Yes, and the toothless tiger sanctions will do little to curb Putin and his lies. What will stop him is if we stop funding his military adventures with the artificially high price we pay for oil and gas. The taps must be again fully opened and the price of energy allowed to come down. Even as a tiny cabal of paper shuffling energy barons who buy and sell oil on the spot market start to lose money?

They are part of the problem with western economies, where commodities pass through the hands of price goughing and entirely unnecssary wholesalers. who impose themselves on all kinds of transactions that just do not need their involvement, e.g., water barons and energy barons. Not known before the fifties.

Days before finance brokers and where one dealt directly with the bank manager and not the current plethora of profit demanding, paper shuffling middlemen, who have made the cost of living and doing business, double what it needs to be, via their involvement!

When we stop financing Mr Putin's military adventures and get him to pull his horns in, with the artificially high price we pay for oil and or gas! Then Mr Putin will no longer be able to pay his troops nor keep his economy with its head above water.

The energy barons (enemies in our midst) need to be ignored and we need to crack on with the production of biogas and oil source from algae that is up to 60% oil.

And crack on converting our economy to a nuclear powered one! the only thing that prevents any of this is, perpetually prevaricating and pompous posturing, timidity personified, bought and paid for, politicians. And if the cap fits?

If you gutless, spineless windbags won't do something real, then stand aside and allow those with a bit of Cossack warrior ticker to do it for you! I for one, won't hold my breath.
Alan B.

Mad bad Vlad always was evil, remains evil and while ever he is alive, will be evil.
What to do about him though is another thing indeed.

Doesn't anyone look at the long-term outcome of this ?

Consider carefully "other side" of the story here. From background information on author, not surprising is strong supporter of the current Ukrainian government. It was installed in 2014 by US sponsored coup which replaced a mediocre democratically elected administration with worse one that has since been a puppet of Washington. Was most strongly opposed by largely ethnic Russians in Crimea, who overwhelmingly supported rejoining Russia. Then in Donbass area of Eastern Ukraine, people opposed new government in Kiev to the extent they declared independent republics of Donetsk and Luhansk. For the last eight years have suffered regular attacks by government trying to retake their areas by force. Things appeared getting worse recently with Kiev soliciting arms supplies from NATO countries for an apparent strong proposed invasion attempt. Presidents of these republics ASKED Russia for help to stop it. The Russian parliament authorised Vladimir Putin to take appropriate action. The Russian military were INVITED there and arrival has obviously been appreciated. Purpose of so called "INVASION" of other areas of Ukraine is primarily to hopefully permanently end aggression from it. Note quote attributed to Vladimir Putin to effect they want get rid of "junkies and neo nazis" from the Ukraine government. Seems Unlikely Russia would want to take long term control. Have enough of a challenge keeping the Russian Federation together with all its different ethnic groups. Remember a small scale apparent precedent for present Russian military action. Areas of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in the former Soviet Union state of Georgia wanted independence. Georgian government sent troops to try and retake control. Then Russian military went in and helped locals kick Georgians out. Now look at the headline for this forum article: ie "Myths and Lies". Those who have kept an eye on news from so called "alternative" sources including Russian ones realise this is basically what the western mainstream media has been peddling about it on behalf of the US "Deep state" especially. Need to do search on Donetsk News and informed commentators from within US, Paul Craig Roberts and Ron Paul especially for alternative views.

I feel truly sorry for the people of Ukraine for having been conned so treacherously !

Meanwhile US and Oz media are desperate to link Putin - Ukraine project to Xi - China then blame/claim that Biden - Dems (EU, etc) are 'weak' to assist the Trumper GOP in the mid terms; while our PM dog whistles both China and his opposing counterpart with the 'Manchurian candidate' slur.

For good reason, corruption through Russian monies and influence amongst the GOP and UK Tories is ignored, as is the elephant in the room, clear links between Russia with GOP/Tories' 'architecture' but worse, it's the fossil fuel and related, represented by Koch Network think tanks supported by donations of fossil fuels and related.

By coincidence they have shared interest with Russia i.e. white Christian nationalism, climate science denial, autocracy, corruption, aversion to open society and liberal democracy; meanwhile BP has announced their divesting from Russia.

The elephant in the room, are the US fossil fuel and related investors in Russia (and Ukraine) who could come under the #KochNetwork (significant tag on Twitter, explains much) banner but are ignored in media preferring to attack EU, NATO, Biden et al?

From what I understand the 'Ghost of Kyiv' story is fake news to rally the fighting spirit, the plane shown falling to pieces was a Ukranian Su-25 Frogfoot, but the sunflower seeds story is true, I saw it.

I think Russian soldier was brave showing constraint considering the Ukrainian citizens have been armed.

As for the idiots on the island, they pretty much asked to die.
What if the tank-man in Tiananmen Square just got run over instead?
He wouldn't be a brave symbol of defiance, he'd just be foolish and dead.

Also noticed you left all the juicy parts of the story out.

