Ukraine invasion by Russia Discussion and it's impact on Singapore and Asia? (compiled)

[singalion]

The starting point of Putin's speech is interesting.

 

Ukraine is not a member of the NATO and any extension of the NATO to Ukraine was not imminent.

How then, can this justify a war against the Ukraine, if Russia's concern are Russian people in Donbass and Luhansk region in the Ukraine?

 

And would this justify occupying independent countries???

 

The Ukraine having a democratic elected President, is a threat also to Russia?

 

His claim:

“Despite all of this, in December 2021 we once again made an attempt to agree with the United States and its allies on the principles of ensuring security in Europe and on the non-expansion of NATO. Everything was in vain. The US position did not change. They did not consider it necessary to negotiate with Russia on this important issue for us, continuing to pursue their own goals and disregarding our interests.”

 

Sure, but negotiations are negotiations and with a Military organisation consisting of 30 member states, you don't achieve any result in 2 months. Such time frame is unreasonable.

In fact, it was Russia that refused to sit down and enter any negotiations. These talks were offered. Insisting on your own demands without moving any quota is not negotiating. Negotiation is something different than imposing your own goals onto another.

The political leaders of the West all proposed to sit down and talk.

 

All what you see in Putin's speech are personal disappointments but surely not a reason to invade and attack an independent country, in particular when any real threat to Russia was not imminent or even life threatening. These are grudges or an delusional Russian president.

 

And the Russian people in Donbass and Luhansk encapsulated themselves on their own in these parts while fighting against the national rules and authorities of the Ukraine.

Aren't they not to complain on them that they never made an effort to negotiation or talk to the Ukrainian part and only sent bombs and rockets into Ukraine?

 

 

And that promise thing.

When even the Russian politicians (Gorbachev, Shevardnadze,  Bessmertnykh, Pankin)  of that time who negotiated with the US and West don't remember any such promise and deny that any such promise being made...

then you must present evidence, where is it?

 

There is even a protocol from the military leader of these years who confirmed the same that there was no such promise.

 

What was agreed during the German unification, was that Germany will not move any nuclear arms into the Eastern German part.

 

It was very improbable also because the discussions in 1990 to 1991 referred to the unification of Germany and never had in mind the Eastern European countries.

During this time, the Soviet Union had not yet collapsed. Why should have the leaders of the Soviet Union discuss on the non-expansion of the NATO to the east, when it was never any issue???

 

If it had been a promise, then Gorbachev surely had taken it down in Russian notes and made it public.

 

It was Gorbachev himself who repatedly opposed that ever any such promise had been made.

 

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about NATO enlargement.

This claim has been debunked numerous times. NATO did not promise not to expand into eastern and central Europe back in 1990, which was confirmed by the former president of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev. Back in 2014, Gorbachev said “The topic of ‘NATO expansion was not discussed at all, and it wasn’t brought up in those years. I say this with full responsibility”.

 

Why would the then leader of the Soviet Union, who negotiated the unification of Germany make such statements that result in damage to his own country.

 

Here is a good article on the issue, considering the released official documents from all the involved parties:

 

https://www.csis.org/analysis/twq-myth-no-nato-enlargement-pledge-russia-spring-2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[singalion]

Truly no invasion...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Steve5380]

On 2/25/2022 at 10:06 AM, singalion said:

The starting point of Putin's speech is interesting.

 

Ukraine is not a member of the NATO and any extension of the NATO to Ukraine was not imminent.

How then, can this justify a war against the Ukraine, if Russia's concern are Russian people in Donbass and Luhansk region in the Ukraine?

 

And would this justify occupying independent countries???

 

The Ukraine having a democratic elected President, is a threat also to Russia?

 

 

 

Putin is not attempting to be truthful.  He is strongly applying the tactic of political lies.

 

In this regard, it should not be a surprise that the former US president finds Putin "a genius".

[singalion]

On 2/26/2022 at 12:24 AM, Steve5380 said:

 

Putin is not attempting to be truthful.  He is strongly applying the tactic of political lies.

 

In this regard, it should not be a surprise that the former US president finds Putin "a genius".

 

What is the relevance of Trump to Putin and the Ukraine issue?

 

[Steve5380]

On 2/25/2022 at 10:27 AM, singalion said:

 

What is the relevance of Trump to Putin and the Ukraine issue?

 

 

It is VERY relevant.

[Guest Kim soo yang]

Make peace not make war.

 

Make love not make war.

 

Imagine. 

 

 

 

This song by the late John Lennon is for world peace. 

 

We need this song to be Russian  translated and broadcasted to Putin and Russian troops.

 

So touching and meaningful. 

[Steve5380]

On 2/25/2022 at 2:21 AM, Nightingale said:

 

IR101 final exam question:

If Country X sends soldiers & tanks into Country Y without an invitation, what is that called?

 

Tweeter Web App

WG Hughes:

That is a very easy question.  Depending on the country.  If it is Russia, then it is definitely an invasion e.g. Georgia, Ukraine.  If it is USA, it is a liberation e.g. Iraq, Syria, Libya, Panama, Cuba, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia.

 

Very clever.  

 

When people are held hostage at gunpoint, and a police SWAT team arrives to free them without having been invited by the hostage takers, this is likewise a liberation.

[Steve5380]

Trump seems to be an important element in Putin's plans. 

 

Putin's Russia seem to have had much interest in interfering in the 2016 US presidential election.  The win of Trump had a strong effect in damaging America.  He divided the country promoting his fellow criminal homegrown militias and supremacists plus so many naive citizens who did not understand the mistake they were making by voting for him.

 

And here the Ukraine invasion could bring another positive effect.  With Trump going off the rails with his admiration for Putin,  calling him a 'genius',  praising the predictable miserable deceptions of the Russian as "smart, intelligent", Trump describes exactly how he would, would have acted in Putin's shoes.  He tried to make America a totalitarian state under his control,  but failed.   Now even lifelong republicans are reacting to Trump with disgust, making it questionable that they would ever vote for Trump if he were a candidate.   So, Putin's actions could finally eliminate any evil desires for his return.

 

Then, all what should be left is to find the way to put Trump behind bars.  IF the US military would not be so cautious, they should have found plenty of cause to court martial Trump.  He was a member of the military a little more than a year ago,  and he has committed many crimes against America akin to treason.

[Steve5380]

On 2/25/2022 at 12:35 PM, Guest Kim soo yang said:

Make peace not make war.

 

Make love not make war.

 

Imagine. 

 

 

 

This song by the late John Lennon is for world peace. 

 

We need this song to be Russian  translated and broadcasted to Putin and Russian troops.

 

So touching and meaningful. 

 

Thank you.  This song by Lennon always brings tears to my eyes. 

And surely he is NOT the only dreamer!

[Steve5380]

On 2/25/2022 at 10:38 AM, Guest Respect ! said:

 

Wow, this could not have been said better ! US government and its allies together with the western media are the gold standard of fake news and war propaganda. Their track record of fanning flames of wars in those countries  invaded by US mentioned in the quote above are unrivaled.

