₦airaland Forum

seunny4lif:
I’m surprised Japan refused to pull of Russia gas and oil deal because it’s cheap
India want more as they have over 1B people.
Reason the want to remove Pakistan president but guy was smart and he said his country need those Russia oil and gas.

USA still importing Russia oil and gas then went ahead to sell it to Poland

The way the US is fuvking Europe is so funny and pathetic at the same time.

Russia has a 400 billion dollars gas/pipeline deal with China. Once every aspect of that deal is complete, the Russians will not even need to wait for the EU to find alternative, they will just channel all of the gas to China whose population dwarfed the whole of Europe. The EU can then go and get their much talked about LNG at 6 times the price of what they're currently getting from Russia.

Sadr:
Let the US do the same for EU. Sugar daddy pass sugar daddy.

The US is already doing it. Here is how: they stockpile Russian oil while pressuring the EU not to buy from Russia, only for them to resell to the EU at a higher price.

The EU and it's leaders is a cheap LovePeddler anyone can bang at will.

MrBrownJay1:
small small, SENSE go enter their yeye brain.

E don dey happen already. Slovakia don also join the cue of nations when wan pay with Rubles.

The fact is glaring: Russia is too big and powerful a nation to be isolated. EU Don enter one chance.

Myd44: Lalasticlala

Food don done.

A great reset is about to happen globally, courtesy of the Russians and counter sanctions. If this trend scales through, it would mark the death of the petrol dollars as other nations would start following suit.

The Russians have said they won't stop just with oil and gas; they plan on taking it to all exported commodities, which include weapons sales, wheat sales, metals, and all other commodities sold by Russia. This is going to be a game changer. The US overplayed its hand this time, and have just sanctioned the place of the dollar as world reserve currency.

No wonder Obama had to to rush to the White House recently where he called Biden the "Vice President". They have already conclude plans to remove him.

Adieu petrol dollars .

Adieu western bullying.

The Russians are coming.

Hungary has broken ranks with the European Union, saying it will accept Moscow's demand that gas supplies be paid for in rubles.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has opposed any EU sanctions on Russian oil and gas or Western arms shipments through Hungarian territory to Ukraine, told journalists on April 6 that he had agreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin that if asked, Hungary would pay for gas shipments using the Russian currency.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto: "This is not our war, so we want to and will stay out of it."

In retaliation for Western sanctions imposed because of Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, Putin has warned Europe that it must pay for gas supplies in rubles or face a possible cut in supplies.

The EU has said it won't abide by Russia's demand as it is a breach of contract since payment was agreed upon in euros.

Earlier on April 6, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said gas contracts were between his country and Russia, and that the EU had "no role" to play in the deal.

EU countries rely on Russia for about one-third of the bloc's total gas supplies. It has yet to apply any sanctions on oil or gas from Russia, though European Council chief Charles Michel said on April 6 that measures on the sector will be needed "sooner or later."


https://www.rferl.org/a/hungary-russian-gas-rubles/31788899.html


Meanwhile:

Belarus, Moscow's longtime ally, agrees to pay for Russian gas and oil in rubles.

https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/russia-ukraine-crisis/belarus-moscows-longtime-ally-agrees-to-pay-for-russian-gas-and-oil-in-rubles-articleshow.html

Maynman:
They never said such, can you send a link to the video you watched?
The link for the post is from a Russian controlled news outlet.

Here is what Hungary said...

https://www.kitco.com/news/2022-04-06/Breaking-ranks-with-EU-Hungary-says-ready-to-pay-for-Russian-gas-in-roubles.html

If you want balance news, stop over relying on Google's algorithm.

bn365:
It's all about visas for a whole lot of people that are in support of the US.
Just a few weeks ago, a global lockdown and tyranny were imposed on the whole world. Lives and livelihoods were destroyed.
When they start losing the propaganda war in Ukraine, they will revive the pandemic and fear-mongering

It tells you how people have been mentally enslaved.

