481–490 of 1001 posts
Putin is following the US business model: Attack on other sovereign countries to sell weapons. Though I doubt he would be as successful as the US.
It is childish to talk about "rights". The West needs to start thinking realpolitik again.
It is childish to focus on Putin. The West needs to get its head out of its arse.
Does anyone have any projections for how this war will go? Is the Ukrainian military powerful? Will this turn into a guerilla war, or will it go the way of total war? Or will it result in total capitulation? And another key question. What will Western governments actually do? What if the war gets really bad? Does the West actually have the balls to put real, biting sanctions on the regime? And will this crash the eco…
Sanctions can have no meaningful effect on Russia. Not selling somebody your tomatoes primarily affects your tomato growers who will go bust, not those buying the tomatoes - particularly if they have plenty of tomatoes internally, can easily produce them or can get them from those lovely tomato growers in China in return for oil and gas. There's rather too much faith in the power of the mighty US dollar. Quite a few…
Does anyone have any projections for how this war will go? Is the Ukrainian military powerful? Will this turn into a guerilla war, or will it go the way of total war? Or will it result in total capitulation? And another key question. What will Western governments actually do? What if the war gets really bad? Does the West actually have the balls to put real, biting sanctions on the regime? And will this crash the eco…
Good questions, hard to answer. A few quick thoughts. I will try to dispassionately focus on the facts of the military situation as I understand them. That's going to be hard to do, but I'll try. I'm sure there are experts who know much more than I do. > Does anyone have any projections for how this war will go? Is the Ukrainian military powerful? There are many projections, though wars are notoriously hard to predic…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm in Ukraine and I'm not considering myself as a proxy. We just want to live in a free country, not under the rule of a despot.
Unfortunately is not your choice, same as was no choice for Korean, Vietnamese or Afghanistan people. These 2 big superpowers like to piss on each other using somebody's else land.
Ukraine could have become an autocratic republic like Belarus or Kazakhstan easily. But people of Ukraine chose not to.
> "To anyone who would consider interfering from the outside: if you do, you will face consequences greater than any of you have faced in history. All relevant decisions have been taken. I hope you hear me."
Putin is a 69 year old dictator who is realizing his life is over. He's decided to go out with a bang. He obviously does not care about his country since this war will only hurt Russia, it's already had multiple consequences that are directly opposed to his stated goals. He wants to play with his army and tanks. "Take all your overgrown infants away somewhere And build them a home, a little place of their own. The Fl…
Putin is at the top of the pyramid but he is not the sole ruler of the Russia. Its not like if he dies Russia will magically become exemplary democracy.
There were and still are people lining up and aiming to take his seat, but as long as Putin appears to be strong and gives his underlings enough he will remain on the throne.
I’m trying to help my programmer friend escape Ukraine. Since smuggling is a hack, I’d like to ask HN for suggestions on how to pull this off. His elderly father is being drafted. I got a DM from a mutual asking me whether there’s anything I could do for them. I have money but no knowledge of the country; they live there but have no money. During WW2, various affluent people helped smuggle Jews out of Germany. I’d li…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Half of Russia supports an invasion. A minority is opposed. Was a poll
That was a poll about protecting Donetsk and Luhansk, I believe.
I’m trying to help my programmer friend escape Ukraine. Since smuggling is a hack, I’d like to ask HN for suggestions on how to pull this off. His elderly father is being drafted. I got a DM from a mutual asking me whether there’s anything I could do for them. I have money but no knowledge of the country; they live there but have no money. During WW2, various affluent people helped smuggle Jews out of Germany. I’d li…
I recommend Transferwise [1](now just Wise) for getting money to someone in Ukraine. They've got low fees and the ability to send money to Privatbank cards. Used them many times, while in Ukraine and while in the US. 1: https://wise.com/
In his 1997 book The Grand Chessboard Zbigniew Brzezinski did say that if Europe went to war again it would start in Ukraine. Some choice quotes: “Ukraine, a new and important space on the Eurasian chessboard, is a geopolitical pivot because its very existence as an independent country helps to transform Russia. Without Ukraine, Russia ceases to be a Eurasian empire.” “However, if Moscow regains control over Ukraine,…
He claims that without any proof. This maybe would have been true in the 19th century given the technologies for war and power at that time.
But we have the 21st century now. Why should the Ukraine be so important? Why could Russia not be an empire without Ukraine? Russia is the biggest country with the most sources of raw materials. It has the most nuclear weapons. It has a huge fleet. It is feared by all of its neighbors.
But that all doesn't matter nowadays. Because if you want to be a world power in 21st century what you need is a huge economy. And Russias GDP is as big as Italy. But invading Ukraine wouldn't help Russia to increase its GDP.
And that is why what Zbigniew Brzezinsk writes is outdated nonsense. Everyone who believes that still lives in the 19th century.