 

When they mocked at Chinese media or the wumaos, they are are really mocking at their amateur level of propaganda, understandably, cos the western media like CNN, Fox News, BBC, Reuters, etc are the professional liars who report biased and misleading news without missing a beat.

 

Of course, none can rival our "World Leader", the USA government.  Below is a clip from the former  US President George Bush who made a joke at a White House dinner that he couldn't find weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in the white house, this relating to US government's narrative of accusing Iraq of possessing WMD on the pretext of invading the country but after killing many thousands of innocent civilians, bombing their homes and exploited the country's resources, they could not find WMD in Iraq.

 

Notice all the US government officials and their guests gave a standing ovation to Bush's speech. This is another level. RESPECT ! No one or no other country can do like it like the USA ! Truly they are the undisputed masters of war and fake news propaganda! 
 

 

 

 

The US and western media are the gold standard for fake news and war propaganda?

 

It seems that the gold standard for fake news and war propaganda is the source from where you get your political ideas.

 

I could not be more surprised reading the many anti-American,  anti-west posts I read here. Is this all over Asia, or only in Singapore?   Are you allied with Russia and China, or with America and NATO?

 

If you are allied with Russia, then you must be thrilled with Putin like Donald Trump is.  The more Russian bombs fall on Ukraine, the more happy you may feel.

[Steve5380]

On 2/25/2022 at 6:54 PM, Guest NATO beast said:

I am an allied to country who wanted to protect their own backyard.  China and Russia didn't want American's army to be camped along  the borders just because NATO allows it to happen.  If North Korea fell into the hand of NATO,  America will station the army along the border of China, same applies to Ukraine.   Didn't Ukraine know it is a ploy by NATO trying to get Ukraine to become its member, purely for military reason instead of economical reason? 

 

If Russia knew this would happen, it would not have allowed Ukraine to be separated and became independent under certain agreed treaty, which now NATO trying to breach. 

 

With regard to Taiwan, it was an island belongs to China but used by rebellious tribes less than a century ago.  There was no international treaty claiming Taiwan is country, independent from China, but America's behaviour and NATO attempting to rob Taiwan into its membership speaks otherwise..  If war starts, do you blame China or NATO?  Same concept applies to Ukraine situation now, everyone is blaming Russia for the war and deliberately overlook their close relationship in history.

 

At your age, you should know history better than anyone here. 

 

At my age I know history better than some here, and especially I understand it better.

 

Countries can pacifically split, merge, coexist as neighbors. 

 

A few decades ago, Czechoslovakia split into Czech Republic and Slovakia.  East Pakistan split into Bangladesh.

 

In South America, many countries with the same ethnicity coexist pacifically.

 

In the Baltics,  Estonia and Latvia are countries that border with Russia,  and they are members of NATO, together with Lithuania.  They have not threatened Russia in any way or form. 

 

Ukraine has not been any threat to Russia.  Their problem started with pro-Russia Ukrainians who started to make trouble.  Russia could have ignored them, or could have invited them to live in Russia.  There is absolutely no justification for what Russia is doing to Ukraine these days.

 

There is no reason why Taiwan should be part of mainland China.  It is a completely separate island.  They were reasons why in last century they separated completely from the PRC.  They are not a thread to the PRC, and they have all the right to live peacefully the way they want to live.  The population of Taiwan DOES NOT want to be part of the PRC, period!

 

What would you say about a right Malaysia has  to attack Singapore alleging some irregularity in the way it split from the mainland?  You should have all reasons to empathize with Taiwan! 

[Guest Yeah]

On 2/26/2022 at 4:00 AM, Steve5380 said:

 

Very clever.  

 

When people are held hostage at gunpoint, and a police SWAT team arrives to free them without having been invited by the hostage takers, this is likewise a liberation.

 

Very  clever. 👏

 

Isn't your beloved host country America famous for police brutality? Isn't your beloved Democrat Party the one  who campaigned to defund the police ? If the racist, violent loving US police can treat their own citizens badly,  it's hardly surprising that World Policeman USA would do horrible crimes to those countries it want to police and force them accept America values. What a despicable nation !!

 

 

[Steve5380]

On 2/25/2022 at 7:40 PM, Guest Yeah said:

 

Very  clever. 👏

 

Isn't your beloved host country America famous for police brutality? Isn't your beloved Democrat Party the one  who campaigned to defund the police ? If the racist, violent loving US police can treat their own citizens badly,  it's hardly surprising that World Policeman USA would do horrible crimes to those countries it want to police and force them accept America values. What a despicable nation !!

 

 

The American police?  Unfortunately there are many bad apples among the police force, money or not money.  There is a lot of mistreatment of minorities.  This is the result of racist white supremacists , the kind of people who like Trump.   But this is changing,  and members of the police are increasingly held accountable for their actions.  A very positive example was recently given by the conviction to life in prison for the policeman who killed the big Black good guy, George Floyd,  and by the conviction of the other three policemen who didn't intervene in his killing for violating his human rights.    Tell me which other country convict so harshly four policemen for the unintentional killing of a minority man. 

 

How despicable is to find America committing "horrible crimes"!  The US armed forces have shown a lot of compassion for the people in the nations they liberated,  even to some excess,  like all the money spent in trying to improve their lives in Afghanistan and other countries.

 

And one interesting detail:

 

When America defeated Germany and Japan...  they didn't made them COLONIES.  Instead they gave them financial help to reconstruct themselves.

[Guest Putinsova]

On 2/26/2022 at 8:54 AM, Guest NATO beast said:

I am an allied to country who wanted to protect their own backyard.  China and Russia didn't want American's army to be camped along  the borders just because NATO allows it to happen.  If North Korea fell into the hand of NATO,  America will station the army along the border of China, same applies to Ukraine.   Didn't Ukraine know it is a ploy by NATO trying to get Ukraine to become its member, purely for military reason instead of economical reason? 

 

If Russia knew this would happen, it would not have allowed Ukraine to be separated and became independent under certain agreed treaty, which now NATO trying to breach. 

 

With regard to Taiwan, it was an island belongs to China but used by rebellious tribes less than a century ago.  There was no international treaty claiming Taiwan is country, independent from China, but America's behaviour and NATO attempting to rob Taiwan into its membership speaks otherwise..  If war starts, do you blame China or NATO?  Same concept applies to Ukraine situation now, everyone is blaming Russia for the war and deliberately overlook their close relationship in history.

 

At your age, you should know history better than anyone here. 

How is Russia invasion of Ukraine justified and not an act of unprovoked aggression? 

[Guest Guest]

On 2/25/2022 at 4:21 PM, InBangkok said:

It's interesting to speculate - how emboldened was Putin as a result of Trump letting him get away with so much, Trump's absurd criticising of his own Security Departments and instead praising Putin at their summit in Helsinki, and generally calling him a great leader at every possibility. How much preparation for the invasion took place towards the end of the Trump Presidency? An invasion on the lines of what is happening in Ukraine takes a vast amount of preparation. And did the Russians interfere with the US Presidential elections hoping that their pal Trump would be re-elected and thereafter turn a blind eye to the Ukraine invasion?

 

It's also interesting to speculate - how appeased was Putin as a result of Trump letting him get away with so much, Trump's absurd criticising of his own Security Departments and instead praising Putin at their summit in Helsinki, and generally calling him a great leader at every possibility.

