[m8002?]

Originally Posted by Fuldagap

Absolutely spot on. Power hungry individuals become even more powerful in times of crises.

Many a time, these guys create the crisis so that they can usurp more power. Nothing works like telling your people "they" are out to get you and this autocrat is the only person who can save you from "them".

Its good to see that there are protests in Russia against this.

[deetee]

Originally Posted by Theyota

But I cannot think of one country that has taken the Russian side or considered itself non-aligned making progress in a similar way. There are only examples of disasters.

That is because US and its allies flexed their muscles and choked these rebel countries with sanctions and what not. What has Iran done that US has not done, to attract sanctions? US is involved in more wars directly than Russia has been since WW2. More lives, infrastructure and human societies have suffered at hands of US war machine than Russia. Not that Russia is a saint, but US is worse.

When the Britishers were ruling India for 200 years, their policies, education system, parliamentary system, military system every thing was so progressive ( even today we still cannot shake off those colonial traits). Lots of Indians sided with the ruling British Raj and got many benefits. They had better living standards than the Indians fighting against British Raj. There were many atrocities committed by the British Raj on opposing Indians to make their lives even worse. All the while, those Indains who basked under British Raj had a comfortable life. What eventually happened is history that we all can refer to.

[C300]

Originally Posted by Amrik Singh

Rightly said - In War, first casualty is the Truth. You cannot trust any information coming through.
.

Very true. With so many versions floating around, heres another take on the ongoing situation.

https://youtu.be/1vdiEABLFoo

[deetee]

Originally Posted by comfortablynumb

This is exactly what the author of the following post has described:

https://www.quora.com/Is-Putin-doing...et_type=answer

Thanks for sharing that. If after all this mess, Putin doesn't compromise ( to save his face) but presses on for victory over Kiev at a heavy price, we have to suspect he has that larger plan in his mind.

Because, if he stops now, with all the sanctions and worldwide opposition he cannot do anything else but to wait till he dies of old age.
The only way he can hold his influence over Russia, its subordinate states and the West at large is, if he can pull off this Ukraine stunt. And then, what is going to unravel is the scary part.
Deep inside, I wish something happens to Putin that he steps down and a better president takes over Russia to let the world go to sleep peacefully again (didn't the West invent any remote telepathy thing to control human minds )

[ABHI_1512]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

By using the N-word Putin may, just may have over played his hand here. Nothing like the N-word to cause India and China to dilute their soft support for him. Nothing like the N-word to galvanize the Americans in full measure on sanctions, carriers, and what have you.

By talking about nukes - here he is indirectly referring to tactical nukes* - Putin may have inadvertently revealed that the conventional war on the ground isn't going as planned. Till this point it seemed to the arm chair general in me that Putin would get in quickly, teach Ukraine a lesson, install a puppet and move out quickly to retain some high ground. But you can decide when and how to start a war but you often do not control when and how it will end. Putin, to my mind, is losing the grip of directing where this war goes and might find himself stuck inside Ukraine with withdrawal a humiliation and staying put being a war of attrition - because that's what the Americans want to make it - a war of attrition that bleeds the Russians. The best way out is a very quick peace discussion while Putin still has face.

Aptly said Narayan Sir, This Russian misadventure has now turned on its head actually. With Ruble falling to its worst, economy crashing and sanctions looming large, Putin may well have pushed Russia back by a generation may be.

Trade and exports as of now, seems to be dead and buried with since banks are kicked out of SWIFT payment system. Many countries have closed their Airspace for the Russian airlines. It’s only the foreign currency reserves that will come to the aid but if further sanctions are applied, then even that aid will be difficult !!

Russia is losing much more than Ukraine in this invasion and that’s not limited to only military losses. This invasion is and will prove costly for Russia in the years to come. This invasion will serve as a future reminder to countries about the cost of such misadventures. As I type this, there are reports of talks being held between Russia and Ukraine. Well, seems like a face saver for Putin is underway !!

P.S- Sharing a video from last nights football match from Benfica, Portugal. The world doesn’t need a war right now, only if some head strong leaders understood that !!

https://youtu.be/RwmXWT5xBzs

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Theyota

American capitalism

Hang on! America may be one of its most ruthless exponents, but they didn't invent it. "Their" capitalism came from Europe. They (USA) themselves were once part of British capitalism! You'll be telling me next that English is an American language that other countries adopted

(Actually, these days, it is)

[One]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

You'll be telling me next that English is an American language that other countries adopted

(Actually, these days, it is)

Touche to the last line considering the Indians have stopped playing football and prefer playing soccer instead.

[TROOPER]

Originally Posted by deetee

Thanks for sharing that. If after all this mess, Putin doesn't compromise ( to save his face) but presses on for victory over Kiev at a heavy price, we have to suspect he has that larger plan in his mind.

Either Putin is incredibly stupid or we are naive to think that the talks are for saving face, and that Ukraine is fighting back and what not.

This is not some random middle eastern dictator we're talking about.

Sanctions, economic difficulties, Ukraine fighting back a bit, whatever is happening, most of it must have been foreseen by Putin and his advisors. There's definitely something bigger/long term in play here.

Originally Posted by comfortablynumb

This is exactly what the author of the following post has described:

https://www.quora.com/Is-Putin-doing...et_type=answer

The author hasn't lied about Putin considering the fall of the Soviet Union a tragedy bigger than WW2. I read about it in multiple places. If that's what is in Putin's mind, and not just NATO, then things don't look great.

[SnS_12]

Originally Posted by TROOPER

Sanctions, economic difficulties, Ukraine fighting back a bit, whatever is happening, most of it must have been foreseen by Putin and his advisors. There's definitely something bigger/long term in play here.

Global economics are under financial stress and all countries against Russia with regards to Ukraine issue can’t come to an agreement easily as there are repercussions for them too.

