To comment that anyone wanting to find more about Zelensky - offshore dealings

[SandyStrawToad]

I'm not a bot.

Was just trying to find out a bit more about the situation, build-up of current events beyond the surface information.

Found a lot of information from late last year (leaked Pandora Papers) - of course like all news it's

but he isn't some naïve young actor with a cute architect wife who accidentally fell into politics whilst playing Paddington?

www.theguardian.com/news/2021/oct/03/revealed-anti-oligarch-ukrainian-president-offshore-connections-volodymyr-zelenskiy

www.occrp.org/en/the-pandora-papers/pandora-papers-reveal-offshore-holdings-of-ukrainian-president-and-his-inner-circle

globalhappenings.com/opinion/15391.html

eutoday.net/news/politics/2021/ukraine-82.3-consider-zelenskys-involvement-in-offshore-activities-unacceptable-poll-shows

Got my flameproof suit on but I just think in terms of information (especially as some Mumsnetters are probably using this forum as a primary source of information) it's useful to try to have a complete picture if you're thinking about how to engage with a situation that you're learning about.

Everyone comes into a situation from a different angle - I'm personally fairly uneasy with backing policies that put myself and people on the breadline at risk, by a multi-millionaire with substantial assets abroad with links to a billionaire who is already sanctioned by the EU and the US (awaits flaming).

(am I the only one who is hunting down a source of "unbiased news" regularly?)

I'm sure the regular media is aware of this and when it suits the narrative/story arc they'll bring it up again.

Right, Ukraine has problems with corruption still. No secret.

However, sovereign nation and bombing it isn’t a proportionate response to this.

As Jesus hasn’t actually used his second coming to run for election in Ukraine they have gone with the best option they have instead. He’s actually doing a pretty good job.

If he survives, pulls this mess together and but then retires on the gifts of fat cats- good luck to him.

Blimey MN has been hacked by the Kremlin 🤣

I'm sure the OP will expand shortly into the "Jewish man is actually a neo Nazi" theme.

Yawn

@BruceAndNosh

MNHQ can't ban me for telling a bot to fuck right off, can they?

How about some manners ? And can you prove without a doubt that the person is a bot ?

Did you know
Liam Stack @liamstack
Since Feb. 24, 2 million people have fled Ukraine, 1 million of them children, according to the UN.

“We have not seen a refugee crisis of this speed and scale since World War II,” said a UNICEF spokesman. “And this is a children crisis.”

I really couldn't give a fuck about Zelensky's banking arrangements. I do give a fuck about 1 million child refugees and our government who is trotting out crap about needing visas to protect us against Russian Hit Men.

ODFOD.

HTH

Biden has repeatedly said no no-fly zones. I am entirely against no-fly zones but I'm coming to think that some posters on here would secretly enjoy it if NATO lost it and brought one in just so they could be proved right and blame the west for everything before we all explode.
And if he was going to escape to a villa do you not think he might have done so by now?!

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a comedian who had no experience of politics when elected, has emerged as a convincing war leader."

For example, that's the exact line from the front page of the BBC which ties in with all the recent news I've read (along with a video clip of him looking handsome, which I agree with!).

He was/is an actor/comedian, but also a very well connected and rich stakeholder in media and production companies who comes across as a very ambitious smooth type (many of his close colleagues have followed him into the government).

Again, I'm not sure the Times of Israel, the Guardian and the BBC and the Pandora Papers are "conspiracy theorist" territory?

Spin seems to be his "thing"?

People can make their own minds up.

I'm not going to cry over people on a forum expressing strong opinions, that's the Internet. You don't like what I've posted, then fair enough?

I haven’t seen (please correct me if I’m wrong ) prior to this Russia hadn’t been bombed or Russian people shot at? Europe seemed quite happy to buy gas and have dealings with Russia.

I don’t know much about the Ukraine president so I have to put that to one side - but he with many ukraines are trying to fight for their country so my support is with Ukraines - they are the ones being bomded. I also have sympathy for Russians and families of those soldiers who for a pointless war have lost their husbands, sons and fathers and may never know what really happened while Putin is in power.

What he may have been or done before - right now he is a person who keeping a country spirit - even though (sadly) the odds are really against him. He hasn’t ran away.

2 choices. I've got to trust one or the other as both hold our future in their hands. Shall I trust dodgy psycho Putin, kleptocrat currently murdering his way across Ukraine or shall I trust Zelensky who may have had his hand in the till but at least has the courage to face what's coming without running away. It's the least worse option so I'm choosing Zelensky.

So fucking irrelevant. It makes no difference to how one takes the emotive appeals. Because they are NOT ABOUT ZELENSKYY, they're about Ukraine.

If anything what you say makes his current profile more credible. So he's got some dodgy bank dealings going on, is rich as fuck and could be on his Italian island? Well but he isn't is he? He's in the streets of Kyiv and on the phone to any world leader who will take the call, working his arse off day and night for the people who elected him. Because he cares.