 

Yes, an invasion on the lines of what is happening in Ukraine takes a vast amount of preparation. Any vast amount of preparation along the lines of what is happening in Ukraine can easily have taken place during the past one year while Biden is in Presidency. 

 

And did the Russians interfere with the US Presidential elections hoping that their pal Trump would be re-elected? I would have hoped that they have done that successfully because, just like how Russia left Ukraine undisturbed during Trump's term, they may not be invading Ukraine if Trump is still the President now.    

[InBangkok]

On 2/26/2022 at 9:34 AM, Steve5380 said:

When America defeated Germany and Japan...  they didn't made them COLONIES.  Instead they gave them financial help to reconstruct themselves.

Ancient history and off topic. Besides, Nazi Germany declared war on the USA and Japan declared war on the USA. Russia has essentially declared war on Ukraine. Do you expect the Ukraine to win the war against Russia and then provide financial help to reconstruct Russia????

[Steve5380]

On 2/25/2022 at 9:33 PM, Guest Guest said:

 

It's also interesting to speculate - how appeased was Putin as a result of Trump letting him get away with so much, Trump's absurd criticising of his own Security Departments and instead praising Putin at their summit in Helsinki, and generally calling him a great leader at every possibility.

 

Yes, an invasion on the lines of what is happening in Ukraine takes a vast amount of preparation. Any vast amount of preparation along the lines of what is happening in Ukraine can easily have taken place during the past one year while Biden is in Presidency. 

 

And did the Russians interfere with the US Presidential elections hoping that their pal Trump would be re-elected? I would have hoped that they have done that successfully because, just like how Russia left Ukraine undisturbed during Trump's term, they may not be invading Ukraine if Trump is still the President now.    

 

There are other speculations that are equally or more credible.  This was that Putin had Trump by the balls with some very damaging information about him. That he made Trump dance by his music, and therefore him being a person that could be blackmailed made him a very desirable US president.  It became clear that Trump was giving unduly respect and consideration to Putin.

 

Trump helped Putin in many ways:  he created discord with America's allies, threatened the existence of NATO,  made his first deceptive big lie about Covid therefore aggravating the pandemic in the US,  created big divisions within the US population,  burdened the economy with huge increase in deficit with his big tax "reform" that gave huge tax cuts to the rich, reducing the revenues from taxes, made a fool of America with his clowning in N. Korea,  and after he lost to Biden,  further destabilized the US with his second BIG LIE about the "stolen elections".   By the way,  he also orchestrated the fast withdrawal from Afghanistan that Biden had to inherit.   Today, America has been weakened by the presence of Trump in politics. 

 

All this could be part of Putin's plan to recover Russia's might by annexing again its lost territories and weaken the US. Trump would not have opposed the moves of invasions by his Idol.   You probably would not care about a triumph of Russia over the US, but...  don't be so sure.

[InBangkok]

On 2/26/2022 at 11:41 AM, Steve5380 said:

There are other speculations that are equally or more credible.  This was that Putin had Trump by the balls with some very damaging information about him. That he made Trump dance by his music, and therefore him being a person that could be blackmailed made him a very desirable US president.  It became clear that Trump was giving unduly respect and consideration to Putin.

All very true. It will be really interesting once the many truths about Trump finally come out compared to what he has always called "fake news". I am sure so much of that will turn out to be virtually the total opposite.

[Guest Eye for an eye]

I wonder, Ukraine has nuclear weapons? Or at least nuclear materials?

When Soviet troops took the risk of radioactive contamination to invade Chernobyl, I realized that they wanted to prevent Ukraine from getting the nuclear waste materials. Ukraine only need to fire a few missiles loaded with contaminated waste from Chernobyl into Russia and turn big parts of Russia into nuclear waste land.

And with luck of the wind, 借東風， will blow to Moscow as well.

Now it's law of the jungle.

Eye for an eye, let the whole world be blind. It's like Hiroshima all over again.

 

I hope Taiwan make this be very clear to the CCP. You only need a few kilos.

[singalion]

Russia vetoes U.N. Security action on Ukraine as China abstains

 

February 26, 202211:13 AM GMT+8

 

 

 

UNITED NATIONS, Feb 25 (Reuters) - Russia vetoed a draft U.N. Security Council resolution on Friday that would have deplored Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, while China abstained from the vote - a move Western countries view as a win for showing Russia's international isolation.

 

 

The United Arab Emirates and India also abstained from the vote on the U.S.-drafted text. The remaining 11 council members voted in favor. The draft resolution is now expected to be taken up by the 193-member U.N. General Assembly.

 

 

"We are united behind Ukraine and its people, despite a reckless, irresponsible permanent member of the Security Council abusing its power to attack its neighbor and subvert the U.N. and our international system," U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said after Russia cast its veto.

 

Russia is a Security Council veto power, along with the United States, China, France and Britain.

China's abstention comes just weeks after Beijing and Moscow declared a "no limits" partnership, backing each other over standoffs on Ukraine and Taiwan with a promise to collaborate more against the West. read more

 

 

Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia thanked the Security Council members who did not support the draft, which he described as anti-Russian.

 

"Your draft resolution is nothing other than yet another brutal, inhumane move in this Ukrainian chessboard," Nebenzia said after the vote.

 

There was a rare round of applause in the Security Council chamber after Ukraine's U.N.

 

Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya held a moment of silence during his statement to remember those killed.

 

"I'm not surprised that Russia voted against. Russia is keen on continuing its Nazi-style course of action," he said.

 

 

'RUSSIA ISOLATED'

 

The U.N. vote was delayed two hours for last minute negotiations by the United States and others to win China's abstention, diplomats said.

 

The council softened the language in its resolution to say it "deplores" Russia's "aggression against Ukraine" from "condemns," while a reference to Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which deals with sanctions and authorization of force, was removed along with a reference to "the president."

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine as the U.N. Security Council met in New York late on Wednesday to try and defuse weeks of mounting tensions. read more

 

"Make no mistake. Russia is isolated. It has no support for the invasion of Ukraine," Britain's U.N. Ambassador Barbara Woodward told the council after the vote.

 

The draft Security Council resolution demanded that Russia "immediately cease its use of force against Ukraine" and "immediately, completely, and unconditionally withdraw  all of  its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders."

 

The draft also demanded that Russia reverse its recognition of two separatist states in eastern Ukraine as independent.

 

"It is a matter of regret that the path of diplomacy was given up. We must return to it. For all these reasons India has chosen to abstain on this resolution," India's U.N. Ambassador T.S. Tirumurti told the council.

 

UAE Ambassador Lana Nusseibeh said her country supported the draft resolution's emphasis on abiding by international law and the U.N. Charter and was committed to the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of all U.N. member states.

 

Standing outside the Security Council chamber, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said: "We must never give up."

 

 

"It is important to remember that the U.N. is not just the chamber behind me. It is tens of thousands of women and men around the world," he said. "Standing, delivering, extending a lifeline of hope."

 

 

 

Edited February 26, 2022 by singalion

[singalion]

That would be an interesting result if at the end Russia has been sitting "illegally" on the Security Council...

