...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?

Well, ‘they’ got rid of Saddam & Ghadafhi.. they can do the same with Putin

Emotionally, because I'm not a sociopath.

Politically, because whilst Ukraine isn't a NATO state, Putin's vision of empire doesn't stop at Ukraine. And if he crosses the border into a NATO state, it's war, full stop.

Economically, because it's going to play havoc with prices at a time when the world is still reeling from Covid disruptions and before they've figured out energy.

Strategically, because not being able to stop him is a step back in power for Europe and the West, which has already been accelerated due to Brexit and the nativist policies that have eroded support for things like NATO and the EU.

Prognosticatorily, because if China decides that they're going after Taiwan as Russia went after Ukraine, we're directly dragged into a Pacific war as well.

And culturally, I suspect some of the shock writ large is because Ukraine is familiar to so many in the UK. That's not a good reason (and it's quite possibly a problematic one, at least comparatively), but one of the reasons you're seeing shock is because people regularly travel to Ukraine, because they're on bloody Eurovision (cf Verka Serduchka) and in the Euros, and are culturally familiar across the UK.

Also, again: not a sociopath.

Yabu.
Educate yourself or at the very least don't display your ignorance & colonial privilege

Theres was reports he has cancer and Parkinson's. He's having last hurrah before he dies and it's terrifying.

@veevee04

Theres was reports he has cancer and Parkinson's. He's having last hurrah before he dies and it's terrifying.

Posters keep saying this, but I’ve not seen concrete proof. He’s a megalomaniac, but am not sure we can pin it down to a terminal diagnosis!

I don't disagree that this is awful,I only feel for the Ukrainian people they are the ones who are actually living this hell right now.. but how many other countries have suffered horrendous situations and still do and we do nothing?
Putin is deranged.. didn't Saddam Hussein have nuclear weapons? And why would Putin want to end his own life when he is so power mad wanting to "take back Ukraine' it doesn't equal to him using nuclear weapons

@Thebestwaytoscareatory

It feels like a form of grief tourism to me.

That's exactly what it is and it happens over and over and over again on here.

There's a bout of hysteria, outrage, name calling, and accusations of being a bot or troll that lasts about a month then dwindles to a murmur as the pretense of caring/being outraged fades, followed by a deafening silence as more important matters like what's on netflix or who's a bigger arsehole resume their positions at centre stage. Then a few months later something new will pop up to stir the hysteria again and the cycle repeats.

In the last couple of years or so we've had that exact cycle repeat with the Afghanistan withdrawal, Yemen bombings, Israel/Palestine conflict (that's a regular flarer), BLM movement, and Hong Kong protests (there's probably loads I've missed too).

Exactly this.

So if Putin sent his army to invade your street you wouldn't mind? He needs putting in his place now before he starts on the rest of Europe.

Putin wants to dominate the west. If you're in the UK thinking you can't be touched, you're foolish.

The UK is the exact kind of trophy that motivates a man like Putin.

@Ivyonafence

Putin wants to dominate the west. If you're in the UK thinking you can't be touched, you're foolish.

The UK is the exact kind of trophy that motivates a man like Putin.

Does he? I thought he was hankering after the old days of the USSR.

@WomblingWilma

What I don’t get is how the soldiers are doing what they’re told to do by an utter madman when they must surely have some small consciousness that bombing civilians is not right in this day and age.

It was kind of understandable when people had less knowledge and were more insular without the connections we have to other countries by way of travel, TV and media so brainwashing was effective.

Are they really falling for this protecting Ukrainians from Nazis bullshit? Is Russian culture and education that far behind?

Yeah it's kind of an obey all orders without question thing in that like of work.

I don't think saying 'hey Putin have you really thought this through' from your average soldier on the ground would go down very well....

@PurpleHollyhocks

Those of us who remember the Balkan conflict remember it being awful but having no impact on our day to day lives

That was completely different.

