mox

It is a tragic mess and Russia needs to get out asap. I suspect in many instances they cannot. I don't see any positives from Putin's invasion, either for Ukraine or Russia. So much needless death and destruction. What will Ukranians think of Russia now? Stalin tried a terror famine and now Putin conducts a military invasion primarily targeting civilians.

Western propaganda? I wish all the footage of death and devastation I have seen was fake, but sadly I think it true. I don't think the Russian people will be happy when they learn the truth. I think they will feel great shame and anger toward Putin for his action.

Fester, To get this tragic mess under control, Russia will need to keep some military presence around Ukraine to reduce likelihood of problems flaring up again. Then Russian leaders should try not to repeat mistakes of the past where civilian diplomats have wasted away gains made by their military. Western media would have everyone believe the Russian invasion has blatantly targeted civilians which is a BLATANT LIE. The stated policy has been to try and mimimise civilian casualties and there have been lots of precision strikes on targets with military significance which have achieved this. Has been a problem though with Ukrainian neo Nazi Azov regiment types deliberately positioning military facilities where they can use civilians as human shields. Regarding claiming there are no positives from the Russian invasion, remember result would have been more negatives had they not intervened. Ukraine was about to conduct a full scale invasion of the Donbass area they had been terrorising for eight years. Had this succeeded, Russia would have been faced with a large military force threatening Crimea . Also Ukraine joining NATO, which would have facilitated the US establishing military bases there tothreated Russia.

Mox,

I don't know why you bother regurgitating Russian propaganda which consists of blatant lies. The claim that Ukrainians are shelling their own cities is so stupid that it is laughable.

The Russian army that is costing Russia $bns every day hasn't advanced in weeks and has retreated in several areas. Each day it is losing men and machinery in an asymmetrical war that Ukraine can fight for years if necessary.

The old truism is that if you are not winning you are losing. All while Russia's economy is in a nosedive. I see Putin is now conscripting a further 134 000 to prop up his demoralised army.

Remember quote "illiteracy in the 21st century is not people who cannot read or write. It is those who resist unlearning lies they have been brainwashed to believe". Look at the demonstration of this by shadowminister above. Obviously does not to even consider anything that indicates the narrative of supporters of the current Ukrainian regime may be wrong and tries to just dismiss it as "Russian propaganda". He reckons the claim that Ukrainians are shelling their own cities is laughable. Unfortunately it isn't. For a start, check the latest on www.dan-news.info/en , ie news agency of the Donetsk Peoples Republic, which declared independence from Ukraine after the US sponsored coup 8 years ago. They have been regularly shelled since. Including in capital Donetsk city, which lately also has had a severe shortage of water due to major supply being cut off and Ukrainian hostilities stopping repairs. Hopefully soon the long "dug in" Ukrainian military nearby will soon be removed from the area by Donetsk militia with Russian help - especially from backup supplies being disrupted.

Mox,

You are a joke, and your claims are getting more and more desperate. Unlike you, I don't parrot any propaganda from either Ukrainian or Russian sources. What is clear from the massive library of photographs, satellite images etc are:

Russia is massively bombing civilian cities,
Russia's initial attempts to take Kyiv and Kharkiv have failed,
Russia's losses of men and machinery have been huge and are continuing.
The Ukrainian destruction of a fuel depot in Belgorod shows that Ukraine is now taking the war to Russia. How humiliating!

SM,

The reality for Mox to consider is the differing fortune of Russia compared to Japan and Germany since the end of the second world war. Liberal democracy is not to be feared. It provides a path to peace and prosperity. Mox is correct in assuming that Ukraine may try and recapture all Ukranian territory invaded by Russia, but by what legal measure does Russia hold this territory? Nearly 18,000 Russian dead and about 25% of the military hardware destroyed or captured. All the Russian army have excelled at is murdering civilians and destroying buildings and infrastructure. Without a heavily censored Russian media this madness would have stopped long ago.