It's not WW3

[TheRealityCheque]

To wish people would stop conflating the Ukrainian invasion with WW3.

It's shite and completely unacceptable and my thoughts are with thee innocent people affected but it is not a world war and isn't going to become one.

IABU - WW3 is here
IANBU - it's a localised war.

History has shown us that most large wars were triggered by small incidents.

I certainly hope that this is not WW3 and that the toughest of sanctions are placed on Russia.

I feel so sorry for the Ukrainian people and their helpless relatives abroad.

Honestly, looking back over the last 2 years and the crazy way the pandemic unfolded - I don't blame anyone for not being sure how this will play out either.

People's mental and financial strength has already been tested far more than most are used to. Is it any wonder if some people now are unsure of the world they find themselves in?

I wasn't too worried but I am now as no one has any idea how this will pan out.

I dont know what to think

I found the threat on what will happen if other countries intervene chilling.

I know people say nukes wouldnt be an option as that would take him and Russia down too, but I worry hes deranged enough to chose going down taking everyone with him over losing.

Worse case scenario is going round my head. I dont really think itll come to this, but the fact that its even a possibility is scary.

YABU
There is no certainty about how it will go and it is not unreasonable for people to feel fearful when he has essentially threatened to use nuclear force.

@marieantoinehairnet

WW1 and 2 didn't look like a world war to begin with.

You're talking about a tyrannical dictator who has lost the plot.

The man is coming to the end of his career and he's quite like to go down in history for something memorable.

He'll go to the death I reckon, sadly.

China doesn’t want its huge western markets knocked out by war.

The invasion of the second largest European country by a hostile neighbour is not just a local matter, it has the potential to have serious repercussions for the rest of us, either militarily or economically.

Putin is not just supporting some pro-Russian separatists, he said himself that he doesn't see Ukraine as a proper country. The man is ex KGB, he dreams of the glory days and wants to attempt to resurrect the USSR. I would put nothing past him.

Putin just threatened to nuke any country that helps Ukraine it's very serious.

@marieantoinehairnet

Don't be silly Penzance, his reasons for invading Ukraine are just an excuse. He wants the old Russian landscape back, and that's all of it.

Putin has been President for most of the last two decades, he's had plenty of time to try and take the old Soviet republics if had wanted to.

What he's doing is wrong, but that does not mean he's going to start invading loads of other countries. The Russian economy and military is going to be damaged by this. He won't have the resources to invade another country even if he wanted to.

China will also be watching this very carefully to gauge the West's reaction. If they see any sign of weakness you can pretty much guarantee they'll be marching into Taiwan.

I think we are so used to lots of information that the media need to sensationalise to get reaction and interest. Combined with Covid and people's general anxiety levels. This is bound to get people going.

The media coverage of Afghanistan's takeover lasted what...a week? Of course this is 'bigger' so the coverage may last a little longer but I think it'll slow down and much like the last war in Ukraine, it will die down, apart from the poor people involved. There'll be posturing from world leaders but no one will do anything to really hurt him or destabilise the whole of Europe, which Putin knows. Of course you can't predict the future, but our whole lives are based on judging likelihoods of danger and I personally think it's a bit fear inducing/ sensationalist to say it may be the start of world war 3.

If you read the other invasion has begun thread, 80% of people are up in arms shouting about how the US, UK and EU need to "do something". Quite obviously, this implies doing something violent as diplomacy has failed and is clearly going to fail against Putin.

It's possible to feel sympathy for people in Ukraine without demanding action what will obviously rope more countries into war and result in more bloodshed. However the VAAAST majority of people online fail to understand this and are calling for "the West" to put a stop to things.

So yes, this will result in WW3 and everyone (aside from those lucky to be in neutral countries) will suffer greatly.

Hitler was grabbing land 2 years before WW2 started.

Putin is coming across like a mad man currently which is dangerous.

Putin just threatened to nuke any country that helps Ukraine it's very serious.

That really means nothing, the whole point of having nuclear weapons is to scare other countries into thinking you might use them if provoked.

NATO would not be taking him seriously if he hadn't threatened it. Anyone can make a threat like that.

He's a bully and they're all mouth and no trousers. Unfortunately no one wants to test that theory.

@veevee04

Putin just threatened to nuke any country that helps Ukraine it's very serious.

I find it hard to take that kind of talk seriously. So does he think he's the only country with nuclear weapons. As if the west would stand idly by if he did that.

It is the risk of that taking the world down with him mentality that's scary though. Of course no one sensible would start nuclear war and destroy all humanity. But would an egotistical dictator?

I'd highly recommend watching the new BBC documentary series "Rise of the Nazis: Dictators at War" which is on iplayer. It explores the psychology of both Hitler and Stalin and all I will say is you can draw an awful lot of parallels in behaviour between what happened then and what is happening now.

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p09jgldz/rise-of-the-nazis-dictators-at-war-episode-1

Remember when Putin sent his single aircraft carrier to Syria and it was chugging smoke in the English Channel. He hasn't got anywhere near the fire power of the US. He won't want war with NATO.

@Ciaram55

Remember when Putin sent his single aircraft carrier to Syria and it was chugging smoke in the English Channel. He hasn't got anywhere near the fire power of the US. He won't want war with NATO.

i honestly dont think he cares....he seems to want to make history

clearly he's mentally ill and needs signing off!

But would an egotistical dictator?

I mean, he won't have much legacy if we've all been nuked, will he?

@notsurehowtostop

It is the risk of that taking the world down with him mentality that's scary though. Of course no one sensible would start nuclear war and destroy all humanity. But would an egotistical dictator?

Does Russia have safeguards in place like the US does.Surely a mad man with his finger on the button has sane people around him to stop that happening.

If nuclear war hits we will all be dead in seconds unless you live right out in the sticks. I'd rather that than years of conventional war tbh.

@Kassle

But would an egotistical dictator?

I mean, he won't have much legacy if we've all been nuked, will he?

I fear he'd rather that then be ridiculed for crippling Russia and losing to the rest of the world powers?

These are just my fears I obviously hope I'm completely wrong!

Does Russia have safeguards in place like the US does.Surely a mad man with his finger on the button has sane people around him to stop that happening.

It's a dictatorship where any dissent is violently quashed. Who exactly do you think will apply these safeguards to Putin?

The whole Putin being unstable thing is a clever ploy by Russia. Brilliant PR. I mean, who wants to mess with a loony who has nuclear weapons? He's not crazy and he's not operating in isolation, just using the threat of lunacy plus weapons to keep the West out of it.