...to not be distraught about the war in Ukraine

[donquixotedelamancha]

AIBU to have no clue why so many people on MN are so worried?

In my lifetime there have been many terrible wars in other countries and this country has been to war five times. This war doesn't involve us and any effects on us will be minor compared to what we've just experienced.

I completely understand people feeling worried for Ukrainians (as for any country in crisis) but why so much worry for us?

Surely this is a wind up...

If you cannot see why it's worrying folk in other countries around the world, take a look on any news channel just now.

*I'll bite.

Cold war was more terrifying than this.

I lived a lot closer to chernobyl back when the bloody thing had a meltdown. Not to scared about what's left of it now, from a great distance.

But have fun crying doooooom! Doooooooom! I've heard it so often already, and earth is still spinning. Cold war was going to end civilization. Y2k was going to end civilization. An astroid was going to end civilization. 9/11 was the start of the end of the world as we know it. 2012 was going to end humanity. This is just the newest thing.*

the point of chernobyl is that the zone is the fastest easiest rout to the capital, its perfect from a strategic point of view in terms of distance and lack of population and infrastructure, the idea that anyones actually interested in that useless decaying hulk is laughable, but so many people seem to be hysterical that Russia has captured chernobyl.

Russia has control of Chernobyl, yes, where they probably won't venture much due to the radiation levels. The radiation levels are only rising due to military vehicles passing through, kicking up dust.
I'm also not convinced he wants to invade Europe, more likely he is trying to piece the Soviet Union back together.

Can you remember the last time we were directly threatened by a country which has nuclear weapons?

Yes, the cold war.

Can you say who made the threat, and on what date? Even during the Cuban missile crisis, I don't recall Russia or America threatening imminent nuclear attack on each other. Possibly they did, and I'm just unaware, but if they didn't, and that was the closest things came during the cold war, then the level of threat was lower than currently. (For the purposes of this I'm ignoring the differences between the position of Britain and USA, let's assume we care about both equally.)

By Russia I mean Soviet Union, obviously.

@VelvetChairGirl

*I'll bite.

Cold war was more terrifying than this.

I lived a lot closer to chernobyl back when the bloody thing had a meltdown. Not to scared about what's left of it now, from a great distance.

But have fun crying doooooom! Doooooooom! I've heard it so often already, and earth is still spinning. Cold war was going to end civilization. Y2k was going to end civilization. An astroid was going to end civilization. 9/11 was the start of the end of the world as we know it. 2012 was going to end humanity. This is just the newest thing.*

the point of chernobyl is that the zone is the fastest easiest rout to the capital, its perfect from a strategic point of view in terms of distance and lack of population and infrastructure, the idea that anyones actually interested in that useless decaying hulk is laughable, but so many people seem to be hysterical that Russia has captured chernobyl.

Exactly, I don't get the fear over them having Chernobyl, why on earth would a state that created Tsar Bomba need the site of a disastrous nuclear meltdown to wreak havoc?!

YANBU OP MN is full of people who get terrible anxiety if they have to use a supermarket checkout operated by an employee instead of the self-service robot so it's no surprise there's an over-preponderance of catastrophising.

Sadly the death of nuance in pretty much every debate means that if you aren't literally shitting it everyone will tell you how worthless you are.

Thankfully a few people can see that although this is a terrible tragedy for the Ukrainian people and their neighbours, it doesn't mean we are all going to be consumed in a nuclear fireball tomorrow.

@Cognoscenti

Russia has control of Chernobyl, yes, where they probably won't venture much due to the radiation levels. The radiation levels are only rising due to military vehicles passing through, kicking up dust. I'm also not convinced he wants to invade Europe, more likely he is trying to piece the Soviet Union back together.

dust? I would think that what is it about 38 years worth of rain would have gotten rid of any dust.

most hot spots left in the area are from fragments still stuck in the soil not dust.

besides it wont bother military vehicles passing thru and you can stay in the zone for up to a week safely, the staff on the new containment shield where on a rotation every few days and they were working right next to the thing itself.

@Getoff

Can you remember the last time we were directly threatened by a country which has nuclear weapons?

Yes, the cold war.

Can you say who made the threat, and on what date? Even during the Cuban missile crisis, I don't recall Russia or America threatening imminent nuclear attack on each other. Possibly they did, and I'm just unaware, but if they didn't, and that was the closest things came during the cold war, then the level of threat was lower than currently. (For the purposes of this I'm ignoring the differences between the position of Britain and USA, let's assume we care about both equally.)

