To feel distressed and heartbroken re Ukraine’s increasingly desperate pleas for help?

[UltraLightfly]

You can hear the desperation in their president’s (and former presidents) voices now. They are BEGGING for physical help. Begging for a no-fly zone to be implemented.

I KNOW we can’t do anything as it’ll cause WW3, but tonight, listening to a former presidents and the current presidents desperate pleas is actually quite distressing. Heartbreaking. Those poor people being left to their fate with the Russians

It's a complete nightmare without a doubt

I am two minds over this. On one hand I think we are at war already whether we like it or not because Putin will not stop at Ukraine. He is going to carry on unless he is stopped. On the other hand I hear all these experts saying a no fly zone will make it worse but is this delaying the inevitable and at some point we will be forced to get involved? Or do we wait until he breaches a NATO land? I have no idea…

@TellMeMoreHellebore

to be honest we are just delaying it

ww3 is inevitable. it will happen because it wont stop at ukraine.

herding the whole of ukraine into other countries....feels like he's rounding us all up. also feels like we[ve not yet met the might of the Russian forces. he's sent out kids in antiquated tanks. wheres the bigger, better tanks?

Why do you assume there are better tanks?

@Lockheart Trotting out this shite ? Fuck it eh, let him crack on with what he's doing then. Not our issue is it.

[quote userxx]@Lockheart Trotting out this shite ? Fuck it eh, let him crack on with what he's doing then. Not our issue is it. [/quote]
Are you saying the only two options are "do nothing" or "assassinate Putin"?

It's stupid to think assassinating him would end this.

@LittleBearPad cos the ones used so far are ancient! is that really the best they have got?

@ChardonnaysPetDragon stop what? contributing my opinion to a thread? not a chance, not a chance!

[quote TellMeMoreHellebore]@LittleBearPad cos the ones used so far are ancient! is that really the best they have got?[/quote]
The belief is that Putin wanted Ukraine overwhelmed quickly. If he had better tanks, they'd be in the field by now.

It's stupid to think assassinating him would end this.

Why? Genuinely interested, not trying to provoke

It is horrific. I wish we would do more. Allowing smooth passage to those seeking refuge is the very least we can do. A no fly zone would cause more deaths and suffering ultimately so I don’t think that it’s the answer.

It’s understandable to feel distress and stress and huge amounts of empathy, but we do also need to look after ourselves.

Do what you can, when you can and at other times try and find peace and joy.

I like the post above listing that we can donate money to charities such as the Red Cross, we can write to our MPs to pressure them to take in more refugees, some of us can offer those refugees places to live. We can challenge misinformation. We can show Ukraine solidarity. We can cut down on oil use so that we are less dependent on it and therefore less at Russia’s mercy in that way. We can boycott Russian connected things to help turn the economic screw. We can boycott Shell who quietly bought Russian oil at a discounted price recently. We can vote for change to put legislation in place to stop rich oligarchs misusing our resources and manipulating our legal system. We can operate with kindness and build our communities locally to counteract feelings of difference and hate in the world. We can all be the change we want to see in the world.

Do what you can, when you can, and in the meantime look after your mental health as best you can, take breaks from the news. Once a day is plenty. Less if it’s too distressing. Do what helps your well-being, without guilt but with gratitude.

@TellMeMoreHellebore

to be honest we are just delaying it

ww3 is inevitable. it will happen because it wont stop at ukraine.

herding the whole of ukraine into other countries....feels like he's rounding us all up. also feels like we[ve not yet met the might of the Russian forces. he's sent out kids in antiquated tanks. wheres the bigger, better tanks?

I’m all likelihood they don’t exist. Stop whipping up hysteria, this is exactly how the tiny man would like to be viewed by the west.

@SexyLittleNosferatu

We absolutely cannot have a NFZ. I cannot even begin to explain how catastrophic that would be

I can't believe how many people just don't understand this and don't realise the repercussions that would come.

I agree with this although it is an awful situation

@halfpasteleven

It's stupid to think assassinating him would end this.

Why? Genuinely interested, not trying to provoke

Because a country (e.g. the UK or the US, any country powerful enough to pull it off, choose as you will) assassating another country's head of state is an appalling act of war. Is that not obvious? Russia isn't stupid. If a country sends in assassins, they will know about it.

Do you think they will go quietly? Or do you think they will escalate?

If a nuclear war does break out, pray to be 1 of the 'lucky' ones who are in the blast zone as a world after a nuclear war is the thing nightmares are made of. This war isnt going to stop any time soon and it could be weeks, months or years :( our only hope is an uprising from russian civilians, theyve done it before so we keep fingers crossed they do it again. But the absolute shit they are being told is unbelievable, ive been told off a source who has family there that ukraine is invading russia and the west are being told a pack of lies, how long they'll believe that is anyones guess but the youth arent easily swayed when they have become dependent on social media and the finer things that they get from the west, theyve now been cut off, we depend on them to say enough

[quote TellMeMoreHellebore]@LittleBearPad cos the ones used so far are ancient! is that really the best they have got?[/quote]
Quite possibly yes. They were meant to be done and dusted in three days. Ukraine collapsing and back to being part of Russia (or at least a satellite). It makes no sense to send shit tanks to do this and keep better ones at home. This may be the cream of the Red Army…

@TellMeMoreHellebore pack it in. The OP started this thread because she is anxious and you come out with that gem about the inevitability of it all. Just stop.

Exactly.

@MissAmbrosia

These things have gone on for years and years and years - Syria, Iraq, the Balkans, Yemen, Palestine etc etc. We did some of it ourselves or sold the weapons being used. It is dreadful, of course it is, but it's hard to understand now why it is only now that anyone cares (that doesn't have a racist interpretation) There are millions of refugees displaced from their homes due to war in the last 10 years alone.

Surely it's obvious. This is much closer to home so more difficult to bury your head in the sand. There is also the fact he has used the threat of Nuclear action that makes the whole thing more terrifying and in the forefront of people minds.

@Strawberryjellyicecream

Because a country (e.g. the UK or the US, any country powerful enough to pull it off, choose as you will) assassating another country's head of state is an appalling act of war. Is that not obvious?

Well, not when Putin attempts to assassinate Zelenskyy apparently…

Only if you're Putin!

@Fernsinthegarden we are a military family, this is a general view from friends and many many discussions

mumsnet doesn't need any help from me to 'whip up a frenzy' its second nature here

@Pyewhacket

I think we should start looking at imposing a no-fly zone.

If we do this the whole of Europe will be at war, and the people fleeing will have nowhere to flee to. There will be no place of safety.

Things are always happening under the radar, OP, and we all have to hope that the combined effort of the NATO countries is enough, and that they are on their best game. There has almost certainly been military exercises over the years that mimics this situation. They can't release too much information to the media.

Why are people saying we are standing by and doing nothing? The economic sanctions are incredibly harsh, the Russian economy has tanked, their money is basically worthless.

How long can he keep on funding this invasion with massive problems at home?