...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?

meditrina

MrsSkylerWhite
So, a fruitcake telling the world that they will face retaliation that history has never known should it try to “interfere” isn’t threatening the world with nuclear retaliation?

You’re as barking as Putin is.
We don't know what it is.

It could be cyber attacks

It might even be be non-nuclear EMP weapons.

Or it could just be fighting talk“

Yep, could be. Or not.

@BlondeWidow
You're dramatic.

Or it could just be fighting talk

Yes, it could well be. But he is very dangerous. If he genuinely believes that he is de-nazifying Ukraine then I think we can safely say he is barbaric and we can't trust that it is just 'fighting talk'.

Que sera sera. Im not exactly sure what any of us hope to achieve.

Ok, I'll bite. Off the top of my head, perhaps because how can this play out? We abandon Ukraine to her fate and Putin has carte blanche to move to the next country. Or we (the West/EU/NATO) intervene even though we have no jurisdiction to do so and it gives Putin reason to retaliate - he'll continue to spin it as we started it.

We know how it will play out. We will not support Ukraine and it was silly to pretend otherwise.

But if the aim is to recreate the USSR, then who next?

Belarus and most of the central Asian counties you mention are already Russian clients to some degree. The only ones he can reasonably gain more influence over by sabre rattling are Finland and the NATO states.

Nothing short of invasion would bring the fins to heel. He could take Finland if he really wanted to but I think it would be like Afghanistan.

Russia doesn't have any chance against NATO and I don't see any evidence Putin is insane enough to try. He's evil but rational.

Previous 'wars' aren't comparable. The West's attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq - these are countries that do not have anything like the weaponry that Russia has. They were speck s in comparison.

Putin has issued a threat and these may not be physical threats. I work in cyber security and an attack could be devastating.

OP I get what you're saying. You sound quite clued up on the issue as well so it's ironic that you're getting abuse from people who clearly aren't very well appraised apart from the crash course of the last few days.

There are civilians going through horrible things globally but for some reason that isn't stirring up the same level of emotion.

I’m concerned, who wouldn’t be? But, I have absolutely no power to do anything so that’s as far as it goes. My worry won’t change the outcomes so I have to keep up to date. It then get on with my life hoping that the union of the west will overcome Putin.

You are entitled to your opinion but why start a thread? Are you that insensitive or just desperate for attention?

Why is it insensitive to ask why people are so worried?

I don’t even know why I’m responding but I am angry as my cousin and his 2 year old twins are spending the night in a freezing basement near Kyiv tonight.

That is entirely reasonable. I don't understand why so many people confuse me thinking the UK will not be hugely effected with not caring about those who will be. I understand why you are scared for others, it's horrible.

Is it true that he has Parkinson’s and cancer? Do you think he’s got nothing to lose and is willing to risk everything? I hope not.

I’m staying calm out of respect to people who are in immediate genuine danger at the moment.

It's frightening enough that there were chemical weapons deployed in Salisbury.

Mb76 I am so sorry for your family, you must be so worried for them..
Hard to imagine what is must be like

@PinkPlantCase

I agree OP but only from the point of view that I have enough shit to deal with and don’t want to add ‘war in Ukraine’ to my mental list of things I have to worry about.

Can I do anything about it? No. So what’s the point in getting all stressed about it.

This is my thoughts too.

It's not denial. It's acceptance that I can't do anything to change it and worrying won't help anyone.

I feel terrible about all wars/conflicts. The videos and pictures from the withdrawal of Afghanistan hit me pretty hard.

This is more worrying from a selfish point of view. Even if the situation wasn't to escalate I have family and friends who cannot afford more increases in the cost of living. Oil, gas, wheat, metals, minerals, fertilizers...and so much more comes from Russia and Ukraine.

If you are not worried at all then I don't think you fully grasp the ramifications.

Of course it involves us. If you don't care about the humanitarian impact in Ukraine or the destruction of democracy, or even the effect on our cost of living in rising fuel costs, then spare a thought for what will happen when Putin sets his sights on another of his neighbours and they happen to be a member of Nato. Under Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, the UK has to respond, which will mean British troops on the ground and in the air and will bring this war right to our door. Very much like the 2nd World War but with several of the countries involved having nuclear capability.