Like the US conducting the overthrow from US Embassy in Kiev where the DNC servers Donald Trump was looking for were relocated to -
Obama, Biden, Nuland, Soros

Found server room in Ukraine
http://tinyurl.com/3exv3cbz
Wife of NSA Inspector General helped him plot Trump coup in Ukraine
http://tinyurl.com/3cnbxykm

They had to move it from the DNC to Ukraine.
They were spying on the Trump campaign after baseless accusations that Trump had some seedy hotel rendezvous.
It was just a ruse to create a context for Hillary to spy on his election campaign, and even then she couldn't win.
Don't think for 1 second Biden won fair and square.
Democrats invite foreigners to vote and drive people around in buses to vote multiple times,
- and somehow even the dead seem to rise from the grave and vote too.

They're experts at this, because they have a takedown group in place for when they do it in other countries.
Why do you think Soros owns the voting machines?

Too many years since I looked at all this stuff
Russiagate, Crowdstrike, Fancy Bears, Cosy Bears, Dmitri Alperovitch,
Ihor Kolomoyskyi, Bill Browder, Magnitsky Act, NATO Blackberries

<< But possibly the most potent symbol to date, picked up by mainstream Western media too, is the story, substantiated by audio recording, of thirteen border guards on the tiny Zmiinyi (Snake) Islandin the Black Sea near the Ukrainian-Romanian border. >>

You may have jumped the gun in making a big song and dance about this incident. The audio recording hasn't been verified and reports are emerging that the border guards may still be alive. So might be best to lay off celebrating that little piece of mythology just yet.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-28/ukraine-border-guard-snake-island-russia-attack/100867150

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/27/ukraine-island-defenders-who-told-russian-officer-go ... yourself-may-still-be-alive

<< … when he (Putin) rants about the imaginary genocide of Russian-speaking people in Ukraine ... >>

Not a rant, I’m afraid, but very real. Mass graves are being uncovered and are starting to reveal the true horror of the Donbas killings.

https://covertactionmagazine.com/2021/10/21/more-skeletons-in-obamas-closet-mass-grave-in-lugansk-ukraine-yields-over-200-bodies

Yes, lots of mythology here. Not to mention glaring omissions. Not one mention of the US and NATO’s eastward expansion.

Just talking with a friend how Australia desperately needs media diversity and skills of critical thinking, literacy and assessing credibility of sources; the last two comments confirm this.

Two good indie sources on UKraine/Russia are Bellingcat on the integrity of images and ByLine Times which has people on the ground; Australia we continue with conspiracy theories via astroturfing?

UK Tories are going to be the first in the Anglosphere to be seriously challenged for being puppets of Putin and recipients of dark money from oligarchs for influence, while also being linked to Koch thinks tanks (ALL at 55 Tufton St.), you know, 'fossil fuels' who also despise the EU, liberal democracy and open society.

Wars aren't started by the first shot !

Andras Smith

<< Just talking with a friend how Australia desperately needs media diversity and skills of critical thinking, literacy and assessing credibility of sources; the last two comments confirm this. >>

Instead of insinuating that I'm stupid and gullible, I suggest you make an effort to refute the points I make. The strength or weakness of our literacy and critical thinking skills will then become a little more evident.

If I tried to be fair, I think the US has a lot to answer for in creating the situation we now have.

1. NATO slowly moving eastwards until it's now on Russia's doorstep, against assurances given at the end of the USSR; and
2. Overthrowing the democratically elected President of Ukraine in 2014 with the Maidan, which they orchestrated and carried out.

Take note that a lot of killings occurred then, and since.

So I think Western actions are completely at fault for creating this situation.

Also it's hardly any different to Japan.
Back then they stopped Japan from getting oil.
Now, they are stopping Russia from selling theirs.
- The West is pushing the countries into war -

I support Russia recognising the independence of the Donbass and Luhansk regions;
I support these regions becoming a part of Russia, if that's what they choose.
I accept that Russia had to draw a line in the sand somewhere because its NATO security concerns were being ignored and dismissed.

But I don't think it was good idea to invade the whole of Ukraine in the way it has.
Let's say 10000 people on each side die.
Theres going to be bad blood for the next 50 - 100 years because of it.
I'd like to think there was somehow a different option to a full invasion.
Maybe if Putin had've shown some restraint in Ukraine after it recognised and entered the Donbass and Luhansk regions, as peacekeepers and then instead stopped all Russian oil and gas exports to Europe and the West when sanctioned he'd have had more leverage or made a better case for what he wanted.

What if there was a compromise where Ukraine became a NATO protectorate, not a full member status?
They could be entitled to collective defense if attacked or invaded; but not permitted to host military bases, troops or missiles?

Also I think the whole thing highlights a need to look at the way the West does things, as both sides could've done things differently here.
Their mistakes mean innocent people die.

Dear Critic,

I also support self-determination of any group of people so they can be independent or join any other group as they wish, whatever be their reason(s), good, foolish or none.

But right now we do not have that luxury, right now we are fighting for our home, lives and freedom - Australia is either 3rd or 4th in the firing line (depending whether Japan is taken first or us). All that counts now is the bravery of Ukrainians and the support we and the rest of the world provide for them who are on the front line: China is watching to test our determination and will act or refrain depending on that alone.

Compromises could be made earlier, but now they would be looked upon as weakness, something we cannot afford.

Weakening a Nation by idealistic destabilisation is one of the surest & proven ways throughout history to lead to conflict !