Ukraine V Russia

[Chris Ashdown]

What actually does Putin want Ukraine for, Land, Grain etc
He must know that even if he wins, all he will get is decades of low level sabotage and other militant behavior, that would most likely spread into other areas
Occupying forces would never be accepted as proven by any other invaded country in the past, You just end up with unsolvable problems with the population

 

[japancool]

None of that matters. He wants to be a conqueror, the restorer of the Russian Empire.

 

[Gyumri]

He used to be a self- employed tax driver and like most taxi drivers wants to be king of the road!

 

[Mark T Jones]

He had a clear goal - which failed in a matter of weeks

He had a plan B, which looked like it was working but is now in tatters

There is no plan C - he is waging a meaningless war of attrition - the only goal is not to be seen to lose

 

[simon field]

Ultimately he wants to leave a nice big legacy.

At the point where he has nothing left to lose, the fireworks will begin!

 

[MBE2017]

Am I the only one who feels many people have under estimated Putin his whole life?

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

The Generals won't agree to launch. As far as they know the West would launch a counterattack and they don't want that

 

[Mark T Jones]

Am I the only one who feels many people have under estimated Putin his whole life?

Putin certainly hasn't.

 

[AstEver]

In his famous speech at Munich, he stated that the Soviet empire "was the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century". He would like Russia to regain the same sphere of influence and power.

He wants Russia to enter the Western geopolitical system and become one of the key players there.

He wants to have influence, if not control, over old Soviet's satellites, mainly the Baltic states and Poland. That is why he demanded that NATO withdraws all forces and systems from the regions/countries to which NATO expanded after 1997.

And he almost succeeded thanks to Russia's strategic partnership with ... Germany (of course and again).

 

[DontAsk]

Am I the only one who feels many people have under estimated Putin his whole life?

I would say we overestimated Russia's military abilities and competence. We should have stood up to him when he invaded Georgia or when he first invaded Ukraine. Appeasing bullies never ends well.

 

[Nico Albrecht]

USA/Nato dare not fight Russia. For years, they expanded Nato despite Putin’s warmings that they are crossing its red lines. Worst they encouraged Ukraine to go against Russia but when the fighting started on 24th February 2022, they gave Ukraine 3rd rate weapons, have refused to send “boots on the ground.

Zelensky calling for preamtive strikes on Russia in November / December 2021 was insane from the mp.

 

[Deleted member 335660]

Well reading Tim Marshall’s Prisoners if Geography one reason others have not mentioned is that Russia is desperate for a warm weather port to improve its trading position with the world. Hence he wants land down by the Crimean Peninsula.

Add to this his disgust at the destruction of the USSR and some people in Ukraine who want to be part of Russia, gives you a recipe for invasion.