Background: on the record at the UN Security Council is still the USSR (Soviet Union) and not the Russian Federation.

 

Russia’s veto power sits at the centre of Ukraine’s emergency UNSC meeting

TRT World, 25 February 2022

On what grounds has Ukraine challenged Russia’s seat within the UN and how legitimate of a force for peace can the UN Security Council really be?

Russia’s seat within the United Nations Security Council has been challenged by Ukraine’s ambassador to the UN Sergiy Kyslytsya, during an urgent Council meeting held at Ukraine’s request.

 

The meeting was held on Wednesday with the aim of averting Russian aggression toward Ukraine after the country’s eastern separatist territories, Donetsk and Luhansk, requested military assistance from Moscow.

 

President Vladimir Putin formally recognised the breakaway regions as independent in an emotional address broadcast on state-run television on Monday.

 

Ambassador Kyslytsya addressed the Council after the start of military operations in Ukraine, citing Article 4 of the UN Charter, which deals with the admission of members to the Security Council, saying “Membership in the United Nations is open to all other peace-loving states, which accept the obligations contained in the present Charter and, in the judgement of the organisation, are able and willing to carry out these obligations.”

“Russia is not able to carry out any of the obligations,” he added.

 

Kyslytsya then went on to challenge the legitimacy of Russia’s UN membership, asking for documents showing Russia’s official admission to the organisation. He cited Article 4 paragraph 2 of the Charter, which says, “The admission of any such state to membership in the United Nations will be effected by a decision of the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.”

 

The Ambassador asked the UN Secretariat to bring forward the documents showing the recommendation of the Russian Federation to UN membership by the Security Council as well as documents showing a decision by the General Assembly to welcome the Russian Federation as a member.

 

“It would be a miracle if the Secretariat is able to produce such decisions,” he said

 

What Kyslytsya was referring to is the fact that following the breakup of the Soviet Union, Article 23 of the UN Charter — which lists the Council’s 15 members — was never revised to remove the Union of Soviet Socialst Republics (USSR) from the list and the Russian Federation ascended to the USSR’s seat based on a decision made by the UN Office of Legal affairs.

So something interesting that could be developing at the UN: Ukraine appears to be laying the groundwork to challenge whether the Russian Federation is the legitimate successor to the USSR’s seat and veto on the Security Council

— Hayes Brown (@HayesBrown) February 24, 2022

Russia never formally applied for UN membership after the collapse of the USSR, was never recommended by the Security Council or voted in by the General Assembly.

 

“There is nothing in the Charter of the United Nations about continuity as a sneaky way to get into the organisation,” Kyslytsya said ending his argument on Russia’s legitimacy in the UN.

 

The Russian Federation took the seat of the USSR in the UN after it declared itself to be the continuator state of the USSR on the grounds that it contained 51 percent of the former state’s population and 77 percent of its territory. Moscow was also the capital of the USSR.

 

The concept of continuity within the UN is a legal opinion that first arose following the partition of India in 1947.

In the lead up to the partition and the independence of India and Pakistan, the UN Legal Counsel prepared an opinion, which said that the state that maintains its international status, India, would continue as a member and the emerging state would have to apply for membership.

 

But the case of India and Pakistan was simple compared to the case of the Soviet Union in 1991, which broke into 15 independent states, and the case of Yugoslavia in 1992, which broke into six independent states.

 

According to Professor of Public International Law at the University of Oxford Dapo Akande, this is where the UN has applied both objective and subjective factors to determine which state continues as a member after territorial changes.

The UN has generally decided whether a member’s status is one of continuity depending on whether the governmental structures of the predecessor state remain in place in the state which claims to be a continuator state and whether the majority of the territory and population remain with that state.

 

However, these factors are not conclusive and other factors can be taken into consideration such as whether any of the other emerging states agree to the continuator claim as well as the reaction of third states.

But why exactly is Ukraine so invested in Russia’s position within the UN?

 

The veto power that Russia holds under the UNSC seems to be at the centre of Ukraine’s concerns.

 

 

 

Russia’s veto power

The Security Council has primary responsibility, under the United Nations Charter, for the maintenance of international peace and security. The Council determines when and where a UN peace operation should be deployed after discussing with member states and the parties involved in an act of aggression. The UNSC can impose sanctions and even approve the use of force.

 

Each of the Council’s 15 members has the right to exercise one vote, but only the five permanent members (The United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, China and France) have veto power.

 

Veto power means that if any one of the permanent member states casts a negative vote in a pending UNSC decision, the resolution cannot be approved.

 

Since 1992, Russia has been the most frequent user of the veto, followed by the United States and China. As of December 2021, Russia has used its veto 118 times, the US 82 times, the UK 29 times, France 16 times, and China 17 times.

 

Russia’s high number of vetoes, however, can mainly be attributed to the period of 1946-1969 when a majority of the Security Council was aligned with the United States, which cast no vetoes because it won every vote. The Soviet Union cast 93 percent of all vetoes during these years to block resolutions from the Western majority.

 

As of late, Russia has come under fire mainly for using its veto power in Syria.

 

In fact, the UNSC has faced a crisis of almost complete paralysis over the war in Syria. According to the Syrian Network for Human rights, nearly a quarter of a million Syrians have died as of July 2020 as Russia vetoed 16 times in favour of the Syrian regime, including 10 joint vetoes with China.

 

Ukraine is no doubt concerned that Russia’s veto power could also drag it into a drawn-out, violent war.

 

Critics of the veto say that it is the most undemocratic element of the UN, being the main cause of inaction on war crimes and crimes against humanity, as it effectively prevents UN action against the permanent members and their allies.

 

So, given the blanket use of the UN veto, how legitimate of a force can the UNSC really be as tensions develop between Ukraine and Russia? Perhaps this is the reason Ukraine is attempting to undermine Russia’s presence as a permanent member in the UNSC.

 

 

https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/russia-s-veto-power-sits-at-the-centre-of-ukraine-s-emergency-unsc-meeting-55086

[singalion]

While the article is at CNA, it is just a copy of Reuters, so I copy the original:

 

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/heavy-fighting-kyiv-outskirts-russia-ukraine-signal-possibility-talks-2521171

 

 

February 26, 20221:31 PM GMT+8

 

 

Fighting in Kyiv as Russia, Ukraine signal possibility of talks

 

Smoke and flames rise over during the shelling near Kyiv, as Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine February 26, 2022. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

 

KYIV, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Russian and Ukrainian forces clashed in the Ukrainian capital on Saturday as authorities urged citizens to help defend the city from advancing Russian forces in the worst European security crisis in decades.

 

But even as the fighting grew more intense, the Russian and Ukrainian governments signalled an openness to negotiations, offering the first glimmer of hope for diplomacy since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion on Thursday.

 

Heavy, frequent artillery fire and intense gunfire, apparently some distance from the city centre, could be heard, a Reuters witness in Kyiv said. The Ukrainian military said Russian troops attacked an army base on a main avenue but the assault was repelled.

 

Gunfire was heard after dawn near government buildings in the city centre, a Reuters witness said.

"The fate of Ukraine is being decided right now," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday in a video address posted to his Telegram channel.