Babinski:
Belarus is bordered by Ukraine, Poland, Latvia and Lithuania. Any trans-border travel from Russia through Belarus cannot proceed to the rest of Europe except through the aforementioned countries.

I pointed out Belarus because you omitted it. Besides, Belarus shares border with Ukraine. That aside, there are many border fronts linking Russia to Europe, the three Baltic states aside.

It takes just 11hrs to drive from Saint Petersburg to Finland. 29hrs to drive from Russia to Sweden.

What they are doing to this man is not fair at all. This man should be in an elderly house. And Obama insulting Joe by calling him the vice president (though he said it was a joke) just shows that Joe was never the one pulling the strings in the White House. They are just using him

And leaving him to wander about in without any staff attending to him is not only shameful but inhuman.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ff0lmPuFebc

seunny4lif:
I find it hard to believe that high level NATO officers would allow themsleves to be stuck in a besieged city in such a way. If true we are dealing with an incredible level of incompetence.

Ukraine already tried to evacuated some important people in there but Russia military have shot down 5 helicopters that tried.
2 was shot down today.

If they keep making that consistent attempt, that tells you they have something even more bigger among the besieged Azovstan forces in that city. There are some bigger elements there.

Truthwords:
You mean doctored satellite images. What do you think you know about satellite images . Is it the one you see on Crook Nuisance Network CNN and their co liars? . I studied computer science and machine learning program in The University of Houston texas. Currently living in Canada. We over here know the truth. Most of us don't follow mainstream narrative . All images can be manipulated. Tech is so advanced now that i can even edit your image into a video and make it look like you robbed a bank. By the way has the Nigerian ASUU called of the strike yet

Let's even assume for once that those satellite images are real, the satellite said Russians left the place 2 weeks ago, don't you think the bodies must have decomposed by now? But behold, we have freshly-looking bodies, and a dog even strolled by without reacting to the odour of decomposing bodies. This is laughable. But whatever, they have gotten what they wanted all the same. They succeeded in getting emotional response from the crazy EU member stated.

This war isn't going to be over so soon. We are going to see more turning points in the coming weeks.

shogsman:
This Ukrainians are disgusting ,any idiot with half a brain will see this guy fvcking moved and bbc is claiming it's just raindrops,this is disgusting to know that big news channels can spread lies like this

BBC has always been a lying machine for the CIA and MI6, and new world order. This whole thing is faked from the beginning. Even Pentagon have said that it cannot independently confirm.that this was real. Imagine the Pentagon with all it's intelligence department and satellites saying that, but ediot Macron and co has taken it line, hook and sinker.

shogsman:
Mind you bbc and other western channels has claimed the dead man didn't raise his hands,they Said it's just raindrops not body movement,how stupid this people think the whole world is

Even an amateur can see through this facade. The whole scene was staged and fake.

The satellite pictures they claimed were taken two weeks ago. Boy, are you telling me that bodies would be lying there for a whole two weeks without decomposing?

These guys are crazy!

The bodies are very fresh, and one even shook slightly.

Lmao. A dog passed by without reacting to a supposedly decomposing bodies? This is absurd.

The war they're really looking for, may God push them into it and die.

BabaIbo:
Low budget Russia...

Even your papa/role model wey be Russia flopped, who come be you where South Korea dey, na once US go pound on una, people wey dey find means to do that before.

You mean same US that could not 'pound' Taliban for 20 years?

Mynd44:
I have said it before that is any madness happens, South Korea and Japan are the only ones I am scared for as they are caught in the middle of Russia, China, North Korea and The US

Pray that no madness happens because, if it does, the two nations you mentioned would be left in radioactive ruins.

ifex370:
Why can't we live peacefully

Man has never known peace since the days Adam.