@OkPedro

I don't disagree that this is awful,I only feel for the Ukrainian people they are the ones who are actually living this hell right now.. but how many other countries have suffered horrendous situations and still do and we do nothing? Putin is deranged.. didn't Saddam Hussein have nuclear weapons? And why would Putin want to end his own life when he is so power mad wanting to "take back Ukraine' it doesn't equal to him using nuclear weapons

Saddam did not have nuclear weapons, no.

@Maze76

Well, ‘they’ got rid of Saddam & Ghadafhi.. they can do the same with Putin

Russia is a nuclear superpower.

Having sat through question time last night and listened to the debate I think it's fair to say the situation is on a high level of seriousness. Russia has an estimated 13,000 tanks compared to our 300 and that's without their nuclear collection!

It was kind of understandable when people had less knowledge and were more insular without the connections we have to other countries by way of travel, TV and media so brainwashing was effective.

Are they really falling for this protecting Ukrainians from Nazis bullshit? Is Russian culture and education that far behind?

I wouldn't say it's behind, no, particularly among younger Russians. But my Russian PILs, for example, live in a village outside Moscow and they and all their neighbours watch only state-controlled media (not unusual) and do seem to support the invasion. But they and my (young, living in the West for decades, runs a tech company) DH won't talk on the phone about the issue either, because they're worried about wire tapping. It's complicated. I think the average Brit would be horrified by the blatant propaganda on Russian TV.

@Nancydrawn
Prognosticatorily
Wow, not sure this is actually a word.
(apologies for derail)

Russia has an estimated 13,000 tanks compared to our 300 and that's without their nuclear collection!

Well we wouldn't be fighting them alone.

You can feel whatever you like.

Personally as I've got older I get more troubled by pictures of rockets flying into civilian airports where loads of civilians are standing around.

The crazy intentional destructiveness of it really gets to me.

I mean we've just spent 2 years trying to save people from covid and we battle natural disasters. But to have intentional destruction - what on earth FOR?

@Wtfdoipick

Because this war won't stay in Ukraine and whoever putin turns his sight to next will be a Nato member which does drag us into it.

Just watching the news and this is what they’re saying. He wants the return of Russia of old. And had his sites on eg Poland

It’ll at the very least impact energy prices. £1.70/ litre for petrol! Which I feel sending for even noting given what’s going on.

I also wonder whether he’s played a very long game. Hacking and direct targeting of Facebook profiles that encouraged brexit. Weaken the EU.
I’m not normally a conspiracy theorist.

@Shadowsense

As for the accusations of Russian propaganda and demands for thread deletions, that's just entering the realms of silly.

Why? Wars are not only fought with fire power these days. This is clear following recent historical events. It’s common knowledge that Russia’s influence affected outcomes of US elections and Brexit.

Yes agree with this

I feel more worried this morning seeing the news.

It’s the cyber attacks I’m most concerned about. DH works for a company that makes parts for power stations. Their distributor (massive company responsible for transporting industrial equipment around the world) coincidentally lost all their data in a cyber attack yesterday. All the paperwork gone so nothing can be bought into countries or moved across borders. The timing is suspicious.

@thegreenlight

It’s the cyber attacks I’m most concerned about. DH works for a company that makes parts for power stations. Their distributor (massive company responsible for transporting industrial equipment around the world) coincidentally lost all their data in a cyber attack yesterday. All the paperwork gone so nothing can be bought into countries or moved across borders. The timing is suspicious.

Yes, I think people don't quite realise how many things could be brought down in a cyber attack. Unless you have a system that is airgapped, it could go down.

So we're all thinking about the banking systems, but there's so much else.

And yes, his ambitions include restoring the former USSR (15 states, of which 3 are in NATO) I'm not so sure what he could do about former Warsaw Pact as so many are in NATO and of course rent the same countries any more (Czechia and Slovakia peacefully, all of former Yugoslavia causing a 10 year European war)

Energy prices going up is no small thing. Our Energy supplier has forecasted an 85% increase in our gas bill. That is no small thing before we add further increases due to this conflict into the mix.
Also very sad for the people of the Ukraine and do also worry about the nuclear side of things.

Is it beyond the realms of possibility that Putin could be assassinated?