPower · 21/02/2022 23:17

Putin wants Ukraine. It’s an ex soviet nation so he thinks it should be part of Russia. So he’s starting war but obviously it’s someone else’s fault.

deragod · 21/02/2022 23:18

@Viviennemary
It is more complicated. Ukraine was colonised. The fact that some people living there are still loyal to Russia does not make Ukraine part of Russia.
Putin wants to be a real tsar. Just imagine Johnson claiming that Mumbai is British because it once was and many Indians adopted British culture as their own.

MaryAndHerNet · 21/02/2022 23:19

@dipdye

But the Ukraine is a tiny country? They'll never win? Hence the US involvement?
The Ukraine is almost 150% the size of UK. It's a huge place.
dipdye · 21/02/2022 23:21

Yes, but compared to Russia it's small... Just seems so one sided

deragod · 21/02/2022 23:21

@dipdye
Ukraine is actually a big country. They have their problems and still suffer from being under Russian control (even before the Soviet Union they were part of Russian Kingdom). However, they are not a tiny country.

BearOfEasttown · 21/02/2022 23:21

Putin wants Ukraine to be part of Russia again @Dustlandcinderella

Some decades ago, some of parts of Russia moved away from Russia and became separate countries, (including Ukraine.) And now Putin wants them to come back to Russia. In his words, he wants to 'reunite Russia.'

Some parts of Ukraine wants to return, and some do not. This is going to cause a lot of problems, and probably war.

It won't be long til Putin invades other ex Russian countries.

It's not good. He is a power crazy gaslighting control freak. Yet he believe he is a peace keeper, and is reuniting Russia.

He is trying to take back millions of people into Russia that do not want to go back.

He is no better than a certain German man who invaded a number of countries some 80 years ago.

Viviennemary · 21/02/2022 23:22

I realisd its a lot more complicated. But the bard bones is thst Putin wznts thd old Soviet Union bzck.m

GrumpyPanda · 21/02/2022 23:23

@dipdye

But the Ukraine is a tiny country? They'll never win? Hence the US involvement?
"Tiny country"?! Not sure when you last took a look at a map but this is the second largest country in Europe we're talking about Grin Two and a half times the size of the UK.
Viviennemary · 21/02/2022 23:23

Sorry for typing errors. Post went too quickly.

deragod · 21/02/2022 23:35

Polish pilots earlier today pushed Russians out from the air space of Baltic sea.

MaryAndHerNet · 21/02/2022 23:37

@dipdye

Yes, but compared to Russia it's small... Just seems so one sided
True. Russia is the biggest, Ukraine is second biggest European country after Russia.
IloveStrawberrylaces · 21/02/2022 23:39

@BearOfEasttown

Putin wants Ukraine to be part of Russia again *@Dustlandcinderella*

Some decades ago, some of parts of Russia moved away from Russia and became separate countries, (including Ukraine.) And now Putin wants them to come back to Russia. In his words, he wants to 'reunite Russia.'

Some parts of Ukraine wants to return, and some do not. This is going to cause a lot of problems, and probably war.

It won't be long til Putin invades other ex Russian countries.

It's not good. He is a power crazy gaslighting control freak. Yet he believe he is a peace keeper, and is reuniting Russia.

He is trying to take back millions of people into Russia that do not want to go back.

He is no better than a certain German man who invaded a number of countries some 80 years ago.

German?? You need to fact check
Jusmeee · 21/02/2022 23:41

It's Ukraine not the Ukraine

declutteringmymind · 21/02/2022 23:42

I get the impression that it's more than Ukraine. It seems to have a huge strategic importance. If Russia takes over the Ukraine then it will have a large(r) front on the border of the EU.

DickeryDock · 21/02/2022 23:44

If I ever need to know what is going on and have missed the build up to something. I check out Newsround as they write a simple explanation 🤣

AledsiPad · 21/02/2022 23:44

Putin wants Ukraine back in Russia. He would like the USSR back together, IMO. 8 years ago, he ‘annexed’ (invaded) Crimea and the west did fuck all. Hence, he is now ‘recognising’ (invading) 2 more regions of Ukraine that Russia has spent the last 8 years destabilising.

The west will, overall, do nothing. The Ukrainian people must be in pieces Sad

Sickoffamilydrama · 21/02/2022 23:50

Basically the cold war never really ended just the tactics changed.

The frightening thing is we've known for years that they've been sending Russian Troops disguised as separatist to Ukraine to destabilise it. This has been coming for a long time.