@Benjispruce5

Is it true that he has Parkinson’s and cancer? Do you think he’s got nothing to lose and is willing to risk everything? I hope not.

Doesn't he have advisors? I really hope so and it's not just his decision

@Blue4YOU

OP the Cold War wasn’t actual war though ..??

It was only Cold because (fortunately) no shots were fired in Europe, but at times there was very much an elevated threat and a feeling of bad things happening….

In the context of feeling that you are being threatened or actually being threatened by Nuclear weapons (which was the question asked upthread ) people on the Uk were at times under much more of an imminent threat from that from the fifties right through to the late 80’s than they are tonight….but yes that could change as a result of current events.

I sort of get what you mean OP

I am 46. I grew up in earshot of many London bombings. When we drove into the ring of steel, they checked the car etc.

We had films at school about nuclear war.

In my early 20s, I lost friends in a terror attack.

How many wars and disasters had any of us seen by 25? Loads.

Fast forward twenty years, that number is multiplied. ordinary life is harder to cope with. I try not to add to my list of worries. If prices are out of control, I can't do anything.

I remember a thread from years ago here, about nuclear war. It was before the days of "crying and shaking" so I'm not sure if it's okay to say this...but someone said, if the nuclear bomb goes off near you, would you want to survive the fallout? And many posters said no.

I wouldn't want to. I'm not the survivalist type.

I feel sorry for anyone caught in a war. I know it might be me. There is nothing I can do about it. So I do want to limit the time and attention I give to it.

If we have refugees, there will no doubt be practical efforts to help via the local church. I will help. Wailing over 24 hour news coverage won't help anyone.

It is extremely naive to think that this won't have any effect on us. One worry is that Putin might not stop at Ukraine. If he goes on to invade NATO country, all out war will start in Europe. UK will be expected to intervene more directly. I'm not trying to scaremongering but this is a real possibility. With how unstable Putin is acting, it is impossible to know what he will do.

@BlondeWidow

Call me dramatic if you like, or say I’m catastrophising, but I genuinely believe this is the beginning of the end of civilisation in Europe as we know it. Those sanctions just weren’t enough. If anything they’ll just antagonise the situation to epic proportions. Putin is focused on ONE end goal. That’s the ‘big money’ to him and he won’t stop until he gets it - regardless of the collateral damage; whether that means destroying Ukraine, Western Europe (inc. us of course) or even the US and any other country to become allies with Ukraine. This is terrifying stuff. YABVVVVVVVVVVVVVU or just staggeringly naïve. This may well (hopefully) come to nothing, but this could also wipe out entire countries - including us!

Give. Your. Head. A. Fucking. Good. Wobble.

Notice the goady OP didn't put this in AIBU with a vote attached

My question was why people are afraid, you can't really vote yes or no to that. I don't think this is really a topic which lends itself to x-factor type voting.

Why is that so terrifying? I mean, Russia has 38 nuclear power stations of its own. Although the Chernobyl clean up will take another 40 years or so, if Russia wanted contaminated material (for what? dirty bombs?) then it's got it anyhow

Exactly. They have Chernobyl because it is right on the border, it was largely unguarded, and it gives them access to other areas.

I’m with you OP. I think most here maybe aren’t old enough to have lived through the Cold War and the “threat” there was at that time.

We’ve also lived with a series of trigger happy North Korean dictators for decades, including one who was taunted by the most mentally unstable US president we’ve ever seen and the threat never came to anything.

Putin is power hungry, but he isn’t an idiot. He may well want Ukraine but he knows the risk of a nuclear retaliation is too high if he shoots first.

This war may well impact on us economically, but it is way to early to start worrying that we’ll be seeing Russian tanks rumbling down Oxford Street.

It is awful for the Ukrainian people. We can feel sorry for them and I’m sure we’ll welcome hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees fleeing for their safety. I mean, we aren’t so keen on the Syrians and voted to stop any of those other pesky Eastern Europeans coming here, but I’m sure that will all be forgiven now we are all so concerned for the Ukrainian people.