1stGenAmerican:
Russia doesn’t have the capability to cut off the countries you named from the rest of Europe.
Russia wouldn’t dare try his bullying with those three Baltic states because they are ALL NATO members.
He picked on Ukraine because it is not a member and he thought it would be an easy conquest.

Contrary to what you wanted to believe, Russia has the immense capability to cut of the three Baltic states from the rest of Europe. They said it themselves.

"While an imminent attack on the Baltics seems unlikely, the three countries worry about Russia’s ability to cut them off from the rest of Europe via the Suwalki gap, the narrow 65km Polish-Lithuanian border, seen as one of Nato’s most vulnerable points. To the west lies the heavily weaponised Russian exclave of Kaliningrad; to the east is Belarus." See the map below.

https://www.ft.com/content/38b1906f-4302-4a09-b304-dc2ecf5dc771

VictorUSA:
Appleyard, isn't it funny that you're going against the media while at thesame time backing your so-called independent reasoning from what you saw on media? To make things worse, you believe in conspiracy theory.

How did u know that UN inspected iraq and established they never had WMDs? How did u know that the U.S bombed 500,000 iraqis? How did you know that the U.S invaded iraq because it stop selling oil using dollars? Were you there inspecting iraqi weaponry stockpile? Did you count the death people during the invasion? Did the U.S or Saddan tell you that the invasion of iraq was because iraq stop selling its oil in dollars?

Why do you people condemn the media by reading what you see on the same media and think you're reasoning independently? How would you know that there's war in another country if not when the media tells you?

My point is, what you think is independent is heavily reliant on media.You reason from ur perspective base on what u see on media and at the end the media controls u.

You talk like a kid, sorry, no insult intended.

Did I ask you not to read news or get info from news media? You can't do without media information in the 21st century. But the ability to sieve truth from falsehood is what makes the difference while getting info from media sources. This is what many of you lack.

Oh, that the US lied about Iraq having weapons of mass destruction which they never had, and which the US never produced is conspiracy theory? Sorry, I give up.

leathalbeast:
even heard that they bought oil from russia last week, double of what they normally buy.

They have no replacement for it at the moment. Hence they stock up high than they normally do.

grandstar:
I am not an economist, though I am a massive fan of the free market and have a love for economics in general. My favorite magazine since I was 17 has been the Economist magazine.

Trust me, no matter how much you cheer the Russian economy, it will be severely hurt by sanctions. The previous sanctions imposed in 2014 after the annexation of Crimea had limited damaging effect on its economy and slowed its growth.

Putin, then, chose to implement economic reforms that would insulate the economy from the effects of further sanctions in the future. It built massive foreign reserves of $600bn for example which was one of the cushions. Unfortunately for Putin, he did not know that the sanctions the West would heap on it in the wake of the invasion would be so draconian.

It is best you listen to professionals. There are also 2 university-trained economists here on Nairaland, omohayek, and 4play who can lecture you on the true effects the sanctions will have on the Russian economy.

I have also placed some links below

https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2022/3/31/russias-post-invasion-political-economy

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/18/russia-central-bank-keeps-rates-at-20percent-but-warns-of-considerable-uncertainty.html

The point is that sanctions cannot cripple a country like Russia. This is obvious already.

If that's true, the US will simply deny it.

seunny4lif:
Major surrender in Mariupol by Ukrainian forces, reportedly 250+


Pro Ukraine are even the first to upload it.

Phase two is taking effect already. Surrender or die. No more so-called humanitarian corridor.

emmaodet:
bro, if what i have been reading is right, it is like Russia is really losing the war.
They have jammed their communication system thereby resorting to walking-talkie and Ukrainian telecommunication and the opponent eavesdropping their moves and killing many Russian colonels and generals in process.
Some issues like poor logistics, poorly trained infantries with low Morales, using outdated and obsolete weapons among others are a great concern about Russia.
The places they captured initially have been re-captured by Ukrainians with the help of NATO modern jamming system, use of rocket javelins to blow out Russian tanks, shooting down Russian planes

What you have been reading is propaganda.

kushme:
I mean, I raise hand for you(in respect). I knew about BRICS countries and saw your points clearly. One of the BRICS mission is to reduce the use of dollars in global trading..