The SWIFT systems handles majority currency which is US$ and this gives USA the muscle to do things their way. When Iran was cut off from SWIFT the European Union was not in for it but still USA went ahead with it.

Coming to Russia, both Germany and France are not in for it at the moment as Russia is among the top 5 trading partners of EU and plus the OIL and Natural Gas which is huge import from Russia too. Now everyone outside Ukraine and Russia are screaming sanctions but are they willing to loose too in this process? Will the citizens of Germany and France be happy if the sanctions on Russia increase their already high energy costs and further increase inflation? Further, Russia is a majority commodity producer too. So Russia suffers so does the rest of the world.

This is what will break the West and US will have to tread carefully as it can’t push its agenda ahead at the expense of its allies. Or else countries will seriously consider an alternate payment system which is not dominated by US$.

As bhpian V.Narayan said that the US$ and not its over whelming military might is America's greatest strength...

[Ankur@VNS]

World is way more complex than it appears to be.

After collapse of USSR, global peace & order was dictated under US hegemony. (Iraq, Afganistan, Libiya, Syria, Iran).

Therefore, strengthening NATO may be a kind of military imperialism of US. But the hard realities is, that Russia can not be substituted as critical energy (Gas) provider to EU and for the rest of the world.

However, despite of the deterring economic sanctions and wide scale diplomatic isolation of Russia is underway, but still, as permanent member of Security Council, it continues to give enough headache to NATO allies (US/UK/ France).

My only apprehension is,

1. That after various economic & trade sanctions imposed on the Russia, India is going to suffer because many critical defence deal is still under execution (nuclear submarines, frigates & S400 missile defence system)

2. Putin is supposed to be new villain of year 2022 in the eyes of western media outlets, replacing Chinese President Xi Jinping, who in my opinion, is more dangerous, than putin. (Obviously in Indian perspective)

PS: After reading V. Narayan Sir's deep insight, I must admit, that I am still on learning trajectory and does not claim any expertise on geopolitics.

[@og_adi]

President Zelenskyy signs application for Ukraine to join European Union-
https://twitter.com/ua_parliament/st...e9feT0J7A&s=19

[thanixravindran]

I read in a LinkedIn post from one of the international banking background person that this SWIFT exclusion though it makes things messy, it is not the end of road.

It seems this SWIFT is sort of a front end messaging system for Cross country Inter bank money transfer equivalent to our domestic money transfer with account number and IFSC code of banks (a crude analogy). Payment settlement is done in the Backend with some system called CHIPS (again equivalent to RBI) and the money is generally in accounts called Nostro and Vostro accounts. Settlement happens in these accounts seamlessly using SWIFT messages and CHIPS clearing system.

It was alluded that if NEFT/RTGS is not working, we can go back to Cheque system or through a third party. Similarly here once the designated banks of Russia is excluded from SWIFT, they may be re-routing this through some other banks in China.

I read in a WaPo article that Russia has created an alternative system based on SWIFT protocol but China is ahead and they will use this opportunity to actively push their system.

Can someone who is knowledgeable on these international financial world confirm this or provide clarity?

On the topic of trade, I guess Russian exports are mainly Oil/Natural Gas followed by Agriculture. Till now, I have not seen any trade blockade from EU that they won't import any more Russian Gas/Natural Gas that will give the real 'chills' to their public. On the contrary, it seems China has lifted restrictions on Russian Wheat import just at the start of the invasion to ease the pressure.

[yosbert]

A perspective on the Ukraine crisis from someone who is hopefully better qualified than me to speak on foreign policy. The opinions of the author are his own, but it does show that the situation is not as black and white as western media would like to paint it to be.
https://www.rediff.com/news/column/m...d/20220227.htm

Quoting some excerpts.

Russia is not at war with Ukraine, but is locked in an existential struggle to avoid the fate of Yugoslavia. Period. The spectre that is haunting Putin is NATO membership for Ukraine, which the Americans have been orchestrating.
Following the CIA-sponsored coup in Ukraine in 2014, an anti-Russian power calculus emerged in Ukraine. The US's point man for Ukraine in the Obama administration was none other than Biden himself. He made countless trips to Kyiv during 2014-2016 to fine tune that transition.
There is a scandal still brewing in US politics that Biden used his influence to secure some highly lucrative business in Ukraine for his son. At any rate, there is also personal element here for Biden -- one may say, he is a 'stakeholder' of sorts.

The core issue today is not 'Russian invasion'. Putin has spelt out unambiguously that Russia does not intend to occupy Ukraine and that its objective is two-fold: 'Demilitarisation' and 'denazification' of Ukraine
The first one means dismantling the military infrastructure that NATO and has installed on Ukrainian soil right on Russia's doorstep. Ukraine's defence apparatus, including its command centres, are already hooked to the NATO system.
Putin has repeatedly warned that if the US instals missiles in Ukraine, Moscow would be within 5 minutes's striking distance. It is 'like a knife at our throat', he said on Thursday.
As for 'denazification', the US and European intelligence agencies are using hardcore nationalist forces in Ukraine with Neo-Nazi leanings whose parentage goes back to the Second World War when their forefathers acted as collaborators of Hitler during the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union.

[thenewsymbol]

Originally Posted by WorkingGuru

With reference to students being beaten up :

There are a few videos where students went across the country by car and were not frisked at army checkposts, simply because their car had an Indian flag.

Finding faults on victims? Wow.
How are you supposed to find Indian flag in a foreign country in the Middle of a war zone ? If some students are not carrying Indian flag the Ukraine forces have the right to pull their hair and beat them ?
What kind of sick justification is this ?

[joe1980]

Came across this very interesting view from the army men themselves. Take a look:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNHUDDqTgdI