Paul,

Russia has been rattling the nuclear saber since the beginning. Russia won't do this because the consequences will far outweigh any benefits they could get from this, and there is no intelligence indicating that they would be that stupid.

AC,

That Yanukovych or his supporters organized the snipers to kill protesters is not in dispute. Also, there is no evidence (other than that cooked up by Russia) that the US gave the protesters any more than moral support.

As for the appeal for cluster bombs, this is based on the use of cluster munitions by Russians on Ukrainian civilians. Again there is the clear video and other evidence of this.

Lukashenko was friendly with the EU until he rigged elections to maintain power and Russia helped him put down protests against his corruption. As a result Belarus now has one of the lowest living standards in Europe. Lukashenko is a tyrant.

That Russia is resorting to using T54s shows that they are losing this war.

Hey Paul1405,
"In a new and dangerous move Russia will deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. Putin compared this move to the US stationing its weapons in Europe."

Yes I heard about this.
This is probably a response to the UK sending depleted Uranium rounds and the US sending a new special envoy to Belarus to try to cause more civil unrest there.
It's true the US has had nukes stationed in Turkey Incirlik air base for years.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incirlik_Air_Base
"The primary unit stationed at Incirlik Air Base is the 39th Air Base Wing (39 ABW) of the U.S. Air Force. Incirlik Air Base has one 3,048 m (10,000 ft)-long runway, located among about 57 hardened aircraft shelters. Tactical nuclear weapons are stored at the base. Among them are "up to" 50 B61 nuclear bombs."

Hey shadowminister
"That Yanukovych or his supporters organized the snipers to kill protesters is not in dispute."
- No, it's just not in dispute by you.
Seems I got it wrong, it wasn't people from with 'Right Sector' it was people from 'Svoboda', I knew it was one of the two.

"Also, there is no evidence (other than that cooked up by Russia) that the US gave the protesters any more than moral support."

You live in a world of ignorance of the world around you SM.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAND_Corporation
"It is largely financed by the U.S. government"
"The RAND Corporation was originally founded in 1948 by Douglas Aircraft Company (predecessor of Boeing) to offer research and analysis to the United States Armed Forces."

Even when RAND corporation (a US government funded think tank / advocacy tank) puts out in it's own documents advocating for the US government to conduct regime changes, you're incapable of believing it's true, even when you have phone calls of Victoria Nuland US Undersecretary of State discussing on the phone which leader they will install and saying how much money they spent to do it, you refuse to believe it.

Extending Russia - Competing from Advantageous Ground 2019
http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR3063.html

Page 62 Economic Measures Measure 2: Reduce Natural Gas Exports and Hinder Pipeline Expansions

"A variety of options exist for diversifying European gas supplies and extending Russia economically, although it is not clear how much control the United States has over them. A first step would involve stopping Nord Stream 2. In 2015, the EU imported 410.6 bcm of natural gas, of which 121.7 bcm came from Russia.
Nord Stream 2 at full capacity would account for 45 percent of 2015 imports from Russia — 14 percent of total imports. Europe would still need to import the gas, and that gas might still come from Russia, but at minimum it would have to pass through other countries, such as Ukraine, which would earn transport fees.
A second option is to encourage new pipelines from other gas sources. Chief among these are the Southern Gas Corridor and EastMed."

Page 111 Measure 3: Promote Regime Change in Belarus

"From a U.S. policy standpoint, Belarus’ unrest might present an opportunity to extend Russia by aiding the opposition, removing a long-standing Russian-allied dictator, and supporting liberalization.
This aid to Lukashenko’s opposition could come in a variety of forms, ranging from public declarations of support by U.S. leaders to more direct financial and organizational assistance helping the opposition parties reach the end state of being a free and democratic Belarus."

No SM, this isn't a document from a US govt funded thinktank and it's not a US policy to stop Nordstream 2 or provide funding or assistance to opposition groups to cause or capitalise on civil unrest to conduct regime change in Belarus.
The US would never provide any support to conduct regime changes, it's all grassroots I tell you!
- 354 pages, they just fund this research for the fun of it.

The BRICS Has Overtaken The G7 In Global GDP
http://www.silkroadbriefing.com/news/2023/03/27/the-brics-has-overtaken-the-g7-in-global-gdp/