Like someone said, there is a something hooge(huge) beyond this Russo-ukraine war that people don't know..

Respect to you( toxtimmy) and BKayy and Appleyard.
Great contributions

Recognition acknowledged. We can do nothing but spit facts.

Babinski:
Isn't it ironic that it is you that should be asked who was your geography teacher?

Russia is largely bordered by several seas and apart from Ukraine, those countries (Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia) are the major gateway to Europe by land for Russia and Belarus. The circuitous and alternative routes through Finland or Georgia by land to get to Europe is clearly going to be torture.

I have attached a map for you to see clearly into the issue and know the true impact of the closure of the borders of those countries on Russia's connectiion to Europe by land.

At the bolded, are you honestly mistaking or deliberately misleading? What happen to the Russian-Belarusian land border? Or is Belarus no longer a European country? It takes just 8 hours 36 minutes to drive from Russia to Belarus. How about that? Or am I the one mistaking?

[quote author=grandstar post=111653101]

The sanctions placed on Russia are devastating. They are enough to crush any economy, even the USA. I seethe at Buhari's stupid policies that prevent me from spending more than $100 a month on my debit card. I can't also use PayPal. That is little me.

This is funny at best. If the sanctions are so devastating as you claimed, why is Poland crying that the sanctions have failed? Besides, the face view of any sanction effect is how it reflects on a nation's national currency. Initially, the sanctions took their effects on the Russian economy in the first few weeks, with the Ruble falling so low to about 120 to one dollar. But today, it's back to pre-invasion value and even getting stronger. What does that tell you? Sanctions don't work against a nation the stature of Russia. You said it yourself that the sanctions are enough to cripple any economy, but they haven't. Rather, those who imposed it are the ones feeling the heat. This is because the nation concerned is one that transcend three continent, and is technologically advance, agriculturally self-sufficient and energy self-sufficient, and much more, geopolitically influential. As much as you would like to hate it, a nation like Russia cannot be crippled by sanctions. Period.

Now, Russia has been barred from SWIFT! That means debit cards won't work. Engaging in international trade is now very hard. Also, most countries are terrified helping Russia break sanctions. They are extremely weary lest they the face the wrath of the US, EU, Japan, South Korea and even Taiwan.

Not all Russian banks are excluded from SWIFT. In fact, they left some because the EU needs them to pay for its gas and oil. Moreover, Mastercard and VISA aren't the only ones operating in the country. And the moment they left, Chinese debit and credit card companies swiftly replaced them.

The Russians and the Chinese have their own equivalent of the SWIFT system which any country dealing with them can use to bypass such restrictions. Plus there are many ways to workaround this restrictions. How do you think Venezuela, Iran, and the worst, North Korea have been getting money to fund their economy? Gone are the days when the world revolves around Uncle Sam and its lap dogs in Europe.

Lmao. Please, list the nations that are terrified to do business with Russia because of what US might do to them. On the contrary, no one gives a fuvk about what Uncle Sam thinks or does.

Turkey, a NATO and European country refused to imposed sanctions on Russia and is actively working with Russia on many projects. Hungary don't give a dime about what the US thinks or say. In fact, it has vowed to veto any attempt by the EU to ban Russian gas. Japan, South Korea, and a host of others that placed symbolic sanctions against Russia in the wake of the Ukraine brouhaha are still very much doing bigger business with Russia. India has so far purchased 13 million barrels of oil since the Ukraine war began. While the war and sanctions were flying left and right, nations are sealing deals with Russia. Pakistan President stormed the kremlin and sealed a multi billion dollar pipeline trade deal with Russia. Let's not even talk about China's $400 billion gas and pipeline project deal with Russia. Brazil have struck a mutual defense deal with Russia for the provision of nuclear submarines. Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE stood symbolically with Russia by refusing to pick Biden's calls. In fact, all the gulf states simply turn their backs on the US and its quest to isolate Russia. You want to know why? The Saudis and other oil powers invited Russia to form an expanded group known as “OPEC+,” to control output and ensure a stable, profitable oil market. The group was created to counter the effect of America’s boom in shale production. The Gulf Arab states don’t want to jeopardize that arrangement over the war in Ukraine, and see Russia as an important “linchpin” for the oil producing coalition.