Putin hasn't actually threatened to nuke anyone - he basically said "don't fuck with us or you'll be very sorry" Given his propensity for venturing onto UK soil and killing people with nerve agents, he just as easily be talking about chemical weapons - but he was deliberately vague.

Where has Putin actually said he's threatening a nuclear attack? Has he confirmed it? Or is it his statement about consequences? If so, for starters then, all he's done is made an ominous, threatening statement. About what? We're not entirely sure - could be anything from nukes to cyber warfare.
The cold war was characterised by the fact that both sides made it clear they were prepared to launch nukes - with neither doing so because of the extreme (sensible) reluctance to do so because they knew everyone would lose, in the worst possible way. So, extreme posturing.
This is what bullies do - threaten you with consequences so extreme you don't even dare think about trying to oppose them. Perhaps Putin would follow through, it's possible, just not likely. Bear in mind also that not everyone surrounding him likes him or would be happy to stand back and watch him cause global destruction.

YABVU

Exactly, I don't get the fear over them having Chernobyl, why on earth would a state that created Tsar Bomba need the site of a disastrous nuclear meltdown to wreak havoc?!

they dont its just a tourist attraction, it shows a total lack of knowledge about the zone and nuclear waste. Chernobyl is a threat to ground water contamination thats all, and maybe a few idiots irradiating their mates with souvenirs after sneeking into the zone, which they do all the time, urbexers have even filmed themselves crawling all over the exploded core.

but then theres tonnes of lost nuclear waste all over the former soviet union, so many things were left abandoned to rot, secret things.

I read an article from a mother in the Ukraine with a 10yo, the same age as mine. She meanted her dc being so scared he was sick while eating breakfast (huddled away from the windows).

That could be me and my dc. It is only luck that it isn't. I think you have to be very hard hearted not to care.

Good for you. Clearly you don’t have a husband on the verge of being deployed, even though he just got back last Summer from 12 months away. We don’t know that Putin won’t go into NATO territory, and that should give you something to worry about. Not to mention all the side effects eg raging gas prices that will hit many other places.

@Stompythedinosaur

I read an article from a mother in the Ukraine with a 10yo, the same age as mine. She meanted her dc being so scared he was sick while eating breakfast (huddled away from the windows).

That could be me and my dc. It is only luck that it isn't. I think you have to be very hard hearted not to care.

I think you have to be very hard hearted not to care. Where did OP say they don't care? Caring and worrying are not the same.

Wow.. 😳

YANBU. I feel desperately sorry for the people in Ukraine who are affected by Russian aggression. Are we likely to see anything here that compares to what's happening to them? I doubt it.

All those Dutch people flying to Malaysia on MH17 in 2014 probably weren't distraught about Putin's annexation of Crimea and arming separatists in Donbas. Their families probably have a slightly different view now.

Yabu and intentionally ignorant?

This war doesn't involve us and any effects on us will be minor compared to what we've just experienced.

How can you know that.

@Otherpeoplesteens

All those Dutch people flying to Malaysia on MH17 in 2014 probably weren't distraught about Putin's annexation of Crimea and arming separatists in Donbas. Their families probably have a slightly different view now.

one mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter.

I wonder which other rebels actions you hold countries responsible for supporting?

it seems an odd thing to say, I guess only Europe matters to you and not what happens in the rest of the world and the games governments play backing insurgents.

@Otherpeoplesteens

All those Dutch people flying to Malaysia on MH17 in 2014 probably weren't distraught about Putin's annexation of Crimea and arming separatists in Donbas. Their families probably have a slightly different view now.

But that doesn’t mean they wish they’d been distraught about it beforehand. Being distraught about things you can’t control isn’t healthy or effective.

@donquixotedelamancha

A good thread that breaks down the many potential consequences of all of this is titled "Is the UK in danger from Russia" (sic)

Once you look at the complexity it is very unsettling. And Putin is being extremely inflammatory.

Yes, some of us have twitched through a fair few unstable points in recent history, and it's settled down. However, I'm 53, pretty pragmatic and resilient, and I'm extremely unnerved.

[quote IcyWinterWonderland]@donquixotedelamancha Watch the fucking news. How would feel if you lived in Ukraine? Show some respect and consideration for other people.[/quote]
Why is this relevant? Why should op be distraught? How will that help the people of Ukraine? What use is it? Angry, sad, wanting to help fair enough. But being distraught, being worried. Helping no one.

@Woahthehorsey Read my second post