 

The air force command reported heavy fighting near an air base at Vasylkiv southwest of the capital, which it said was under attack from Russian paratroopers.

 

It also said one of its fighters had shot down a Russian transport plane. Reuters could not independently verify the claims.

 

Kyiv residents were told by the defence ministry to make petrol bombs to repel the invaders.

Some families cowered in shelters afraid of more Russian missiles. Hundreds of thousands who have left their homes to find safety, according to the United Nations' aid chief.

 

As dawn broke, media reported air raid sirens in several cities.

After weeks of warnings from Western leaders, Putin unleashed a three-pronged invasion of Ukraine from the north, east and south on Thursday, in an attack that threatened to upend Europe's post-Cold War order.

 

"I once again appeal to the military personnel of the armed forces of Ukraine: do not allow neo-Nazis and (Ukrainian radical nationalists) to use your children, wives and elders as human shields," Putin said at a televised meeting with Russia's Security Council.

"Take power into your own hands."

 

Putin has cited the need to "denazify" Ukraine's leadership as one of his main reasons for invasion, accusing it of genocide against Russian-speakers in eastern Ukraine. Kyiv and its Western allies dismiss the accusations as baseless propaganda.

 

Ukrainians voted overwhelmingly for independence at the fall of the Soviet Union and Kyiv hopes to join NATO and the EU - aspirations that infuriate Moscow.

 

Putin says Ukraine, a democratic nation of 44 million people, is an illegitimate state carved out of Russia, a view Ukrainians see as aimed at erasing their more than thousand-year history.

 

'READY TO TALK'

Western countries have announced a barrage of sanctions on Russia, including blacklisting its banks and banning technology exports. But they have stopped short of forcing it out of the SWIFT system for international bank payments.

 

The United States imposed sanctions on Putin, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov. The European Union and Britain earlier froze any assets Putin and Lavrov held in their territory. Canada took similar steps.

 

The invasion triggered a flurry of credit rating moves on Friday, with S&P lowering Russia's rating to "junk" status, Moody's putting it on review for a downgrade to junk, and S&P and Fitch swiftly cutting Ukraine on default worries. read more

 

However, the looming economic costs has not deterred Putin.

 

Moscow said on Friday it had captured the Hostomel airfield northwest of the capital - a possible staging post for an assault on Kyiv that has been fought over since Russian paratroopers landed there in the first hours of the war.

 

This could not be confirmed and Ukrainian authorities reported heavy fighting there.

But amid the chaos of war came a ray of hope.

 

A spokesman for Zelenskiy said Ukraine and Russia would consult in coming hours on a time and place for talks.

 

The Kremlin said earlier it offered to meet in the Belarusian capital Minsk after Ukraine expressed a willingness to discuss declaring itself a neutral country while Ukraine had proposed Warsaw as the venue. That, according to Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov, resulted in a "pause" in contacts.

"Ukraine was and remains ready to talk about a ceasefire and peace," Zelenskiy's spokesman, Sergii Nykyforov, said in a Facebook post. "We agreed to the proposal of the President of the Russian Federation."

 

But U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said Russia's offer was an attempt to conduct diplomacy "at the barrel of a gun" and Putin's military must stop bombing Ukraine if it was serious about negotiations.

 

ISOLATION

At the United Nations, Russia vetoed a draft Security Council resolution that would have deplored its invasion, while China abstained, which Western countries took as proof of Russia's isolation.

 

The United Arab Emirates and India also abstained while the remaining 11 members voted in favour.

A picture of what was happening across Ukraine - the largest country in Europe after Russia - was slow to emerge.

 

Zelenskiy wrote on Twitter that there had been heavy fighting with deaths at the entrance to the eastern cities of Chernihiv and Melitopol, as well as at Hostomel.

 

Witnesses said they had heard explosions and gunfire near the airport in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second city. Ukraine's military said Russian troops had been stopped with heavy losses near the northeastern city of Konotop.

 

There were also have reports of fighting near an air base southwest of Kyiv.

 

Ukraine said more than 1,000 Russian soldiers had been killed. Russia did not release casualty figures. Zelenskiy said late on Thursday that 137 soldiers and civilians been killed with hundreds wounded.

 

The White House asked Congress for $6.4 billion in security and humanitarian aid for the crisis, officials said, and Biden instructed the U.S. State Department to release $350 million in military aid. read more

 

 

Edited February 26, 2022 by singalion

[singalion]

For holding talks maybe Putin proposed Minsk in Belarus as he may have difficulties to travel into a different country?

 

But it seems one of his tricks, who would meet in Minsk Belarus, when Belarus supported the Russian invasion?

which means the offer for talks is not serious, it is the same style as his dishonest "offers" to hold diplomatic negotiations in the weeks before Putin invaded the Ukraine...

 

 

And looking at the situation, the Russian military seems to face more difficulties than initially expected. The invasion started 24 Feb 2022 at 5am, now 2 days have past...

 

 

(and would have been easy to arrest the Ukraine president... as Belarus President Lukashenko is a master in executing arrests...)

 

 

Edited February 26, 2022 by singalion

[singalion]

For those who are not reading the European news or knowing the background,

it seemed clear that Putin planed the invasion already a long time back.

 

While the European countries were wondering whether Gazprom and other Russian energy conglomerates did not refill the stocks on gas was related to sell at a later stage when prices would have peaked further, it now seems clear, Putin had planed this to  pressure on the European countries relying on gas from Russia. (Most these companies nowadays are Kremlin linked or controlled).

 

Nobody had on mind that this was a policy instructed by Putin to disadvantage the Europeans in preparation of his invasion plans to Ukraine.

 

The indicated refill of the gas reserves never happened as promised by Gazprom....

 

Stocks for certain countries due to above are at lows of just 10% to 30%.

 

 

Russia seen starting to fill Europe's gas storage after Nov. 8

October 28, 2021

 

 

MOSCOW, Oct 27 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday told the head of Kremlin-controlled energy giant Gazprom (GAZP.MM), Alexei Miller, to start pumping natural gas into European gas storage once Russia finishes filling its own stocks, which may happen by Nov. 8.

Gas markets in Asia and Europe have sky-rocketed this year, with benchmark Dutch gas hub spot prices jumping by 365% since the start of the year, fuelled by low inventories and surging demand as economies recover from the COVID-19 crisis.

 

"As soon as we finish pumping (gas) into the UGS (underground gas storage) in Russia, we will start pumping our Gazprom's gas into European UGS," Miller told Putin.

The Russian president said this would improve the situation on the European energy market.

Miller also told the televised government meeting that Gazprom would reach the planned level of more than 72.6 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas in domestic storage by Nov. 1, and would completely finish filling inventories by Nov. 8.

 

 

Date: 15 November 2021

Gazprom Plays For Time, EU Has Modest Gas Stocks

It was only on November 9 that Russian energy giant Gazprom started refilling European gas-storage facilities.

 

Nonetheless, the company so far has pumped very small amounts of gas into its European storage facilities that remain mostly empty. As Russian gas is a major part of the EU’s total storage capacity, inventories in Europe are facing a tough situation while entering the winter heating season.