Algeria has paid for the S-400 and awaiting delivery despite US sanction threat. In fact, at least 13 countries have expressed interest in buying a Russian missile system instead of platforms made by American companies, despite the potential for triggering U.S. sanctions. Countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Morocco, Egypt, Vietnam, and Iraq have all discussed buying the S-400 missile system from Russia. Many countries in Africa, Asia and South America and doing business with Russia. No one cares about what Uncle Sam wants or thinks; the world has long gone beyond that.

If the pain on the EU or USA is 10,that of Russia is like a 100. The Russian economy has practically collapsed. Iran and Venezuelans are not living like kings. The Venezuelan economy is in complete shambles, actually caused by chronic mismanagement and not really the sanctions.

Stop feeding yourself with lies. The Russian economy has not collapse. Rather, its has proved so resilient as evident in the Rouble swift rise. Venezuela do not have to live like kings to thrive as a nation. How many nations are living like kings in the world yet are thriving? If Venezuela and its economy has really collapsed, I see no reason why they shouldn't jump at the opportunity of mending ties with the US and having some of its sanctions lifted when Biden recently sent a high-level team to Caracas to seek their help in their frantic bid to replace Russian oil. But alas, Venezuela gave them the middle finger because it hardly needs them anymore. Russia, China, Iran, Cuba and Turkey have been helping Venezuela to circumvent the sanctions as such that Maduro was bold enough to tell the US officials to go to hell.

Iran isn't an economic paradise. Their economy isn't doing well at all. There is huge brain drain. There's a massive drug addiction problem which is symptomic of feelings economic hopelessness many Iranians face.

No one is saying Iran is an economic paradise. But this is the 21st century, the world has become a global village highly interconnected. So gone are the days when some 'holier than thou' sinful states can wake up and cripple a nation with sanctions. Sanctions still bite, but they have their limits. Moreover, more state actors are increasingly focusing on pursuing their core security and economic interest first rather than pleasing the oversize foreign policy ego of a holier than thou nation.

Instead of Sanctions to cripple Iran as the west envisaged, it unfortunately makes it self-sufficient in many areas. It became so technologically advanced that it was able to develop its own 'missile city' and was bold and precise enough to target and hit US military bases in Iraq without a single retaliation. It was able to spend billions to prop its ally in Syria in spite of such crucial sanctions. That's certainly not a nation with a collapse economy. Sanctions are overrated.

Self sufficiency does not make you rich. It actually does the opposite. International trade is what makes countries wealthy. The more self reliant you are, the poorer you actually are.

Lmao. If you are not self-sufficient in a particular area, how would you have something to trade internationally in that area? On the contrary, self-sufficiency is the precursor to becoming wealthy. You can't trade what you don't have.

Wages have collapsed in Russia and people are losing jobs. Forget all the rosy picture you're painting. They are in for a very hard time.

Companies in Europe are laying off workers right now, and many of the key EU states are already drawing from their financial reserves and paying subsidies on rising cost of commodities which has exceeded wages purchasing ability. Sanctions are a two edged sword. Stop painting a fairytale picture like it's only in Russia it's happening. People are already protesting in European cities.

Why is the EU and USA hard on Russian energy exports you may ask? Because Putin has long used it as a weapon and their fed up of it. That's why they made the first move. To a good extent, it's counterproductive but Russia is really feeling the pain. The EU may have to backtrack a bit.