Hello OP (Mr Putin), would you please stop all the war and we will all listen to everything you have to say ! Fair deal ?

I am however starting to think this could have been avoided... and that the west is maybe hypocritical... but I'm not an expert and merely trying to listen to those who are.

What do these experts say about Russia shooting down a civilian airliner and lying about it? Or about poisoning people on UK soil and lying about it? How about the poisoning of the Russian leader of the Opposition?

Perhaps those things are also the fault of the victim?

@SandyStrawToad

Why would a Russian bot care about a website dedicated to random chat about parking places and debates about school places?

It just annoys me the same way that it annoys me when rich Tory PM's suggest we show solidarity and make sacrifices?

I've noticed public discourse easily becomes an echo chamber and it seems a bit like anyone who doesn't subscribe to dominant narratives (eg anyone mentioning racism at the Ukraine border) is shouted down .

But I know people do read these forums more than post so I was just putting up some links so people can read the info, as I haven't seen it anywhere else.

Precisely this and the Guardian never goes after wholesome politicians.

He is however a bloody brave man who clearly adores his country and people and is astonishingly tenacious.

They are all self interested bastards though in the day-to-day scheme of things.

I actually don't think religion is significant here, so not sure why it keeps being mentioned.

I haven't brought it up?

My feeling is very rich people (whatever creed or colour) do tend to operate in their own world with their own dealings which promote their own interests and those of their children.

Considerable sacrifices are being requested from other nations (and especially from his own countrymen) from someone I know very little about (and admit so).

I've posted some "factual" links which I thought might provide more information?

Someone can click on them and think "source is a nutjob"? But I'm not sure insults really help.

Top tip OP: When it comes to the essay questions on your GCSEs, only use question marks at the end of questions.

HTH

Can't link as on phone... So he was an actor/comedian...

Have you noticed who we have in power here? Can't act, not funny.

Labour or Tory, Brexit or not? You're having a laugh if you think all other politicians are pure and skint.

You should go for PM, you are so funny.

"Spin seems to be his "thing"?

People can make their own minds up."

Ok, so what's he "spinning"?

But what's the point of your post though? All of your links are pretty mainstream BBC/guardian links that most of us have probably read at some point of the other, it's not like it's some groundbreaking investigative journalism that's been hidden from the public.

What's it got to do with what is happening right now in Ukraine? Because I just don't understand your agenda

Considerable sacrifices are being requested from other nations (and especially from his own countrymen) from someone I know very little about (and admit so).

Do you think that people are merely taking on trust what he is saying about his country being invaded and civilians being killed?

Or do you think that there is other evidence available to back this up?

@SandyStrawToad If you mean references to antisemitism then you must know that's not about the theology of Judaism but the hatred of Jews as an ethnoreligious group. It's very common on the conspiratorial right wing to believe that Zelensky is a Soros puppet, bankrolled by Israel, that Ukraine has succumbed to globalism because of the Jews etc etc... Plus a lot of conspiracy theories that may not immediately seem linked to antisemitism have that at their core - c.f. the New World Order stuff.

@SandyStrawToad

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a comedian who had no experience of politics when elected, has emerged as a convincing war leader."

For example, that's the exact line from the front page of the BBC which ties in with all the recent news I've read (along with a video clip of him looking handsome, which I agree with!).

He was/is an actor/comedian, but also a very well connected and rich stakeholder in media and production companies who comes across as a very ambitious smooth type (many of his close colleagues have followed him into the government).

Again, I'm not sure the Times of Israel, the Guardian and the BBC and the Pandora Papers are "conspiracy theorist" territory?

Spin seems to be his "thing"?

People can make their own minds up.

I'm not going to cry over people on a forum expressing strong opinions, that's the Internet. You don't like what I've posted, then fair enough?

Fiddling while Rome is burning springs to mind. You seem to be misplacing your energy. Disturbingly so. Your points are not relevant.Nobody really cares. He’s not perfect. Ambitious.. ok. Smooth.. ok. Russia have invaded a sovereign nation. People are suffering and dying.

Well from where I’m sitting he looks bloody brave and inspirational which makes a fucking change.

I'm not trying to explain the whole conflict and I doubt anyone will be able to unpick it for a good few years to come (maybe some Oxbridge history professors in fifty years time if we're not in a nuclear wasteland).

The coverage of the conflict has been very, very loaded in many ways.

Those same "reputable" sources (again, if someone wants to speak about the bias of the Times of Israel, the BBC, and the Guardian I'm sure that's useful info too!) were presenting a very different image late last year - the Ukrainian population not trusting Zelensky in the opinion polls, popularity dropping.

Yes, I know by the time this message is posted I'll have another 10 personal insults!

I just don't like feeling manipulated or seeing others manipulated.

Do you think the 2 million odd people fleeing Ukraine are being manipulated by Zelensky into thinking they're being invaded?