 

Gazprom has approved and started the implementation of the gas injection plan in five European underground storage facilities, the company said in a statement. The company has its biggest storage facilities in Germany (4), and one each in Austria, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and Serbia.

 

Gazprom started pumping natural gas into European gas storage facilities once it finished filling its own stocks. Naturally, the Russian gas company could have done both simultaneously amid its high production levels but it put off the start of injecting gas into European facilities by a week or two, which affected the European energy market that reached record levels.

 

During a meeting on October 27, Putin told Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller to finish filling underground gas storage facilities in Russia by November 8. Nonetheless, the company made this move a day later. On November 12, Miller said his company “was implementing a plan to inject gas into Russia’s sites in Europe.” Nonetheless, no significant gas flow had been recorded, according to data from European storage operators. Furthermore, Gazprom is pumping gas out of its sites in Austria and the Netherlands.

 

The German Rehden storage facility is now being filled at 5 percent while another site, Katharina, is just 20 percent full.

 

The EU’s gas storage sites were just 75 percent, which is 20 percent less than last year. In this manner, Russia is pursuing its game to force the European Union into concessions as Gazprom continues to fill its facilities and Moscow is extending the whole process to weeks. The purpose is to force Germany and Brussels to give the green light to Nord Stream 2. Russia is able to start gas deliveries via the link immediately after it gets regulatory approval, Vladimir Putin said on October 21.

 

The first of the project’s two lines has been filled with so-called technical gas and the second is to be ready in December. Meanwhile, Moscow is seeking to exert bigger pressure because this is how the European Union should see Lukashenko’s threat to float the possibility of interrupting the Yamal-Europe pipeline that supplies Poland and Germany with Russian gas.

 

Naturally, the Kremlin pretends to be surprised, but there is no doubt that the Belarusian dictator has agreed that with the Russian leader.

 

 

https://warsawinstitute.org/gazprom-plays-time-eu-modest-gas-stocks/

 

 

This is also the reason why those involved countries so far did not approve to cut of Russia from SWIFT.

 

 

 

Edited February 26, 2022 by singalion

[InBangkok]

On 2/26/2022 at 8:35 AM, Steve5380 said:

There is no reason why Taiwan should be part of mainland China.  It is a completely separate island.  They were reasons why in last century they separated completely from the PRC.  They are not a thread to the PRC, and they have all the right to live peacefully the way they want to live.  The population of Taiwan DOES NOT want to be part of the PRC, period!

You say because of your age you understand history better. Well, you are wrong regarding the history of Taiwan and it would benefit your discussions if you took time to read up more and understand that history better.

 

Thanks to the USA and to a lesser extent the United Kingdom, Taiwan is not a "completely separate island" from China. I wish it were and I wish Taiwan could be independent. As do my friends in Taiwan. But if the invasion of Ukraine is a violation of international law, then that presupposes that international law must also prevail as regards Taiwan - along with the reality of international diplomacy over many decades.

 

Since you do not know the history, at the Cairo Conference in 1943 attended by the USA and the UK it was agreed that following the defeat of Japan in World War 2, all its colonial and conquered possessions would be returned to the powers which had governed them prior to the start of Japanese occupation - with no exceptions. Thus Taiwan was to be returned to mainland China. After all Taiwan had been ruled by China for almost 250 years before the Japanese invaded at the end of the 19th century. China was then ruled by Chiang Kai Shek's corrupt, murdering Kuomintang party, an ally of the western powers during the war. Those same powers never even considered China's government might change. But change it did. Chiang was defeated and Mao took over. 

 

The administration in Washington went berserk - literally. In the corridors of power in Washington, the refrain heard everywhere was "Who Lost China?" Even with the USA soon to be mired in the Korean War and not long after in its disastrous ventures into Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia leading to millions of deaths, it was still not prepared to accept Taiwan as part of China, despite this being the island's position in international law.  In an attempt to overturn the Caro agreement, the USA called a Conference in San Francisco in the early 1950s, to which China was not invited. It negated the Cairo Agreement but left the future of Taiwan "undetermined".

 

The British were furious. As the British Prime Minister wrote to his Foreign Secretary, "I have no confidence in the existing Kuomintang government to make good in Formosa. I should need very strong arguments to allow arms to go to Formosa if there is an effective Chinese government on the mainland even if it is communist."

 

But the USA refused to accept international law and ploughed arms and cash into Taiwan. It continued to support an independent Taiwan, probably because Chiang Kai Shek's stated objective was to return to China and overthrow Mao. But then, thanks to the Cold War and the possibility of Soviet aggression, the USA did a 180 degree about turn. Nixon went to China in 1971 and the USA policy changed from two Chinas to one China. It recognised Mao's government as the legitimate government of China and Taiwan as part of greater China.

 

China, naturally, regards itself as the sovereign power since it had been ruling Taiwan for 250 years and it was returned to China lawfully after the war. To suggest that it should not be part of China because "It is a completely separate island" is patent nonsense. That is tantamount to saying Hawaii is not part of the USA because it is a series of islands!

 

To look on the future of Taiwan on the basis merely of wishful thinking without taking seriously into account of the facts if its history is more than facile. I write that with sadness in my heart.

Edited February 26, 2022 by InBangkok

[singalion]

Pump prices in S'pore surge on the back of Russian invasion of Ukraine

 

 

Published

25 Feb 2022,

 

SINGAPORE - Four out of five oil companies here have raised pump prices by between six and 21 cents per litre as crude prices rise to seven-year highs, driven by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

 

According to petrol and diesel price tracker Fuel Kaki, Caltex has increased its diesel price by six cents, and petrol prices by seven cents across all grades since two weeks ago.

Esso has added eight cents to all its fuel prices, while Sinopec has upped its diesel, 95-octane and 98-octane petrols by eight cents and its so-called premium 98-octane by 21 cents.

 

Shell raised its diesel price by six cents and 95- and 98-octane petrols by seven cents. But it lowered its so-called premium 98-grade by 15 cents.

 

If the Ukraine crisis escalates, observers expect oil prices to accelerate further. Besides motoring cost, this will impact utilities, travel and logistics expenses.

 

 

 

[singalion]

On 2/26/2022 at 9:35 AM, Steve5380 said:

There is no reason why Taiwan should be part of mainland China.  It is a completely separate island.  They were reasons why in last century they separated completely from the PRC.  They are not a thread to the PRC, and they have all the right to live peacefully the way they want to live.  The population of Taiwan DOES NOT want to be part of the PRC, period!

 

What would you say about a right Malaysia has  to attack Singapore alleging some irregularity in the way it split from the mainland?  You should have all reasons to empathize with Taiwan! 

 

Can you discuss Taiwan in a different thread or create one.

 

This thread is about Ukraine and not about China or Taiwan.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 26, 2022 by singalion

[Guest Eye for an eye]

They dare to shamelessly call this peace keeping.

 

 

[Guest Guest]

On 2/26/2022 at 12:41 PM, Steve5380 said:

 

There are other speculations that are equally or more credible.  This was that Putin had Trump by the balls with some very damaging information about him. That he made Trump dance by his music, and therefore him being a person that could be blackmailed made him a very desirable US president.  It became clear that Trump was giving unduly respect and consideration to Putin.

 

Trump helped Putin in many ways:  he created discord with America's allies, threatened the existence of NATO,  made his first deceptive big lie about Covid therefore aggravating the pandemic in the US,  created big divisions within the US population,  burdened the economy with huge increase in deficit with his big tax "reform" that gave huge tax cuts to the rich, reducing the revenues from taxes, made a fool of America with his clowning in N. Korea,  and after he lost to Biden,  further destabilized the US with his second BIG LIE about the "stolen elections".   By the way,  he also orchestrated the fast withdrawal from Afghanistan that Biden had to inherit.   Today, America has been weakened by the presence of Trump in politics. 

 

All this could be part of Putin's plan to recover Russia's might by annexing again its lost territories and weaken the US. Trump would not have opposed the moves of invasions by his Idol.   You probably would not care about a triumph of Russia over the US, but...  don't be so sure.

 

Whatever speculations that you may have, nothing beats the fact that the world was relatively peaceful during Donald Trump's term, and all hell has broken loose ever since Biden became the POTUS.Whatever speculations that you may have, nothing beats the fact that the world was relatively peaceful during Donald Trump's term, and all hell has broken loose ever since Biden became the POTUS.

[Guest Eye in the sky]

On 2/26/2022 at 3:02 PM, singalion said:

 

Can you discuss Taiwan in a different thread or create one.

 

This thread is about Ukraine and not about China or Taiwan.

This thread is about Ukraine war's impact on Singapore and Asia;

China or Taiwan is a big part of Asia and China is watching and waiting to use the same shameless excuse to start a war here.

 

The wumaos are here in every part of the internet, we have to let them know that we are not dumb like their brainwashed sheep.

[Guest Eye in the sky]

On 2/26/2022 at 9:31 PM, Guest Guest said:

 

Whatever speculations that you may have, nothing beats the fact that the world was relatively peaceful during Donald Trump's term, and all hell has broken loose ever since Biden became the POTUS.Whatever speculations that you may have, nothing beats the fact that the world was relatively peaceful during Donald Trump's term, and all hell has broken loose ever since Biden became the POTUS.

wow you so clever one, can twist it around to blame Biden instead of the aggressors.

r u wumao or Soviet Nazi propaganda?

[Guest guest]

US will only add oil to fire.  Will they send a troop?  NO.

 

 

[Guest Latest Ass kicker]

Ukraine now decided that they wanted to talk with Russia.  Too late for Ukraine to regret.  India & China decided not to support NATO's actions  The two super powers has learned from history. Very wise.  

[Guest how?]

On 2/26/2022 at 9:42 PM, Guest Eye in the sky said:

This thread is about Ukraine war's impact on Singapore and Asia;

China or Taiwan is a big part of Asia and China is watching and waiting to use the same shameless excuse to start a war here.

Exactly.  China is looking closely at how the West react towards Russia, which is similar to how China will be treated if they take Taiwan by force.   Both are very related more than all other countries in this part of the world.  When that happens, then Singapore will be dragged into the tide because of our strategic port location for mililary deployment by two super powerful enemies against each other.  It will be difficult to watch, unless Taiwan surrender peacefully. 

[Steve5380]

On 2/25/2022 at 11:23 PM, Guest Eye for an eye said:

I wonder, Ukraine has nuclear weapons? Or at least nuclear materials?

When Soviet troops took the risk of radioactive contamination to invade Chernobyl, I realized that they wanted to prevent Ukraine from getting the nuclear waste materials. Ukraine only need to fire a few missiles loaded with contaminated waste from Chernobyl into Russia and turn big parts of Russia into nuclear waste land.

And with luck of the wind, 借東風， will blow to Moscow as well.

Now it's law of the jungle.

Eye for an eye, let the whole world be blind. It's like Hiroshima all over again.

 

I hope Taiwan make this be very clear to the CCP. You only need a few kilos.

 

You have an interesting point.  There is still radioactive waste in Chernobyl.  Could this be a reason Russia took quick possession of it?

 

It is hard to imagine that Ukraine would take this waste and contaminate Russian sites.  This would draw worldwide condemnation.  It would be something similar to dropping poisonous gases.  This may happen in an all out war, a WWIII that turns nuclear, aiming at completely destroying the enemy. 

 

Some of the possibilities are frightening.  China had made an agreement that it would not be the first one to use nuclear weapons.  But this seems to be changing, and there are news that China is threatening to preemptively attack America with its nukes if it comes out to defend Taiwan.  

 

But... what is the big advantage of being the first to nuke?  The US has a huge nuclear arsenal, spread around the world in unknown places, carried in submarines and airplanes that are moving targets.  Also one can imagine that the US military has countless eyes watching its enemies from satellites, able to detect the launch of any ballistic missile aimed at America. Any nuclear explosion on its land, and a rain of  US missiles will fall on the Chinese cities.  There are nearly four times as many Chinese who could be exterminated than Americans. 

[Steve5380]

On 2/26/2022 at 7:47 AM, Guest Eye in the sky said:

wow you so clever one, can twist it around to blame Biden instead of the aggressors.

r u wumao or Soviet Nazi propaganda?

 

LOL!  Maybe with the same kind of propaganda,  someone could claim that it was Poland who provoked Germany,  and Hitler had no other way out but sending his peacekeeping forces to Poland.  After that, other nations insulted and challenged him, so he had no choice but to invade all his neighboring countries. 

[singalion]

As to my knowledge the handover of all nuclear material to Russia was the pre-condition for Ukraine to gain independence and this is reflected in the Budapest Memorandum. 

 

By end of 1996 Ukraine had handed over to Russia all nuclear weapons. 

 

Russia should well know whether it was complete or not. 

Russia never made any claim that Ukraine kept nuclear stock...

 

Edited February 26, 2022 by singalion

[singalion]

In my view Putin is disappointed for losing control on Ukraine after the Maidan events and the fall of the then pro-Russian President in 2014. Prior to 2014 Ukraine was more aligned with Russia.

 

If you look at the other ex Soviet Union states (exclusive of the Baltic states), Russia still has a grip on those former Soviet Republics and they joined the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) which  is the confederation of countries that used to form the Soviet Union, but in 2014 Ukraine left this organisation. 

 

Just look how Russia interferred in Belarus. 

 

Therefore, Ukraine turned to be the spoiled kid on the block...

 

Edited February 26, 2022 by singalion

[Steve5380]

No decent person, no individual who has at least one cent of morality, will side with Putin.   No intelligent person will fail to find similarities between him and Hitler.  No religious believer will fail to recognize these two guys as incarnations of the devil.

 

Those of us who are not religious believers will find other explanations.  We will recognize the randomness of nature, a nature that has no awareness of good and evil, and is not responsible for the feelings of living creatures.  Like the catastrophic pandemic of covid is a random event of nature, so is the existence and development of living creatures into monsters with ambitions of absolute power and world dominance.  They are still living creatures with limited life.  Maybe Putin will live longer than the suicidal Hitler, only to be poisoned when older like Stalin was. 