Nonsense! Every country use what it has politically and economically as leverage. In fact, no one does it better than the US and EU. Unless you want us to believe that sanctions are not political and economic leverage.

I am sure the average Russian would love to kick Putin out but the tyrant is going nowhere. Just like in Iran, Venezuela and Iraq under Saddam, the tyrant will hold on to power through the barrel of a gun. Russians are a hardy bunch and will have no choice but to suck it up.

Really? Sorry to disappoint you, Putin's popularity rating just reached a new high, and even one of the most russophobicly bias and famous western media paper couldn't help taking note: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/31/world/europe/putin-approval-rating-russia.html

Currently, no leader in the west enjoyed such nor has ever reached such approval rating of 83 percent . According to you and the west, Putin is a tyrant, meaning about 88 million Russians have tyrant-loving gene. . The thing is, the people love their 'tyrant' same way the Hungarian people love their 'thug' prime minister. Sadly, sleeping Joe's approval rating is a meager 34 percent.

Pathetic.

BKayy:
You really need to collect the fees paid to your geography teacher back.

Are you talking about the same Russia that borders more than 14 countries and also have maritime border with USA?

What exactly is Azerbaijan for?

The guy is just an emotional Ukrainian propagandist who think Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia has ''completely isolated'' a country the size of Russia. I wanted to help him see something but decided against it because he is always too pompous to accept his errors. On the contrary, it is Russia that has the capability to cut off the three Baltic states from the rest of Europe.

The guy is very funny.

grandstar:
Yes, some sanctions would definitely be counterproductive but these countries do not want a situation that would put them at Putins mercy. That's why they are prepared to damn the consequences. The pain will be hard but nothing compared to Russia, that is desperately looking for any buyer of its crude oil at massive discounts.

Ukraine is a breadbasket. It has very fertile soil and its a massive exporter of wheat, sunflower, honey and so on. It's the 5th largest exporter of wheat in the world for instance. The war would definitely disrupt agric industry.

Russia is also big in agriculture but I don't know how big. It is the largest exporter of wheat in the world.

Yes, both parties would be hurt by sanctions, but Russia will suffer it most. That's the plain truth

At least, you made sense and argue maturely unlike some of the kids we have in here that argue from a point of emotions.

Now, let's get this straight.

Russia did not put anyone at Putin's mercy. Rather, it's the EU beurocrats that is putting themselves at the mercy of Russian exports. There is a reason why the EU is divided when it comes to banning Russian oil and gas. Not only would they be committing economic and political suicides, the fact is, there is no good alternative to Russian oil and gas, and weaning themselves off Russian gas is not just feasible at least for the next 5 years for the major European economies. If that's the consequences they want to damn, well, no one is holding them; they can proceed.

Moreover, if the EU nations stop buying Russian oil and gas today, of course, Russia export reserves will be squeezed, but it will also drive oil prices higher, as global supply constricts without Russian oil. The price of a barrel of oil went past $110 weeks ago even as the EU debated its moves. Analysts have warned that prices could touch $200; even more dramatically, Russia has warned of $300 oil if the EU halts oil and gas imports.

According to European Central Bank estimates, a 10% gas shortfall will trigger a 0.7% contraction in GDP. A total ban on Russian energy is likely to shove the EU into recession, Rishi Sunak, the UK’s chancellor of the exchequer, warned last week. And the effects will spread, Sunak said; the UK economy would take nearly a $100 billion hit, or about 3% of its GDP. So, Europe will be the one to suffer more. The reason is obvious: you cannot replace 'cheap' oil and gas.


