Ukraine

[Richard]

But he could still get the Russian populations in those countries to stir things up a bit.

Agreed.

[exile]

I don't get involved in politics people tend to let their emotions run away, so will just add a small point, isn't time someone told Mother Russia that if it wasn't for the western world in the 1940s that they would properly have had a very large part of Western Russia under German control, the USA and Britain and other country's, lost thousands of men, hundreds of thousands of tons of goods and shipping to help them defeat to bad guy, these people soon forget their history when it suits them, I don't think the average man/women in the street will have, if they have been told by the grandparents, but I don't know.

As @Richard has pointed out there were many Russian losses as well - every thousand western loss was matched by hundreds of thousands of Russian lives given up.

[Wilbro]

@exile
If memory serves Russia lost about 10% of it's population but a hell of a lot was due to Stalin using troops as cannon fodder. There were also the number executed and starved to death not only by the Germans during their occupation but also by Russia. Not to mention the Siberian camps etc. Stalin was interested only in winning and ultimately expanding the Russian influence and Empire which he did thanks to the naivety of Truman and the inexperience of Attlee. A Roosevelt/Churchgill combination would have seen a different result. Putin is following Stalin's example.

[Blaze]

Probably not relevant, just an observation, but Mr P seems to have either put on weight recently or is on steroids. Either way, he doesn't look particularly healthy. He's always prided himself on fitness and keeping in shape.

[Richard]

Probably not relevant, but Mr P seems to have either put on weight recently or is on steroids. Either way, he doesn't look particularly healthy. He's always prided himself on fitness and keeping in shape.

I thought the same and he may even have had some plastic surgery.

[Hotrodder]

There was a documentary series not all that long ago. One episode was about the Russian Front. At first I felt pity for how the German troops suffered, driven by a madman, ill equipped for fighting on foot in the Russian winter. Then my eyes were opened when they told of literally millions of Russian troops were killed, trying to stop the invaders. There must be very deep feelings that drive the Russians, even after all this time.

[Blaze]

@Richard I think he's been having some nips and tucks for a while. But he seems to have the moon face so often associated with steroids, so perhaps he's unwell ...

[niemeyjt]

There was a documentary series not all that long ago. One episode was about the Russian Front. At first I felt pity for how the German troops suffered, driven by a madman, ill equipped for fighting on foot in the Russian winter. Then my eyes were opened when they told of literally millions of Russian troops were killed, trying to stop the invaders. There must be very deep feelings that drive the Russians, even after all this time.

Indeed - isn't this the background to the current issues - Russia has been invaded from the west on several occasions - and fears NATO expansion will precipitate another such invasion.

[Wilbro]

@niemeyjt

I can't see that they are worried about an invasion from the West. It would priobably lead to nuclear war and no-one wins. It's simple Empire building and desire to hold an economically attractive territory.

[Bayleaf]

Ouch! A play on words - now being ordered to remove by the Met Police under the Terrorism Act!

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