 

In these times we should find ourselves in the scene of history,  and cheer for the good guys.   One good news is that the troops of Russia are not finding their invasion so easy as they thought,  the  Ukrainians are posting a strong resistance.  Hopefully NATO keeps supplying them with tons of weapons, modern sophisticated missile launchers that destroy tanks and armored vehicles, like thousands of American Javelins,  and that millions of Ukrainians take the arms and fight like crazy.  Even some hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers should not be able to prevail over more than 40 million Ukrainians experts in wars who are decided to not be enslaved.

[singalion]

I think Putin mistook the Ukraine people, he thought the Ukrainian people will welcome the Russian soldiers with waving hands, holding Russian flags and parade the streets in joy.

 

Putin also thought the Ukrainians hate their president Zelenskiy and want to get rid of him . 

 

Putin must have erred on many fronts.

 

 

 

[Guest Guest]

The presidents of Russia and Ukraine - both are quite handsome ... different kinds of charm. 🥰

 

 

[Steve5380]

It is reassuring to see how most of the world is strongly condemning the invasion by Russia.

 

Even the Russians themselves are protesting this senseless war,  out on the streets even while being arrested. If they don't let down,  Putin will not be able to arrest them forever. 

 

The Ukrainians are giving an example of civic responsibility and bravery.  They take their families to the Polish border to escape the conflict and then return to fight for their country.   If the conflict ends like it should end, Ukraine will become a powerful and prosperous country.

 

I wish Biden accepts as many Ukrainian refugees as are willing to move to the US.  These are good immigration material.  Russians in general are good, hard working people, and a new experience of freedom will motivate them even more.

 

This conflict may unify NATO as never before, and even if they are a "North Atlantic" treaty, they may accept some more de facto members from other parts of the world,  like they have accepted Japan and S. Korea.  Wouldn't it be a good move for Singapore to join? 

[Guest Sigh]

On 2/27/2022 at 11:45 AM, Steve5380 said:

This conflict may unify NATO as never before, and even if they are a "North Atlantic" treaty, they may accept some more de facto members from other parts of the world,  like they have accepted Japan and S. Korea.  Wouldn't it be a good move for Singapore to join? 

Don't you worry about it, Singapore has already joined the NATO's cooporation programme and very much align to its alliance, but I also do not want our leader to talk too much on world stage without first consulting its own people. 

[Steve5380]

On 2/26/2022 at 10:12 PM, Guest Sigh said:

Don't you worry about it, Singapore has already joined the NATO's cooporation programme and very much align to its alliance, but I also do not want our leader to talk too much on world stage without first consulting its own people. 

 

Great!  Aligning with NATO is the smart move to make.  Usually in matters of policy a government does not individually poll their electorate about each decision, it is understood that by having been elected, it represents the will of the people.  Biden didn't ask me if I was in agreement with supporting Ukraine. 

 

What I don't understand is that with Singapore being aligned with NATO, why does one read here so many posts praising Putin and bashing Biden.   Biden is the head of state of America, the nation that gives the most support to Ukraine,  who has worked hard to consolidate the NATO alliance.  He should deserve credit, not bashing, the same as America deserves credit.

[singalion]

The same as many Western people are prone to US media propaganda, plenty here are prone to Chinese propaganda.

If you follow the Chinese media, the story on Ukraine is presented differently.

 

In particular for Chinese speaking Singaporeans (or Malaysians) it is very difficult to separate truth or facts from propaganda.

Also, let's keep in mind the US has not done much in the past 40 years (and before also) to build more trust into the US.

 

It is same as the doubts of Europeans against the US policy. There must be a reason why people turn to be anti-American!

 

We should also keep in mind, the sanctions against Russia will give China also an economic boost as Russia and it's aligned countries will require to resort to other means to finance investments and make payments.

 

It is the same as the sanctions against Iran by Trump, it only aligned Iran further to China.

The Europeans have lost billions due to Trump's unnecessary sanctions against Iran. 

China's imports to Iran have risen during the sanctions.

And here you see again the failed US policies.

 

 

China does not support sanctions.

The reason is clear: Because China fears sanctions against it's own country one day once it oversteps certain red lines.

 

 

 

 

 

 

China’s Cross-Border International Payments System (CIPS), founded in 2015, is still under development and includes only 80 foreign banks. But there is no reason in principle that CIPS can’t substitute for SWIFT. And if Russia successfully shifts its trade payments out of the dollar system, the blow to American prestige and power would be enormous.

 

 

Russia has been planing this war against Ukraine a  long time back. This is obvious from certain moves in the past months by Putin:

 

 

The news is from Jan 2022:

Russia And China To Develop SWIFT Avoiding International Financial Systems

January 11, 2022

 

Russia and China have agreed to develop shared financial structures to deepen economic ties in a way that will not be affected by pressure of third countries. The move will help both countries reduce the threat of the US government’s long-arm jurisdiction based on the US dollar denominated. SWIFT international payment network.

 

Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy advisor, has stated that both countries intend to increase the use of their national currencies in mutual settlements and expanding cooperation to provide Russian and Chinese investors with access to stock markets, with Ushakov saying that “particular attention was paid to the need to intensify efforts to form an independent financial infrastructure to service trade operations between Russia and China. We intend creating an infrastructure that cannot be influenced by third countries.”

 

 

 

[Guest Guest]

On 2/26/2022 at 9:47 PM, Guest Eye in the sky said:

wow you so clever one, can twist it around to blame Biden instead of the aggressors.

r u wumao or Soviet Nazi propaganda?

 

Did anyone here fail to blame the aggressors? They aggressors are to be blamed. But Biden weakness as the POTUS served as the major catalyst to accelerated the conflict, which happened only during his term even though Crimea was annexed all the way since Obama's time.

[Guest Eye in the Sky]

Believe it or not, suddenly it seemed to me that Biden withdrawal from Afghanistan is a far sighted decision.

 

From satellite and ground Intel, he must have already known that Putin is preparing to invade Ukraine.

 

From military strategy, you don't want to fight 2 wars at the same time and dilute your strength and concentration against each.

So he withdrew from Afghanistan with enough time to prepare actions against Putin.

 

Then he pretend to be the weak POTUS losing the war in Afghanistan to lure Putin into showing his aggressions.

 

Now the whole world is against Russia. If Putin failed to win in Ukraine, he will be weakened politically, then other Russians will take the opportunity to depose of him.

 

Now, we must fight against Putin on the intranet. Putin is trying to shut down the internet in Russia to mute the growing internal dissent.

In this age, he can never shut down the internet.

 

That's the only way to depose this tyrant. Otherwise he'll be comfortably in power for very long if he don't fall into this trap.

 

[Guest Guest]

On 2/26/2022 at 10:41 PM, Guest Latest Ass kicker said:

Ukraine now decided that they wanted to talk with Russia.  Too late for Ukraine to regret.  India & China decided not to support NATO's actions  The two super powers has learned from history. Very wise.  

US cannot be trusted. 

 

They are just making use of Ukraine to pursue their interest. 

 

If they dare interfere, Russia should immediately send a nuclear bomb to teach them a lesson.

 

 

 

 

[Guest Guest]

 

 

Watch 1'50".....his eyes....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[heman]

Latest from BBC ....Putin has ordered his nuclear forces on high alert !