Russia isn't really desperately looking for buyers for its oil. Lmao. The US, Canada and Australia aside, the EU is just 27 nations, out of the 44 countries in Europe, and not all of them subscribed to banning Russian oil, e.g, Turkey and Hungary. The remaining 17 countries don't care from who they buy their oil. Plus, there is southeast Asia market, with the ever oil and gas hungry Chinese market waiting to soak up every drop even at a fair discount. Who wouldn't bounce at the opportunity to get cheap oil? This was how Venezuela and Iran circumvented the western ban on their oil. The Chinese and Indian market alone would dwarf any shortfall an outright EU ban on Russian oil might bring. We saw this playbook in 2021, when Chinese buyers gorged on cheap oil from Iran and Venezuela, taking the most from the U.S.-sanctioned regimes in three years. Observed imports were 324 million barrels that year, a rise of 53%, according to data and analytics firm Kpler. In fact, since the start of the Ukrainian war, India have already purchased 13 millions barrels of Russian Ural oil.

On agriculture, Russia is the number one producer of wheat in the world while Ukraine ranks 5th. Russia ranks 6th in global corn production while Ukraine ranks 5th. On Barley production, Russia ranks 2nd after the EU with Ukraine a distant behind. Ukraine and Russian leads in Sunflower production.

So, as you can see, Russia is also a major force to reckon with on global agricultural scale. A country that is technologically advance, mostly self-sufficient in healthcare needs, produces its own foods, and is completely energy self-sufficient, can never be intimidated by sectional sanctions nor can it be ever isolated as some dimwits would want you to believe. Why? Because it's a global player and many other parts of the world needs it inputs to thrive.

chronique:
Same reason Libya was destroyed. All that talk of Ghadafi not giving his people freedom was a ruse.

Exactly.

AldrichAmes:
That’s what they don’t want to talk about. Most Ukrainians in the East and South don’t want to join NATO. And it’s 50/50 in central Ukraine including Kyiv. The only Ukrainians interested in NATO are the ones in the west who’re mostly genetically Polish.

The truth about Ukraine is that it’s not a real country and it’s an amalgamation of different entities. The real Ukraine is just basically central Ukr - everything else was added to it.

A city like Odessa is a stronghold for communists and they have traditionally always won all the elections there. And eastern Ukr has always been Russia - Lenin added that region to Ukr. Even during WW2 - Ukrainians in the western region fought with the Nazis against Soviet Union.

So there’s no way one region can decide for a country that is this broken and diverse. If any country should maintain neutrality - it’s Ukr due to its population demographic. But these fools led by a comedian and Nazis allowed the US to use them as cannon fodder and meat grinder for proxy war.

I think that’s why Russia is also holding back a lot because it can level the whole country if it wanted to. Ukrainians also know that hence they denied the CIA attack on Belgorod last week.

Regardless, the comedian and Nazis will end up with a worthless and landlocked Ukr that would be useless to EU and NATO. Russia has take the whole Sea of Azov which is the most strategic part of Ukr with land corridor to Donbas. The just need to take the whole Donbas and Odessa to complete the cipher.

You have said it all. In saner climes, someone like Zelensky should be prosecuted for treason against the diverse people of Ukraine. I believe they have something on him, or like someone pointed out, he is acting like someone that has bipolar disorder. The way he would say I want to negotiate today, then ask for weapons tomorrow is enough to believe that. This man could have made Ukraine neutral from the very beginning, and Ukrainians would have been living in peace now. But no, he didn't. Rather, he chose to massage the US and NATO ploy to have bases installed in Ukraine which could have completely undermine Russia's security and nuclear deterrence, giving the US a first-strike advantage and preventable retaliatory strikes over Russia, which is so plausible considering the huge size and length of the border and airspace Ukraine shares with Russia.

As for the Russian endgame, I think the two separatists regions of Donetsk and Luhansk are forever gone from Ukraine. They will become independent, no doubt.

If Odessa is added to that, it means Ukraine would be completely cut off from sea, including the black sea. It would become a landlock country with a landlock army, one that will certainly pose no threat to Russia anymore for many years to come.

The Russian phase two will tell where this will end.